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21 May 2007 : Column 1049Wcontinued
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how responsibilities for strategic contingency planning for food security are distributed between his Department and other Departments. [137429]
Des Browne [holding answer 17 May 2007]: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the designated lead Government Department for contingency planning for disruptions to the food supply chain. The Food Standards Agency is responsible for contingency planning for food contamination.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in pay negotiations with the Gibraltar Regiment; and if he will make a statement. [137642]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 17 May 2007]: Pay rates for the Royal Gibraltar Regiment are adjusted annually by the Ministry of Defence in accordance with the increases recommended by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB). The 2007 AFPRB report was published on 1 March. The AFPRB recommended an increase in basic pay of 3.3 per cent. for all ranks and a targeted restructuring of Pay Range 1 which resulted in a total pay increase of 9.4 per cent. for the most junior trained service personnel. The Government accepted the AFPRBs recommendations in full and these were implemented from 1 April 2007.
The AFPRB will publish their recommendations on service pay for 2008including the pay of Royal Gibraltar Regiment personnelearly next year.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which media organisations had personnel on board HMS Cornwall on (a) 23 March 2007 and (b) each of the five days preceding; [137385]
(2) if he will list the media interviews undertaken on board HMS Cornwall on 23 March 2007; at what time each interview was undertaken; and who (a) conducted and (b) was the subject of each; [137386]
(3) which television crews were taken out on board HMS Cornwalls Lynx helicopter on 23 March 2007; and whether his Department holds camera footage taken by these crews on that day. [137387]
Des Browne: The Independent and the BBC had personnel on board HMS Cornwall from 22 to 24 March 2007.
At approximately 1015 hours GMT on 23 March 2007 Ian Parnell from the BBC interviewed Commodore Nick Lambert (Commander Task Force 158) on board HMS Cornwall. The subject was the detention of the two sea boat crews.
No TV crews were on HMS Cornwalls Lynx helicopter on 23 March 2007.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place in the Library an appropriately redacted copy of the report of the Board of Inquiry into the 2004 seizure by Iran of United Kingdom service personnel and equipment; [133819]
(2) who the members were of the Board of Inquiry into the 2004 Iranian seizure of UK personnel; and on what date it reported. [133821]
Des Browne [holding answer 24 April 2007]: A comprehensive in-theatre Learning Account (investigation) was conducted and a Board of Inquiry was therefore not considered necessary. I am withholding the Learning Account as publication would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of our armed forces.
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK Government have entered into any written agreements with (a) US authorities and (b) Iraqi authorities on the conditions on which individuals arrested and detained by UK armed forces in Iraq may be transferred to (i) US authorities and (ii) Iraqi authorities; and if he will place copies of any such agreements in the Library. [109281]
Des Browne [holding answer 18 December 2006]: The Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Governments of the United States and Australia governing the transfer, in accordance with the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions of prisoners of war, of civilian internees and detainees taken during operations against Iraq in 2003. This MOU is no longer in use.
The UK contingent of the Multinational Force in Iraq signed a MOU with the Iraqi Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Interior in 2004, that governs the transfer of individuals in the custody of UK forces in Iraq to the Iraqi criminal justice system. We will make public the text of this MOU subject to obtaining the consent of the Iraqi Government as the co-signatory. I will write to the right hon. Member to inform him of their decision and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unmanned aerial vehicles, including balloons, have been (a) lost and (b) damaged beyond repair while working for British Operations in Iraq. [134197]
Des Browne: Since 2003, three balloons and 33 unmanned aerial vehicles have been lost in Iraq. 38 unmanned aerial vehicles have been damaged beyond repair over the same period.
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Iraq for UK armed forces. [137785]
Des Browne: The security situation in Iraq varies from province to province. In Multi-National Division (South East) (MND(SE)), where the majority of UK forces operate, Basra still suffers from violence, mainly between Shia groups seeking political or economic advantage, although many attacks are aimed at coalition forces. Responsibility for security in the other three provinces in MND(SE) has been transferred to the Iraqi authorities, reflecting their generally positive security situations, along with maturing political institutions and the growing capacity of the Iraqi security forces.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the development of facilities in Cyprus to support the air bridge for service personnel travelling to and from operational theatres; and if he will make a statement. [136037]
Mr. Ingram: Significant progress has been made to develop facilities in Cyprus, specifically at RAF Akrotiri, to support the operational air bridge.
The air terminal at Akrotiri has been the focus of development activity with a number of improvements. To improve communication, we have installed five military network telephones, 10 free-to-user mobile phones to be used in the event of delay, and two free-to-user internet terminals. In addition, we have a WiFi installation and two public network pay phones with an additional six on order.
On the welfare side, operational passengers are offered free tea, coffee and a light snack in addition to the NAAFI shop in the terminal. There are also three wide screen TVs (two satellite and one DVD player) for entertainment and, in the unusual event of a prolonged delay, passengers will be taken to the station cinema and transported to messes for hot meals.
In the longer term, there are plans to refurbish the terminal. In the interim, a semi-permanent holding facility, separate and adjacent to the main terminal, is being developed.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors were taken into account in deciding on the timing of the movement of nuclear warheads from AWE Aldermaston to Scotland on 10 and 11 May. [138181]
Des Browne: I am withholding information on individual movements of Defence nuclear material as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice national security.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates since 1 July 2006 the aircraft with the registration HZ-124 has landed at RAF Brize Norton; on what basis this aircraft is allowed to use RAF Brize Norton; and what fees have been paid to his Department by the owners of the aircraft HZ-124 for the use of RAF Brize Norton since 1 July 2006. [137511]
Des Browne [holding answer 17 May 2007]: Since 1 July 2006, aircraft HZ-124 has landed 14 times at RAF Brize Norton. The aircraft operated in accordance with the MOD regulations for civil aircraft use of military airfields. The regulations also cover the applicability and level of landing, housing, parking and insurance administration charges. The regulations have been adhered to for each flight.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with the recommendations of the Board of Inquiry into the loss of SGIA Mark Petre (UK104390) and LH(CK) Keith Rice (UK 110745) from RFA Orange. [135452]
Mr. Ingram: The Board of Inquiry into this tragic incident made seven recommendations:
The accommodation ladder should be raised following the last liberty boat run;
The inherent dangers of a man over board incident should remain the subject of education and safety awareness;
Flotilla guidance on the control, inspection and validation of bar stock and keys should be published;
The RFA drug and alcohol policy and rules controlling ships' bars should recognise cases of ships at anchor;
Command teams should make arrangements as they feel necessary to provide additional supervision when large numbers of crew members have been consuming alcohol ashore;
Royal Fleet Auxiliary Human Resources and Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre should meet to establish whether or not casualty and kinforming procedures should be integrated or inter related;
Incident narratives should be kept as a matter of routine to aid investigations.
All these recommendations have now been adopted.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many deployments have been made of Territorial Army personnel based in Chorley; what role they have played in serving overseas; and if he will make a statement. [137643]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 17 May 2007]: There are two Territorial Army (TA) detachments based at Chorley TA centre. The detachment of 29 Military Intelligence Company, 3 Military Intelligence Battalion (V) has deployed 16 TA personnel on operations since 2003, in a military intelligence role. The detachment of 5(General Support) Medical Regiment has deployed 20 personnel on operations since 2003, in a medical support role.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what requests he has received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the release of advice provided to him on the legality of replacing Trident. [138048]
Des Browne: The Department has received no requests under the Freedom of Information Act for the release of legal advice pertaining to the maintenance of the nuclear deterrent beyond the planned life of the existing Trident system.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will answer question 123013, on external consultants, tabled by the hon. Member for Fareham on 20 February 2007. [138159]
Mr. Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member on 18 May 2007, Official Report, column 989W.
26. Miss McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church Commissioners are taking to ensure the best possible return on their investment portfolio. [137954]
Sir Stuart Bell: In order to achieve the best possible total returnwithin acceptable levels of risk and in line with our ethical investment policywe maintain a well diversified investment portfolio and regularly review asset allocation. Our funds performance was in the top 2 per cent. of UK pension funds over the last 10 years according to independent performance measurement statistics.
Ben Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will take steps to increase the take-up by schools and other educational institutions outside London and the South East of opportunities to visit Parliament and use facilities offered by the Parliamentary Education Service. [138322]
Nick Harvey: The Administration Committee recommended in its recent report. Improving Facilities for Educational Visitors to Parliament(1), that the House of Commons Commission, working closely with the appropriate bodies in the House of Lords, should consider the case for subsidising school visits to Westminster from more remote constituencies. The Group on Information for the Public will be presenting proposals for consideration by the Commission later in the year.
The Parliamentary Education Service is currently expanding its educational visits programme to offer more places to schools throughout the year and can also provide, on request, educational sessions for young people visiting Parliament in Members groups. In addition, the Education Service is developing services aimed at schools that are unable to visit Westminster, for whatever reason, including a range of educational publications, teaching resources, films and a dedicated website. The two outreach officers, appointed in September 2005, have so far visited 50 local education authorities and provided training sessions for over 300 teachers and educational sessions for over 1,000 young people away from Westminster.
(1) HC 434 2006-07.
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of people originating from outside the UK charged with offences in the last 12 months were also charged (a) with driving without a valid British driving licence and (b) with having no British driving licence. [134668]
Mr. Coaker: Driving without a valid licence is an offence under s.87(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Failure to possess a licence is not an offence.
Information is not collected centrally on the number of people charged. The Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform identifies proceedings under s.87(1) of the Road Traffic
Act 1988. Information on the UK or foreign origin of those proceeded against is not collected.
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions for drink-driving resulted in custodial sentences in each year since 1997, broken down by police authority. [134677]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested on arrests is not available centrally.
Information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on convictions and custodial sentences for drink-driving offences by police force area 1997 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the following tables.
Data for 2005 will be available shortly.
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