| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
15 Feb 2006 : Column 2092W—continued
DEFENCE
Afghanistan
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his assessment is of the security situation in (a) Nimrooz, (b) Farah, (c) Ghor, (d) Oruzgan and (e) Kandahar provinces. [50349]
Mr. Ingram: Nimruz, Farah and Ghowr have remained stable throughout the period in which ISAF have been in Afghanistan. The security situation in Kandahar and Oruzgan provinces is less permissive than in the north and west of the country. Coalition partners and Afghan forces constantly review the security situation to determine the appropriate size and composition of their forces in order to operate effectively in these areas.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) British and (b) Allied troops are deployed in (i) Nimrooz, (ii) Farah, (iii) Ghor, (iv) Oruzgan and (v) Kandahar provinces; and what such troops are due to be deployed in each province in the next (A) six and (B) 12 months. [50350]
Mr. Ingram: As announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 26 January 2006, the UK plans to deploy some 3,300 troops to Southern Afghanistan (Helmand and Kandahar provinces). We currently have around 500 UK troops in Southern Afghanistan. The detail and timing of the deployments of other nations is not for us to comment on.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training British troops in Helmand province received prior to deployment. [50357]
Mr. Ingram: All troops deploying to operational theatres, including Afghanistan, receive a pre-deployment training package which is tailored to the theatre into which they are deploying.
Aircraft Carriers
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessments (a) have been and (b) are planned to be made of the practicability of operating Typhoons from the Future Aircraft Carriers. [50574]
Mr. Ingram:
In reaching the Joint Combat Aircraft selection decision, we assessed a number of options including Typhoon. Our judgment was, and remains, that the Joint Strike Fighter best meets United Kingdom requirements.
15 Feb 2006 : Column 2093W
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the cost of designing the Future Aircraft Carrier; and what price France is paying for purchasing that design. [51295]
Mr. Ingram: The total cost of the assessment phase is approximately £300 million and, as we announced on 14 December, we have now committed to the demonstration phase, amounting to some £300 million of further work. This includes elements for long-lead items and risk reduction, as well as developing the design to a point at which a decision to manufacture can be taken.
We subsequently announced, on 24 January, that we will be co-operating with France to produce a common baseline design that both countries can further use to develop their own carriers. France will make a financial contribution in recognition of the investment UK has already made in the design (comprising £30 million now and £25 million in July with a further £45 million at the end of the demonstration phase if France decides to commit to manufacture) and will contribute one third of the demonstration phase costs of the common baseline design.
BBC Monitoring
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding BBC Monitoring has received from (a) his Department, (b) other Government Departments and (c) other sources in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [50362]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
BBC Monitoring has received the following funding in each of the last five years:
In 2005, BBC Monitoring Stakeholders agreed a funding regime up to financial year2010–11 that provides BBC Monitoring with security and stability for the future.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding BBC Monitoring will receive in (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07 from (i) his Department, (ii) other Government departments and (iii) other sources. [50365]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
BBC Monitoring funding in 2005–06 and 2006–07 is listed in the table. From 2006–07 onwards, all funding will be channelled through the Cabinet Office and held in a ring-fenced budget. Other sources" includes commercial sales which are variable and therefore must
15 Feb 2006 : Column 2094W
be regarded as approximate. In the financial year 2005–06 BBC Monitoring will, in addition, draw down £1 million from the BBC Monitoring Reserve Fund.
| Financial year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Source | 2005–06 | 2006–07 |
| FCO | 5,072 | — |
| MOD | 6,982 | — |
| BBC World Service | 5,278 | — |
| Cabinet Office | 3,719 | 24,600 |
| Other sources | 3,192 | 3,338 |
| Total | 24,244 | 27,938 |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries from which media output is monitored by BBC Monitoring. [50368]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
In association with its US partner, BBC Monitoring is required to maintain a global capability. The level of coverage differs from country to country. Priorities and coverage is amended to monitor specific events such as elections.
Departmental Catering Budget
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much and what proportion of his Department's catering budget was spent on fair trade produce in the last period for which figures are available. [49917]
Mr. Ingram: Fair Trade items have only recently been selected for inclusion in the Core Range food catalogue available to Service Caterers. Information on expenditure on these items is not yet available.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the procurement of fair trade produce for consumption on its premises. [49928]
Mr. Ingram: To meet the Ministry of Defence's value for money requirements, all catering contractors are required to seek the best price in the open market, consistent with meeting the MOD's quality standard; indeed to do otherwise would contravene European law. In the case of fair trade products, the Department's policy requires contractors to give full consideration to such goods whenever they meet these criteria.
Frimley Park Hospital
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the possible release of departmental land next to Frimley Park hospital for hospital use. [49840]
Mr. Touhig: The Ministry of Defence property adjacent to Frimley Park hospital is Cadet Training Centre Frimley Park. It is the focus of the UK cadet movement and a valued and fully-utilised facility.
No plans exist at present to vacate or dispose of any part of the site. If such plans are formed in future, due consideration will be given to Frimley Park hospital's past expressions of interest.
15 Feb 2006 : Column 2095W
Gulf War-related Illnesses
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what fuels used by UK forces on Operation (a) Granby and (b) Telic contained pyridines. [50298]
Mr. Ingram: Testing for pyridine in fuel is not standard Ministry of Defence or industry practice. However, fuels used by the UK armed forces during Operation Granby and Operation Telic were and are commercial fuels and are likely therefore to contain minute traces of pyridine, either through being an inherent component of the crude oil stock, or possibly as a contaminant picked up by the fuel from the distribution system.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |