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6 Nov 2006 : Column 790W—continued
Waiting Lists/Times
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for (a) cancer and (b) cardiac patients in Barnet who were waiting for (A) outpatient appointments and (B) surgery or other in-patient treatment in (i) May 1997 and (ii) May 2006; and if she will make a statement. [96928]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Cancer waiting times data is not available for 1997 and 2006 data is not available in the format requested. Cardiac waiting times data is not held centrally.
A cancer out-patient waiting time standard of a maximum two weeks from urgent general practitioner referral to first being seen by a specialist was introduced in 2000. The latest quarterly performance data (quarter one, April to June 2006) shows that at Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals NHS trust 100 per cent. of cancer patients were seen within two weeks of urgent referral by their GP.
Cancer treatment standards of two months from urgent GP referral to first cancer treatment and one month from diagnosis to first cancer treatment were introduced at the end of 2005. Latest quarterly performance data shows that 95.1 per cent. of patients were treated within two months of urgent referral by their general practitioner and 100 per cent. of cancer patients were treated within one month of diagnosis at Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals NHS trust.
West Sussex Health Care
Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other health care professionals were working at (i) the Princess Royal hospital, Haywards Heath, (ii) St Richard’s hospital, Chichester and (iii) Worthing hospital in each of the last five years. [94862]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested is only available at trust level. Information on the numbers of medical staff at the Brighton and Sussex university hospitals national health service trust, Worthing and Southlands hospitals NHS trust and the Royal West Sussex NHS trust has been placed in the Library.
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 6 November 2006
Defence
“Not to Exceed” Dates
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the ‘not to exceed’ in-service date at main gate was for (a) White Fleet PFI, (b) Single Living Accommodation, (c) Digitisation of the Battlespace (Land)-Com BAT, Infra and Platform, (d) Otterburn Training Area, (e) Project Aquatrine-Water and Wastewater Services PFI, (f) Hayes Record Office, (g) SSN Berthing
HMNB Clyde, (h) Defence Estates Regional Prime Contracting-Scotland, (i) Project NEPTUNE and (j) Defence Information Infrastructure (Army); and what the ‘not to exceed’ cost at main gate was for the demonstration and manufacture phase of each project, broken into (i) indirect resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL), (ii) direct resource DEL and (iii) capital DEL. [93048]
Mr. Ingram: The term ‘not to exceed’ was not used during the approvals process for the majority of the projects as they predated the use of this concept. The values and dates used in the following table are those approved at Main Gate.
Similarly, not all of the projects broke the cost down into Indirect Resource DEL, Direct Resource DEL and Capital DEL. The table therefore reflects the values approved in the relevant Main Gate, many of which are for service based contracts, not a demonstration and manufacture phase.
Afghanistan
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral statement of 10 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1131-48, on Afghanistan (troop levels), how many (a) attack and (b) support helicopters will be deployed as part of the additional deployment to Helmand Province; when they will arrive; and from where they will be sourced. [85106]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the statements I made on 10 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1131-35, and 24 July 2006, Official Report, columns 74-76WS. The additional CH-47 Chinooks were drawn from the UK and from the Falklands Islands.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral statement of 10 July 2006, Official Report, columns 1131-48, on Afghanistan (troop levels), which units will be operating outside harmony guidelines as a result of the additional deployment to Helmand Province; and what the average tour gap number will be for each unit. [85107]
Des Browne: I can confirm that, as announced on the 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1133, the additional force package deployed to the Helmand Province contained 320 engineers from 28 Regiment Royal Engineers (28 Regt RE), an Infantry Company from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2 RRF), two Platoons from the 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (1 R IRISH) and one company from three Commando Brigade Royal Marines. The armed forces harmony guidelines recommend a tour interval of 24 months between each six month operational tour. The average tour interval for 28 Regt RE as a whole is 24 months, although, 35 individuals deployed facing a tour interval of between six and 24 months. The average tour interval for 2 RRF is 34 months, although one individual will have deployed for 15 months in a 30 month period. The average tour interval for 1 R IRISH is 25 months but most of the 60 personnel who deployed will now experience a tour interval of six months. The company of three Commando Brigade Royal Marines who deployed as the force protection unit for 28 Regt RE have a tour interval of 28 months.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians have been (a) killed and (b) injured by the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in each of the last six months. [94702]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 October 2006, Official Report, column 2013, to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn).
Similar principles apply to the number of civilians injured as to the number of civilians killed.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strategic objectives are of the UK forces in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [97254]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor on 27 March 2006, Official Report, column 670W to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Holloway).
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK armed forces personnel were in Afghanistan in each month between June 2003 and October 2006; and if he will make a statement. [97255]
Des Browne: Figures for the number of UK regular forces deployed in Afghanistan from December 2005 are shown in the following table. Figures for the number of UK service personnel deployed before December 2005 are not held centrally.
Figures for the number of UK service personnel deployed before December 2005 is not held centrally on a month to month basis and only an average for the year can be provided. These data have not been statistically verified.
| Average number of UK personnel in Afghanistan | |
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of (a) the relationship between the Taliban and Afghan poppy-growers and (b) its implications for NATO’s counter-insurgency campaign. [97533]
Des Browne [holding answer 30 October 2006]: There are links of convenience between the Taliban and traffickers based on personal relationships, tribal loyalties and business interests. The Taliban and drug traffickers share a common interest in resisting the Afghan Government and coalition forces. The Taliban are also attempting to exploit the continued existence of the drugs trade to undermine the central Government’s authority. Given these links we continue to monitor their development and to support the Afghan Government in disrupting them.
NATO supports the Afghan counter narcotics effort by securing the future stability of Afghanistan and creating the environment in which counter narcotics activities can have greatest impact, but it does not take direct action against the drugs trade.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to his United States counterparts on the effect on the counter-insurgency campaign of attempts by (a) NATO forces and (b) the Afghan Government to suppress the cultivation of poppies. [97535]
Des Browne [holding answer 30 October 2006]: We regularly hold discussions on all aspects of the international community’s efforts in Afghanistan with the US and other nations that contribute to the international security assistance force.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it was decided that UK forces in Afghanistan would be under US command; and if he will make a statement. [97588]
Des Browne [holding answer 30 October 2006]: The vast majority of UK forces in Afghanistan are part of the NATO led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which is currently headed by a British officer. Regardless of the nationality of the commanding officer, ISAF remains under NATO command.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with NATO chiefs about the deployment of additional troops in support of British forces in Afghanistan. [98070]
Des Browne: I discuss regularly with the NATO Secretary General and with NATO Ministerial colleagues the need to ensure that NATO commanders in Afghanistan have the forces they need to fulfil their mission, including British forces in Helmand Province. NATO Defence Ministers last met collectively on 28 September.
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 30 October 2006, Official Report, column 99W, whether any senior commanders in Afghanistan have asked for Warrior vehicles to be deployed there; and if he will make a statement. [99074]
Des Browne [holding answer 2 November 2006]: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister indicated during Prime Minister’s Question Time on 1 November 2006, Official Report, column 294, Ministers have not received any formal requests for Warrior armoured fighting vehicles. Requests from operational commanders are considered first by the Permanent Joint Headquarters and by the Chiefs of Staff before they are presented to Ministers.
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will request a report on the recent accidental bombing of civilians by NATO planes in Southern Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement; [99217]
(2) which air force was responsible for the recent bombing in which up to 60 Afghan civilians are reported to have died; what assistance has been offered to the survivors; and what plans there are to compensate the victims. [99218]
Des Browne: NATO has commissioned a report into the accidental bombing of Afghan civilians on 24 October has still to be completed. Until the investigation is complete, it would be inappropriate to comment on the incident. In recognition of its responsibility to the Afghan people, however, the International Security Assistance Force has already provided medical assistance to a number of the injured.
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