| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
1 Mar 2006 : Column 734W—continued
Transport Project Funding
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the guarantees the Government have provided to outside organisations for loans which have been used to fund transport projects. [46128]
Derek Twigg: Government have provided the following guarantees in relation to financing the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link:
Government also provide credit support arrangements for borrowing by Network Rail.
DEFENCE
Afghanistan
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the counter-terrorism role of Operation Enduring Freedom will continue to be discharged in Southern Afghanistan after the counter-insurgency role of NATO's International Security Assistance Force comes into operation there. [52769]
Mr. Ingram: Operation Enduring Freedom will continue to discharge its counter-terrorist role in Southern Afghanistan after the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force expands into that area. NATO's Operational Plan contains clear command arrangements to co-ordinate and, where necessary, deconflict efforts within the two missions.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has received representations from the Army requesting more (a) combat troops, (b) helicopters and (c) artillery than have been allocated for the proposed deployment to Southern Afghanistan. [52770]
Mr. Ingram: No. The force package that the UK will send to Southern Afghanistan meets the requirements identified by the relevant military planning staffs and has been fully endorsed by the chiefs of staff.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military assessment he has received of the probable consequences of using military power to suppress opium production in Southern Afghanistan. [52771]
Mr. Ingram: As we have consistently made clear, tackling the opium trade in Afghanistan will require a broad and multi-faceted counter-narcotics strategy, under Afghan leadership, including development of legal rural livelihood opportunities for farmers and targeting of the traffickers by Afghan forces. UK troops deployed to Southern Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) can support Afghan counter-narcotics efforts, by helping to provide the secure environment in which the rule of law can be applied and the-economy can be developed and diversified. The Afghan Government should then be able to build popular support for its efforts to eradicate the drugs trade.
Caribbean Naval Patrols
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how many months in each year since 1997 there has been a Royal Navy destroyer or frigate on anti-drugs patrol in the Caribbean; and what future schedule has been prepared for this role. [54015]
Mr. Ingram:
Since 1997, there has been a Royal Navy destroyer or frigate deployed on tasking in the Caribbean area for the following months per year:
1 Mar 2006 : Column 736W
| Months | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 12 |
| 1998 | 11 |
| 1999 | 11 |
| 2000 | 10 |
| 2001 | 10 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 9 |
In 2006, we plan to provide coverage throughout the core hurricane season (July to October inclusive) and from early 2007 the introduction of an improved force generation process will enable us to resume year-round attribution of a destroyer or frigate to Caribbean tasks.
Defence Industrial Strategy
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's supply chain strategy within the Defence Industrial Strategy. [54418]
Mr. Ingram: The supply chain strategy is currently being developed. The intention is to construct a clearer understanding of the defence supply base, its capabilities and technologies, sources of innovation and areas of potential vulnerability.
Departmental Estate
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of RAF Wyton. [54342]
Mr. Ingram: A number of studies are currently under way but have not yet reported, whose outcomes may effect the future of RAF Wyton. One of these is to explore options for the collocation of the Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) and the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA). A decision on DLO/DPA collocation is not expected before spring 2006, and will be subject to Trades Union consultation.
Departmental Finance
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which public corporations his Department received a receipt from a (a) dividend payment and (b) equity withdrawal in financial years 2004-05; what the value of each receipt was; and whether receipts were (i) appropriated in aid of his Department and (ii) submitted to the Consolidated Fund. [53668]
Mr. Ingram: During the financial year 2004-05, the Department received a dividend payment and equity withdrawal from QinetiQ (then a self financing public corporation). The income received was:
Both were appropriated in aid of the Department.
1 Mar 2006 : Column 737W
Notification of this income was provided in Note 10 of the Departmental Annual Report and Accounts 2004-05, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value was of receipts from asset sales that were (a) appropriated in aid of his Department and (b) submitted to the Consolidated Fund in financial year 2004-05. [53669]
Mr. Ingram: The Department received a total of £366.9 million from asset sales, in the financial year 2004-05. Of this, £213.7 million was appropriated in aid of the Department and £153.2 million surrendered as excess Appropriations in Aid to the Consolidated Fund.
Electromagnetic Pulse Weapons
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to ensure that measures are in place to counter the effects of an electromagnetic pulse weapon used against UK forces in the field. [54373]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 July 2003, Official Report, column 808W, to the hon. Member for South-East Cornwall (Mr. Breed).
Fleet Air Defence
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the main air defence assets which will be available to the fleet in the years between the withdrawal of the Sea Harriers and the entry into service of the joint combat aircraft. [54016]
Mr. Ingram: The backbone of the fleet's ability to defend itself from air attack in the years between the withdrawal of the Sea Harrier in March 2006 and the entry into service of the joint combat aircraft, will continue to be provided by destroyers. At present, this is achieved using the eight Type 42 destroyers equipped with the medium range Sea Dart surface to air missile system. Destroyers of the Daring Class will gradually replace the Type 42 destroyers. These new ships will be armed with the Principal Anti Air Missile System, enhancing the fleet's capability to counter the most sophisticated aircraft and anti-ship missiles in the world.
The fleet's close range air defence capability will continue to be provided by Type 22 and Type 23 Frigates equipped with the Seawolf point defence missile system. Additional air defence capability will also come from a combination of close-in weapon (gun) systems, such as GOALKEEPER and PHALANX, and decoys.
Airborne Early Warning Sea King helicopters will provide the long range detection of airborne contacts.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |