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14 May 2003 : Column 272W—continued

Military Police Training School, Chichester

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Military Police Training School and the Roussillon Barracks in Chichester. [112913]

Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces' Written Ministerial Statement on 25 November 2002, Official Report, columns 1–2WS. RAF Halton was identified by the Defence Training Review as the benchmark location for Joint Police Training. This benchmark assumes that the RMP training would be moved to RAF Halton and that other units at Roussillon Barracks would also be relocated. We do not expect to make a final decision on the location for police training and the eventual use or disposal of Roussillon Barracks before 2005.

Naval Campaigns (60th Anniversaries)

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for commemorating the 60th anniversaries of major naval campaigns and events in the Second World War. [112267]

Dr. Moonie: During the first few years of this century, to 2005, there was and will be a succession of 60th anniversaries of significant actions in the Second World War. It is not possible for the Ministry of Defence to mark all of them and so it was decided that the Department would fund a commemoration of one representative battle for each of the Services, with a tri-Service commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the end of the War. The actions chosen by the Services were the Battle of the Atlantic for the Royal Navy, the Battle of El Alamein for the Army and the Battle of Britain for the Royal Air Force.

The Battle of Britain was commemorated by the Royal Air Force in 2000. The Army organised a Service of Thanksgiving on 23 October 2002 in Westminster Abbey to mark the Battle of El Alamein and the Royal Navy have just organised an event in Liverpool to mark the Battle of the Atlantic.

The Government will also be organising events in 2005 to mark the end of the war, but planning is at an early stage and no details are available.

Forces Recruitment

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes there have been in recruitment rates for (a) the Royal Navy and (b) the Royal Marines since the outbreak of the Gulf conflict. [112268]

Dr. Moonie: It is too early to gauge whether the Gulf conflict has had an impact on recruitment to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines since the process can take a number of months from enquiry to entrance and any knock-on effect would not be evident until later in the year. No candidates have withdrawn enquiries or

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cancelled interviews as a stated consequence of the conflict and the flow of expressions of interest remains high.

The number of enquiries and subsequent applications to join the Service as Naval ratings and Royal Marines other ranks shows an increase of between 8 per cent. and 10 per cent. respectively on the same period for last year.

Service Personnel (Open University Study)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have (a) enrolled on and (b) completed an Open University course in the past 12 months. [112624]

Dr. Moonie: The best estimates available are that, for financial year 2002–03, 161 RN, 110 Army and 1,477 RAF personnel registered to undertake Open University courses. Accurate figures for enrolment are not available as personnel who elect for personal reasons to undertake an OU course are under no obligation to tell the OU that they are Servicemen or women, or to report to their Service managers that they have commenced a course of learning with the OU.

In addition, 21 RN, 18 Army and 76 RAF personnel were registered for OU degree courses during the last 12 months under existing sponsorship schemes.

Figures for course completion are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Suez Medal

Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the sub-committee chaired by General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank to report regarding the issue of a Suez Canal Zone medal; and if he will make a statement. [112764]

Dr. Moonie: The HD Committee has seen the report submitted by General Lord Guthrie on behalf of the sub-committee. They have not indicated when an announcement will be made.

Training Establishments

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what determination has been made by the Director General of the Training and Education Rationalisation Delivery Group of the appropriate instructor to trainee ratios, including pastoral care and supervisory duties, in each service. [112617]

Dr. Moonie: There are two aspects of instructor to trainee ratios: formal training class size and pastoral care out of working hours. The requirement for supervision varies accordingly. The Ministry of Defence does not currently recommend precise supervisory ratios, but work is in hand to develop policy guidance for Commanding Officers of training establishments.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work has been done by the Director General of Training and Education to formulating a policy for development of the arts, music and other cultural expression in training establishments. [112626]

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Dr. Moonie: None. Under Service regulations, maintenance of morale, personal development and recreation are command functions policy responsibility for which lies with the individual Service Principal Personnel Officers. At a local level, development of the arts, music and cultural expression rests with the individual commanders of training establishments, as part of their command function. Many units have voluntary bands and encourage trainees to join. Many also have theatre and music clubs, which often stage productions. Training establishments support music and the arts in a recreational and developmental context and encourage participation as an adjunct to training in operational skills.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures have been taken by the Adjutant General to rectify the staffing shortfalls at (a) the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at Bordon and (b) the Defence School of Transport at Leconfield. [112618]

Dr. Moonie: The Army Training and Recruiting Agency, of which the schools at Bordon and Leconfield are a part, has undertaken a comprehensive review of military establishments at all of its schools. In the case of Bordon and Leconfield, urgent action has been taken to amend the establishments. The Assistant Chief of the General Staff has directed the Army's manning authorities to arrange for suitably qualified personnel to be posted there as a matter of priority in the short term.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rank of empowered commissioned officer has been appointed at each Army training establishment to enable each recruit and trainee to obtain confidential welfare and other advice; and what steps have been taken to advertise the availability of this officer. [112619]

Dr. Moonie: Within the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA), empowered officers are normally of the rank of either Major or Captain and, dependent on the establishment, will either be the Unit Welfare Officer, the Second in Command, the Unit Educational Officer or the Unit Resettlement Officer. At each school, the name and contact details of the officer will be publicised widely using a combination of briefings, Unit Orders, flyers and/or posters. A "credit card" showing useful contact numbers is issued to recruits/trainees at some ATRA establishments and consideration is being given to the issue of a card of standard, robust, design for use by all ATRA establishments.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what direction has been issued by the Director General of Training and Education concerning (a) time for sport in training establishments and (b) sport policy; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [112625]

Dr. Moonie: A policy for Armed Forces sports is nearing completion. I anticipate that it will be approved during the summer. I will write to the hon Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made by principal personnel officers of the number and quality of Welfare and Emotional Support Projects in initial training

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establishments; what targets are set for the projects; and if he will place a copy of the project action plans in the Library. [112627]

Dr. Moonie: The Services have already introduced measures to ensure that welfare presentations and training are now included at Initial Training establishments. The Army have ensured that all new recruits receive instruction on welfare services available, access to WRVS, Service Padres and confidential support telephone lines. The RN and RAF have also adopted similar measures and included organisations like The Soldiers, Sailors and Air Forces Association (Forces Help) (SSAFA (FH)) and the Benevolent and Dependants Funds, who have traditionally provided welfare support to the Services and their families. In addition, all three Services have successfully developed Welfare websites that have proved popular with Servicemen and their families. An action plan for continued spreading of good practice is being prepared; a copy of this action plan will be placed in the Library of the House when complete.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken by principal personnel officers to disseminate best practice guidelines on sustaining links between recruits and trainees with their parents during initial training; and if he will place a copy of the guidelines in the Library. [112630]

Dr. Moonie: The Principal Personnel Officers strongly encourage recruits and trainees to sustain links with their parents during initial training. The Naval Service considers that these links are strong, but samples of parents/guardians are to be surveyed on a regular and routine basis to confirm this. Commanding Officers of Army initial training units have for some considerable time now written to, or kept in telephone contact with, parents of recruits aged under 18 years. All Army recruits are also encouraged to maintain contact with parents themselves.

Following a recent review of the legal position, RAF guidelines to disseminate best practice are expected to be published shortly. A copy of these guidelines will be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what library services are available at initial training establishments. [112632]

Dr. Moonie: The following library services are available at initial training establishments:








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The library facilities listed above generally include good internet and computer training facilities in addition to their stock of books, videos and periodicals.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made by principal personnel officers of the recreational facilities at Army training establishments; how many (a) non-alcohol cafes, (b) internet facilities and (c) quiet areas have been established in the past 12 months; what targets have been set in the form of an action plan; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [112623]

Dr. Moonie: The Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) is currently conducting a comprehensive survey of these facilities at all of its establishments. The number of facilities established during 2002 and in 2003 to the current date is as follows:


Once this survey is completed, a new scaling requirement and action plan will be developed.

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