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Table 4: Offences of more serious wounding or other act endangering life recorded by the police in London—2002-03 to 2005-06
Basic Command Unit	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06
City of London police
Bishopsgate	5	1	4	6
Snowhill	5	4	3	4
Total	10	5	7	10
Metropolitan police
Barking and Dagenham	35	65	82	63
Barnet	39	55	49	36
Bexley	21	29	42	48
Brent	54	107	113	115
Bromley	29	43	54	62
Camden	91	127	108	88
City of Westminster	92	158	157	145
Croydon	71	86	100	82
Ealing	96	111	154	112
Enfield	59	51	67	59
Greenwich	49	67	109	94
Hackney	93	139	142	167
Hammersmith and Fulham	55	71	77	56
Haringey	78	100	112	143
Harrow	24	36	34	31
Havering	30	36	46	46
Heathrow	0	1	1	2
Hillingdon	46	46	80	69
Hounslow	57	57	71	79
Islington	76	103	112	113
Kensington and Chelsea	38	32	37	33
Kingston upon Thames	20	28	29	34
Lambeth	138	188	156	147
Lewisham	80	105	108	103
Merton	21	30	45	40
Newham	79	103	131	115
Redbridge	36	39	72	51
Richmond upon Thames	23	23	29	11
Southwark	97	153	208	191
Sutton	19	18	26	36
Tower Hamlets	79	91	134	152
Waltham Forest	38	62	98	105
Wandsworth	81	72	90	75
Total	1,844	2,432	2,873	2,703
Note: The National Crime Recording standard was introduced nationally in April 2002. Figures after that date are therefore not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Defence

Iran

11. Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the military capability of the Iranian armed forces. [116801]

13. Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the military capability of the Iranian armed forces. [116803]

Des Browne: We routinely assess the military capability of other nations’ armed forces, including those of Iran.

Housing: Service Personnel

12. Mr. David: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of long-term investment in military accommodation over the last 25 years; and if he will make a statement. [116802]

Derek Twigg: Central records of the investment in accommodation over the past 25 years are not available as, until 2003, investment such as on estate maintenance, was incurred through a vast number of contracts placed by a number of budget holders across the Ministry of Defence.

The initiative to re-launch Defence Estates as an agency in 2003 has resulted in a major reduction in the number of contracts and central recording of maintenance expenditure. I can therefore say that in 2004-05 we spent some £650 million on military accommodation with that figure rising to £700 million for 2005-06 and this financial year. We are also planning to spend over £5 billion on housing and accommodation in the next decade.

23. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of housing for service personnel and their families. [116813]

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Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Newbury (Mr. Benyon) and for North-West Norfolk (Mr. Bellingham).

Military Helmets

14. Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of military helmets in protecting service personnel from bomb blasts and motor vehicle accidents; and if he will make a statement. [116804]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence carries out a continuous programme of detailed testing designed to ensure that levels of protection provided by the helmet are maintained and wherever possible improved. The new Mark 6a helmet offers 40 per cent. more protection and is currently being issued to personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The combat helmet is designed to lessen the effects of fragmentation injuries. It is not specifically designed for motor vehicle accident protection, although it would clearly reduce the risk of injuries associated with such accidents.

Warships

15. Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the naval building programme since the Strategic Defence Review; and if he will make a statement. [116805]

Mr. Ingram: We remain fully committed to our substantial programme of investment in new warships. Since 1997, one submarine and 28 ships have entered service including frigates, amphibious assault ships and support ships. This includes the new Astute Class submarines, Type 45 destroyers, Future Aircraft Carriers and the Military Afloat Reach and Support vessels.

Senior Military Officers

16. Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Chiefs of Staff on public pronouncements by senior serving military officers; and if he will make a statement. [116806]

Des Browne: I meet regularly with the Chiefs of Staff to discuss a range of issues. These include the reputation of the armed forces and public statements made by the Ministry of Defence and its senior serving military officers.

Parachute Regiment

17. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what parachute training is undertaken by the Parachute Regiment. [116807]

Mr. Ingram: Recruits to the Parachute Regiment attend the Basic Parachute Course at Brize Norton, which includes seven parachute descents. On successful
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completion personnel receive their wings. Parachute training continues at unit level through programmed collective training exercises.

In addition ‘PARA’ qualified soldiers are required to conduct one parachute descent every two years in order to maintain their parachute currency.

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