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30 Apr 2003 : Column 390W—continued
Service Personnel (Deaths)
Mr Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial and other assistance is available to the families of servicemen who have died in combat or training; if he plans to increase support; what assistance is available to non-married partners of servicemen; and if he will make a statement. [110024]
Dr. Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 3 April 2003, Official Report, columns 781–82W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) and to my written ministerial statement of 20 March 2003, Official Report, column 54WS.
The proposals for the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme would result in substantial improvements in benefits for family and dependents. This will be achieved
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at no additional cost through re-balancing the benefits elsewhere in the scheme. The new arrangements would not, however, be introduced before 2005–06.
With regard to wider assistance, on the repatriation of a deceased Service person to the United Kingdom, facilities are made available to host close relatives and associates who wish to attend the arrival of the aircraft and any accompanying ceremony. A package of allowances is available for the family which includes travel and subsistence costs.
Familes of Service personnel who occupy Service family accommodation are able to stay in the accommodation for as long as they feel they need to assess their longer-term housing requirements.
Where children are at boarding school, boarding school allowance (BSA) continues for the school term immediately following the date on which the death occurs, provided that there is a liability to pay boarding school fees for that term. When the child has embarked on and is within two years of taking GCSE or GCE A Level examination or an academic equivalent, BSA will continue up to and including the term in which the examination is taken.
In every case an officer is appointed to provide wider emotional and administrative support and assistance to the family in the following days and months. There is no time limit on this support, which continues for as long as necessary.
Civil Contingency Planning
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's (a) responsibilities and (b) assets with regard to civil contingency planning; what funds are committed; what action he is taking within his Department to improve such planning; and what action he is taking in collaboration with other Departments. [102627]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement given on 3 March 2003, Official Report, columns 72–77WS by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Blunkett) on civil contingencies as part of the debates on the approval of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, Order 2003 and the Intelligence and Security Committee Report on the Bali bombing. The statement refers to the Lead Government Department Paper which the Cabinet Office placed in the Library of the House on 23 July 2002, and which sets out the role of the lead Government Departments in planning for and managing crises.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 21 March 2003, Official Report, columns 957–58 by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander).
The Ministry of Defence does not take the lead in any area, but regularly provides support to lead agencies and Departments in responding to civil contingencies through the provision of Military Assistance to the Civil Authorities (MACA). In doing so, the Department draws on its military, scientific, and technical expertise. The Department plays a similar supporting role in preparation and planning the response to these
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contingencies. With the exception of a small number of specialist operations, however, no assets are dedicated to the task. Support draws on those resources available at the time. Unless life is in danger, the civil authorities are charged for this support.
The MOD has recently conducted a detailed review of its response to the threat from international terrorism. The Home Office and other Departments and agencies were involved in this work, and the MOD actively sought the views of the public. The results were published in the White Paper, "The Strategic Defence Review: A New Chapter" (CM5566 volume 1), presented to Parliament on 18 July 2002. These include improvements to the regional command and control mechanism across the United Kingdom, the formation of 14 Civil Contingencies Reaction Forces (drawing on the Armed Forces Reserves) and an enhanced role for 2 Signal Brigade. All of these improvements are designed to enhance the MOD's capacity to provide support in the event of a serious terrorist incident in the UK. These enhancements are currently being implemented, at an estimated cost to the defence budget of £60 million over four years.
Cluster Bombs
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of cluster bombs in urban areas of Iraq; how many cluster bombs have been used by British forces in the campaign; and what efforts are being made to minimise the risk to civilians of the use of cluster bombs. [108808]
Mr. Hoon [holding answer 14 April 2003]: On the use of cluster bombs in urban areas in Iraq, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 14 April Official Report, column 571W to the hon. Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Mr. Price), which also explains the provisions in international law to minimise the risk to civilians. On efforts to minimise the risk to the civilian population, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 11 April Official Report, column 423W to my hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Mr. Caton).
As of 9 April, United Kingdom Forces have dropped some 66 RBL755 cluster bombs in Iraq.
Defence Medical Services
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the exit rates were for (a) GPs, (b) consultants and (c) trainees in each of the defence medical services in each year since 1981 (i) at the end of a short service commission, (ii) at immediate pension point, (iii) through premature voluntary retirement, (iv) through redundancy and (v) in total; and if he will make a statement. [109324]
Dr. Moonie: It is only possible to provide detailed information on the exit rates of medical officers for the last 10 years. Medical officers may leave the Defence Medical Services for various reasons, but the only breakdown of the exit rates available centrally is for those leaving due to Premature Voluntary Retirement (PVR) or on the completion of their commission. This information is provided as follows:
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| PVR | Completed commission | Other | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short service commission(1) | ||||
| 1993–94 | 1.7 | 8 | 1.2 | 10.9 |
| 1994–95 | 3.6 | 11.5 | 2.1 | 17.2 |
| 1995–96 | 2.8 | 14.4 | 1 | 18.2 |
| 1996–97 | 1.2 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 8.2 |
| 1997–98 | 1 | 7.9 | 1.1 | 10 |
| 1998–99 | 0.8 | 5.2 | 0.4 | 6.4 |
| 1999–2000 | 1.2 | 5.3 | 0.2 | 6.7 |
| 2000–01 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 5.9 |
| 2001–02 | 1 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 4.8 |
| Medium/long commission(2) | ||||
| 1993–94 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 0.1 | 5.6 |
| 1994–95 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 9.6 |
| 1995–96 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 13.5 |
| 1996–97 | 5 | 2.9 | 8.4 | 16.3 |
| 1997–98 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 6.9 |
| 1998–99 | 2.9 | 1 | 0.5 | 4.4 |
| 1999–2000 | 4.8 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 8.8 |
| 2000–01 | 5 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 6.4 |
| 2001–02 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 5.4 |
(1) Figures represent percentage outflow against the total strength of medical officers on Short Service Commissions at the start of each financial year.
(2) Figures represent percentage outflow against the total strength of medical officers on Medium/Long Commissions at the start of each financial year.
Iraq
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which British officials will serve in the US Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance. [109330]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
British officials are being seconded from a range of Government Departments to help the US Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance. So far 19 have been identified with appropriate expertise and we are looking to increase this number. At this early stage there is no set ceiling.
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department is taking to ensure the International Committee of the Red Cross gain access to all prisoners of war in Iraq. [109707]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has been working closely with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) since the start of military operations in Iraq. The ICRC has had full and free access to all United Kingdom-held prisoners of war, and at its request, visited UK prisoner of war camps on numerous occasions. The ICRC also has access to all UK prisoners held in US theatre internment facilities.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment is being made of the quantity of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases being emitted as a result of UK military activities in the invasion of Iraq. [107605]
Mr. Ingram: None, though an assessment carried out by the Meteorological Office of 1992 Gulf War concluded that the carbon dioxide emitted during that operation had a negligible effect on the global climate.
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