| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
9 Feb 2004 : Column 1174W—continued
Colchester Garrison
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many companies are in negotiations with the Ministry of Defence over the Colchester Garrison Private Finance Initiative agreement; [153518]
- (2) how long negotiations for the Colchester Garrison Private Finance Initiative agreement have been taking place. [153517]
Mr. Caplin: As I announced on 3 February 2004, Official Report, column 30WS, the Ministry of Defence has reached agreement with RMPA Services plc to redevelop and operate Colchester Garrison under a Private Finance Initiative. RMPA Services plc are a consortium, comprising Sir Robert McAlpine, W. S. Atkins plc, Sodexho and HSBC Infrastructure. Negotiations with the consortium commenced in October 1999 when they were appointed preferred bidder.
9 Feb 2004 : Column 1175W
Departmental Land
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total expenditure on the maintenance of land owned by his Department within the UK was in 2002–03. [142286]
Mr. Caplin: The total expenditure on the Defence Estate in financial year 2002–03 for works services, accommodation stores, redevelopment, building maintenance, major housing works and some project expenditure on both land and buildings was £1.5 billion.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, column 274W, on departmental land, what the cost of maintaining land owned by his Department was in each of the last five years; and what the value is of the land. [148965]
Mr. Caplin: The following figures include costs for each of the last four full financial years for works services, accommodation stores, redevelopment, building maintenance, major housing works and some project expenditure on both land and buildings. There is no published information for 1998–99.
| Financial year | £ billion |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 1.1 |
| 2000–01 | 1.2 |
| 2001–02 | 1.2 |
| 2002–03 | 1.5 |
The value of land owned by the Ministry of Defence is available on the Fixed Assets Register which can be accessed at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/mediastore/otherfiles/217.pdf
9 Feb 2004 : Column 1176W
Disposal Contractors
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what provision the Department has made for exceptional legal costs associated with litigation with disposal contractors; [151582]
- (2) how many sets of barristers' chambers have been employed by the Disposal Services Agency for litigation against disposal contractors since 1997, broken down by litigation action; [151589]
(3) what the (a) external legal and (b) total costs were of settling each claim by the Disposal Services Agency against disposal contractors in each year since 1997, broken down by contractor; [151590]
(4) how the accounts of the Disposal Services Agency indicated costs incurred for legal action involving disposal contractors in each year since 1997; [151591]
(5) which disposal contractors are in litigation with the Disposal Services Agency; and how many other disputes may result in litigation, broken down by contractor; [151592]
(6) how many disposal contractors the Disposal Services Agency has been in litigation with on contractual matters in each quarter since 1997, broken down by contractor; and how many have been settled by each year end; [151593]
(7) which disposal contractors have dealt with the Disposal Services Agency since 1997; [151594]
(8) what the legal costs of defending each action by disposal contractors against the Disposal Services Agency were in each of the last five years; [152145]
(9) if he will list the cases against the Disposal Services Agency which were settled (a) in court and (b) by arbitration in each of the last five years. [152146]
Mr. Ingram: A list of all the companies that have held disposal contracts with the Disposal Services Agency (DSA) for the collection, storage and marketing of surplus MOD stock since 1997 is set out as follows:
9 Feb 2004 : Column 1177W
All of the DSA's contracts with these marketing contractors contain clauses within them that allow for the resolution of disputes. If, through normal dialogue between the parties, a dispute cannot be resolved, either party has the right to seek resolution of the dispute through litigation or arbitration. The arbitration process is in confidence.
Since 1997, there has only been one case of arbitration and this is still ongoing. However, because the information refers to legal proceedings, I am withholding the details in accordance with Exemption 4c of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. There have been no court proceedings.
If a dispute escalates into formal arbitration, legal costs may be incurred by the Department (depending upon the nature of the claim). These costs, however, may be recoverable depending on the outcome of the arbitration process.
Fighter Jets
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether Harrier GR7/9 aircraft will be able to operate from CVF prior to the entry into the service of the joint strike fighter; [152242]
- (2) when he expects the joint strike fighter to enter into service. [152243]
Mr. Ingram: It would in theory be possible to operate Harrier GR9 from CVF but we have no requirement to do so. Current planning assumptions are that the primary aircraft operating from CVF will be the short take off vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the joint strike fighter which has been selected as the future joint combat aircraft (FJCA). Both CVF and FJCA are currently planned to come into service in 2012.
Foreign Ships
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 2 February 2004, Official Report, column 746W, on foreign ships, what
9 Feb 2004 : Column 1178W
plans he has to change the process by which his Department charters foreign ships; how many foreign vessels were rejected for charter last year because they failed to meet the standards set by his Department; and what plans he has to increase the proportion of British ships flying the Red Ensign used by his Department. [153932]
Mr. Ingram: The process for chartering freight-carrying commercial ships is reviewed on a regular basis and was last reviewed during 2003, following the Iraq campaign, when a more robust risk-based assessment was incorporated. Specialist ships are chartered to deliver specific technical capability, primarily outside the United Kingdom and often with limited global availability.
As I said in my previous reply, information on why ships fail consideration of charter is not held centrally. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The selection of ships for charter is dependent on a whole range of factors, of which flagging is but one. The Ministry of Defence charters ships in accordance with the European Union guidelines and to give bias to ships flying the Red Ensign would, therefore, run counter to such arrangements.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |