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Surplus Equipment

24. Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on controls over the end use of surplus military equipment sold by his Department. [44091]

Mr. Ingram: Surplus equipment that is considered to have potential further use in a military application is subject to inter-departmental clearance procedures on security, political, industrial and technological grounds including consideration of the end use where sold to other Governments. All sales agreements with other Governments make specific provision for Her Majesty's Government to approve any subsequent transfer or sale.

For sales into the commercial market, once title has transferred, there is no restriction placed upon subsequent transfer or sale provided the buyer complies with all the requirements of the export licensing regime should it be decided to export from the UK.

We routinely demilitarise the most sensitive military equipment and dispose as waste or recycle equipment that cannot be sold for further use.

Falklands Campaign (Commemoration)

25. Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to mark the anniversary of the Falklands war. [44092]

Mr. Touhig: Officials are working with the South Atlantic Medal Association 1982 and other representatives of the veterans of the Falklands campaign to develop plans for commemoration of the 25th anniversary. The main event will be in London on Sunday 17 June 2007. I will announce details in the near future.

Cadet Forces

Mr. Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department gives to cadet forces. [44491]

Mr. Touhig: The Ministry of Defence provides direct funding to the individual services to allow their respective cadet forces to offer a vast range of personal development and educational opportunities for youngsters and, with their nationwide reach, acts as a genuine force for good both for the youngsters who join as well as for the communities in which they live. In addition the services provide significant benefit in kind to support cadet training activities; primarily the use of training facilities but also material and limited manpower resources.

Co-operative Engagement Capability

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2759W, on co-operative engagement capability, which capabilities over and above those originally planned for the first class Type-45 destroyers are not currently expected to be fitted to the class in addition to the enhanced electronic warfare capabilities; and if he will make a statement. [43879]

 
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Mr. Ingram: Most of the capability originally planned to be fitted to the Type 45 through the incremental acquisition plan relates to upgrades in software to enhance elements of the ship's combat system. It is not possible to provide any more specific details as to what these capabilities are as to do so could prejudice the protection of national sovereignty against internal or external threats.

DCAE Cosford

Mr. McFadden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact (a) closure and (b) downsizing ofDCAE Cosford may have on the (i) Shropshire and (ii) West Midlands economies. [38990]

Mr. Touhig: The Defence Training Review is currently evaluating the bidding consortia's proposals. Until this phase is complete and a decision has been taken to select a preferred training partner, I am not in a position to make any detailed comment on the potential impact on any site or region of the United Kingdom.

Defence Training Review

Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the locations of (a) population centres, (b) labour markets, (c) higher education institutions and (d) aerospace companies in choosing locations as part of the Defence Training Review. [40394]

Mr. Touhig: The procurement strategy of the Defence Training Review (DTR) Programme has required bidders to select training sites as part of their responses to the Invitations to Negotiate. This has been essential to ensure an integrated training and estates solution which delivers value for money. A comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the bidding consortia's proposals is under way judged against defined evaluation criteria. Before a decision is reached on the preferred bidder, a Regional Socio-Economic Report will also be undertaken to assess the broader impact of the DTR Programme on the surrounding regions. This will not be concluded until the summer 2006.

Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Defence Training Review on the aerospace industry in the West Midlands; [40396]

(2) what criteria he included in the Defence Training Review to ensure that its proposals will take account of the potential impact on businesses in the aerospace and engineering sectors. [40424]

Mr. Touhig: The Defence Training Review (DTR) Programme is conducting a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the bidding consortia's proposals against defined evaluation criteria. As part of the MOD's wider assessment process a Regional Socio-Economic Report will be undertaken to assess the broader impact of the DTR Programme on the surrounding region and its economy. Until the evaluation phase is complete and a decision has been taken to select a preferred training partner, currently expected in summer 2006, I am not in a position to make any detailed comment on the wider impact of the DTR solution.
 
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Electoral Administration

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish the questionnaire for the survey to establish the level of voter registration among service personnel; and when he will publish the findings of the survey; [43612]

(2) which agency or organisation within his Department was responsible for (a) devising and (b) carrying out the survey to establish the level of voter registration among service personnel; [43642]

(3) which Minister within his Department is responsible for the survey to establish the level of voter registration among service personnel; [43643]

(4) where the survey to establish the level of voter registration among service personnel was carried out, broken down by (a) service, (b) unit and (c) base; what the sample size was; and over what period the survey was carried out; [43644]

(5) what estimate he has made of the likely response rate to the survey to establish the level of voter registration among service personnel; and what adjustment he will make to the findings of the survey to allow for non-responses. [43645]

Mr. Touhig: The survey to establish the level of voter registration among Service personnel has been planned in conjunction with the Electoral Commission. The Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) devised the sampling strategy and is carrying out the survey. The questionnaire was despatched during the second week of December to 8,849 randomly selected service personnel, UK based and abroad, across all ranks and services. Responses are due for return by 3 February 2006.

The survey has been designed to produce results accurate to 5 per cent. for each service by officers and other ranks, and by posting in the UK or overseas, assuming a response rate of 45 per cent. Where response rates vary by groups, for example other ranks posted overseas, results will be weighted to ensure results are representative. As the Minister responsible for the survey, I intend that the results will be published and hope to be able to do so by the end of March 2006. Meanwhile, I am placing a copy of the questionnaire in the Library of the House.

Equal Opportunity Advisers

Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the number of unit equal opportunity advisers in each of the armed forces. [38598]

Mr. Touhig: Although 5,714 members of the armed forces have been trained as unit equal opportunities advisers no information is held centrally on the number of these personnel currently acting in this capacity.

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