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Neutral Working Environments

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on a neutral working environment for Northern Ireland Government departments. [197104]

Mr. Pearson: The Northern Ireland Civil Service's Equal Opportunities Policy Statement asserts that

"Everyone has a right to equality of opportunity and to a good and harmonious working environment and atmosphere in which all workers are encouraged to apply their diverse talents and in which no worker feels under threat or intimidated".

 
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Pre-school Education

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many responses have been received relating to the review of pre-school education. [197099]

Mr. Gardiner: A total of 7,250 responses were received by the time the public consultation closed on 15 October.

School Leavers

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of pupils left full time education at the age of 16 in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available. [196163]

Mr. Gardiner: The latest available figure relates to those aged 16 at 1 July 2002. In autumn 2002, 22 per cent. of these young people were not in full-time education.

DEFENCE

1st Battalion the King's Regiment

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what postings the 1st Battalion the King's Regiment will receive in the next 12 months. [197886]

Mr. Hoon: The 1st Battalion The Kings Regiment (1 Kings) is due to remain in Catterick for the next 12 months, conducting a full training programme in preparation for a NATO standby commitment in 2006.

Army Annual Operating Costs

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an armoured regiment, (b) an armoured reconnaissance regiment, (c) a yeomanry regiment and (d) an army air corps regiment in financial year 2002–03; [196405]

(2) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an armoured infantry battalion, (b) a mechanised battalion, (c) an air assault battalion and (d) a light role battalion in financial year 2002–03; [196406]

(3) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) a Northern Ireland battalion, (b) a Gurkha battalion, (c) a home service battalion, (d) a training centre battalion, (e) a medical regiment and (f) a military hospital in financial year 2002–03; [196407]

(4) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an artillery field regiment, (b) an air defence regiment, (c) a MLRS regiment, (d) surveillance and target acquisitions and (e) a commando regiment in financial year 2002–03; [196408]
 
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(5) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit was for (a) an engineer regiment, (b) a signal regiment, (c) an EW regiment, (d) an equipment support battalion and (e) a logistics regiment in financial year 2002–03; [196409]

(6) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) engineer regiment, (b) signal regiment, (c) EW regiment, (d) equipment support battalion and (e) logistic regiment regular units were for financial year 2002–03; [196485]

(7) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) artillery field regiment, (b) air defence regiment, (c) MLRS regiment, (d) surveillance and target acquisition and (e) commando regiment regular units were for financial year 2002–03; [196484]

(8) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) Northern Ireland battalion, (b) Gurkha battalion, (c) home service battalion, (d) training centre battalion, (e) medical regiment and (f) hospital regular units were for financial year 2002–03; [196483]

(9) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) armoured infantry battalion, (b) mechanised battalion, (c) air assault battalion and (d) light role battalion regular units were for financial year 2002–03; [196482]

(10) what the average annual operating cost, broken down into direct Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and indirect Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit of the (a) armoured regiment, (b) armoured recce regiment, (c) yeomanry regiment and (d) army air corps regiment regular units were for financial year 2002–03. [196481]

Mr. Ingram: This information is not held centrally in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I am therefore withholding it under Exemption 9 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Army Deployment

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether other sections of the Army are expected to be deployed to undertake roles usually undertaken by the infantry. [191867]

Mr. Ingram: It is not unusual for the Royal Artillery and Royal Armoured Corps to deploy units in the infantry role. In addition, other parts of the Army, such as the Royal Corps of Signals and Royal Logistics Corps, undertake general infantry tasks as part of routine operations. This is made possible by the fact that every soldier in the Army is trained as an infantryman first, and as a specialist second.
 
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On larger operations, such as that in Iraq, a complete brigade is usually deployed as an entity, including infantry, armoured and artillery units. This reflects the fact that the whole brigade will have trained together for a range of operations, and will be capable of switching rapidly between different roles as part of routine business in Iraq. For example, in Iraq, armoured regiments regularly switch between operating with their tanks, and operating in the infantry role. These flexible arrangements are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

Basic Level Budget Holders

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Fleet, (b) General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland), (c) Commander-in-Chief Land Command, (d) Field Army (Theatre Troops), (e) 1st (UK) Armoured Division, (f) 2nd Division, (g) UK Support Command (Germany), (h) 3rd Division, (i) Joint Helicopter Command, (j) 4th Division, (k) Land Support and (l) 5th Division management groups for financial year 2002–03; [196469]

(2) if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) 1 Group, (b) 3 Group, (c) 2 Group, (d) Deputy Commander-in-Chief, (e) British Forces Cyprus, (f) British Forces Gibraltar, (g) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (h) Sovereign Base Areas Administration and (i) British Forces Falkland Islands management groups for financial year 2002–03; [196470]

(3) if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Defence Fuels Group, (b) Deputy Chief of Defence Logistics, (c) Defence Communication Services Agency, (d) Defence Logistics Support HQ, (e) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (f) DG Equipment Support (Land), (g) Warship Support Agency, (h) DG Equipment Support (Air), (i) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (j) Director Land Service Ammunition, (k) Defence Transport and Movements Agency and (l) British Forces Post Office management groups for financial year 2002–03; [196471]

(4) if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Flag Officer Training and Recruiting, (b) HQ, (c) Naval Secretary, (d) Adjutant General, (e) Army Personnel Centre, (f) Adjutant General, (g) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (h) Army Programme, (i) Service Children's Education and (j) General Staff management groups for financial year 2002–03; [196472]

(5) if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Personnel Management Agency, (b) Core HQ, (c) Training Group Defence Agency, (d) Internal Costs, (e) Programme Account and (f) Nuclear management groups for financial year 2002–03; [196473]

(6) if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Personnel Director, (b) War Pensions Agency, (c) Pay and Personnel Agency, (d) Surgeon General, (e) Defence Vetting Agency, (f) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Personnel), (g) Defence Export Services Org, (h) Defence
 
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Secondary Care Agency, (i) Finance Director, (j) Defence Dental Agency, (k) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (l) Defence Housing Executive and (m) Defence Bills Agency management groups for financial year 2002–03; [196474]

(7) if he will list the basic level budget holders subordinate to the (a) Defence Medical Training Organisation, (b) Chief Constable MOD Police, (c) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, (d) Chief Scientific Adviser, (e) Defence Estates, (f) Policy Director, (g) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Commitments), (h) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Equipment Capability), (i) Director Special Forces, (j) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (k) Defence Geographic and Imaging Intelligence Agency and (l) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre management groups for financial year 2002–03. [196475]

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

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