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14 Jan 2003 : Column 543W—continued
Army (Retention)
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase salaries for soldiers as a means to encourage retention; and if he will make a statement. [90356]
Dr. Moonie: Pay rates for the armed forces are recommended annually to the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence by the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB). Under its terms of reference, the Review Body is required to have regard to the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably able and qualified people, taking account of the particular circumstances of Service life. The Ministry of Defence has therefore provided the Review Body with information on the manning situation and those areas it considers merit particular attention. The AFPRB is currently considering its recommendations, and is expected to submit its 2003 report to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence before the end of February 2003.
CBW (Inoculation)
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has adopted improved types of inoculation against CBW attack, developed in the United States since 1991. [89878]
Dr. Moonie: We are not aware of any improved types of vaccine against biological warfare agents currently licensed for use in the United States. The only vaccine against biological warfare agents currently licensed for use in the United Kingdom is a vaccine against anthrax. The Ministry of Defence has a range of research, development and procurement programmes aimed at improving our armed forces defences against chemical and biological attack, including programmes to develop new vaccines. This work includes close co-operation and liaison with the United States.
It is not possible to immunise against chemical warfare agents.
Porton Down
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a copy of the programme report known as CDEE 3/61 which was drawn up by scientists from the chemical and biological defence establishment has been placed in the Public Record Office by his Department; and at which classmark in the Public Record Office this document can be found. [89531]
14 Jan 2003 : Column 544W
Dr. Moonie: The policy of the Public Record Office is to select the final reports of research work and trials for preservation rather than the working documents. Therefore, the trial plan for Programme 3/61 has not been selected for preservation.
However, a copy of the final report Porton Technical Paper 794, entitled XComparison of radio xenon & zinc cadmium sulphide particle tracers over medium distances of travel", can be found at WO189/1105. Additionally, a copy of the trial plan for programme 3/61 has been located in the historic archive at Dstl Porton Down and can be made available to the hon. Member.
Courts Martial
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many courts martial have taken place in (a) the UK and (b) overseas military bases, in each of the last three years. [89664]
Dr. Moonie: The following courts-martial have taken place in the UK and overseas in the last three years:
| United Kingdom | Overseas | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | RN | Army(3) | RAF | RN | Army(3) | RAF |
| 2000 | 53 | 278 | 68 | Nil | 177 | 13 |
| 2001 | 59 | 394 | 97 | Nil | 238 | 12 |
| 2002 | 52 | 323 | 54 | Nil | 158 | 6 |
(3) Army figures represent the number of individuals tried.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women have appeared before a UK court martial in each of the last three years; what rank they were; and how many were found (i) guilty and (ii) not guilty. [89665]
Dr. Moonie: The following tables show the numbers of men and women, by Service and rank, that have appeared before United Kingdom courts martial in the last three years, together with the subsequent findings.
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guilty | Not guilty | Guilty | Not guilty | Guilty | Not guilty | |
| Male | ||||||
| Captain | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Commander | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Lt Cdr | 3 | — | 2 | — | 3 | — |
| Lieutenant | 5 | — | 8 | — | 4 | 1 |
| Warrant Officer | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chief Petty Officer | 6 | — | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Petty Officer | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Leading Hand(4) | 5 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| Junior rate | 12 | 8 | 17 | 4 | 24 | 4 |
| Sergeant RM | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Corporal RM | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Marine | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Female | ||||||
| Lieutenant | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Leading Hand | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Junior rate | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
(4) Although nine Leading Hands were tried by court-martial in 2000, the trial of one was dissolved without reaching a finding.
14 Jan 2003 : Column 545W
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guilty | Not guilty | Guilty | Not guilty | Guilty | Not guilty | |
| Male | ||||||
| Lt Colonel | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Major | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Captain | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
| Lieutenant | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Warrant Officer 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — |
| Warrant Officer 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| S Sergeant | 4 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| Sergeant | 10 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 4 |
| Corporal | 14 | 4 | 29 | 21 | 15 | 4 |
| L Corporal | 18 | 5 | 26 | 10 | 28 | 5 |
| Private | 187 | 15 | 231 | 25 | 220 | 10 |
| Civilian | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Female | ||||||
| Corporal | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| L Corporal | — | — | 3 | — | — | 1 |
| Private | 4 | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 |
14 Jan 2003 : Column 546W
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women have been sentenced to a period of detention by a UK military court martial in each of the last three years. [89666]
Dr. Moonie: The following number of men and women have been sentenced to a period of detention by United Kingdom courts-martial in the last three years:
| Male | Female | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | RN | Army | RAF | RN | Army | RAF |
| 2000 | 11 | 163 | 19 | 1 | 4 | Nil |
| 2001 | 18 | 216 | 30 | 2 | 3 | Nil |
| 2002 | 26 | 205 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
The above figures included suspended sentences of detention.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the longest period of detention was to which (a) a man and (b) a woman has been sentenced by a UK military court martial in each of the last three years. [89667]
Dr. Moonie: The longest period of military detention which was awarded to a male and female member of each Service over the past three years is as follows:
| Male | Female | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | RN | Army | RAF | RN | Army | RAF |
| 2000 | 9 months(5) | 1 year | 9 months | 9 months(6) | 140 days | Nil |
| 2001 | 9 months | 1 year 2 months 29 days | 1 year | 90 days | 112 days | Nil |
| 2002 | 9 months | 1 year 2 months | 9 months | 28 days | 42 days | 1 12 days |
(5) Subsequently reduced to six months.
(6) Suspended.
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