| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
16 May 2006 : Column 868W—continued
Fuel Cell Technology
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are plans to adapt the UK armed forces underwater detection capabilities better to detect fuel cell vessels. [70778]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has a number of platforms coming into service now and over the next few years that incorporate sensors and technology specifically aimed at the emerging threat of small, quiet submarines, including those using Air Independent Propulsion.
Haslar Hospital
Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between his Department and Gosport borough council in relation to planning issues at (a) Haslar Hospital and (b) other departmental sites at Haslar. [70952]
Mr. Watson [holding answer 15 May 2006]: No discussions have yet taken place in regard to the future planning options for the sites at either Royal Hospital (RH) Haslar or Fort Blockhouse (the adjacent site). We expect meetings will commence towards the end ofthis year.
MOD has submitted Circular 18/84 applications to Gosport borough council for the redevelopment of the Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre, at Fort Blockhouse, in support of current operational initiatives. This requires the re-provision of offices, stores and boatshed and the demolition of a number of obsolete buildings. A decision is expected by the endof June.
A further Circular 18/84 application is to be submitted in due course seeking continued permission for the security fence to the rear of Canada and Albert accommodation blocks at RH Haslar.
Telephone Costs
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many minutes of free personal overseas telephone calls officials of the Defence Export Services Organisation are entitled to each week while working abroad; and which budget line covers such expenses. [69673]
Mr. Ingram: Ministry of Defence personnel who are overseas on short business trips can claim a tax-free overnight expenses allowance. This allowance is intended to cover a number of miscellaneous expenses, including a telephone call home. Similarly, where personnel are posted overseas for longer periods of time they receive a cost of living allowance. The allowance reflects the relative costs of a representative basket of goods and services as a means of protecting the spending power of the UK salary in the overseas area. Services include the cost of telephone calls.
Portland PR
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings officials in his Department have had with representatives of the public relations company Portland PR; what contracts Portland PR has withhis Department and agencies for which he has responsibility; and what the nature of the contract is in each case. [70135]
Mr. Ingram: While it would incur disproportionate cost to contact every organisation within the Ministry of Defence to determine if any officials have met with Portland PR representatives, I have determined that there have been no dealings with this company by my central Defence Public Relations policy organisation.
We have not found any records of contracts with Portland PR.
RAF Benevolent Trust
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department has made available to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Trust in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [70197]
Mr. Watson [holding answer 15 May 2006]: The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is a charity which exists to provide assistance to those of the extended Royal Air Force family who need support as a consequence of poverty, sickness, disability, accident, infirmity or other adversity. While the Ministry of Defence does not provide any direct financial support, the Royal Air Force encourages personnel to make voluntary contributions through the “give as you earn” scheme. In addition, many volunteers from Royal Air Force stations and units organise and support fund raising events and collect donations to support the Benevolent Fund.
Until January 2005, the MOD provided support to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Development Trust through the provision of manpower, logistics and display assets for events such as the Royal International Air Tattoo. Since January 2005, the newly established Royal Air Force Charitable Trust has taken over the running of such events as the Royal International Air Tattoo.
Northern Ireland
Assembly Members
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance he has issued to members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on the latest dates by which they are required to provide notice to their staff in the event of salaries and allowances for the Assembly being withdrawn on25 November 2006. [69265]
Mr. Hain: As the hon. Gentleman will know, I have made clear that should Assembly Members be unable to elect a First Minister, Deputy First Minister and Executive by24 November, then MLAs' salaries and allowances would be cancelled immediately.
MLAs' staff are, by definition, employed by MLAs themselves. It must therefore be for individual MLAs to decide, with professional advice should they deem it necessary, how best to proceed in terms of each contract of employment. I will remind MLAs of their responsibilities in this area during the summer.
Brownfield Planning
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average percentage of brownfield planning development for new housing has been in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. [70450]
David Cairns: The average annual rate of brownfield development for new housing in Northern Ireland was 87 per cent. in 2002; 81 per cent. in 2003; and72 per cent. in 2004. These are the latest years for which information is available.
Causeway Hospital, Coleraine
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vacancies there are for (a) full and (b) part-time nursing staff in Causeway Hospital, Coleraine. [70419]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is presented in the following table.
| Current nursing staff vacancies by employment status in Causeway Hospital, Coleraine as at 30 April 2006 | |||||
| Full-time | Part-time | Total | |||
| Headcount | Headcount | WTE( 1) | Headcount | WTE( 1) | |
| (1 )Whole-time equivalent. Source: Causeway Health and Social Services Trust |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |