| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
24 Feb 2003 : Column 136W—continued
Experiments (Human Volunteers)
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many experiments sponsored by his Department have used human volunteers in each year since 1997; and if he will list them, broken down by recorded category. [93291]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 27 January 2003]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Firefighters' Dispute
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost incurred by his Department as a result of the fire strikes has been. [97807]
Mr. Ingram: It is not yet possible to give a reliable estimate of the total cost incurred by the Ministry of Defence as a result of the fire strikes. Costs incurred for the recent strike periods are still being processed through MOD's cost reporting system.
Gulf Deployment (Rules of Engagement)
Harry Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which instruments of international law have been considered during the drafting of the rules of engagement for Her Majesty's Armed Forces deploying to the Gulf. [98165]
Mr. Ingram: All rules of engagement are informed by the need to act in full conformity with international law, including Treaty obligations and relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
HPM Electro-magnetic Pulse Weapon
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he or his officials have had with the US Government on the development of the HPM electro-magnetic pulse weapon. [97231]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 11 February 2003]: I am withholding the information requested under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to national security.
Iraq
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to protect UK troops against the potentially toxic environment of Iraq. [95914]
Dr. Moonie: Operational planning takes into account the risk of exposure of British troops to potentially toxic environments. Force protection measures include physical protection, medical countermeasures and dissemination of information on individual protective measures to be taken against specific identified threats.
24 Feb 2003 : Column 137W
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is planning to introduce the new chemical and biological weapon detection systems for possible operations in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [97495]
Mr. Hoon: There are a number of new chemical and biological detection systems due to enter service soon and be available for possible military action in Iraq. I am withholding the details of these systems under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to national security.
Mr. Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to establish the number of civilian casualties caused by British military action taken in enforcement of the Iraqi no-fly zones; and if he will make a statement. [97648]
Mr. Ingram: We conduct extensive analysis after every response made in self-defence by coalition aircraft patrolling the No Fly Zones.
Coalition aircrew only ever respond in self-defence against military targets. When attacks by Iraqi air defences force coalition aircraft to respond in this way we go to great lengths to ensure that the risk of civilian casualties is minimised. Targets are selected with extreme care and precision guided weapons are used.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist for the transport of military casualties back to the UK in the event of hostilities in Iraq; what aircraft will be used; and what the estimated journey time is. [97790]
Dr. Moonie: The transport of military casualties from theatres to the United Kingdom is a well planned and practised procedure. In the event of hostilities in Iraq, military casualties will be taken from Kuwait City International Airport to Cyprus in a military VC10 with a flight time of four hours. They will then be transferred from Cyprus to the United Kingdom by commercial aircraft again with a flight time of four hours.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on NATO policy in respect of Iraq. [98040]
Mr. Ingram: At the Prague Summit in November 2002, the NATO Allies committed themselves to take effective action to assist and support the efforts of the United Nations to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq, without conditions or restrictions, with UN Security Council Resolution 1441. This remains the NATO policy.
Land Sales (Ashford)
Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what land has been sold by his Department in the Ashford area in the last five years. [98172]
24 Feb 2003 : Column 138W
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has sold land in Ashford as follows:
- A small part of Rowcroft Barracks was sold to Kent CC for the A20/A28 link road.
Parts of Rowcroft Barracks and Templer Barracks was sold for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.
The remainder of Rowcroft and Templer Barracks was sold for development.
The former Oil Pipeline Agency site at Wye to the NE of Ashford was sold for development.
Merlin HC3 Helicopters
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why his Department has not deployed Merlin HC3 Helicopters to the Gulf. [98180]
Mr. Ingram: The Merlin HC3 is yet to achieve the required level of operational capability for it to be deployed to the Gulf region.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times since 2001 he has taken flights on departmental duties in the UK; how many of these were (a) charter flights, (b) first or club-class and (c) by helicopter; and who accompanied him on each trip. [95391]
Dr. Moonie: Since 2001, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has taken 25 flights on Ministry of Defence duties within the United Kingdom, which are broken down as follows:
- seven by RAF aircraft—accompanied by relevant Ministry of Defence officials, and on one occasion by his Parliamentary Private Secretary;
one by club-class return civil flight—accompanied by a Private Secretary; and
17 by Service helicopter—accompanied by relevant Ministry of Defence officials.
Operation Telic
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the LOA and LSSA as it applies to personnel serving on Operation Telic. [96940]
Mr. Ingram: Local Overseas Allowance (LOA) is not part of the military salary or a reward for overseas service, but a cost of living addition paid only in circumstances where personnel are likely to incur greater day-to-day expenditure overseas than they would in the United Kingdom. This is not generally the case for those deployed on operations.
Those personnel who are temporarily deployed away from their permanent, LOA earning, duty station, and no longer incurring the full range of additional costs associated with that station, still have on-going financial commitments overseas, and many have families who remain at the permanent duty station. Consequently, all Service personnel continue to receive the full LOA rate for the first 17 days of their deployment. Additionally, married accompanied personnel continue to receive
24 Feb 2003 : Column 139W
their full LOA rate unless their accompanying spouse also leaves the permanent duty station for more than 17 days, at which point an abatement of approximately 35 per cent. is applied. Single or married unaccompanied personnel lose 20 per cent. of their full LOA rate after the first 17 days.
Personnel on Operation Telic who meet the eligibility criteria will receive Longer Separated Service Allowance (LSSA) or (for those serving in seagoing units) Longer Service at Sea Bonus (LSSB). These allowances compensate personnel, regardless of marital status, for the effects of separation from home life. They are paid at three rates dependent upon periods of accumulated separation. LSSA is paid for unbroken periods of separation of 10 days or more, while LSSB is paid continuously while in qualifying units. Bonuses are available for those who experience very high levels of accumulated separation and these will be increased to £1,250. In order to reduce the incidence of junior personnel experiencing more than one operational tour without compensation for separation, MOD will reduce the initial qualifying period for LSSA from 18 months' service to 12 months. We are also about to increase the higher rate of LSSB and to reduce the qualifying criteria for LSSB bonuses.
The decision to enhance these separation allowances reflects the Ministry of Defence's wish to target those on operations, particularly our most junior personnel. In view of the current operational deployment, it has been decided to introduce the changes with effect from 1 March 2003, following a recommendation by the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |