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14 Dec 2006 : Column 1253W—continued
The BFPO headquarters occupies its current location for logistical reasons, basing itself near the Ml and M25 and close to both Heathrow airport and RAF Brize Norton, which provide the excellent communication necessary to support BFPO in its role.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of its personnel budget for financial year 2005-06 the Veterans Agency spent in Scotland in (a) monetary terms and (b) as a percentage of the total personnel budget; how much was spent for each category in 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. [107940]
Derek Twigg: In 2005-06 the Veterans Agency spent £22.03 million on personnel costs, of which £0.5 million was spent in Scotland. This represents 2.27 per cent. of the total personnel budget.
In 2004-05 the Veterans Agency spent £19.184 million on personnel costs, of which £0.47 million was spent in Scotland. This represents 2.45 per cent. of the total personnel budget.
Annual Reports: Costs
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of (a) producing, (b) publishing and (c) distributing the annual report of each trading fund of the (i) Army Base Repair Organisation, (ii) Defence Aviation Repair Agency, (iii) Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (iv) Meterological Office and (v) UK Hydrographic Office was in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [105453]
Derek Twigg: Those costs that can be identified as specifically attributable to the production, publication and distribution of Trading Fund Annual Reports are shown in the following table. These figures exclude the costs of activities carried out by Trading Fund employees in relation to the drafting and compilation of Annual Reports as such costs are not accounted for separately from their other responsibilities.
| Trading funds’ costs for producing, publishing and distributing their 2005-06 annual reports and accounts (all costs exclude VAT) | |||
| Trading fund | Production | Publication | Distribution |
| (1) External costs only (2) Included as part of publication costs (3) Included within production costs (4) Distributed via electronic means | |||
Armed Forces: Casualty Reporting
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the standard operating procedure is for casualty reporting for the armed forces. [105715]
Derek Twigg: The operating procedures for casualty reporting are contained in the Joint Service Publication 751 “Joint Casualty and Compassionate Policy and Procedures”, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to improve UK military casualty reporting since the commencement of operations in Afghanistan. [105718]
Mr. Ingram: The MOD is committed to openly publishing casualty statistics on the number of service personnel killed and wounded on operations. Information on casualties sustained since January 2006 in Afghanistan is available on our website:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets
Since 28 October 2006 we have been able to provide data on the personnel admitted to medical facilities as a result of disease, as well as for non-battle injury. This additional reporting has been brought about by improvements in tracking of this category of personnel, and brings the reporting of statistics for casualties in Afghanistan into line with reporting for casualties in Iraq.
Furthermore, since 28 October 2006 improvements in the way the data are recorded in theatre, and collated and analysed back in the UK have made it possible for updates to be provided every two weeks (two weeks in arrears), rather than monthly (one month in arrears).
Historic data on casualties which occurred in Afghanistan before 1 January 2006 have now been collated and are currently being reconciled. I will write to the hon Member when this exercise has been completed.
Armed Forces Recruitment
Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals have been recruited into the armed forces in 2006. [104706]
Derek Twigg: Between 1 January 2006 and 30 September 2006, intake from Civilian Life to the UK Regular Forces was 15,850(1). This information can be found at www.dasa.mod.uk
(1) Due to the introduction of a new personnel administration system for RAF, all RAF data from 1 May 2006 are provisional and subject to review.
Bevin Boys
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2006, Official Report, column 356W, on the Bevin Boys, which ministerial colleagues he is consulting; and when he expects to make an announcement. [107955]
Derek Twigg: To date, consultation on the possibility of some form of further recognition for the conscripted coal miners has involved the Department of Trade and Industry, the Home Office and the Cabinet Office. The outcome of these deliberations will be announced in due course.
Chaplaincy Staff
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many publicly funded full-time equivalent chaplaincy staff there were on average in 2005-06; what the cost was of such chaplaincy staff in 2005-06; what estimate he has made of the cost in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; and whether he has assessed the merits of providing equivalent pastoral support for those who are not religious and who may not wish to receive such support from a religious chaplain. [105331]
Derek Twigg: The last available figures are as at 1 October 2005 and these show a total of 313 publicly funded full-time chaplaincy staff. The cost, based on capitation rates is £295,000.
The cost for 2006-07 and 2007-08 are expected to remain the same except for any adjustments in inflation.
The chaplain provides “an all souls ministry” and as such provides spiritual, moral and pastoral care for all religions and none. The chaplain is an integral part of the unit or headquarters in which they serve. The majority of pastoral work is not denominational or religious. Other support organisations are also available to all personnel in the form of Welfare Services, a Confidential Support Line and the Womens Royal Voluntary Service.
Defence Sixth Form College, Leicestershire
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much public money has been given to Minerva for the (a) construction and (b) operation of services at the Defence Sixth Form College in Leicestershire. [104666]
Derek Twigg: Payments commenced in July 2004 and the total paid to date (30 November 2006) amounts to £14.085 million, including VAT. The payment does not differentiate between construction and service costs.
Defence Training Contracts
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that there is an in-house bid for any defence training contract which is outsourced. [105429]
Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence already gives serious consideration to in-house bids for potential outsourcing contracts, and a judgement is made on a case-by-case basis.
Departmental Pay
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the effective pay award date is for his Department’s staff; and what the actual implementation date was in each of the last five years. [108294]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 11 December 2006]: The effective pay award date for the main body of civilian staff employed by the Ministry of Defence is 1 August.
Pay implementation dates for civilian staff in each of the last five years are shown as follows:
| Date | |
| (1) Not yet implemented. | |
Departmental Statistics
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on statistics relating to the work of his Department in each of the last five years. [107269]
Derek Twigg: There is no definition of the term “statistics relating to the work of the Department” and no centrally held information on either the volume or costs of statistics published each year on this basis.
Estimates for the annual costs of National Statistics are contained in the relevant National Statistics annual report and accounts, which are available on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1051
Copies are also available in the Library of the House.
The last year these were produced was 2004-05.
Double-cross Agents
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors led his officials to believe that file WO208/3548, referred to in his answer of 7 November 2006, Official Report, column 1453W, contains details of double-cross agents. [106182]
Derek Twigg: One official recalls examining a file covering so called ‘double-cross agents’ that he believes was WO208/3548 approximately five years ago.
Faslane
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hours of work were required to complete the recent revalidation assisted maintenance periods at Faslane naval base on (a) HMS Vigilant, (b) HMS Vengeance and (c) HMS Sceptre. [105551]
Derek Twigg: The following table shows the man-hours of work to complete the recent Revalidation Assisted Maintenance Periods (RAMPs) for HMS Vigilant, HMS Vengeance and HMS Sceptre:
| RAMP | Man-hours | Period (weeks) |
The figures include work carried out by both MOD staff and staff employed by Babcock Naval Services, who carried out the RAMPS on behalf of the Department, but does not include the time worked by subcontractors as this information is not held.
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the total working hours of all civilian personnel employed at (a) Faslane naval base and (b) RNAD Coulport is spent on work (i) exclusively related to Trident, (ii) unrelated to Trident and (iii) partly related to Trident. [105552]
Mr. Ingram: Faslane and Coulport form part of HM Naval Base Clyde, which carries out all the normal functions of a naval base. The requested information is not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but it is estimated that around 60 per cent. of the total working hours of civilian personnel employed at the naval base is spent on Trident-related work.
Firefighters
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many senior aircraftsmen firefighters have left the Royal Air Force in each year since 1997; [104923]
(2) how many senior aircraftsmen firefighters have applied for early release from the terms of their employment with the Royal Air Force. [104924]
Derek Twigg: The total number of senior aircraftsman (SAC) firefighters who left the RAF in each financial year since 1997-98 is shown in the following table. This includes those leaving on time expiry, voluntary outflow and other wastage.
| SAC firefighter outflows | |
| (1 )Denotes provisional. Due to the introduction of a new Personnel Administration System for RAF, all RAF data from 1 May 2006 are provisional and subject to review Notes Data have been rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias. | |
The number of senior aircraftsman fire-fighters who have applied for voluntary outflow in each financial year since 1997-98 is shown in the following table.
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