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15 Jun 2006 : Column 1380W—continued
TMP Worldwide
Covent Gardens Bureau
ATIS REAL Weatheralls
Select
Charlton Chauffer Drive
Carlson Wagonlit
ATIS REAL Weatheralls
Faulds Advertising
Amey
Group 4
Whitespace
Littles Chauffer Drive
Chesterton
Verbatim Reporters
Adecco
Carlson Wagonlit
Amey
Mckibben
Group 4
ATIS REAL Weatheralls
Whitespace
Kilby & Gayford
Traditional Cleaning
Royal Mail
Serco
Carlson Wagonlit
Mckibben
Amey
Group 4
Flexiform
Whitespace
Pressdata Bureau
Serco
NRG Group
Pertemps
Carlson Wagonlit
Mckibben
Group 4
Amey
SRS Telecom
TSO
Pertemps
Kelly Services
Serco
OEP
Economic Trends
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on recent economic trends in Scotland. [75189]
David Cairns: The macroeconomic stability and labour market policies put in place by this Government continue to benefit all of the UK, including Scotland. Scottish employment and economic activity have increased to their highest levels since records began in 1992, unemployment is lower than it has been for a generation and Scottish economic growth in 2005—at 1.8 per cent.—was on trend and equal to that of the UK. All business surveys are reporting a strong performance in the year to date and principal independent economic forecasters predict the Scottish economy will continue to grow at around or above trend in both 2006 and 2007.
Gaming Machine Stakes
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) seaside economies and (b) public houses in Scotland of the freeze on gaming machine stake and prize levels. [77260]
David Cairns: There is no policy to freeze stake and prize limits. The Government announced in October 2004 that our policy has been to increase the maximum stake for amusement with prizes (AWP) machines from 30p to 50p, and for jackpot machines in bingo halls from 50p to £1. This would be on full implementation of the Gambling Act in September 2007.
Inward Investment
Mr. Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what efforts his Department is making to attract Japanese investment into (a) Scotland and (b) Glasgow; and if he will make a statement. [74607]
David Cairns: My hon. Friend will be aware that inward investment promotion for Scotland is a shared responsibility between the Scottish Executive and the Department for Trade and Industry.
Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2006, Official Report, column 994W, on ministerial visits (accommodation), what factors he took into account when deciding not to keep a record of overnight accommodation arrangements or costs; and if he will keep such a record. [77438]
David Cairns: The maintenance of a record of the star rating of the hotels used, or the countries visited, by staff in the Scotland Office is not considered necessary for the effective management of the travel and subsistence regime in the Office or for the proper financial monitoring and control of budgets for this expenditure.
Defence
Afghanistan
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he classifies (a) al-Qaeda operatives based within Afghanistan, (b) al-Qaeda operatives based outside Afghanistan, (c) Taliban forces based within Afghanistan and (d) Taliban forces based outside Afghanistan as (i) insurgents and (ii) terrorists for the purposes of possible engagement by UK forces based in Helmand Province. [74482]
Des Browne [holding answer 8 June 2006]: No such classification is required for the purposes of possible engagement by UK forces in Helmand of the various armed groups operating in the province, which may have criminal, tribal or other (including Taliban or, in some cases, al-Qaeda) allegiances.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the mission of the (a) UK troops and (b) other coalition troops in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. [75910]
Des Browne: UK forces, along with coalition partners, are deployed in Helmand province to form part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) expansion into southern Afghanistan. ISAF will work to build security and Government institutions, and to support the Afghan Security Forces in combating insurgents and illegally armed groups. Coalition troops operating under the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom are primarily tasked with conducting counter terrorism missions.
Air Sampling Missions
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records his Department holds of air sampling missions to measure emissions from foreign nuclear weapons testing carried out before 1980 by (a) the Strategic Reconnaissance Force and (b) other units of the Royal Air Force. [77719]
Des Browne: The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory holds historical records relating to the health and safety of crew who carried out foreign nuclear weapons testing air sampling work and the routine radioactive contamination monitoring of high flying aircraft prior to 1980. The information in the records primarily relates to monitoring procedures, and aircraft surface contamination monitoring results.
Armed Forces Pay Review
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2006, Official Report, column 2514W, on the armed forces pay review, what the (a) current manpower requirement and (b) manning level is as an absolute figure in each of the operational pinch points listed. [64082]
Mr. Ingram: I am withholding the information requested as its release would, or would be likely to prejudice the effectiveness and security of our armed forces.
Body Armour
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training is given to members of the UK armed forces in the use of body armour. [74968]
Mr. Ingram: Body armour is a passive system and therefore training in its use consists of advice on putting it on, adjusting it to fit and maintenance.
Body armour is worn in operational environments and certain training exercises —for example, live firing. In each situation all personnel are advised on how and when it should be worn.
Defence Intelligence Staff
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) permanent staff, (b) contractors, (c) reservists and (d) other staff were employed by the Defence Intelligence Staff in each year since 1997; and what the service breakdown was in each of those years. [76408]
Mr. Ingram: Defence Intelligence Staff manpower figures for 1997 onwards are shown as follows. Data for contractors are not captured and reservist data are not held centrally.
| Civilian/service strengths: Chief of Defence Intelligence | ||||
| All services | ||||
| April | Civilian permanent staff (FTE) | Officers | Other ranks | Total |
| (1) Service personnel figures for 2006 are provisional. Notes: 1. Full-time equivalence counts part-time staff by the number of hours they work as a proportion of their full-time conditioned hours. 2. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. UK Regular Forces includes nursing services, but excludes Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and Naval Activated Reservists. | ||||
There are 20 or fewer civilian casual staff employed in each year.
The breakdown of Service personnel numbers is only available from 2001.
| Number of UK Regular Forces( 1) employed by Chief of Defence Intelligence since 2001, broken down by Service | |||
| Royal Navy | Army | Royal Air Force | |
| (1) UK Regular Forces includes Nursing services, but excludes Full Time Reserve Service personnel, Gurkhas, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment, mobilised reservists and Naval Activated Reservists. (2) All figures for 2001 to 2004 are estimates. (3) Figures for Army and RAF at April 2006 are provisional. | |||
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