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1 Sept 2003 : Column 915W—continued

Pay 2000 Computer System

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) regular service personnel and (b) reservists have been affected by delays in payment of salaries, bounty and compensation; and if he will make a statement. [118285]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 12 June 2003]: We are not aware of any disruption or delays to the payment of salaries and other payments to members of the Regular Armed Services or mobilised reserve from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines or Royal Air Force as a result of Operation Telic. In my answer to the hon Member on 14 July 2003 Official Report, column 65W, I did recognise that some problems with Army pay had occurred associated with Pay 2000.

1 Sept 2003 : Column 916W

We are aware that difficulties over pay or allowances were experienced by a small number of Territorial Army personnel during their period of mobilisation. In most instances, these were the result of administrative delays in the processing and passing of key information to the Army Pay computer systems. Reports from units indicate that a small number of reservists had a short delay before payment of their Reservists' Hardship Allowance and Reservists' Standard Award because the paperwork had to be manually assessed and there were some instances of incomplete or missing paperwork.

For entitled mobilised TA personnel we are not aware of a delay in the payment of any entitled annual bounty, but pay statements detailing bounty payments are sent to the TA unit rather than the unit on which the mobilised reservists serves. As such there may have been delays in notification of the payment but not in the payment itself.

A lessons learned exercise is underway to ensure that where difficulties have occurred they are addressed in any future operations.

Phoenix Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying hours were flown in total by Phoenix unmanned aerial vehicles in Iraq. [123549]

Mr. Ingram: To date 122 operational missions have been flown by Phoenix in support of Operation Telic, but the number of hours flown for these missions was not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Pilot Training

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) RAF, (b) Fleet Air Arm and (c) Army personnel have completed training for (i) Fast Jet, (ii) rotary and (iii) multi-engine aircraft types in each of the past five years. [126143]

Mr. Ingram: The number of personnel who have completed training in each of the last five years is:

RAF⁽⁶⁹⁾

	Fast Jet(FJ)	Rotary Wing (RW)	Multi-engine (ME)
1998–99	55	36	53
1999–2000	53	41	63
2000–01	55	44	66
2001–02	76	28	42
2002–03	73	42	62

⁽⁶⁹⁾ These figures include all officer aircrew including pilots and weapon systems officers. They do not include non-commissioned aircrew, as these cannot be broken down by aircraft type.

Fleet Air Arm⁽⁷¹⁾

	Fast Jet (FJ)	Rotary Wing (RW)
1998–99	4	46
1999–2000	4	45
2000–01	3	57
2001–02	9	64
2002–03	7	60

⁽⁷⁰⁾ These figures include all Royal Navy aircrew including pilots, observers and aircrewmen.

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Army⁽⁷³⁾

	Rotary Wing (RW)
1998–99	72
1999–2000	71
2000–01	59
2001–02	34
2002–03	46

⁽⁷¹⁾ These figures include all personnel who passed the Joint Elementary Training System Army Pilot Course.

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the requirement has been for trained pilots for all three services in each year since 1996–97; and how many trained pilots have entered the services in those years. [126145]

Mr. Ingram: The requirement for trained pilots for all three services and the numbers entering the Services since 1996–97 are as follows:

	Requirement(72)	Gains to trained strength (GTS)(73)
RAF
1997–98	133	100
1998–99	133	110
1999–2000	133	135
1900–01	138	133
1901–02	138	121
1902–03	145	159
Royal Navy
1997–98	36	24
1998–99	42	29
1999–2000	42	29
2000–01	42	34
2001–02	46	46
2002–03	44	43
Army(74)
1999	74	72
2000	75	71
2001	61	59
2002	56	(75)34

⁽⁷²⁾ Requirement is defined as pilots completing a full course of training including operational Conversion Unit.

⁽⁷³⁾ GTS figures include newly trained pilots and transfers from other Services and countries.

⁽⁷⁴⁾ Figures before 1999 are not readily available due to changes in the Training programme associated with the formation of the Joint Helicopter Command.

⁽⁷⁵⁾ Training courses were affected by the Foot and Mouth epidemic

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength of qualified flying instructors has been in each year since 1997–98. [126147]

Mr. Ingram: The following table details the strength of RAF qualified flying instructors:

	Strength
1997	828
1998	764
1999	705
2000	701
2001	660
2002	637
2003	626

The following table gives the strength of Army qualified flying instructors.

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	Strength
1997	3
1998	5
1999	5
2000	6
2001	8
2002	9
2003	8

The Royal Navy currently has 167 flying instructors. Historical figures are not readily available.

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on (a) initial and (b) operational pilot training in each year since 1996–97. [126144]

Mr. Caplin: The table shows the cost of initial pilot training in each year since 1999–2000 on an outturn basis. Resource accounting was introduced in 1999–2000 and no comparative figures are available prior to this. It has not been possible to provide the costs of operational pilot training, as the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

£ million

Financial year	Phase 1	Phase 2	Total
1999–2000	3.074	194.123	197.197
2000–01	3.298	196.656	199.954
2001–02	3.219	195.773	198.992
2002–03	3.256	226.306	(76)229.562

⁽⁷⁶⁾ The effects of the Quinquennial Review on Tangible Assets have affected the costs of flying training in FY 2002–03.

RAF Lyneham

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) economic and (b) environmental impact studies were carried out into the effects of the closure of RAF Lyneham; and if he will publish them. [126363]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 16 July 2003]: An environmental and sustainability appraisal was undertaken by the RAF in relation to the Strategic Review for RAF Lyneham, RAF Brize Norton and RAF St. Mawgan. In addition, the Ministry of Defence's Directorate of Economic Advice produced an assessment of the economic impact of a decision to close RAF Lyneham. A copy of these documents will be placed in the Library of the House. A regional impact assessment was carried out in relation to the Strategic Review which included an assessment of the socio-economic effects of the various options being considered by the Review. This information is being withheld under Exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

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Regulatory Bodies

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) number of staff employed by and (b) budget of each regulatory body for which his Department is responsible in each year since 1997. [117781]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence sets, monitors and enforces a large number of internal regulations. The Ministry of Defence is not responsible for any outward-facing regulatory bodies.

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Royal Anglian Regiment

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the authorised strength of each battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment is; and how many vacancies there are. [126212]

Mr. Caplin: The authorised strength (Establishment), actual strength and the deficit of each battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment is detailed in the table.

	Establishment	Strength	Deficit	Establishment	Strength	Deficit
	1 R Anglian			2 R Anglian
Infantry	585	560	25	555	515	40
Others(77)	80	60	20	60	55	5
UKTAP(78)	665	620	45	615	570	45

⁽⁷⁷⁾ Personnel attached to the Royal Anglian Regiment

⁽⁷⁸⁾ United Kingdom Trained Adult Personnel

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