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DEFENCE

Advisers

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on (a) political advisers, (b) management consultants, (c) accountants and (d) legal advisers in the last 12 months. [181766]

Mr. Caplin [holding reply 1 July 2004]: The Ministry of Defence is currently preparing a summary of the External Assistance expenditure for Financial Year 2003–04. This includes categories for Management Consultants, Accountants and Legal Advisers. This information will be placed in the Library of the Houses shortly. Once this takes place I will write to the hon. gentlemen.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16 July 2003, (Official Report, column 329W) to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Geraint Davies) setting out information about political advisers.

Air Tanker

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Marshall Aerospace in respect of air-to-air refuelling capability; and if he will make a statement on progress with the private finance initiative project for a new air tanker. [180499]

Mr. Ingram: Marshall Aerospace has written to the Ministry of Defence a number of times with unsolicited proposals to provide future air refuelling capability. The Ministry of Defence is currently assessing whether future air refuelling requirements can be provided, at best value for money, through a PFI service contract with AirTanker Ltd., a consortium comprising EADS,
 
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Rolls Royce, Cobham and Thales. Discussions with AirTanker Ltd. are ongoing. No final decision has been made.

British-French Co-operation

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the letters of intent that pledge further co-operation between the British and French armies and navies, signed on 9 June. [180560]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 28 June 2004]: I will arrange for copies of the United Kingdom and French Navy and Army Letters of Intent concerning co-operation signed on 9 June to be placed in the Library. The Annex giving information relating to operational and technical matters for the Navy is being withheld under exemption 1b and 1c of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Cadet Forces

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) establishment and (b) current recruited number is of (i) cadets and (ii) officers and other adult instructors in each of the cadet forces. [160979]

Mr. Caplin: The information is as follows:

Establishments for affiliated Cadet Organisations.

Navy—There is no establishment number.

Army—There is no actual ACF Cadet establishment number.

Air Force—The Air Cadet Organisation has a cadet establishment of 50,000 cadets and 16,225 Officers. (June 2003)

Combined Cadet Force—The CCF is established for 48,663 cadets, and 2,118 officers.

Civil Service (Relocation)

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants and what percentage of the total civil service workforce in his Department will be relocated over the next five years (a) outside the M25, (b) to the West Midlands and (c) to Staffordshire. [180181]

Mr. Caplin: The Lyons Report gives details of the Ministry of Defence's relocation plans, which are being taken forward and refined as a part of the Spending Review.

Civilian Internees (Compensation)

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether those who were excluded from the compensation scheme for civilian internees of the Japanese were individually interviewed. [177809]

Mr. Caplin: The Veterans' Agency (formerly the War Pensions Agency), which administers the scheme, has a dedicated section dealing specifically with the ex gratia payment scheme. Although they have no formal interview process the section does provide advice on eligibility and on finding the evidence required to complete the application forms.
 
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Correspondence

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for North Norfolk dated 29 April 2004 concerning BAE Systems and Robert Lee International. [181833]

Mr. Ingram: My noble Friend, the Minister for Defence Procurement (Lord Bach), wrote to the hon. Member on 25 May 2004, within our 15 working day target for answering ministerial correspondence.

Gurkhas

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength of the Gurkhas was in each of the last five years; and in which countries they were deployed in the armed forces. [181646]

Mr. Caplin: The strength of the Brigade of Gurkhas during each of the last five years, as at 1 July and the countries in which they were deployed, were as follows:

	Countries	Number
1999	Kosovo, East Timor	3,354
2000	Kosovo, Falklands, Bosnia, Sierra Leone	3,361
2001	Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Falklands, Macedonia	3,485
2002	Kosovo, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone	3,473
2003	Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Iraq	3,416
2004	Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan(41)	3,394

⁽⁴¹⁾ To date.

In addition, Gurkhas are permanently present in the United Kingdom and Brunei; and a small recruiting and administration staff is maintained in Nepal.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people wished to be considered for service in the Gurkhas, and what the average selection time was, in the last three years. [181647]

Mr. Caplin: The numbers of applicants who wished to be considered for service in either the British Gurkhas or the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force in each of the last three years are shown as follows. Initially, applicants are treated as potential recruits for either force until they are assigned during the selection process. The selection process each year takes 17 days, but due to conditions in Nepal this is spread over a four month period.

	Numbers applying
2001–02	25,413
2002–03	26,797
2003–04	22,521

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 June 2004, Official Report, columns 4–5WS, on Iraq, what the alleged offences which have been subject to further investigation since 4 May are; and whether he expects further new investigations in addition to the 14 initiated. [179014]

 
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Mr. Ingram: Of the 14 cases subject to further investigation since 4 May noted in my statement of 8 June, 10 concern shooting incidents which occurred when UK soldiers were attacked and returned fire. The remaining four relate to allegations of ill-treatment. Since the statement was made a further four investigations have been initiated all of which concern fire fights with Iraqis. Given the difficult security environment in which our armed forces continue to operate in Iraq and our policy of investigating allegations and incidents, further investigations cannot be ruled out.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 June 2004, Official Report, columns 4–5WS, on Iraq, who is responsible for ensuring information on all investigations by service police into incidents in Iraq is collated; and where such information is held; [179019]

(2) pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 June 2004, Official Report, columns 4–5WS, on Iraq, who is responsible for incorporating details of investigations from all branches of service police. [179015]

Mr. Ingram: The various service police branches are responsible for maintaining their own records. Information on investigations into alleged ill-treatment of Iraqi civilians by United Kingdom service personnel is currently being collated from various sources by the Adjutant General's Department.

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