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15 Jul 2003 : Column 196W—continued

Low Frequency Sonar

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of global research regarding the impact of low frequency active sonar on (a) mammals, (b) fish and (c) humans. [124536]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 10 July 2003]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Dr. Lewis) on 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 511W. The Ministry of Defence monitors global research to ensure that our

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Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are based on the best available information. The EIA undertaken for Sonar 2087, a Low Frequency Active Sonar, covered fish and humans as well as marine mammals. The conclusion of the EIA, that the sonar had the potential to have an adverse impact, applied to each of these categories. The range of mitigation measures proposed will be also capable of being adapted to each.

MARS Project

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is intended that all vessels for the MARS Project will be built in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [103101]

Mr. Ingram: It is our policy that all warships should be built in the UK. The Ministry of Defence is in the early stages of considering how best to meet future requirements for Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability. Once the content of the programme is better defined it will be possible to consider questions such as method of acquisition and location of manufacture. These matters will be clear by the time the Main Gate decision point is reached around the middle of the present decade.

Mazar-e-Sharif

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilian and (b) military staff make up the UK-led provincial reconstruction team in Mazar-e-Sharif. [124912]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 10 July 2003]: The structure of the UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Team currently deploying to Mazar-e-Sharif is not yet fixed. On current plans, we expect the total number of UK civilian and military personnel eventually deployed to be two and about 50 respectively.

Military Burials

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what grants are available to families of servicemen wishing to give a family member a full military burial. [125620]

Mr. Caplin: Full military burials are organised and arranged by the parent Service of the deceased if requested by their next of kin; in such circumstances, a grant is not paid as the full costs are met by the Department.

Missile Defence Systems

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the United States defence authorities on their proposals to develop missile defence systems; and if he will make a statement. [120530]

Mr. Hoon: Missile defence is an important bilateral topic which regularly features in my discussions with the US Secretary of Defense and others. In addition, the Ministry of Defence keeps in close touch with the US Administration on possible future developments in missile defence.

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NATO Reaction Force

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK's contribution is to the NATO reaction force; and when he expects this force to be operational. [125609]

Mr. Hoon: The United Kingdom has made it clear that we are keen to make an early and substantial contribution to the NATO Response Force (NRF).

The NRF is planned to reach Initial Operating Capability (IOC) by October 2004 and Full Operating Capability (FOC) no later than October 2006. SACEUR is working towards establishing an interim capability to be ready later this year.

The force generation process begins later this month. I am withholding precise details of the UK and other nations' offers of forces in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Nuclear Weapons

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the (a) strategic and (b) sub-strategic roles of Trident missiles. [124740]

Mr. Hoon: The Government set out its nuclear deterrence policy in the Strategic Defence Review. I particularly refer my hon. Friend to Chapter Four and Supporting Essay Five.

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he plans to conduct negotiations to amend or renew the agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the United States of America for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes, on 3 July 1958, treaty series No. 41 (1958), Command 537; and if he will make a statement; [124744]

(2) if the Government proposes to extend article III bis to the Anglo-American mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters, of 3 July 1958, treaty series No. 41 (1958), Command 537 when it expires in 2004. [124743]

Mr. Caplin: Discussions are now under way between the United Kingdom and United States Governments on the renewal of the 1958 Agreement For Cooperation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes. Subject to the outcome of those discussions, we expect to lay any amendments before the House in accordance with normal procedures for Treaty renewals.

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the United States on their proposals to (a) reduce the test readiness of their nuclear weapons laboratories and (b) fund research into low yield nuclear weapons. [124745]

Mr. Caplin: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no such discussions.

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 915W, on scientific exchanges, which United States departments and establishments were visited by AWE personnel; from which departments and

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establishments the US visitors to AWE came; and how many (a) AWE staff visited the US and (b) US officials visited AWE. [124788]

Mr. Caplin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave him on 9 July 2003, Official Report, columns 807–08W. 313 AWE personnel visited the United States in 2002 under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement and 485 US personnel visited AWE.

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 1019W, on nuclear weapons, what assessment he has made of when a successor to Trident will be necessary; and what consultation would be undertaken in advance of a decision that a replacement for Trident was necessary. [124863]

Mr. Hoon: There are no current plans for a replacement for Trident, and no decisions on any possible successor system are yet needed.

Private Sector Medical Treatment

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel have been treated, and how much has been spent on treatment, in the private sector since April 2002; and if he will make a statement. [121369]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 30 June 2003]: According to centrally held records, 3,334 referrals were made to private healthcare providers between April 2002 and June 2003, and expenditure on private healthcare treatment over the same period totalled £3.8 million.

RAF Coltishall

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft movements there were per month at RAF Coltishall in (a) 1980, (b) 1985, (c) 1990, (d) 2000, (e) 2002 and (f) so far in 2003. [125291]

Mr. Ingram: Historical data about the number of aircraft movements at RAF Coltishall prior to 1997 is not retained by the Department. Figures are available from 1997 onwards, and are listed in the table.

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	1997	2000	2002	2003
January	2,215	1,707	2,070	2,163
February	2,189	1,449	1,744	2,477
March	1,534	1,741	2,229	1,931
April	1,663	1,224	2,129	2,374
May	1,743	929	1,837	1,913
June	1,580	1,622	1,848	1,855
July	4,100	2,112	3,416	—
August	507	2,640	1,697	—
September	614	2,456	2,005	—
October	1,560	1,991	3,165	—
November	830	2,078	1,633	—
December	709	1,386	1,302	—
Total	19,244	21,335	25,075	12,713

Service Personnel (NHS Treatment)

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are on NHS waiting lists; how many have had to pay for their own treatment; and if he will make a statement. [123572]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 4 May 2003]: The Department only maintains records of the numbers of Service personnel awaiting treatment at the NHS hospitals which host the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) and the MOD Hospital Units (MDHUs). Information on the numbers of Service personnel awaiting treatment at other NHS hospitals is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. As at 31 March 2003, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 967 Service personnel awaiting in-patient treatment at the RCDM and MDHUs, plus 1332 awaiting day-case treatment and 3,349 awaiting out-patient appointments.

Service personnel are not required by the Department to pay for their own medical treatment. Information on the numbers who may have chosen to pay for private medical treatment, either themselves or through medical insurance, is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

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