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17 July 2006 : Column 219W—continued
Pricing for 2006-07 is yet to be concluded with Ofcom but it is expected that the priced bands and the basis (either fixed or mobile) for pricing will remain as in 2005-06.
The bands used by the MOD that are not subject to pricing other than the above are those available for military use that are listed in the United Kingdom Frequency Allocation Table (2004 Issue No. 13) that is issued by the National Frequency Planning Group on behalf of the Cabinet Official Committee on UK Spectrum Management.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what spectrum price was paid by his Department for the bands which it managed in each financial year from 2004-05; and what estimate he has made for each financial year from 2006-07 to 2009-10. [83354]
Mr. Ingram: The payments made to Ofcom for spectrum in each of the last two financial years were:
| £ million | |
The change in cost was as a result of agreements reached following a review of spectrum pricing policy and procedures.
A sum of £56 million has been allocated for spectrum expenditure in financial year 2006-07 but funding for subsequent years is still under discussion.
Type 23 Frigates (Sonar 2087)
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what future roles are planned for the five Type 23 frigates which are not to be fitted with Sonar 2087; and what the scheduled out-of-service date is for each of these ships. [85382]
Mr. Ingram: HM Ships Montrose, Monmouth, Iron Duke, Lancaster and Argyll are not scheduled to receive Sonar 2087. These ships will be employed across the normal range of standing strategic, home and overseas commitments. These include Fleet Ready Escort duties around home waters, operational deployments to the Gulf and Arabian Sea, and standing tasks in the South Atlantic (APT(S)), Caribbean (APT(N)) and within NATO's Standing Maritime Group in the Mediterranean (SNMG2). They will also continue to contribute to the UK's Maritime Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) held at high readiness for contingent operations, and deploy on pre-planned activities as JRRF elements within a Task Group.
On current plans the ships will be withdrawn from service in:
| Date | |
Veterans
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on ensuring that employers are informed of the skills that veterans bring to the workplace. [84822]
Mr. Watson: We have seen no need so far for specific discussions between my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Defence and for Work and Pensions on ensuring that employers are informed of the skills of Service leavers. High rates of employment for Service leavers are already achieved through the Department’s Career Transition Partnership (CTP) as part of the resettlement process. Of those who wish to work and are eligible for the service, over 50 per cent. are in employment within one month of discharge, rising to about 95 per cent. six months post-discharge.
The CTP commercial partner, Right Management Ltd. is a highly experienced outplacement company with a proven track record. It has a very effective marketing arm that carefully targets prospective employers who can offer quality jobs to Service leavers. Those employers who engage Service leavers are seldom disappointed and tend to seek more when vacancies arise.
The cultivation of prospective employers is a continuing process, not only for Right Management but for all others involved in the resettlement of departing Service personnel. It is an area of further
development under the new CTP contract, with particular emphasis on tying together, at both local and national level, jobs and resettlement training opportunities and exploiting those who have passed successfully through the CTP process to attain posts of influence in civilian employment.
For the minority of early Service leavers who are not eligible for CTP services, a resettlement briefing is provided which signposts employment help available from Other Government Departments and ex-Service charities: contacts are arranged on their behalf as necessary, and these are followed up by the briefing officer. This group of early leavers is also assessed for vulnerability to social exclusion and extra help is given where this is identified as a concern. The effectiveness of these arrangements is being kept under review.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on meeting the health needs of veterans through the NHS. [84823]
Mr. Watson: There have been no recent discussions on the subject between Secretaries of State. Since 1948, it has been the policy of successive Governments that health care for veterans should be provided by the NHS. Priority NHS treatment applies to veterans who are war pensioners for their accepted disorders. Officials in the Ministry of Defence and the four UK Health Departments work closely together, and they are at present developing delivery models to ensure high quality mental health services for veterans across the UK. My predecessors and I have been closely briefed on this and other work in the area of veterans' health. Should there be any issues following this work, or otherwise, I will discuss these with Ministers from the Department of Health and devolved Administrations through the Veterans Ministerial Task Force, as appropriate.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance is given to service personnel leaving the armed forces on finding appropriate housing; and what guidance has been given to housing authorities on assisting service personnel. [84824]
Mr. Watson: Assistance is given through such schemes as Long Service Advance of Pay and advice offered by the Joint Services Housing Advice Office. Guidance is available to local authorities generally about the allocation of accommodation, the provision of homelessness assistance and the prevention of rough sleeping. This includes guidance on the circumstances when people leaving the armed forces would have a priority need for accommodation.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department is undertaking into (a) homelessness among veterans and (b) veterans in prison; and if he will make a statement. [84827]
Mr. Watson:
The Ex-Service Action Group, of which the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Communities and Local Government are members, has commissioned research to look into the effectiveness of interventions in preventing rough sleeping and
homelessness among ex-Service personnel in London. The MOD will meet about 70 per cent. of the cost of this research from the Veterans Challenge Fund. The Department is not currently undertaking any research into veterans in prison but is leading a project with the Home Office, ex-Service charities and other voluntary sector organisations to assist ex-Service offenders in custody and on release, and their families, to reduce the risk of re-offending. In a related area, the Department has funded research on the possible merits of mentoring for vulnerable veterans which looked in particular at the needs of personnel discharged from the Military Corrective Training Centre. We are currently considering how best to take forward the results of this work.
Weapons Expenditure
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on the development of the 40 mm Case Telescoped Ammunition weapon; and what assessment has been made of its (a) effectiveness and (b) in service cost. [85307]
Mr. Ingram: The 40 mm Cased Telescope Ammunition weapon has been developed using private venture capital by CTA International. The Ministry of Defence is conducting a Technology Demonstrator Programme to assess its effectiveness when vehicle-mounted. No study has yet been made of the through-life costs of the system.
Work and Pensions
Advertising Campaigns
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advertising campaigns his Department has run since July 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [81913]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department runs a number of promotional campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of rights and responsibilities. The dates and costs are given as follows:
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