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DEFENCE

Administration Costs

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 483W, on Ministry of Defence administration costs, what estimate he has made of the Ministry of Defence's administration budget for financial years 1997–98 to 2007–08. [196580]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has agreed to introduce an administration costs control regime to cover the Spending Review 2004 period. The MOD is still working with the Treasury to finalise the details of what will be encompassed and how it will be measured. The new regime will take effect in the financial year starting in April 2005. There are no plans to estimate administration costs for previous years.

Army Support Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the recent contract for Army support vehicles will include (a) electronics and (b) the ability to add electronics. [196215]

Mr. Ingram: Support vehicles will include an embedded electronic engine management system, which will record modifications to the engine, assist in fault diagnosis, control fuel usage and exhaust emissions, together with recording a profile of the vehicles' usage.

It will be possible to upgrade this system in the future, if required.

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the requirement by the Army for a range of family medium vehicles will include the possibility of purchasing the US Stryker family of vehicles. [196216]

Mr. Ingram: Studies planned for the Assessment Phase will consider a range of options for delivering the Future Rapid Effects System capability. The Assessment Phase work is in its very early stages, therefore it is too early to pre-judge the merits of potential candidates.

Capital Commitments

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to note 20 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2003–04, HC 1080, if he will list the capital commitments that have been contracted but not provided for. [196466]

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

Combat Clothing

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the production centres that will produce combat clothing for the armed forces are located. [195597]

 
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Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence generally places contracts for combat clothing with UK and EU suppliers who, depending on the item involved, choose to either manufacture or sub-contract at locations in the UK, mainland Europe and overseas.

Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department has taken to ensure that the quality of combat clothing is maintained. [195598]

Mr. Ingram: In any clothing contract, including combat clothing, suppliers identify controls within their accredited quality systems to ensure performance levels are maintained. The Ministry of Defence requires ISO accreditation from prime contractors and has quality surveillance methods, including sample testing, to ensure that finished items are compliant with the contracted specification.

Departmental Databases

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place in the Library a list of the tables and related fields of the (a) Defence Balanced Scorecard Application, (b) RAPID database, (c) CDRT database, (d) the CLIME database, (e) Defence Procurement Agency's OATS database and (f) Defence Procurement Agency's COO database, together with diagrams showing the table relationships; [196477]

(2) if he will place in the Library a list of the tables and related fields of (a) his Department's parliamentary questions database, (b) his Department's GODIVA database, (c) the Defence Bills Agency Monthly Journal of Records database, (d) his Department's Departmental Financial Management System database, and (e) the Defence Procurement Agency's ORACLE financial analyser database together with diagrams showing the table relationships. [196476]

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

Departmental Management Groups

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library organisational diagrams showing his Department's (a) top level budget holders, (b) intermediate management groups and (c) management groups for financial years 1999–2000 to 2003–04. [196578]

Mr. Ingram: Yes.

HMS Sandown/Inverness/Bridport

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to transfer (a) HMS Sandown, (b) HMS Inverness and (c) HMS Bridport to an overseas navy. [194683]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Agency (DSA) is seeking to secure a Government-to-Government sale for these vessels with an overseas navy. Initial exploratory discussions have taken place with several overseas nations and will continue.
 
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Iraq

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of changes in the security situation in the south east of Iraq since June; [193306]

(2) whether the security situation in south east Iraq has improved since June. [193307]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 25 October 2004]: British personnel and other Coalition members are working closely with the Iraqi security forces to increase stability in the south east of Iraq. There have been peaks in insurgent activity, such as that in August, which have presented particular challenges to the Coalition but progress continues to be made towards successful elections in January.

Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he expects the solution for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) requirement to be achieved as part of a Private Finance Initiative. [193127]

Mr. Ingram: The Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) project is still in its early stages and, as yet, no final decisions have been made on the scope of the capability sought and how best to deliver that requirement. However, from the studies so far, it is not currently envisaged that a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) solution will be adopted, although innovative solutions, including Public Private Partnering principles, will be welcomed.

RAF Lyneham

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Virgin Atlantic about further usage of RAF Lyneham. [192173]

Mr. Ingram: Following a Question Book correction, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 19 October 2004, Official Report, column 595W, I can confirm that Defence Ministers have had no such discussions.

Submarines

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what warranty comes from the manufacturer on submarines commissioned into the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement. [195219]

Mr. Ingram: It is the Ministry of Defence's policy to obtain Express Warranties from the contractor for the procurement of technically complex or safety critical equipment, such as submarines, where these offer value for money. Express Warranties are likely to offer greater benefit than remedies implied by General Law, are clearly defined, and include warranty claims procedures that provide greater certainty. The last submarines to be commissioned into service with the Royal Navy were the Vanguard Class and each submarine had a 12-month Express Warranty from the manufacturer.
 
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Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many submarines commissioned into the Royal Navy since 1974 have had defects affecting their seaworthiness identified and remedied during their sea trials prior to handover; [195220]

(2) how many submarines commissioned into the Royal Navy since 1974 developed defects affecting their seaworthiness within six months of handover. [195221]

Mr. Ingram: Before a submarine goes to sea it undergoes an extensive series of trials and equipment setting-to-work in the shipyard. It is not unusual for defects to emerge during the course of the Sea Trials, or within six months of a newly commissioned submarine entering service, and careful planning is undertaken to ensure such defects can be dealt with as they arise. The vast majority of these defects have no impact on a submarine's seaworthiness. Systems that could affect seaworthiness generally have some form of back up to prevent the submarine from being at risk as a result of a single failure; this is inherent in the design. Safety is of paramount importance and a submarine would not be sent to sea unless it was safe to do so.

Statistical data on Contractor Sea Trials that are carried out for each new submarine prior to acceptance into service with the Royal Navy are not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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