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Departmental Staff
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2006, Official Report, column 709W, on departmental staff, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the number of staff failing to achieve an acceptable mark in their annual report since 2002-03; and what measures have been put in place to address the issue. [80789]
Mr. Watson: The increase in numbers year on year was partly due to the introduction of industrial staff to performance appraisal as part of the Ministry of Defence four year pay deal. Also, the figures provided in the answer of 20 June 2006, Official Report, column 709W, were, as explained, a snapshot at the end of the reporting year. We have, throughout the pay deal, raised line manager awareness of the impact on pay of failing to address poor performance at the end of the reporting year and the increase in numbers show that managers were responding to this. The Department remains keen for line managers to deal with poor performers and to manage them out if they do not respond to encouragement and assistance to improve their performance.
Departmental Televisions
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Minister's private offices and (c) in each office building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department. [62798]
Mr. Watson: The information requested on the total number of televisions, their locations and licenses is not held centrally and could not be collected without disproportionate cost and effort. However, in respect of the Department's three central London office buildings, there are 100 televisions in the Main Building—of which there is one in the office of each of the four Ministers; 83 in the Old War Office Building; and 10 in St. George's Court. Two TV licences are held for the Main Building, and one each for the Old War Office Building and St. George's Court.
Future Aircraft Carrier Project
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact he expects negotiations with the US administration on the transfer of technology and software for the Joint Strike Fighter to have on the Future Aircraft Carrier Project. [80723]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 27 June 2006]: We remain optimistic that our negotiations with the US administration on the transfer of technology and software for the Joint Strike Fighter will be successful and as such will have no impact on the Future Aircraft Carrier programme. We remain fully committed to the Future Aircraft Carrier programme which represents a quantum step up in military capability for the UK’s armed forces.
Hutton Report
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2006, Official Report, columns 1524-25W, on the Hutton Report, at what time of day, and on what day, the press statement from his predecessor, the right hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon), reference 168/03 and dated 19 July 2003, available on the Government News Network website, was (a) cleared for release and (b) released under embargo to the media. [81218]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 June 2006, Official Report, columns 1524-25W.
Iraq
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many mobilised reservists are deployed in Iraq, broken down by service. [80721]
Mr. Watson: On 31 May 2006 each service had the following number of reserve personnel serving in the Operation TELIC Joint Operational Area:
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the findings of the investigation into the fatal attack of 13 May on British troops serving in Basra. [80869]
Mr. Ingram: The Service Police Report resulting from the Royal Military Police (Special Investigation Branch) investigation into the fatal attack of 13 May on British troops serving in Basra is not yet complete. Service Police Reports are not made public, although they are provided to the relevant Coroner’s Office for use at the inquest.
It has yet to be decided whether a Service Board of Inquiry into this incident will be held. If there is to be a Board of Inquiry, its findings will be made available to the next of kin of the deceased once it is complete.
The Army is in contact with the families of the deceased soldiers and is keeping them informed of developments.
Joint Personnel Administration
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes (a) have been made and (b) are planned to (i) concessionary travel, (ii) living allowances,(iii) other allowances and (iv) compensation for each of the armed forces as a consequence of the introduction of Joint Personnel Administration; and if he will make a statement. [79662]
Mr. Watson: Due to the amount of information requested I have placed a detailed response in the Library of the House.
Joint Striker Fighter
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions his Department has had with the US Defense Department on sharing of (a) stealth technology and (b) flight control software for the Joint Strike Fighter project. [80724]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 27 June 2006]: As part of the continuing process of preparing to operate the Joint Strike Fighter as a sovereign capability, Ministers and senior officials have had a wide range of discussions with US counterparts on all aspects of the Joint Strike Fighter programme. As my noble Friend, the Minister for Defence Procurement, has previously explained in another place, those discussions have raised the issue of information access and explained the UK’s requirements for operational sovereignty. These detailed discussions continue and we remain optimistic that they will be successful.
Meteor Beyond-visual-range Air-to-air Missile
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the results of MBDA’s first test firing of the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile on 9 May; and whether the development of the Meteor missile is on schedule. [79542]
Mr. Ingram: The first firing of a Meteor missile took place on 9 May. The missile maintained full guidance control throughout its planned flight. Data was successfully collected during the flight and the debris was recovered. A second firing was successfully conducted on 20 June, the data from which is now being analysed.
The Meteor programme remains on schedule to achieve the in-service date declared in the Major Project Report 2005.
Missile Effectiveness
Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Storm Shadow air-launched cruise and (b) Brimstone anti-tank guided missile, with particular reference to deployment in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan; and whether it is meeting military requirements. [79539]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence conducts assessment of its weapons systems on a regular basis. Details of these assessments cannot be released as this could prejudice the safety and security of our armed forces.
Project Hyperion
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the conclusions of Project Hyperion will be announced. [80796]
Mr. Ingram: I hope to be able to make an announcement before the recess.
Suicide Vulnerability
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what right of appeal is available to a trainee in the UK armed services discharged as a result of being discovered to be at risk following an assessment made as a part of the suicide vulnerability risk management policy. [79840]
Mr. Watson: Service personnel are not discharged from the armed forces as a result of being discovered to be at risk following an assessment made as part of suicide risk management policies.
There are a number of reasons why service personnel could be discharged from the armed forces, such as for medical reasons, on compassionate grounds, or because the individual is thought to be temperamentally unsuitable to service life. If a service person does not agree with the reason for their discharge, they have the right to submit a redress of complaint. If an individual is discharged on medical grounds they may also submit an appeal to a Medical Appeal Board.
Training Exercises
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of training exercises have been suspended in the last 12 months. [81143]
Mr. Ingram: Of the 548 training events recorded in the Defence Exercise Programme for the period 1 July 2005-30 June 2006, 63 (11 per cent.) were suspended.
Trident
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether evidence from experiments conducted in (a) existing and (b) proposed hydrodynamic testing facilities will be used to support the decision on whether to reuse or replace the Trident warhead pit. [79090]
Des Browne: Evidence from hydrodynamics experimentation, both current and future, represents an essential supporting element in all decisions in connection with UK warhead assurance and in-service life.
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the (a) Trident missile, (b) nuclear warheads, (c) guidance systems and (d) submarine launch platforms are each expected to be (i) no longer available and (ii) beyond refurbishment. [81340]
Des Browne: The expected life of each element of the UK’s nuclear deterrent was set out in a memorandum provided by the Ministry of Defence to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, which was published on the Committee’s website on 20 January 2006 (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm20 0506/cmselect/cmdfence/835/835m04.htm).
Work and Pensions
Child Poverty
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effect on child poverty of proposals in A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering People to Work to introduce the Employment and Support Allowance. [77937]
Mr. Jim Murphy: We believe that work is the best route out of poverty. It builds family aspirations, fosters greater social inclusion and can improve an individual’s health and well-being. Our Green Paper sets out proposals aimed at achieving an employment rate equivalent to 80 per cent. of the working age population. We will do this by reducing the number of people on incapacity benefits, by helping lone parents into work and by increasing the number of older workers.
We propose to significantly reduce the number of people claiming incapacity benefits through a three pronged approach: reducing the number of people who leave the workplace due to illness; increasing the number leaving benefits and better addressing the needs of all those on benefit with additional payments to the most severely disabled people.
Work is still under way in relation to the proposals, and an assessment of the potential impact on child poverty will form part of this. We are currently reviewing the DWP contribution to reducing child poverty across all current and planned policies and, in the autumn, we will be setting out our new strategy for how we can make faster progress towards reaching our goal of halving child poverty by 2010.
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