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23 Jun 2003 : Column 541W—continued
Gulf Deployment
22. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are deployed in the Gulf region. [120564]
Mr. Ingram: As at 20 June, there were 15,598 United Kingdom Servicemen and women deployed in the Gulf region.
We will continue to review our force levels in the region in the light of the evolving strategic environment to ensure that we maintain an appropriate presence.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
23. Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement about the deployment of British troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [120565]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin), at column 702.
Appointments
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the people appointed to ad hoc posts within his Department bearing the titles of advocate, tsar, adviser, champion and comparable titles since May 1997; what their job title is or was; what their role is or was; whether they were or are being paid; what the total cost of each such person was in each financial year, including expenses and benefits; what the expected cost of each such person is in 2003–04; to whom they are accountable; and if he will make a statement. [112460]
Mr. Caplin: Since May 1997 the Secretary of State for Defence has appointed the following special advisers:
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Alisdair McGowan | from May 1997 to October 2000 |
| Bernard Gray | from July 1997 to September 1999 |
| Andrew Hood | from December 1999 to May 2001 and, following the General Election, from June 2001 to May 2002 |
| Richard Taylor | from January 2001 to May 2001 and, following the General Election, from June 2001 to date |
| Michael Dugher | from September 2002 to date |
All of the above are paid appointments. Under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, details of individual salaries are not disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned. All the appointees listed above are accountable to Ministers for their decisions and actions.
Biological and Chemical Weapons
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what capability in respect of (a) biological and (b) chemical weapons the UK retains. [120558]
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Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom abandoned its offensive biological and chemical warfare programmes in the late 1950s. However, a number of states and terrorist groups have, or want to acquire, such weapons. The UK therefore maintains defensive capabilities against biological and chemical weapons. The UK is fully compliant with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
Boer War Graves
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 14 May 2003, Official Report, column 673W, on the Boer War, on what basis the annual contribution was calculated; and what proportion of the total annual spending on the sites this sum represents. [119375]
Mr. Caplin: The maintenance of Boer War graves has been the responsibility of the South African Government since 1957. Since that time, the United Kingdom Government have supported the South African authorities in this task through an annual financial contribution. The basis upon which this contribution was originally calculated is not known, although it is clear that it was never intended that it should cover the full cost of maintenance. In recent years, the annual contribution has increased substantially—from £3,100 in 1992 to the current £15,000. The Ministry of Defence holds no information on the total annual spending by the South African authorities on the sites concerned.
Correspondence
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Woking of 21 May 2003, regarding Mr. Paul Connolly, a Gulf War veteran. [121067]
Mr. Caplin: I replied to the hon. Member on 17 June 2003.
Missile Defence
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding on missile defence signed between the US and United Kingdom on 12 June 2003. [121274]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 57WS. The details of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) remain confidential between the respective Governments and I am therefore withholding the information in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Nanotechnology
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research his Department has commissioned in the field of nanotechnology. [117011]
Mr. Caplin: There is no universally agreed definition of nanotechnology. The term is used to cover a group of sciences and technologies where the dimensions of
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component parts can be measured in millionths of millimetres. Elements of nanotechnology may be present in many parts of the research programmes.
We expect nanotechnology will help enhance or improve capabilities such as:
- Chemical and biological agent detection and protective clothing;
Precision munitions;
Secure communications; and
Improved energy efficiency and waste reduction.
The following programmes relating to nanotechnology are funded in the Corporate Research Programme (CRP):
- Semi-Conductor Wires and Dots;
Quantum Coherent Electronic devices;
Molecular electronics;
Single Photon sources;
Nanophotonics;
Dendritic polymers as Chemical Warfare Agent Protective materials;
Development of nano-scale metallic materials;
Hydrogen storage in Carbon nano stacks; and
Carbon nano-tubes for military applications.
Nanotechnology is also a major element of around 10 per cent. of the Joint Grant scheme projects, which are jointly funded by MOD and the Research Councils. Projects are currently under way at a wide range of universities and include Cambridge, Exeter, Imperial College London, Loughborough, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Salford, Sheffield and Surrey.
Naval Gunfire Support Training
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what locations naval gunfire support training takes place. [120499]
Mr. Caplin: Shore-based, simulated training for the Royal Navy is undertaken at the Maritime Warfare School, based at HMS Collingwood and HMS Dryad, both near Portsmouth. In addition, there are four United Kingdom-based sea ranges as follows:
- Cape Wrath (north Scotland)—sea to land range firings;
Dodman Point (off Plymouth)—buoy firing;
Wembury Point (off Plymouth)—buoy firing; and
St. Alban's Head (off Dorset coast)—buoy firing.
23 Jun 2003 : Column 544W
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions on which his Department has held discussions with US officials about nuclear weapons during the last two years; and what aspects of nuclear weaponry were discussed on each occasion. [119593]
Mr. Caplin: A wide range of officials in the Ministry of Defence have discussions with United States officials on nuclear weapon related subjects under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement. Information on the number of occasions when such discussions have taken place during the last two years, and the subjects discussed, is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Royal Irish Regiment
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 5 June 2003, Official Report, column 509W, on the Royal Irish Regiment, if he will make it his policy not to set a timetable for the disbandment of the Home Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment until the terrorist threat has been completely removed from Northern Ireland. [120135]
Mr. Ingram: Until significant progress has been made towards normalisation as described in the Joint Declaration, it would be premature to come to any conclusions on the final composition of the Northern Ireland garrison.
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