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12 Jul 2004 : Column 991W—continued

Export Support

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 30 June 2004, Official Report, column 351W, what the reasons were for the increased expenditure of the export support teams. [182565]

Mr. Ingram: The increased expenditure for the Export Support Team figures for 2003–04 compared with the previous year was due largely to the inclusion of ammunition, which was charged to single service budgets in previous years. As indicated in the previous answer, costs for 2001–02 were not recorded on a basis fully comparable with later years for technical reasons.

Gibraltar

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what future military role he plans for Gibraltar. [182813]

Mr. Ingram: There are no plans to change Gibraltar's current military role, which centres on providing a forward mounting base and other facilities to support overseas operations. This role will continue to be kept under regular review.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has officially to acknowledge Gibraltar's contribution during the second world war. [182822]

Mr. Ingram: The Government will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the second world war on 10 July 2005. The events on that day will recognise the contribution of all those, service and civilian, home and overseas, who took part in the war. There are no separate plans concerning Gibraltar's contribution during world war 2.

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the Gibraltar Regiment. [182823]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 May 2004, Official Report, column 1528W.

Hawk 128

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates his Department's Investment Approvals Board considered the decision to meet the Ministry of Defence's advanced jet trainer requirement through the purchase from BAE Systems of Hawk 128 aircraft. [182255]

Mr. Ingram: The Investment Approvals Board met to consider the business case for the advanced jet trainer on the following dates in 2003: 12 May, 27 May and 4 June.

HMP3 Fleet

Mr. John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the anticipated in-service date is for the HMP3 fleet; and whether he expects it to be achieved within the specified time scale. [180644]

 
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Mr. Ingram: The HMP3 programme is on schedule to meet the Harrier GR9/T12 in-service date of September 2006.

HMS Trafalgar

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the grounding of HMS Trafalgar in November 2002 caused damage to the submarine's nuclear reactor; whether the boat was carrying a nuclear weapon at the time; and if he will make statement. [182958]

Mr. Ingram: No damage was caused to HMS Trafalgar's nuclear reactor as a result of the grounding incident in November 2002. The Strategic Defence Review made clear that Trident is the UK's only nuclear weapon. It is not carried onboard Trafalgar Class submarines.

Hooding

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the orders given to UK soldiers regarding the use of hoods after arrest and during detention of military combatants in Iraq. [178711]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 14 June 2004]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 July 2004, Official Report, column 721W, to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood).

Iraq

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) women and (b) prisoners under 18 years of age are in detention in Iraq. [175774]

Mr. Ingram: As of 7 July 2004, no women and one internee under 18 years of age were being held in the UK detention facility at Shaibah in Iraq.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will reply to the question from the hon. Member for Camarthen East and Dinefwr of 1 March 2004, ref 158865, on the exhumation of bodies. [177582]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 7 June 2004]: I replied to the hon. Member on 30 June 2004, Official Report, column 358W.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a summary of all cases involving alleged violence to Iraqi individuals by British forces, including (a) the incident complained of, (b) who made the complaint, (c) evidence considered, (d) the detailed findings and conclusions and (e) which have ended in ruling of no case to answer. [179413]

Mr. Ingram: 27 cases involving alleged violence to Iraqi individuals by British forces that have been subject to investigation by Service Police have so far concluded that there was no case to answer. 23 of these relate to operational incidents and four to allegations involving detention. A formal complaint is not a prerequisite for a Service Police investigation. I am withholding detailed information on specific cases under Section 4 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
 
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Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what immunities will be enjoyed by UK armed forces operating in Iraq following the transfer of sovereignty in that country; and if he will make a statement. [179869]

Mr. Ingram: A new version of Coalition Provisional Authority Order 17, agreed by the Iraqi Government, grants the Multinational Force in Iraq immunity from Iraqi jurisdiction.

The order may be viewed at www.iraqcoalition.org/regulations/index.html.

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply to the Question reference 174620, on Iraq (detainees), what guidance the Standard Operating Instruction contained on the use of hoods on apprehended persons prior to its amendment on 30 September 2003. [182357]

Mr. Ingram (holding answer 5 July 2004): Prior to the amendment made on 30 September 2003, the Standard Operating Instruction on the Policy for Apprehending, Handling and Processing of Detainees and Internees made no reference to the use of hoods.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2004, Official Report, columns 144–45W, on Iraq, how many visits have been made by members of the International Committee of the Red Cross to places of detention administered by the UK in Iraq; on what dates the visits were made; and where the visits were to. [182576]

Mr. Ingram: The only United Kingdom detention facility is the Divisional Temporary Detention Facility at Shaibah. Since its opening on 20 December 2003 there have been three visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross: 10–12 February 2004; 1–3 April and 17–19 May.

Joint Combat Aircraft

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between the Integrated Project Teams for the Carriers and the Future Joint Combat Aircraft about the requirement for the JCA. [182385]

Mr. Ingram: There is continuous liaison between the two Integrated Project Teams as part of routine business. This includes extensive information sharing and regular joint planning meetings to manage the ship and air interface.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his US counterparts on the timescale for the Future Joint Combat Aircraft project. [182387]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 June 2004 (Official Report, column 1177W) to my hon. Friend the Member for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochabar (Mr Stewart). Regular discussions with the US Administration include the timescale for the Future Joint Combat Aircraft project.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the export potential of the Eurofighter/Typhoon. [182389]

 
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Mr. Ingram: We believe Eurofighter Typhoon is a world-class aircraft with strong export potential. The Defence Export Services Organisation of the Ministry of Defence is fully involved in supporting United Kingdom industry's efforts to promote this aircraft. The first order from outside the partner nations has been placed by Austria, and a number of other countries have expressed an interest in ordering the aircraft.

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