---

29 Jan 2003 : Column 854W—continued

Financial Dynamics

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 45W, on Financial Dynamics, when the

29 Jan 2003 : Column 855W

two meetings which his Department's official attended with Financial Dynamics took place; and whether Financial Dynamics were authorised to represent his Department in liaising with the press. [92057]

Mr. Hoon: The two meetings took place on 10 and 12 December 2002. Financial Dynamics' role was to advise the Government on likely media perspectives of the market implications of the discussions between the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems. The Ministry

29 Jan 2003 : Column 856W

of Defence press office continued to represent the Department as usual in dealing with media inquiries on the issue, and continues to do so.

Graduates

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of (a) Naval, (b) Army and (c) RAF officers received in each year since 1990 were graduates. [93657]

Dr. Moonie: Details of the graduate intake to the Officer Corps in the Armed Forces in recent years are as follows:

	Naval Service			Army			RAF
	Officer Intake	Graduate Intake	%	Officer Intake	Graduate Intake	%	Officer Intake	Graduate Intake	%
1995–96	222	173	78	650	492	76	421	274	65
1996–97	374	290	78	616	493	80	471	284	60
1997–98	346	276	80	718	555	77	639	346	54
1998–99	376	283	75	635	480	76	694	340	49
1999–2000	367	275	75	598	461	77	776	370	48
2000–01	398	273	69	719	593	82	675	354	52
2001–02	386	268	69	727	559	77	767	336	44

Figures for all services are not available prior to 1995–96

Human Centrifuge

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards the procurement of a human centrifuge; and what discussions his Department has had with AMST of Austria on the matter. [93990]

Mr. Ingram: AMST is one of two companies currently in competition for the contract to provide a new human carrying High G Centrifuge for the RAF. An announcement on the award of this programme is planned for August 2003.

Military Forces Deployment

Mr. Jenkins : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what UK military forces are (a) deployed and (b) in the process of deployment in the Gulf and Middle East region, setting out how many personnel of which unit and service are (i) stationed and (ii) due to be stationed in each location in the region. [92340]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 21 January 2003]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Premature Voluntary Release

Mr. Jenkin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications there have been for Premature Voluntary Release from (a) 40, (b) 42 and (c) 45 Commando in each month of the past year. [93653]

Dr. Moonie: RM Commando PVR applications recorded during 2002:

	January to March	April to June	July to September	October to November
40 Commando	15	10	10	5
42 Commando	15	20	10	5
45 Commando	15	10	10	20

Notes:

1 The data for the final quarter of 2002 are not fully available, and do not therefore include December applications.

2 All figures are rounded to the nearest 5 to protect against individual identification, and data are presented quarterly due to small monthly numbers involved.

3 Data includes RM Officer and Other Ranks, but excludes small numbers of RN personnel assigned to the Commando units.

4 The data indicate the periods in which the PVR application was recorded, which may be slightly later than the date of submission, due to managerial or administrative delays.

Publicity and Advertising

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department spent on (i) publicity and (ii) advertising in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement. [92257]

Dr. Moonie: Details of Ministry of Defence expenditure on advertising and publicity are contained in the annual MOD Performance Reports. For 1995–96 the information is shown on page 32, Cm 3448; for 1996–97 the information is shown on page 49, Cm 3781; 1997–98 the information is shown on page 49, Cm 4170; for 1999–2000 the information is shown on page 60, Cm 5000; for 2000–01 the information is shown on page 68, Cm 5290 and for 2001–02 the information is shown on page 71, Cm 5661.

Copies of these reports are available in the House.

29 Jan 2003 : Column 857W

Figures for 1998–99 were not provided in the annual performance report and are as follows:

£ million

Category	Expenditure
Recruitment
Royal Navy/Royal Fleet Auxiliary	6.65
Army	11.77
Royal Air Force	10.17
Civilian	3.27
PR, Marketing and Business Support Services	0.84
Chief of Public Relations Expenditure	2.39
Sales Promotion	1.06
Scholarships	0.38
National Employers Liaison Committee (Territorial Army)	1.05

The expenditure for advertising and publicity is spread among many different budgets and budget holders. The Department thus does not have a central advertising and publicity budget and forecast information—in this case for financial year 2002–03—could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, as in past years, information on the outturn figure is collated and is expected to be included in the 2002–03 performance report, when that document is published.

The breakdown of expenditure on publicity and advertising by agencies and non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Ministry of Defence is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Reserve Forces

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with employers of reservists currently on the reserve list; and how many reservists have been called up to date. [93869]

Dr. Moonie: As at 21 January 2003, 1,816 reservists had been sent call-out notices in support of Operation TELIC. Single Service Adjudication Officers have been in contact with reservists' employers to consider applications for revocation, exemption or deferral of employees' call-out and applications for financial assistance to cover the additional costs resulting from call-out as defined by the Reserve Forces Act 1996 (RFA 96).

In addition, the Ministry of Defence has been conducting a long-standing campaign designed to win and maintain the support of Britain's employers for the volunteer reserve forces, which was re-launched in September 2002 as the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) campaign. Its purpose is to explain to employers not only the benefits of employing reservists, but also the attendant rights and obligations that employers have in respect of those of their employees who are also reservists.

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he will take to prevent breaches of the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985. [93870]

29 Jan 2003 : Column 858W

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has been conducting a long-standing campaign designed to win and maintain the support of Britain's employers for the volunteer reserve forces, which was re-launched in September 2002 as SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers). Its purpose is to explain to employers not only the benefits of employing reservists, but also the attendant rights and obligations that employers have, including the requirement to reemploy reservists who have been called-out in accordance with the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985. In addition, when a reservist is called-out, a letter is sent to their employer reminding them of their obligations under the Act.

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he will take against companies in violation of the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985. [93871]

Dr. Moonie: Under the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985, an employer must take into his or her employment, under the same conditions of service as they were previously serving, those former employees who have been called-out as reservists who make a written application at the end of a period of called-out service. If this is not reasonable and practical, the reservist must be reinstated on the most favourable terms of service available.

Under the Act, where an employer fails to reinstate a reservist, the reservist may apply to a reinstatement committee. These committees, appointed by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, have the power to compel an employer to reinstate an employee and/or order the employer to pay appropriate compensation. Failure to comply with an order of a reinstatement committee is a criminal offence and an employer may be fined on conviction.

The Act confers no powers on the Ministry of Defence to take measures against employers who fail to re-instate a reservist.

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial and legal support he will give to reservists sacked by companies in violation of the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985. [93872]

Dr. Moonie: The Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act provides for reinstatement and/or compensation for reservists dismissed from their jobs whilst called out. Reservists who feel they have been unfairly dismissed by their employer may apply to a reinstatement committee to hear their case.

Any decision to seek legal advice is a matter for the individual, and the Ministry of Defence is not in a position to offer legal advice in individual cases. However, The Forces Law Network, an association of solicitors with experience of the needs of service personnel, can provide independent legal advice. Advice on how to apply for reinstatement, and what to do if any employer fails to honour his/her legal obligations, is available to reservists at both unit and regional level. In addition, the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) campaign can answer general queries about the provisions of the Act.

29 Jan 2003 : Column 859W

---