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13 Mar 2006 : Column 1944W—continued
Aircraft Carriers
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, following his meeting with the French Defence Minister, consideration is being given to the possible purchase of the Rafale Aircraft as an option to equip the proposed new aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement. [56498]
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Mr. Ingram [pursuant to the reply, 6 March 2006, Official Report, c. 1183W]: I referred the hon. Member to an answer I gave on 2 March 2006, Official Report, column 1251W. This was incorrect; I should have referred the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 March 2006, Official Report, column 1192W, to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack).
Counter-insurgency
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the training programme is for (a) officers and (b) other ranks for low-intensity warfare prior to deployment on counter-insurgency operations. [57270]
Mr. Ingram: Military personnel receive the full range of war fighting training as a foundation to which further theatre-specific training is added as required. Counter-insurgency pre-deployment training falls within the wider programme of training undertaken by military personnel embarking on peace support operations (PSO) and is shaped by the requirements of the specific mission. Typically all ranks deploying on PSO will receive pre-deployment training which includes: managing incidents; conducting framework patrolling; training local security forces; conducting anti-riot operations; searching; protecting security bases; protecting convoys; application of rules of engagements; driving theatre specific vehicles; avoiding mines; understanding the local culture; and working with interpreters.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the mechanism is for reconciling British counter-insurgency techniques with those of (a) the United States and (b) other coalition partners in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan. [57271]
Mr. Ingram: International forces operating in Iraq and Afghanistan face a range of threats and differing operational environments, and adopt tactics and procedures to suit. The UK works closely with coalition partners in Iraq, and with coalition partners and NATO allies in Afghanistan, to ensure a well co-ordinated and mutually reinforcing approach to operations across each theatre, including counter-insurgency.
Courts Martial
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average waiting time was for a case to go to court martial in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force in 2005. [57472]
Mr. Touhig: The following figures detail the average time for all cases between personnel being charged and appearing at courts martial for each of the three Services in 2005.
The averages shown are heavily affected by individual cases (where for example there may be unusual delays in obtaining evidence) and they obscure wide variations between differing offences.
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Defence College of Information Systems
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Defence College of Information Systems will remain in Blandford under the Defence Training Review. [57151]
Mr. Touhig: The Defence Training Review Programme is at an advanced stage. Bidders' proposals for both Packages of training have been received and are currently being evaluated. At this competitive phase of the project no comment is possible on any likely use of sites. I can, however, provide assurance that there is an extensive and robust evaluation methodology in place to ensure that Bidders' proposals meet Defence requirements and are evaluated on an equitable basis.
I anticipate the announcement of Preferred Bidders later this year.
Defence Vetting Agency
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by the Defence Vetting Agency; and how many were employed in each of the last five years. [49756]
Mr. Ingram: The following table gives the number of civilians employed by the Defence Vetting Agency in the last five years:
| As at April: | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 350 |
| 2002 | 280 |
| 2003 | 300 |
| 2004 | 340 |
| 2005 | 320 |
| January 2006 | 320 |
Note:
1. Figures include values for part time staff proportionate to those of full time staff.
2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
FTE Source:
DASA(Civilian)
Information giving numbers of civilian staff employed within Defence Agencies is available through the Defence Analytical Services Agency website www.dasa.mod.uk
Gibraltar
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British (a) military ships, (b) aircraft carriers and (c) RAF aircraft have visited Gibraltar in each of the last seven years. [56854]
Mr. Ingram: The following numbers of British military ships, aircraft carriers and RAF aircraft have visited Gibraltar in the last seven years:
Gibraltar Regiment
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of Gibraltar Regiment troops in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan. [50984]
Mr. Ingram: Royal Gibraltar Regiment troops in Iraq have undertaken a variety of roles, including as advisers, administrators, media operators, medics, drivers, chefs, as part of security patrols and as a garrison regimental sergeant major.
One officer from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment was deployed in Afghanistan as part of the provincial reconstruction team in Mazar-e-Sharif.
Infantry Regiments
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the results were of the brand recognition survey of Scottish infantry regiments; and what the recognition rates were within (a) the city of Dundee and (b) the counties of (i) Angus, (ii) Fife and (iii) Perthshire. [55911]
John Reid [holding answer 3 March 2006]: The research did not include analysis for the specific areas that you refer to.
Iraq/Afghanistan
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether working relations between British forces and local officials in Basra have been restored. [57248]
Mr. Ingram: British officials continue to discuss re-engagement with Basra's leaders in an attempt to restore normal working relations as soon as possible. In the meantime, Multi National Forces continue to engage at working level with the Iraqi Police and Army in Basrah Province wherever possible, in order to continue their valuable work on Security Sector Reform.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the legal status is of the individuals arrested by British and Danish forces in Basra on 24 January. [57256]
Mr. Ingram: The individuals apprehended by British and Danish forces in Basra on 24 January 2006 were interned because they were judged to be an imperative threat to security under the terms of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1637.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether armed services personnel in Iraq have evidence of the use of Beretta 92S semi-automatic pistols by members of the Iraqi insurgency. [57259]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 9 March 2006]: Armed services personnel in Iraq have no evidence of Iraqi insurgents using the Beretta 92S semi-automatic pistol.
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel have been (a) injured and (b) killed in Iraq. [57740]
13 Mar 2006 : Column 1948W
John Reid [holding answer 10 March 2006]: As at 8 March 2006, a total of 103 British Forces personnel have died while serving on Operation TELIC since the start of the campaign in March 2003. Of these, 79 are classed as killed in action—including as a result of hostile action—and 24 are known to have died either as a result of illness, non-combat injuries or accidents, or have not yet been officially assigned a cause of death, pending the outcome of an investigation.
Centrally available records show that some 230 UK personnel have been treated at UK medical facilities in theatre for wounds received as a result of hostile action between March 2003 and January 2006 1 .
1 Before October 2004, we only have centrally held records for the Shaibah UK Field Hospital. The figure does not include, for example, UK casualties of hostile action who were treated either by other UK Field Hospitals (early stages of operation only—for which unit records are not held centrally) or by coalition partners, or those with more minor injuries who did not receive Field Hospital treatment. From October 2004, the figure relates to all those wounded who were treated in any of the UK medical facilities in the UK-led Multi-National Division South East MND(SE) area. This figure excludes any personnel who subsequently died.
Our Notification of Casualty reporting records also allow us to give a figure for those categorised in theatre as Very Seriously Ill/Injured/Wounded (VSI), meaning that their life was imminently endangered. Some 40 personnel were categorised as VSI as a result of injury or wounds, however caused, in Iraq between March 2003 and January 2006 2 .
Separate records show that between February 2003 and January 2006 up to 4,000 military and civilian personnel (including a few Iraqis) have been medically evacuated from theatre. The great majority of cases were due to illness or accidental injury and not as a result of hostile action.
The Ministry of Defence intends to publish casualty figures for Iraq on the MOD website in the next few weeks, identifying the number of personnel categorised as Seriously Injured" and Very Seriously Injured". The figures will be updated regularly.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether delays have occurred in the air transportation of troops from (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan as a result of the need to cannibalise spare parts in the last 12 months. [57486]
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his plans are for combat search and rescue cover for downed RAF aircrews in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [57109]
Mr. Ingram: For reasons of operational security, and to protect our troops in such a circumstance, I cannot reveal the detail of such rescue plans.
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