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20 Jul 2005 : Column 1751W—continued
DEFENCE
Airlift Capacity
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what type of aircraft (a) constitute the airlift capacity and (b) are planned to constitute the airlift capacity in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2015; and what tonnage this (A) comprises and (B) is planned to comprise in each year. [12676]
Mr. Ingram: The following table provides details of our current planning assumptions for airlift capability in 2010 and 2015:
| 2010 | 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of aircraft | Maximum capacity (tonnes) for fleet | Number of aircraft | Maximum capacity (tonnes) for fleet | |
| C-130K | 14 | 280 | 0 | 0 |
| C-130J | 25 | 425 | 25 | 425 |
| A400M | 4 | 128 | 25 | 800 |
| C-17 | 4 | 300 | 5 | 375 |
| Total | 47 | 1,133 | 55 | 1,600 |
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received on the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme as it applies to servicemen and women who have experienced hearing loss. [13526]
Mr. Touhig:
I have recently replied to a letter from Dr. John Low, Chief Executive of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) and the Department has also responded to a letter from Mr. Chris Underwood who is the RNID's Campaign Manager. Both raised concerns about the 50dB threshold used to determine eligibility for awards under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme where bilateral noise induced
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sensorineural hearing loss has resulted from military service. I have offered to meet Dr. Low to discuss his concerns.
Cadets
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) state schools and (b) independent schools have (i) army, (ii) sea and (iii) air cadets. [13010]
Mr. Touhig: Army cadet detachments are found in 52 state schools and 199 independent schools.
Royal Naval detachments are found in nine state schools and 110 independent schools.
RAF detachments are found in 39 state schools and 155 independent schools.
In general, all Combined Cadet Force contingents begin by providing Army detachments, and subsequently providing detachments of the other armed forces, should there be a requirement, when the contingent is well established.
Counter-insurgency Strategy
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what lessons he has drawn from past counter-insurgency campaigns overseas on the effects of announcing in advance timetables for the withdrawal of forces. [12659]
John Reid: The Government seek to apply lessons learned from past campaigns wherever possible, including through the Ministry of Defence's operational audit process. In particular, we believe that the United Kingdom force levels in all operations, including those with a counter-insurgency dimension, should be a function of the operational requirement for forces, not of artificial timetables.
Critical Manning
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the critical manning groups which have been identified in each of the three services; and what the shortfall against requirement was in each case. [9627]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 5 July 2005]: The critical manning groups identified by each service and the shortfalls against requirement, as at 30 June 2005 and rounded to the nearest 10, are as follows:
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Defence Assistance Fund
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the total cost of the Defence Assistance Fund was for each of the last four years; how much of that funding in each year was used to promote military exports; and what the allocated funding is for 2005–06; [13455]
(2) what the cost of the Defence Assistance Fund was for the last year for which figures are available; how much of the funding was used to promote military exports; and what the allocated funding is for 2005–06. [13458]
John Reid: Defence Assistance Fund (DAF) expenditure was £7.2 million in 2001–02; £9.7 million in 2002–03, £10.4 million in 2003–04 and £13.5 million in 2004–05. Of this, the amount spent on supporting defence exports was £5 million in 2001–02; £4.2 million in 2002–03, £6 million in 2003–2004 and £4.7 million in 2004–05. The DAF allocation for 2005–06 is £17.6 million.
Departmental Advertising
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years. [10256]
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Mr. Touhig: Until 2001–02 details of the Ministry of Defence's expenditure on advertising were included in those for advertising and publicity" in the annual departmental performance reports, copies of which were placed in the Library of the House.
For 1999–2000 the information is shown on page 60, Cm 5000; for 2000–01 the information is shown on page 68, Cm 5290 and for 2001–02 the information is shown on page 71, Cm 5661.
The introduction of resource accounting and budgeting (RAB) in the Ministry of Defence has changed the way in which we account for and record our expenditure. Under RAB there is no specific heading for recording expenditure on advertising. This expenditure is included in the figures for publicity and recruiting" but these figures could be separated only at disproportionate cost. The final outturn figure for publicity and recruiting, which includes advertising, for 2002–03, was £52.5 million and for 2003–04 they were £53.6 million.
The figures for financial year 2004–05 have not yet been finalised and will not be available until the departmental resource and accounts are published later this year.
Fire Study Recommendations
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which recommendations made in the Fire Study 2000 have been implemented to date. [13456]
Mr. Touhig: The Fire Study 2000 recommendations are the subject of an ongoing implementation programme. It is planned to introduce a single, fully integrated and regionally based structure for the delivery of fire services, in line with Fire Study 2000, by the end of September 2006, and this has been accompanied by a review of the delivery of training at national, regional and local level and a rationalisation of vehicle and equipment requirements. As also recommended by Fire Study 2000, the introduction of specialist sponsored reserves for overseas deployments is also being developed.
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