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18 Jun 2003 : Column 245W—continued
BSkyB
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects of the recent decision by BSkyB to turn off BBC TV and radio on the provision of a TV and radio service for the British forces living and working in Italy. [119724]
Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence is aware of changes introduced recently by various broadcasters, including the BBC, to restrict reception within Europe in compliance with international rights and licence agreements. It is with these agreements in mind that the Ministry of Defence provides bespoke radio and television services overseas to British service personnel and their families (the "entitled audience") under the banner of the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) through a contract with the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC) which is an independent limited company and registered charity. The availability of BFBS services to any specific location is, however, subject to practicality and affordability. The MOD is, in conjunction with SSVC and British command staffs based in Naples, currently reviewing the means by which it may be possible to extend the BFBS television service to entitled personnel in the Naples area and other locations in Italy. The deliberations are being undertaken independently of, and without reference to, any changes introduced by other broadcasters.
Colchester Garrison
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he has made for security and management matters at the Colchester Garrison
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resulting from the disposal for civilian occupation of dwellings previously occupied by Service families; and if he will make a statement. [119771]
Mr. Caplin: There are regular routine patrols by Military and Ministry of Defence police. However, the properties in Colchester that are included in the disposals programme are not 'on camp' but are a mile or so from the unit and near a main road and there have never been any access restrictions. Vigilance is maintained, where properties are unoccupied, in order to discourage vandalism, and no serious problems have been reported.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 649W, on Colchester Garrison, (1) how many of the four-bedroomed services family houses are to be disposed of; how many other dwellings are to be disposed of; when this will occur; and what the arrangements are for the disposal; [119902]
- (2) if he will offer the empty service family houses at Colchester Garrison to Colchester borough council. [119901]
Mr. Ingram: 40 Service family houses in Colchester are being disposed of in March 2004, of which 24 are four-bedroomed and 16 three-bedroomed. These properties have been selected for disposal because they are of lesser quality than other properties in the area and are in an estate which is not popular with Service families.
The Ministry of Defence will hand the surplus properties back to their owner, Annington Homes Limited (AHL) in accordance with the sales agreement of November 1996, when AHL purchased most of the Service family housing in England and Wales. AHL will decide whether to retain or sell them, and the MOD has no influence over this decision. The local authority may wish to negotiate with AHL over the lease or purchase of the properties.
Congo
Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops will be deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force. [116959]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 9 June 2003]: The United Kingdom currently contributes six UK military personnel to the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC) that has been operating in the DRC since 13 November 1999.
In addition, as I announced in the House on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 849), the UK has offered a small contribution to the EU-led multinational force being deployed to Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have offered five staff officers for the Force Headquarters in theatre, a liaison officer to work with the UN, some Hercules transport aircraft to help deploy the force and a small detachment of engineers. The precise number of personnel will not be known until we have completed a detailed analysis of the engineer tasks to be undertaken in Bunia. This is not a UN force but is EU-led as a European Security and Defence Policy operation.
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Defence Estate (West Sussex)
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the extent is of the defence estate in West Sussex. [119660]
Mr. Caplin: The extent of the defence estate in West Sussex is currently 678.5 hectares. This can be broken down as follows:
| Occupied by | Site | Hectares |
|---|---|---|
| Army | Roussillion barracks, Chichester | 11 |
| Army | Baker barracks, Thorney Island | 667 |
| Meteorological office | Pease Pottage, near Crawley | 0.03 |
| Meteorological office | Birchfield house, Ifield road, Charlwood | 0.02 |
| Reserve Forces | Little High street, Worthing | 0.06 |
| Reserve Forces | Kilnmead, Crawley | 0.37 |
Properties occupied by the Army Cadet Force and Air Training Corps have not been included.
Environmental Monitoring (Dundrennan)
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recent environmental monitoring results at Dundrennan. [119342]
Mr. Caplin: On 24 February 2003, we published our report on the use of new and more sensitive monitoring equipment to search for any previously undetected depleted uranium fragments around the gun positions and along the firing lines. The results of this survey confirm the findings of the routine environmental monitoring programme and the adequacy of the existing safety precautions. A copy of this report has been sent to the local council.
Executive Agencies
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Export Services Organisation; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119276]
Mr. Caplin: The Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) employed 615 service and civilian personnel at the end of April 2003, compared with 595 a year previously. Three DESO personnel, employed through the Disposal Services Agency, were employed in Scotland at each of these points.
The personnel costs of the organisation for the relevant years, part of which are met from receipts, are as follows:
| Financial year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 26.8 |
| 2002–03 | 28.8 |
Note:
Figures for numbers employed are full-time equivalents. Personnel numbers and costs include Disposal Services Agency staff.
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Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Ministry of Defence police; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119277]
Mr. Caplin: As at 1 June 2003, 3,267 police officers and 320 civilian staff were employed by the Ministry of Defence Police Agency, as compared to 3,322 police officers and 278 civilian staff on 1 June 2002. As at 1 June 2003, 776 police officers and 38 civilian staff were employed in Scotland, as compared to 801 police officers and 38 civilian staff on 1 June 2002 . The personnel costs of the MDP agency for financial year 2001–02 were £153 million. The chief constable's accounts for financial year 2002–03 are currently being audited by the National Audit Office.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Aviation Repair Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119278]
Mr. Caplin: As at 1 April 2003 there were 4,060 people working for the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) of which 306 employees were employed in Scotland. The annual personnel costs of the agency as at 1 January 2003 were £110 million. For the comparable 12 month period as at 1 April 2002 there were 4,343 DARA employees of which 317 were employed in Scotland. The comparable annual personnel costs of the agency as at 1 January 2002 were £120 million.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the British Forces Post Office; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119279]
Mr. Caplin: The British Forces Post Office (BFPO) agency employed a total of 554 (557 in the previous year) staff (full-time equivalent) as at 31 March 2003.
In Scotland the BFPO agency currently employs nine full-time staff (this figure is unchanged from 2002). Eight staff are employed at its Defence Mail Centre in Glasgow, plus one driver who works for our Defence Courier Service.
The personnel costs for BFPO for the respective reporting years ended 31 March were:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 12.009 |
| 2002–03 | 13.461 |
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119280]
Mr. Caplin: The Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency was disestablished in October 2000. Part of the organisation was restructured and became the Defence Clothing Integrated Project Team (IPT) in April 2001.
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As at April 2003 there were 233 people working for the IPT. There are no staff employed in Scotland. The annual personnel costs of the IPT for financial year 2003–04 are estimated to be approximately £6.3 million. For the comparable 12-month period as at April 2002 there were 268 IPT employees, again with no employees in Scotland. The comparable annual personnel costs of the IPT for financial year 2002–03 were approximately £5.9 million.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Engineering and Science Group; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119282]
Mr. Caplin: The Defence Engineering and Science Group is not an agency. It is a classification for a group of professional civil servants employed across a wide range of agencies and organisations in the Ministry of Defence.
Since last year we have changed the method of recording information on our civilian employees and the figures also now exclude Trading Fund Agencies. The baseline figures for 2002 therefore now comprise 8,585 engineers and scientists, of whom 899 were employed in Scotland. The figures for 2003 are 8,314 and 677 respectively.
The personnel costs for these engineers and scientists cannot be uniquely or separately identified and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Army Base Repair Organisation; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119283]
Mr. Caplin: ABRO (formerly known as the Army Base Repair Organisation), employed 2,600 staff, as at 1 June 2003. Of the total ABRO staff, 147 individuals are employed at Stirling, ABRO's sole workshop facility in Scotland.
The forecast pay cost of ABRO staff for the current financial year of 2003–04 is £63.8 million. This figure includes £3 million for Stirling.
In the financial year 2002–03 ABRO employed an average of 2,545 staff, of whom 145 worked in Stirling. The total pay cost for ABRO in 2002–03 was £63.9 million, which included £2.99 million spent by Stirling.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many people work for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002; [119290]
- (2) how many people work for the Defence Scientific and Technical Laboratory; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and how these figures compare to 2002. [119281]
Mr. Caplin: The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was disestablished on 1 July 2001, when two new organisations, QinetiQ and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), were created.
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QinetiQ is a plc, and all operational inquiries should be addressed to the Chief Executive. Dstl remains a part of the Ministry of Defence.
On 1 June 2003, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) employed 3,145 staff (compared to 3,037 in January 2002). Of these, 46 (compared with 54 in January 2002) were employed in Scotland. Dstl's paybill (which includes total pay, casual allowances, ERNIC and pension costs) averaged £9.03 million per month (compared with £8.56 million in January 2002) over the year to 31 March 2003.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place copies of the Naval Manning Agency's annual reports for 2000–01 and 2001–02 in the Library. [119627]
Mr. Caplin: Copies of the Naval Manning Agency's annual reports are routinely placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The 2001–02 report was available in the Library of the House on 10 October 2002.
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