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Provisions (Beef)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage by weight of beef supply contracts for his Department and its agencies for each year since 1997 were sourced from (a) British and (b) Scottish herds. [207598]

Mr. Caplin: During the period 1997–2001, 54 per cent. of the beef purchased for consumption by the armed forces in the United Kingdom was sourced from Britain. Of that total, 40 per cent. came from Scottish Herds.

During the period 2002–04,46 per cent. of the beef purchased for consumption by the armed forces in UK was sourced from Britain. Of that total, 70 per cent. came from Scottish Herds.

Regular Reserve

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the regular reserve have (a) received statutory notice of compulsory mobilisation and (b) been accepted into mobilised service for operations overseas since 1998. [205447]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 16 December 2004]: No Royal Fleet Reserve personnel have been mobilised for operations overseas since 1998.

Since 1998, the RAF has only mobilised regular reservists in 2003 to support Operation TELIC. 511 call-out notices were served on members of the RAF ex-regular reserve of which 165 individuals were accepted into mobilised service. Expressed as a percentage 1.3 per cent. of the RAF ex-regular reserve was served with a call-out notice of which 0.4 per cent. of the RAF ex-regular reserve were accepted into service.

For the Army the figures requested cannot be compiled without resorting to a manual trawl or records and personnel files. This could be completed only at disproportionate cost.

Staff Numbers

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Defence Academy, (ii) Defence Estates, (iii) Dep Chief Defence Staff (Commitments), (iv) Director Special Forces, (v) Defence Geographic and Imaging Intelligence Agency, (vi) Veterans Agency, (vii) Dep Chief Defence Staff (Personnel), (viii) Defence Dental Agency and (ix) Defence Housing Executive management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205472]

(2) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency,
 
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(ii) Policy Director, (iii) Dep Chief Defence Staff (Equipment Capability), (iv) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (v) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (vi) Defence Medical Services Department and (vii) Defence Medical Education and Training Agency management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205473]

(3) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Internal Costs, (ii) Programme Account and (iii) Nuclear management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205474]

(4) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Flag Officer Training and Recruiting, (ii) HQ and (iii) Naval Secretary management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205476]

(5) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Army Personnel Centre, (ii) Army Training and Recruitment Agency, (iii) Service Children's Education and (iv) Primary Health Care management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205477]

(6) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Adjutant General, (ii) Army Programme, (iii) General Staff, (iv) QVS and (v) DYRMS management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205478]

(7) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Personnel Management Agency, (ii) Core HQ and (iii) Training Group Defence Agency management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205479]

(8) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Fleet, (ii) General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland), (iii) Command Field Army, (iv) Joint Helicopter Command, (v) Land Support and (vi) Command Regional Forces management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205480]

(9) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) 1 Group, (ii) 2 Group, (iii) 3 Group and (iv) Deputy Commander-in-Chief management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205481]

(10) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) British Forces Cyprus, (ii) British Forces Gibraltar, (iii) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (iv) Sovereign Base Areas Administration and (v) British Forces Falkland Islands management groups was in financial year 2003–04; [205482]

(11) what the average number of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time equivalent staff employed by the (i) Defence Fuels Group, (ii) Defence Communication Services Agency, (iii) DG Equipment Support (Land), (iv) DG Equipment Support (Air) and (v) Defence Transport and Movements Agency management groups was in financial year 2003–04. [205483]

Mr. Caplin: The available information on numbers of military and civilian personnel analysed by budgetary grouping and Defence Agency for 2003–04 is contained
 
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in tables 2.2 and 2.6 of United Kingdom Defence Statistics 2003 and 2004, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Swan Hunter

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision not to assist Swan Hunter with the overrun in budget to build the Largs Bay and Lyme Bay vessels at its Wallsend yard; and if he will make a statement. [199991]

Mr. Ingram: The Government's decision on how to deal with the delays and cost overruns in the design and construction of these vessels will be based on consideration of value for money. The Royal Navy has a continuing requirement for these ships and our assessments so far suggest that the best value for money would be offered by re-negotiating our contract with Swan Hunter; so it is not true to say at this stage that we are not prepared to assist the company. However, the detailed discussions we are having with Swan Hunter and with BAE Systems—which is building the two follow-on vessels—remain commercially sensitive and I am therefore withholding any further information in accordance with Exemption 7a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Travel Costs

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of travel within the UK for the Department was in each year since 1997; and how much of this was spent on (a) hire cars, (b) helicopter hire, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence. [206473]

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

Youth Organisations

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future funding arrangements for youth and cadet organisations sponsored by his Department in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) in the rest of the United Kingdom. [206580]

Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence will continue to fund and support the youth and cadet organisations in the UK. All cadet organisations are funded using the normal Ministry of Defence financial planning procedures, which take account of operational priorities, competing programmes and resources available. The Sea Cadets also receive other funds independent of the Ministry of Defence by virtue of their status as a registered charity.

CABINET OFFICE

Abandoned Vehicles (Morecambe Bay)

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Duchy of Lancaster has responsibility for the removal of abandoned vehicles on the sands of Morecambe Bay. [206047]

 
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Mr. Milburn [holding answer 20 December 2004]: The Duchy of Lancaster office does not have responsibility for the removal of abandoned vehicles on Morecambe Bay sands.

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