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14 Mar 2005 : Column 25W—continued

Deaths in Service (Northern Ireland)

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what figure he recognises as representing the total number of personnel from each of the armed services that have died in or in connection with operations in Northern Ireland since 1969; and how many of those deaths were deemed to have been (a) accidental, (b) self-inflicted and (c) from natural causes. [217800]

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

Defence Expenditure (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of its personnel budget for financial years (a) 2001–02, (b) 2000–01, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 1998–99 and (e) 1997–98 the Defence Export Services Organisation spent in Scotland in (i) monetary
 
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terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total personnel budget for that year; how many personnel were employed in Scotland in each year; and if he will make a statement. [216283]

Mr. Ingram: From 1997–98 to 2001–02, the Defence Export Services Organisation employed no staff permanently based in Scotland other than those working in the Disposal Services Agency (DSA) in respect of which I have undertaken to write to the hon. Member.

Departmental Costs

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on the production of in-house magazines in the Department in each year since 1997. [213636]

Mr. Caplin: Detailed expenditure on the many in-house magazines produced within the Ministry of Defence is not available and could be provided only by incurring disproportionate cost. However, details of production costs (excluding staff costs) of the principal MOD-wide publication, FOCUS, for each year since 1998–99 are as follows:

	Production costs (£)
1998–99	167,791
1999–00	174,329
2000–01	161,950
2001–02	164,750
2002–03	205,268
2003–04	179,280
2004–05 (to January 2005)	150,656

Information for 1997–98 is no longer available.

Departmental Efficiency Programme

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the cashable savings attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Disposal Services Agency, (b) Duke of York's Royal Military School, (c) Medical Supply Agency, (d) Ministry of Defence and Guarding Agency and (e) Naval Recruiting and Training Agency for financial years (i) 2006–07 and (ii) 2007–08; [209336]

(2) what the planned cashable savings attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, (b) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (c) British Forces Post Office, (d) Defence Analytical Services Agency and (e) Defence Bills Agency for financial years (i) 2006–07 and (ii) 2007–08; [209340]

(3) what the planned cashable savings attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Defence Communication Services Agency, (b) Defence Dental Agency, (c) Defence Estates, (d) Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency and (e) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre for financial years (i) 2006–07 and (ii) 2007–08; [209341]

(4) what the planned cashable savings attributable to his Department's efficiency programme are for the (a) Pay and Personnel Agency, (b) Queen Victoria School, (c) RAF Training Group Defence Agency,
 
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(d) Service Children's Education, (e) Veterans Agency and (f) Warship Support Agency for financial years (i)2006–07 and (ii) 2007–08. [209330]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 18 January 2005]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 January 2005, Official Report, column 242W.

Equipment Programmes

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which equipment programmes have been (a) reassigned, (b) moved and (c) removed from (i)EP04 and (ii) EP05. [220547]

Mr. Ingram: The broad impact of the outcome of the 2004 equipment planning round (EP04) was described in the Defence White Paper supplement 'Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities' (Cm6269), published in July 2004. However, changes to planning assumptions arising during our annual planning round form part of internal advice to Ministers on the overall affordability of the defence programme. Announcements will continue to be made as appropriate when decisions are taken on specific projects.

European Defence Agency

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK financial contribution to the European Defence Agency was in the last financial year; what it is expected to be over the next five years; and what percentage the UK contribution is of the overall agency cost. [221486]

Mr. Ingram: Member states' percentage contributions towards the budget of the European Defence Agency are based on assessments of their gross national income. The agency's budget for 2004 covered the period from its formal establishment in July to the end of that year. The United Kingdom contributed 17.28 per cent. of this budget, equating to €308,775.51. For the calendar year 2005, the UK contribution is 18.07 per cent. equating to €3,596,803. There are no formal estimates of the agency's budget for the next five years. However, the budget for 2006 is expected to be less than the 2005 budget which included non-recurring costs associated with the initial set-up of the agency.

Falkland Islands

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the feasibility of reintroducing the Southern Atlantic standing patrol task for the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement on Royal Navy operations around the Falkland Islands. [220548]

Mr. Ingram: A Royal Navy frigate or destroyer, together with a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support tanker, is allocated 365 days per year to the Atlantic Patrol Task (South) APT(S). The APT(S) duty ship provides a tangible presence in the Falkland Islands Area of Responsibility (AOR) while also retaining a commitment, together with the Atlantic Patrol Task (North) ship, to provide a presence off the West African littoral. When not in theatre, the APT(S) duty ship remains within 14 days' sailing of the AOR. In addition, a permanent presence is maintained in theatre by the Falkland Island Patrol Vessel.
 
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The Royal Navy's Ice Patrol Vessel, HMS Endurance, also deploys annually to the South Atlantic region during the austral summer.

Hercules Crash (Iraq)

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Written Statement of 7 March 2005 on Iraq: C130 Hercules Crash Update, Official Report, column 101WS, what the mission was of the UK soldiers on the Hercules flight which crashed in Iraq; what role they were due to fulfil; what related documentation they had in their possession; what joint mission they had with US forces (a) on the flight and (b) at the US base at Balad; and if he will make a statement. [221248]

Mr. Hoon: There was a single soldier of the Royal Corps of Signals and nine members of the Royal Air Force on board the Hercules C130K which crashed on Sunday 30 January 2005. The soldier was providing communications support to the flight. Standard RAF flight documentation was on board.

The mission of all United Kingdom forces in Iraq is to help it to become a stable, united and law abiding state, within its present borders, co-operating with the international community, no longer posing a threat to its neighbours or to international security, abiding by all its international obligations and providing effective representative government for all its people.

Our forces are in Iraq as part of a multinational effort (which includes the US) under UN Security Council Resolution 1546 to take all necessary measures to contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in Iraq. The use of the C130K was entirely within the scope of that mission but for reasons of force protection we cannot give further details of the operation. The board of investigation continues to work to determine the cause of the crash.

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