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Military Activities (Animals)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animals, by species, are employed by British services in the Gulf; and how many have been (a) injured and (b) killed as a result of military and other action to date. [107243]

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Dr. Moonie: There are currently 25 dogs employed by United Kingdom forces in the Gulf. None has been injured or killed. A further seven dogs are to be deployed to the Gulf in the coming days.

Parcels (Weight Limits)

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the weight limit is on parcels sent to British forces in the Gulf; what the weight limit was for (a) exercises and (b) operations in (i) Sierra Leone, (ii) Kosovo and (iii) the first Gulf War; and if he will make a statement. [105833]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 1 April 2003]: There is no parcel service to the Gulf. As part of the Operational Welfare Package approved for this Operation, there is an airmail letter and packet service, subsidised so that it costs the same as United Kingdom inland first class post. The maximum weight of an airmail packet is 2 kg. In addition, Forces Free Air Letters ("Blueys"), e-blueys and an internet bulletin board are available, free of charge.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, North (Mrs. Adams).

Exercises typically attract both a surface parcel service, up to a maximum weight of 30 kg, and an airmail letter and packet service with a maximum weight of 2 kg.

The priorities to meet operational requirements differ from those to support exercises, with the result that there is much greater pressure on available transport capacity, as urgent equipment and stores have to be moved into theatre. The situation in theatre dictates that fewer airlines are willing to fly to local airports. As a result, there is normally no parcel service until pressure on transport capacity eases.

Pensions

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on interest payable on tax incorrectly deducted from armed forces pensions; and if he will make a statement. [107744]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has received representations from two ex-Service organisations, the Forces Pension Society and the Royal British Legion, and a small number of individuals affected. Those pensioners who have been found to have paid tax incorrectly have received from the Inland Revenue a refund of tax, and, in appropriate cases, the statutory repayment supplement. Officials are currently considering whether there is a case for any further payment to be made to compensate for the consequences of the error, and I would expect this work to be completed by the summer.

RAF Bases

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what powers can be exercised by, and what rules of engagement apply to, the US National Guard

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in the event of unauthorised persons being found within RAF bases where the US National Guard is present. [107231]

Mr. Ingram: Where American National Guards have been deployed on RAF bases made available to the United States Visiting Forces, they can exercise the same range of powers as all (United Kingdom and United States) Service personnel in dealing with unauthorised persons found within that base. For instance, although they do not have the powers of arrest, they may detain and hold such persons using the minimum force necessary, until a police officer, who has powers of arrest, arrives.

It is not our practice to comment on Rules of Engagement and that information is withheld under Exemption 1 (Defence, Security and International Relations) of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many prosecutions under the RAF Menwith Hill byelaws have been (a) initiated, (b) subsequently dropped, (c) pursued unsuccessfully and (d) pursued successfully in each year since 1996; and if he will make a statement. [107233]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 November 2002, Official Report, columns 67–68W, which provided details of the number of police reports produced from 1996 to November 2002. The total number of reports with a view to prosecution prepared by the Ministry of Defence Police at RAF Menwith Hill during financial year 2002–03 was seven. Prosecutions are a matter for my noble and Learned Friend the Attorney General.

Statutory Instruments

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the statutory instruments issued by his Department in the last 12 months, indicating (a) the purpose of each and (b) the cost of each to (i) public funds, (ii) businesses and (iii) individuals. [106332]

Dr. Moonie: The HMSO Statutory Instrument Registrar ([e-mail]) can provide a list of statutory instruments issued by individual Departments. Statutory instruments which have been originated by Departments but eventually made by the Privy Council Office, are only listed under the Privy Council Office. However, between 1 January 2002 and 31 March 2003, the Ministry of Defence issued the following eighteen statutory instruments:

SI 2002/201—The Royal Marines Terms of Service Regulations 2002. This instrument amended Service regulations consequent to a previous Commencement Order.

SIs 2002/229: 230 and 231—Three statutory instruments entitled Courts-Martial (Amendment) Rules. These instruments made amendments to court-martial rules in consequence of the Armed Forces Act 2001.

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SI 2002/345—Armed Force Act 2001 (Commencement No 2.) Order 2002 that commenced sections of the Armed Forces Act 2001.

SI 2002/671—Pensions (Polish Forces) Scheme (Extension) Order. This instrument continued in effect the Polish Forces pension scheme.

SI 2002/672—Personnel Injuries (Civilians) Amendment Scheme 2002 updated the rate of pension payable to recipients.

SI 2002/792—The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc. (Disablement & Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2002 updated the rate of pension payable to recipients.

SI 2002/719—ABRO Trading Fund Order 2002. An Order to give trading fund status.

SI 2002/1417—Tax Credit (New Category of Child Care Provider) Regulations 2002. This instrument made a scheme for establishing a new category of persons whose charges for providing child care outside of the UK are to be taken into account for the purpose of determining working families' or disabled person's tax credit.

SI 2002/1761—Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2002. This instrument provided protection to military remains in various vessels and sites.

SI 2002/1820—The Army, Air Force and Naval Discipline Acts (Continuation) Order 2002. An annual Order to continue in force the three Service Discipline Acts.

SI 2002/3122—The Service Departments Registers (Amendment) Order 2002. This instrument updated the Service Departments Registers Order 1959.

SI 2003/105—ABRO Trading Fund (Amendment) Order 2003. This Order made an amendment to SI 2002/719.

SI 2003/405—Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) (Amendment) Order 2003. Needed to correct a geographical error in SI 2002/1761.

SI 2003/434—The Naval, Military and Air Forces Etc (Disablement & Death) Service Pensions (Amendment) Order 2003 updated the rate of pension payable to recipients.

SI 2003/637—Personnel Injuries (Civilians) Amendment Scheme 2002 updated the rate of pension payable to recipients.

SI 2003/786—Air Force Act 1955 (Part 1) Regulations 2001 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 updated previous Service Regulations not required to be made by statutory instruments.

Any costs to public funds arising from the above instruments are minimal. As the MOD is not a regulatory body there are few, if any, costs to businesses

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and individuals. Any cost relating to instruments made by MOD are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Travel Costs

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of travel by train by staff in his Department in 2002. [106351]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring that its staff should use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with meeting the Department's operational needs. To deliver this commitment, travel by rail is co-ordinated, managed and negotiated centrally within the MOD. Central negotiations are undertaken with the Association of Train Operating Companies and the MOD secures contracts for discounted travel. The resulting expenditure, after the MOD discount, for the financial year just ended April 2002 to March 2003, was £33,604,837. This figure is provisional and subject to final audit.

War Graves

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the French Government regarding the desecration of Commonwealth war graves. [107520]

Dr. Moonie: No war graves were desecrated in the incident which took place at Etaples Military Cemetery south of Boulogne on the night of 26 to 27 March 2003. However, anti-British and American graffiti were sprayed on the central memorial in the cemetery. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, who are responsible for the cemetery which contains the graves of nearly 11,000 British and Commonwealth graves from the two World Wars, took immediate action to remove the paint.

The Department made no representations to the French Government, but on 3 April 2003 the French President wrote an apology to The Queen, expressing France's regret and condemning the shameful desecration of the cemetery. Also on that day there was a simple wreath-laying ceremony at Etaples attended by the French Secretary of State for War Veterans, together with the British Consul General and the British Naval Attaché in Paris. The French Government and the people of Etaples were greatly embarrassed by this regrettable incident and acted with commendable speed to condemn those individuals who carried out this shameful deed.

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