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24 Feb 2003 : Column 128W—continued
Unsafe Convictions
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the inquiry chaired by Lord Steyn on the definition of unsafe conviction. [85439]
Hilary Benn [holding answer 9 December 2002]: We have confirmed with Lord Steyn that he has not chaired such an inquiry.
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made with renewal of his Department's and its agencies' vehicle fleets on a lower emission basis, broken down by volume and percentage for each category of vehicle, type of power unit and type of fuel on an annual basis, over each of the past three years. [96587]
Hilary Benn: Home Office environmental policy on vehicle replacement states that wherever possible, vehicles purchased will encompass either dual fuel technology (for example Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)/ petrol) or be high-pressure direct injection diesel with particulate filters. With the introduction of the new carbon dioxide (CO2) based tax regime, CO2 emissions are taken into consideration, particularly in cases where a diesel option cannot be specified, in the small car sector.
In 2000–01, 43 per cent. of new cars ordered were diesel powered. In 2001–02, 69 per cent. of all new cars ordered were either diesel or LPG fuelled, rising to 76 per cent. in 2002–03. The following table illustrates the trend towards the acquisition of more environmentally friendly vehicles during the last three years.
(33) LCV—Light Commercial Vehicle up to 7.5 tonnes.
(34) HCV—Heavy Commercial Vehicle over 7.5 tonnes.
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West Yorkshire Police
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the budget for West Yorkshire Police is spent on pension funds in 2002–03. [96622]
Mr. Denham: The Chief Constable informs me that the proportion of budget estimated to be spent on police pensions in 2002–03 is 15 per cent.
DEFENCE
Army (Gender and Culture Report)
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action is proposed as a result of the report "Gendered Bodies, Personnel Policies and the Culture of the British Army". [97343]
Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the study undertaken for the Ministry of Defence to identify sexism in the army; who undertook the survey; what methodology was used; how many people were consulted and of what gender; and for what purpose the results of the survey will be used. [97175]
Dr. Moonie: The study into gender and culture in the contemporary British Army, "Gendered Bodies, Personnel Policies and the Culture of the British Army", is an independent report, completed at the University of Newcastle, into employment practices and policies within the Army.
The research was not commissioned by the Ministry of Defence, but was completed with the full co-operation of the Army and part-funded under the Joint Grant Scheme that encourages research relevant to the Department's long-term research programme.
To date, the Army and Ministry of Defence have examined a summary of the report. The full report will be examined closely in due course but there is no specific action intended as a result of this study at this time.
The Department certainly will not ignore the report's findings and, from what has been gleaned from the report summary so far, in many respects is moving in the
direction suggested in the way women are recognised and treated.
The report's originators have agreed that I can place a copy of the report in the Library of the House.
24 Feb 2003 : Column 130W
Ammunition Exports
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ammunition has been sent abroad for disposal under civilian contract since 1997; and to which countries they have been sent. [97287]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 10 February 2003]: Since 1997, surplus (5.56mm, 7.62mm and 0.303mm) small arms ammunition has been sold overseas. The countries it was sold to are the United States, Netherlands, Australia, Finland, Philippines, Canada and Latvia. Additionally, in 1999, 10,000 Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) with 7.62mm ammunition were sold to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which subsequently gifted them to the Government of Sierra Leone as part of a wider assistance package.
Anglo-French Collaboration
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the UK's military projects involving Anglo-French collaboration since 1980, and set out their current status. [97327]
Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Anti-rabies Testing
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what risk assessment was conducted before anti-rabies testing at Dundrennan Range; and what further assessment has since been made of the risks to (a) local people, (b) pets, and (c) other livestock arising from the testing. [88642]
Mr. Morley: I have been asked to reply.
The field trial was authorised by the ACP (Advisory Committee on Pesticides) who performed an independent evaluation of the risks of the trial, and stipulated certain conditions to further reduce such risks.
The Central Science Laboratory's (CSL) own risk assessment was that the risks to local people, pets and other livestock was extremely low. No poisoning incidents have occurred as a result of the trial, and the overall level of pesticide used at Dundrennan was between 10,000 and one million times less (per square kilometre) than the level used during certain agricultural practices.
Army Training
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which army initial training establishments were not visited in the context of the appraisal of initial training carried out by the Director of Operational Capability between 3rd October and 18th December 2002. [97903]
Mr. Ingram: The Director of Operational Capability did not visit the following Army non-officer initial training establishments:
- Army Training Regiment—Winchester
Royal Military School of Music—Kneller Hall
Armour Centre—Bovington and Lulworth
Royal School of Military Engineering—Minley
24 Feb 2003 : Column 131W
Royal School of Signals—Blandford
School of Army Aviation—Middle Wallop
Defence Logistics Support Training Group—Deepcut, Kineton and Aldershot
Adjutant General's Corps Training Group—Worthy Down
Defence Animal Centre—Melton Mowbray
Royal Military Police Training School—Chichester
Capital Projects
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place the evaluations for Capital Modernisation Fund projects in his Department since 1998 in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [97033]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has been involved in five Capital Modernisation Fund projects to date. Some are not yet complete. I will ensure that all evaluation reports, when completed, are placed in the Library of the House except where there are security or other confidentiality grounds for not doing so.
Civil Contingency Reaction Force
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Territorial Army to have the capacity to sustain a command structure for a full time headquarters for the new Civil Contingency Reaction Force. [95181]
24 Feb 2003 : Column 132W
Mr. Ingram: The 14 Civil Contingencies Reaction Forces (CCRFs) are not grouped in a single formation with a separate headquarters. They form force elements which may be called on, alongside regular units, by the established chain of command (Ministry of Defence, Land Command, Divisional HQs and Regional Brigades) in the event of a request for military assistance by the civil authorities.
New Volunteer Reserve posts have been established at Brigade and Divisional level to reinforce existing command and control arrangements for all military assistance operations, whether or not CCRFs are involved.
Each CCRF is parented by a Territorial Army infantry battalion. Additional posts have been established within these battalions to support CCRF staff and training activities.
Recruitment for these new posts is in progress, with the aim of filling all posts by 31 December 2003.
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