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7 Nov 2005 : Column 101W—continued
Members' Visits
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many requests from hon. Members for visits to departmental sites have been refused in each of the last five years, broken down by political party. [18959]
Mr. Touhig: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Number of MPs refused | Party | |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 6 | Labour |
| 4 | Liberal Democrat | |
| 1 | Conservative | |
| 2005 | 0 | — |
The above figures exclude visit requests to operational theatres. These figures also exclude visits that were turned down in the first instance but arranged at a later date.
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Ordnance
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what agreement has been reached between Royal Ordnance and the Government on security of supply of initiators and boxer caps following the announcement on the Chorley Royal Ordnance site. [24705]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 3 November 2005]: Under the terms of the MOD-BAE Systems Land Systems Framework Partnering Agreement BAES are responsible for ensuring security of the supply of initiators and boxer caps. Detailed discussions have taken place regarding the implications of the Chorley closure and we remain confident in the company's ability to maintain security of supply.
QinetiQ
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what revenue guarantees from the Department have been (a) indicated and (b) requested by QinetiQ's investment bankers in respect of the company's prospective flotation. [23634]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 October 2005, Official Report, column 1216W.
RAF Recruitment
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many 16 to 24-year-olds are expected to be recruited following the most recent annual Royal Air Force recruitment campaign. [25261]
Mr. Touhig: The most recent Royal Air Force recruitment campaign comprised two television advertisements that ran between 4 February and 31 March 2005. Data on how many 16 to 24-year-olds were recruited as a result of this campaign is not held. However, during the period the campaign ran, there were around 18,000 enquiries, which included some 1,800 16 to 24-year-olds who directly cited the campaign as the reason they were requesting further information.
Royal Irish Regiment
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans the Government have (a) to retrain and (b) to prepare for civilian life members of the Royal Irish Regiment; and if he will make a statement; [25159]
(2) how many members of the Royal Irish Regiment who will be made redundant by 2007 reside in the Strangford constituency. [25160]
Mr. Touhig: We are considering the details of resettlement provision for Royal Irish (Home Service) personnel as part of our on-going work to finalise an appropriate overall settlement package.
We recognise that members of the Home Service Battalions are anxious to know the outcome of this work. A substantive announcement will be made as soon as this work is complete but I cannot give a date at this stage.
Currently a total of some 200 members of the Home Service Battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment reside in the Strangford constituency.
7 Nov 2005 : Column 103W
Special Nuclear Materials Load Carriers
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has (a) to replace and (b) to upgrade the (Special Nuclear Materials) load carrier vehicles. [19346]
Mr. Ingram: Investigations are currently being undertaken to fully scope the replacement of the existing SNM load carrier vehicles with the intention that replacement vehicles will enter service in 2008. There are no plans to upgrade the existing load carriers. The vehicles were however refurbished some nine months ago to enable them to meet programme requirements until the new vehicles are available.
Territorial Army (Kettering)
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list Territorial Army units located nearest to residents within the Kettering constituency. [23190]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 31 October 2005]: Territorial Army units, located within a 35 mile radius of Kettering Town, are as follows:
Trident
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of re-fitting each of the Trident submarines was in each year since they were commissioned. [21699]
John Reid
[holding answer 27 October 2005]: Trident submarine long overhaul period (refuel)s (LOP(R)s), formerly referred to as refits, are being undertaken
7 Nov 2005 : Column 104W
progressively. The first LOP(R), on HMS Vanguard, has been completed and the second, on HMS Victorious, began in January 2005. The total cost of the LOP(R)s programme up to the end of the last financial year, rounded to the nearest £1 million is as follows. This includes planning work generic to the class as a whole.
| Vanguard | Victorious | |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 7 | — |
| 2001–02 | 45 | — |
| 2002–03 | 114 | — |
| 2003–04 | 84 | 8 |
| 2004–05 | 39 | 55 |
| Total | 289 | 63 |
Wind Turbines (Yelland Farm)
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons his Department has withdrawn its objections to the proposal to erect three 81 metre wind turbines at Yelland Farm, West Devon. [23759]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 2 November 2005]: The original objection to the Yelland Farm development lodged by this Department was based on the advice of the local commander at Okehampton Training Area. However, further advice was obtained from the RAF Low Flying Policy Office, Joint Helicopter Command and HQ Army Training Estate. After these authorities had been consulted, it was confirmed that the proposed wind turbines at Yelland Farm would not prevent or restrict the RAF's or Army's ability to operate over the nearby Dartmoor and Okehampton Training Areas. On that basis, MOD withdrew its objection.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence his Department relied upon in stating in a letter from Defence Estates of 26 May, to the West Devon borough council, that the erection of three 81 metre wind turbines at Yelland Farm, West Devon, would (a) limit realistic training in the Dartmoor training area and (b) constitute a hazard to military aircraft transiting around the Air Danger Area exclusion zone over North Dartmoor. [23760]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 2 November 2005]: The Ministry of Defence's initial objection to the Yelland Farm planning application was based on the information provided by the local commander at Okehampton Training Area, and is related to the possible implications for the use of helicopters that routinely fly in and out of Okehampton Camp and operate over Dartmoor as part of operational training.
There were also initial concerns about the potential hazard to helicopters and fast jets that transit around the moor. The MOD's objection has now been withdrawn, following more detailed consideration.
7 Nov 2005 : Column 105W
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