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4 Jul 2005 : Column 40W—continued

Computer Crime

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in each year since 2001–02; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i) within and (ii) outside his Department. [7179]

Mr. Touhig: The number of incidents affecting MOD computer systems for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 are summarised in the following table:
Incident type2003
(1 January-31 December 2003)
2004
(1 January-31 December 2004)
2005
(1 January-
23 June 2005)
Computer hacking incidents, comprising:123630
Computer network exploitation021
External probe or scan166
External unauthorised access (intrusion)110
External unauthorised110
Modification (including defacement)
Internal—misuse of resources41015
Internal—probe or scan020
Internal Unauthorised Access (intrusion)121
Internal unauthorised modification (including defacement)061
Internal—privilege abuse112
Other (including suspicious activity)354
Computer fraud000
Computer theft5915823

Some of the hacking incidents outlined above represent precursor activity (such as probes or scans) to a hacking attack. In many cases, the protective measures deployed to safeguard MOD information systems are likely to have dissuaded hackers from developing their reconnaissance into a proper hacking attack. None of the reported incidents of hacking had any operational impact.

There were no recorded incidents of computer fraud over the period 2003–05.

EU Military Bodies

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list staff on secondment to EU military bodies, broken down by grade. [8973]

Mr. Touhig: There are currently 13 UK military personnel seconded to the EU military staff: one brigadier, one colonel, nine lieutenant colonels or equivalent, one warrant officer, and one flight sergeant.

There is one UK commander seconded as a militaryassistant to the Chairman of the EU Military Committee.

There are currently no UK civilian staff seconded to EU military bodies.

Gibraltar

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many custody suites each of the services operates in Gibraltar; and how often each was used in each of the last three years. [7598]


 
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Mr. Ingram: The Command has one custody suite and six persons have been held in custody, for short periods of time, in the last three years. In 2002 no persons were held. In 2003 six persons were held. In 2004 no persons were held. To date, in 2005, no persons have been held.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) doctors and (b) nurses work in Gibraltar Naval Hospital. [7203]

Mr. Ingram: There are five permanent medical consultant posts at Royal Naval Hospital, Gibraltar. Locums and visiting military consultants currently man these posts while permanent consultants are being recruited. The commanding officer is also a GP. Several specialist consultants visit on a regular basis.

The Royal Navy Hospital, Gibraltar employs 25 nurses across various specialisms.

Kandahar (Service Personnel)

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) aircraft, (b) airmen, (c) soldiers and (d) sailors the UK has in the Kandahar area; and under whose operational command they are. [7609]

Mr. Ingram: As at 27 June 2005, there are six Harrier GR7 aircraft, 146 airmen, 30 soldiers and 10 sailors in the Kandahar area. All come under the operational command of the UK's Chief of Joint Operations.

Military Costs (Afghanistan/Middle East)

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the costs of military involvement in (a) Afghanistan and (b) the Middle East since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [8049]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence identifies the costs of operations in terms of the net additional costs it has incurred. Additional costs for larger operations are identified separately and are published each year in the MOD's annual report and accounts, which are available in the Library of the House.

On this basis, the additional costs of military operations in Afghanistan and the middle east from 2001 are:
£ million

AfghanistanGulfIraq (OpTelic)
2001–0222161
2002–0331145847
2003–04461,311

The additional costs of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2004–05 will be published this autumn in the MOD's 2004–05 departmental report and accounts.

Military Readiness

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the finding of the National Audit Office report Assessing and Reporting Military Readiness, paragraph 2.44,
 
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concerning engineering risk and cannibalisation; and how much equipment and of what type in (a) Challenger 2 regiments, (b) AS90 regiments, (c) Warrior battalions and (d) CVR(T) regiments has been damaged during cannibalisation; [7547]

(2) if he will make a statement on the finding of the National Audit Office report Assessing and Reporting Military Readiness, paragraph 2.45, concerning the effects of cannibalisation of equipment on the remaining pool of equipment; how many units have been left properly equipped following this process of cannibalisation; and how many (a) tank, (b) CVR(T), (c) AS90 and (d) Warrior units are fully equipped for operations. [7549]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 27 June 2005]: The process of cannibalisation is undertaken in a deliberate and effective manner by fully qualified and professional army engineers. As a result no equipment in Challenger 2 regiments, AS90 regiments, Warrior battalions or CVR(T) regiments has been damaged during cannibalisation.

All units deployed or earmarked for current operations have deployed or will deploy equipped with their full complement of heavy armoured vehicles. Cannibalisation has had no impact on this requirement.

Recruitment

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications there were from civilians to join UK regular forces in (a) commissioned and (b) non-commissioned posts in each quarter since 2002. [7529]

Mr. Touhig: The number of civilian applications for employment in the UK regular forces since financial year 2002–03 were:
Naval ServiceT1T2T3Total
Officers (intake is calculated by three terms, not quarters)
2002–035105854051,500
2003–043804803051,165
2004–054404052801,125
Other ranksQ1Q2Q3Q4
2002–033,0383,1852,1683,85212,243
2003–043,3992,8952,0842,59310,971
2004–052,6372,6562,0762,4979,866
Army Officers
2002–031,4681,3681,8631,4596,158
2003–041,2241,0951,2661,2904,875
2004–051,0048771,2441,0814,206
Other ranks
2002–037,88310,7947,64710,48336,807
2003–049,9598,2506,2159,99834,422
2004–057,6716,9844,9958,59828,248
RAF Officers
2002–031,0969411,5768334,466
2003–047556721,3978953,719
2004–057575701,3774893,193
Other ranks
2002–033,7453,9882,9461,87212,551
2003–041,8012,4211,7813,0689,071
2004–052,4892,2281,7991,7508,266








 
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