---

7 Jul 2004 : Column 717W—continued

NORTHERN IRELAND

Electricity Prices

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact that the building of the North West gas pipeline will have on domestic electricity prices to customers in Northern Ireland. [182090]

Mr. Gardiner: As part of the consultation on the introduction of the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, an assessment was made of the impact of expanding the gas network in Northern Ireland, which comprises the North West and South North pipelines. The effect of postalisation on the average domestic electricity bill was estimated to be an increase of 0.6 per cent., equivalent to around £1.80 per annum.

Means-Tested Benefits

Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the means-tested benefits available through his Department and the agencies for which it is responsible (a) in May 1997 and (b) now. [182595]

Mr. Spellar: The income-related or means-tested benefits available to people in Northern Ireland are:

(a) in 1997—income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit, family credit and disability working allowance;

(b) in 2004—income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, state pension credit and housing benefit.

 
7 Jul 2004 : Column 718W
 

Police Service

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the budgetary provision is for the Police Service for 2004–05; what the expenditure by the Police Service has been so far in the current financial year; what his estimate is of the likely end-of-year financial out-turn; and if he will make a statement. [181179]

Mr. Pearson: The overall approved budgetary provision for the PSNI is £734.8 million, being £706.8 million revenue and £28 million capital. For the two-month period to the end of May 2004, actual spend was £118.3 million against a budget of £124 million.

It is too early in the financial year to estimate the end of year out-turn, but the PSNI is planning to keep within its budgetary provision. A key factor is the public order situation during the summer months and the potential impact on overtime costs. This and other factors will be monitored as the year progresses.

Road Policing

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) mobile traffic police units and (b) permanent speed cameras there are in each district command unit in Northern Ireland. [179953]

Mr. Pearson: The information requested is as follows:

(a) The PSNI currently have eight mobile speed detection cameras. These are a regional resource and are deployed at identified sites where there is a history of injury collisions and evidence of speeding across all District Command Units.

(b) The PSNI currently have four fixed safety cameras, all of which are located in Belfast District Command Unit at the following sites:

Saintfield Road

Newtownards Road

Antrim Road

Springfield Road.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what NATO's future plans are for Afghanistan; and when the increased forces will be deployed. [181941]

Mr. Ingram: The NATO summit in Istanbul confirmed the Alliance's plans to expand the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) across Afghanistan. This is already under way—we transferred control over the United Kingdom-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in North-West Afghanistan and their support forces, from the coalition to the ISAF on 1 July 2004. New German and Dutch PRTs are also to deploy in the near future. In addition, NATO has undertaken to deploy a quick reaction force of up to a thousand troops. Further troops will be put on high readiness to move into theatre if required.
 
7 Jul 2004 : Column 719W
 

Army Training Establishments

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his ministerial colleagues have read the report by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Haes OBE, Army Training and Recruitment Agency, Duty of Care and Supervision Report 98–01, into the regime at Army initial training establishments. [182582]

Mr. Caplin: A number of reports, including the Haes report, relate to the care of trainees at Army initial training establishments. Ministers have been briefed on the content of these reports.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the members of the chain of command who have studied the Haes Army Training and Recruitment Agency Duty of Care and Suspension Report 98–01; how many of the report's recommendations have been implemented; when they were implemented; and if he will make a statement. [182583]

Mr. Caplin: The Haes report was widely circulated within the Army Training and Recruitment Agency (ATRA) and Army headquarters. It was not directly a vehicle for action, though many of the issues raised (including recruit to instructor ratios and the time lag that may occur between initial and trade training) were taken up by subsequent work.

Harrier GR7 Aircraft

Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier GR7 aircraft undergoing HMP3 block 1A programme will be repaired at BAE Warton. [180648]

Mr. Ingram: Eleven Harrier GR7 aircraft in total.

Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether Royal Navy personnel have a sufficient level of competence to work on Harrier GR7 aircraft up to the standard required by the RAF. [181260]

Mr. Ingram: RN personnel are trained to the same high standards as those in the RAF and have to achieve a certificate of competency before being allowed to work, or supervise work, on any aircraft type.

RN personnel employed on Harrier GR7 Squadrons are required to pass the same qualification courses as their RAF colleagues.

Iran

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement on the Shatt Al Arab incident, of 30 June 2004, Official Report, columns 12–13WS, if he will publish the text of representations made to the Iranian Government about the seizure and treatment of British service personnel. [182465]

Mr. Hoon: The details of such representations are confidential between Governments. I set out the nature of the representations in my statement of 30 June 2004, Official Report, columns 12–13WS.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement on the Shatt Al Arab incident, of 30 June 2004, Official Report, columns 12–13WS, what his latest assessment is
 
7 Jul 2004 : Column 720W
 
of the accuracy of the claim by British servicemen that they were seized by the Iranians when outside Iranian territorial waters. [182466]

Mr. Hoon: Our latest assessment remains that which I set out to the House by written statement on 30 June 2004, Official Report, columns 12–13WS. Our inquiries would be greatly assisted by the return of an intact Global Positioning System (GPS).

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement on the Shatt Al Arab incident, of 30 June 2004, Official Report, columns 12–13WS, what the medical reasons associated with the incident are which caused one seized serviceman to be returned to the United Kingdom. [182468]

Mr. Hoon: Individuals' medical details are a private matter and are confidential.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether in any case under investigation by the Royal Military Police in Iraq the Royal Military Police was involved in the activity under investigation; and if he will make a statement. [179412]

Mr. Ingram: A number of cases under investigation in Iraq involve the Royal Military Police but mainly as victims of crime, including two cases where a total of nine RMP soldiers were killed. Three cases involving the injury of Iraqis by RMP soldiers during operational incidents were investigated but no evidence of crime was found in each case.

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, of 18 May 2004, Official Report, column 887W, to the right hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) and the hon. Member for Tooting (Tom Cox), on Iraq, what the cost to the Ministry of Defence of operations in Iraq has been in this financial year. [181735]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence, in common with other Government Departments, publishes expenditure data on an annual basis in its Resource Accounts following audit by the National Audit Office. Audited figures for the cost of operations in Iraq in this financial year will be published in the MOD's Resource Accounts in 2005. (Figures for 2003–04 will be published this September.) It is too early to provide any estimate for the total costs that will be incurred this year, but we will ask the House to vote the necessary funds in Supplementary Estimates in due course.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 30 June to Question 158865, on Iraqi bodies, what the names were of the Iraqis for whom requests were made for exhumation; and what the date of the request was in each case. [182359]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 5 July 2004]: The names of the Iraqis for whom exhumation requests were made
 
7 Jul 2004 : Column 721W
 
are shown as follows along with the date of the request and whether the request to exhume was granted.

	Request made	Request granted
Ahmed Jabber Kareem	28 May 2003	Yes
Abdul Al Jubba Mousa Ali	18 June 2003	No
Nadhem Abdullah	16 July 2003 to 17 December 2003	No/no
G. G. H. D. Roomi	22 January 2004	Yes
Ather Khalaf Mohammed	8 February 2004	Yes

Investigating Officers have sought exhumations to assist with their inquiries on six occasions. Where the families have refused to give permission exhumations have not been performed, as UK armed forces have respected local culture and religious beliefs, even though this has hampered some investigations.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the document issued to service personnel announcing the ban on the use of hoods for Iraqi prisoners. [172994]

Mr. Hoon: An amended Standard Operating Instruction on the Policy for Apprehending, Handling and Processing Detainees and Internees was issued on 30 September 2003. The following section of the document contains the relevant information.

a. Apprehended individuals are to be treated at all times fairly, humanely and with respect for his or her personal dignity;

b. Apprehended individuals are to be protected from danger and the elements;

c. Apprehended individuals are not to be kept in direct sunlight for long periods;

d. Medical care is to be provided if required;

e. Food and water are to be provided as necessary, having regard to any national, ethnic or religious dietary requirements;

f. Physical and mental torture, corporal punishment, humiliating or degrading treatment, or the threat of such, is prohibited;

g. The use of hooding and stress positions are prohibited;

h. Females are to be segregated from males;

i. Juveniles (under 15) are to be segregated from other apprehended individuals unless to do so would impose solitary confinement on the individual; and

j. It is a command responsibility to ensure that all apprehended individuals are treated in accordance with these principles.

---