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18 Apr 2006 : Column 621W—continued
UK Trade and Investment
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the staffing levels necessary to allow UK Trade and Investment staff to assume a proactive role. [61553]
Ian Pearson: UKTI is already playing a pro-active role in promoting trade and inward investment. Consideration of appropriate starting staffing levels for UKTI activities will be taken forward as part of a programme of organisational change that UKTI is developing alongside a new five-year strategy. Details of the strategy and accompanying change programme will be published before the summer.
Uruguay (Imports)
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of UK imports came from Uruguay in each of the last five years. [62154]
Ian Pearson: In each of the last 5 years the percentage of UK imports from Uruguay was 0.02.
Wind Farms
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many wind farm proposals have been rejected in each region in England in each year since 2001. [62409]
Malcolm Wicks:
The following table provides information on how many wind farm proposals have been rejected in each region in England, and in each year, since 2001.
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DEFENCE
15 Psychological Operations Group
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the work programme of 15 Psychological Operations Group. [63456]
Mr. Ingram: The primary role of 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group is to influence attitudes and behaviour in support of a military commander's mission. This is done through planned, culturally sensitive, truthful and attributable activities directed and disseminated by various means to appropriate audiences. The group has deployed its personnel to support all recent military and peace-keeping operations and major exercises. The group is also fully employed in training personnel in psychological operations (from across all three services) who are to deploy in this role on operations.
Boxer Caps/Initiators
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK firms are capable of producing (a) boxer caps and (b) initiators suitable for use by the UK armed forces. [63176]
Mr. Ingram: Since the suspension of production at BAES(LS) Chorley following an industrial incident on 2 March 2005, there are no firms in the United Kingdom that are capable of producing Boxer caps. Nobel Energetics is the only UK company that produces the primary explosives and compositions required to manufacture initiators.
These items are currently supplied to the Ministry of Defence by BAE Systems Land Systems, who determine the source of these products and ensure security of supply.
Contracts (Voluntary Sector)
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts are let by his Department to voluntary sector organisations; how many of those are let on an annual basis; and how many of those had received finalised contracts for 2006–07 by 31 March. [63211]
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Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence does not record centrally whether or not its contracts are let with voluntary sector organisations. This information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
DDT Exposure
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether the offspring of service men exposed to DDT have an increased risk of suffering from diseases with a genetic basis. [63809]
Mr. Touhig: From the Second World War dichlorodiphenyltrichlorethane (DDT) was widely used in military and civilian environments in the UK and throughout the world for its insecticidal properties. During the 1970s it was gradually withdrawn. This was related to its persistence in the environment and not adverse effects on human health. As there was no reliable evidence of adverse effects on humans there was no requirement for studies on the health of offspring of servicemen exposed to DDT.
Defence Intelligence and Security Centre
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision that from 1 April 2005 the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre should no longer be a Government agency; and if he will make a statement on its present status. [63454]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 24 March 2005, Official Report, column 83WS.
Departmental Leave (Stress)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff have been on sick leave suffering from stress in the Department in each of the last three years; and what percentage of the total staff number this represents. [63533]
Mr. Touhig: The following table shows the number of Ministry of Defence civilian staff 1 who have had a period of sickness absence caused by anxiety, depression and stress (Mental and Behavioural Disorders ICD10 category) in each of the last three years and the percentage of the total staff number this represents. The MOD does not have a specific sickness absence code for stress.
1 This includes all permanent and casual non-industrial and industrial civilian personnel, but excludes trading fund, locally engaged civilian and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel.
| Calendar year | Number of staff | Percentage of total staff |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 3,110 | 4.0 |
| 2004 | 3,950 | 5.0 |
| 2005 | 4,000 | 5.1 |
Note:
Number of staff has been rounded to the nearest 10 and the percentage of total staff has been rounded to the nearest decimal point.
European Defence Agency/NATO
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure the effective working of the European Defence Agency with NATO on the threat assessment process. [63168]
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John Reid: The UK has insisted that the European Defence Agency's (EDA) work on a Long Term Vision of future military capability requirements should incorporate relevant NATO threat assessments to reduce any risk of divergence between the two organisations. This work is ongoing.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the long-term vision of the European Defence Agency. [63170]
John Reid: The European Defence Agency's work on a long term vision of future military capability requirements is ongoing and will not report until the autumn. The UK sees clear benefit in developing a view of future requirements to guide capability planning in EU member states, and is participating fully in this work.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the strategic relationship between the European Defence Agency and NATO. [63169]
John Reid: The strategic relationship between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and NATO is centred on the shared aim of improving the military capabilities of participating member states and allies. The UK has encouraged the EDA and NATO to ensure that capability development initiatives are complementary and mutually reinforcing, thereby enabling EU and NATO to benefit from improvements in nations' capability.
Falklands War
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans are in place to mark the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War. [63171]
Mr. Touhig: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 1715W.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the Falkland Islands will play in the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War. [63172]
Mr. Touhig: The Falkland Islands Government are in the process of planning a programme of commemorations centred on Liberation Day, 14 June 2007. We are investigating the feasibility of a television link between commemorations in the Falklands and those in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much he estimates will be spent on marking the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War. [63173]
Mr. Touhig: Commemorations will take place at several places in the United Kingdom and in the Falkland Islands and detailed planning has not yet been completed. It is too early to estimate how much might be spent.
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