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20 Nov 2006 : Column 5W—continued
Pilot Training
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (1) how many commercial flight tests were carried out at weekends in each year since 2000;[100976]
(2) how many new (a) private pilot licences, (b) commercial pilot licences and (c) airline transport pilots licences were issued in each of the last 20 years; [100977]
(3) how many people (a) hold multi-engine examiner authorities and (b) held multi-engine examiner authorities in each of the last 10 years; [100978]
(4) if he will place in the Library copies of the (a) original impact assessment and (b) post impact assessment of the JAR-FCL pilot licence; [100979]
(5) how many pilots were trained in the UK in each of the last 20 years, broken down by nationality. [100980]
Gillian Merron: The Civil Aviation Authority holds information on the number of Commercial Pilot Skill Tests, pilot licences issued in the UK and current holders of multi-engine examiner authorities.
The number of Commercial Pilot Skill Tests carried out on a year-by-year basis since 2000 is given in Table 1. Due to the large amount of data involved, it is impracticable to identify which tests were held at weekends.
| Table 1 | |
| Number of skills tests | |
Table 2 shows the number of Private Pilot Licences (PPL), Commercial Pilot Licences (CPL) and Airline Transport Licences (ATPL) issued in each of the last 20 years.
| Table 2 | ||||
| Financial year | PPL | CPL | ATPL | All licences total |
There are currently 1,313 holders of multi-engine examiner authorities. Historic records of examiner numbers and records of pilots trained in the UK are not held.
A copy of the Authority's 1999 consultation on a proposal to amend the Air Navigation Order 1995 to facilitate implementation of JAR-FCL and its accompanying Regulatory Impact Assessment will be placed in the House Library. A post impact assessment has not been carried out, in light of the future transfer of pilot licensing functions to the European Aviation Safety Agency, and the likelihood of the agency carrying out its own impact assessment.
Defence
Armed Forces Police Support
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legal powers the armed forces have (a) to carry firearms and (b) to arrest individuals when operating in support of the police and security services on the UK mainland. [100828]
Mr. Ingram:
Members of the armed forces derive their power to carry firearms on the UK mainland, solely for the purpose of their duties, from the royal prerogative. When engaged in the performance of their duties they are not bound by the restrictions in the Firearms Act 1968, on the possession of firearms, but
are otherwise subject to the criminal law. Such duties could include specific operations conducted in support of police forces or other civilian authorities in accordance with Military Aid to the Civil Authority procedures.
Armed forces personnel operating on the UK mainland do not have specific powers of arrest conferred on them, beyond a citizen's power of arrest, which is provided for in section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
Commando Brigades
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Commander 3 Commando Brigades’ mission statement is. [100685]
Mr. Ingram: The mission statement for Commander 3 Commando Brigade, as directed by the Chief of Joint Operations, is:
“To ensure the optimal use of UK forces in order to contribute to the delivery of UK strategic intent in Afghanistan”.
Nuclear Deterrent
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the White Paper on the future of the Strategic Nuclear Deterrent. [100641]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October 2006, Official Report, column 113W, to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynn Featherstone).
Troop Transportation
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average time is for Transport Security Police and movement staff to process (a) personnel, (b) baggage, (c) ammunition and (d) weapons when transporting UK forces to and from deployments abroad. [100751]
Mr. Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF flights transporting UK forces (a) from deployments abroad to the UK and (b) from the UK to deployments abroad were (i) cancelled and (ii) delayed for a period longer than a day in each of the last three years. [100755]
Mr. Ingram: The available information is not centrally held and will take some time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Culture, Media and Sport
British Summer Time
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will assess (a) the effect of the adoption of single/double summer time on the leisure, sport and tourism industries and (b) the consequent effect on gross domestic product. [101879]
Mr. Woodward: There are no plans for my Department to undertake such an assessment.
Regeneration
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the role of art and culture in regeneration. [100895]
Mr. Lammy: Art and culture can play a significant role in regeneration. Examples of this can be seen across the country, such as the Lowry in Salford, the Sage in Newcastle-Gateshead and the Bellenden renewal area in Peckham, South London. My Department's publication “Culture at the Heart of Regeneration” highlighted how culture can drive regeneration by reviving town centres, drawing communities together and promoting economic development. The role of culture in regeneration has been strengthened by a joint agreement on sustainable communities, signed by the Department for Communities and Local Government, my Department and a number of its key non-departmental public bodies in July this year.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will discuss future relations with Africa with the Chinese government, with particular reference to reducing the arms trade with Africa. [101431]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials hold regular discussions with the Chinese Government on the full range of international issues, including Africa and the arms trade. This dialogue includes working with China as it seeks to improve its export controls and encouraging China to support work towards an arms trade treaty which would end the irresponsible trade in conventional arms. We are actively seeking to broaden and deepen our dialogue with China on issues relevant to Africa, both bilaterally and together with EU partners. For example, the EU/China summit in September agreed to a structured dialogue on Africa that we hope will begin soon. Key themes for this enhanced dialogue will be how the EU and China can work in ways which reinforce the principles for poverty reduction and sustainable development identified by the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development: peace, security, democracy, good governance, human rights and sound economic management.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Chinese authorities on recent incidents in Tibet. [101432]
Mr. McCartney: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 25 October 2006, Official Report, column 1906W. The Chinese Government have promised to provide the EU with further information regarding the incident on 30 September. We expect the information to be forthcoming in December. We will await this information before making further representation, either bilaterally or through the EU.
Iraq
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will submit evidence to the US review of policy in Iraq led by National Security adviser Stephen J. Hadley announced in November. [100687]
Dr. Howells: We have not been asked to contribute to this review.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 687
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she plans to take to implement paragraph 14 of UN Security Council Resolution 687. [100629]
Dr. Howells: Iraq is a party to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and is working with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to accede to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Iraqi Cabinet approved a recommendation for accession on 3 August and the legislation is currently before the Iraqi Parliament.
Iraq supported the 61st United Nations General Assembly 1st Committee resolution on the "Establishment of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Region of the Middle East", which was an important contribution to the goal of establishing in the middle east a zone free from weapons of mass destruction.
The UK will continue to support the Iraqi Government in this work.
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