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11 Feb 2003 : Column 633W—continued

Iraq

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the strategic lift capability of the armed forces available in the event of a conflict with Iraq. [95882]

Mr. Ingram: The strategic lift capability available to the armed forces covers both air and surface transport. The RAF Air Transport Fleet comprises of VC10, Tristar and C-17 Globemaster aircraft. The surface capability currently comprises roll on/roll off vessels, available to meet the strategic sealift requirement.

11 Feb 2003 : Column 634W

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people he estimates have been killed by UK and US forces enforcing the no-fly zone in Iraq. [96541]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 7 February 2003]: We are not aware of any civilian fatalities resulting from responses made in self-defence by coalition aircraft patrolling the No Fly Zones.

Coalition aircraft responding to attacks by Iraqi air defences attack only carefully selected military targets. Although we conduct extensive analysis after every attack we are not able to confirm numbers of military fatalities.

Naval Co-operation

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent co-operation there has been between former Eastern bloc countries and the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Marines. [95881]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence gave on 28 January 2003, Official Report, column 846W. We have undertaken ships' visits to several former Eastern bloc countries on an opportunity basis; taken former Eastern bloc naval officers on attachment to Royal Navy ships and vice versa; and conducted inward and outward visits by high ranking United Kingdom and former Eastern bloc country Navy and Marines officers. In addition, we have built information exchange links with Russian naval training establishments, and participated in trilateral naval staff talks with the Russians and the US.

Operation Resinate

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the rules of engagement for RAF units deployed to Operation Resinate. [97294]

Mr. Ingram: Appropriate rules of engagement have been authorised for RAF units deployed on Operation Resinate. Rules of engagement are routinely classified as their disclosure could give an enemy information about the permissions and restrictions imposed on our forces.

I am therefore withholding details in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Recalled Soldiers

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers discharged under QR 9.413 have been recalled for service in the contingency plans for the Gulf; and if he will make a statement. [96616]

Dr. Moonie : The call out in connection with current contingency preparations has not yet been concluded and so it is not possible to give a final figure at present. However, up to 0900 on Friday 7 February, eight soldiers previously discharged under Queens Regulations for the Army paragraph 9.413 had been identified for call out.

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Retirement

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers took (a) premature voluntary retirement and (b) SNLR from the (i) Footguards, (ii) Scots Division, (iii) Queen's Division, (iv) King's Division, (v) Parachute Division, (vi) Light Division, (vii) R Irish (GS), (viii) R Irish (HS) and (ix) Parachute Regiment in 1998. [96615]

Dr. Moonie: The number of soldiers, who were discharged in 1998 following the approval of their applications for premature voluntary release, or under Queens Regulations for the Army paragraph 9.414 "Services No Longer Required", broken down by Division/Regiment as appropriate, is shown in the following table.

Division/Regiment	Premature voluntary release (on payment)	Services no longer required	Total
Guards Division	45	73	118
Scots Division	12	97	109
Queens Division	16	69	85
Kings Division	18	160	178
R Irish	12	13	25
Light Division	19	52	71
Paragraph	8	26	34
Totals	130	490	620

Separate figures for the Royal Irish (GS) and Royal Irish (HS) are not given because this could identify individuals and breach disclosure and confidentiality policy.

Russian Warship Deployment

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what talks his Department has had with Russian officials about possible Russian warship deployments to the Persian Gulf. [95880]

Mr. Hoon: I am aware of no such discussions.

Security

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve security at his Department's facilities and bases; and if he will make a statement. [96939]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence takes the security of its people and assets very seriously. The threat to the Department's facilities and bases, along with the security measures in force at them, is kept under constant review. It is not Government policy to comment on specific security measures and I am therefore withholding that type of information under Exemption 1 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Service Pay

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are warned-off for deployment to the Gulf; and how many of these are in receipt of station specific pay, broken down by category. [96315]

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Dr. Moonie [holding answer 7 February 2003]: Including those forces currently in the region on routine deployments and permanent taskings, a total of around 45,000 servicemen and women have been deployed or are due to deploy to the Middle East region. Detailed planning continues however, and figures are liable to change. Approximately 10,400 of those deploying are in receipt of Local Overseas Allowance.

Tactical Trainer Simulator Centre

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units have made use of the combined arms tactical trainer simulator centre at Warminster. [96941]

Mr. Ingram: Since its acceptance in May 2002, the following units have used the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer at Warminster (CATT UK); elements of Headquarters 3 (UK) Division, the Queen's Dragoon Guards, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Recce Platoon, the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, the Household Cavalry Regiment, the King's Royal Hussars, the Army Air Corps and elements of the Royal School of Military Engineers.

Vaccine Schedule (Gulf Deployment)

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the anthrax vaccine being administered to UK troops deploying to the Gulf is freshly manufactured. [95924]

Dr. Moonie: Yes. All anthrax vaccine currently being administered to United Kingdom Service personnel is licensed and will have been manufactured within the last two years.

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops deploying to the Gulf have been vaccinated with smallpox vaccine. [95930]

Dr. Moonie: We have announced plans to vaccinate a cohort of specialist medical personnel and nuclear, biological and chemical specialists against smallpox. I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement I made on 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 60WS. This is not in response to any specific or immediate threat but a sensible precaution, against a potential global threat, which will enable our armed forces to mount an effective response in the event that smallpox is used as a biological weapon.

Vaccination against smallpox for this cohort has commenced. As of 7 February 2003, 38 Service personnel have been vaccinated against smallpox of which 24 have deployed or are deploying to the Gulf. We plan to vaccinate the cohort in phases, with the eventual aim of including all relevant specialist nuclear, biological and chemical personnel and all front-line medical personnel who could deploy on operations. A number of those personnel who will be included in the completed cohort have deployed, are deploying or could deploy on operations to the Gulf. We have sufficient

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stocks of smallpox vaccine to put our contingency plans into action in the event of a confirmed, suspected or threatened release of smallpox.

Western Isles (Rents)

Mr. MacDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the rents received by (a) the

11 Feb 2003 : Column 638W

Ministry of Defence and (b) Defence Estates for the use of its properties in the Western Isles, broken down by (i) location, (ii) payee and (iii) amount paid. [96890]

Dr. Moonie: Defence Estates is an agency of the Ministry of Defence. The location of MOD properties in the Western Isles, together with payee and amount paid is shown in the following table:

Tenant/payee	Location	Rent per annum (£)
UIST Council of VOL Organisations	Balivanich, South UIST	3,600.00
Collins D. J.	Balivanich, South UIST	10.00
West Gerinish Township	Balivanich, South UIST	10.00
Bank of Scotland	Balivanich, South UIST	20.00
UIST Resource Unit	Balivanich, South UIST	50.00
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Balivanich, South UIST	23.45
BP Marketing Ltd.	Loch Carnan, South UIST	5,000.00
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Loch Carnan, South UIST	2.10
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Loch Carnan, South UIST	0.95
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Loch Carnan, South UIST	12.49
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Loch Carnan, South UIST	12.12
Maclennan Brothers	Loch Carnan, South UIST	1.00
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Loch Carnan, South UIST	3.05
Wicks A. J.	Loch Carnan, South UIST	5.00
MacGillivary G	Loch Carnan, South UIST	10.00
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Stornoway, Airport	29.26
McLeod M	Stornoway, Airport	30.00
Melbost and Branahuie Grazings	Stornoway, Airport	35.00
Scottish and Southern Energy Plc	Tigharry, South UIST	2.10
Northern Lighthouse Board	South Clettraval, South UIST	4,000.00
Service Officer	Benbecula	1,832.30
Service Other Ranks	Benbecula x 6	Ea@1,832.30
Qinetiq	Benbecula x 15	Total of 3,044.00

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