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Cost Reduction Reviews

Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cost reduction reviews are under way in his Department; what the approximate cost of each of these reviews is; and how much has been spent on consultancy support to each review. [164216]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is constantly looking at ways to reduce costs and improve performance. Such work is conducted at all levels in the organisation, including as individual management activity, corporate level studies and as part of pan-Government initiatives such as Sir Peter Gershon's Efficiency Review. Where appropriate, this work draws on consultancy support. Details of the number and cost of such reviews under way at any one time are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Employment Agencies

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the employment agencies which his Department has used to supply temporary staff in each financial year since 1996–97 to the most recent date for which figures are available. [163817]

Mr. Caplin: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Equipment Programmes

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which current equipment programmes have been delayed owing to insufficient funding for them within his Department's budget. [162644]

Mr. Ingram: Many factors might cause the Ministry of Defence to make adjustments to its equipment-related spending plans, either for the current financial year or beyond.

These include the need to: reflect changes in priority between different military capabilities; ensure coherence between projects; take advantage of emerging technologies; deal with technical or commercial issues; as well as to ensure that the Department remains within its

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allocated resources. Changes to the timing of individual projects are very often due to a combination of these factors.

Financial Information

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place in the Library copies of the (a) fixed assets registers, (b) balance sheets and (c) operating cost statements maintained by his Department's management groupings for financial years 1999–2000 to 2002–03; [164668]

(2) if he will place in the Library copies of the cash flow statements maintained by his Department's management groupings for financial years 1999–2000 to 2002–03; [164639]

(3) if he will place in the Library copies of the statements of recognised gains and losses maintained by his Department's management groupings for financial years 1999–2000 to 2002–03. [164640]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my letters Ref: D/Min(AF)/AI 2185N/03/L) dated 21 April 2003 and D/Min(AF)/AI 4656/04/C) dated 30 March 2004, to the hon. Member for Essex North (Mr. Jenkin) for financial years 1999–2000 to 2001–02, of which copies have been placed in the Library of the House. I will write to the hon. Member to provide the corresponding information for financial year 2002–03 and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Interpreters

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is regarding the use of non-military interpreters; what training is provided for non-military interpreters before deployment; and if he will make a statement. [161282]

Mr. Ingram: Both civilian and military interpreters are employed on operations as requirements demand. Civilian interpreters include Ministry of Defence personnel and nationals from the region. Those taken on locally generally assist with low-level communication with the local population.

MOD civilians employed on operations are trained in essential skills appropriate to the theatre in which they are deployed and the role that they are to perform. Typical training includes first aid, environmental health, and operational, chemical and biological, cultural, and mine awareness. Like their military colleagues, they also receive pre-deployment medical and dental examinations and, where necessary, vaccinations against diseases.

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2004, reference 153466, what surveys of public perceptions of the Ministry of Defence, the armed forces and their equipment have taken place since the start of military action in Iraq; what the (a) title and (b) nature of these surveys were; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; and if he will make a statement. [158270]

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Mr. Caplin: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers have been (a) killed in Iraq, (b) injured seriously enough to warrant a return from Iraq and (c) injured but stayed in Iraq to continue service, broken down by soldiers based in (i) Wales, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland. [158891]

Mr. Ingram: As at 25 March, 58 United Kingdom military personnel had been killed while deployed on Operation TELIC in Iraq. We record centrally only those casualties that have been medically evacuated to the United Kingdom. As at 25 March the total was 2,381. Casualties' countries of origin are not recorded centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Ministry of Defence civilian staff have been used in the reconstruction of Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [158892]

Mr. Ingram: As at 21 March 2004, 67 Ministry of Defence civilians were deployed in Iraq supporting the reconstruction of the country in a number of roles including policy advice, interpreting, contracting and administrative support.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Welsh regiments have served in Iraq since the beginning of hostilities; which regiments are presently in Iraq; and what amount of leave was given to each regiment during their tour of duty abroad. [158893]

Mr. Ingram: The Queens Dragoon Guards served in Iraq from March to June 2003. Personnel were entitled to two weeks leave at the end of their tour of duty in accordance with post operational tour leave guidelines issued at the time.

The 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Wales was deployed to Iraq in December 2003 and on current planning is due to serve until June 2004. Personnel will generally be entitled to 14 days leave during their tour of duty, and four weeks post-operational tour leave on return to the United Kingdom. This is in accordance with the operational welfare package policy for service in an operational area.

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals are being held by UK forces in Iraq; and what the average length of detention is. [148577]

Mr. Ingram: Article 78 of the IV Geneva Convention (1949) allows the United Kingdom as the Occupying Power to intern people where it considers it necessary for imperative reasons of security. Internees will continue to be held until such time as they are no longer considered a threat to Coalition Forces.

As at 24 March 2004, the UK held 81 internees in Iraq. Of those currently held, the average length of internment is around four and a half months.

Lost Armaments

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps will be taken to find the missiles lost in the Bristol Channel in 2001; [161878]

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(2) what help is being given to QinetiQ to help find the missile lost in the Bristol Channel; [161877]

(3) how many armaments were lost in the Bristol Channel and the Severn estuary in the last five years; [161876]

(4) what the total number of (a) man hours and (b) resources were spent on looking for the missile lost in the Bristol Channel in the last five years; [161875]

(5) what the role of the range at Weston-super-Mare will be following the loss of missiles from it in 2003. [161873]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has no record of missiles being lost in the Bristol Channel or Severn Estuary in either 2001 or 2003. We are aware of only one incident of armaments being lost in the Bristol Channel or Severn estuary in the last five years. In March 2002, a pallet of munitions was lost at the St. Thomas' Head range near Weston-super-Mare, which is operated by QinetiQ. The pallet is presumed to have been swept away by very strong spring tides. The pallet contained eight anti tank bar mines (with the fuses removed) and 20 warheads which had been removed from Swingfire missiles.

Extensive searches have been undertaken by the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, HM Coastguard, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy Southern Diving Group (SDG) and QinetiQ. The pallet has not, however, been located.

The SDG conducted two searches of the range area, consuming around 160 man-hours in March 2002 and about 220 man-hours in October 2002. QinetiQ carried out searches on foot and by boat and helicopter, expending a total of more than 110 man-hours. The RAF consumed a total of 15 man-hours on the task, including transit to and from the search area. The MOD does not have details of the resources consumed by either the Avon and Somerset Constabulary or HM Coastguard.

Use of the St. Thomas' Head range continues to be covered by the Long Term Partnering Agreement that has been negotiated with QinetiQ for the delivery of a long term test and evaluation capability to the MOD.

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