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Refuelling Tanker Aircraft

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether CV(F) will carry air-to-air refuelling tanker aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [170351]

Mr. Ingram: The primary aircraft operating from CVF will be the future Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA), a role which will be undertaken by the Short Take Off Vertical Landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. Should analysis prove it necessary, a refuelling capability could be provided by embarked JCA aircraft adapted for the task. There would be no requirement for the carrier to operate a different aircraft type for refuelling operations.

Royal Tournament

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has (a) to reintroduce the Royal Tournament, (b) stage similar events and (c) support a private venture of a similar nature; and if he will make a statement. [169176]

Mr. Ingram: There are no plans to reintroduce the Royal Tournament, the ending of which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 October 1999, Official Report, columns 696–97W. Nor have we any plans to support a private venture of a similar nature.

The Department has, however, continued to mount major set-piece events to demonstrate the capability of the armed forces. Under the umbrella of 'Defence 2000', the armed forces have helped stage the Royal Military Tattoo in 2000, the International Festival of the Sea in 2001, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations in Portsmouth in 2002. The department has also continued to participate in a wide variety of smaller events such as open days, ships visits, county shows and showcase events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Fairford Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT). We have also increased our presence in local communities and schools with the Service and Ministry of Defence Presentation Teams.

The recent high level of operational commitments and the associated demands they have placed on Service personnel and their families, have caused us to review our continued involvement in events that could be regarded as discretionary. The large set-piece events of 'Defence 2000' have proved to be particularly demanding. Following our decision not to proceed with the planned events for 2003 and 2004, we have taken the opportunity to review our future strategy. As a result, we have now concluded that we will gain the greatest benefit by focusing our resources on supporting the well
 
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established single-service events such as RIAT, specific commemorations such as the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, and by making better use of our contribution to the many smaller events that take place across the length and breadth of the UK. These events, which tend not to be as manpower intensive, have proved to be excellent vehicles for cementing the relationship between the armed forces and local communities, and have done much to raise the overall profile of the Services.

By building on these events, I am fully confident that the current high profile of the armed forces will be maintained. We have therefore decided not to continue with the Defence 2000 Series.

Submarines

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) expected and (b) latest possible in-service dates for the V class SSBN are; and if he will make a statement. [170328]

Mr. Ingram: No decisions have been taken on the decommissioning dates of the Royal Navy's Vanguard class nuclear submarines.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is regarding ownership of the United Kingdom's submarine building capability. [170749]

Mr. Ingram: The only United Kingdom facilities currently engaged in submarine building are those owned by BAE Systems Marine Ltd. at Barrow-in-Furness. The Government's special share in BAE Systems Marine Ltd. ensures that decisions affecting the ownership of these facilities cannot be taken without Government consent.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Seaport/Airport Security

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of UK (a) seaports and (b) airports will have radiation detection equipment installed by 1 July. [169962]

Ms Blears: We have implemented a Programme of work to introduce screening equipment at UK ports for detecting the illicit importation of radioactive materials that could be used by terrorists. By 1 July 2004 screening equipment will be in place at a number of major UK ports of entry. This is an on-going programme based on prudent contingency planning which is planned to be completed by March 2007. It would not be in the interests of national security to give details of the implementation programme.

Air Weapons

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many gas-cartridge air weapons have been (a) surrendered to the police and (b) granted section 1 Firearms Certificates since the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 became law; and how many gas-cartridge weapons he estimates remain in circulation. [170721]

 
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Caroline Flint: No running total has been kept centrally of the number of self-contained gas cartridge weapons surrendered or entered on a firearms certificate. This information is currently being collated by the police. In the absence of any previous requirement to record details of ownership it is not possible to say how many remain in circulation.

Ambulance Service

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that ambulance drivers who are engaged in work of an urgent or emergency nature are neither penalised nor prosecuted for speeding; and if he will make a statement. [171035]

Caroline Flint [holding answer 5 May 2004]: Provision already exists in law to protect drivers of vehicles being used for an ambulance purpose from prosecution for excess speed offences. This exemption is   contained under section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Car Stereos

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of Regulation 97 of the 1986 Road Vehicle Regulations to combat noise pollution emanating from car stereos. [170208]

Caroline Flint: Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provides that no motor vehicle shall be used on a road in such a manner as to cause any excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care by the driver. I understand from the Association of Chief Police Officers that the police find the provision effective to deal with noisy car stereos. When enforcing the offence, police officers will give an oral warning to the driver, issue a fixed penalty notice or report for prosecution as appropiate.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the powers available to the police to combat noise pollution emanating from car stereos. [170209]

Caroline Flint: Regulation 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 prohibits the use of a vehicle emitting avoidable excessive noise.

If in a particular case playing a stereo at excessive volume amounted to driving without reasonable consideration for others contrary to Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and was causing or was likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance, the driver may be liable to having his vehicle seized by the police under the provisions of Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.

Care Custody System

Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of integration of data he expects among the (a) Care Custody systems, (b) Police National Computer, (c) fingerprint database, (d) DNA database and (e) firearms database. [170725]

 
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Caroline Flint: The NSPIS Custody and Case Preparation system will be interfaced with the Police National Computer. This interface will allow for the core data held on the NSPIS Custody and Case Preparation system to be transferred to the Police National Computer and for it to be automatically updated.

The fingerprint, DNA and firearms databases will be   integrated via the Police National Computer. Integration with the Police National Computer will allow for cross-checking in each of those databases.

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