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26 Jan 2007 : Column 2070W—continued


Other languages, into which some documents have been translated, include Greek, Polish and Portuguese. For other languages, as for Arabic and Chinese prior to the current year, it has not been possible to identify separately, from the information available centrally, the costs of such translation work from work carried out in support of DTI business and UK Trade and Investment overseas activities, without incurring disproportionate costs.

We also produce employment RTS leaflets to migrant workers in their own language, predominantly Polish and Portuguese.


26 Jan 2007 : Column 2071W

I have asked each of the agency chief executives to reply direct to the hon. Member and place copies in the Library of the House.

Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what services provided by his Department and its related agencies translation services are provided. [113879]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Policy on, and examples of, services for which translations may be considered are set out in section 3 of the Department's ‘Race Equality Scheme 2006-2008’, which is available on the DTI website.

I have asked agency chief executives to reply direct to the hon. Member and place copies in the Library of the House.

Venezuela

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications of Venezuela’s rate of inflation for (a) British investment in Venezuela and (b) foreign direct investment in the UK from Venezuela; and if he will make a statement. [111616]

Jim Fitzpatrick: No such assessment has been made.

Defence

Disabled Submarine Evacuation

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2006, what the timetable is for the completion of tests involving live goats of safe procedures for evacuating disabled submarines, with particular reference to the ‘safe-to-escape curve’; and if he will make a statement. [113932]

Mr. Ingram: QinetiQ is contracted to carry out the research programme on behalf of MOD until March 2007. As part of the contract renewal process the MOD is currently reviewing the need for, and further scope of, further research involving live goats. This will include an assessment of the completeness of the data set required to construct a “safe-to-escape curve” that will meet our safety requirements. If the review concludes that the remaining uncertainty in our knowledge is unacceptable then the research programme will continue. We will examine alternative approaches to those currently undertaken but will use goats if no acceptable alternative is available.

Iraq

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the cost of (a) combat and (b) peacekeeping operations in Iraq in each year since 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. [117374]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 23 January 2007]: Major combat activities commenced on 20 March 2003 and ceased on 1 May 2003 spanning two financial years 2002-03 and 2003-04 totalling £2,158 million. All subsequent years are considered to be peacekeeping operations.


26 Jan 2007 : Column 2072W

The costs of operations are calculated on a net additional basis and audited figures are published each year in the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts. The total of the annual audited figures for the costs of operations in Iraq for the years 2002-03 to 2005-06 was £4,026 million, the sum for 2005-06 being £958 million. An estimated cost of £860 million for 2006-07 was included in the Winter Supplementary Estimates published in November. Final figures will be published in the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts for 2006-07.

Japanese Internment

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to pay the other claims for compensation to civilians interned by the Japanese associated with the class action against his Department won by Mrs. Elias. [117025]

Derek Twigg: Mrs. Elias was awarded damages by the Court to compensate her for injury to her feelings caused by having been discriminated against on the grounds of her national origins when her claim for an award from the Ex-Gratia Payment Scheme for Far East Prisoners of War and civilian internees was rejected under the birthlink criterion. To date, the Ministry of Defence has received eight other claims for damages for injury to feelings from individuals whose claims under the scheme were also rejected on birthlink grounds and who claim to have been discriminated against on the grounds of their national origins. These claims are currently the subject of discussion between the Department and those representing the claimants.

The Ministry of Defence is prepared to consider claims for compensation for injury to feelings resulting from discrimination on national origins grounds from any person whose claim was rejected on birthlink grounds and who, like Mrs. Elias, was of non-UK national origins.

Claimants who think that they are entitled to compensation on the same basis as Mrs. Elias should write to the Veterans Agency setting out the basis on which they consider themselves to be a person of non-UK national origins or otherwise entitled to make a claim for indirect discrimination under the Race Relations Act 1976.

M85 Sub-munitions

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has evaluated on the failure rate of M85 sub-munitions; and if he will change the classification of L20A1 munitions from not dumb. [117157]

Mr. Ingram: All munitions undergo rigorous and comprehensive testing prior to entering service and are subject to regular in-service trials once they become part of the UK stockpile.

The trials indicate that the current failure rate of the M85 remains within acceptable service bounds, although we continue to explore ways of reducing this failure rate further, in partnership with the Prime Contractor, BAE Systems Land Systems Munitions.


26 Jan 2007 : Column 2073W

The M85 sub-munition is fitted with a self-destruct mechanism, and therefore the L20A1 shell which contains M85 sub-munitions is not regarded by the UK as being a ‘dumb cluster munition’. As a result, we have no current plans to change its classification.

Military Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) maximum and (b) normal personnel carrying capacity is of the Panther vehicle after Bowman has been fitted. [110704]

Mr. Ingram: Panther is being procured as an armoured Command and Liaison Vehicle. It has been designed to be operated with a minimum crew of two and a maximum of four dependent upon the role and hence so is the Bowman fit.

RAF Halton: Training

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits were trained by the (a) RAF Recruit Training Squadron and (b) Airmen’s Command Squadron at RAF Halton in each of the last five years. [110940]

Derek Twigg: The following table shows the student take-up for Recruit Training Squadron (RTS) and Airman’s Command Squadron (ACS) courses at RAF Halton from financial year 2001-02 to date.

Financial year
Training area 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

Recruit Training Squadron

3,120

3,640

3,310

1,600

1,000

Airman’s Command Squadron

2,630

2,240

2,810

4,030

2,385

Total Students

5,750

5,880

6,120

5,630

3,380

Notes:
1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
2. Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilians and (b) military personnel comprise the (i) RAF Recruit Training Squadron and (ii) Airmen’s Command Squadron at RAF Halton. [110941]

Derek Twigg: The current strength figures for permanent staff are as follows:

Recruit Training Squadron (RTS)
Number

Military

65

Civilian

(1)


26 Jan 2007 : Column 2074W

Airmen’s Command Squadron (ACS)
Number

Military

55

Civilian

(1)

(1 )Denotes numbers less than 5 but not 0.
Note:
All figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilians and (b) military personnel are employed in delivering logistics training to students at RAF Halton. [110942]

Derek Twigg: Logistics training at RAF Halton is conducted by two elements of the Defence College of Logistics and Personnel Administration (DCLPA); the Supply and Movements Training Wing (SMTW)(1) and Catering Training Squadron (CTS)(2).

The current strength figures for permanent staff are:

Military Civilian

Supply and Movements Training Wing

35

15

Catering Training Squadron

25

(1)

(1) Less than 5 but not 0. Note: All figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many students received logistics training at RAF Halton in each of the last five years. [110943]

Derek Twigg: Logistics training at RAF Halton is conducted by two elements of the Defence College of Logistics and Personnel Administration (DCLPA); the Supply and Movements Training Wing (SMTW)(1) and Catering Training Squadron (CTS)(2). SMTW provides initial professional logistics training for RAF officers and airmen, as well as advanced and specialist supply training for both RAF and other service and civilian personnel. Similarly, CTS provides initial and advanced catering and catering accounting training for RAF officers and airmen and, exceptionally, the other armed services. Both units also provide training for international students and contractors employees, where capacity permits.

The following table shows the total student take-up for logistics training courses at RAF Halton from financial year 2001-02 to date.


26 Jan 2007 : Column 2075W

26 Jan 2007 : Column 2076W
Training area 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

DCLPA—Supply and Movements Training Wing (Halton)

795

1,040

1,015

1,030

1,055

DCLPA—Catering Training Squadron

240

345

335

285

295

Total Students

1,035

1,385

1,350

1,315

1,350

Notes:
1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
2. Due to the rounding methods used, totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.

Service Personnel

Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many active service personnel come from Swansea East. [110912]

Derek Twigg: The location of recruitment and residence of armed forces personnel is not held centrally in databases of individual records and it is therefore not possible to give figures by either location of recruitment or place of residence.

Territorial Army

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maximum number of training days is with pay allowed which are allocated for Territorial Army personnel, broken down by battalion; and whether this number varies. [110705]

Derek Twigg: There is no upper limit on the number of training days placed on any Territorial Army (TA) officer or soldier. We ensure that all TA officers and soldiers are allocated sufficient training days to meet an annual minimum training requirement in accordance with current TA regulations. Once trained, TA personnel become eligible for a training bounty. The number of training days consumed by a unit in any given year will vary in accordance with its strength and its place in the operational cycle.

Tour Intervals

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average tour intervals were for each of the units deployed as part of TELIC 9. [110435]

Des Browne: Average tour intervals for formed Army units deployed on Op TELIC 9 are shown in the following table:

Ser Unit Previous Deployment Tour interval

1

HQ and Sigs Sqn 19Lt Bde

TELIC 2 June to October 2003

36 months

2

QRL

TELIC 4 May to October 2004

24 months

3

2 LANCS

TELIC 2 July to October 2003

36 months

4

1 YORKS

OCULUS (BOSNIA) April to September 2004

25 months

5

2 RIFLES

Northern Ireland March to September 2004

31 months

6

3 MERCIAN

TELIC 6 May to October 2005

12 months

7

3 RIFLES

Northern Ireland September 2004 to March 2005

19 months

8

40 Regt RA

TOSCA (Cyprus) June to September 2004

25 months

9

38Engr Regt

TELIC 2 July to October 2003

36 months

10

19 CSS Bn

1 x Sqn deployment; March to October 2003 and 1 x Sqn deployment; November 2003 to April 2004

36 months and 30 months respectively


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