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7 Nov 2006 : Column 1443W—continued
Derek Twigg
[holding answer 6 November 2006]: Data on the residential location of armed forces personnel are not held centrally in databases of
individual records and it is therefore not possible to give figures by place of residence.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are being interned by British forces in Afghanistan because they are perceived to be a threat to international security assistance force forces; and for how long each has been held. [98644]
Mr. Ingram: In Afghanistan, British forces does not intern prisoners, they are detained. Detainees are a category of prisoner distinct from prisoners of war and internees. Detainees are those individuals who, during operations abroad not amounting to International Armed Conflict, are held by UK armed forces because they have committed, or are suspected of committing criminal offences.
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to ensure that members of the armed forces in Afghanistan receive winter warfare clothing. [99650]
Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional winter clothing is being supplied to the soldiers deployed in Afghanistan. [97129]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given on 12 September 2006, Official Report, column 2342W, to the hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper).
All UK armed forces currently serving in Afghanistan have been issued with a winter clothing supplement.
Afghanistan/Iraq
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many soldiers serving in Afghanistan are from (a) Wales and (b) Aberavon constituency; [98191]
(2) how many soldiers serving in Iraq are from (a) Wales and (b) Aberavon constituency. [98192]
Derek Twigg: Data on the residential location of armed forces personnel are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Air Transport
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans there are to deploy a Chinook helicopter in the Falkland Islands; [98052]
(2) what plans there are for heavy lift capability in the Falkland Islands. [98051]
Mr. Ingram: The return of the Chinook (removed from the Falkland Islands to help meet a requirement in Afghanistan) remains under review in the context of wider Defence commitments and the higher priority currently attached to this type of aircraft tasking elsewhere. In addition, a review of how to deliver the continued heavy lift capability and transport needs in the Falklands is underway.
Aircraft Activity
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what aircraft activity for which his Department was responsible there was in the Bude and Holsworthy area on 26 October. [98655]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 2 November 2006]: There were 30 military jet/transport aircraft authorised to conduct low level training in Low Flying Area 2 which is part of the United Kingdom Low Flying System on 26 October. LFA 2 covers the areas of Devon, Dorset, Somerset, east Cornwall, southwest Gloucestershire and northwest Wiltshire. Military aircraft are judged to be low flying when in the case of fixed wing aircraft they are at less than 2,000 ft minimum separation distance (msd) and in the case of helicopters, they are at less than 500 feet msd.
Amputees
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British servicemen and women have become amputees on active service in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan. [98910]
Derek Twigg: Information on the number of British servicemen and women serving in Iraq or Afghanistan who have become amputees on active service is not held centrally. To find this number would require the examination of the individual medical records of each patient who has been classified as Very Seriously Injured (VSI) or Seriously Injured (SI) in each theatre. These records can only be viewed for non-clinical reasons with the express consent of the individual concerned, to protect patient confidentiality.
The Ministry of Defence publishes data on battle and non-battle casualties that have resulted from our operations in Iraq from March 2003 and Afghanistan from 1 January 2006. The centrally available casualty statistics can be found on the Ministry of Defence website http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInIraqBritishCasualties.htm. The method of reporting for Iraq was changed slightly at the end of 2005 so figures are quoted separately for before and after 1 January 2006.
Animal Experiments
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many goats have been used in experiments commissioned by his Department in each year since 2000; for what purposes they have been used; and if he will make a statement. [94938]
Derek Twigg: The hyperbaric research programme at QinetiQ Alverstoke is the only programme commissioned by the Ministry of Defence that utilises goats. The research programme advises on safe procedures and treatments for submariners escaping from a disabled submarine. The licence for this research issued by the Home Office requires that the number of procedures carried out on the animals is reported each year. The data are presented in the following table:
| Number of procedures | |
| (1 )Number of procedures to date. | |
Council Tax
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on exempting members of the armed forces from council tax while they are posted overseas. [99115]
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Prime Minister’s answer of 11 October 2006, Official Report, column 298, what progress has been made in discussions between his Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government on proposals to exempt members of the armed forces from paying council tax. [98765]
Derek Twigg: The MOD is discussing with the Department for Communities and Local Government how best to provide support for the council tax costs of Service personnel on operations overseas.
Armoured Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the impact of (a) extra armour and (b) other additional features on the ability of the Cougar vehicle to withstand explosive devices. [94916]
Mr. Ingram: To safeguard our and our allies' troops, we do not comment on the detail of our vehicles' protection levels. However, the key threats currently faced in Iraq and Afghanistan were fully considered in the decision to fit additional armour to MASTIFF (the UK name for the Cougar vehicles we are procuring from the US).
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent orders his Department has placed for armoured vehicles; and with which companies. [95517]
Mr. Ingram: Orders have been placed for armoured vehicles as follows:
| Vehicle | Number on order | Company |
Army (Deployments)
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the last three operational deployments were of (a) 40 Commando, (b) 42 Commando, (c) 45 Commando and (d) 28 Regiment Royal Engineers; and what the length of time was between each such deployment. [98548]
Mr. Ingram: The last three operational deployments of 40 Commando, 42 Commando and 45 Commando are set out in the following table. Figures in brackets indicate the length of time between the deployments.
(1) Two companies from 40 Commando were operationally deployed in 2006, one to Op Herrick March 2006 to Aug 2006, and one to Op Telic April 2006 to August 2006.
(2) One company from 42 Commando was operationally deployed on Op Herrick from February to April 2006.
(3) 42 Commando was the lead commando group from June 2005 to June 2006, and 40 Commando has been the lead commando group since June 2006. This group, although not deployed on operations, is held at very high readiness with a liability for global deployment at short notice.
Deployments undertaken by 28 Regiment Royal Engineers are normally conducted at sub-unit level and below, and vary in duration and composition of personnel involved. Further, elements of the regiment can be deployed to more than one operational theatre at any one time.
The last three operational deployments conducted by elements of the regiment
| Operational deployments | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|
May 2006-November 2006 Operation Herrick, and Operation Telic (Afghanistan and Iraq) |
March 2005-September 2005 Operation Banner (Northern Ireland) | ||
Army Recruitment
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of those who have passed the Army's Regular Commissioning Board interview since 2003 have (a) entered Sandhurst Military Academy and (b) completed their training at the Academy. [94301]
Derek Twigg: Since financial year 2003-04, 3,210 individuals have passed the Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB). Of these, 680 have entered training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS), with 310 to date having completed their training and joined the Field Army as commissioned officers.
Many of those who have passed AOSB since financial year 2003-04 will still be in education and will not begin their training until they have completed their studies. Some of these AOSB passes also include candidates who have passed the Scholarship/Welbeck Boards at age 15/16. These candidates will not attend officer training for up to seven years.
Atomic Weapons Establishment
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Atomic Weapons Establishment (a) has conducted and (b) is conducting studies of a hydrodynamic testing facility involving fix x-ray machines. [73814]
Des Browne: As part of the site development strategy at the Atomic Weapons Establishment a study has been initiated into refurbishing and rebuilding the existing hydrodynamics research facilities. It is likely that any new facilities will involve the use of flash x-rays. The study is ongoing.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Atomic Weapons Establishment has conducted studies of the use of hydrodynamic test facilities for maintaining the security and reliability of the UK nuclear deterrent. [73817]
Des Browne: Hydrodynamics testing is an essential element of the nuclear warhead assurance programme. An article on stockpile stewardship was published in ‘Nature’ on 21 February 2002 which included explanations on the need for hydrodynamic trials in the comprehensive test ban treaty era.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Atomic Weapons Establishment is considering new hydrodynamic testing facilities. [74088]
Des Browne: We are replacing facilities as necessary to maintain the safety and reliability of the UK stockpile.
Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) scientists, (b) engineers and (c) technicians the Atomic Weapons Establishment is planning to hire over the next five years; and in what areas of expertise. [74427]
Des Browne: Based upon current contract assumptions, AWE plc is planning to recruit in the order of (a) 60 scientists, (b) 180 engineers, and (c) 50 technical support personnel in each of the next two years. The areas of expertise are diverse, and will include chemistry, computer science, materials science, nuclear physics, chemical engineering, decommissioning and waste management, civil engineering, manufacturing, metallurgy, electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, assurance, laboratory support and IT/telecommunications. The company has indicated that it has not formulated any firm plans for recruitment beyond this period.
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