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DEFENCE

Consultants

Mr. Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to consultants in each of the last five years, stating in each case (a) the name of the consulting company, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the purpose for which the contract was awarded; and if he will make a statement. [191739]

Mr. Ingram: Summaries of the Ministry of Defence Expenditure on External Assistance, of which management consultancy is a part, are available in the Libraries of the Houses for the years 1995–96 to 2003–04.

Specific expenditure information by company, value and contract for each of the last five years is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Deepcut Barracks

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recommendations were made by the Army Board of Inquiry held into the death of Cheryl James at Deepcut Barracks; [190197]

(2) how and when each recommendation made in the Board of Inquiry into the death of Cheryl James was implemented; what procedures and rules were altered as a result and what assessment the Army has made of each implementation; and if he will make a statement; [190198]

(3) what recommendations were made by the Army Board of Inquiry held into the death of Sean Benton at Deepcut Barracks; [190199]

(4) how and when each recommendation made in the Board of Inquiry into the death of Sean Benton was implemented; what procedures and rules were altered as a result; what assessment the Army has made of each implementation; and if he will make a statement. [190200]

Mr. Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what obstacles remain to the establishment of a board of inquiry into the death of Private Geoff Gray at Deepcut Barracks on 17 September 2001. [190265]

Mr. Ingram: The Boards of Inquiry into the deaths of Privates Geoff Gray and James Collinson, who died at Deepcut on 23 March 2002, will be convened and run concurrently. Both Boards are being delayed so that their Terms of Reference may be informed by the conclusion of HM Coroner's investigation into the death of Private Collinson.
 
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Defence Bases (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of (a) intermediate and (b) low level nuclear waste are stored at (i) HMNB Clyde Faslane and (ii) the Rosyth Royal Naval Base. [192713]

Mr. Ingram: Information about the stocks of intermediate and low level radioactive waste held in the UK, including that held at HMNB Clyde and the Rosyth Royal Dockyard, is regularly published in the United Kingdom Radioactive Waste Inventory. It provides periodic snapshots of waste stocks, including levels of waste, location and whether the waste is held in temporary or permanent storage. The latest edition was published in October 2002 and is available in the Library of the House. A new inventory is due to be published in 2005.

Departmental Vehicles

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many road vehicles are operated by the Department and its agencies; how many personal injury accidents involving road vehicles operated by the Department have occurred within each of the last five years; and what the Department's policy is for managing work-related road safety. [185914]

Mr. Caplin: There are approximately 70,400 vehicles which use the road currently operated by the Ministry of Defence and its agencies. This includes both operational and non-armoured vehicles (B Vehicles) and the non-operational fleet (White Fleet). This figure does not however include vehicles that may have been purchased under local ad hoc arrangements and are consequently not managed by the Defence Logistics Organisation. The exact numbers could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The following table shows the numbers of personal injury accidents involving road vehicles operated by the Department over the five year period from January 2000.

	Accidents
January to December 2000	628
January to December 2001	554
January to December 2002	525
January to December 2003	503
January to July 2004	194

The MOD's policy for managing work-related road safety is set out in detail in the Joint Service Publication (JSP)—341 Defence Road Transport Regulations, (chapter 16). I will place a copy of this in the Library of the House. In addition JSP 485—The Defence Annual Road Safety Report for 2003–2004 is expected to be available early next year.

I also refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 490W, and the letter from Mr. Nick Matheson of the Government Car and Despatch Agency.
 
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English Regiments

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the existing English regiments have never been amalgamated. [191870]

Mr. Caplin: The following English Regiments have never been amalgamated:

The Royal Tank Regiment

Grenadier Guards

Coldstream Guards

The Green Howards

The Cheshire Regiment

The Parachute Regiment

Special Air Service Regiment

Equipment Usage

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what limitations there are on equipment usage for each type of operation. [188790]

Mr. Ingram: The level of equipment usage in any particular operation depends heavily on the specific demands of that operation, the nature of any United Kingdom military contribution and other concurrent commitments. Where extra equipment support costs are incurred due to increased usage on operations, the net additional costs of such activity are met from the Treasury's Reserve. Where capabilities are required in addition to those already in service with UK armed force, the Urgent Operational Requirements (UOR) process can be used, for example, to advance equipment acquisition plans or to modify in-service equipment. The financial arrangements governing UORs are agreed with the Treasury for each operation.

Eurocorps

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) manpower and (b) financial commitment has been assigned to Eurocorps. [191861]

Mr. Ingram: Until March 2004, the United Kingdom's contribution to Eurocorps consisted of one Army Colonel and one Warrant Officer, 2nd Class, who were liaison officers within the Headquarters. In Financial Year 2003–04 the total cost of this contribution was £156,271.

Following the recent review of UK representation in NATO, the contribution was withdrawn. There are no current plans to renew the contribution.

Firearms Rules

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules govern officers and soldiers being in possession of non-authorised personal firearm and ammunition (a) within barracks and (b) on patrol or otherwise on duty in (i) Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) Germany, (iv) Afghanistan, (v) Bosnia and (vi) Iraq. [176024]

Mr. Ingram: Only authorised Service firearms and ammunition may be issued to personnel on security duties in situations other than operations (within barracks and on patrol or otherwise on duty in Great Britain and Germany). On operations (Northern
 
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Ireland, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Iraq) the carriage of weapons and ammunition must be authorised by commanders in accordance with UK National Rules of Engagement. UK firearms legislation prohibits the possession and use, by servicemen, of unauthorised personal weapons and ammunition. UK law is applied to troops deployed on operations overseas.

Former Service Personnel (Employment)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance he has given Army Personnel Services on monitoring assistance given for the recruitment of former soldiers as (a) mercenaries and (b) operatives in private and personal security companies. [183387]

Mr. Ingram: None.

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