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19 Feb 2007 : Column 302W—continued


Single includes the categories ‘single’ and ‘widower’.

Divorced includes the categories ‘divorce absolute’ and ‘marriage annulled’

Separated includes the categories ‘legal separation’, ‘divorced nisi’ and ‘estranged/mutually separated’.

EC Defence Policy

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) role and (b) powers are of the Chairman of the Military Committee of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [121389]

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 4 of the Presidency Report on the European Security and Defence Policy at Annex IV to Annex VI of the European Council Conclusions which were approved by the European Council meeting in Nice, 7, 8, and 9 December 2000. A copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The roles and responsibilities of the Chairman of the Military Committee of the European Union are outlined as follows:

Falkland Islands

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of maintaining the garrison on the Falklands in the most recent year for which figures are available. [121476]

Mr. Ingram: In financial year 2005-06, the cost of the garrison on the Falkland Islands to the Chief of Joint Operations, who is responsible for maintaining UK forces there, was £143.3 million.

Iraq

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make public the results of the inquiry into the fatal attack on the Shatt-al-Arab waterway on 12 November. [101936]


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Des Browne: The Service Police Report resulting from the Royal Military Police (Special Investigation Branch) investigation into the fatal attack of 12 November 2006 on British troops serving in Basra is not yet complete. Since they consider potential criminal or disciplinary issues, we do not normally make Service Police Reports public, although they are provided to the relevant Coroner's Office for use at the inquest.

The Royal Navy and Army are in contact with the families of the deceased soldiers and will keep them informed of any developments.

Iraq: Biological Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what locations the Iraq Survey Group found evidence of latent biological weapons programmes in Iraq since 2003; and what material was found. [120960]

Des Browne: The findings of the Iraq Survey Group were published in Charles Duelfer’s Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the (US) Director of Central Intelligence of September 2004, finalised in March 2005. The report is available to the public on the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) website at:

Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals are being detained by the Multinational Forces in Iraq; how many are being held without charge or trial; and if he will make a statement. [120881]

Mr. Ingram: As at 9 February 2007, UK forces in Iraq held 118 individuals. Eight are on remand while their cases are heard by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI). One has been convicted by the CCCI and is being held while arrangements are made for his transfer to the Iraqi prison service. The remainder are held as they are deemed to pose an imperative threat to security.

All new UK internees have their cases reviewed by the Divisional Internment Review Committee (UK only) no later than 48 hours after they are apprehended, and then every 28 days thereafter. Cases are also reviewed by the Combined Review and Release Board (CRRB), a joint UK-Iraqi board, every three months. Individuals held for 18 months have their cases referred to the Joint Detention Committee (JDC) which is co-chaired by Prime Minister Maliki and the Commander Multi-National Force Iraq.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has regular and open access to our detention facility and all our internees. The facility has also been visited by a team from the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights.

As at 28 January 2007, I understand that the US held some 15,300 internees in Iraq.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals are being held by the British contingent of the Multi-National Force in Iraq;
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for how long each has been held; whether each has been charged or brought to trial; whether any has British nationality; and if he will make a statement. [120882]

Mr. Ingram: As at 8 February 2007, UK Forces in Iraq held 118 individuals. Eight are on remand while their cases are heard by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI). One has been convicted by the CCCI and is being held while arrangements are made for his transfer to the Iraqi prison service. The remainder are held as they are deemed to pose an imperative threat to security. One of those interned holds dual British-Iraqi nationality.

All new UK internees have their cases reviewed by the Divisional Internment Review Committee (UK only) no later than 48 hours after they are apprehended, and then every 28 days thereafter. Cases are also reviewed by the Combined Review and Release Board (CRRB), a joint UK-Iraqi board, every three months. Individuals held for 18 months have their cases referred to the Joint Detention Committee (JDC) which is co-chaired by Prime Minister Maliki and the Commander Multi-National Force Iraq.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the latest situation is with regard to the detention by the British contingent of the Multi-National Force in Iraq of UK/Iraqi national Abdul Razzaq Ali al-Jedda; whether he has been charged with any offence or brought to trial; and if he will make a statement. [120884]

Mr. Ingram: Mr. al-Jedda is held as a security internee by UK forces because he is suspected of membership of a terrorist group involved in weapons smuggling and explosive attacks in Iraq. It is assessed that he poses a threat to the lives of Multi-National Forces (MNF) servicemen and women, Iraqi security personnel and Iraqi civilians.

His detention is pursuant to UNSCR 1546 which, read together with the letters annexed to it, authorises the MNF to detain persons where this is necessary for imperative reasons of security. This has been reaffirmed by subsequent resolutions (UNSCR 1723, November 2006), and effect is given to it by Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority legislation. Although Mr. al-Jedda has not been charged with a specific offence or brought to trial, both the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal have held that his detention is legal.

Military Bases

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent employees are employed by Babcock Naval Systems at (a) Faslane Naval Base and (b) Royal Naval Armament Depot, Coulport. [120590]


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Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 January 2007, Official Report, column 519W, to my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Ms Clark).

MV Bugaled Breizh

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make an assessment of the evidence that has emerged from the French judicial inquiry into the sinking of the Bugaled Breizh for the purposes of clarifying the answers of (a) 7 April 2005, Official Report, column 1724W and (b) 17 March 2005, Official Report, column 411W, on the Bugaled Breizh trawler. [119336]

Mr. Ingram: I have nothing to add to the answers I gave on 17 March 2005, Official Report, columns 409-10W and 7 April 2005, Official Report, columns 1724-25W, respectively about the loss of the French trawler Bugaled Breizh which were, and remain, factually correct. I have written separately to the hon. Member explaining this in reply to his letter of 19 January 2007.

NATO

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the outcome of the NATO Defence Ministers meeting on 8 and 9 February 2007. [121271]

Des Browne: The meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in Seville on 8 and 9 February was an informal meeting, so no communiqué was issued and no formal decisions made. It was, however, an important opportunity for high-level discussions between Defence Ministers on NATO’s operational commitments in Afghanistan and Kosovo; and, two months on from the Riga Summit, to review progress made in the continuing transformation of NATO’s capabilities. In addition, Defence Ministers met with their Russian counterpart in the NATO-Russia Council, and with the seven partners of the Mediterranean Dialogue.

Peace Keeping Operations

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many soldiers have been injured in Iraq to the extent that they required hospitalisation in each year since 2003; [120567]

(2) how many soldiers have been injured in Afghanistan to the extent they required hospitalisation in each year since 2001. [120568]

Des Browne: The MOD is committed to publishing statistics on the number of service casualties on operations. Information on casualties and fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan is published on the MOD website:

Data is published for Iraq since the commencement of operations in March 2003. Figures for UK military
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personnel admitted to the role 3 field hospital, previously at Shaibah Logistics Base and now at Basra Air Station are given in the table. These figures may not include all those admitted to other field hospitals on early deployments or those admitted to coalition facilities as this information is not held centrally.

Table 1: Numbers admitted to role 3 field hospital Iraq by year
Admissions to role 3 field hospital

2003

2,641

2004

2,212

2005

1,557

2006

1,252

2007 (up to 15 January 2007)

35


Data is published on the same website for Afghanistan from 1 January 2006. The figures for admissions of UK military or civilian personnel to UK field hospitals are given as follows. We intend to provide further information on casualties in Afghanistan prior to 2006 on the MOD website in March of this year. Initially we will publish information for Seriously Injured (SI) and Very Seriously Injured (VSI) casualties.

Table 2: Numbers admitted UK field hospitals Afghanistan by year
Admissions to UK field hospitals

2006

240

2007 (up to 15 January 2007)

20


RAF Brize Norton: Housing

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of (a) maintaining and (b) refurbishing the Defence Housing estate at Brize Norton was in each year since 1997. [119262]

Derek Twigg: The information requested will take a little time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

RAF Coltishall and RAF Scampton

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2007, Official Report, column 1944W, on RAF Coltishall and RAF Scampton, what discussions his Department has had with the Home Department regarding the disposal of RAF Coltishall. [119226]

Derek Twigg: Discussions with the Home Office commenced last year and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate announced on 5 February its intention to purchase the site.

Red Arrows

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that the RAF Red Arrows display team will be based at RAF Scampton for at least the next three years. [120299]


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Mr. Ingram: As I stated in my answer of 27 January 2007, Official Report, column 1944W, to the hon. Member, the RAF is conducting a study to consider basing options for the RAF Acrobatic Team. No decisions have yet been taken.

Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budget of the RAF Red Arrows display team will be in 2007-08. [120298]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 January 2007, Official Report, column 774W. The actual budget for 2007-08 will be determined nearer to the end of financial year 2006-07.

Submarines

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the deployment of submarines in support of EUFOR operations in the Congo, as referred to in Article 4 (vii) of the Agreement between the EU and Gabon on host nation status for over-the-horizon forces. [121388]

Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 23 November 2006, Official Report, column 172W.


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