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20 Dec 2005 : Column 2762W—continued
Microwave Weaponry
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has commissioned on microwave weaponry. [35766]
Mr. Ingram: As part of a portfolio of research into innovative technologies, Ministry of Defence has commissioned studies into high power microwave radiation to meet defence needs and to understand the potential threat to United Kingdom forces. The aim of such work is to assess the effects on electronic systems. This research has been on-going over a number of years.
Munitions
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2005, Official Report, column 1242W, on munitions, if he will make a statement on the mortar that was stolen in 1999. [37837]
Mr. Ingram:
I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
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Non-commissioned Officers (Special Forces)
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of non-commissioned officers who have left the special forces to join private security companies in each of the last 10 years. [29754]
Mr. Ingram: None. Only statistical records are kept on the employment found by those leaving the armed forces, and they do not allow individuals from a particular unit to be tracked to a specific job.
Overseas Recruits
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many overseas recruits there are in (a) each regiment of the Army, (b) the Royal Air Force, (c) the Royal Navy and (d) the Royal Marines, broken down by country of origin. [36785]
Mr. Touhig: For Naval Service and RAF data I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 17 November 2005, Official Report, column 1410W to the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr (Adam Price).
Naval Service data are not centrally held and therefore a breakdown of Royal Navy and Royal Marines data is not available.
Strength of overseas personnel in the UK Regular Army at 1 October 2005 by country and armed corps is shown in a table which has been placed in the Library.
Porton Down
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what investigation there has been as to what manuals, documents, other materials and information Dr. Wouter Basson of South Africa was given during and subsequent to his visit to Porton Down in 1985; and if he will make a statement; [31245]
(2) who authorised the visit of Dr. Wouter Basson of South Africa to Porton Down in 1985; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement. [31256]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 23 November 2005]: The Ministry of Defence holds no record of any visit by Dr.Wouter Basson to Porton Down at any time in 1985.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records his Department has retained relating to pre-1975 visits to South Africa by employees of Porton Down. [31255]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 23 November 2005]: Records from before 1975, relating to overseas visits by employees of the Ministry of Defence Porton Down, have been destroyed in accordance with routine file management.
Prisoners of War/Civilian Internees
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many residents of Kettering constituency have (a) claimed and (b) been awarded ex-gratia payments under the scheme for former Far East prisoners of war and civilian internees. [38113]
20 Dec 2005 : Column 2764W
Mr. Touhig: An examination of the Veterans Agency database on 15 December 2005 showed 23 claimants in the Kettering constituency. 22 of these have been awarded ex-gratia payment under the scheme for former Far East prisoners of war and civilian internees.
Royal Tournament
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 2000 the Royal Tournament has been replaced by a military tattoo at Horse Guards Parade in London. [38485]
Mr. Touhig [holding answer 19 December 2005]: Following the last Royal Tournament in 1999 it has been replaced once by a military tattoo at Horse Guards Parade. The Department continues, however, to participate in a wide variety of smaller events such as Open Days, ships visits, County Shows and showcase events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Fairford Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).
Shipyards (Construction Tenders)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are used to determine the eligibility of shipyards to be invited to tender for construction of (a) all and (b) part of naval ships; and if he will make a statement. [38203]
Mr. Ingram: Any competent supplier may be invited to bid for such work. An objective evaluation of suitability to be invited to tender is made on a number of factors including, but not limited to, financial capability, quality assurance standards, supplier capability, organisation and management, supply chain management. Assessment of suitability is often facilitated through completion of a pre-qualification questionnaire. There is no absolute requirement to build all warships and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels onshore, and the evaluation will also need to take into account the need to retain the ability to build, integrate and support complex ships in the UK, as set out in the recently published 'Defence Industrial Strategy'.
Standing Civilian Courts
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons have been brought before the standing civilian courts in each of the past five years, broken down by category of offence; and what the rate of conviction was in each such category. [38044]
Mr. Ingram: The number of persons brought before the standing civilian courts for the Army and RAP is shown in the following table. Information on the rate of conviction for each category is not held centrally, but the overall rate of conviction is provided.
The Royal Navy has no powers to convene standing civilian courts.
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Notes:
1. CSO—Community Service Order.
2. Percentage figures are rounded up to nearest whole percentage.
3. Figures for 2005 represent the number of people brought before the standing civilian courts to date.
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information is recorded on the (a) nature of charges brought, (b) rate of conviction and (c) sentencing outcomes of proceedings of the standing civilian courts. [38045]
Mr. Ingram: For the Army, with regard to standing civilian courts, information on the number of charges brought, the nature and details of the offence, whether there is a conviction or acquittal, and what the sentence is, is all recorded in a central database.
For the Royal Air Force, records of cases are kept by each Command alongside Service personnel disciplinary case records, but the information is not held centrally.
Information is not held relating to the rate of conviction.
The Royal Navy has no powers to convene standing civilian courts.
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