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Explosion Mitigation Technology

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the use of explosion mitigation technology in the fuel tanks of armoured fighting vehicles used by British forces. [177214]

Mr. Ingram: In the main, the armoured vehicles used by the British forces rely on the protection afforded to the fuel tanks by the vehicle's armour and the positioning of tanks themselves within the vehicle. Some of the newer armoured vehicles currently in service, however, have additional measures incorporated in their design, with the intention of reducing the risk of fire and explosion in the fuel tanks.

In addition, since the acceptance and implementation of the current NATO Single Fuels Policy by the United Kingdom in 1991, all operational vehicles procured will run on diesel or kerosene type fuels which are inherently
 
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safer than gasoline. This in itself mitigates against the threat of fire, because of the reduction in the flammability of the fuel. For older vehicles, conversion programmes have been undertaken where this represents a cost-effective option for the remaining life of the fleet.

FRES Programme

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strategic purpose is of the Future Rapid Effects System (FRES) programme; if he will make a statement on the range of technologies required for FRES; how many of the technologies needed for the FRES programme will be UK-sourced; what importance he places on FRES being a British developed and manufactured capability; and what role (a) Alvis Hagglund and (b) Alvis plc are expected to have in the FRES programme. [177781]

Mr. Ingram: The Future Rapid Effects System will provide a family of network-capable armoured vehicles as part of a coherent, effective and highly deployable medium-weight force, able to operate across the full spectrum of conflict, but with a significantly improved rapid intervention capability to prevent escalation of conflict and more protracted military commitment. However, the overall utility of FRES is much broader than just rapid intervention, as the vehicles will fulfil a wide range of combat and combat support roles.

There are a number of technologies that are under consideration, and early work will focus on maximising our understanding of their risks and maturity levels before we determine what is, and what is not, suitable for FRES.

FRES provides excellent opportunities for the United Kingdom industry to engage in the programme in line with the Defence Industrial Policy. However, until we have a better understanding of the FRES capability, and the potential solutions for providing it, the industrial arrangements must remain flexible in order to avoid prejudicing future options.

HMS Caroline

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in securing the retention of HMS Caroline in Belfast once decommissioned by the Royal Navy. [178548]

Mr. Caplin: After consideration by the Ministry of Defence, it has been decided to retain HMS Caroline for the foreseeable future as the RN Reserve Training Centre in Belfast. HMS Caroline will remain under the ownership of the Warship Support Agency who fund the maintenance of the ship.

Iraq

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the operation of the concessionary postal service for forces personnel in Iraq. [178432]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my Written Statement of 27 February 2004, Official Report, column 70WS, and subsequent answers of 5 March 2004, Official Report, column 1155W, to the hon.
 
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Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock), 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1605W, to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson) and 5 May 2004, Official Report, column 1527W, to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Randall).

Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sites where it is known that cluster bombs were dropped by UK forces in Iraq have been cleared; how many sites await clearance; and if he will make a statement. [161586]

Mr. Ingram: To date, around 1.1 million individual items of unexploded ordnance have been cleared in the Multinational Division (South East) Area of Operations. This figure includes around 6,000 items of submunitions, though it is not possible to break down this figure into type of submunition or the county from which individual submunitions originated.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are being made governing the responsibility for prisoners currently detained by the occupation forces in Iraq when powers of sovereignty are returned to Iraq on 1 July 2004. [167376]

Mr. Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 8 June 2004, Official Report, columns 292–93W, to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell).

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British Service personnel have used stress postures as a technique of interrogation in Iraq. [174619]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 20 May 2004]: The use of stress positions is not a permitted interrogation technique and is therefore not permitted in Iraq.

Overseas Dentists

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, Department of Health hon. Member for Doncaster, Central (Ms Winterton), of 11 May 2004, Official Report, column 22WH, how many overseas dentists he expects to start working in the armed services; and if he will make a statement. [178565]

Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence employs two types of dentist—those who are part of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and Civilians employed as Civilian Dental Practitioners (CDPs) or as locums, who work within the Defence Dental Agency (DDA).

In order to become a military dentist, individuals have to satisfy the nationality requirement to join the armed forces. This requires that applicants must be UK, Commonwealth or Irish Republic nationals. Therefore recruitment of Military dentists from outside of these areas does not take place.

The DDA does however recruit some civilian and locum dentists from the European Economic Area (EEA) and other countries, in addition to those from the UK, Commonwealth and the Irish Republic.

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women held in British-run
 
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military and civilian prisons in Iraq have been charged with (i) criminal and (ii) military offences; and if he will make a statement. [177249]

Mr. Ingram: As of 10 June 2004 the United Kingdom were holding in Iraq 78 male internees no female internees and no detainees at the Divisional Temporary Detention Centre in Shiabah. Individuals are classified as internees if they pose or are judged likely to pose a threat to Coalition Forces. They are classified as detainees if they are suspected of a criminal act under Iraqi law. Detainees are immediately handed over to the Iraq Police Service.

Procurement

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how he takes account of the sustainability of the UK defence industrial base when making decisions on defence acquisitions for UK forces. [177389]

Mr. Ingram: The Government's Defence Industrial Policy, published in October 2002, seeks to provide the armed forces with the equipment which they require at best value for money for the taxpayer while sustaining a healthy and globally competitive defence industry. The factors that we take into account when making acquisition decisions are set out in Tables 1 and 2 of the Policy and, taken together, enable the best value for money solution to be identified. These factors include consideration of the impact on long-term value for money and on industrial capabilities which it is desirable to retain in the United Kingdom industrial base not only for defence reasons but also owing to the high value which they bring to the industrial economy. Copies of the Policy, together with detailed implementation guidance are freely available, and are included on the Ministry of Defence's website (www.mod.uk).

Sexual Offenders

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what measures he has taken to ensure that non-commissioned officers convicted of child pornography sex offences are debarred from further contact with young soldiers; and if he will make a statement on the particular circumstances of an NCO serving in the Royal Regiment of Wales; [175197]

(2) what steps were taken to inform civilian authorities in (a) Kosovo and (b) Germany following the conviction in 2002 of a Royal Regiment of Wales non-commissioned officer for offences involving child pornography. [175198]

Mr. Ingram: All personnel convicted of child pornography offences will have details of the charges, and punishment, recorded on their career file and conduct sheet. Subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, this will be taken into consideration during the selection process, in order to assess an individual's suitability for any particular post.

There is no record of a non-commissioned officer currently serving in, or attached to, the Royal Regiment of Wales being convicted, in 2002, of offences related to child pornography, though a junior NCO attached to RRW was convicted in 2004 as a result of an investigation started in 2002.
 
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No provision exists within the Sexual Offences Act requiring the armed forces to inform other jurisdictions that a sex offender is intending to visit their country; this is a matter for the civil police.

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