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Light Support Weapons
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Minimi LSW and (b) SA80 LSW; and if he will make a statement. [69156]
Mr. Ingram: The Minimi Light Machine Gun (LMG) and the SA80A2 Light Support Weapon (LSW) are both deployed in support of the infantry with complementary but different roles. The Minimi LMG is capable of providing sustained suppressive firepower through belt fed ammunition at ranges of 300–400 m. The SA80A2 LSW can engage targets accurately at extended ranges (up to 600 m) at a lower rate of fire.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which light support weapons were issued to UK troops as part of (a) Taskforce Jacana and (b) Operation Fingal; and if he will make a statement. [69154]
Mr. Ingram: Minimis and light support weapons were issued to troops on both operations. We always issue weapons to our forces which are appropriate for the tasks that we expect them to undertake.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Minimi light support weapons have been issued to UK troops in Afghanistan and at what cost to his Department; and if he will make a statement. [69155]
Mr. Ingram: 149 Minimis were issued to United Kingdom troops involved in Operations Jacana and Fingal in Afghanistan. I am withholding details of the cost in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Joint Helicopter Command
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Joint Helicopter Command was established; and if he will make a statement. [69096]
Mr. Ingram: The Joint Helicopter Command was established on 5 October 1999, as a result of the Strategic Defence Review.
Chief of Defence Logistics
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the first Chief of Defence Logistics was appointed; and if he will make a statement. [69098]
Mr. Ingram: General Sir Sam Cowan was appointed, initially as Chief of Defence Logistics (Designate), in the lead in to the DLO's former launch on 1 September 1998 for a four-year period. The appointment of Air Marshal Sir Malcolm Pledger was announced on 21 March 2002 in the normal way, and he will take up his appointment in the rank of Air Chief Marshal, on 2 September 2002.
Departmental Projects
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department completed (a) the formation
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of 1 Joint Force Logistic Component HQ and (b) the establishment of a regular ambulance regiment; and if he will make a statement. [69099]
Mr. Ingram: The Joint Force Logistic Component Headquarters is a capability that is formed as required. It is based on the core capability of a Logistic Brigade Headquarters enhanced by a Logistics Brigade Signal Squadron, other signals assets and augmentation from the other two Services. The first Joint Force Logistic Component HQ was able to be formed from April 2000, and we will have the capability to form a second such HQ from April 2003.
The capability which would have been provided by a regular Ambulance Regiment has been created within the Strategic Defence Review endorsed Medical Regiment Concept. This has been achieved by the creation of evacuation squadrons in each of the four medical regiments formed. These evacuation squadrons were fully formed by March 2001. Embedding the evacuation capability within each regiment, rather than creating a discrete capability, has enhanced our ability to deliver the ambulance and evacuation function.
Frigate and Destroyer Fleet
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the present size is of the United Kingdom frigate and destroyer fleet; and if he will make a statement. [69101]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 June 2002, Official Report, columns 36–37W, to the hon. Member for Upminster (Angela Watkinson).
Forces Relocation
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first Army unit was permanently relocated from Germany after 1997; and if he will make a statement. [69102]
Mr. Ingram: The most recent troop reduction in Germany occurred as a result of the Strategic Defence Review. One Royal Tank Regiment was the first unit under this initiative to relocate back to the UK, in April 1999.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the complete withdrawal of the RAF from Germany was completed; and if he will make a statement. [69100]
Mr. Ingram: The closure of RAF Bruggen, the RAF's last Main Operating Base in Germany, and its handover to the British Army was completed on 4 February 2002. The withdrawal of the RAF rear party from the station was undertaken on 28 February 2002. A number of RAF detachments remain in Germany.
Army Homes (Colchester)
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many dwellings in Colchester were sold to Annington Homes; when the sale took place; how many dwellings are available for married soldiers; how many have been demolished; and how many have been sold; [68854]
- (2) how many houses in the private sector are rented in Colchester to accommodate (a) soldiers and (b) married families; [68856]
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(3) what the average price per dwelling in Colchester sold by the Ministry of Defence to Annington Homes was; and what total sum was received for the dwellings in Colchester; [68855]
(4) if the Ministry of Defence will receive a share of the proceeds of former army houses at Colchester sold by Annington Homes. [68853]
Dr. Moonie: In 1996 most service families' accommodation in England and Wales was sold to Annington Homes Ltd. (AHL) under a sale and leaseback agreement. The sale raised £1.6 billion for the Exchequer, of which just under £35 million (about £25,000 per dwelling) related to some 1,400 family quarters in the Colchester area.
During 1996 and subsequently, a total of 182 houses in the Colchester area have been released to AHL for disposal. The rest (about 1,200) are still available for the Ministry of Defence to house service families. Of those released to AHL for disposal, some have been sold by the company, none have been demolished, but about 100 (of non-traditional construction) are awaiting development.
As part of the Sale of Agreement, a profit share scheme is in place under which the Exchequer receives a part of any profit AHL make from the properties released to them.
In the Colchester area, and separately from the arrangement with AHL, MOD rents 107 properties from the private sector, of which 106 accommodate single service personnel and one houses a service family.
War Pensions
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place current guidelines issued to the war pensions appeals tribunal in the Library. [68191]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
The president of the pensions appeal tribunals issues practice directions which are distributed to all tribunal members. I have arranged for copies of the practice directions to be placed in the Library.
The Pensions Appeal Tribunals (England and Wales) Rules 1980 (as amended) detail the practice and procedure to be followed by the tribunals.
Sheik Hamad bin Jassim Jaber al-Thani
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department was informed of payments made by (a) BAE Systems and (b) British Aerospace to His Excellency Sheik Hamad bin Jassim Jaber al-Thani; and if he will make a statement. [61106]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 13 June 2002]: The first reference we have been able to trace in our records is a report in 1998 which stated that Shaik Hamad bin Jassim Jaber al-Thani had received commissions in connection with a defence equipment package signed in 1996 (for which BAe were the lead contractor).
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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CDC Capital Partners
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what representations have been made to her by UK non-Governmental organisations regarding the change in investment policy at CDC Capital Partners; [67410]
(2) what representations have been made to her Department since 1997 by non-commonwealth non- Governmental organisations regarding the change in CDC Capital Partners' investment policy; [67406]
(3) what representations have been made to her Department since 1997 by non-United Kingdom Commonwealth non-governmental organisations regarding the change in CDC Capital Partners investment policy; [67411]
(4) what representations her Department has received from (a) the Commonwealth and (b) other nations regarding CDC Capital Partners' investment policy since 1997. [67351]
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reserved rights she would retain after the sale of the majority holding in CDC Capital Partners. [67396]
Clare Short: I hold a number of reserved rights under the special share, which is referred to in Section 18 of the Commonwealth Development Corporation Act 1999. These are set out in Article 11 of the Articles of Association of CDC Group plc. They were designed to continue beyond sale of a majority holding in CDC to private sector investors. A copy of the Articles of Association has been placed in the Library of the House.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' investment partners by (a) sector, (b) country and (c) size since 1997; [67344]
- (2) what proportion of CDC Capital Partners' (a) retail and (b) health care investments are in (i) low-income and (ii) least-developed nations; [67392]
(3) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' investment directors' investments by (a) country, (b) sector and (c) size since 1997; [67340]
(4) if she will list CDC Capital Partners executives' proportional (a) salary and (b) remuneration increases since 1997; [67356]
(5) what discussions she has had with CDC Capital Group board members regarding annual performance- related bonuses to CDC Capital Group executives; [67372]
(6) if she will list (a) those to whom CDC Capital Partners sold its enterprise investments in the last three years and (b) the enterprise investments sold to them; [67390]
(7) how many non-Commonwealth nationals have been employed by CDC Capital Partners in each year since 1997; [67412]
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(8) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' investments by (a) sector, (b) size and (c) country since 1997; [67348]
(9) if she will list the funds containing private capital (a) managed and (b) joint-managed by CDC Capital Partners; and how much capital has been in each fund since 1997; [67364]
(10) if she will list, by country, the publicly guaranteed debt owed to CDC Capital Partners; [67386]
(11) if she will list the investments visited by CDC Capital Partners for monitoring purposes; and how many times each has been visited since 1997; [67362]
(12) if she will list by (a) country and (b) sector the environmental impact studies (i) performed and (ii) contracted by CDC Capital Partners since 1997; [67378]
(13) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' disposals of investments by (a) sector, (b) size and (c) country since 1997; [67342]
(14) if she will list the (a) nationality and (b) age of each CDC Capital Partners' office director; [67374]
(15) if she will make a statement on the (a) current and (b) proposed pension schemes for (i) office directors, (ii) other mid-level executives and (iii) professional staff employed by CDC Capital Partners; [67382]
(16) if she will list the unsuccessful formal investment and sale tenders in which CDC Capital Partners has participated, by sector, since 1997; [67398]
(17) what percentage of CDC Capital Partners' employees were non-United Kingdom Commonwealth nationals in (a) 1997 and (b) 2002; [67414]
(18) if she will list the countries where CDC Capital Partners (a) has received and (b) receives tax breaks on its investments; [67369]
(19) what the total cost of severance packages paid to CDC Capital Partners' redundant staff has been since 1997; [67409]
(20) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' agricultural investments in sub-Saharan Africa by country since 1997, describing the commercial activity in each case; [67361]
(21) if she will list the countries where CDC Capital Partners (a) has received and (b) receives exemptions on environmental regulations on its investments; [67377]
(22) what the proportional growth of CDC Capital Partners' (a) retail and (b) healthcare investments has been since 1997; [67393]
(23) if she will list the unsuccessful formal investment and sale tenders in which CDC Capital Partners has participated, by country, since 1997; [67341]
(24) what (c) current and (b) proposed (i) annual performance-related bonus programmes and (ii) long-term incentive plans exist for CDC Capital Partners' mid-level executives; [67373]
(25) how many Commonwealth nationals employed by CDC Capital Partners have been made redundant since 1997; [67413]
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(26) if she will list the sub-Saharan agri-businesses advertised for sale in 2001 by CDC Capital Partners; and what proportion those businesses represented in 2001 in CDC Capital Partners' sub-Saharan agri- businesses; [67381]
(27) what criteria are used in determining annual performance-related bonuses to CDC Capital Group executives; [67371]
(28) if she will list the debts owed to the Treasury by CDC Capital Partners; [67388]
(29) if she will list, by office, the salaries and remuneration received by CDC Capital Partners' (a) office directors, (b) other mid-level executives and (c) professional staff since 1997; [67403]
(30) if she will break down by (a) region and (b) sector the representations her Department has received regarding the environmental impact of CDC Capital Partners' investments since 1997. [67367]
Clare Short: I shall reply to the hon. Member shortly, when the information is available without disproportionate cost.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will list, by office, CDC Capital Partners' travel expenses for (a) each executive director, (b) each non-executive director, (c) each office director, (d) other mid-level executives and (e) professional staff employed since 1997; [67384]
- (2) if she will list the number of applicants since 1997 to CDC Capital Partners' by (a) office and (b) position; and if she will list the percentage of this figure that is represented by (i) women and (ii) ethnic minorities; [67400]
(3) how many CDC Capital Partners' employees with (a) PhDs, (b) masters' degrees, and (c) bachelors' degrees have been made redundant since 1997; [67408]
(4) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' expenditures related to website construction and maintenance; [67360]
(5) if she will list CDC Capital Partners-funded air flights of CDC Capital Partners' (a) Chairman and (b) Chief Executive, and of each member of the (i) Board of Directors and (ii) Management Committee since 1997; [67376]
(6) if she will list the years of CDC Capital Partners service for each CDC Capital Partners office director; [67404]
(7) if she will list the CDC Capital Partners' (a) vocational training, (b) medical, (c) educational and (d) housing facilities closed by (i) sector and (ii) country, since 1997; [67380]
(8) if she will list CDC Capital Partners-funded air flights of each CDC Capital Partners office director since 1997; [67370]
(9) if she will list the average years of employees' service for each CDC Capital Partners office; [67402]
(10) if she will list, by office, the vehicles owned by CDC Capital Partners; [67358]
(11) how many visits there have been to the CDC Capital Partners' website; [67353]
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(12) if she will list the positions of employment at CDC Capital Partners' by office; and if she will give the positions (a) filled and (b) unfilled; [67401]
(13) if she will list payments to, and remuneration received by, financial advisers retained by CDC Capital Partners since 1997; [67357]
(14) if she will list the qualification requirements for each employment position at CDC Capital Group; [67397]
(15) if she will list the CDC Capital Partners expenditures related to (a) team-building and (b) staff- development exercises since 1997; [67365]
(16) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' expenditure on (a) vocational training, (b) medical, (c) educational and (d) housing facilities, by (i) sector and (ii) country, since 1997; [67379]
(17) how many and what percentage of CDC Capital Partners' employees, broken down by office, hold (a) PhDs, (b) masters degrees and (c) bachelor degrees; and how many and what percentage of such employees are (i) women and (ii) ethnic minorities; [67395]
(18) if she will list, by office, CDC Capital Partners' expenditures related to (a) vehicle purchasing and (b) vehicle maintenance since 1997; [67359]
(19) if she will list CDC Capital Partners' yearly expenditure, broken down by office, on corporate entertainment since 1997; [67375]
(20) if she will list the monthly operating expenses of each CDC Capital Partners office in each year since 1997; [67391]
(21) if she will list, by office, CDC Capital Partners' expenditure on office equipment since 1997; [67383]
(22) if she will list each CDC Capital Partners' employment grade; and if she will list the (a) total number of persons employed at each CDC Capital Partners' office and (b) percentage of this figure that is represented by (i) women and (ii) ethnic minorities. [67399]
Clare Short: This information is not held by the Government. CDC will write to the hon. Member with as much information as CDC can provide without disproportionate cost. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Library of the House.
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