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Disposal Services Agency

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were employed by the Disposal Services Agency in each of the last three years; what the staff costs were in each of those years; and what the forecast cost is for each of the next two years. [176429]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to page 39 of the Disposal Services Agency (DSA)'s Annual report and accounts 2002–03. For the financial year 2003–2004 the average number of staff employed was 80, and the personnel costs approximately £3 million subject to audit.

Forecast staff costs for 2004–05 are £3.1 million and for 2005–06, £2.7 million. The reduction in salaries being due to the cessation of the "Al Hussein Project" in 2005. The figures do not include personnel due to be transferred into DSA from the Defence Logistics Organisation as from 1 April 2005. These are due to be finalised over the coming months.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects the Typhoon to enter service with the RAF; [176472]

(2) if he will make a statement on progress on the Typhoon programme. [176473]

Mr. Ingram: Typhoon achieved "type acceptance" in June 2003, triggering the entry to service process. The first RAF aircraft was accepted off contract in December 2003, and to date, six have been delivered. Release to Service, allowing flying under normal RAF procedures, was achieved earlier this month. The aircraft are now engaged in the process of pilot training and operational evaluation to enable Typhoon to be deployed operationally during the second half of the decade. The next step in the procurement process will be the order for the second Tranche of aircraft, and negotiations are in progress.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on problems experienced with the Typhoon's software programmes; whether he expects the software problems to delay the Typhoon's entry into service with the RAF; and what estimate he has made of the cost of correcting the problems. [176475]

Mr. Ingram: Typhoon, in common with other technologically advanced projects worldwide, has experienced some problems attributable to software development. However, the aircraft has already entered service with the RAF and we do not expect software
 
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problems to delay its operational employment date. We would expect costs associated with correcting problems of this nature to be covered within the existing contract prices as part of the performance warranty.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of (a) the Typhoon's capability as a single seat fighter in all conditions and in all combat roles and (b) the need for a second crew member for certain operations. [176478]

Mr. Ingram: Typhoon, as with all new military aircraft, is undergoing a rigorous and incremental series of testing and evaluations to expand gradually its flight parameters to bring it up to an operational capability for front line service. Typhoon is performing extremely well at this stage of the development programme as it moves towards achievement of its full, single seat, Multi Role capability.

Export and Market Access Forum

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to establish a defence export and market access forum. [177401]

Mr. Ingram: The Government's Defence Industrial Policy, launched in October 2002, recommended the setting up of a forum to address export promotion issues and improved access for United Kingdom industry into key foreign markets. The Defence Export and Market Access Forum is chaired by the Head of Defence Export Services and the first meeting was held on 12 March 2003.

Farnborough Air Show

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department is giving to the organisers of the Farnborough Air Show taking place from 19 to 25 July; and whether this includes assistance to enable overseas visitors to attend. [177499]

Mr. Ingram: In accordance with the Government's policy of supporting defence exports, the Ministry of Defence undertakes a broad range of activities in support of The Society of British Aerospace Companies which organises the Farnborough International Air Show. The Defence Export Services Organisation provides marketing support to the United Kingdom exhibitors and helps the organisers ensure maximum exposure of UK products to potential customers by supporting official inward visits.

Faslane

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is mandatory for submariners and radiation workers to use the IPM7 radiation monitor when they leave the nuclear submarines at HM Naval Base, Clyde Faslane; and if he will make a statement. [176800]

Mr. Ingram: Personnel exiting submarine reactor compartments must be monitored (by suitably qualified and experienced workers) using hand-held instrumentation capable of detecting very low levels of radioactive contamination. In addition, after leaving submarines, all staff have the opportunity to use a walk-through monitor similar to the IPM 7. This secondary
 
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monitoring normally takes place after the worker has completed primary monitoring and removed his protective clothing. The purpose of this equipment is to provide reassurance to personnel leaving controlled areas, and is compulsory where contamination is suspected or found on exiting the Reactor Compartment.

Iraq

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries which have troops stationed in Iraq; and how many troops are deployed in each case. [175580]

Mr. Ingram: Exact numbers of forces deployed by each nation in Iraq varies daily. The table gives current, rounded, numbers.

	Number
Albania	70
Australia	400
Azerbaijan	150
Bulgaria	450
Canada	2
Czech Republic	100
Denmark	400
El Salvador	400
Estonia	30
Georgia	150
Honduras	350
Hungary	300
Italy	2,500
Japan	550
Kazakhstan	30
Korea	500
Latvia	100
Lithuania	100
Macedonia	30
Moldova	1
Mongolia	150
Netherlands	1,200
New Zealand	50
Norway	150
Philippines	50
Poland	2,500
Portugal	100
Romania	750
Slovakia	100
Spain	950
Thailand	450
Turkey	20
Ukraine	1,500
United Kingdom	9,500
United States	130,000

Joint Combat Aircraft

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the total projected budget of the Future Joint Combat Aircraft was spent prior to main gate approval. [176355]

Mr. Ingram: £144 million was spent on the pre Main Gate Assessment phase of the Joint Combat Aircraft programme. This equates to 6 per cent. of the approved procurement cost to date. This figure excludes expenditure by the United States on the Joint Strike Fighter.
 
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Joint Strike Fighter

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what talks have taken place with BAE Systems about the Joint Strike Fighter's ability to operate from aircraft carriers. [174993]

Mr. Ingram: We keep in close touch with the industry teams (which include BAE Systems) involved in the United Kingdom future aircraft carrier and Joint Strike Fighter programmes. An integral element of the discussion is the interface between the ship and the aircraft.

Legacy Wrecks

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the letter of the Under-Secretary of State D/05 of S/IC 1295/04/A of 5 April, what his policy is on UK legacy wrecks and related issues of liability; what assessment he has made of their potential to pollute; and if he will make a statement. [177882]

Mr. Caplin: Our policy on UK military legacy wrecks and related issues of liability remains as set out in my letter of 5 April. At present, the Ministry of Defence is consulting with other Government Departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as to the most appropriate means of resolving the legal principle in international law of the ownership of wrecks. We do not expect to resolve the international position on ownership for some time because of the differing views taken by various states, although we hope to have a preliminary view by late autumn.

In respect of pollution, the wrecks database at the UK Hydrographic Office contains some 60,000 records of wrecks worldwide, of which approximately 20,000 are named vessels. If a wreck is below 200 metres, and so is not likely to be a danger to shipping, it is recorded but not charted. Within the Western Hemisphere there are 422 records of UK military legacy wrecks, only 275 of which are charted, and in the Eastern Hemisphere there are 501 records with 295 charted. No assessment has been made of the potential of each of these vessels to pollute. However, as I said to my hon. Friend in my letter of 5 April, the Ministry of Defence will continue to address individual cases of potential pollution hazards from UK military wrecks on their own merits and take whatever action we deem necessary.

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