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16 May 2003 : Column 440W—continued

Bowman Communication System

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends that MRAV and ETS will be fitted with (a) Bowman and (b) Clansman radio systems. [110015]

16 May 2003 : Column 441W

Mr. Ingram: Our intention is to provide Bowman capability on all the armoured vehicle platforms we are planning to bring into service.

Brimstone Weapon

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects the Brimstone air-launched anti-armour weapon to be in service. [112481]

Mr. Ingram: The entry into service of the Brimstone, air launched anti-armour weapon has been delayed because of technical factors that have emerged during the development and trials of the missile and its production. A revised date is currently under review.

Cluster Munitions

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the UK armed forces' use of cluster bombs in military operations. [113737]

Mr. Ingram: Cluster bombs are a legitimate weapon that provide a capability against certain targets, in particular targets that cover an area, which cannot be

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effectively achieved in other ways. United Kingdom armed forces always use them strictly in accordance with the provisions of international law.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had regarding extending the ban on anti-personnel mines to cover cluster munitions. [112599]

Mr. Ingram: None.

Defence Budget

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) provision and (b) outturn for the defence budget was, in cash terms, broken down by (i) Vote and (ii) Request for Resources in each year since 1997–98. [109141]

Mr. Ingram: The figures for each year from 1997–98 to 2000–01 are set out in the table below. From 2001–02 onwards the Defence budget was set on a Resource basis, which includes accruals, rather than cash. The figures for 2001–02 have not been included therefore, as they are not directly comparable to those for earlier years.

£000

	Provision	Outturn
1997–98(1)
Vote 1 Operational and Support Costs	10,145,387	10,068,343
Vote 2 Logistic Services	4,806,638	4,697,410
Vote 3 Systems Procurement and Research	6,353,598	6,150,142
Vote 4 Armed Forces retired pay, pensions etc	1,121,776	1,126,210
1998–99(1)
Vote 1 Operational and Support Costs	10,885,792	10,922,188
Vote 2 Logistic Services	5,027,211	5,027,921
Vote 3 Systems Procurement and Research	6,856,926	6,526,112
Vote 4 Armed Forces retired pay, pensions etc	1,191,454	1,169,138
1999–2000(1)
Vote 1 Operational and Support Costs, Logistic Services and Systems Procurement and Research	22,866,888	22,549,260
Vote 2 Armed Forces retired pay, pensions etc.	1,270,091	1,262,289
2000–01(1)
Vote 1 Operational and Support Costs, Logistic Services and Systems Procurement and Research	23,609,631	23,537,721
Vote 2 Armed Forces retired pay, pensions etc.	1,342,195	1,267,002

⁽¹⁾ Source:

Appropriation Accounts

⁽²⁾ I will write separately with the information for 2001–02 giving a full explanation of the components of the provision and outturn figures introduced with Resource Accounting and Budgeting and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Logistics Organisation

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what departmental savings have been achieved by the Defence Logistical Organisation; and whether they have met the funding assumptions of the Strategic Defence Review. [112563]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 13 May 2003]: Savings achieved by the Defence Logistics Organisation are recorded against its overall efficiency target to reduce the costs of its outputs by 20 per cent. by March 2006. Details of the DLO's performance against its strategic goal to March 2002 are contained in my answer on 15 January 2003, Official Report, column 634W, to the hon. Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer). Subject to final validation, it is estimated that a farther 2 per cent. efficiency savings have been achieved in 2002–03.

The strategic defence review placed several targets on the newly formed Defence Logistics Organisation. The targets shown as follows, for which there were identified financial savings, have been achieved.

20 per cent. (GBV 98 Baseline) stock reduction by 2001–02,


Reduction in spares provision of £115 million per annum by 2001–02

Other on-going targets have been subsumed within the DLO's overall efficiency target.

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the Defence Logistics Organisation needs to deploy fully equipment to forces once they are in-theatre. [112025]

Mr. Ingram: The onward movement of equipment within a theatre of operations is the responsibility of the local military commander. Equipment and supplies are

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delivered to units in accordance with the military priority at the time and the overall delivery time will depend on a number of factors. These include the distance between the port or holding area and the receiving unit, the condition of local infrastructure, and whether the environment is hostile or benign. Delivery times will, therefore, vary from case to case.

Defence Vetting Agency

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the unit cost of vetting individuals by the Defence Vetting Agency and (b) the estimated cost of vetting individuals through a private contractor; and if he will make a statement. [111840]

Mr. Ingram: The unit costs of vetting individuals for the main types of vetting clearances are as follows:

	£
Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)	27
Security Check (SC)	34
Developed Vetting (DV) Initial	1,101
Developed Vetting (DV) Review	672

These are the average costs, and are based on the last full Defence Vetting Agency Annual Accounts (2001–02). They exclude Security Service costs, of which the Ministry of Defence has no visibility.

The estimated costs of vetting individuals through a private contractor have not been considered. The proposal to create the Defence Vetting Agency was subjected to a prior options study, which involved the various stakeholders, including the Security Service. The study reached the conclusion that personnel security vetting was a core MOD function. This view is subject to the Quinquennial Review (now Business Review) process. A Business Review of the Defence Vetting Agency is currently under way, and will consider whether vetting could be provided by other means.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Mr. Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [112610]

Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom is actively engaged with our African, EU and UN partners in promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Government have supported the implementation of both the Lusaka Peace Agreement and the Pretoria Agreement of July 2002 as providing the most viable way forward.

We welcome the agreement signed last month in Sun City on the establishment of a transitional government with a view to democratic elections in two years time and will play our part as a member of the International Support Committee tasked with supporting the transitional process in DR Congo. We are concerned at reports of fighting in the North East of the country and look to all parties to abide by UNSCR 1468 and honour their commitments under the Lusaka Agreement.

16 May 2003 : Column 444W

Discarded Military Equipment

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had on clearing up and removal of discarded military equipment; what financial resources he has to do this work; and if he will make a statement. [112052]

Mr. Ingram: United Kingdom forces have destroyed some caches of weaponry discarded by the Iraqi military. A nationwide systematic process of disarmament and decommissioning will be a matter for a new Iraqi government, drawing on the expertise of the international community and organisations like the UN.

E-Government Projects

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by project the consultancies his Department and its non-departmental public bodies have used on e-government projects since 1 January 2001. [114184]

Dr. Moonie: As it will take some time for the information requested to be collated, I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

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