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Terrestrial Television (Wales)

Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households in Wales she estimates cannot receive a terrestrial television signal from the public service broadcasters. [172440]

Estelle Morris: The spectrum planners working for the Government's Digital Action Plan have been working to improve the accuracy of the planning tools used to derive both analogue and digital coverage. Until this work is completed, OFCOM estimates that approximately 3 per cent. of households in Wales are unable to receive PSB services (excluding Five) via terrestrial means (analogue or digital).

Analogue coverage for Five is not available on a per country basis. According to figures given by Ofcom, 20 per cent. of UK households do not currently have access to Five in analogue form, although some of these will be able to receive it by digital terrestrial TV.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government's response is to the recent request of the transitional Government in Afghanistan for extra military forces from NATO to ensure security; and if he will make a statement. [172050]

Mr. Ingram: The Afghan Transitional Authority holds ultimate responsibility for the security of the Afghan national elections due in September 2004. NATO's planned expansion of the International Security Assistance Force will, however, contribute to creating the security conditions within which free and fair elections may take place. As I explained to the
 
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House on 31 March 2004, Official Report, column 96WS, we have offered to play a leading role in this expansion in Northern Afghanistan.

Army Air Corps (Medical Care)

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what specialised diagnosis services are available to personnel based at (a) AAC Aldergrove, (b) AAC Hereford, (c) AAC Wattisham, (d) AAC Middle Wallop, (e) AAC Netheravon and (f) AAC Dishforth; [169988]

(2) what the average waiting time is for specialised diagnosis services available to personnel based at (a) AAC Aldergrove, (b) AAC Hereford, (c) AAC Wattisham, (d) AAC Middle Wallop, (e) AAC Netheravon and (f) AAC Dishforth. [169989]

Mr. Caplin: Specialised diagnosis services would require secondary care opinion that would normally be provided within the NHS, including those NHS Trusts which host Ministry of Defence Hospital Units. Waiting times would be based on clinical need and would vary depending on the type of specialised diagnosis required.

Cluster Bombs

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a moratorium on the (a) use, (b) manufacture, (c) sale and (d) export of cluster bombs until new international law on the use and clearance of these weapons is introduced. [172024]

Mr. Ingram: No. Cluster bombs are legal weapons that are not indiscriminate. They provide a unique capability for use against wide area or dispersed targets. Were we not to use them, it would be necessary to use a large number of either unitary bombs or artillery shells to cover an equivalent area, involving a greater tonnage of explosive. Increasing the number of munitions launched also increases the risk that one or more launches may go astray. In many instances, using munitions other than cluster bombs may pose a far greater risk to civilians at the time of attack. Any applications for the export of cluster bombs would be considered on a case by case basis against criteria announced by the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997 and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Sales.

Defence Medal Offices

Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to whom the legal title of the land occupied by the Droitwich Spa Army Medal Office belongs; and who would receive the proceeds of any sale of the site. [172034]

Mr. Caplin: The land was acquired on 30 March 1940 by 'The Commissioners of His Majesty's Works and Public Buildings'. Subsequent Government inter-departmental transfers culminated in the disaggregation of the Common User Estate by the Government's Property Holdings Unit in April 1996. This resulted in the land transferring (again on an inter-department basis) to the Ministry of Defence although technically the legal title remains with the successor to 'The Commissioners of His Majesty's Works and Public Buildings'. The proceeds of the disposal would fall to the MOD.
 
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Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the investment appraisal for the proposed closure of the Droitwich Spa Army Medal Office and the relocation of its services to RAF Innsworth; [172036]

(2) what the costs of upkeep and maintenance of the Army Medal Office, Droitwich Spa, were in the most recent year for which figures are available. [172037]

Mr. Caplin: A copy of the Investment Appraisal will be placed in the Library. It considered the options for co-location of all functions that will come into the Joint Personnel Administration Centre, but did not deal exclusively with the issue of the Army Medal Office. I have also placed in the Library a letter dated 18 March 2004 to the Trade Unions, in which more details were provided on the specific business and financial justification for the closure of Droitwich and the creation of the Joint Medal Office at RAP Innsworth.

For financial year 2003–04, the property management costs for the upkeep and maintenance of the Army Medal Office were some £110,000. This figure excludes staff and medal bullion/production costs. Utility costs for the same period were some £22,600.

HMS Trafalgar

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the safety of HMS Trafalgar following its repairs. [170663]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 4 May 2004]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 6 May 2004, Official Report, column 1713W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen).

Infantry Anti-structure Weapon System

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the procurement of an infantry anti-structure weapon system; and if he will make a statement. [167231]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my Written Ministerial Statement of 6 May 2004, Official Report, column 86WS.

Iraq

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what laws apply to the activities of private contractors operating in (a) Iraq and (b) UK controlled areas; and which courts have jurisdiction. [171441]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 11 May 2004]: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) average and (b) maximum tour lengths of troops deployed to Iraq since 1st May 2003 were for (i) territorial army and (ii) regular personnel; and if he will make a statement. [171442]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 11 May 2004]: The average tour length for troops deployed to Iraq, for both Territorial Army and Regular Army personnel, since 1 May 2003, is approximately five to seven months, while the maximum tour length is six months.
 
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A small number of TA personnel have extended their period of mobilisation, and will have undertaken successive tours over the period, which in total will amount to over six months. Where this has occurred, it has been at the individual's own request.

Operation Telic

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when payments for expenses incurred in financial year 2003–04 relating to Operation Telic will be made to his Department. [172125]

Mr. Ingram: The net additional costs of Operation Telic are met from the Reserve in the year in which they fall. Funds to cover these costs are voted by Parliament under Request for Resources 2 in Main and Supplementary Estimates. Final expenditure will be reported in the notes to the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts to be published in September.

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