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27 Mar 2006 : Column 668W—continued
Philippines
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the progress by the Government of the Philippines in introducing its Domestic Workers Bill. [60492]
Ian Pearson: We understand that the Domestic Workers Bill remains before the Philippine Congress. The Domestic Workers Bill has been in Congress for nearly nine years. The bill is currently being discussed in the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment. It passed through the House of Representatives last year.
Overseas Property Holdings
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all overseas property owned by his Department; what the primary purpose is of each property; and if he will make a statement. [61485]
Dr. Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office owns over 1,500 freehold and long leasehold properties overseas ranging from large embassies to small apartments and garages. Details were last published in the National Asset Register (NAR) in 2001 and can be found on the HM Treasury website at:
The NAR will be updated as part of the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.
Qinetiq (Contracts)
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts were given to Qinetiq by his Office (a) with and (b) without competitive tendering in (i) 2002–03, (ii) 2003–04 and (iii) 2004–05; and what the value of the contract was in each case. [42537]
Mr. Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no record of any contracts with Qinetiq in 2002–03 or 2003–04. In 2004–05, two contracts were placed with them without competitive tendering, one for £7,600 and one for £2,000.
Superannuation Liability
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what total amount of employers' normal contributions accruing superannuation liability charge has been accounted for by his Department in each of the last five years for which data are available. [61362]
Mr. Straw: The figures, which are in respect of our UK based staff, for the last five financial years are as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 21,364,747.11 |
| 2001–02 | 22,564,352.15 |
| 2002–03 | 24,301,472.83 |
| 2003–04 | 26,253,831.82 |
| 2004–05 | 27,034,675.49 |
27 Mar 2006 : Column 669W
Uganda
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports that Land Systems OMC sold arms to Uganda; and what steps are being taken by his Department to address such arms transfers. [58813]
Ian Pearson: Land Systems OMC, is a South African based company in which BAE Systems has a 75 per cent. shareholding. We are aware of reports that Land Systems OMC has sold armoured vehicles to the Ugandan Government. Uganda is not an embargoed destination and the UK did not approve export licences for these vehicles. Overseas subsidiaries are subject to the export controls of the country in which they operate.
Armoured vehicles were used on several occasions to police the recent elections, but we have not been able tosubstantiate the allegations that they were used to violate human rights.
Armoured vehicles are also used by the Ugandan armed forces to escort convoys in the north of the country where there is a long-running and very violent incursion by the Lord's Resistance Army. Food convoys are essential to sustain the 1.7 million people living in internally displaced people's camps in the region.
Vietnam
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2006, Official Report, columns 1912–13W, on Vietnam, what proportions of visa applications requiring interview in Hanoi over the last three years have been granted. [60837]
Dr. Howells: Over the last three years, the British Embassy in Hanoi received 14,779 applications, from which 6,535 applicants needed to attend an interview. Of these 1,359 were refused. The overall issue rate for applications requiring interview is 79 per cent.
DEFENCE
Surplus Military Equipment
20. Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will revise the rules relating tothe disposal of surplus military equipment to ensure that such equipment is not put to inappropriate end use. [60977]
Mr. Ingram: Every sale is subject to rigorous terms and conditions including, for Government-to-Government sales, the requirement to seek approval for any subsequent sale or transfer. Equipment intended for the commercial market is declassified and demilitarised as appropriate prior to sale. The rules for the disposal of surplus military equipment are kept under constant review and were there to be a strong justification, they could be adapted.
Afghanistan
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the UK deployment in Afghanistan. [60965]
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John Reid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh).
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the UK deployment in Afghanistan. [60956]
John Reid: British troops are deploying to Afghanistan in pursuit of our existing objectives.
We are in Afghanistan under UNSCR 1623, and at the invitation of the democratically elected Government to prevent that country ever again reverting to a haven for terrorists from which terrorists attacks can be launched, by helping the Afghan people build their own democracy, their own security forces, and the country's legitimate economy.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to equip all British troops in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, with the standard personal weapon issued to the SAS. [60955]
John Reid: British armed forces use a range of different weapons depending on their operational role. Most troops deploying to Helmand will be issued with the SA80 A2. We never comment on special forces.
Army Restructuring
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Army restructuring. [60971]
Mr. Ingram: Work is already under way on restructuring the Army. 19 Mechanised Brigade has already formed up as a Light Brigade while four Armoured Brigade will re-role as a Mechanised Brigade by the end of the year. The majority of changes to the infantry will be implemented by Spring 2007 whilst the key foundations on which the future Army structure is to be built will be in place by the end of 2008.
Cadet Corps (Rifles)
Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the (a) DP and (b) GP rifles used by (i)army cadets, (ii) sea cadets and (iii) air cadets are in good working condition. [60099]
Mr. Ingram: Information about the condition of individual weapons held by cadet units is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rifles have been cannibalised for spare parts in order to keep other rifles used by cadets in working order since January 2004. [60243]
Mr. Ingram: Only rifles classified as Beyond Repair are cannibalised for spare parts. Since January 2004 a total of 300 Cadet rifles have been so categorised. The process of cannibalisation is managed at unit level and information on the numbers of rifles involved is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Chinook
Mr. Spellar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Written Statement of 16 February 2006,
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Official Report, column 113W, on Chinook support, whether the Defence Aviation Repair Agency sub-contract with Boeing for through-life customer support of the Chinook helicopter fleet will be extended to cover contracts with other countries' Chinook fleets. [61295]
Mr. Ingram: No. The Through-Life Customer Support contract covers through-life maintenance, repair and overhaul for only the UK RAF's Chinook fleet.
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