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28 Apr 2003 : Column 57W—continued
Luce Bay
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the effect on his Department's operations of political and environmental designations on Luce Bay. [108960]
Dr. Moonie: I have assumed that the hon Gentleman's question refers to the recent decision to designate West Freugh as a campaigned site, which includes the Luce Bay bombing range. On this basis, I can confirm that there has been no resulting effect on the Department's operations. There has been no separate environmental designation by the Ministry of Defence.
Market Research
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure has been incurred by his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental bodies in 2002 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if he will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each. [106275]
Dr. Moonie: The Government want to hear what people have to say about proposed new policies and ideas and are committed to obtaining the best value for money. Public opinion research, including focus groups and polling, is subject to the usual strict rules that spending must represent good value for the tax payer and must not be used for party political purposes.
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Information on the totality of quantitative and qualitative surveys carried out by the Ministry of Defence and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, the central corporate communications division carries out public opinion research relating to the Department as a whole and does have a record of research that they initiated. The following surveys were conducted during the financial year 2002–03 (costs are provisional and subject to final audit and are inclusive of VAT):
| £ | |
|---|---|
| MOD quantitative research | 38,958.75 |
| Public attitudes to defence surveys | 16,536.95 |
| Media coverage evaluation | 21,749.25 |
| MOD image focus groups | 2,162.00 |
| Iraq media monitoring | 5,287.50 |
| Total cost | 84,694.45 |
Military Police
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the funding of the (a) Ministry of Defence Police, (b) Royal Air Force Police, (c) Royal Marines Police, (d) Royal Military Police and (e) Royal Navy Service Police. [108177]
Dr. Moonie: Police personnel funding for the current year (2003–04) is as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| RN Regulating Branch | 12.1 |
| Royal Marines Police | 1.1 |
| Royal Military Police | 54.9 |
| RAF Police | 46.8 |
| Ministry of Defence Police | 128.2 |
Multi-national Defence Co-operation
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to build on increased co-operation between the UK and (a) Finland, (b) France, (c) Germany, (d) Italy, (e) The Netherlands and (f) Norway in the areas of (i) medical co-ordination, (ii) air manoeuvre, (iii) air-to-air refuelling, (iv) search and rescue, (v) unmanned aerial vehicles and (vi) training; and if he will make a statement. [109353]
Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom is working to improve multi-national defence co-operation across a wide range of military capabilities through NATO's Prague Capabilities Commitment (PCC), in co-ordination with the EU's European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP), which seeks to fill specific shortfalls against the Helsinki Headline Goal, and through our regular bilateral contacts.
The UK has been engaged in several ECAP panels including on medical co-ordination, outsized air transport, air-to-air refuelling, search and rescue and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. As part of our participation in a number of NATO capabilities initiatives we
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currently hold observer status on air-to-air refuelling in the Prague Capabilities Commitment High Level Group.
In the area of medical co-ordination, we have worked with Finland to ensure that arrangements are in place to provide continuing medical support of Finnish forces deployed in the Balkans. On air manoeuvre, we have had close consultations with the Netherlands to establish common procedure on doctrine, training, sustainability and equipment for our respective Attack Helicopter forces. We have established permanent liaison with Germany to facilitate the exchange of information on tactical and operational developments. In 2001, we carried out combined air-to-air refuelling training with Finland and an Air Defence exercise is planned in June 2003. We have exchanged information with Italy on Search and Rescue and discussed Combat Search and Rescue. We co-operate with France in a wide range of capability areas and hold an annual summit, which prioritises those key areas of capability in which we wish to work more closely. The UK routinely conducts bilateral and multilateral training to varying degrees with a wide range of NATO and EU countries.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government has taken to promote multinational defence co-operation (a) within NATO, (b) within the European defence dimension and (c) with other partners; and if he will make a statement. [109354]
Mr. Hoon: The Government are actively promoting multinational defence co-operation within NATO, within the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and on a bilateral basis, primarily in order to enhance military capability. Within NATO, the Prague Capabilities Commitment aims to improve Alliance capabilities in CBRN defence; information superiority; combat effectiveness; and deployability and sustainability, and has directed Allies towards pursuing multinational solutions. Within the EU, the European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP) fosters co-operation between member states in order to fill specific capability shortfalls against the Helsinki Headline Goal. The work within NATO and the EU is closely co-ordinated and mutually reinforcing, and the United Kingdom plays an active role in both. The Government also promotes multinational defence co-operation through regular bilateral contacts with friends and allies. In particular, together with NATO, we are encouraging the seven countries invited to join the Alliance to participate in multinational defence co-operation activities with existing members.
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in developing the NATO concept of the European Multinational Maritime Force; and if he will make a statement. [109350]
Mr. Ingram: The European Multinational Maritime Force has now evolved into the European Maritime Initiative, bringing together a number of European Navies. As part of this initiative, we are developing a Generic European Maritime Concept of Operations for endorsement in Helsinki at the end of May 2003.
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Operation Telic
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has (a) had and (b) initiated with his Russian counterpart to ensure that (i) Royal Navy involvement in Operation Telic is unimpeded by the Russian Navy Task Group deployed in the area and (ii) confusion and error are avoided. [109225]
Mr. Ingram: On 17 April 2003 the British Embassy was officially informed, via a diplomatic note, of the Russian Naval Fleet deployment to the Indian Ocean. The international rules for the prevention of collisions at sea, the INCSEA agreement, form the basis for ensuring safety between units. INCSEA rules are embedded within Royal Navy standard operating procedures and these will be employed by the Royal Navy to ensure safe passage and to deconflict between units. Russian naval activity should in no way impede the Royal Navy's involvement in Operation Telic.
Parental Leave
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department have used their leave entitlement under the Parental Leave Directive since it came into force. [108409]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence endeavours to create a family friendly working environment for civilian staff at all levels as part of our work life balance strategy. In this respect guidance has been issued to staff in the Ministry of Defence to make them aware of parental leave entitlements and setting out the procedures to be followed.
The responsibility for authorising such leave has been delegated to local units and therefore records are not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Press Office
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in his Department's press office; and how many were employed on 2 May 1997. [108389]
Dr. Moonie: As at 16 April 2003 a total of 20 people are employed in the Department's central press office. There are also three augmentees in the press office who were drafted in from across the Department and other Government Departments to help deal with Operation TELIC.
Unfortunately, accurate records for the number of people employed in the central press office on 2 May 1997 no longer exist.
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