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10 Feb 2004 : Column 1319W—continued
Rail Services
8. Mr. Savidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what issues relating to Scotland will be considered during the Rail Review. [152894]
Mr. Darling: Scotland will benefit from the Review looking at all aspects of improving the structure and organisation for Britain's railways. The Review should also look at how we can devolve more decisions on rail to Scotland.
9. Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Scottish Ministers regarding rail services in the Edinburgh area. [152895]
Mr. Darling: I have regular discussions with Scottish Executive Ministers on transport and my other responsibilities.
Higher Education
11. Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received from the First Minister on higher education. [152897]
Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend has frequent exchanges with the First Minister on a range of issues, including higher education.
Electoral System
12. John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the voting system used in elections for the Scottish Parliament. [152898]
Mr. Darling: I refer my hon. Friend to the announcement I made yesterday (9 February) during Second Reading of the Scottish Parliament (Constituencies) Bill on my proposal to establish a commission to review electoral arrangements in Scotland, including whether changes might be required regarding the method of voting in Scottish Parliament elections.
Population
13. Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received on the projected decline of Scotland's population. [152899]
Mrs. McGuire: My right hon. Friend has received no representations on this issue. Matters related to population projections for Scotland are for the Scottish Executive.
Population projections for Scotland are made by the General Register Office for Scotland, an associated department of the Scottish Executive. 2002-based population projections for Scottish areas are available on its website at www.gro-scotland.gov.uk
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Barnett Formula
14. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the future of the Barnett Formula. [152900]
Mr. Darling: No such discussions have taken place. The Government have no plans to replace or to review the Barnett formula. My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, confirmed this in reply to an oral question on 13 November 2003, Official Report, columns 401–02.
Postal Services/Post Offices
15. Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has held with ministerial colleagues regarding the future of postal services and post offices in Scotland. [152901]
Mrs. McGuire: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues, including postal services in Scotland.
DEFENCE
Apache Helicopters
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much it costs to train a pilot to fly Apache helicopters; and how long the training takes. [153977]
Mr. Ingram: The basic Conversion to Type course for qualified Army pilots on the Apache helicopter at the School of Army Aviation, Middle Wallop, is 26 weeks. A current estimate of cost for this course for one pilot (the course has yet to complete) is £600,000. Once qualified, pilots then progress to a Conversion to Role course which will take place at Dishforth and Wattisham, and is run by the Air Manoeuvre Training Advisory Team (AMTAT). This course is of 26 weeks duration and an estimate of cost is £550,000.
Army Leavers
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many commanding officers have been instructed to offer soldiers due to leave in September the opportunity to leave the Army up to nine months early. [153070]
Mr. Caplin: Approximately 270 Commanding Officers have been told that individuals who have already given notice to terminate their engagement before 30 September 2004 may be given the option to leave sooner if this is acceptable both to the individual and their unit. There will be no compulsion on any individual.
Aviation Noise
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the study into helicopter noise at RAF Shawbury which began in summer 2002, carried out by the Centre of Aviation Medicine. [153954]
Mr. Ingram: The study has just been completed and is due to be released on Friday 13 February 2004. I have asked for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member.
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Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the report on military aviation noise conducted by the Directorate of Safety Environment and Fire Policy. [153967]
Mr. Caplin: It is planned to publish the report at Easter time.
Communications
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the reliability of secure satellite communications links available to the UK commanders during Operation Telic; what commercial facilities were utilised; and at what cost. [147275]
Mr. Ingram: Secure satellite communications links provided to UK commanders during Operation Telic included both military links through the SKYNET system, and commercial links supporting the Operational Strategic CIS Architecture (OSCA). The overall reliability of secure satellite communications links was high. Some difficulties in maintaining strategic communications links did occur but these did not significantly affect the operational outcome.
£1.5 million was spent on acquiring the commercial satellite communications hardware for OSCA. A further £9.8 million has been incurred on communications services provided by Cable & Wireless and INMARSAT up to December 2003. The costs attributable to OSCA are included in the overall procurement and running costs for the system totalling £33 million up to December 2003.
Deaths in Service
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many service personnel who lost their lives accidentally in non-combat situations outside the UK in each year since 1990, are recorded as (a) deaths from road traffic accidents and (b) deaths from other accidents; [149660]
- (2) how many service personnel who lost their lives in combat situations outside the UK in each year since 1990 are recorded as (a) killed in combat, (b) killed in friendly fire or other accidents, (c) self-inflicted deaths and (d) deaths from other causes; [149658]
(3) how many service personnel who lost their lives in non-combat situations outside the UK in each year since 1990, are recorded as (a) self-inflicted deaths, (b) accidental deaths and (c) deaths from other causes; [149659]
(4) how many service personnel have lost their lives outside the UK in each year since 1990; and how many of these are recorded as deaths in (a) combat situations and (b) non-combat situations. [149657]
Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Defence 2004
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budgeted cost was of the Defence 2004 display
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scheduled to be held at RAF Fairfield; how many troops were to have been involved; and if he will make a statement on its cancellation. [153013]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 5 February 2004]: The planned expenditure for Defence 2004, which was to have taken place during the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford (not Fairfield) in July, was £1.85 million. It would have required approximately 3,300 military personnel for up to a week.
As I said in my written statement on 30 January 2004, Official Report, column 22WS, the decision to cancel Defence 2004 was taken because of the continued high level of operational commitments and the associated demands upon Service personnel and their families. The Services will, however, continue to fully support RIAT and we will be working closely with the RAF Benevolent Fund Enterprises who organise the event, to help ensure that RIAT continues its tradition of great success.
Defence Equipment
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks, (b) Warrior Armoured Personnel Carriers, (c) AS-90s and (d) Multiple Launch Rocket Systems are based in Germany. [153519]
Mr. Ingram: There are currently 172 Challenger II Main Battle Tanks, 361 Warrior Vehicles (all variants) and 50 AS90 based in Germany. There are no Multiple Launch Rocket Systems based in Germany at this time.
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