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13 Jun 2003 : Column 1113W—continued
Executive Agencies
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Repository; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119294]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has a central records repository that is located at Hayes in West London. The records repository is not a defence agency and does not have any other sites associated with it, including in Scotland.
In January 2002, there were 100 Ministry of Defence personnel directly involved in providing the main records and support services at the Hayes site, some working part-time, at an annual cost of £1.743 million. There are currently 84 MOD personnel, including part-timers, providing records and support services at Hayes at an annual cost of £1.469 million.
In January 2002, there were 12 MOD personnel based at Hayes who were working on associated tasks at an annual cost of £281,000. There are now 19 MOD personnel working on associated tasks at an annual cost of £495,000.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Meteorological Office; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119296]
Dr. Moonie: The current number of people working for the Meteorological Office is 2,170 as at 11 June 2003. Of this number, 151 people are currently employed in Scotland. The total Met Office pay bill for Financial Year 2003–04 is budgeted at £74,700,000. This compares with a total of 2,208 people working for the Met Office as at 11 June 2002, with 147 people employed in Scotland, and a total actual pay bill for Financial Year 2002–03 of £77,261,000.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Scientific Advisory Council; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119297]
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Dr. Moonie: The Defence Scientific Advisory Council (DSAC) is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB). It has a membership of 13, supported by an additional seven Ministry of Defence officials. None work or reside in Scotland at present. As an advisory NDPB, it does not incur expense on its own account.
Goodwill Visit
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the last occasion was that a goodwill visit was made by a vessel of the navy of the Irish Republic to London; and when he will extend an invitation for a future visit. [118887]
Dr. Moonie: The last visit made by a vessel of the navy of the Irish Republic to London took place from the 6 to 11 October 1997 to participate in an International Maritime Defence Exhibition. Visits to United Kingdom ports by vessels of the Irish Republic are always welcome and do not require a formal invitation.
HMS Dryad
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the procedures that Defence Estates will follow on the disposal of the site of HMS Dryad. [118628]
Dr. Moonie: If the site is ultimately identified for disposal then Defence Estates will dispose of the site in line with the guidelines set out in Government Accounting.
It is too early to say what the specific marketing arrangements might be. However, Defence Estates is fully aware of the historic significance of the site, not least Southwick House, and will ensure that due cognisance is given to those parts of the site where sensitivity exists and arrangements for public access to historic features are retained where appropriate.
Instructional Techniques Course
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to modify the aims of the Instructional Techniques Course to enable instructors to change their teaching methods to trainees; and what advice has been sought on developing appropriate coaching and mentoring skills. [118938]
Dr. Moonie: A standardised set of instructional techniques is now included in instructor courses following a review of the practices in single Services. This includes coaching and mentoring skills, developed following examination of internal best practice within each Service. Further instructional modules are also being developed drawing on the outcome of the review.
Medical Personnel
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much depleted uranium ordinance was used during military operations in Iraq. [118324]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 445W, to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr Corbyn).
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These figures have also been published on the MOD website at www.mod.uk/issues/depleted uranium
New Army Recruits
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research he has commissioned into the psychological profiles of new recruits to the Army. [118955]
Dr. Moonie: It is already the Army's practice to build up a personal profile of an individual during the recruiting and selection process, to better assign that individual to an appropriate career employment group. Action is in hand to allow existing civilian medical records to be made available to the Army medical authorities at an early stage of training to allow more thorough medical/psychological screening to help reduce the incidence of injury and failure in training. The Army has recently evaluated a number of commercial tests of motivation and personality, but the results were inconclusive. However, a longer-term three-year research project is in the planning stage to identify a suitable test or tests.
Nimrod Programme
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision to halt the production phase of the Nimrod programme; what assessment he has made of the effect on jobs of halting the production phase; what plans he has to meet BAe Systems and the trade unions involved to discuss the effects of halting the production phase; and if he will make a statement. [116882]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answr given by my noble Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement in another place on 19 February 2003, Official Report, column 175–77W. The Agreement that was struck with BAe Systems to restructure the Nimrod contract, including a controlled stop to production, acknowledged that the programme had a history of financial loss and delay. It recognised the need to minimise the cost increases that have resulted from overlapping development and production programmes. Design maturity must be established before further production work for aircraft four to 18 can re-commence. The Company continue to assure the Department that they are working in as sensitive way as possible to mitigate the effects of the proposed redundancy programme, including looking at ways in which they may retain the key skills they require to meet the requirements of the Agreement. There are best placed to manage the industrial relations issues that have arisen following the Agreement, though we do remain in close touch with BAe Systems and the trades unions on this matter.
Nuclear Weapons Tests
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the UK will next participate in a sub-critical test in the United States; and to what use the data collected will be put; [118404]
- (2) whether the Government is making preparations for participation in a sub-critical nuclear test experiment at the Nevada test site. [119079]
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Dr. Moonie: Experiments of this kind are required for the purposes I explained in my answer of 12 February 2002, Official Report, column 166W, to the hon. Member for Cleethorpes (Ms McIsaac). The Government attaches great importance to maintaining the safety and serviceability of the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons. The Strategic Defence Review in 1998 confirmed the need for a robust capability to underwrite the safety and reliability of Trident, in the absence of nuclear testing. Sub-critical experiments do not produce nuclear yield and are fully consistent with our obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. A review of the science behind this programme, which describes the need for the data from sub-critical experiments, was published in Nature in February 2002. The timing of any future experiment in the United States is under consideration.
Partnership Agreements
Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in his Department. [117460]
Dr. Moonie: We do not have a Departmental partnership agreement with our trades unions, and we have no plans to introduce one.
However, the Ministry of Defence is committed to working in partnership with its trades unions, and actively encourages the partnership approach of shared aims, objectives and outcomes, when consulting with the trades unions on issues that affect civilian staff.
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