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7 Jun 2006 : Column 622W—continued
| Table 2: Military staff posted in Fife by year | |
| Number of staff | |
| Notes: Figures are for UK Regular Forces, both Trained and Untrained, located in the UK. They therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists. Naval Service personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship. Naval Service personnel serving in flights at sea are included against the local authority containing the base airfield of their flight. The detailed figures have been compiled from unit statistics related to unit postcodes. For some units postcode information is either unavailable or inappropriate. Location statistics are not available for FTRS, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and Mobilised Reservists. These figures are taken from TSP 10: UK Regular Forces Distribution across the UK which shows the distribution of Service Personnel by Government Office Region/country, county and local authority area. The publication was suspended in October 2002 when a number of concerns were identified in both the source data and the programs used to produce the publication. It was reinstated in July 2004. Due to a different methodology figures before 2002 should not be compared to those after 2004. | |
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the assessment of the core load required to sustain
the (a) high-end design, (b) systems engineering and (c) combat systems integration skills for surface ship design and build. [71487]
Mr. Ingram: Good progress is being made on assessing the core workload required to sustain the key maritime industrial capabilities defined in the defence industrial strategy. This work is complex and is taking time to get right. Industry has been and will continue to be involved as this work develops.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made with negotiations to achieve a programme level partnering agreement with a single industrial entity for the full lifecycle of the submarine flotilla. [71488]
Mr. Ingram: Following publication of the Defence Industrial Strategy White Paper, officials have been engaged in detailed discussions with industry on the scope of a possible Programme Level Partnering Agreement. Good progress has been made on clarifying MOD and industry positions. At this stage, no decisions have been made.
Galileo Project
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capacity of the technology used for the Galileo project to be adapted for military use. [74093]
Mr. Ingram: The MOD remains committed to the American global positioning system (GPS) to meet all of its military precision navigation and timing needs and as the NATO standard. Therefore we have no defence requirement against which to assess any potential national military utility of Galileo. While Galileo's open service, like that of GPS, can be accessed by all and therefore could be used by military forces, Galileo remains a civil system under civil control as was confirmed in the December 2004 EU Transport Council Conclusions.
Iraq/Afghanistan
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 2342W, on Iraq/Afghanistan, if he will keep the families of the dead soldiers informed of proceedings; [53078]
(2) when arrests will take place; which Iraqi police divisions will carry out the arrests; and whether British troops will be involved; [53079]
(3) what recent discussions he has had with the central criminal court of Iraq on the incident at Al Majarr Al Kabir on 24 June 2003; who the members are of the central criminal court of Iraq investigating the incident; and which UK personnel will co-ordinate arrests. [53080]
Mr. Ingram:
My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary is keeping the families of the six Royal Military policemen killed at Al Majarr Al Kabir informed of the progress of the criminal case which
rests with the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI). The conduct of this case remains under the jurisdiction of the Iraqi authorities. It would be inappropriate to provide further details while the judicial process is in progress. We will continue to provide whatever assistance the CCCI needs.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the threat to British troops in the Helmand province from Taliban forces operating in Quetta, Pakistan. [74853]
Mr. Ingram: I am withholding our detailed assessment of the threat from the Taliban forces as its disclosure could compromise the security of UK and coalition forces operating in Southern Afghanistan.
However, I can say that we do not judge the Taliban as a credible threat to the stability of Afghanistan while international security forces are providing support there. The Pakistan authorities have made extensive efforts to improve the rule of law in border areas and we will continue to work with them to combat the Taliban and other anti-government groups that oppose Afghanistan's peaceful reconstruction.
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral answer of 22 May 2006, Official Report, column 1183, on Iraq, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of composite fibreglass in protecting the occupants of Land Rovers used by the British military for patrol purposes in Iraq. [74274]
Des Browne [holding answer 5 June 2006]: The overall protection level afforded by the Land Rover Snatch vehicles was assessed in March 2005 as part of a number of ongoing assessments to ensure the suitability of a range of equipment used on current operations. The results of these assessments are being withheld on the basis that disclosure of such information could prejudice the safety of the armed forces.
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British forces in Iraq have encountered the use against them of the RPG29 shoulder-fired weapon. [75257]
Military Headquarter (Collocation)
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with his plans for collocation of military headquarters. [75077]
Mr. Ingram:
All three services are currently merging or collocating their individual administrative and operational headquarters. This is part of the wider drive within MOD to streamline back-office functions so as to maximise investment in our front-line forces. The Royal Navy stood-up its new integrated headquarters on 1 April 2006. The programme was delivered on time and to budget. The Royal Air Force’s collocation of the Strike and Personnel and Training Commands is progressing well: it is expected that the collocation of the main elements will stand-up at RAF High Wycombe on time,
in October 2006. The Army’s merger of Headquarters Land Command and Headquarters Adjutant General Command to create an integrated HQ at a single site by March 2009 is at an earlier stage of development.
Rifles Regiment (Durham)
Dr. Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Durham outstation of the Rifles Regiment. [75280]
Mr. Ingram: The Battalion Headquarters for 5 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Bn HQ 5 RRF) will remain in Durham for the foreseeable future. There are no plans for the Light Infantry (LI) (RIFLES) presence in Durham to change.
Search and Rescue
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with representatives from the (a) sea fishing industry, (b) mountain rescue service and (c) recreational sea and coastal users organisations in respect of the proposal to operate UK search and rescue services under one private finance initiative contract. [75009]
Mr. Ingram: The mountain rescue service has been kept informed through the Operators Group of the UK Search and Rescue Strategic Committee whose membership includes the Mountain Rescue Council of England and Wales and the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland. Specific discussions have not taken place with the wider public. The Operators Group, including the sea fishing industry and recreational and coastal users organisations, are now able, however, to access information on the progress of the future service through the Maritime and Coastguard Agency website. The Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport are committed to delivering a future helicopter search and rescue service around the UK which is at least as effective as the current one.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when decisions on (a) specific aircraft, (b) basing, (c) contract duration and (d) other residual matters will be taken in respect of the decision to operate UK search and rescue services through one private finance initiative contract. [75010]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have moved forward to the next stage of the future provision of helicopter search and rescue around the UK through a joint competition under the private finance initiative. The specific aircraft, future basing, contract duration and other residual matters will be fully assessed during this next stage. The final decisions on these issues will be taken in the light of the competition and confirmed through the main investment decision which will take place when matters are sufficiently mature.
Andrew George:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how capability to maintain (a) real-life training experience for military personnel, (b) counter-terrorism measures and (c) transference of skills to
combat search and rescue (SAR) for military crews will be maintained under the proposed single SAR private finance initiative contract for UK provision. [75011]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport have moved forward to the next stage of the future provision of helicopter search and rescue around the UK through a joint competition under the private finance initiative. Military aircrew continue to form part of the strategy for delivery of this future service. Real-life training experience will be provided for military aircrew both through the training they will undergo to fulfil this role and their operational experience. This in turn will continue to meet our policy of transferring skills to the deployable military forces. Counter-terrorism capabilities will also continue and will be provided by equally capable military units in the future.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with other emergency services in respect of proposals to run the search and rescue service under a single private finance initiative contract. [75012]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport are committed to delivering a future search and rescue service around the UK which is at least as effective as the current one. Other emergency service providers have been kept informed through the UK Search and Rescue Strategic Committee and its operators’ group.
Shoeburyness Site
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the (a) detonations and (b) explosions that took place at the Shoeburyness site in the last five years were as a result of (i) equipment and (ii) munitions being tested; and what percentage were as a result of munitions being disposed of at the end of their life. [74128]
Mr. Ingram: This information is not held in the format requested. Under the terms of the Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) with MOD, QinetiQ are tasked with the disposal of 3,000 tonnes NEQ of life expired munitions each year. Of this, only three per cent. is disposed of by open detonation.
Theatre Missile Defence
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to decide on the need for theatre missile defences; and what expenditure on research and technology appraisal of such defences has been incurred. [75255]
Des Browne: NATO Heads of State and Government agreed at the Istanbul Summit in June 2004 to the principle of NATO Theatre Missile Defence (TMD) and the Alliance has since embarked on a programme to acquire a TMD capability to protect deployed forces by 2010. The United Kingdom supports this NATO programme.
UK national expenditure on research into ballistic missile defence is now focussed on longer range threats, and expenditure since 2004 has totalled some £8.1 million. For detailed information on expenditure prior to 2004, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my right hon. Friend, the then Secretary of State, gave to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) on 19 January 2004, Official Report, column 918W.
Type 45 Destroyers
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 3 May 2006 to Question reference 67921, on Type 45 destroyers, what factors will determine when the appropriate time will be for the giving of formal approval for ships seven and eight. [70759]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 17 May 2006]: A number of factors will determine when formal approval for ships seven and eight will be sought. These will include reaching agreement on the optimal commercial arrangements for the Type 45 programme and reaching agreement with industry on pricing that enables the Department to demonstrate the value for money and affordability of the ships.
UN Security Council Resolution 1325
Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2002). [74657]
Mr. Ingram
[holding answer 5 June 2006]: As part of our commitment to UNSCR 1325 the MOD, FCO, and DFID have published a UK national action plan to ensure implementation of the resolution, and encourage others to do likewise. I shall place a copy of the action plan in the Library of the House. The principal requirement on the MOD is to ensure that the provisions of SCR 1325 are reflected in the operational planning, doctrine and training programmes. UK forces already undergo training prior to operational
deployments that takes account of gender issues. We will be auditing our training to assess how this compares with the requirements of UNSCR 1325.
Treasury
Conception Rate
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many conceptions of (a) under 18s and (b) under 16s there were in each (i) primary care trust area and (ii) local authority area in the North East in each year since 2001; what the conception rate was in each case; and what percentage of conceptions in under 18s ended in abortion in each case. [75208]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 June 2006:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many conceptions in (a) under 18s (b) under 16s there were in each (i) primary care trust area and (ii) local authority area in the North East in each year since 2001; what the conception rate was in each case; and what percentage of conceptions in under 18s ended in abortion in each case. (75208)
Teenage conception figures by Primary Care Trust (PCT) are not available because there is a risk of disclosure of information about individuals due to differences in boundaries between PCTs and local authorities.
Available figures are estimates of the number of pregnancies that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or termination.
Conception numbers, rates and percentage leading to abortion for girls aged under 18 by local authorities in the North East from 2001 to 2004 (the most recent year for which figures are available) are given in the attached table. Figures for 2004 are provisional.
Conception statistics for girls aged under 16 for each year since 2001 are available only for unitary authorities, metropolitan counties and counties. Figures are not available for county districts as there is a risk of disclosure of information about individuals due to small number of cases each year.
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