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14 Jan 2004 : Column 759W—continued
Prison Service
Dr. Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Prison Service has to introduce a public interest immunity policy. [145090]
Paul Goggins: There are no plans to introduce a policy specific to the Prison Service. Public interest immunity is a rule of evidence and its application is no different for Prison Service business than for any other business of Government.
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The Secretary of State will continue to seek public interest immunity where he considers that material which is relevant in civil or criminal proceedings should not be disclosed because the harm to the public interest that would arise from its disclosure outweighs the harm to the interests of justice that might arise from not disclosing it in those proceedings. It is always for the court to decide whether the Secretary of State's claim to public interest immunity should be upheld.
Wetherby Young Offenders Institution
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the cost per prisoner place at Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Wetherby was in (a) 1998–99 and (b) 2002–03; [145649]
- (2) what the actual cost per prisoner at Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Wetherby was in (a) 1998–99 and (b) 2002–03. [145650]
Paul Goggins: The cost per prison place and cost per prisoner at Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Wetherby for the years 1998–99 and 2002–03 are given in the table.
| Cost per prisoner place | Cost per prisoner | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | £18,745 | £20,827 |
| 2002–03 | 28,226 | 29,661 |
Note:
The figures for 1998–99 are expressed in cash terms, while those for 2002–03 are expressed in resource terms. As such, they are not directly comparable given the change in the accounting basis, but an alternative figure for 2002–03 that is broadly comparable with the 1998–99 figures would be £26,705 for the cost per prisoner place and £28,029 for the cost per prisoner.
DEFENCE
Atlantic Crusader
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department have chartered the Atlantic Crusader ship. [147411]
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Mr. Ingram: The Atlantic Crusader is currently chartered to the Ministry of Defence and is conducting a Falkland Island re-supply voyage.
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the pathogens that the United Kingdom will not export as a signatory of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. [146965]
Nigel Griffiths: I have been asked to reply.
A list of the pathogens controlled for export from the UK is contained in Council Regulation (EC) No 1334/2000, as amended (available from: http://www.dti.gov.uk/export.control/pdfs/1159 annex1.pdf). There is no embargo on the export of pathogens from the UK. All licence applications to export these pathogens from the UK to destinations outside the EU are considered on a case-by-case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.
Civil Contingency Reaction Force
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact the reduction in training days will have on the readiness of the Civil Contingency Reaction Force; and if he will make a statement. [146849]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial statement I gave on 12 January 2004, Official Report, column 18WS. The reduction in training days will not affect readiness of the 14 Civil Contingency Reaction Forces.
Demobilised Reservists
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support is available to recently demobilised reservists who suffer stress related illnesses related to the difficulty of readjusting to civilian life.[R] [147037]
Mr. Caplin: The MOD and Department of Health officials are working together to maximise the delivery of mental health services to all Veterans. Those reservists who deployed to Iraq during OP TELIC can be seen at the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) on referral by their doctor. Where appropriate, the Programme will refer them to a country-wide network of specialist psychiatrists and psychologists for expert assessment and diagnosis. The GVMAP pays for this, including the patient's travel costs.
In addition, at the end of each deployment all personnel, including reservists, undergo a period of "normalisation" as a measure to minimise the possibility of stress related disorders. They also receive a presentation about post traumatic stress reactions and are given information leaflets, covering post traumatic stress reactions and the problems which may be encountered on returning home. Reservists will also be provided with details of service related charities such as Combat Stress, SSAFA and the RBL.
Departmental Relocation
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to establish procedures for
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assessing the impact of possible relocation of staff in his Department to the regions; and if he will make a statement; [146930]
- (2) what assessment he has made of the effect of proposals to relocate Government jobs on the Department's ability to meet (a) departmental policy objectives and (b) departmental public service agreements; [146885]
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the effect of possible relocation of staff in his Department to North Staffordshire on (a) job creation, (b) sustainable development, (c) the local economy and (d) tackling regional economic disparities; and if he will make a statement; [146899]
(4) what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of re-location of staff to North Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement. [146869]
Mr. Caplin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 12 January 2004, Official Report, column 516W, by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Eurofighter Typhoon
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been conducted to ascertain the change in unit cost of Eurofighter Typhoon should the third tranche of the original order not be purchased; what savings could be expected from the cancellation of the third tranche; and if he will make a statement. [146851]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 154W; the situation remains the same.
Iraq
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of British troops are engaged in security duties for American commercial and business interests in Iraq. [146573]
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the anti-malarial treatment mefloquine hydrochloride has been issued to UK forces serving in Iraq. [148291]
Mr. Caplin: The anti-malarial treatment mefloquine hydrochloride was not issued to United Kingdom forces serving in Iraq. The stated malarial prophylaxis for Iraq is Chloroquine/Paludrine.
Mrs. Liddell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the roulement of UK forces in Iraq. [143735]
Mr. Ingram: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 18 November 2003, Official Report, column 755W, to the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell (Matthew Taylor).
Medical Supplies Agency
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place to ensure that suitably
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qualified personnel are used by military units in the ordering, delivery, storage and use of materials, equipment, drugs and other medical items; and if he will make a statement. [145350]
Mr. Caplin: Training is provided prior to taking up post and through continuous personal development to ensure that all personnel employed by the Ministry of Defence in medical supply and storage are suitably qualified. Medical personnel who control the use of medical materiel and equipment are also appropriately trained.
MOD Police Pensions
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons in receipt of a pension for the MOD police were previously employed in the armed forces without any break in employment service. [147684]
Mr. Caplin: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Scottish Regiments
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the (a) Black Watch, (b) King's Own Scottish Borderers and (c) Royal Scots regiments. [147680]
Mr. Ingram: There are currently no plans regarding the future of any of these Regiments. The Defence White Paper published last month provides the policy context for shaping the structure of our armed forces. Subsequently, the details of individual systems and units within that structure will need to be developed, but presently no decisions have been taken.
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