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20 Jul 2005 : Column 1762W—continued

TA Deployment

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the minimum qualification is for a Territorial Army private soldier to be called up for deployment. [12681]

Mr. Touhig: All Territorial Army (TA) personnel currently called up for deployments must be at least 18 years of age and have completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 training. Upon mobilisation, all soldiers receive health checks and additional preparation and training for 10 days at the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre (RTMC), before attending five days further pre-deployment training, designed specifically for the theatre to which they are deploying, at the Operational Training Advisory Group (OPTAG). Provided all training and medical standards have been met, soldiers are deemed fit to deploy to theatres and at this stage the majority will join a regular unit, for up to two months prior to deployment, where they will undergo further integration and training.

Type 45 Destroyers

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the planned in-service date will be for each Type 45 Destroyer; [12662]

(2) whether it remains his intention that eight Type 45 Destroyers will be built; [12660]

(3) when each of the remaining Type 45 Destroyers will be ordered. [12661]

Mr. Ingram: In July 2004 the Secretary of State for Defence announced plans for a class of eight Type 45 Destroyers, of which six hulls are on contract. Formal approval, and a subsequent order, for ships seven and eight will be sought at the appropriate time. The currently forecast In Service Date (ISD) for the First of Class, HMS Daring, is May 2009. The remaining five ships are planned to enter service at intervals over a four year period following the First of Class ISD.
 
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War Graves

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK war graves there are in (a) Singapore, (b) Malaysia, (c) Hong Kong, (d) Burma, (e) India, (f) Pakistan and (g) Thailand; what the cost was of the upkeep (i) in each country and (ii) per grave in each of the last five years; and when each site was last inspected. [13002]

Mr. Touhig: The following table shows the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC) figures for the number of United Kingdom (UK) world war and non world war graves for each country listed and the date when each site was last inspected.
CountryWorld war gravesNon world war gravesLast CWGC
inspection(31)
Singapore2,7291,385June 2005
Malaysia1,5312,428October 2004
Hong Kong1,8423,007September 2004
Myanmar (Burma)7,311April 2005
India7,484200March 2005
Pakistan834April 2005
Thailand5,1291February 2005


(31) The dates shown are those when each site was last inspected by CWGC staff. They do not include visits which may have been made by UK Government representatives.


The CWGC does not hold upkeep costs or costs per grave for each country. However, the world wide figures for the upkeep costs per grave in each of the last five years are as follows:
£

Cost
2000–0127.57
2001–0228.09
2002–0330.31
2003–0432.00
2004–0534.63

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the War Graves Commission in (a) Europe, (b) Asia and (c) the Middle East. [13003]

Mr. Touhig: The number of people who work for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is in the region of 945 in Europe, 135 in Asia and 52 in the Middle East.

The figure for Europe includes CWGC staff based in the United Kingdom but who travel extensively in other parts of the world. The figures do not include the work undertaken by contract staff.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

British Library

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost of consultants employed by the British Library was in each of the past five years. [12097]


 
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Mr. Lammy: The total cost of consultants employed by the British Library in the last five years is as follows:
Total value of consultancy contracts let (£) per year
2000–01435,000
2001–02623,000
2002–03529,000
2003–04259,000
2004–05546,000

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the average length of contracts awarded to consultants at the British Library was in each of the past five years. [12098]

Mr. Lammy: The average length of contracts awarded to consultants by the British Library in the last five years is as follows:
Average duration of consultancy contracts (months)
2000–017.4
2001–023.1
2002–035.8
2003–045.5
2004–055.1

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultants have become permanent members of staff of the British Library following the end of their contract in each of the last five years. [12099]

Mr. Lammy: So far as the British Library is aware, no consultants have become permanent members of staff of the British Library following the end of their contract over the past five years.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the added value made to the British Library by consultants employed by them in each of the past five years. [12100]

Mr. Lammy: The Department has made no assessment of the added value made to the British Library by consultants employed by them over the past five years. Under the terms of its financial memorandum, it is the Library's responsibility to ensure best value for money from consultancy services.

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of staff are employed by the British Library in (a) Boston Spa, (b) St. Pancras and (c) Colindale. [12101]

Mr. Lammy: The members of staff employed by the British Library are as follows:
LocationHeadcountFull time equivalent
St. Pancras1,1121,011.3
Boston Spa1,045944.98
Colindale109107.4
Other sites7975.66
Total2,3452,139.34









 
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National Lottery

Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which village halls and community centres have benefited from Lottery funding in the Hertford and Stortford constituency since 1997. [12767]

Mr. Caborn: Since 1997, Lottery distributors have made 204 awards totalling more than £8.4 million in the Hertford and Stortford constituency.

13 of these awards, between them totalling more than £215,000, were made by the former Community Fund (now part of the Big Lottery Fund) to the following village halls and community centres:

The Heritage Lottery Fund also awarded a grant to Church House, Sawbridgeworth, for the purpose of providing a meeting room for community use.

Further Lottery awards have been made by other distributors, including Arts Council England and Sport England for eligible activities taking place within community buildings.


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