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Written Answers to Questions

23 February 2004

The following answers were received between Friday 13 February and Friday 20 February 2004

HOME DEPARTMENT

Mobile Phones

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged with offences in relation to the use of mobile phones while driving since the new measures were introduced. [148600]

Ms Blears: Information on the number of people charged is not collected centrally.

Prosecution data for the new offence of driving while using a hand-held mobile telephone will not be available until the autumn of 2004.

DEFENCE

Iraq

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what access to legal representation is available to persons detained by United Kingdom forces in Iraq under Article 78 of the IV Geneva Convention (1949); what criteria are used to determine whether they continue to pose a threat to security; and if he will make a statement. [154539]

Mr. Ingram: As set out in Article 80 of Geneva Convention IV internees retain their full civil capacity. This principle is reflected in Article 113 which provides, inter alia, that the Detaining Power shall provide all reasonable facilities for the transmission of wills, powers of attorney, letters of authority, or any other documents intended for internees or despatched by them. The Detaining Power is also obliged to facilitate the execution and authentication in due legal form of such documents on behalf of internees, in particular allowing them to consult a lawyer. In accordance with these provisions the United Kingdom provides access to legal advice when requested by an internee for such matters. The UK does not specifically provide for legal advice to be available to internees.

A review is carried out after 10, 28 and thereafter every 90 days to determine whether, on the balance of probabilities, internment is necessary for reasons of security. In accordance with Article 78 of the Fourth Geneva Conventions, the review takes into account all of the evidence and intelligence available relating to an internee.

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on quick impact projects authorised by the UK military command in the (a) first 100 days and (b) six months following the end of high intensity military operations in Iraq. [150225]

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Mr. Ingram: $5.3 million was spent on quick impact projects authorised by the United Kingdom military command in the first six months following the end of high intensity military operations in Iraq, of which $1.1 million was spent in the first 100 days.

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was informed that the 45-minute assertion related to battlefield mortar shells or small calibre weaponry. [154024]

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he was informed that the 45-minute claim related to battlefield weapons. [154102]

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he first became aware to which Iraqi weapons the 45-minute claim in the Iraq's weapons of mass destruction dossier applied. [154180]

Mr. Hoon: I first became aware of 'the 45-minute claim' when I read drafts of the Government's dossier and the Joint Intelligence Committee's assessment dated 9 September 2002. The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) in their report of 9 September 2003 (cm 5972) published, at paragraph 50, the relevant passage from the assessment. This stated:

"Intelligence also indicates that chemical and biological munitions could be with military units and ready for firing within 20 to 45 minutes."

The ISC also commented (para 57):

"The JIC did not know precisely which munitions could be deployed from where to where and the context of the intelligence was not included in the JIC Assessment".

I became aware that this intelligence referred to battlefield weapons soon after the publication of the Government's dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the incidents for which Boards of Inquiry have been initiated since the commencement of military operations in Iraq; and which such Boards have reported. [154038]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 10 February 2004]: I assume that the question is seeking information on those incidents in Iraq that occurred during recent operations there.

Boards of Inquiry have been convened to inquire into the following incidents: Royal Navy

Collision of two Sea Kings from 849 Naval Air Squadron on 22 March 2003; and

Death of Marine Maddison on 30 March 2003.

Internal reports have been issued into both incidents.

Army

Death of Lance-Corporal Brierley on 30 March 2003;

Deaths of Lieutenant Tweedie and Lance-Corporal Shearer on 1 April 2003;

Death of Private Smith on 13 August 2003; and

a Board of Inquiry will be convened on Friday 13 February into a serious injury suffered by Lance-Corporal Stesel on 6 April 2003

No formal reports have yet been issued.

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RAF

Patriot/Tornado GR4 incident on 23 March 2003.

No formal report has yet been issued.

Further Boards of Inquiry may be convened into other incidents when the relevant initial investigations are complete.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on embedding in the Iraq war. [155134]

Mr. Ingram: I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the embedding of journalists as war correspondents with our Armed Forces during the conflict in Iraq.

I refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 10.11 on page 59 of the MOD publication "Operations in Iraq: lessons for the future" which was published on 11 December. A copy of this publication has been deposited in the Library of the House and is available for reference.

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the Government's full response to the National Audit Office's investigation report into Operation Telic; and if he will make a statement. [150197]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 26 January 2004]: Departments do not publish full responses directly to National Audit Office reports.

In due course, the Public Accounts Committee will issue a report into Operation Telic. That report will be informed by the National Audit Office's investigation report. After the Public Accounts Committee report has been issued, the Government will issue a response (in the form of a Treasury minute) within the normal timeframe and in the normal way.

Military Assistance (Asia)

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military assistance has been provided to (a) Uzbekistan, (b) Turkmenistan, (c) Kazakhstan, (d) Kyrgyzstan, (e) Pakistan, (f) Georgia and (g) Azerbaijan since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [154545]

Mr. Ingram: All these countries are situated in a region of increasing strategic importance to the United Kingdom. The UK has small but carefully focused programmes of bilateral co-operation with most of them facilitated by our resident Defence Attachés.

The UK's military assistance to Uzbekistan has focused on training and advice to assist the Uzbekistan Ministry of Defence with its defence reform efforts. It has stressed the importance of respect for the rule of law and human rights, and has included English language training and assistance with the development of junior staff officer and NCO training. The UK also provided a modest amount of military aid to Uzbekistan in March 2002—100 combat helmets and 15 mine detectors.

The UK provides no military assistance to Turkmenistan apart from a small English language training programme.

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The UK's military assistance to Kazakhstan has focused on training and advice to help enhance Kazakhstan's peacekeeping capability and support its defence reform efforts. It has included English language training and assistance with the development of NCO training.

Military assistance to Kyrgyzstan has centred on English language training and assistance with mountain patrolling techniques. The UK also provided a modest amount of military aid to Kyrgyzstan in March 2002—100 combat helmets and 15 mine detectors.

The UK has close historical ties with the armed forces of Pakistan. Over the past four years Pakistan has received military assistance in the form of places on training courses in the UK at the Royal College of Defence Studies, the Joint Services Command and Staff College, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and other Service establishments. In Pakistan the UK has provided assistance with flight safety and military band training and has agreed to respond to Pakistani requests for emergency humanitarian escape and rescue assistance for their small submarine fleet.

UK military assistance to Georgia has focused on training and advice to help defence reform. Our efforts concentrate on advisory visits and have included English language training and assistance with the development of NCO training. Defence reform is also supported by a UK Civilian Special Defence Adviser to the Georgian Ministry of Defence and a resettlement programme which re-trains retired service personnel.

The UK's military assistance to Azerbaijan has been confined to English language training.

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