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22 Mar 2005 : Column 784W—continued
Military Bodies (Funding)
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the grant-in-aid for the (a) Commonwealth War Graves Commission, (b) Ghurkha Welfare Scheme, (c) Welfare Council, (d) Victoria/George Cross, (e) Royal British Legion—Polish Ex-Servicemen and (f) Royal British Legion—War Graves was for financial years 1997–98 to 2003–04. [221976]
Mr. Caplin: The Grant-in-Aid payments for financial years 1997–98 to 2003–04 were:
(38) The United Kingdom Government provides the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with a grant-in-aid for the maintenance of World War graves. Payment is made by each Commonwealth country in proportion to the number of war graves. The UK's share is 78.431 per cent.
(39) The Gurkha Welfare Scheme is the field operating arm of the Gurkha Welfare Trust.
(40) The Victoria Cross (VC) and George Cross (GC) Association receives a biennial grant-in-aid to assist recipients (plus two accompanying relatives) to travel to their biennial reunion in London.
(41)The Polish Ex-Service Personnel Welfare Fund provides a regular allowance to members of the Polish forces who served under British command during the Second World War and subsequently settled in the UK. The War Widow/ers Pilgrimage Scheme enables widows and widowers who lost their husband or wife overseas between 1914 and 1967 to make one visit to their grave. Both schemes are administered on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by the Royal British Legion.
(42)The Polish Ex-Service Personnel Welfare Fund provides a regular allowance to members of the Polish forces who served under British command during the Second World War and subsequently settled in the UK. The War Widow/ers Pilgrimage Scheme enables widows and widowers who lost their husband or wife overseas between 1914 and 1967 to make one visit to their grave. Both schemes are administered on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by the Royal British Legion.
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Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the grant-in-aid for the (a) Scott Polar Research Institute, (b) Air Training Corps, (c) Atlantic
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Council, (d) Skill Force and (e) Millennium String-Pearls was for financial years 1997–98 to 2003–04. [221977]
Mr. Caplin: The grants-in-aid were as follows:
Military Deployment
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops are serving in (a) Sierra Leone, (b) Afghanistan, (c) East Timor and (d) the Falkland Islands, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) regiment. [221641]
Mr. Ingram: The information requested is set out in the following table:
| Theatre | Officers | Senior NCOs | Other Ranks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Leone | |||
| 9 March 2005 | 58 | 41 | 5 |
| Afghanistan | |||
| 6 March 2005 | 161 | 158 | 590 |
| East Timor | |||
| 11 March 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Falkland Islands | |||
| 31 January 2005 | 165 | 305 | 991 |
The Afghan Roulemont Infantry Battalion (ARIB) is currently 1st Battalion the Worcestershire and Sherwood Forester Regiment and in the Falkland Islands, the Resident Infantry Coy (RIC) is provided from the Queens Lancashire Regiment. Troops serving in the other theatres are not from formed units.
Ministerial Travel
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministers who have served in the current Government since 1997 have used aircraft in the Queen's Flight for visits which have been wholly or partially of a personal nature; on what dates such visits took place; and which Ministers have made payments to the taxpayer to cover the cost of that usage. [208261]
Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence is not routinely made aware whether ministerial usage of No.32 (The Royal) Squadron is wholly or partially of a personal nature.
Travel by Ministers" makes clear that special flights may be authorised when a scheduled service is not available, or when it is essential to travel by air, but the requirements of official or parliamentary business or security considerations or urgency preclude the journey being made by a scheduled service. In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The list published in 1999 covers the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999. Where RAF/Private Charter aircraft are used this is shown in the list. Where there is an element of personal business, this is also shown. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of these are available in the Library of the House. Information for 2004–05 will be published in due course.
All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will answer the question from the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South, ref 199990. [216499]
Mr. Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member on 28 February 2005.
Project Allenby/Connaught
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to sign a contract with the Aspire consortium in connection with Project Allenby/Connaught; and if he will make a statement. [221025]
Mr. Caplin: Subject to the successful outcome of ongoing commercial negotiations it is hoped to sign the contract in the summer of 2005.
RAF Recruitment
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recruitment to the RAF. [221587]
Mr. Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 March 2005, Official Report, columns 1827–28W to the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell).
Regiments
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who will decide on regimental (a) accoutrements and (b) dress for the proposed King's Lancashire and Border Regiment; and when he expects decisions to be made. [219066]
Mr. Ingram:
A committee of representatives from the King's Own Royal Border Regiment, the King's Regiment and the Queen's Lancashire Regiment will be formed to consider how each of the antecedent
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regiments will be represented in the regimental dress and accoutrements of the proposed King's, Lancashire and Border Regiment.
It is anticipated that the committee's decisions will be taken during the second half of 2005. Executive approval from the Army Dress Committee will be required before any announcement is finalised.
Regional Offices
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) Executive agencies within the remit of his Department have regional offices based on the Government offices for the regions' regional structure; and when the regional offices were established in each case. [219888]
Mr. Caplin: The only non-departmental public body within the Ministry of Defence's remit that follows the regional structure of the Government offices for the regions is the advisory body comprising the War Pensions Committees. The War Pensions Committees were set up in 1921 and reconstituted on a regional basis on 1 January 2001.
The Ministry of Defence has no Executive agencies based on the regional structure of the Government offices for the regions.
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