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29 Oct 2002 : Column 700W—continued
ITV Digital
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from football clubs over the collapse of ITV Digital; and if she will make a statement. [77960]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have received 31 representations from Football League clubs on this issue.
Sport England
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 26 September 2002, Official Report, column 131W, on Sport England, if she will list the projections for UK Sport's income from the National Lottery for (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04, (c) 2004–05 and (d) 2005–06. [78267]
Mr. Caborn: The projected income for UK Sport from the National Lottery, based on the most recent forecast figures provided to the Lottery Distributors, excluding interest, is shown in the table.
| 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Sport | 20.732 | 20.318 | 20.318 | 20.318 |
DEFENCE
Beef Supplies
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the beef supply contracts for the Ministry of Defence and its agencies are sourced from Scottish herds. [76812]
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Mr. Ingram [holding answer 24 October 2002]: I can confirm that 50% of the beef and beef products purchased for consumption by the armed forces in the United Kingdom is British. Of that total, in the past 12 months, 53 per cent. came from Scottish herds.
Chinook Helicopters
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the six Chinook MSH/HC2A and eight Chinook MSH/HC3 ordered by his Department in 1995 will enter service with the RAF. [76379]
Mr. Ingram: The six Chinook MSH/HC2A entered RAF service in 2000.
On current plans, it is intended that the RAF will begin to fly the Chinook MSH/HC3 from the end of 2003.
Civil Service Pay
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 22 October 2002, Official Report, column 151W, if he will estimate the annual increases in pay for Ministry of Defence non-industrial civil servants working only in his Department, excluding agencies and non-departmental public bodies, for each year from 2001–02 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [77520]
Dr. Moonie: The figures are listed in the table:
| Percentage increase to paybill of non-industrial staff | |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 3.2 |
| 2003 | 3.1 |
| 2004 | 3.1 |
| 2005 | 3.1 |
Continuous Attitude Survey
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel in the (a) Army, (b) RAF and (c) Royal Navy answered the last Continuous Attitude Survey; and what proportion of the service members in each service this represents. [77285]
Mr. Ingram: The number of personnel that responded to the last Continuous Attitude Survey for each Service is set out in the table.
| Number responding | Proportion of personnel (percentage) | |
|---|---|---|
| Naval Service | 957 | 2 |
| Army | 1,867 | 1.9 |
| RAF | 1,182 | 2.4 |
Note:
Based on trained strength figures for the United Kingdom regulars as at 1 September 2002.
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Defence Logistics Organisation
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the McKinsey report on the future strategy for the Defence Logistics Organisation. [77064]
Mr. Ingram: We have no plans to publish the joint McKinsey/Ministry of Defence report.
Discharged Service Personnel
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel have been (a) discharged and (b) retired early from the RAF after being in service in (i) Sierra Leone, (ii) Saif Sareea, (iii) Afghanistan, (iv) Kosovo and (v) Macedonia as a direct result of their involvement in the deployments; and if he will make a statement. [78287]
Mr. Ingram: The detailed information requested is not held centrally and cannot be determined from individual personnel records without incurring disproportionate cost and effort. There are no recorded instances of RAF personnel being medically discharged as a direct result of disabilities sustained during service in the named theatres of operation.
Fire Services
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if (a) MoD Fire Service appliances and (b) QinetiQ fire appliances from Boscombe Down will be deployed to provide fire service cover to the civilian community. [77232]
Mr. Ingram: Ownership of all fire service appliances at Boscombe Down was transferred to QinetiQ in 2001. The fire fighting capabilities at Boscombe Down are tailored to meet the primary need to provide emergency support to the airfield at the site and to support QinetiQ's activities. Although QinetiQ's fire service may be able to assist in response to emergency calls elsewhere in circumstances where their primary responsibility was not put at risk, this cannot be guaranteed.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Green Goddess fire engines will be deployed in Salisbury constituency; how many service personnel will man each appliance; and from what duties they have been withdrawn to provide fire service cover. [77316]
Mr. Ingram: One Green Goddess fire engine will be based in Salisbury. The command structure is designed to ensure flexibility when deploying emergency fire cover, and where necessary resources may be deployed from adjacent areas.
Each Green Goddess has a crew of six per shift, with two shifts, each of 12 hours, providing 24-hour cover. The personnel involved may be withdrawn from a variety of other duties, depending on changing circumstances.
Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fire service vehicles there are at Norton
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Manor Camp; and what fire service appliances kept at Norton Manor Camp will be deployed to provide fire service cover to the civilian community. [77763]
Mr. Ingram: There are no emergency fire service vehicles at Norton Manor Camp and there are currently no plans to deploy any emergency fire cover from there. However, a range of fire fighting capabilities, including breathing apparatus and heavy cutting capability will operate from Taunton TA Centre nearby.
It is intended to use all available resources in a flexible manner to provide the most appropriate cover. Where necessary, resources may be deployed from adjacent areas.
Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in the event of a firefighters' strike, what disposition of service personnel and Green Goddesses will be made for the protection of the people and their property in the Solihull constituency; and where they will be stationed. [77782]
Mr. Ingram: [holding answer 28 October 2002]: Emergency cover in Solihull, as in the rest of the country, will consist of a number of elements including Green Goddess crews, breathing apparatus teams, rescue teams (equipped with specialist equipment) and the police. The provision of Ministry of Defence emergency fire cover has been planned in consultation with the Chief Fire Officer and local police to minimise call-out times and maximise the availability of the range of firefighting capabilities.
Temporary fire stations will be located at the Police Traffic Centre, Aston, and the Police Training Centre, Pershore Road. Each location will have three Green Goddess appliances and one Specialist Breathing Apparatus Rescue Team. The Operational Control Centre, based at Bournville, will be responsible for co-ordinating emergency response in the quickest time possible, either through the deployment of these assets, or by requesting assistance from other areas.
First World War
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received asking him to review the cases of soldiers who were shot for cowardice during the First World War; and if he will make a statement. [77046]
Dr. Moonie: In the last six months I have received six representations from hon. and right hon. Members and 22 from members of the public on this issue.
As the House has been told on previous occasions, my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Dr. Reid, examined this matter in great detail and with deep care and concern. There are considerable legal difficulties in considering pardons, particularly the lack of evidence available today, and all these points were explained in my right hon. Friend's statement to this House on 24 July 1998, Official Report, columns 1372–86.
While there are, I am afraid, no grounds to reconsider this matter, it is important that we do not overlook the
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very important steps that have been taken to recognise these men as victims of the war, and to draw them and their families into the nation's consciousness and remembrance. The public commemoration of these men in the new memorial in National Memorial Arboretum is very fitting.
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