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Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 200405 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 200506 as a result of the Lyons review of public sector relocation; to which places they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement. [24639]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 7 November 2005]: Between August 2004 and March 2005 1,230 posts were relocated when the Army Technical Foundation college, at Arborfield, closed and its function moved to the Army Foundation college at Harrogate. The closure was part of a fundamental restructuring of the way in which the Army conducts its junior training. The restructuring meant that the posts relocated to a number of establishments throughout the country.
No relocations from the south east are likely to take place in 200506.
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Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the remit is of the Terrorist Investigation Unit (TIU); what contact there is between the TIU and 6 Royal Military Police Historic Investigation Team; and how many members of the TIU there are. [27354]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 11 November 2005]: The Tribunals and Inquiries Unit (TIU) manages the Ministry of Defence's contribution to public inquiries and other investigations, and arranges assistance to former and serving MOD employees who are involved in them. The TIU provides policy guidance to 6 Royal Military Police Historic Inquiries Team on their assistance to the Police Service of Northern Ireland's review of unresolved deaths during the troubles. Currently there are six members of the TIU, which is headed by a senior civil servant.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 919W, on Type 23 frigates, what repairs are taking place to the three vessels' platforms, systems and equipment in order to comply with maritime regulations; what the findings of the previous stability tests for the three ships were; and (a) when and (b) by whom the next stability tests will be undertaken. [26370]
Mr. Ingram: The Type 23 frigates are currently certified in class by Lloyd's Register survey and comply with maritime regulations. Following the relevant Inclining Experiment (stability test) and subsequent stability calculations each ship was demonstrated to meet MOD Type 23 Stability Standard for the following 10 years. Certificates of SafetyStability were issued for each ship with the following expiry dates: HMS Norfolk valid until 6 August 2006, HMS Marlborough 6 August 2006 and HMS Grafton 7 November 2006.
As part of their reactivation for sale to the Republic of Chile the prime contractor, BAE Systems, intend to contract Lloyd's Register to survey each ship (between January 2006 and July 2007) and recommend any repair work required to maintain certification to meet maritime regulations. The prime contractor will also conduct Inclining Experiments on HM Ships Norfolk (July 2006) and Grafton (December 2006) and stability calculations to confirm that all three ships continue to meet the Type 23 Stability Standard. HMS Marlborough being of the same stability batch as HMS Norfolk will not require to undergo an Inclining Experiment. Certification of class will be issued by Lloyd's Register to support the transfer to the Republic of Chile.
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) where the three battalions of the new Yorkshire Regiment will be based when it is formed in June 2006; [25691]
(2) what specific roles and operational functions he intends to allocate to the three battalions of the new Yorkshire Regiment to the end of 2007; [25690]
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(3) if he will make it his policy for recruitment to the new Yorkshire Regiment to be restricted to people living in the Yorkshire and Humber region. [25689]
Mr. Touhig: All battalion names are provisional and subject to Royal assent but, under current plans: the 1st Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) will be based in Catterick and will be a light-role battalion; the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) will be based near Chepstow until mid-2007 when they will relocate to Weeton, Lancashire. They will also be a light-role battalion, and the 3rd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington's) will be based in Warminster and will be an armoured battalion.
Current policy allows an infantry recruit, irrespective of where he resides, to join whichever regiment he wishes provided there are spaces within that regiment and he passes the associated selection criteria and training course. There are no plans to change this policy.
Peter Law: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with Chinese President Hu Jintao on (a) climate change and (b) energy technology support during his visit to London. [28953]
The Prime Minister: President Hu and I agreed that climate change and energy were important global issues on which we could work together more closely in future. The UK-China Sustainable Development Dialogue, signed in the margins of the President's visit, and the EU-China Partnership on Climate Change signed in Beijing in September provide a solid platform for future co-operation. I am keen to engage with China on the potential for a workable framework on future action after Kyoto at next month's UN climate change conference.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the speeches he has made regarding climate change since becoming Prime Minister. [26832]
The Prime Minister: I regularly give speeches on a wide range of domestic and international issues, including environmental issues. Copies of my speeches are available on the Number 10 website.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list policy commitments he has made relating to climate change since 1997. [27522]
The Prime Minister:
The UK Climate Change Programme, published in November 2000, sets out the Government's strategic approach to tackling climate change, including our policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to ensure we meet our target under the Kyoto Protocol and to move us towards our domestic goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010. Significant policies the Government have put in place to reduce emissions include the renewables obligation, the climate change levy and
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climate change agreements, and the voluntary greenhouse gas emissions trading schemethe first such economy-wide trading scheme in the world.
The programme also explained how climate change will affect the UK and the action we are taking to prepare for this. We are reviewing the programme, looking at how existing policies are performing and the range of policies that we might put in place in future. In the Energy White Paper, published in February 2003, we said we would put the UK on a path towards a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of some 60 per cent. by about 2050.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Prime Minister (1) on what date the Government first provided a dedicated government vehicle to members of the family of the serving Prime Minister; and for what reason; [28066]
(2) when the most recent assessment of (a) his and (b) his family's security was carried out. [28067]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend Lord Bassam on Monday 7 November 2005, Official Report, column WA62.
It has been the practice of successive governments not to comment on security issues.
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how many contracts for direct mail were signed by his Department in (a) 200506 to date and (b) 200405; and what the value was in each case. [27672]
The Prime Minister: For these purposes my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I have therefore asked my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Cabinet Office to reply. A copy of the reply will be placed in the Library of the House.
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