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16 Jun 2005 : Column 631W—continued
Falkland Islands
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what average periods of service have been performed by members of the armed forces in the Falklands since 1981. [5011]
Mr. Ingram: Deployment tour lengths in the Falkland Islands vary with the service involved. For the Royal Navy and Army, tours are usually of six months duration. RAF officer tours are for either six months or four months duration. For RAF other ranks tours are usually four months.
There are a number of continuity postings on the Falkland Islands which may be accompanied and are usually of one year's duration, although this tour length can be extended for service reasons.
Iraq
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make representations to his United States counterpart to investigate claims made by former US Marine Jimmy Massey that US coalition forces in Iraq shot dead unarmed Iraqi civilians at roadblocks in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [2904]
Mr. Ingram: The activity of American coalition forces is a matter for the US Authorities. Our coalition partners are fully aware of their obligations under international law and have procedures in place to address any alleged contraventions.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom military personnel were in Iraq on (a) 1 January 2004 and (b) 1 January 2005; and if he will make a statement. [4659]
Mr. Ingram:
On 1 January 2004 there were some 7,600 UK Service personnel serving in Iraq. On 1 January 2005, the figure was approximately 8,000. Numbers fluctuated throughout the year for a variety of reasons, the primary factor being the deployment of a Divisional Armoured Reserve (initially the One Black Watch Battlegroup) in June 2004.
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Nuclear Deterrent
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision will be taken on the replacement of Trident; and if he will make a statement. [4845]
John Reid: I have nothing to add to the answer that Igave on 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 466W to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis).
Service Personnel (Remuneration)
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the (a) Royal Navy, (b) British Army and (c) Royal Air Force have resigned citing poor financial remuneration as their principal reason for leaving since 2003. [2664]
Mr. Touhig: Exit Surveys are conducted within the Naval Services and RAF but only a relatively small proportion of those choosing to leave respond. Therefore, the results cannot be seen as representative of their Services as a whole.
Within the Naval Service only the Fleet organisation (some 67 per cent. of total Naval Service) run an Exit Survey. Of the 759 personnel who did respond between October 2003 and July 2004,15 per cent. of Royal Naval and 46 per cent. of the Royal Marines personnel quoted pay as their reason for leaving.
In the RAF in 2002–03, of the 184 Officers who responded, pay and remuneration" issues ranked sixth in importance out of eight groups of issues for reasons for leaving, with 16 per cent. of respondents ranking them among their top three reasons for leaving. Among airmen and women for the same period, dissatisfaction with pay" was rated as an important or very important reason for leaving by 39 per cent. of the 723 personnel who responded, placing it 57th factor in the overall list of importance. Salary outside the RAF", however, was rated as important or very important by 62 per cent., placing it 16 overall.
In 2003–04, the Officers' survey respondents were asked to select their top five reasons for leaving the RAF. Of the 152 respondents replying to this question, two per cent. rated basic pay" as one of their top five reasons for leaving, ranking it 80th in a list of 98 factors. In the same period, of the 543 Airmen and women who responded to this question, 9 per cent. rated basic pay" among their top five reasons for leaving, ranking it 18th out of a list of 102 factors.
The Army do not currently run an Exit Survey, however, the possibility of doing so is being considered and it appears likely that they will implement such a survey in the future.
HEALTH
Adult Abuse
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the establishment of a national data collection system on adult abuse; and if she will make a statement. [2912]
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Mr. Byrne: The Department is funding Action on Elder Abuse to carry out a two-year project which will contribute to the development of a national data collection system on adult abuse. A report of findings from the first year of the project will be placed in the Library shortly.
Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategies
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the implementation of local alcohol harm reduction strategies. [5611]
Caroline Flint: The Department wrote to all primary care trusts in February 2005 to encourage them to adopt local alcohol harm reduction strategies, but no assessment has been made of their implementation as yet. As announced in the Choosing Health White Paper, we are developing a programme of improvements for alcohol treatment services to be launched this autumn.
Alcohol-related Problems
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people under the age of 18 were admitted to hospital for alcohol related problems in 2004–05. [4624]
Caroline Flint: The latest data set that is available for people under the age of 18 admitted to hospital for alcohol related problems is for 2003–04. This is shown in the table.
Notes:
1.A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
2.The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
3.The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects.
4.Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (that is, the data are ungrossed).
Source:
Hospital episode statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre.
Alliance Medical Ltd.
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received from County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority about the role of Alliance Medical in the NHS; and if she will make a statement. [2252]
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Mr. Byrne [holding answer 6 June 2005]: County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority (SHA) contacted the Department in early June following an Alliance Medical Ltd. (AML) site visit in April 2005. The Department is currently discussing the issues raised with AML and the SHA.
Alzheimer's and Dementia
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how her Department plans to ensure that quality affordable medicines will be available to people with (a) Alzheimer's and (b) dementia. [3803]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 15 June 2005]: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently reviewing its 2001 appraisal of Alzheimer's drugs. Until NICE completes this review and issues new guidance, the 2001 guidance remains extant and those using the drugs in question will continue to do so.
NICE is also pursuing an appraisal of non-Alzheimer pharmaceutical treatments. This appraisal has been halted while NICE awaits further information on drug licensing and marketing. NICE will continue to monitor the progress of marketing authorisation on interventions for non-Alzheimer's dementia and will contact consultees and commentators at such time as may be appropriate to resume appraisal.
NICE is also producing a comprehensive guideline on the treatment and care of those with dementia. This will take account of the appraisals being done on drug treatments for dementia. A draft of the guideline will be consulted on in 2006.
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