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8 Jul 2003 : Column 700W—continued
MOD Refurbishment
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what refurbishment works have been undertaken during the last six years at the Ministry of Defence buildings in Whitehall; and if he will list the (a) works and (b) contractors. [123859]
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Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence Main Building in Whitehall is being redeveloped under the Private Finance Initiative. The contract with Modus plc which was placed in May 2000 covers not just the modernisation of Main Building and support services for 30 years but also works to the decant buildings needed to accommodate staff while the redevelopment is under way. Those in the Whitehall area are the Old War Office in Whitehall and Metropole building and Northumberland House in Northumberland Avenue. Modus' construction subcontractor, Skanska Whitehall is responsible for the work.
During 2000 a partial refurbishment of 3–5 Great Scotland Yard was carried out as a result of emergency structural propping works. The contractor was Willmott Dixon.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reporting procedures were in place during refurbishment works on Ministry of Defence buildings in Whitehall for contractors coming across surveillance devices. [123860]
Mr. Caplin: The Contract Schedule states that throughout the contract period, the Private Finance Initiative Contractor will be responsible for compliance with the Defence Manual of Security, which lays down the action to be taken on the discovery of surveillance devices.
Northern Ireland
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the army bases operational in Northern Ireland, broken down by council area. [123704]
Mr. Ingram: The armed forces currently operate from 55 bases in Northern Ireland which are either solely military sites or joint bases with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Excluded from this list are those premises solely occupied by Reserve Forces and Cadets as well as Regimental Museums. The operational bases are listed by council area as follows:
- Aldergrove
Masserene Barracks, Antrim
- Dramadd Barracks, Armagh
PSNI Keady
PSNI Middletown
- St. Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena
- PSNI Rathfriland
- Divis Key Point
Duke of Connaughts Unit
Girdwood Park Army Base
Moscow Camp
Musgrave Park Hospital Echelon
PSNI Grosvenor Road
PSNI New Barnsley
PSNI Old Park
PSNI Woodbourne
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Castlereagh Borough Council
PSNI Castlereagh
PSNI Ladas Drive
Coleraine Borough Council
Laurel Hill House, Coleraine
Craigavon Borough Council
Mahon Barracks, Portadown
Derry City Council
Clooney Base, Londonderry
Ebrington Barracks, Londonderry
Masonic Base, Londonderry
PSNI Rosemount
Down District Council
Abercom Barracks, Ballykinlar
Ballykinlar Training Base
Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council
Clougher Army Base
Killymeal House, Dungannon
Aughnacloy Base
Fermanagh District Council
Grosvenor Barracks, Enniskillen
PSNI Beleek
PSNI Belcoo
PSNI Kinawley
PSNI Lisnaskea
PSNI Newtownbutler
PSNI Rosslea
Limavady Borough Council
Magilligan Training Camp
Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly
Lisburn City Council
Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn
Newry and Mourne District Council
Bessbrook Mill
PSNI Crossmaglen
PSNI Forkhill
PSNI Newtownhamilton
R12 Observation Site
R13a Observation Site
R21 Observation Site
G10 Observation Site
G20 Observation Site
G40 Observation Site
North Down Borough Council
Kinnegar, Holywood
Palace Barracks, Holywood
Omagh District Council
Lisanelly Barracks, Omagh
St. Lucia Barracks, Omagh
Strabane District Council
PSNI Strabane
Pensions Appeal (Legal Costs)
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Department's legal costs have been in the case of Mr. Shaun Rusling; if he will make a
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statement on the reasons advanced for appealing the findings of the Pension Appeals Tribunal; and what his policy is subsequent to the ruling of the High Court on 13 June. [123941]
Mr. Caplin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 514W, and on 23 June 2003, Official Report, column 687. The Pensions Appeal Tribunal decision on the case of Mr. Rusling found that the Ministry of Defence had failed to show beyond reasonable doubt that disablement due to "Gulf War Syndrome" was not attributable to his Service in the armed forces. We appealed this decision because the overwhelming consensus of medical and scientific opinion is that the symptoms reported by some Gulf veterans do not constitute a discrete disorder. It is too early to say what the cost of contesting the case has been.
Premature Voluntary Release
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for Premature Voluntary Release have been received by each service since 1 January. [123653]
Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to TSP5 publication "UK Regular Forces Premature Voluntary Release", a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.
Regulatory Impact Assessments
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment procedure; and how many RIAs have been reviewed in respect of the Department in the last year. [120853]
Mr. Caplin: A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) must be completed for all policy proposals that have a potential impact on businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. It includes details of arrangements for monitoring and evaluating policy proposals and their impact.
Most Ministry of Defence legislation relates to the armed forces and it is not necessary for a RIA to be conducted. Therefore, none was undertaken by the Department during the course of the last year.
Royal Navy
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels were involved in the (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan, (c) Saif Sareea II, (d) Sierra Leone and (e) Kosovo operations; and what primary role they played. [124059]
Mr. Ingram: The following Royal Navy vessels took part in Op Telic in Iraq:
- HMS Ark Royal, in her Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) role and HMS Ocean in her role as amphibious carrier and Landing Platform Helicopter.
HMS Edinburgh, Liverpool and York carried out their role as destroyers, providing air defence for the task group.
HMS Marlborough, Chatham and Richmond carried out the role of close range protection for the carriers and other high value units.
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HMS Blyth, Bangor, Brocklesby, Sandown, Grimsby, Ledbury, Ramsey and Shoreham were deployed on mine clearance tasks.
HMS Roebuck was deployed in her coastal survey role.
HMS Splendid and Turbulent provided strike weapon platform capability.
RFA's Sir Percival , Sir Tristram, Sir Galahad and Sir Bedivere were deployed in the Landing Ship Logistic role;
RFA's Grey Rover, Bayleaf, Brambleleaf and Orangeleaf were deployed as Fleet tankers.
RFA Fort Rosalie, Fort Austin and Fort Victoria were deployed as Fleet Replenishment ships, providing stores for the task group.
RFA Argus was deployed in her role as Primary Casualty Receiving Facility.
RFA Diligence was deployed as Forward Repair Ship.
RFA Sea Crusader was used in the strategic sea lift role.
- HMS Illustrious provided air projection and a command platform.
HMS York, HMS Southampton and HMS Cornwall provided air protection.
RFA Fort Rosalie, RFA Fort Austin, RFA Fort Victoria, RFA Fort George, RFA Sir Tristram, RFA Sir Galahad, RFA Sir Bedivere and RFA Sir Percival provided support, fuel and stores.
RFA Diligence was deployed as forward repair vessel.
- HMS Illustrious provided air projection and a command platform.
HMS Ocean deployed as Landing Platform Helicopter.
HMS Fearless deployed as Landing Platform Dock and provided an amphibious capability.
HMS Nottingham and HMS Southampton deployed in an AAW capacity, providing air defence.
HMS Monmouth, HMS Marlborough, HMS Cornwall acted as escorts.
HMS Quorn, Cattistock, HMS Walney, HMS Inverness, and HMS Roebuck worked as survey ships and also Mine Operations.
RFA Sir Tristram, RFA Sir Galahad, RFA Sir Bedivere, RFA Sir Percival, RFA Diligence, RFA Fort Rosalie, RFA Fort Austin and RFA Fort Victoria provided fuel, logistic support, stores, and land force transportation capabilities and a forward repair facility.
- HMS Illustrious provided air projection and a command platform.
HMS Ocean provided a helicopter platform.
HMS Chatham and HMS Argyll provided force protection and acted as escorts.
RFA Fort Austin, RFA Fort George, RFA Brambleleaf provided tanker support.
RFA Sir Bedivere and RFA Sir Geraint provided support, fuel and logistics.
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HMS Newcastle and HMS Iron Duke were responsible for anti-air warfare (AAW).
HMS Somerset, HMS Grafton, HMS Norfolk and HMS Coventry carried out patrols and Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIOPs).
HMS Atherstone, HMS Sandown and HMS Bulldog carried out surveys and mine clearance patrols.
RFA Argus acted as an aviation platform and Primary Casualty Receiving Facility.
RFA Bayleaf deployed as Fleet tanker.
RFA Fort Austin, RFA Sea Centurion, RFA Sea Crusader and RFA Sir Geraint provided stores and logistic support.
Mr. Ingram: The following Royal Navy vessels have been decommissioned since 2000:
- HMS Intrepid
HMS Fearless
HMS Brave
HMS Coventry
HMS Sheffield
HMS Orwell
HMS Herald
HMS Bulldog
HMS Beagle
HMS Shetland
HMS Alderney
HMS Cromer
HMS Bicester
HMS Berkeley
RFA Olna
RFA Olwen
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what upgrades have been made to Royal Navy (a) surface ships and (b) submarines since 2000; and how these have improved their capability. [124062]
Mr. Ingram: Numerous upgrades have been made to ships and submarines since 2000 to ensure that the Royal Navy has the optimum level of capability to meet
8 Jul 2003 : Column 706W
requirements. For submarines I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 157W. For ships, upgrades have included major improvements to command and communication systems, ventilation and air conditioning systems, diver compression chambers, flight deck modifications and electronic warfare systems.
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