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7 Feb 2005 : Column 1253W—continued
Departmental Costs
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid to consultants carrying outstaff surveys in the Department in each year since 1997. [213667]
Mr. Caplin: Ministry of Defence expenditure on external assistance, of which consultancy is a part, is available in the Libraries of both Houses for the years 1995–96 to 2003–04. While this is broken down by various categories, the MOD does not capture and record specific expenditure on consultants carrying out staff surveys. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the costs of cleaning the Department were in each year since 1997. [213776]
Mr. Caplin: Information on expenditure on cleaning costs incurred for each year since 1997 is not separately identified in the accounting records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the costs of departmental (a) staff training days and (b) staff development days held away from the Department were in each year since 1997. [213797]
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Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence does not hold central records for the information sought, and to collect the information would be at disproportionate cost.
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on (a) provision of parking spaces for civil servants and (b) parking tickets and penalties incurred by civil servants in the Department in each year since 1997. [213805]
Mr. Caplin: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Parking tickets and penalties incurred by civil servants remain the responsibility of the individuals.
Departmental Policies (Clwyd, South)
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Clwyd, South constituency, the effects on Clwyd, South of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [210326]
Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence has a small presence within Clwyd, solely in the form of four Army Cadet Force centres, one of which is shared with the Air Training Corps. They have not undergone any significant changes since 1997.
In 2001, the Defence Procurement Agency placed a five year contract with Ruth Lee Ltd. of Corwen, who design and manufacture fire and rescue equipment.
Future Rapid Effects System
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the development of the Future Rapid Effects System. [214097]
Mr. Ingram: FRES is in the early stages of the initial Assessment Phase. This phase will define the FRES capability and the optimum strategy for acquiring it.
Atkins, under the strategic direction of the Department, will lead a number of activities during this phase to inform the Ministry of Defence's future decision making.
The next key milestone is the award of contracts designed to better understand, and where necessary mitigate, the risks associated with the physical and electronic architecture of the vehicles. It is planned to have these contracts in place by the end of March 2005.
Iran
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are security implications relating to signals equipment, frequencies and codes arising from the seizure by Iran of UK armed forces' equipment. [211812]
Military Death (Amesbury)
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the circumstances were of the death of a soldier who was crushed when an armoured vehicle overturned in Amesbury, Wiltshire in the first week of
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December 2004; to what regiment those involved belonged; when he expects an inquest to be held; what steps have been taken to establish a Board of Inquiry into the incident; and at what time and date the Health and Safety Executive were informed of the incident. [208867]
Mr. Caplin: The incident in question was a road traffic accident involving a Saxon armoured vehicle, which occurred on 3 December 2004, on the A345 between Netheravon and Figheldean. Two soldiers of 1st Battalion the Coldstream Guards were involved, one of whom died. The circumstances are subject to an ongoing investigation by the Wiltshire police. A Service Board of Inquiry was convened on 6 December 2004. The Health and Safety Executive has not been informed, as is usual when the police do not consider that an accident is work-related.
The inquest to determine the cause of death is a matter for HM coroner.
Operative Activities (Expenditure)
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the net cash outflow from operating activities in financial year 2003–04 was by the (a) British Forces Cyprus, (b) British Forces Gibraltar, (c) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (d) Sovereign Base Areas Administration and (e) British Forces Falkland Islands management groups. [205437]
Mr. Ingram: The Chief of Joint Operations (CJO) Top Level Budget TLB net cash outflow, net of operations, from operating activities in financial year 2003–04 was as follows:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| British Forces Cyprus | 166 |
| British Forces Gibraltar | 61 |
| Permanent Joint Headquarters | 63 |
| Sovereign Base Areas Administration | 12 |
| British Forces Falkland Islands | 69 |
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| British Forces Cyprus | 7 |
| British Forces Gibraltar | 1 |
| Permanent Joint Headquarters | 252 |
| Sovereign Base Areas Administration | 0 |
| British Forces Falkland Islands | 0 |
Pilning Rifle Range
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans for the Pilning Rifle Range. [213922]
Mr. Caplin:
Following discussions with English Nature, the site was placed on the open market, with best bids invited by 13 December 2004. Four offers were received and were being considered, when a revised proposal was submitted by one bidder. This is now being investigated in line with the requirements of Government Accounting.
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RAF Machrihanish
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to change RAF Machrihanish from enhanced care and maintenance status; when this status was last (a) reviewed and (b) changed; and if he will make a statement. [213917]
Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence has no current plans to change the present care and maintenance status for the former RAF station. This status was last reviewed when the site transferred to Defence Estates in August 2000.
Service Dentistry
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what cosmetic dental work is offered to military personnel by service dentists; and if he will make a statement. [213946]
Mr. Caplin: Service dentists provide a full range of treatment, similar to that available from NHS providers, for functional and reparative purposes and in doing so aim to achieve a good aesthetic result for the patient.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; [201431]
(2) if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004. [201456]
Mr. Caplin: All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints were made by departmental civil servants regarding the conduct of special advisers between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004. [203465]
Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Minister for the Cabinet Office (Ruth Kelly) on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W.
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether departmental special advisers have made appearances before parliamentary Select Committees in their official capacity since May 1997. [204305]
Mr. Caplin: No departmental special advisers have made appearances before parliamentary Select Committees in their official capacity since May 1997.
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the contracts signed by his special advisers differ from the Model Contract for Special Advisers. [207239]
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Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 753W.
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