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22 Nov 2006 : Column 115W—continued
Shrewsbury
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to market Shrewsbury as a base for film production. [101699]
Mr. Woodward: The UK Film Council promotes the UK as a filming destination by providing information to international filmmakers who have projects for the UK about the range and diversity of locations in the UK.
The UK Film Council has created nine Regional Screen Agencies for England, each of which promotes their individual region as a film location both nationally and internationally.
Screen West Midlands (SWM) is the regional screen agency for the West Midlands which covers Shrewsbury. SWM encourages both inward investment and indigenous production and promotes the use of locations, crews and facilities in the West Midlands.
Sport England
Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions Sport England has invoked clawback procedures for funding it has provided to projects in the East Midlands region in each of the last five years. [101770]
Mr. Caborn: Sport England has not invoked clawback procedures for funding it has provided to projects in the East Midlands region during the last five years.
Communities and Local Government
Bournemouth Unitary Authority
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been classified as second homes in Bournemouth unitary authority in each of the last five years. [100924]
Yvette Cooper: The number of properties in England designated as second homes in the Bournemouth unitary authority for 2003 to 2005 are shown as follows. Data prior to these are not considered sufficiently robust.
| Number | |
The data are from a snapshot taken each year and are as recorded on CTB forms submitted by each local authority for council tax purposes.
Electrical Cabling
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of large blocks of flats in which responsibility for common electrical ducting and cabling between substation and individual apartment meterboards lies with the owners or leaseholders. [101095]
Yvette Cooper: None. This information is not held centrally.
Planning
Dr. Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what external monitoring and inspection systems are in place for planning departments. [100688]
Yvette Cooper:
The Department publishes quarterly statistics on local planning authorities’ performance in terms of the time taken to determine planning applications and, together with Government offices, tracks whether or not they are on course to meet our PSA6 (local government’s PSA 11) targets by March 2007. Where authorities are identified as at high risk of
failing to meet the targets, officials ask the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) to offer them tailored support. Where this offer is accepted, the first step is for a PAS consultant to undertake a diagnostic visit.
The Department for Communities and Local Government officials together with Government offices also monitor performance on the preparation of Local Development Frameworks against the timetables that local authorities have set out in their Local Development Schemes.
In addition, the Audit Commission undertakes periodic inspections of individual local authorities’ planning services where, for example, the Audit Commission’s relationship manager considers there is cause for concern.
Defence
Afghanistan
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan; how many he estimates were recruited in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Pakistan and (c) elsewhere; and what assessment he has made of the factors which drive recruitment. [100831]
Des Browne: Estimating Taliban numbers and distinguishing between those originating from Pakistan and other countries is difficult. It is the nature of this type of insurgency that numbers fluctuate over time. In some locations Taliban groups will be composed almost entirely of Afghans. In some areas, particularly in border areas, many fighters will originate from Pakistan. Factors motivating insurgents include tribal allegiances, financial reward and religious and political sentiments.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which regiments have been earmarked to replace the 42 and 45 Commando in Helmand Province when their tour of duty is completed. [100928]
Mr. Ingram: The next major routine roulement which will replace 42 and 45 Commando in the Helmand Province is due to take place during April and May next year, details of which are yet to be confirmed. Regiments have been earmarked for deployment as part of the normal planning process and notified where appropriate.
An announcement regarding the next roulement will be made in due course once the details have been finalised.
Bosnia
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether personnel from his Department have (a) been posted to and (b) visited Eagle Base in Tuzla, Bosnia since September 2001. [101174]
Mr. Ingram: No UK personnel have been posted to Eagle Base in Tuzla, Bosnia, since September 2001. UK personnel, mainly under command of Multi-National Task Force (North West), have visited their counterparts in MNTF(North) at Eagle Base for routine liaison and familiarisation.
Contractor Penalties
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on operating penalties on contractors and suppliers who fail to deliver on contracts due to (a) quality and (b) time; if he will list the penalties which were imposed in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [100522]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence does not include penalty clauses in its contracts as they are not generally enforceable under English or Scottish law.
Most Ministry of Defence contracts contain express quality provisions and performance criteria, and where appropriate, liquidated damages. The Department has the right to reject goods and services which do not conform to the contract specification and to require the supply of satisfactory replacements. This right is exercised in appropriate circumstances. The failure to achieve a satisfactory supply within the contracted timescales could lead to the MOD invoking liquidated damages provisions or terminating of the contract. We do not keep central records of such actions.
Darfur
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has made contingency plans for the UK to provide (a) troops and (b) assets should a United Nations force or strengthened African Union force be established in Darfur. [101756]
Mr. Ingram: At United Nations' (UN) request, the UK currently fills three posts in the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), while separately, at African Union and EU request, we have deployed two specialist officers as advisors to the African Union Mission (AMIS) in Darfur. The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations completed a technical assessment mission earlier this year, which identified how it could strengthen and support AMIS, and has undertaken extensive planning as a result. One UK military planner has been deployed to the UN in New York, in support, throughout this process. The UK has offered a further two military officers to fill key appointments within AMIS, as part of the UN's package of support. They will deploy if and when the force structure and timescales for deployment are confirmed. We keep our contribution to both UNMIS and AMIS under constant review and will consider any future requests for support on a case-by-case basis.
Equipment Complaints
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints have been made about equipment in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in the past 12 months. [101052]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 November 2006, Official Report, column 1454W, to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey).
EU Battlegroups
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what UK forces have been identified as potentially deployable as part of EU battlegroups; and what defence assets have been identified as potentially deployable under the European peacekeeping force. [101127]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 October 2006, Official Report, column 1876W. There is no standing European Union peacekeeping force. The British military units which will form the EU battlegroups in 2008 and 2010 are yet to be determined.
Far East Prisoners of War
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether claims from far east prisoners of war submitted after 7 July 2005 but before the announcement of the 20-year residence criteria will be reassessed. [100886]
Derek Twigg: The position with claims under the ex-gratia payment scheme for former far east prisoners of war and civilian internees submitted after the High Court judgment on 7 July 2005 was set out in my written statement of 17 October, Official Report, columns 46-47WS.
Future Rapid Effects System
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Treasury about spending on the Future Rapid Effects System programme. [100572]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has regular discussions with HM Treasury on a wide range of issues including the Future Rapid Effects System (FRES) programme.
Investment Timetables
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for making the main investment decisions on (a) the military training system, (b) defence training review and (c) aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement. [101441]
Mr. Ingram: The timing of MOD investment decisions depends on the maturity of the project. The main investment decisions for these projects will be made as soon as the necessary work is complete.
MAMBA and COBRA
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) MAMBA and (b) COBRA sets are deployed in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan. [101442]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 6 November 2006, Official Report, columns 811-2W, to the hon. Member for Congleton (Ann Winterton).
Navy Patrols
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy vessels are patrolling the Straits of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf between Iran and Oman; and if he will make a statement. [100904]
Mr. Ingram: There are currently two Royal Navy vessels on patrol in the Gulf.
Operational Requests
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what process is available to operational commanders to request additional equipment or personnel for deployment in operational theatres. [101360]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 20 November 2006]: Operational commanders may request additional equipment or personnel through the chain of command at any time. Where a gap in military capability cannot be met from existing military resources this request would include the generation of an Urgent Statement of User Requirement.
Troop Transportation
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the involvement of the private sector in the movement and deployment of British troops. [100760]
Mr. Ingram: The private sector is already involved in moving British Forces worldwide through a number of long-term commercial airlift contracts. In addition, ad hoc contracts are placed, where necessary, to supplement the RAF Air Transport Force for the movement of troops on exercises and operations. Currently, troops deploying to and from Iraq are moved by commercial aircraft, supplied by a variety of airlines, to Qatar in the middle east, from where they are subsequently transferred to their final destination by RAF aircraft.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under whose command (a) the Royal Air Force movements staff and (b) operations for deployment of troops are. [100955]
Mr. Ingram: All RAF movements staff, whether in the UK or deployed abroad, remain under the full command of the Commander in Chief Strike Command. For RAF movements staff in operational theatres, operational command is delegated to the Chief of Joint Operations.
Command of operations for the deployment of troops rests with the respective Front Line Commands.
Trade and Industry
Assisted Area Status Map
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account was taken of (a) employment rates, (b) the number of incapacity benefit claimants, (c) Level Two skill rates and (d) numbers employed in manufacturing in the determination of the draft assisted area status map; and if he will make a statement. [100774]
Margaret Hodge: A description of the use of the four indicators in determining the assisted areas map can be found in Annex F of the document “Review of the Assisted Areas—The Government’s Response to Stage 2 of the Public Consultation”, available in the House of Commons Library and on the DTI website at:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html
The detailed data for all Great Britain wards are also available on the DTI website in the document “Assisted Areas Review—Ward Level Data”, at:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file32641.xls
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