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23 Oct 2003 : Column 662W—continued
Detached Duties
Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recent representations he has received to exempt or reduce council tax charged on service personnel while on detached duties. [133175]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 20 October 2003]: Service personnel who own or rent a private property remain liable to pay council tax on their property to the local authority concerned while they are absent from that property as this normally remains their "sole or main residence". Local authorities are responsible for administration of council tax, including the interpretation of regulations concerning "sole or main residence". In this respect, Service personnel stationed in the United Kingdom or overseas are treated in the same way as any civilian who is required to live and work away from home.
Foreign Contracts
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts let by the MOD to foreign companies since 1997, stating in each case (a) the
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company concerned, (b) the country of origin and (c) the amount of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [133775]
Mr. Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. (Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information).
Global Warming
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been undertaken by the Meteorological Office on the possibility of a release of methane hydrate from sea floor sediments caused by increased sea temperatures resulting from global warming and climate change. [133312]
Mr. Caplin: The Hadley Centre of the Meteorological Office has made a start assessing the potential destabilisation of hydrates. Analysis of results from the Hadley Centre climate models has shown that the most vulnerable deposits are likely to be marine hydrates in the shallow parts of the Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the gradual melting of land ice-sheets (which tends to stabilise marine hydrates by increasing sea-level and thereby the pressure at the bottom of the ocean), will be too slow to counteract the effects of global warming in the 21st century.
King's Own Scottish Borderers
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what deployment is planned for the King's Own Scottish Borderers after their tour of duty in Iraq; what timetable is projected for their transfer from their current deployment to their next deployment; and if he will make a statement. [133652]
Mr. Ingram: Following their tour in Iraq, one Battalion The King's Own Scottish Borderers personnel should return to Catterick by 1 November 2003. They will conduct an Arms Plot move from Catterick to Omagh (Northern Ireland) during January 2004, on completion of which they will assume operational responsibilities in Northern Ireland; this will be a two year residential and accompanied tour. Pre-deployment training for Northern Ireland begins on 10 November. Post Operational Tour Leave (POTL) will not be affected as steps have been taken to ensure that individuals can take POTL in a reasonable timeframe and within the constraints imposed by their Training commitments and Arms Plot move.
Lance Corporal Graham
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Lance Corporal William Graham was discharged from Her Majesty's armed forces. [132194]
Mr. Caplin: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, I am unable to make public any personal data relating to Lance Corporal Graham.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is concerning the award of promotion to a soldier while released on bail on charges
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of unlawful killing; and what considerations were involved in the decision to promote Private William Graham. [132197]
Mr. Caplin: Policy on manning issues governing soldiers' careers is set out in The Queens Regulations for the Army. In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, I am unable to make public any personal data relating to Lance Corporal Graham unless the relevant conditions are met.
Manning Control Points
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when manning control points have been suspended by the Army; what the reasons were; and if he will make a statement. [133352]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 22 October 2003]: The Manning Control Point policy has not been suspended by the Army.
Iraq
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the amount and type of ordnance dropped on Iraq during Operation Telic; and what the overall cost was of the munitions used during the conflict. [111812]
Mr. Ingram: During Operation Telic RAF aircraft released some 840 weapons over Iraq: The types were:
- Stormshadow stand-off missile
ALARM anti-radiation missile
Paveway II laser-guided-bomb
Enhanced Paveway II laser-guided bomb
Enhanced Paveway III laser-guided bomb
AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile
RBL755 cluster bomb
l,000 lb inert bomb
500 lb inert bomb
CRV-7 Rocket Pod
AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missile
Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of cluster bombs during the Iraq conflict. [132440]
Mr. Ingram: We made every effort to minimise the impact on the Iraqi population of the coalition's military action. Cluster bombs are lawful weapons and were used by United Kingdom forces in a manner consistent with our obligations under international law, against fielded Iraqi military forces in the open or on the periphery of built up areas.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what methods have been used to date to estimate the number of Iraqi civilians killed by United Kingdom or United States military forces in Iraq (a) since 20 March
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and (b) since the end of the conflict; and what steps are being taken to increase the reliability of these assessments. [133307]
Mr. Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 16 June 2003, Official Report, column 55W, and to the hon. Member for Carmarthen East & Dinefwr (Mr. Price) on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 7W, respectively.
Missile Defence
Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the use of missile defence for destroying satellites. [133233]
Mr. Ingram: We have made no such assessment.
MOD Estate
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) name and (b) location of premises used, leased and owned by private companies on MOD property, stating in each case (i) the company concerned and (ii) the nature of the relationship. [133776]
Mr. Caplin: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Precision-guided Munitions
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many types of precision guided munitions are in use by the RAF; and which aircraft are capable of operating precision guided munitions. [133040]
Mr. Ingram: 13 types of air launched and one ground launched Precision Guided Munitions are currently in use with the Royal Air Force. Of current in-service aircraft, Tornado F3, Tornado GR4, Jaguar, Harrier, Hawk and Nimrod MR2 are capable of carrying and releasing Precision Guided Munitions. The type of Precision Guided Munition that is carried varies from aircraft to aircraft.
RAF Aircraft
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF aircraft of each type are based outside the UK; and where they are based. [133041]
Mr. Ingram: At 16 October 2003 the numbers of RAF aircraft by type based outside the United Kingdom are located as follows:
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In addition, the Joint Helicopter Command has helicopters based in Basrah, Iraq. On 16 October 2003, the numbers were as follows:
| Area | Aircraft | Number | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle East | Sea King | 5 | Basrah, Iraq |
| Lynx | 5 | Basrah, Iraq | |
| Gazelle | 3 | Basrah, Iraq |
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