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EU Directives

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. [200811]

Mr. Caplin: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Euratom Regulation

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which installations and bases operated by or on behalf of his Department are subject to Euratom regulation; and which nuclear materials are subject to such regulation at each such establishment. [224046]

Mr. Ingram: The UK position is that defence related installations and bases are not subject to Euratom regulation. Nuclear materials required for defence purposes are outside the safeguards provisions in Chapter 7 of the Euratom treaty. However, as announced in the Strategic Defence Review (Supporting Essay 5, paragraph 26), materials no longer required for defence purposes have been placed under Euratom safeguards. These are held on non-MOD sites.

Eurocorps

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2005, Official Report, columns 539–40W, on Eurocorps, if he will place a copy of the register listing the reports submitted in the Library. [215337]

Mr. Hoon: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

European Constitution

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. [200171]

 
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Mr. Ingram: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

External Suppliers

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tenders were let by his Department to external suppliers in the financial year 2003–04; and what the value was. [209101]

Mr. Ingram: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Fallujah

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ask the US Administration to furnish him with information on the (a) numbers and (b) type of aerial attacks upon Fallujah between 1 and 15 November. [200110]

Mr. Ingram: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

First World War Medals

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to destroy any of the records of medals issued to First World War personnel. [224834]

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the preservation of military index cards relating to British servicemen in the First World War. [224965]

Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he will put in place to ensure that (a) all medal index cards are fully scanned when they are put on microfiche and (b) families have the option of receiving the originals if they express a desire to do so. [224967]

Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence, together with The National Archives, has been actively seeking to identify a suitable institution prepared to take these cards. So far, a home for just a small part of the collection has been found. No decision on the retention or destruction of the cards will be taken until all such avenues have been explored.

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what categories of information are available under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers by his Department in the last three years. [207826]

Mr. Caplin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. Leslie) on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 140W.

Gaelic Language

Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the use of
 
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the Gaelic language; and what plans his Department has to prepare and implement a Gaelic language scheme. [217093]

Mr. Ingram: Action to support the Gaelic language is primarily the responsibility of Scottish Ministers.

The Ministry of Defence attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of the Gaelic language in line with the United Kingdom's obligations under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill currently before the Scottish Parliament does not extend statutory obligations on UK public bodies in Scotland in relation to the preparation or implementation of Gaelic language plans. However, UK Departments and public bodies which operate in Scotland may—like comparable Scottish public bodies—have a role to play in facilitating the use of the language.

The Ministry of Defence has been working closely with colleagues in the Scotland Office and the Scottish Executive on the role we can play, voluntarily, in securing the status of Gaelic.

Gibraltar

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with (a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (b) the Governor of Gibraltar and (c) the Government of Gibraltar on the future of the RAF runway at Gibraltar. [218622]

Mr. Ingram: None, although the future of the airport in Gibraltar is being discussed within the Trilateral Forum, in which the Governments of the United Kingdom, Spain and Gibraltar are represented.

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the basis is for the analogue parity agreement in pay and conditions between the Ministry of Defence Police and the Gibraltar Services Police. [223349]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 24 March 2005]: Following negotiations in 1979 between the Ministry of Defence and Gibraltar Service Police Staff Association agreement was reached re-affirming their commitment to the analogue principle enunciated by Sir Jack Scamp in his report dated 1975. The Gibraltar Services Police (GSP) analogue is the Ministry of Defence Police in the United Kingdom. Any pay conditions applicable to Ministry of Defence Police are automatically applied to GSP.

Gliding

Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the value of gliding training and practice to the armed forces. [224923]

Mr. Ingram: Gliding training and practice is challenging outdoor training for service personnel in specific adventurous activities, involving controlled exposure to risk, to develop leadership, teamwork, physical fitness, moral and physical courage, among other personal attributes and skills vital to operational capability.
 
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Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which gliding clubs are supported by his Department in the Portsmouth/Gosport area; and whether this support is projected to continue. [224924]

Mr. Ingram: There is one Naval Gliding Club in the Portsmouth area, but this is not supported by public funds. However, the Royal Naval Gliding and Soaring Association (RNGSA) do have access to bursary funding, which is available to encourage young persons into flying and eventually careers in the Royal Navy.

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