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Fraud Investigations

Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at how many (a) barracks and (b) other army sites personnel have been (i) investigated and (ii) suspended in relation to investigations into fraud by the Special Investigations Branch in the last 12 months. [21526]

Mr. Ingram: In the last 12 months to 31 October 2005 the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has carried out a total of 238 investigations into alleged offences which involve some element of fraud. The geographical breakdown of the investigations could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information about the suspension of soldiers is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. No officers have been suspended in the period.

FRES

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the likely in-service date is of the FRES; and what the cost of the system has been to date. [24853]

Mr. Ingram: The in-service date will not be formally endorsed until the main investment decision, but our current planning assumption is that the early variants of FRES will be introduced into service early in the next decade, with a phased approach to achieving full operational capability thereafter.

FRES is currently in its initial assessment phase; the total expenditure to date is approximately £25 million.

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Future Rapid Effect System. [24880]

Mr. Ingram: The Future Rapid Effect System is in the initial assessment phase. The broad aims of this phase are to further define the FRES capability and develop a series of affordable options for meeting the requirement; to develop optimum procurement and support strategies for future phases and to manage technology and supplier risk to acceptable levels.
 
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Hemel Hempstead (Funding)

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding was allocated by his Department to Hemel Hempstead constituency for (a) capital projects and (b) revenue funding in each of the last eight years. [25732]

Mr. Touhig: The Ministry of Defence's funding for capital projects in 2005–06 is £795,000. There were no capital projects during the years 1998–99 to 2004–05. Revenue costs for the eight years are estimated to be in the range of £75,000 to £100,000 per annum.

More precise figures are not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
 
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Illegal Drugs (RN Seizures)

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantity of illegal drugs has been seized by the Royal Navy in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) type of drug and (b) location of seizure. [24783]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 7 November 2005]: Detailed historical information concerning quantities and types of drugs seized in the Caribbean by Royal Navy units is temporarily unavailable due to hurricane damage at the Joint Inter Agency Task Force South (JIATFS) in Key West, Florida. Available details on major seizures are outlined as follows.

	Royal Navy unit	Location	Amount	Drug
July 2001	HMS Coventry	Caribbean	(£80 million)	Cocaine
July 2002	HMS Newcastle	Caribbean	(£1.5 million)	Marijuana
	HMS Newcastle	Caribbean	(£42 million)	Cocaine
September 2002	HMS Grafton	Caribbean	(£1 million)	Marijuana
October 2002	HMS Grafton	Caribbean	(£65 million)	Cocaine
May 2003	HMS Cumberland	SW Approaches	3.5 tonnes	Cocaine
June 2003	HMS Iron Duke	Caribbean	3.7 tonnes	Cocaine
Caribbean seizures since March 2005:
May 2005	RFA Wave Knight	Eastern Caribbean	163 kg	Cocaine
	HMS Liverpool	Near St. Lucia (E Caribbean)	170 kg	Marijuana
June 2005	HMS Liverpool	Near Barbados (E Caribbean)	68 kg	Marijuana
October 2005	HMS Cumberland	Western Caribbean	1.9 tonnes	Cocaine

I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible with the full details.

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the Royal Navy co-ordinates its work on seizing illegal drugs with other navies. [24784]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 7 November 2005]: HM Revenue and Customs are the lead United Kingdom agency for counter-drug operations. Co-operation with other navies and other nations customs services is co-ordinated through HMR and C.

Iraq

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the role and function of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [23015]

John Reid: Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq is a US military organisation based in Baghdad that oversees security sector reform across Iraq. It comprises three main components: the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team (CMATT), which helps recruit, train, and equip the Iraqi Armed Forces (IAF) and provides ongoing mentoring; the Joint Headquarters Advisory Support Team (JHAST), which assists the Joint Headquarters of the IAF; and the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT), which organises, trains, equips and mentors the Iraqi Civilian Police Forces, border enforcement forces and monitors, advises and certifies the Facilities Protection Service Forces. Its mission is to assist the Iraqi Government in the development, organisation, training, equipping, and sustainment of Iraqi Security Forces.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average absent without leave rate is among NATO-trained Iraqi forces; and if he will make a statement. [23149]

John Reid: There are no NATO-trained Iraqi forces.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many requests for provision of armoured Land Rovers from commanders on the ground in Multi National Division (South East) in Iraq have been received by his Department in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [23313]

(2) how many armoured Land Rovers have been donated to Iraqi security forces by the UK Government since January 2004; and if he will make a statement. [23314]

Mr. Ingram: Requests for the provision of military vehicles are submitted through the chain of command. There are no records of requests for any uplift in establishment figures, but 13 requests have been received for the replacement of armoured Land Rovers damaged or destroyed in Multi National Division (South East) over the past year.

As at 31 October 2005, the Iraqi Police Service in MND(SE) had taken receipt of 59 refurbished Land Rovers donated under the auspices of Project OSIRIS, the security sector reform project which aims to re-equip the Iraqi security forces with the vehicles, infrastructure and equipment they require to undertake security themselves. These Land Rovers are of a type not operated by UK forces. The Iraqi Army and Department for Border Enforcement are not receiving Land Rovers, but they are receiving other vehicles.
 
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Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) Programme

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the likely value of the contract awarded to Swan Hunter to convert the final ship in the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) programme into a hospital ship. [24820]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has not placed any contract with Swan Hunter to convert a Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) into a hospital ship.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has paid compensation to BAE Systems in settlement of claims made by BAE Systems from Swan Hunter for delays in the delivery of design information as part of the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) programme. [24828]

Mr. Ingram: No claims have been made by BAE Systems against Swan Hunter. The Ministry of Defence has made payments to BAE Systems for delay and dislocation costs associated with the Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) project. This is as a result of the delays to their build programme as a consequence of the late delivery of design information and equipment.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to transfer design authority for the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) vessels from Swan Hunter to BAE Systems following his decision to award lead ship status to the BAE-built vessel, Mounts Bay. [24832]

Mr. Ingram: Swan Hunter remains the design authority for the LSD(A) vessels.

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to award a through-life support contract for the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) vessels to Swan Hunter. [24833]

Mr. Ingram: The future support strategy for Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) vessels is under consideration. We are currently engaging with industry to develop proposals for contracting on a through-life support basis, but the process is in its early stages.

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