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11 May 2004 : Column 212W—continued
Milton Keynes
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the last meeting of the Inter-regional Board on the Milton Keynes growth area was; what issues were discussed; and what the outputs were. [170142]
Yvette Cooper: The Milton Keynes and South Midlands growth area Inter-regional Board convened for the first time on 11 February 2004. The board contains senior representatives from the key organisations involved in delivering the MKSM growth proposals, and is designed to provide top-level oversight. The board is chaired by my noble Friend Lord Rooker and is scheduled to meet around three times a year. All meetings are open to the public. At the initial meeting the board discussed a number of issues, including infrastructure delivery and the MKSM public examination. The minutes of the meeting and news release are available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website.
Roadside Advertising
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the cost to local authorities of administering schemes of roadside and roundabout advertising. [172106]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made such an assessment.
Telecommunications Masts
Mr. David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many planning applications for mobile phone masts have been refused in Essex in the last 12 months; and if he will list the (a) applicants and (b) sites. [171097]
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Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, during September and October every year the mobile network operators write to every local authority with details of their network rollout for the year ahead. When they write to the local authority they also provide details of their existing sites within the local authority area. The hon. Member may want to contact the network operators for copies of their plans.
Timber
Ms Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department plans to contribute financially to the establishment of the second phase of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. [167616]
Phil Hope: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 10 May 2004, Official Report, column 31W.
DEFENCE
Iraq
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on reports that the US Army has been firing on ambulances in Falluja. [171251]
Mr. Ingram:
We are not aware of any incidents of Coalition Forces firing on ambulances.
11 May 2004 : Column 214W
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken since the end of the Iraq war to monitor levels of uranium in (a) milk and (b) drinking water. [166869]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence will provide advice on carrying out risk assessments on depleted uranium (DU) within urban areas and on long-term monitoring of DU in the environment, to the United Nations Environment Programme.
Al Yamamah Contracts
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with BAE Systems regarding the proposed disposal of its shipbuilding business; and if he will make a statement. [170750]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has had one approach from BAE Systems to discuss procedure. However, no proposals have been received from the company regarding change of ownership or control of its ship building business.
Army Air Corps (Medical Care)
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical personnel are based at (a) AAC Aldergrove, (b) AAC Hereford, (c) AAC Wattisham, (d) AAC Middle Wallop and (e) AAC Netheravon, broken down by (i) service, (ii) rank and (iii) specialisation. [169987]
Mr. Caplin: The following tables detail the medical personnel based at AAC Aldergrove, AAC Wattisham, AAC Middle Wallop and AAC Netheravon broken down by service, rank and specialisation. I am withholding information for AAC Hereford under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
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Atomic Weapons Establishment
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on current and future research and development projects to be undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire. [170210]
Mr. Ingram: The research and development activities undertaken at AWE are designed to ensure the safe stewardship of the UK's stockpile of Trident warheads and our ability to maintain the capability necessary to meet the policy described in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review. As indicated in Paragraph 3.11 of the Defence White Paper of December 2003 (Cm 6041–1), this includes the need to take appropriate steps to ensure that the range of options for maintaining a nuclear deterrent capability is kept open until decisions are required on whether to replace Trident. This policy is consistent with our international treaty obligations. Research and development activities fall under four principal headings: computer simulation; hydrodynamics; high energy density plasma physics; and materials ageing. The precise nature and scope in the future of such programmes will depend on the outcome of the processes referred to in the December 2003 Defence White Paper.
Civilian Staff
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent, permanent (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial civilian staff are employed by his Department in the UK, excluding Trading Funds, Royal Fleet Auxiliaries and those on career breaks, long-term sick leave and secondments; what the equivalent figures were in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [170449]
Mr. Caplin:
The number of full-time equivalent, permanent and casual, industrial and non-industrial civilian staff employed by the Ministry of Defence, excluding Trading Funds, Royal Fleet Auxiliaries and those on career breaks, long-term sick leave, secondments etc. as at the latest available date and for the last three years is as follows.
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| 1 March 2004(5) | 1 April 2003 | 1 April 2002 | 1 April 2001 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent non-industrial | 62,560 | 59,910 | 58,270 | 58,700 |
| Permanent industrial | 13,800 | 14,370 | 16,490 | 18,890 |
| Permanent total | 76,370 | 74,280 | 74,760 | 77,580 |
| Casual total | 260 | 1,140 | 1,500 | 1,200 |
| All staff | 76,630 | 75,420 | 76,260 | 78,780 |
(5) The increase in the numbers between 1 April 2003 and 1 March 2004 reflects an increase in the number of civil servants falling under the categories detailed in the question, rather than an increase in the total number of civilians working for the Ministry of Defence.
Note:
The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
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