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3 Mar 2006 : Column 1000W—continued
Joint Strike Fighter
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his US counterpart about the joint strike fighter programme. [54921]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 1714W, to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack).
Military Tattoo
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has estimated the cost of putting on an annual military tattoo in London; and if he will make a statement. [53467]
Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces announced the discontinuance of the Defence 2000 series of events on 11 May 2004, Official Report, columns 223–4W. Since then there have been no plans to hold an annual military tattoo in London and no costings have been made.
Oracle
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Oracle database will be available to all service personnel. [54883]
Mr. Touhig: The Oracle based Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) programme is expected to be delivered to the RAF as planned in March 2006. The dates for its subsequent roll out to the Royal Navy and then the Army are currently under review to ensure full alignment with the deployment of the Defence Information Infrastructure upon which the JPA system depends.
Parachute Regiment
Mr. Scott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the establishment manpower is of (a) officers and (b) other ranks in the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment; [53544]
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(2) how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks there are in the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment; and how many in each category have completed their training within the last three months. [53617]
Mr. Touhig: The table shows the strength of 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, broken down by Officers and Soldiers, compared to the Infantry element of the establishment as at 1 January 2006. The table also shows the numbers of Officers and Soldiers who have entered the trained strength during the period 1 October 2005 and 31 December 2005.
(15) Indicates a value less than five.
Notes:
1. The figures quoted are as at 1 January 2006 and are for UK Regular Trained Army Officers and Soldiers only and therefore exclude Mobilised Reserves, Full Time Reserve Service and other Reserves.
2. The Establishment figures include only the Infantry posts and exclude attached personnel of other Arms and Services such as chefs, clerks etc.
3. The strength figures do not include personnel from other capbadges that are attached to the battalion. The officer element excludes personnel with the rank of Colonel and above.
4. Officer figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Soldier and total figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals have been rounded separately and therefore may not be equal to the sum of their parts.
In addition to those 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment personnel serving with 3rd Battalion there are 65 (excluding Colonels and Above) members of 3rd Battalion posted elsewhere, of these fewer than five had joined the trained strength during the period 1 October 2005 to 31 December 2005.
3 Mar 2006 : Column 1002W
Royal Air Force
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what incentive schemes are operated by the Royal Air Force to encourage pilots to stay in the service. [54884]
Mr. Touhig: Current remuneration measures include a single targeted taxable financial retention incentive, paid to all fast jet and helicopter pilots and some multi-engine pilots in return for a five year return of service beyond the point at which they could leave with an immediate pension award. There is also a Professional Aviator Pay Scale for selected aircrew officers which replaces basic pay and flying pay rates with an enhanced rate of pay that results in higher pension payments in return for prolonged service.
As a separate non-remuneration initiative, the RAF Civilian Airline Recruitment Scheme exists to encourage pilots to remain in the Service until they reach age 38 or complete 16 years service. In return, the scheme assists the transition of those wanting to pursue a second career in the civilian airlines.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated cost is of training a Royal Air Force pilot, broken down by aircraft type. [54885]
Mr. Touhig: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Accidental Dwelling Fires
John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) accidental dwelling fires started by (i) children aged 0 to 9 years, (ii) youths aged 10 to 17 years, (iii) adults of 18 plus years and (iv) others of unspecified age and (b) related casualties there were in (A) 2004 and (B) 2005. [56157]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The table shows the data for financial years 2003–04 and 2004–05 in England. Data for calendar year 2005 are not available yet.
(16) Data for 2005 are provisional.
Source:
Fire & Rescue Service FDR1 returns to ODPM.
Defacement Removal Notices
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to extend the powers of local authorities to serve defacement removal notices on the owners of commercial property. [54656]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Under section 48 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 a graffiti removal notice may be served by a local authority in relation to certain types of 'relevant surface'. Section 31, and paragraphs 16–19 of Schedule 4 to, the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, extend the scope of these notices so that they can also be issued in relation to fly-posting, and are re-named defacement removal notices. Currently the
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powers are available in 12 local authority pilot areas in relation to graffiti only, but as of April defacement notices for both graffiti and fly-posting will be commenced on a national basis.
There are no plans to extend the types of surface to which the provisions apply. 'Relevant surface' in section 48 applies to street furniture and other structures in or on any public street. It does not, however, apply to private buildings such as shop fronts with a frontage that is adjacent to the street. Additionally, notices can be served in relation to surfaces owned, occupied or controlled by certain types of statutory undertaker (transport operators or providers, not utility companies) and educational institutions, provided that the land is public or the surface is visible from public land or to members of the public using the services of that body.
Fire Service (Buckinghamshire)
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) full-time and (b) retained firefighters have (i) been employed and (ii) taken early retirement in (A) Milton Keynes and (B) Buckinghamshire Fire Authority in each year since 1996–97. [54900]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Information on the number of firefighters employed in Milton Keynes is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, the number of firefighters in Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority that have (i) been employed in each year since 1996–97 and (ii) taken ill-health retirement since 1998–99 is presented in the table; Information on ill-health retirement for individual fire and rescue services prior to 1998–99 is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
(17) The figures provided are a snapshot at 31 March each year
(18) Information not held centrally
(19) Provisional data.
Source:
ODPM annual returns
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