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William Gibson

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by whom the case of William Gibson was referred to her Department for a List 99 determination; on what date the case was referred; and on what date the case was decided. [43405]

Ruth Kelly: The case of William Gibson was referred by a supply agency, STC Consortium by telephone call on 14 January 2003. The case was concluded on 31 January 2005.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Switchover

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department has taken to encourage owners of homes in multiple occupancy to prepare for digital switchover; and if she will make a statement. [54651]

James Purnell: Many residents living in flats and other types of multi-occupancy dwellings are already able to access digital television services either through communal aerial systems that are capable of transmitting digital signals or through the use of other antennae. According to a survey carried out in 2004 by NOP World, 59 per cent. of local authority landlords and 47 per cent. of housing association and other registered social landlords had upgraded communal aerial systems for digital reception.

In August 2005 we published "Digital Switchover; A Good Practice Briefing Special" in association with the Chartered Institute of Housing. This describes the implications of digital switchover for private and social sector landlords giving clear, objective advice on the various options available. The Good Practice Briefing has been circulated widely to housing sector professionals by DCMS, the Chartered Institute of Housing, by other housing representative bodies and by Digital UK. An electronic version is available on www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk. A copy of the Good Practice Briefing has been placed in the Library.

The Digital Switchover Programme, led by Digital UK working with Government and Ofcom, has established a dedicated workstream on housing issues. This will make sure the progress in converting communal TV systems is tracked and that the right messages go to private and social landlords and to managing agents and other representatives. It will also be important to make sure that tenants are aware of what is happening, something Digital UK will do this year as part of its wider communications campaigns. The housing workstream will be supported by a dedicated Housing Stakeholder Group drawn from representatives from the private and social housing sectors as well as central and local government.
 
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DEFENCE

Armed Forces

Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans are in place to address the shortfall of medical staff in the armed forces. [54881]

Mr. Touhig: Manning levels in the Defence Medical Services (DMS) vary across different specialities and Services. In some areas we are very well manned, whilst in others we are experiencing shortfalls.

Manning shortfalls are being addressed through a package of remunerative and non-remunerative measures. In terms of remuneration, we aim to ensure that DMS pay is comparable with the NHS. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for preparing papers of evidence on all DMS pay for the Armed Forces Pay Review Body's (AFPRB) consideration. Pay recommendations for Medical and Dental Officers are currently being considered by the AFPRB. Nurses and Allied Health Professionals in the DMS are covered separately by the main Armed Forces 2006 pay uplift of 3 per cent. which will be implemented from 1 April 2006. As recommended by the AFPRB, we are also in the process of examining the scope for changing their pay structures to ensure that military pay remains comparable with the new NHS Agenda for Change pay structure. Pay can only go some way towards addressing manning shortfalls. Non-remunerative measures are equally as important. Examples of non-remunerative initiatives include: the introduction of new pension arrangements which are designed to encourage retention; looking at alternative means of meeting operational commitments (for example, by working closely with allies and partners on operations overseas and by using DMS Civilian Medical and Dental Practitioners and Agency Staff); development of the Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) concept to build a stronger military ethos; and the regular undertaking of Continuous Attitude Surveys to ensure we remain up to date with the concerns of our personnel.

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many RAF service personnel medically assessed at grade (a) P2(A1), (b) P2(A2), (c) P2 or below (A3), (d) P2 or below (A4), (e) P3 or below (A5), (f) P8 (A5), (g) P2(G1), (h) P2(G2), (j) P3 or below (G3), (k) P7(G4), (l) P8(G5), (m) P2(Z1), (n) P3(Z2), (o) P3(Z3), (p) P3(Z4) and P7(Z5) are deployed in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan; [52747]

(2) how many Army service personnel medically assessed at grade (a) P2(FE), (b) P3(LE), (c) P3(PP), (d) P7(CPND), (e) P7(HO), (f) P7(HONNI) and (g) P7(HO(UK)NNI) are deployed in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan. [52748]

Mr. Touhig: The information requested is not held centrally.

Cluster Munitions

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ban the use of cluster munitions by UK forces. [55414]

 
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Mr. Ingram: No. Cluster munitions are not unlawful and UK Forces use them strictly in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. They provide a unique capability for use against wide area or dispersed targets.

We will not deny our troops this battle winning capability and thereby place them at greater risk.
 
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Courts Martial

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Royal Air Force, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Army personnel were (i) tried, (ii) found guilty and (iii) acquitted by a court martial in each calendar year between 2000 and 2005. [53477]

Mr. Touhig: The information requested is provided in the tables.

	2000			2001			2002
	Navy	Army	RAF	Navy	Army	RAF	Navy	Army	RAF
Number of individuals tried by Court Martial	56	455	72	62	630	91	57	505	50
Number(14) found guilty	32	373	56	43	485	78	44	440	38
Number acquitted	16	82	16	14	145	13	10	65	12

	2003			2004			2005
	Navy	Army	RAF	Navy	Army	RAF	Navy	Army	RAF
Number of individuals tried by Court Martial	61	470	62	72	521	43	69(13)	638	85
Number(14) found guilty	51	400	44	48	464	37	49	545	73
Number acquitted	8	70	18	15	57	6	12	93	12

⁽¹³⁾ Revised from figure previously reported because five cases re-listed to 2006 and one case dealt with summarily, not by Court Martial.
⁽¹⁴⁾ Includes those where the accused was acquitted on some charges.

Departmental Dwellings

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for the selling-off of empty departmental private dwellings. [54742]

Mr. Touhig: [holding answer 2 March 2006]: The bulk of the married quarter estate in England and Wales was sold to Annington Homes Ltd (AHL) in 1996. Arrangements are in place for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to lease back properties from AHL as required. When there is no MOD requirement, the lease is surrendered to AHL who dispose of it as they see fit.

A copy of MOD's 'Disposals List' which is regularly updated, is available in the Library of the House.

Iraq

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the average monthly cost of the military operation in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [55037]

Mr. Ingram: The costs of operations are calculated on a net additional basis and audited figures are published each year in the Ministry of Defence's annual report and accounts. Expenditure varies depending on troop numbers and activities and cannot therefore sensibly be broken down on a monthly basis.

Estimated annual costs for operations in Iraq of 1,098 Million in 2005–06 were included in the Spring Supplementary Estimates published in February. Final figures will be published in the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts for 2005–06 following audit by the National Audit Office.

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