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22 Jan 2007 : Column 1555W—continued
Iraq
19. Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on recent developments on the security situation in Iraq. [116809]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Baron).
Ammunition
20. Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what security measures are in place to protect ammunition being transported by rail within the United Kingdom. [116810]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence and its rail freight contractor, English, Welsh and Scottish (EWS) Railway Ltd, has a range of measures in place to protect MOD-owned ammunition when it is being transported by rail within the UK.
All trains carrying MOD ammunition are notified to the British Transport Police, including their itinerary and anticipated stops. The progress of each train is closely monitored using a number of methods, including satellite tracking by the EWS Railway Control Room. When consignments of military explosives are planned to be held or stored on the contractor's property for a period exceeding 48 hours, the contractor is responsible for providing comprehensive security at that location and for notifying the appropriate civil police authority. When a stop is unplanned, the contractor is required to provide adequate security arrangements at the location and inform MOD.
Although the contractor is fully responsible for security the MOD closely monitors performance through formal quarterly contract performance review meetings.
Ministry of Defence Police Federation
21. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence Police Federation about the strength of the force at Colchester. [116811]
Derek Twigg: I have not had any discussion with the Ministry of Defence Police Federation about the strength of the force at Colchester. The Department is currently considering the size of the MOD police complement at Colchester and the chief constable will consult with the Ministry of Defence Police Federation in the usual way before any final decision is reached.
Trident
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which year he expects that the Trident nuclear capability would, if not upgraded, become obsolete. [116808]
Des Browne: As the White Paper we published on 4 December makes clear, even with a life extension, our existing Vanguard boats will leave service from the early 2020s. Unless we participate in the life extension programme for our existing Trident D5 missiles, it will not be possible to retain the missiles in service much beyond 2020, except at much greater cost and technical risk.
22. Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what technical steps need to be taken by United States personnel prior to the UK being able to fire a Trident missile at an independently identified target. [116812]
Des Browne: United States personnel would have no involvement in this process.
Afghanistan
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with counterparts from other NATO countries on the numbers of combat personnel in Afghanistan. [115093]
Des Browne: I regularly discuss with my NATO counterparts aspects of the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan. Military advice on the force and capabilities required to achieve the ISAF mission is provided by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe. I and my ministerial colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development take every opportunity to reinforce the need for all of us to live up to the collective commitment made to Afghanistan in military, financial and political terms.
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to (a) increase recruitment levels to and (b) reduce outflow from the UK's armed forces. [114766]
Derek Twigg: All three services undertake numerous and varied initiatives, both at national and local level, aimed at sustaining and increasing the level of recruitment to the armed forces. Included amongst the many current initiatives are:
The use of multi-media advertising campaigns;
Services recruiting teams' attendance at schools, careers fairs and graduate recruitment seminars, road shows, exhibitions, youth clubs and organisations;
Specialist teams to attract doctors, dentists, nurses, lawyers and padres by promoting service careers within specialist recruitment shows and through professional bodies;
Work experience placements within service establishments;
Personal development courses and look at life courses for young people who express an interest in the armed forces;
Taster day visits to HM ships and service establishments;
A dedicated careers website for each of the services complete with a dedicated information support call centre;
An Army ‘on-line’ recruiting office, with plans for this to be replicated by the other services;
Specialist ethnic minority recruiting and diversity action teams aimed at promoting armed forces careers amongst the UK's ethnic minority and faith communities;
A partnership with Jobcentre Plus, making use of its network (totalling in excess of 1,100) of local outlets.
Retention measures such as commitment bonuses, re-engagement packages, financial retention initiatives and initiatives to improve work/life balance and working conditions at the front line, continue to be used with the aim of discouraging outflow.
Our aim is to maintain stable levels of retention through policies that genuinely reflect the priorities of our people and their families whilst optimising their operational effectiveness. For example, the terms and conditions of service in the armed forces are continually being reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate to the requirements and that entitlements are best targeted to enhance recruitment and retention. There are a number of specific initiatives currently being undertaken such as the strategic remuneration review and the defence living accommodation strategy which will contribute towards this effort. In addition, we have made improvements to travel allowances to permit personnel to get home more easily and continue to refine the operational welfare package while also promoting measures such as work/life balance and career breaks to improve the day-to-day lives of service personnel and their families.
Army Strength
Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the size of the Army has changed since 1982. [116793]
Des Browne: The table shows the Army total strength for each year at 1 April since 1982:
Departmental Contracts: Scotland
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the value was of his Department’s new-build contracts placed with Scottish facilities in each year since 1995; [115333]
(2) what the value was of his Department’s maintenance contracts placed with Scottish facilities in each year since 1995. [115334]
Derek Twigg: The information requested will take a little time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Official Documents
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will place in the Library the documents referred to in the answers of (a) 8 November 2006, Official Report, column 1558W, on price indices, (b) 7 November 2006, Official Report, column 1482W, on the negotiators briefing pack and (c) 8 November 2006, Official Report, column 1551W, on downgrading reports. [110161]
Derek Twigg: The documents relating to price indices and the negotiators briefing pack were placed in the Library of the House on 12 January 2007. The downgrading reports were placed in the Library of the House on 17 January.
Projects
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost has been of (a) Project SLAM and (b) Project Allenby/Connaught in each year of the contract. [115143]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 16 January 2007]: Expenditure on Phase 1 of the Single Living Accommodation Modernisation Project (Project SLAM) over the period of the contract is set out in the following table. In addition to providing details of expenditure approved as part of the original SLAM programme the table also sets out expenditure in support of projects separately funded by the services but delivered through Project SLAM.
| £ million | |||
| SLAM programme | Separately funded | Total | |
| (1) Forecast. | |||
Further funding of around £100 million (excluding projects separately funded by the services) has been allocated to SLAM in FY 2007-08 for completion of the Phase 1 programme. Phase 2 of SLAM has been approved with funding of £335 million over the five years 2008-09 to 2012-13 for the delivery of up to a further 3,800 bed spaces.
The contract for Project Allenby/Connaught was awarded in March 2006 and the forecast of expenditure from contract comment to 31 March 2007 is £83.2 million.
Security Threats
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the specific security threats that will be facing the UK between 2020 and 2050; what form he expects them to take; from which country or countries he expects them to come; and if he will make a statement. [116651]
Des Browne: The 2003 Defence White Paper: “Delivering Security in a Changing World” described the nature of the security challenges facing the United Kingdom and the defence response to them. The paper highlighted the complex and inter-related threats posed by international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and the range of risks associated with weak and failing states. We expect these to remain the security priorities for the UK. However, we also recognise that there are a number of pressures which may complicate or exacerbate this picture up to and beyond 2020, and that unexpected strategic shocks might also alter these priorities. We have therefore developed balanced and flexible armed forces which are able to respond to the inherent uncertainty of the future. This assessment informed the recent White Paper, “The Future of the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Deterrent” (Cm 6994), published on 4 December 2006.
Senior Officers: Transport
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Major General Tim Cross has used his Department's (a) road, (b) sea and (c) air transport on personal business over the last three years. [115795]
Mr. Ingram: Major General Tim Cross has not used his Department's road, sea or air transport for his personal use.
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