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14 Jan 2003 : Column 546W—continued
Detention Centres
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military detention centres in the UK. [89663]
Dr. Moonie: There is only one military detention centre, the Military Corrective Training Centre at Berechurch Hill Camp, Colchester, Essex. Servicemen and women from all three Services who are sentenced by courts-martial to undergo periods of detention serve their sentence there.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what independent organisations oversee the running of UK military detention centres; and if he will make a statement. [89668]
Dr. Moonie: The Military Corrective Training Centre (MCTC), Colchester, Essex, is visited on a regular basis by an independent Board of Visitors comprising twelve people. The Board is appointed by my right hon .Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and reports directly to him. MCTC is also included in visits by the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, who last visited on 12 and 13 February 2001 during a tour of United Kingdom penal establishments generally.
Development Sites
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times since 1997 his Department has claimed money back from developers under clawback in the sale of sites for development because of the change in the level of development; what the total amount claimed is; and if he will make a statement. [90133]
Dr. Moonie: Information on the total clawback receipts that have been claimed by the Ministry of Defence from the sale of sites for the period 1996–97 to 2000–01 is given in the XStewardship Report of the Defence Estate 2001." These figures are based on the following number of cases.
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| Financial Year | Amount Claimed (#million) | Number of cases |
|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 0.781 | 3 |
| 1997–98 | 1.084 | 3 |
| 1998–99 | 3.386 | 3 |
| 1999–2000 | 3.269 | 8 |
| 2000–01 | 1.405 | 9 |
Further clawback receipts amounting to #4.305 million were claimed in nine cases during Financial Year 2001–02.
Fraud
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in his Department, who are under investigation for potential fraud, have been suspended for (a) up to a year, (b) over one year and (c) over two years. [87645]
Dr. Moonie: Reported cases of suspected fraud are recorded centrally on a summary basis only and detailed information on periods of suspension relating to individuals under investigation could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
General Service Medal (Suez)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to award a General Service Medal to those involved in the Suez Crisis in 1956. [90728]
Dr. Moonie: Service in Operation Musketeer, the Anglo/French Landings during the Suez Crisis of late 1956, was marked by the institution of the General Service Medal 1918–1962 with clasp near east. It has been available for many years, and is still issued by the Ministry of Defence's four medal offices to eligible veterans who may not have applied previously for the medal.
Global Security
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what other nations are involved in discussions with the UK and the US regarding a co-operative programme to develop defences which enhance global security. [90317]
Mr. Hoon: In November 2002, the 19 NATO member states initiated a new feasibility study to examine options for protecting alliance territory, forces and population centres against the full range of missile threats. The United States also has bilateral discussions with a number of countries (including the United Kingdom) on territorial missile defence.
Iraq
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the inoculation against CBW attack, to be given to Royal Naval and Royal Marines personnel in the event of hostilities against Iraq, will be different from that used during the 1990–91 Gulf War. [89877]
Dr. Moonie: The United Kingdom anthrax vaccine is manufactured using a process developed during the 1950s and first licensed in 1979. Anthrax vaccinations
14 Jan 2003 : Column 548W
currently offered to United Kingdom Service personnel, and those used during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict, were both manufactured using this process. The vaccine is manufactured in accordance with the requirements of the product licence. All doses currently being administered to Service personnel will have been manufactured within the last two years.
It is not possible to immunise against chemical warfare agents.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received requests from the United States for (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Marines resources for use in a possible military campaign against Iraq. [89881]
Mr. Hoon: As I told the House on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 126W, the United States approached a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, seeking support in the event that military action against Iraq proves necessary. I responded to this approach on 26 November, identifying the kind of contribution we might make, should that be required.
As I have made clear to the House, this request was part of a confidential exchange between Governments. I am withholding details of the exchange in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that information which is appropriate for his Department to release about preparations for a military campaign against Iraq is released to the House of Commons prior to release to the media. [89885]
Mr. Hoon: Announcements are made in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code.
Defence Ministers take seriously their responsibilities to Parliament. I have made two oral statements to inform the House of decisions about our contingency preparations on 18 December 2002, Official Report, columns 845–58W, and 7 January 2003, Official Report, columns 23–29W.
On that occasion, I undertook to inform the House of any further decisions at the earliest opportunity. In the meantime, I will continue to keep the House informed of progress in continuing preparatory activities via written ministerial statements and other appropriate means.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what UN Resolutions (a) the no-fly zone over Iraq, (b) British participation in policing it and (c) bombing as a means of enforcement or retaliation are based. [90128]
Mr. Hoon: The Royal Air Force, alongside coalition partners, patrols the Iraqi no-fly zones in support of UNSCR 688, which demands that Saddam Hussein immediately end the brutal repression of his own people.
Coalition aircraft are authorised to respond in self-defence to sustained efforts by the Iraqi air defence system to engage our aircrew carrying out these legitimate patrols. They do so, in accordance with international law, only against Iraqi integrated air defence targets posing a direct threat to the safety of our forces.
14 Jan 2003 : Column 549W
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to send more troops to the Gulf; whether armoured regiments are to be sent; and what increases in naval and air forces are planned. [90328]
Mr. Hoon: I refer my hon. Friend to my recent statement on 7 January 2003, Official Report, columns 23–39, in which I announced the deployment later this month of substantial maritime forces. The vessels will conduct training in the Mediterranean with a view to proceeding to the Gulf region if and as necessary.
No decision has been taken to authorise military action against Iraq. Our military contingency planning aims to allow the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. This includes measures to ensure the availability of a range of units, and the preparation and movement of equipment that may be required. I will continue to inform Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity as and when decisions are taken to deploy additional forces.
The Ministry of Defence also routinely takes part in long-planned exercises in the Gulf region at the invitation of Governments in the region with which we have strong bilateral defence relationships. Recent media reporting has confused this with deployments for potential military action against Iraq.
NATO
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 11W, if he will make it his policy to discuss with NATO defence ministers the implications for NATO's naval capabilities of the creation of (a) an EU rapid reaction capability and (b) a France-Germany defence union. [90100]
Mr. Hoon: I take every opportunity to discuss with NATO colleagues the need for improved capabilities, including in the naval sphere, particularly in the context of the Prague capabilities commitment, launched at the Prague summit in November 2002, and the European security and defence policy. We are not aware of any specific plans for a France-Germany defence union.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the implications for NATO's naval capabilities of the creation of (a) an EU rapid reaction capability and (b) a France-Germany defence union. [90101]
Mr. Hoon: The Rapid Response concept under development by the EU will be compatible with work on the NATO Response Force, and will therefore not result in any change to the level of naval forces declared to NATO.
We are not aware of any specific plans to create a France-Germany defence union.
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