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4 Sep 2006 : Column 1714W—continued
The number of current and former service personnel treated by the NHS for mental health conditions since the beginning of the operation in Iraq is not known. Similarly, details of personnel who have been discharged as a result of a mental health condition that can be attributed specifically to service in Iraq and whose continued medical care has therefore been transferred to the NHS is not held centrally and to obtain it would require the examination of the individual medical records of every patient. These can only be viewed for non-clinical reasons with the express consent of the individual concerned, to protect patient confidentiality. To seek permission, and then to extract the information from the records, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Service Records
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications for release of service records from the second world war his Department has received since 1997; and how many such applications have been successful. [89083]
Mr. Watson: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to ensure consistency in decision making when considering whether to release service records following an application under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [89106]
Mr. Watson: The Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force personnel staffs who answer such requests work to the same guidance and criteria in discharging MOD's duty to process personal data fairly and in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. Key issues include whether the subject of the record is alive; whether the next of kin are making or are aware of the request; and the precise nature of the information held and requested. This inevitably involves case by case consideration of often complex circumstances. A number of reports of apparently inconsistent outcomes have led officials to launch a review with the aim of providing more detailed guidance on the release of information from service records. I will write to the hon. Member when that work is complete, which I expect to be before the end of the year.
Soldiers' Pensions
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what average annual pension payment was received by Gurkhas in each year since 1997. [88795]
Mr. Watson: This information is not held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what average annual pension payment was received by retired British soldiers in each year since 1997. [88796]
Mr. Watson: This information is not held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the average total pension payments received by (a) a Gurkha soldier and (b) a retired British soldier during his lifetime. [88797]
Mr. Watson: This information is not held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Staff Surveys
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff surveys have been conducted in his Department in each of the last three years. [70619]
Mr. Watson: Details of survey research conducted by the Ministry of Defence and its agencies are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Submarine Operations
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) average, (b) highest and (c) lowest proportion of time was which submarine personnel spent on operations in the last three years. [87020]
Mr. Watson: The proportion of time that fleet submarines (SSNs) not in refit have spent away from their base ports on operations over the past three years is as follows:
Highest: 43 per cent.
Lowest: 6 per cent.
Average: 33.5 per cent.
The proportion of time submarine personnel spent on operations over the past three years will not exceed this range.
Submarine Sales (Canada)
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK Government have paid any reparation to the Canadian Government following the fire aboard the HMCS Chicoutimi and the subsequent rescue mission. [88705]
Mr. Watson: No. The Board of Enquiry convened by Canada into the HMCS Chicoutimi incident attached no blame to the UK Government.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK Government have paid any reparation to the Canadian Government in relation to the four Upholder class submarines that were found to be damaged upon delivery to the Canadian Forces Maritime Command. [88706]
Mr. Watson: No. The four upholder class submarines were not damaged when they were handed over to, and accepted by, Canada.
Sudan
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the merits of UK troops making up part of the proposed UN force in Sudan. [88614]
Des Browne: Her Majesty's Government welcomed the signing on 5 May 2006 of the Darfur peace agreement by the Government of Sudan and the Minni Minawi faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army. We are urging all partners to support fully the implementation of the agreement, and the strengthening of the African mission in Sudan (AMIS) to meet the tasks contained within it.
To date, the UK has committed £52 million in financial support to AMIS. Additionally, through the European Union and at the request of the African Union, the MOD has provided two military advisers.
Separately, the UK has provided three staff officers, including the chief of staff, to the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), mandated to support the implementation of the north-south comprehensive peace agreement.
If approved, UNMIS could be expanded to assume peacekeeping responsibilities in Darfur, taking over from AMIS. In preparation, and at the request of the UN, the MOD has deployed one military officer to the department of peace keeping operations in New York to assist with planning support.
We have no plans to deploy any further military personnel to Sudan.
Surface Ship Support
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in (a) exploring alternative contracting arrangements and (b) establishing the way ahead for contracting for surface ship support. [86661]
Mr. Ingram: A review of surface ship support arrangements concluded that the best way of achieving a sustainable, efficient and affordable surface ship support market for the future would be through the formation of an alliance. This was announced on 14 February 2006 and we are now working to take this forward. Agreement was reached in principle shortly after the announcement with the prospective Surface Ship Support Alliance (SSSA) partners (Devonport Management Ltd., Babcock International Group and Fleet Support Ltd.) on the work-share for the autumn 2006 upkeep packages. These packages of work will not be contracted under the yet-to-be-agreed alliance umbrella, but will instead form part of an initial test of principle for the alliance concept. Subject to affordability and this work continuing to offer best value when set against the Department’s other priorities, it is intended to enter into contracts within the next few months.
Surplus Military Equipment
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the regulations relating to the disposal of drop tanks fitted to surplus military aircraft have been amended since 2000. [88741]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military aircraft have been disposed of since 1999; and what action was taken to de-militarise the unit in each case. [88742]
Mr. Ingram: Surplus aircraft sold by the Disposal Services Agency since 1999 are set out in the following table.
In accordance with current regulations all aircraft are declassified prior to disposal and have their weapon systems removed. The precise action followed will vary case-by-case.
| Number | |
This does not include aircraft disposed of as scrap.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received on the extent to which surplus military equipment disposed of to non-governmental purchasers has been (a) exported and (b) used in hostilities overseas. [88743]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the rules relating to the disposal of military equipment to non-Government purchasers. [88744]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence disposes of a wide range of surplus military equipment and extensive rules and regulations govern the disposal of specific items. There is no single set of general rules relating to the disposal of equipment to non-government purchasers.
It is, however, departmental policy that the contract of sale for any item will include terms and conditions covering re-use and eventual disposal as appropriate. All sensitive equipment is routinely demilitarised before sale, and any equipment that cannot be sold is disposed of or recycled in an environmentally sound manner. In addition, there are many types of military equipment that are not sold to the public as a matter of policy.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he maintains a register of non-governmental buyers of surplus military equipment. [88745]
Unfinished Projects
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list projects undertaken in the last eight years at a cost of over £1 million which were not completed. [27622]
Mr. Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
University Air Squadrons
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that there is no reduction in the number of university air squadrons and the level of flying training they provide. [87246]
Mr. Watson: There is no intention to reduce the number of university air squadrons. The hon. Member will be aware that a study has recently been commissioned to determine the optimum number and preferred locations of university air squadrons' air experience flights, which deliver their flying training.
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