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8 Feb 2005 : Column 1376W—continued
DEFENCE
Armed Forces Strength
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) established strength and (b) current trained strength is of officers in (i) the Royal Air Force, (ii) the Royal Navy and (iii) the Army. [213531]
Mr. Caplin: The Trained Officer Strengths and Requirements 1 as at 1 December 2004 were as follows:
1 The full-time trained strength and the trained requirement both include trained UK regular forces, trained Gurkhas and full-time reserve service (FTRS) personnel. They do not include the Home.
(8)Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists or Naval Activated Reservists. They also exclude 180 locally employed personnel, the Gibraltar Permanent Cadre (GPC) who are all male and all trained.
(9)Naval Service comprises the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
Notes:
1.FTRS strength figures include full commitment (FC), home commitment (HC) and limited commitment (LC) individuals. For the Army, FC and LC individuals serve against the requirement while HC individuals fill posts specifically for FTRS personnel. For the RAF, FC individuals serve against the requirement while HC and LC individuals fill posts specifically for FTRS personnel.
2.All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10, due to the methods used totals may not equal the sum of the parts. Figures ending in five have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
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Defence Transport and Movements Agency
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people currently work for the Defence Transport and Movements Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and what the figures were in 2003–04. [214749]
Mr. Ingram: Staff figures for the Defence Transport and Movements Agency are displayed in the following table:
| As at 1 April: | Civilian personnel | Service personnel | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | |||
| Total | 290 | 100 | 390 |
| Scotland | — | — | — |
| 2004 | |||
| Total | 320 | 90 | 410 |
| Scotland | (10)20 | — | (10)20 |
(10)Personnel numbers for Scotland were supplied from locally held records by the DTMA.
Notes:
1.Personnel numbers other than those sourced from DTMA are published in UK Defence Statistics 2003 and 2004 at Table 2.6.
2.Personnel figures are based on full-time equivalent numbers
3.Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
DTMA's personnel costs for the last two financial years can be found in the agency's latest Annual Reports and Accounts, which are laid in the Library of the House and can be found in the publications section of the Ministry of Defence's website at www.mod.uk.
Defence Vetting Agency
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Vetting Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the equivalent figures were in 2004; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and what they were in 2004. [214251]
Mr. Ingram:
In January 2005 the number of people working for the Defence Vetting Agency was 320. Of these six were based in Scotland. The equivalent figures for January 2004 were 320 and six. The personnel costs of the agency for financial year 2004–05 are not yet finalised but are projected to be £8.4 million. In financial year 2003–04 they were £8.1 million.
8 Feb 2005 : Column 1378W
Falklands War
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) who the (a) members and (b) stenographer of the board of inquiry into the sinking of HMS Sheffield were; [213603]
(2) which individuals were called to give evidence to the board of inquiry into the sinking of HMS Sheffield; [213602]
(3) if he will publish the contents of the typed manuscripts of evidence produced by the board of inquiry into the sinking of HMS Sheffield; [213601]
(4) what instructions were given to the former Commander-in-Chief, Lord Fieldhouse of Gosport by (a) the First Sea Lord, (b) the Admiralty Board and (c) the Cabinet Office, with regard to convening courts martial proceedings relating to the loss of HMS Sheffield; [213599]
(5) what instructions were issued to the board of inquiry that was convened to investigate the loss of HMS Sheffield, by the commander-in-chief; and what findings were reported to the commander-in-chief on completion of the inquiry; [213600]
(6) what instructions were given to the former First Sea Lord, Sir Henry Leach, by the Cabinet Office, in regard to convening of courts martial proceedings relating to the loss of warships during the Falklands war, with particular reference to the loss of HMS Sheffield. [213598]
Mr. Ingram: The records pertaining to the loss of HMS Sheffield are currently being retrieved from archives. I will write to the hon. Member once they have been received and re-examined, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
HMCS Chicoutimi
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Royal Navy, (b) Ministry of Defence and (c) other UK Government personnel have given evidence to the Canadian House of Commons inquiry into the fire on board HMCS Chicoutimi; and if he will make a statement. [213944]
Mr. Ingram: Nine members of the Royal Navy and one Ministry of Defence civil servant are known to have given evidence to the Canadian Board of Inquiry into the fire on board HMCS Chicoutimi. Separately, the Canadian Parliament has convened an inquiry into the acquisition of submarines by the Canadian Government. There is no record of UK armed forces personnel, or UK Government civil servants, being called to give evidence to that inquiry.
Mutual Defence Agreement
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the last transfer of nuclear material between the United States and Britain under the Mutual Defence Agreement took place; and if he will make a statement. [214246]
8 Feb 2005 : Column 1379W
Mr. Hoon: The 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement makes provision for the transfer of special nuclear materials. Such transfers are in connection with nuclear warhead assurance and stockpile stewardship matters. Precise details of such transfers are being withheld in order to safeguard national security.
RAF Machrihanish
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what infrastructural improvements have been undertaken at RAF Machrihanish in each of the last five years; whether there is work under way; and if he will make a statement. [213918]
Mr. Caplin: No improvements have been made to the infrastructure of the former RAF Station at Machrihanish within the last five years. Care and Maintenance work, however, is regularly undertaken to meet MOD's own requirements and to conform to Health and Safety regulations.
Trident
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the use of satellites for extremely high frequency communications with Trident nuclear submarines; which satellites his Department plans to use for extremely high frequency communications with Trident nuclear submarines; and if he will make a statement on his Department's assessment of the importance of extremely high frequency communications with Trident nuclear submarines. [214373]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 28 June 2004, Official Report, column 150W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Trident submarines are on active service; how many are being repaired; and if he will make a statement. [214375]
Mr. Hoon: Of the four Vanguard Class submarines in service, two are rotating through the operational cycle, one is undergoing a period of pre-planned long maintenance, and one is regenerating after completing a pre-planned long maintenance period and refuelling.
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