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8 Sept 2003 : Column 50W—continued
Royal Navy
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cadets from university Royal Naval units have joined the Royal Navy in each year since 1997. [127118]
Mr. Caplin: University Royal Naval Units (URNUs) produce a steady flow of recruits to the Royal Navy, but the numbers are not held as a unique statistic and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. URNUs are not primarily intended to be used as a recruiting tool but to develop in undergraduates an awareness of the need for, and role of, the Royal Navy, with the aim of fostering an understanding of the Service within society at large.
Service Personnel
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what proposals he has to make all methods of contact with families free for all armed services personnel; [128119]
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- (2) by what methods servicemen are able to contact their families when on overseas operations; and what proposals he has to improve links when on longer term operations. [128117]
Mr. Caplin: The ability of deployed personnel to maintain contact with their families is a key part of the Operational Welfare Package (OWP) which was introduced in 2001 to replace the ad hoc welfare provision which had previously varied between operations, The OWP followed a comprehensive review of operational welfare, completed in December 1999, which took into account the views of hundreds of Service personnel across a wide range of operational theatres, as well as drawing on lessons from our allies. The OWP communications package includes free use of Forces Aerogrammes ('Blueys') and electronic-Blueys, 20 minutes of publicly funded telephone calls per week and access to internet and email facilities. The Ministry of Defence recognises the need to continually keep under review its Welfare Support Policy. In light of the experience's gained on various operational deployments during the last two years the Department is currently in the process of reviewing and evaluating the policy. It is too early to say what the outcome will be of this review.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) Service personnel of officer rank, (b) Service personnel of other ranks, (c) industrial civilian personnel and (d) non-industrial civilian personnel were employed by the (i) RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency and (ii) Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation in each year from inception to reorganisation as part of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency; how many were employed in Scotland in each case; what the total manning costs were for each category in each year, what the manning costs were for Scotland in each year, and if he will make a statement; [128041]
- (2) how many (a) Service personnel of officer rank, (b) Service personnel of other ranks, (c) industrial civilian personnel and (d) non-industrial civilian personnel were employed by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in each year from its inception to its disestablishment on 1 July 2001; how many of these were employed in Scotland; what the total manning costs were for each category in each year; what the manning costs were for Scotland in each year; and if he will make a statement; [128039]
(3) how many (a) Service personnel of officer rank, (b) Service personnel of other ranks, (c) industrial civilian personnel and (d) non-industrial civilian personnel were employed by the (i) Defence Aviation Repair Agency, (ii) Meteorological Office, (iii) Hydrographic Office, (iv) Defence Services Organisation, (v) British Forces Post Office Agency, (vi) Defence Medical Education and Training Agency, (vii) Defence Medical Services Department, (viii) Defence Estates, (ix) Army Base Repair Organisation, (x) Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, (xi) Defence Procurement Agency, (xii) Warship Support Agency, (xiii) Disposal Services Agency, (xiv) Director General Commercial and (xv) Ministry of Defence Police in each year since inception; how many were employed in
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- Scotland in each case; what the total manning costs were for each category in each year; what the manning costs were for Scotland in each year; and if he will make a statement; [128040]
(4) how many (a) Service personnel of officer rank, (b) Service personnel of other ranks, (c) industrial civilian personnel and (d) non-industrial civilian personnel were employed by the Defence Secondary Care Agency in each year from its inception to its dissolution on 31 March; how many of these were employed in Scotland; what the total manning costs were for each category in each year; what the manning costs were for Scotland in each year; and if he will make a statement. [128038]
Mr. Caplin: Figures for Service and civilian personnel relating to each organisation have been placed in the Library of the House. Information on numbers of Service personnel working in Scotland, overall manning costs, and details prior to 1993, are not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Sir John Moore Barracks (Winchester)
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make an announcement regarding the site at Sir John Moore Barracks in Winchester, and if he will make a statement. [127100]
Mr. Caplin: Sir John Moore Barracks at Winchester is currently the home of the Army Training Regiment, Winchester, part of the Initial Training Group, an Operating Division of the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA). As part of its strategy to achieve a more flexible approach to Initial Training, ATRA is examining alternative entry routes into the Army, with relevant training to meet the Army's future needs. A number of options are under consideration at the present time, but no decision on the way forward is likely before about April of next year. Whatever the outcome, no changes to the role of Sir John Moore Barracks are envisaged for the foreseeable future.
Strategic Defence Review
Mr. Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are being taken to improve the ability of Britain's armed forces to be more rapidly deployable as set out in the strategic defence review. [128429]
Mr. Hoon: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Ms Taylor), 8 September 2003, Official Report, column 12.
Suez Canal (Medals)
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects UK veterans of the Suez Canal Zone military operations in the 1950s to receive their campaign medals. [128315]
Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence will start issuing medals to eligible veterans as soon as The Queen has seen and agreed the detailed qualifying criteria for the medal. The criteria are currently under consideration by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals.
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Target Practice
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which ships his Department has used for target practice during the past five years. [127116]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has a continuous requirement to trial and evaluate, under live conditions, the operational effectiveness of its weapon systems—in particular to prove their effectiveness against predicted results from modelling. As part of this requirement, the RN periodically conducts High Seas Firings (HSF) against targets, and uses the results to aid the continued tactical development of its weapons systems whilst also supporting research on survivability of current and future United Kingdom warship design and protection of personnel.
During the past five years, the Department has arranged one HSF using ex-HMS Sirius as the target vessel. This was conducted between 28–29 September 1998. The RN also participated in two HSF exercises arranged by and at the invitation of the US Navy using ex USS Ashtabula and ex USS Wainwright on 14 October 2000 and 11 June 2002 respectively.
Trained Personnel
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 11th July, Official Report, column 1033W, on trained personnel, what research his Department has carried out into the numbers of Royal Naval personnel who have gone absent without leave since 1995; and if he will make a statement. [127069]
Mr. Caplin: No research has been carried out since 1995 into the numbers of Royal Naval personnel who have gone absent without leave , although the reasons for absence are routinely collected and reviewed. The increase in the number of Naval Service absences since 2000 shown in my answer, Official Report, column 1033W of 11 July 2003 was due to a change in the arrangements for reporting absence. Until then, no warrant for arrest was issued until the eighth day of an absence, and absentees who returned before then were not formally recorded. Since 2000 a warrant has been raised and absence has been formally recorded as soon as the absence has been established. This has had the effect of increasing the number of absences formally recorded, but is not indicative of an underlying increase in unauthorised absences.
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