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26 Apr 2007 : Column 1251W—continued
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many defence dental service dental officers were deployed on each operation in each of the last five years. [132624]
Derek Twigg: The number of times military dental officers deployed on operations in each calendar year is shown in the following table:
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many defence dental service dental officers are located at each of the regional defence dental service headquarters in (a) the UK, (b) Germany and (c) Cyprus. [132625]
Derek Twigg: As of April 2007 there were nine defence dental service uniformed dental officers working as Principal Dental Officer (PDO) located at regional Headquarters in the UK, one in Germany and one in Cyprus.
The primary role of a PDO is to provide higher management to the regional dental centres. However, a number of PDOs also provide primary dental care at a dental clinic within their region.
General Service Medal: Suez
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to allow the wearing of the Suez Medal alongside National Service medals; and if he will make a statement. [132998]
Derek Twigg:
Service in the Suez Canal Zone during the post-war years was recognised by the institution of
the Naval General Service Medal 1915-62 and the General Service Medal 1918-62, with the clasp ‘Canal Zone’, for service between 1951 and 1954 and the clasp ‘Near East’, for participation in Operation Musketeer during the Suez Crisis of late 1956. There is no officially recognised ‘Suez Medal’.
Similarly, no medal has been instituted for undertaking a period of National Service. National Servicemen could qualify for campaign medals under the same circumstances as their Regular colleagues. It would be divisive to offer National Servicemen a medal for being conscripted, when those who volunteered for service might not have received any award. Accordingly, there are no plans to introduce a new medal specifically for National Service.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much money was spent on psychiatric aftercare of Territorial Army members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan in each of the last five years; [131630]
(2) how many members of the Territorial Army who have completed tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan have sought psychiatric assistance following demobilisation; what medical support services are provided by the armed forces to members of the Territorial Army on demobilisation; and by what means the Government monitors the health of Territorial Army members following demobilisation. [131635]
Derek Twigg: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army (a) are on deployment in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan and (b) have served in each country in the last five years. [131636]
Mr. Ingram: As of 4 April 2007, there were around 280 Territorial Army (TA) personnel deployed in Iraq and around 260 in Afghanistan. This excludes members of the TA deployed on full-time reserve service.
We estimate that since March 2003 over 10,000 members of the TA have served in Iraq the basis of on mobilisation figures, but exact data is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We estimate on a similar basis that since May 2006 around 450 members of the TA have served in Afghanistan. Data for service in Afghanistan during the preceding years are unavailable.
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what medical services are made available by the armed forces to members of the regular army on the completion of tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. [131638]
Derek Twigg:
Members of the regular Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines have access to a wide range of medical and dental services at all
times when they are not on operational deployment overseas. The range of services can be summarised as follows:
Primary Medical Care;
Regional Rehabilitation Services;
Dental Services (including dental hygiene);
Secondary Medical Care at the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT) where the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) is based, at NHS hospitals hosting Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHUs) and other NHS hospitals when required;
Rehabilitation Services provided by the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), Headley Court;
Community and In-patient Mental Health Services.
Military Equipment: Iran
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what UK military equipment was seized by Iran in (a) 2004 and (b) 2007; and what its value is. [133580]
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value was of United Kingdom equipment seized by Iran in the Iraqi-Iran waterways in (a) 2004 and (b) 2007. [133818]
Des Browne [holding answer s 24 April 2007]: In 2004 the equipment seized by the Iranian authorities consisted of two Combat Support Boats, six rifles and sights, six pistols and ammunition, radios and navigation equipment, global positioning system and maritime charts. The estimated replacement cost was approximately £500,000.
The equipment seized by Iranians during the capture of the 15 Royal Naval personnel in 2007 consisted of two Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats, seven carbines, four rifles, 10 pistols and ammunition, communications and navigation systems, body armour, helmets, goggles and camera equipment. The replacement cost is estimated at around £270,000.
Reserved Forces: National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of reservists who are overpaying national insurance; and if he will make a statement. [133536]
Derek Twigg: The change to a new payroll system in April 2007 may impact adversely on the national insurance charge levied on some reservists owing to two or more months’ attendance pay being paid at the end of April 2007. It is too early to quantify the extent of the problem because data are still being input by Units and have yet to be analysed.
Once the extent of any problem has been determined a case will, if appropriate, be made by MOD to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs for a central adjustment to correct overpayments. Any individuals who believe they have overpaid national insurance can, in the usual way, claim a refund at the end of the tax year.
Culture, Media and Sport
Departments: Oral Questions
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many questions tabled by right hon. and hon. Members to her Department for oral answer have been transferred to other Departments since May 2005. [133800]
Mr. Lammy: Six oral questions tabled by right hon. and hon. Members to the DCMS have been transferred to other Departments between 18 May 2005 and 16 April 2007.
Questions are only transferred to another Department when it is clear that the DCMS is not responsible for that area of policy, and only when the other Department has agreed to answer it. Members are always notified promptly.
Digital Broadcasting: Cheadle
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of households which will qualify for the targeted assistance scheme for the digital switchover; and how many of those households are in Cheadle constituency. [132496]
Mr. Woodward: Our current estimate is that 7.1 million households will be eligible for the Digital Switchover Help scheme (DSHS) nationally. For the Cheadle constituency, we estimate around 10 000 households will be eligible.
Notes:
Totals are rounded to the nearest thousand.
Eligibility for help from the Digital Switchover Help scheme will be by benefit unit rather than the whole household definition used by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Office to forecast future household growth.
The definition of a benefit unit is a couple and any dependent children. It excludes adults deemed to be non-dependants who, if eligible, will be able to claim assistance from the Help scheme in their own right.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures have been put in place to ensure that those eligible for the Targeted Assistance scheme for the digital switchover in Cheadle constituency are contacted by the most appropriate means. [132497]
Mr. Woodward: Using Department for Work and Pensions and local authority data, the Digital Switchover Help scheme operator will write to all eligible individuals well in advance of switchover in their area. This will give options to enable them to continue to receive television services after switchover. Where the scheme operator has information about the particular communications needs of individuals, it will aim to tailor its communications accordingly. In addition, Digital UK will provide generic communications about the Help scheme.
Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures have been put in place to ensure that those eligible for the Targeted Assistance scheme for the digital switchover in Cheadle constituency receive assistance that is appropriate to their individual needs. [132498]
Mr. Woodward: The scheme will contact those eligible eight months before their regional switchover, explaining the choices open to them. It will run a free help line so they can obtain more information. Once a choice has been made, the equipment will be delivered and, if necessary, installed.
Digital Switchover
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 28 March 2007, Official Report, column 1550W, on digital switchover, whether the figure includes the households of people who are registered as blind or partially sighted but not on Department of Work and Pensions lists. [132183]
Mr. Woodward: We estimate that around 80 per cent. of registered blind and partially sighted people will be over 75 or receive a qualifying disability-related benefit. A further 50,000 people, or 0.7 per cent. of the total eligible households, nationwide may be eligible on grounds of blind or partially sighted registration alone. Our current estimates of the number of households in Whitehaven who qualify for assistance do not include those who qualify on grounds of registration alone but will be within the rounding tolerances given for the Whitehaven estimates.
Energy: Conservation
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2007, Official Report, column 17W, on energy conservation, if she will list the energy-producing features contained in the Government’s Better Public Building initiative. [133578]
Mr. Lammy: The Better Public Building initiative aims to encourage high-quality design in all new public building. It does not itself set standards or recommend specific design solutions relating to energy-producing features. Rather, it sets out principles for good design, which include sustainability, and exemplifies its benefits.
There are therefore no specific requirements for energy-producing features to be incorporated into new build or refurbished buildings within the Government’s Better Public Building initiative. However, alongside energy efficiency and low energy measures, it is encouraged and buildings that do so are championed, for example through the Prime Minister’s Award for Better Public Building. Information can be found at
The section on environmentally sustainable design on pages 8 and 9 of Better public building (December 2006) summarises this position.
Licensing Laws: Urban Areas
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the consistency of application of the Licensing Act 2003 by local authorities in urban areas. [133934]
Mr. Woodward: The evaluation of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 includes a review of the statutory Guidance given to the licensing authorities; the independent review of licence fees, which has included some areas of licensing administration; the impact of the Act on the four licensing objectives; and the DCMS simplification plan published in December last year. The evaluation will not be complete until later this year. It should be noted that the administration of the 2003 Act is devolved by its provisions to local licensing authorities. Local licensing authorities have some discretion to respond to local circumstances and absolute consistency is not an aim of the legislation. Where inconsistency is generated by misunderstanding, the Government have attempted to provide clarification through the statutory Guidance. We expect to publish revised Guidance in the early summer.
Museums and Galleries: Theatre
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) museums and (b) theatres (i) opened and (ii) closed in (A) the United Kingdom, (B) each region and (C) each London borough in each month of the last five years. [132140]
Mr. Lammy: Museums and the arts outside England are devolved matters. Information on local authority funded museums and theatres, or independent museums and theatres, is not held centrally. Four branches of DCMS-sponsored museums have opened in the last five years: The Churchill Suite (April 2003) together with The Churchill Museum (February 2005) at the Cabinet War Rooms, Whitehall, part of the Imperial War Museum and located in the London borough of Westminster; The Museum in Docklands (May 2003), part of the Museum of London Group and located in the London borough of Tower Hamlets; the Imperial War Museum of the North (July 2002) in the north- west; and Locomotion (September 2004) in the north-east, a branch of the National Museum of Science and Industry.
Two branches of DCMS-sponsored museums have closed in the last five years: The Museum of Liverpool Life (June 2006) in the north-west, part of National Museums Liverpool, but with a new Museum of Liverpool scheduled to open in 2010; and the Theatre Museum (January 2007) part of the Victoria and Albert Museum and located in the London borough of Camden.
Two Arts Council England-funded producing theatres have opened in the last five years: Hampstead Theatre (February 2003, London borough of Camden) and the Unicorn (December 2005, London borough of Southwark).
Five Arts Council England-funded producing theatres have closed in the last five years:
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