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27 Feb 2003 : Column 662W—continued

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the date of original build completion, (b) the date of acceptance into service, (c) the anticipated date of decommissioning, (d) the number of crew, (e) the stores carrying capacity where appropriate and (f) the ownership of (i) RFA Diligence, (ii) RFA Grey Rover, (iii) RFA Gold Rover, (iv) RFA Black Rover, (v) RFA Brambleleaf, (vi) RFA Bayleaf, (vii) RFA Orangeleaf, (viii) RFA Oakleaf, (ix) RFA Fort Rosalie, (x) RFA Fort Austin, (xi) RFA Fort Victoria, (xii) RFA Fort George, (xiii) RFA Argus, (xiv) RFA Sir Bedivere, (xv) RFA Sir Geraint, (xvi) RFA Sir Percivale, (xvii) RFA Sir Tristram, (xviii) RFA Sea Crusader and (xix) RFA Sea Centurion. [99147]

Mr. Ingram: The information requested is contained in the following table:

Ship	Build completion date	Date of acceptance into service	Planned decommission date	Crew complement	Approximate stores capacity	Ownership
Diligence	1981	1984	2006	53 RFA77 Embarked force	Fuel: 1,400 sq m	MOD
Grey Rover	1970	1970	2007	54 RFA	Fuel: 6,000 sq mFresh water: 300 sq mOil: 66,000 litres	MOD
Gold Rover	1974	1974	2007	54 RFA	Fuel: 5,500 sq mFresh water: 300 sq mOil 66,000 litres	MOD
Black Rover	1974	1974	2007	53 RFA	Fuel: 6,000 sq mFresh water: 300 sq mOil: 66,000 litres	MOD
Brambleleaf	1976	1980	2009	58 RFA	Fuel: 31,000 sq mFresh water: 1,400 sq m	MOD
Bayleaf	1982	1982	2009	58 RFA	Fuel: 28,700 sq mFresh water: 1,400 sq m	Lombards Leasing Services
Orangeleaf	1975	1984	2008	58 RFA	Fuel: 31,000 sq mFresh water 1,400 sq m	Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd.
Oakleaf	1981	1986	2015	36 RFA	Fuel: 38,700 sq mFresh water: 1,300 sq m	James Fisher Ltd.
Fort Rosalie	1978	1978	2013	106 RFA12 RN28 Civilian	Ammunition, food and general Naval stores: 10,100 sq m	MOD
Fort Austin	1979	1979	2014	106 RFA12 RN26 Civilian	Ammunition, food and general naval stores: 10,100 sq m	MOD
Ford Victoria	1993	1994	2019	96 RFA13 RN23 Civilian	Fuel: 12,000 sq mFresh water: 370 sq mOil: 137,000 litresAmmunition, food and general Naval stores: 6,400 sq m	MOD
Fort George	1993	1994	2019	95 RFA13 RN28 Civilian	Fuel: 12,000 sq mFresh water: 370 sq mOil: 136,000 sq mAmmunition, food and general Naval stores: 5,900 sq m	MOD
Argus	1981	1988	2008	82 RFA69 Embarked force	Fuel: 3,700 sq m	MOD
Sir Bedivere	1967Ship LifeExtensionProgramme1998	1967	2011	59 RFA352 Embarked force	Ammunition and cargo: 660 sq m vehicles: 12 Challenger tanks, 31 large vehicles, 56 Land Rovers or 26 cargo containers on tank deck; 19 large vehicles, 50 Land Rovers or 20 cargo containers on vehicle deck	MOD
Sir Geraint	1967	1967	2004	52 RFA250 embarked force	Ammunition and cargo: 600 sq m vehicles: 14 Challenger tanks, 23 large vehicles, 62 Land Rovers or 20 cargo containers on tank deck; 34 large vehicles, 63 Land Rovers or 30 cargo containers on vehicle deck	MOD
Sir Percivale	1968	1968	2005	52 RFA301 Embarked force	Ammunition and cargo: 600 sq m vehicles: 14 Challenger tanks, 23 large vehicles, 62 Land Rovers or 20 cargo containers on tank deck; 34 large vehicles, 63 Land Rovers or 30 cargo containers on vehicle deck	MOD
Sir Tristram	1967	1967	2004	51 RFA238 embarked force	Ammunition and cargo: 600 sq m vehicles: 12 Challenger tanks, 56 Land Rovers or 26 cargo containers on tank deck; 26 cargo containers on tank deck; 31 large vehicles, 67 Land Rovers or 33 cargo containers on vehicle deck	MOD
Sea Crusader	1996	1996	2003	18 RFA	2,300 lane metres capacity	Nouvelles Orientations

Note:

Sea Centurion was leased from Ocean Arrow and was returned to her owners in 2002.

27 Feb 2003 : Column 663W

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to (a) replace and (b) add to vessels in the RFA fleet; and if he will make a statement. [99293]

Mr. Ingram: The Royal Navy decommissioned two O-class RFA Fleet tankers during financial year 2000–01: RFA Olwen (commissioned in 1965) and RFA Olna (commissioned in 1966). Two new Wave-class Auxiliary Oilers (AO) RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler are expected to enter service in early spring this year.

On current plans four of the five Landing Ships Logistics, RFA Sir Geraint, Sir Tristram Sir Percivale and Sir Galahad are expected to be replaced by four larger and more capable Bay Class vessels in 2004 and 2005.1 also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 514W, to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Dr. Lewis).

Ships (Decommissioning)

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what navy ships have been decommissioned since 1997; and what their final destination was. [97286]

Mr. Ingram: A total of 31 Navy ships have been decommissioned since 1997. This figure includes three Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships.

Navy shipsdecommissioned since1997	Final destination
HMS Peacock	Philippines
HMS Plover	Philippines
HMS Starling	Philippines
HMS Birmingham	Scrap (Commercial Sale)
HMS Battleaxe	Brazil
HMS Boxer	Not yet known
HMS Beaver	Scrap (Commercial Sale)
HMS Brave	Not yet known
HMS London	Romania
HMS Bicester	Greece
HMS Berkeley	Greece
HMS Orkney	Trinidad and Tobago
HMS Orwell	Guyana
HMS Blackwater	Brazil
HMS Spey	Brazil
HMS Arun	Brazil
HMS Itchen	Brazil
HMS Herald	Commercial Sale
HMS Shetland	Bangladesh
HMS Alderney	Bangladesh
HMS Intrepid	Not yet known
HMS Bulldog	Commercial Sale
HMS Cromer	Renamed Hindostan and redesignated fortraining use
HMS Coventry	Romania
HMS Beagle	Commercial Sale
HMS Fearless	Not yet known
HMS Sheffield	Not yet known
HMY Britannia	Exhibition, Port of Leith, Edinburgh
RFA Olna	Scrap (Commercial Sale)
FRA Olwen	Scrap (Commercial Sale)
RFA Resource	Commercial Sale

27 Feb 2003 : Column 664W

Sierra Leone

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel are stationed in Sierra Leone; what changes in numbers have taken place in the last month; and if he will make a statement on the current military situation in Sierra Leone. [99453]

Mr. Ingram: On 31 July 2002 the security situation in Sierra Leone was judged to be benign enough to end Operation Silkman (the overarching operation for United Kingdom forces in Sierra Leone), leaving a self-sustaining UK-led International Military Advisory and Training Team (IMATT). The IMATT currently involves some 120 personnel, comprising 108 UK personnel plus a number of internationals. Six additional UK personnel have been assigned to IMATT within the last month.

To display our continued commitment to the settlement process in Sierra Leone on 21 February we deployed a Company Group from 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles plus HQ and supporting elements (eg logistics and medical)—in total around 310 people. HMS Iron Duke and RFA Black Rover are also planned to deploy to Sierra Leone waters in the next few weeks as a further demonstration of UK commitment.

The security situation in Sierra Leone is satisfactory. This deployment demonstrates the UK's continued support to the Government of Sierra Leone, and our

27 Feb 2003 : Column 665W

ability to conduct such deployments rapidly and at short notice, notwithstanding our involvement in operations elsewhere in the world.

The UK also provides the Chief Of Staff, six HQ staff officers and 15 Military Observers to the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Combined Heat and Power

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial help is available to producers who wish to (a) supply and (b) use combined heat and power. [98901]

Mr. Morley: The Government's draft Strategy for combined heat and power (CHP) to 2010, consulted on last year and available in the Library to the House, details the range of Government support measures currently in place for CHP. The main measures include:

Climate Change Levy exemption on fuel inputs and, pending the outcome of a State Aid application, on all Good Quality CHP electricity outputs;


Eligibility for Enhanced Capital Allowances;


The £50 million, two-year, Community Energy grant programme; and


Reduction in VAT on certain grant-funded domestic micro-CHP installations.

The Energy White Paper, published on 24 February, set out the following further range of measures to support CHP.

Requirement for significant evidence that power station consent applicants have considered all economically viable options for CHP and community heating.


Emphasise the benefits of CHP and community heating whenever planning or sustainable development guidance is introduced or reviewed.


Work with Ofgem to ensure a level playing field under NETA for smaller generators, including CHP.


Set targets for use of CHP in the Government Estate.


Explore incentivising CHP within any expansion of the domestic Energy Efficiency Commitment from 2005.


Support field trials designed to evaluate the benefits of micro-CHP.


Invite the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust to review their current and future programmes to ensure they reinforce delivery of our CHP target.


Work on a framework for pilot projects under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for which CHP projects may be eligible.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the change in use of CHP by companies covered by climate change agreements; and if she will make a statement. [87880]

Mr. Meacher [pursuant to his answer, 18 December 2002, Official Report, c. 800W]: My answer was sent in error, referring to HFC as opposed to CHP. The answer below corrects the original.

27 Feb 2003 : Column 666W

There has been no assessment made of the change in use of CHP by companies covered by climate change agreements. The agreements set targets for improvements in energy efficiency, which in some cases take account of the potential for CHP in the facility. In other cases, operators are required to make an assessment of the potential for CHP, which may result in a change to their targets. Operators are free to meet their targets in a range of ways.

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