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Lynx Replacement

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the assessment phase for the Lynx replacement to be completed; and when he expects to make a decision on the future of this programme. [177595]

Mr. Ingram: The assessment phase of the Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter and Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft is currently scheduled to complete later this year.

The decision on the future of these programmes is most likely to be made early in 2005.
 
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Military Support Vehicle

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his decision on the preferred bidder for the military support vehicle contract. [177440]

Mr. Ingram: The preferred bidder for the support vehicle project will be announced as soon as possible.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the potential for compatibility of equipment and co-operation between UK forces and US allies in the field when considering the supply of future strategic and tactical military support vehicles. [177460]

Mr. Ingram: Interoperability between our armed forces and those of our NATO allies has been considered as part of the evaluation of bidders' proposals for the support vehicle project.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations he has undertaken in considering his decision on preferred bidder status for the UK military support vehicle contract into the performance of medium tactical vehicles already in use with the US Army; and which company's products achieved the highest level of in-service operational readiness during Operation Iraqi Freedom. [177461]

Mr. Ingram: As part of the competition for the support vehicle project, bidders had the opportunity to state their previous experience of supplying wheeled military vehicles to other Governments and to provide evidence of the performance of such vehicles. This material has informed the evaluation process.

We are aware that vehicles manufactured by Oshkosh and Stewart and Stevenson, two of the four bidders for the support vehicle contract, were used by the US Army and Marine Corps in Operation Iraqi Freedom. However, none of the vehicles used were the variants offered by those companies and an analysis of the type suggested would be inappropriate in the context of the current competition.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the importance of supplier experience and track record in his consideration of preferred bidder status for the military support vehicle contract. [177464]

Mr. Ingram: Consideration of these matters has informed the evaluation of bidders' proposals for the support vehicle project.

Mine Disposal

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for (1) what reasons he is holding an international competition for a Mine Disposal System; [176775]

(2) what (a) research and (b) evaluation his Department has carried out on the Archerfish to decide whether it meets the requirements of the Royal Navy for its Mine Disposal System. [176776]

Mr. Ingram: The requirement for the new single shot Mine Disposal System is subject to international competition in accordance with the Department's
 
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Industrial Policy, which will ensure that the most effective system to meet the requirement is obtained, while obtaining value for money for the taxpayer.

Four proposals have been received from industry, including one for the Archerfish system, and criteria, including operational effectiveness, through life support, safety and commercial aspects are being considered as part of the research and evaluation process. Following initial marking of the proposals, artificial trials in a water tank will be carried out on each system. Those that are successful will then undergo final explosive trials and ship based evaluations before a final decision is made.

Missile Defence Interceptor Missiles

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the US Administration concerning the deployment of missile defence interceptor missiles in the UK. [176837]

Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Alan Simpson) on 25 May 2004, Official Report, column 1616W.

Nuclear Safety

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department received copies of a nuclear safety report by John Connor in (a) June and (b) November 2002; and what evaluation has been made of its contents. [170228]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 6 May 2004]: In 1998 Mr. Connor submitted a report which was, effectively, a summary of correspondence that had taken place between him and the Ministry of Defence during the previous 20 months.

In 1999 he submitted an update which, after review, was found to be substantially the same and Mr. Connor was informed that nothing could be added to the MOD's previous exchanges with him. Mr. Connor submitted further updates in November 2000 and June 2002. Again, these did not include any new issues and, as Mr. Connor was aware from previous correspondence that the MOD would not engage further with him unless new issues of substance were raised, a response was not warranted.

Parliamentary Questions

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will furnish a substantive reply to question reference 170228 tabled by the hon. Member for New Forest, East on 28 April 2004. [177976]

Mr. Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member today.

Premature Voluntary Retirement

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what percentage of premature voluntary retirement applications have been denied for (a) officers and (b) other ranks in all three services in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [176111]
 
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(2) if he will list the number of (a) officers and (b) other ranks who (i) applied for premature voluntary retirement and (ii) had their applications accepted in each of the last three years, broken down by regiment; and if he will make a statement. [176745]

Mr. Caplin: Data on applications for Premature Voluntary Release (PVR) are published quarterly in the DASA Armed Forces Personnel Statistics publication Tri Service Publication, TSP 5. Copies of the latest publication (1 April 2004 figures) along with back issues are available in the Library of the House. Published data include officers and other ranks and show applications and actual exits for each of the three services, split by gender. The main difference between the number of applications for PVR and the number of actual exits shown in TSP 5 is due to individual applicants choosing to withdraw their applications whilst serving their notice, not due to applications being refused. PVR rates broken down by regiment are not held centrally and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

It is not possible to provide the information requested on those requests for PVR that have been denied as all such information is not held centrally and again could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Generally, denials are possible but are very rare and a deferral of the proposed leaving date is the more usual course of action.

Service Personnel Deaths

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the outcome was of the investigation into the deaths of (a) Sapper Luke Allsopp and (b) Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth; whether Her Majesty's Government received a response to it from the families of the men; and if he will make a statement. [173317]

Mr. Ingram: The investigation into the deaths of Staff Sergeant Cullingworth and Sapper Allsopp is continuing, and it would be inappropriate to speculate about its outcome. The families of both Servicemen have been regularly updated as to the progress of the investigation.

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