5 Oct 2005 : Column 2795W
Written Answers to Questions
The following answers were received between Tuesday 6 September and Wednesday 5 October 2005
DEFENCE
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
Mr. Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance relating to the application of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. [14025]
Mr. Touhig
[holding answer 21 July 2005]: The Joint Service Publication 765 "The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme for Injury, Illness and Death due to Service (AFCS)" issued on 6 April 2005 will be placed in the Library. This document provides guidance on the AFCS, offering further explanation of the rules of the scheme as set out in Statutory Instrument 439 of 2005, including providing examples of how the rules are applied and how benefits are calculated. JSP 765 can also be found on the internet at www.mod.uk/issues/pensions and select heading "JSP 765 The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme for Injury, Illness or death due to Service".
A Veterans Agency operational guide supporting the full IT-lead decision-making process which is due to be introduced later this year is currently being produced and will also be provided when complete by December 2005.
Cadets
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength of the (a) sea cadets, (b) air cadets and (c) army cadets in (i) Lancashire and (ii) Chorley is. [13009]
Mr. Touhig:
The information requested is shown in the table:
Cadets | Lancashire (excluding Chorley) |
Chorley
|
|---|
| Sea | 425 | 34
|
| Air | 1,424 | 41
|
| Army | 1,600 | 40
|
There are no members of the Combined Cadet Force in Chorley.
Iraq
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) financial assistance, (b) technical assistance and (c) personnel his Department is contributing to the clearing of mines in Iraq. [14988]
5 Oct 2005 : Column 2796W
Mr. Ingram:
The United Kingdom Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group provides mentoring for the Iraqi Army 70 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Company, which, when it reaches full operational capability, will have the ability to conduct large scale mine clearing operations.
UK Royal Engineers based in southern Iraq clear mines when necessary for operational purposes. The UK plays a much greater role in dealing with the large scale problem of abandoned unexploded ordnance in southern Iraq. To date more than 880,000 items of unexploded ordnance have been recovered or destroyed by UK forces in MND(SE).
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medals have been awarded to soldiers who have served or are serving in Iraq, broken down by medal designation. [14517]
Mr. Touhig:
As at 26 August 2005, the following medals had been issued to military personnel who have served or are serving in Iraq.
| Award | Number awarded/issued
|
|---|
| Iraq Medal | (1)72,000
|
| Victoria Cross | 1
|
| George Cross | 1
|
| Distinguished Service Order | 12
|
| Conspicuous Gallantry Cross | 8
|
| Distinguished Service Cross | 1
|
| Military Cross | 45
|
| Distinguished Flying Cross | 11
|
| Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross | 2
|
| Air Force Cross | 2
|
| Queens Gallantry Medal | 14
|
| George Medal | 1
|
(1) This figure is based on the statistics for the total applications assessed, minus 2–3 per cent. which is the estimated percentage for those applications rejected as not meeting the eligibility criteria.
Media Relations
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year. [14678]
Mr. Touhig:
Ministry of Defence expenditure on external assistance, of which consultants or companies employed to manage media relations is part, is available in the Libraries of both Houses for the years 1995–96 to 2003–04. Although this is broken down by various categories, the MOD does not centrally record expenditure on external media consultants. This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
5 Oct 2005 : Column 2797W
Military Clothing
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the (a) inks, (b) dyes, (c) bleach and (d) chemicals used in the printing of camouflage under the cut and sew contract have been tested for reaction on skin. [5154]
Mr. Ingram:
There is no requirement in our fabric specifications for these tests to be carried out. The camouflage items supplied by our contractor to date have met the required specification.
Military Explosive
Mr. Ancram:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each of those countries in which UK armed forces are deployed how much military explosive was unaccounted for in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005. [13272]
Mr. Ingram:
The Ministry of Defence does not have any recorded losses of military explosive from overseas deployments in the period 2002–05.
5 Oct 2005 : Column 2798W
Regiments
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which regiments are based in each region. [12467]
Mr. Touhig:
I have assumed that my hon. Friend is referring to the locations of the Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) of major Regular Army Units, which can be found in the following tables. Major units are defined as those regional and deployable units with over 320 personnel and do not include Regular Army training establishments.
Royal Armoured Corps
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| Household Cavalry (The Life Guards) | South East
|
| 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards | Wales
|
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
(Carabiniers and Greys) | Scotland
|
| The Royal Dragoon Guards | Yorkshire and the Humber
|
The Queen's Royal Hussars
(The Queens Own and Royal Irish) | London
|
| 9th/12th Lancers (Prince of Wales's) | East Midlands
|
| The Kings Royal Hussars | North West
|
| The Light Dragoons | North East
|
| The Queen's Royal Lancers | East Midlands
|
| The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment | South West
|
Infantry
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards | London
|
| 1st Battalion The Coldstream Guards | London
|
| 1st Battalion The Scots Guards | London
|
| 1st Battalion The Irish Guards | London
|
| 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards | London
|
| 1 Battalion The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) | Scotland
|
| 1 Battalion The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment) | Scotland
|
| 1st Battalion The Kings Own Scottish Borderers | North East
|
| 1st Battalion The Black Watch (The Highland Regiment) | Scotland
|
| 1st Battalion The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) | Scotland
|
| 1st Battalion The Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) | Scotland
|
| 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) | South East
|
| 2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) |
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | London
|
| 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment | East of England
|
| 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment |
|
| 1st Battalion The Kings Own Royal Border Regiment | North West
|
| 1st Battalion The Kings Regiment | North West
|
| 1st Battalion The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire | Yorkshire and the Humber
|
| 1st Battalion The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) | Yorkshire and the Humber
|
| 1st Battalion The Queens Lancashire Regiment | North West
|
| 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) | Yorkshire and the Humber
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment | Northern Ireland
|
| 1st Battalion The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment | South West
|
| 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment | North West
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers | Wales
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/4 1st Foot) | Wales
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment | South West
|
| 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) | West Midlands
|
| 1st Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's) | West Midlands
|
| 1st Battalion The Light Infantry |
|
| 2nd Battalion The Light Infantry | South East
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Green Jackets |
|
| 2nd Battalion The Royal Green Jackets |
|
| 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment |
|
| 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment | East of England
|
| 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment |
|
| 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles | South West
|
| 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles |
|
5 Oct 2005 : Column 2799W
Royal Regiment of Artillery
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1 Regiment Royal Horse Artillery |
|
| 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery |
|
| 4th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 5th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 7th (Parachute) Regiment Royal Horse Artillery |
|
| 12th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 16th Regiment Royal Artillery | London
|
| 19th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 26th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 39th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 40th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
| 47th Regiment Royal Artillery |
|
Royal Engineers
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 21 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 22 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 23 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 25 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 26 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 28 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 32 Engineer Regiment | South East
|
| 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) |
|
| 35 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 36 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 38 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 39 Engineer Regiment |
|
| 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) |
|
| 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group |
|
Army Air Corps
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1 Regiment Army Air Corps |
|
| 3 Regiment Army Air Corps |
|
| 4 Regiment Army Air Corps | South East
|
| 5 Regiment Army Air Corps |
|
| 9 Regiment Army Air Corps |
|
Royal Logistics Corps
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1 Logistic Support Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 2 Logistic Support Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 3 Close Support Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 4 Logistic Support Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 6 Supply Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 7 Transport Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 8 Transport Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 9 Supply Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 10 Transport Regiment Royal Logistics Corps | South East
|
11 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Regiment
Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 17 Port & Maritime Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 23 Pioneer Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 24 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 27 Transport Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
| 29 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps |
|
Royal Military Police
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1 Regiment Royal Military Police |
|
| 3 Regiment Royal Military Police | South East
|
| 4 Regiment Royal Military Police |
|
| 5 Regiment Royal Military Police |
|
5 Oct 2005 : Column 2800W
Royal Signals
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1 (UK) Armoured Division Signal Regiment |
|
| 2 Signal Regiment |
|
| 3 (UK) Division Signal Regiment |
|
| 7 Signal Regiment | South West
|
| 10 Signal Regiment |
|
| 14 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) |
|
| 16 Signal Regiment |
|
| 21 Signal Regiment (Air Support) |
|
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1st Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
|
| 2nd Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
|
| 3rd Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
|
| 4th Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers | South East
|
| 5th Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
|
| 6th Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
|
| 7th Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
|
Army Medical Services
Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location for Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), Queen Alexandra's Royal Auxiliary Nursing Corps (QUARANC), Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC)
|
|---|
| 1 Close Support Medical Regiment |
|
| 3 Close Support Medical Regiment |
|
4 General Support Medical Regiment
|
5 General Support Medical Regiment
South East
|
| 16 Close Support Medical Regiment |
|
| 22 Field Hospital |
|
| 33 Field Hospital |
|
| 34 Field Hospital |
|
Intelligence Corps
| Regiment/Corp | RHQ Location
|
|---|
| 1 Military Intelligence Battalion |
|
| 2 Military Intelligence Battalion | East of England
|
| 4 Military Intelligence Battalion |
|
