| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
24 Feb 2003 : Column 297W—continued
Defence Finance
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the scope for savings in the defence procurement budget as a consequence of increased European collaboration on defence procurement; and if he will make a statement. [96643]
Mr. Ingram: Collaboration in defence programmes can bring economic benefits by sharing non-recurring costs and through economies of scale in production and, further through the life cycle, by sharing in service support and upgrade costs. Collaboration is considered in all equipment programmes when developing the procurement strategies to best meet the needs of our Armed Forces, but it is not an easy option. Harmonising requirements, aligning funding and approvals processes and meeting workshare expectations amongst anything from two partners upwards is rarely straightforward. Thus tune, cost and performance risks can be magnified in collaborative programmes. Overall, however, the benefits more than outweigh the potential disadvantages.
Defence Fire Service
Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence further to his answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 506, on the Defence Fire Service, who made the decision locally not to respond to requests for assistance outside the perimeter; whether this decision was made
24 Feb 2003 : Column 298W
(a) with the knowledge of and (b) on the instructions of a Government Minister; when the instruction was recognised as unnecessary; and whether the order was revoked (i) on the instructions of and (ii) with the knowledge of a Government Minister. [98938]
Mr. Ingram: The decision that the fire appliances based at Kineton would not respond to requests for assistance outside the perimeter on days on which local fire brigades were taking industrial action was made by the Fire Station Commander, on the advice of the Commandant of the Depot, and an order to this effect was issued on 1 November 2002. An investigation into the circumstances at Kineton was carried out in early February and as a result the order was revoked on the authority of the Defence Fire Service (Army).
Neither the decision to issue the original order nor its revocation was made on the instructions of, or with the knowledge of, a Government Minister.
Defence Procurement
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of (a) cost overruns and (b) delivery delays in each UK military procurement project valued at £100 million and over in each year from 1990–91 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [96819]
Mr Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the Major Projects Reports covering the years in question. These provide cost and delivery information on the Ministry of Defence's major equipment projects. Copies are available in the Library of the House.Information on the remaining projects from the years in question estimated to cost £100 million and over is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information applies.
Eurofighter
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer on 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 638W, on the Eurofighter, if he will make a statement on the procedure for the booking and use of designated areas for testing Eurofighter jets; and if he will publish the rules covering supersonic flights. [96760]
Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Fleet Readiness
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since May 1997 the Royal Navy has not had at least one aircraft carrier immediately available for active service. [98229]
Mr. Ingram: There has not been an occasion since May 1997 when the Royal Navy has not had at least one aircraft carrier available for active service.
24 Feb 2003 : Column 299W
Friendly Fire
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent measures the Royal Marines have adopted to avoid friendly fire incidents by (a) UK and (b) allied forces. [98238]
Mr. Ingram: As stated in the answer given on 18 December 2002, Official Report, column 807W, to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch), tactics, techniques and procedures, situational awareness and target identification complement each other and form a triad of measures designed to achieve Combat Identification and minimise the risk of fratricide. In relation to possible operations in the Gulf, we are working closely with allies to establish robust arrangements on Combat Identification that maximise interoperability, and we will acquire additional equipment in time for any potential conflict to enable our forces, including the Royal Marines, to operate effectively alongside coalition forces.
Heathrow (Military Deployment)
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether armed forces personnel deployed to secure London Heathrow airport have been deployed with suits and respirators in preparation for a possible chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack. [98652]
Mr. Ingram: The deployment of the armed forces and their equipment is determined by a number of factors including the task to be undertaken, the environment in which they are to operate and the threat that they face. In the case of the recent operation at Heathrow airport, the police and military personnel were not deployed with Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear equipment.
Helicopters
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters there are in the (a) Navy, (b) Army and (c) Air Force, broken down by type. [98292]
Mr. Ingram: The number of helicopters in the Navy, Army and Air Force, broken down by type, as at 12 February 2003, are provided in the following table.
Notes:
(57) The sustainment fleet includes helicopters undergoing scheduled base maintenance, those awaiting repair to accident damage, those that are in development and those held in reserve.
(58) Helicopters awaiting disposal
(59) Includes nine aircrat that are the School of Army Aviation assets.
(60) Wessex Helicopters are no longer operationally in service.
(61) Includes six aircraft recently purchased from Republic of South Africa to ensure enduring sustainability.
24 Feb 2003 : Column 300W
Hunting with Dogs
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what reports he has received of proposals for hunting with dogs on (a) Ministry of Defence land and (b) at the Colchester Garrison; and if he will take action to prevent such activity; [98399]
- (2) what his policy is towards allowing Ministry of Defence land to be used for hunting with dogs; and if he will make a statement. [98400]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has issued 27 licences for hunting with dogs on the Defence Estate for the 2002–03 season, including one for the Colchester area. In the absence of a statutory ban, my Department has no legal grounds on which to stop this activity, which has been undertaken under licensed conditions for many years on its estate. However, mindful of all the issues involved, foxhunting is restricted to those hunts that have traditionally held licences or enjoyed such rights on the Defence Estate.
The current foxhunting season, (which began on 1 September 2002 and which ends on 30 April 2003), is being conducted under strict terms and conditions, agreed with the Master of Foxhounds Association.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the last time hunting with dogs was permitted on (a) Ministry of Defence land and (b) at the Colchester Garrison; and on how many occasions since May 1997 such activity has taken place. [98401]
Dr. Moonie: The information regarding the number of times hunting with dogs has taken place on Ministry of Defence land is not held centrally. Hunting has taken place in the Colchester Garrison area on eight days since May 1997, the last occasion being 14 December 2000.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |