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Defence Medical Services

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Defence Medical Services are available for operational duty within the United Kingdom. [82157]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 21 November 2003]: As of July 2002, there were 6,489 regular personnel in the Defence Medical Services (DMS) excluding student nurses and other new entry trainees. Of these, at any one time some will be unavailable for operational duty within the United Kingdom as a result of medical downgrading. As of November 2002, the latest date for which figures are available, 131 were unavailable for such duty as a result of medical downgrading. In practice, the number of DMS personnel available for operational duty in the United Kingdom will depend on other commitments including deployment on overseas operations, training and exercises, and retained tasks.

Diego Garcia

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how far British territory extends around Diego Garcia. [102349]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.

Diego Garcia has a territorial sea of three nautical miles.

Field Hospital Volunteers

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 16 January, Official Report, column 7050, on field hospital volunteers, if he will give the most recent available figures. [102563]

Dr. Moonie: As of Tuesday 11 March 2003, 167 members of 202 (Volunteer) Field Hospital have been called up. Of those, 83 individuals do not work for the National Health Service (NHS), instead working either in private health care, or in areas unrelated to health. The remaining 84 individuals are currently employed by the NHS, in the following facilities:

Berkshire Healthcare Trust; Birmingham Children's Hospital; Birmingham Heartlands; Teaching; Birmingham Women's Hospital; N Birmingham Mental Health; Christie Hospital Trust; City Hospitals Trust; Dorset Healthcare Trust; Frimley Park Hospital Trust; George Eliot Hospital Trust; Good Hope Hospital Trust; Kingston Hospital Trust; Lothian University Hospitals; Medical Staff Agency; National Blood Service; Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals; Oxford Radcliffe Trust; Palliative Care; Primary Care Trust; Princess Royal Hospital; Royal Berkshire Trust; Royal Shrewsbury Trust; Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust; Sandwell and West Midlands; Staffordshire Trust; N Staffs Hospitals Trust; University Hospital Trust; W Midland Ambulance Trust; Walsall Hospitals Trust; New Cross Hospital; West Heath Hospital; Alexandra Hospital; Beccles War Memorial Hospital; Wycombe General Hospital; Walsgrave Hospital.

The 84 individuals called up work in a variety of roles within the NHS, including:

Nurses; Biomedical Scientist; Midwifes; Medical Officers; Medical Technicians; Doctor; Surgeons; Acting Chef Executive; Consultants; Surgeons; Physicians; Physiotherapists; Senior House Officers; Driver; Radiographer; Pharmacist.

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Gulf Forces (Equipment)

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sets of sand goggles have been sent to troops serving in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement. [103018]

Mr. Ingram: 25,000 pairs of desert goggles have been ordered to meet the requirements of troops deployed to Kuwait with 21,380 pairs having so far been issued. Sufficient stocks of the full desert ensemble have been ordered to meet requirements.

Iraq

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) British field hospitals and (b) other British medical facilities will be established in the Gulf in the event of conflict in Iraq. [102374]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 11 March 2003]: There has been no decision to take military action against Iraq. However, in the event of conflict, there are currently two British Field Hospitals in the Gulf and this will shortly increase to three. These will be supported by a range of medical facilities in the region, including a primary casualty receiving facility, the RFA Argus and The Princess Mary's Hospital in Cyprus.

Land Sales (Ashford)

Matthew Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 24 February 2003, Official Report, columns 138–39W, on Land Sales (Ashford), when each sale took place; what area of land was sold; who the land was sold to; and how much the land was sold for in each case. [102658]

Dr. Moonie: Oil Pipeline Agency Wye was sold to Folkestone Development Company Limited on 21 November 2001. The price paid was £605,000 plus clawback on receipt of a planning consent. The land measured 7.3acres/2.954 hectares.

The A20/A28 link road land, which was part of Ashford barracks, was sold on 28 July 1998 to Kent County Council. The price paid was a nominal sum plus the right to construct a roundabout to open up Ashford barracks for improved development. The area measured 5.48 acres/2.219 hectares.

The land in Ashford barracks that was needed for the channel tunnel rail link was transferred to Union Rail. Payment of £1.4 million compensation has been received. The "sale" was deemed to be completed in 1998 when the site was handed over to Union Rail and the site measured 30 acres/12 hectares.

The remainder of Ashford barracks was sold to a house builder consortium of Westbury Homes/Wimpy in April 2002. The price was £17 million plus potential clawback. The site area was 95.13 acres/38.5 hectares.

Low Flying

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints regarding low flying have been received from residents of Dumfries and Galloway in each of the last six months. [103049]

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Dr. Moonie: During the period 1 September 2002— 28 February 2003, a total of 40 complaints were received from residents of Dumfries and Galloway by the Ministry of Defence. Of these, 22 were from members of the public who complained on more than one occasion during this period. Broken down on a monthly basis, the figures are as follows:

Month	Complaints
September 2002	11
October 2002	16
November 2002	2
December 2002	6
January 2003	3
February 2003	2

MOD Ranges (Security)

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on minimum standards of security for part-time MOD ranges. [103050]

Dr. Moonie: In general, security at Ministry of Defence (MOD) ranges is provided in accordance with their use and purpose, taking account of the prevailing threat assessment. When ranges are temporarily in use by military personnel, the standards for security of personnel and their equipment, is the same as those which apply at permanent MOD establishments and sites. Some ranges, for example the one at West Freugh, are MOD owned but managed by QinetiQ, a commercial company. Security at these sites is the responsibility of the contractor, and is normally implemented by a civilian guard force, supported by the local constabulary. As a commercial company, QinetiQ complies with Government-wide security regulations issued by the Cabinet Office, rather than with MOD security procedures. MOD reserves the right, however, to take such additional measures as we consider necessary to protect our Service personnel and materiel when making use of these ranges.

I am withholding details of security measures implemented within the MOD, under Exemption 1 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

NBC Suits

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the respirators on NBC suits issued to UK servicemen in the Gulf have been checked for effectiveness; and if he will make a statement. [103017]

Mr. Ingram: All NBC respirators issued to service personnel are periodically tested during training in a Hazardous Environment Chamber to ensure they function correctly and are the correct size for the individual concerned. A new Respirator Test System is being delivered into service. It allows respirators—including those issued to deployed personnel—to be tested to an even higher standard.

Operational Welfare Package

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made for (a) mail and

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(b) parcel deliveries for troops in Kuwait; and what arrangements have been made for (a) telephone and (b) email availability for these troops. [102697]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 13 March 2003]: All elements of the Operational Welfare Package (OWP) listed by the hon. Member are provided to all United Kingdom military personnel already deployed to the Gulf in support of Operations RESINATE and ORACLE. We are building up the OWP as quickly as possible for UK military personnel deploying overseas in preparation for possible operations against Iraq.

QinetiQ

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the proposed sale by QinetiQ of Longcross Tanklands to Crest and Mowlem Ltd. [101653]

Dr. Moonie: We understand that Longcross Tanklands is an informal local term used to describe a former test track, which forms part of what the Ministry of Defence and QinetiQ know as the Chertsey South site. The freehold of the Chertsey site was transferred to QinetiQ when the company was vested as a Plc in July 2001 and is scheduled for disposal. Negotiations are currently underway with potential purchasers.

Under the terms of the deal signed with The Carlyle Group to acquire a stake in QinetiQ, the Chertsey site forms security against an outstanding loan note from QinetiQ to MOD. QinetiQ will receive no proceeds from the sale of the site until the loan note is repaid in full.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the financial contracts entered into by his Department since 1 January 2002 where QinetiQ have acted as advisors to the Government. [102483]

Dr. Moonie: The Department places a large number of contracts each year with QinetiQ—in excess of 1,000 in calendar year 2002. These contracts typically cover a number of tasks, which may include the provision of impartial specialist technical and scientific advice, conducting independent research and the supply of testing and evaluation services. There is no centrally held list identifying all the specific instances in which QinetiQ has acted as advisers and such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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