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14 Apr 2003 : Column 571W—continued
Iraq
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy not to use cluster bombs in urban or populated areas in Iraq. [108535]
Mr. Hoon: Cluster bombs are only used strictly in accordance with international law. This includes the principles of distinction and proportionality as well as precautionary measures to be taken in planning and conducting an attack, as contained in the First Additional Protocol of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The targeting process takes account of these principles in matching the type of weapon used to the target to be attacked. There will be circumstances when it would be considered more appropriate to use other munitions than cluster bombs. These circumstances are more likely to arise in urban or populated areas as cluster bombs engage targets that cover an area. However, a decision on which type of munition to use has to take into account all the circumstances at the time of an attack. It follows that it would be unlikely that cluster bombs would be used in an urban unpopulated area.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will hold an inquiry into the numbers of deaths of journalists during the current campaign in Iraq. [108848]
Dr. Moonie: All reports of coalition action resulting in the deaths of civilians are investigated. The United Kingdom works with coalition partners to verify the facts of such reported incidents. The profession of civilian casualties is not a concern when investigating such incidents.
Very careful attention is applied to ensure that in the coalition's campaign the risk of damage to civilian populations and infrastructure is minimised. However, military action is never without risk, and lawful actions against military targets may result in harm to civilians. Any civilian casualties resulting from military action are deeply regretted.
The active battlefield is not a benign environment and coalition forces cannot be held responsible for, or guarantee the safety of, journalists who enter such a location independently. This is one of the reasons why we have embedded war correspondents whose activities can be properly co-ordinated with our own forces.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance he will issue to members of the public who want to collect items and send them to (a) British service men and women serving in the Gulf and (b) Iraqi civilians including children, in order to assist their welfare; to what address items can be sent; what items are most needed by each group; what weight limits would be placed on any parcels; and when such deliveries may be likely to be appropriate. [108903]
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Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 8 April 2003, Official Report, column 15WS and 10 April 2003, Official Report, columns 32–34WS.
The Ministry of Defence is not an appropriate conduit for items intended for Iraqi civilians, which are best handled by charitable organisations.
Prisoners of War
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place for screening prisoners of war for diseases prior to their internment with other prisoners and contact with UK forces; and if he will make a statement. [108205]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 10 April 2003]: It is not possible to screen prisoners of war prior to contact with United Kingdom forces. However, prisoners of war are screened by UK military medical staff from 5 General Support Medical Regiment as they arrive at holding facilities. Those that require medical attention are referred to a field hospital.
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the conditions in which Iraqi prisoners of war are held; [108281]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the diet supplied to Iraqi prisoners of war; [108280]
(3) what facilities are available for Iraqi prisoners of war to send and receive correspondence from their homes; [108279]
(4) if he will make a statement on the medical facilities available to Iraqi prisoners of war; [108278]
(5) what the average time taken is for Iraqi prisoners of war to complete a capture card; [108277]
(6) if he will make a statement on the process following capture by British armed forces of Iraqi prisoners of war; and how information about the status of Iraqi prisoners of war is conveyed to next of kin. [108276]
Mr. Ingram: Upon being taken prisoner, Iraqi combatants are evacuated to a safe location, away from the dangers of combat, as soon as is practicable. They are held initially at collection points by the unit taking them prisoner, where their identity is established and recorded. They are then transferred to a more permanent holding facility.
In accordance with Article 70 of the Geneva Convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, upon capture, and subsequently following any change in location, every prisoner of war is given the opportunity to write direct to his or her family, and through the completion of a Capture Card, to the Central Prisoners of War Agency in Geneva. Prisoner of war details are given to the International Committee for the Red Cross who have the responsibility for the distribution of letters, parcels and Capture Cards.
Prisoners of war are provided with Halal food in accordance with local practice. They are given one hot and two cold meals per day, and water and hot drinks
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are readily available. They are provided with shelter, in the form of carpeted, tented accommodation and, if needed, medical treatment.
Private Geoff Grey
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legal reasons prevent the convening of a Board of Inquiry into the death of Private Geoff Grey. [108443]
Dr. Moonie: There is no legal reason that prevents a Board of Inquiry being convened into the death of Private Gray. However, in accordance with the Queen's Regulations for the Army, it is normal working practice not to convene a Board of Inquiry into any incident which is being, or is likely to be, subject to a police investigation or criminal proceedings, either military or civil. The police investigation into the death of Private Gray remains on-going and a Board of Inquiry will be convened once this is complete.
Staff Union Duties
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in 2002. [106769]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence does not record paid time off for trade union duties by days but by percentage of their overall work time. The following table shows the number of employees who are allowed paid time off for trade union activities, the percentage of their time allowed and the cost during 2001–02.
| Percentage | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 0–10 | 11–49 | 50–99 | 100 | Total | Cost (£) |
| Industrials | 335 | 117 | 22 | 21 | 515 | 1,118,327 |
| Non-Industrials | 633 | 125 | 23 | 33 | 814 | 2,355,010 |
We do not collect the information for trade union representatives in the Service Museums which are non-departmental public bodies.
Sunset Clauses
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the sunset clauses included in legislation from his Department since 1997. [106953]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 October 2002, Official Report, columns 537–38W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Ingram).
War Disablement Pension
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on proposed changes to war disablement pensions. [108485]
Dr. Moonie: I expect to publish before the summer recess the Government's conclusions on the Department's review of arrangements for compensating members of the armed forces whose injury or illness is
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due to service. Payments under a new Armed Forces Compensation Scheme would replace awards currently made under the War Pension Scheme and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme for injuries or illness caused on or after the date of implementation. The new scheme should provide simpler and fairer arrangements that recognise the special status of the armed forces and focus better on those personnel most severely disabled.
Wind Farms
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first windfarm planning application was scrutinised by his Department; and for that year, and each year since, how many (a) applications were scrutinised, (b) applications falling wholly or partly within a low-flying tactical training area were (i) approved and (ii) opposed and (c) applications falling wholly outside a low-flying tactical training area were (i) approved and (ii) opposed. [109163]
Dr. Moonie: Windfarm proposals were first regularly scrutinised by the Department in 1998. The Department sees proposals at the pre-planning stage and the figures listed in the table reflect this.
| Total number of: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Proposals | Objections | Low flying objections |
| 1998 | 213 | 46 | 5 |
| 1999 | 149 | 26 | — |
| 2000 | 161 | 51 | 23 |
| 2001 | 347 | 145 | 45 |
| 2002 | 1,027 | 248 | 34 |
The other information requested is not held separately and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors are taken into account in determining whether to approve or oppose windfarm applications in low-flying tactical training areas; and if he will make a statement. [109164]
Dr. Moonie: The Department fully supports the Government's targets for renewable energy. Every proposal received is considered individually by at least seven separate technical advisers, each with their own specialism. The criteria for users is the likely effect of the development on operational capability and the ability to train our pilots safely.
The presence of wind turbines in most areas of the United Kingdom presents no difficulty to low flying aircraft as these and other naturally tall structures are taken into account as part of route planning. However, within the tactical training areas, a large proliferation of obstacles is avoided as this would negate the value of the training. For these reasons, wind farm proposals may compromise flight safety to an unacceptable level and result in an objection from the Department.
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