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Deaths in Action
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Department’s policy on the publication of the names of members of the armed forces killed in action has changed since 27 June 2006; and if he will make a statement. [82620]
Des Browne: There has not been a change in the Ministry of Defence’s policy on the publication of the names of members of the armed forces killed in action.
Defence Analytical Services Agency
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Reserve Forces data TSP07 for1 April will be available on the Defence Analytical Services Agency website. [82577]
Mr. Watson: The anticipated publication date of Reserve Forces (TSP07) at 1 April 2006 is August 2006. Data will be made available on the Defence Analytical Services Agency website immediately upon publication. I will write to the hon. Member to confirm when this has been done.
Defence Training Review
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution the implementation of the two packages comprising the Defence Training Review private finance initiative programme will make to departmental targets for (a) improved quality of training, (b) cost reduction and (c) contractions of the defence estate. [81425]
Mr. Watson: The Defence Training Review Programme aims to provide the best possible living and learning environment for our people. This programme will make a positive contribution to improving the quality of training while reducing costs through the reduction of the Defence Estate. I am not in a position to make any detailed comment on the exact impact of the Defence Training Review as this will be entirely dependent on the solutions put forward by the Preferred Bidders. An announcement is not expected before the end of the year.
Departmental Premises (Security)
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to ensure that no illegal immigrants are employed in the manned guarding of his Department's premises. [80800]
Mr. Watson: The Ministry of Defence has a rigorous basic check process, based on Government guidance given in the Cabinet Office's Manual of Protective Security. The basic check is applied to every employee of the MOD, and to contractors' employees working on MOD property. This employment/recruitment check aims to verify identity and nationality details, requires the applicant to declare unspent criminal convictions, and follows up the applicant's employment references.
We are aware that identity fraud is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and we are taking additional measures to increase the likelihood of illegal immigrants being detected before they are employed. These include the introduction across Government of a more rigorous baseline personnel security standard, replacing the basic check.
Extraordinary Rendition
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer of 7 February 2006, Official Report, column 1083W to the hon. Member for Camarthen, East and Dinefwr (Adam Price), on extraordinary rendition, what records were checked in giving his reply. [75033]
Mr. Ingram: Officials consulted both operational reports and records from deployed headquarters in the relevant theatres.
Food Supply Contracts
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 27 June 2006, Official Report, column 5WS, on defence food supply contracts, for what reasons Purple Foodservice Solutions was selected as the provider of food services; what process was followed to select the provider; and which other companies applied to be considered. [82075]
Mr. Ingram: Purple Foodservice Solutions presented the lowest risk and most technically compliant bid which, overall, offered the best value for money. The contract was run under Public Procurement Regulations, which take full account of UK and EU procurement legislation. The other companies that submitted bids were 3663, First for Foodservice, and Brakes Foodservice Solutions.
Gulf War Veterans
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken by his Department towards commissioning (a) endocrine studies and (b) genetics studies of Gulf War veterans; and if he will make a statement. [81625]
Mr.
Watson: The Ministry of Defence is guided on its programme
of research into Gulf veterans' illnesses by the Medical Research
Council (MRC) and has undertaken studies into: the anthropology of
"Gulf War Syndrome", cancer, changing health, mortality/morbidity,
neuromuscular symptoms, paraoxonase, reproductive health, testing for
squalene in vaccines and vaccines interactions. I am aware of a concern
on the part of the Gulf Veterans Association and National Gulf Veterans
and Families Association that research should be undertaken on possible
endocrine and/or genetics aspects of the illnesses experience by
veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict, as well as on the synthesis of
adenosine triphosphate. We are awaiting detailed proposals which we
will then refer to the MRC
for their independent advice on the case for the Department
commissioning such research, taking account of research already being
undertaken
elsewhere.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on research into Gulf War Syndrome, broken down by area of expenditure. [81626]
Mr. Watson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given in another place on 22 June 2006, Official Report, column WA99 by my noble Friend the Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Procurement (Lord Drayson) to the noble Lord, Lord Morris of Manchester.
Infantry
Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average cost is of (a) recruitment of an infantryman and (b) training an infantryman from recruitment to being ready for overseas deployment in an active formation in the latest period for which figures are available. [82518]
Mr. Watson: The average cost of recruiting and training an Infantryman during financial year 2004-05, the latest period for which figures are available, were as follows:
| Financial year 2004-05 | Costs (£) |
| Notes:
1. Costs are calculated on an accrual basis and include non cash items
such as depreciation and cost of capital. 2. Only costs that
are within the Army Recruiting and Training Division spend are
included. 3. There has been no apportionment of indirect
headquarters costs to the training and recruiting
outputs | |
Training of infantry recruits is conducted at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) Catterick. Since 2000 the infantry have had a combined phase 1 and 2 course at Catterick, the Combat Infantry Course, which prepares the infantryman for their first appointment with the field Army.
Once an infantryman has completed his Combat Infantryman Course at ITC Catterick, he is ready to be deployed on operational service after the completion of the appropriate pre-deployment training, the cost of which is negligible.
All infantrymen will also undergo phase 3 training during their career, known as Career Training, which provides the soldier with professional development and career progression once he has joined his regiment; this training is also conducted through the ITC and costs on average £8,000.
Iraq
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on changes in the security situation in Basra province since March. [81138]
Des Browne: The United Kingdom's area of responsibility in multi national division (south east) remains relatively quiet compared to other parts of the country, accounting for around 4 per cent. of overall attacks in Iraq. There has been a rise in violence in Basra, and there have been a number of developments since March that seek to address this. The provincial council has re-engaged with UK forces, allowing the recommencement of the full programme of operational activity for our forces in MND(SE). Most recently, we have secured important undertakings from the Iraqi Government on delivering a new security plan for Basra.
Mr.
Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for
Defence what training programmes in Iraqi native
languages are available to troops prior to deployment in Iraq; what type
of courses are taught; what levels of proficiency are taught; and how
many personnel have taken each of the courses available in each of the
last three years.
[82570]
Mr. Watson: There are three courses specialising in Iraqi language training available for troops prior to deployment to Iraq, each with a different proficiency level. The numbers undertaking this training over the last three years are shown in the following table.
In addition to these courses Cascade Training takes place at unit level during pre-deployment training over anything up to six months. The training is undertaken by those who have completed the Basic Patrol Arabic Course augmented by specially appointed and trained Operational Unit Education Officers. Once deployed training is continued by the same staff augmented by the Theatre Education Centre. Every soldier is also issued with a language card which is taught during pre-deployment training and is practised regularly by all in theatre.
Joint Personnel Administration
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) regular and (b) reserve army personnel have failed to be fully paid by the army personnel centre since the implementation of Pay 2000; what the total of the underpayments are; what assessment he has made of the reasons for the underpayments; whether he expects all payments to be made prior to the roll out of joint personnel administration; and if he will make a statement. [79650]
Mr. Watson: Pay 2000 is the generic term used to describe the incremental pay system for armed forces personnel. It arose as a consequence of the recommendations made in the independent review conducted by Sir Michael Bett in 1995, and was introduced in April 2001 for regular personnel, and November 2002 for reservists.
Some 14,160 regular and reserve army personnel have been either under, or overpaid electronically at some time since, and as a result of the implementation of Pay 2000. The number of pay accounts in need of rectification was reduced to some 8,900 during 2004-05, and this figure has been reduced further to some 1,000 during 2006. I am confident that the remaining 1,000 pay accounts will be rectified prior to the roll out of joint personnel administration to the army.
Arrangements ensure that any shortfalls are paid manually at unit level. The primary causes of the problem have been late changes in the interpretation of policy, computer programming difficulties and the ageing army computer systems.
The total amount of electronic underpayments could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Meteorological Office
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will reconsider the Meteorological Office plans to withdraw its (a) mountaincall and (b) mountainfax services from the general public and mountain rescue services; [67147]
(2) what specialist services the meteorological service plans to provide for (a) mountain rescue servicesand (b) hillwalkers once the mountaincall and mountainfax services are withdrawn. [67148]
Mr. Watson [holding answer 2 May 2006]: The same meteorological information previously provided by the mountaincall and mountainfax commercial services is now provided through a public service available free of charge on the Met. Office website. The service is also available through the Met. Office customer centre.
Military Co-operation with France
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the extent is of UK military co-operation with France. [82305]
Des Browne [holding answer 4 July 2006]: At the recent UK-France summit on 9 June, the United Kingdom and France re-affirmed their shared commitment to act together against evolving threats and challenges to our security and defence and to that of our allies and partners. An important element of this is the long-standing military co-operation between our armed forces, who currently work together on operations and regular exercises, and in the fields of concepts, doctrine and training. This collaboration is undertaken both bilaterally and through multilateral organisations such as NATO and the EU.
Our armed forces co-operate on operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Bosnia. Other recent interaction includes:
Routine integration of Royal Navy and French Navy ships into respective Task Group deployments, most recently in the UK Naval Task Group Deployment AQUILA 2006 and the French Carrier Task Group
AGAPANTHE 06, which deployed to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Gulf regions.
British Army staff officers attached to the French Rapid Reaction Corps Headquarters in Lille where they contribute to French work on achieving NATO Response Force readiness.
The Royal Air Force and French Air Force combining to provide a Joint Force Air Component Headquarters, and substantial force elements, for NATO Response Fortes 5and 6.
Agreement to co-operate in establishing a network of Peace Support' Training Centres in Africa.
This close and highly valued military relationship is fostered through regular dialogue at all levels from the Chief of the Defence Staff downwards and underpinned by bilateral agreements and letters of intent. There is also a network of exchange and liaison officers across all three services. The continuation of our excellent military relationship with France will remain important as we work together to tackle the challenges ahead.
Nuclear Deterrent
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he was informed of the proposed content relating to retention of the nuclear deterrent in the long-term of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Mansion House speech prior to its delivery. [81533]
Des Browne [holding answer 4 July 2006]: I have regular discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a range of issues.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the time scale is for (a) a national debate, (b) a White Paper and (c) a decision to be made for the replacement of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. [82421]
Des Browne: Decisions on the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent will be taken this year. We expect to publish a White Paper once decisions have been taken and, as the Prime Minister made clear on 28 June 2006, Official Report, column 253, the means of consultation will be made clear when we publish the White Paper.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what structures exist within the Government to provide a framework for formulation of policy on the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent; [82422]
(2) what consideration Ministers have given to detailed policy on the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. [82423]
Des Browne: Work is under way by officials in a number of Departments to prepare for decisions on the future of the United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent. Ministers have been briefed by officials on some of the relevant issues and have requested that further work be undertaken.
It remains the case that no decisions have yet been taken, either in principle or in detail although, as the Prime Minister said on 28 June 2006, Official Report, column 253 decisions will be taken this year.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Ministers in other Departments about the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. [82424]
Des Browne: I have regular discussions with my Cabinet colleagues and other Ministers on a wide range of issues.
Search and Rescue Services
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2006, Official Report, column 2052W, on search and rescue services, what timetable he has set for (a) the assessment to be completed, (b) further announcements to be made, (c) invitations to tender to run the services and (d) other matters relevant to the future operation of search and rescue services in the UK. [81981]
Mr. Ingram: The timing for the competition for UK Helicopter Search and Rescue capability is set out in the Official Journal of the European Union Notice(No 2006/S 90-096731) of 12 May 2006. This advises that it is planned to complete the Competitive Dialogue process in mid 2008, at which time the final invitation to tender is planned to be issued. The final assessment of basing solutions and all other relevant matters will be completed after this, with announcements made when the decisions are mature.
Submarines
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines are operationally available to Commander in Chief Fleet, broken down by type. [82900]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 May 2006, Official Report, column 1262W to the hon. Member for Weston-Super-Mare (Mr. Penrose) in respect of operational submarines. Two types of submarines make up the Royal Navy Submarine Service. There are 10 Fleet Submarines, of which eight are operational. There are four Ballistic Missile Submarines, of which three are operational. The position remains unchanged.
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