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11 Dec 2003 : Column 568W—continued
DEFENCE
Armed Forces Personnel
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel were serving in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Royal Navy at the beginning of each of the last three years; what the predicted numbers are for each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [142199]
Mr. Caplin: The numbers of personnel serving in the armed forces over the last three years are displayed in Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 1 'UK Regular Forces Strengths and Changes', a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library.
Each service sets manpower requirements at the level required to deliver the capabilities needed to meet their endorsed requirements. The requirements and the performance in meeting them are reported by the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) both annually in UK Defence Statistics and quarterly under National Statistics arrangements. Copies of these can also be found in the House of Commons Library.
Army (Victimisation)
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Army indicated when last questioned that they believed that (a) harassment, (b) discrimination and (c) bullying are problems in (i) their immediate area of work and (ii) the Army as a whole; what percentage of those responding this represents; what percentage of the actual strength this represents; and if he will make a statement. [142576]
Mr. Caplin: In response to the latest Serving Personnel Army Continuous Attitude Survey, 202 of those surveyed indicated they believed that harassment, discrimination or bullying were problems within their immediate work area; this represents 12 per cent. of those who responded to this question and 12 per cent. of those who returned questionnaires. In addition, 837 serving personnel indicated that they believed harassment, discrimination and bullying were problems within the British Army; this represents 51 percent of those who responded to this question and 50 per cent. of those who returned questionnaires.
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The latest survey was undertaken in December 2002 and was sent to a four percent stratified random sample of the trained Army (excluding Gurkhas and Full Time Reserve Service).
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Army indicated when last questioned that they have been a victim of (a) harassment, (b) discrimination and (c) bullying in the Army; what percentage of those responding this represents; what percentage of the actual strength this represents; and if he will make a statement. [142577]
Mr. Caplin: In response to the latest Army Serving Personnel Continuous Attitude Survey, those members of the Army that indicated they had been subject to harassment, discrimination or bullying in the last 12 months are shown in the table:
| Question | Number within previous 12 months: | Percentage of those who answered the question | Percentage of those who returned a completed questionnaire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racial Discrimination | 37 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| Racial Harassment | 26 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Sex Discrimination | 54 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Sexual Harassment | 28 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| Bullying | 83 | 5.1 | 5.0 |
The latest survey was undertaken in December 2002 and was sent to a 4 per cent. stratified random sample of the trained Army (excluding Gurkhas and Full Time Reserve Service personnel); There may be an element of double counting in the number of occurrences, for example, one individual may have indicated they were subject to both racial discrimination and racial harassment, this having been counted twice.
Defence Finance
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's budget was in (a) cash terms and (b) at 2002–03 prices for each year from 1997–98 to 2002–03; what his estimates are for each year from 2003–04 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement . [142030]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence's outturn for 1998–99 to 2002–03 and plans for 2003–04 to 2005–06 at outturn prices are set out in The Government's Expenditure Plans for the MOD 2003–04 to 2005–06. These exclude the cost of unprogrammed operations and conflict prevention. At 2002–03 prices they are as follows:
| Outturn Prices | 2002–03 Prices | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 22,321 | 24,393 |
| 1999–2000 | 22,105 | 23,719 |
| 2000–01 | 23,170 | 24,440 |
| 2001–02 | 23,838 | 24,517 |
| 2002–03 | 24,382 | 24,382 |
| 2003–04 | 25,872 | 25,194 |
| 2004–05 | 26,590 | 25,240 |
| 2005–06 | 27,496 | 25,463 |
The MOD's cash outturn in 1997–98, as set out in The Government's Expenditure Plans for the MOD 2002–03 to 2003–04, was £20,748 million at outturn prices and £23,292 million at 2002–03 prices.
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Both documents are available on the MOD's website: www.mod.uk
From 1997–98 to 2000–01 the Department was controlled in cash. Meaningful year-on-year comparison is not possible with the 2001–02 outturn in the light of the transition from cash to Stage 1 Resource Accounting and Budgeting (RAB) in that year. Near cash figures after the transition to Stage 2 RAB, from 2003–04 to 2005–06, are intended to allow comparison with the Stage 1 RAB figures in 2001–02 and 2002–03.
Procurement
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (1) if he will list the major (a) defence estates upgrades and (b) information infrastructure upgrades that will be met from the Defence Procurement Agency budget, stating in each case (a) the in-service date and (b) the total projected cost of each project; and if he will make a statement; [143265]
- (2) if he will list the amounts (a) spent on procurement through the Defence Procurement Agency in each year since 1997 and (b) projected to be spent in each year up to 2012, indicating in each case the percentage of the defence budget represented in each case; and if he will make a statement. [143267]
Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total estimated cost of (a) refurbishment of western jetties, (b) Navystar, (c) Access, (d) LITS, (e) EMMA, Phase 1 and (f) RAFT at Devonport, stating in each case (i) the in-service date and (ii) which budget line the expense will be drawn from; and if he will make a statement. [143266]
Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.
Depleted Uranium
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the UNEP depleted uranium environmental survey will be completed; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [142320]
Mr. Caplin: The timing of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) environmental field survey of Iraq, of which a survey into depleted uranium is an element, will depend upon the local security situation. However, UNEP expect to commence the field survey in spring 2004. I am unable to say at present when the proposed depleted uranium survey will be complete.
No discussions have taken place about publication but I would anticipate a copy to be made available to the Library of the House.
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Mental Health
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which companies entered the competitive bidding process to provide psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation to members of the armed forces previously treated at the Duchess of Kent Psychiatric Hospital; and what assessment was made of the political affiliation of the board members of the bidding companies. [143485]
Mr. Caplin: Five companies responded to the initial tender advertisements that appeared in the Official Journal European Community (OJEC) Services Directive and the MOD Contracts Bulletin in February 2003. Of these, four attended an Industry Day held on the 15 April 2003, and subsequently three received Invitations to Tender: Cygnet Health Care, The Priory Group, and Affinity Health Care. The first two of these submitted final tender responses.
Following detailed evaluation of the tender bids, The Priory's tender was considered the most technically compliant and they were accordingly awarded the contract.
No assessment was made of the political affiliation of the bidding companies. The Ministry of Defence's competitive tendering arrangements do not take such factors into account.
Missile Defence
Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the US Department of Defence on the technical issues to do with the UK sites encountered in developing missile defence. [142112]
Mr. Hoon: None, though officials have a wide range of contacts with US experts on technical matters relating to missile defence. As I told the House on 5 February 2003, Official Report, column 11WS, the Government have agreed to the upgrading of the early warning radar at RAF Fylingdales for missile defence purposes. UK and US officials are discussing the detailed plans for this upgrade, and we expect to finalise the necessary bilateral agreement shortly.
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