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23 May 2007 : Column 1288W—continued
Local Government: Reorganisation
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what role she has played in local government reorganisation being undertaken by her Department. [138046]
Mr. Woolas: The Secretary of State issued on 26 October 2006 an invitation to local authorities to submit proposals for unitary structures. The Secretary of State assessed proposals received against the five criteria set out in the invitation. On 27 March I announced that the Secretary of State had judged that 16 proposals should go forward for stakeholder consultation.
Defence
Armed Forces: Deployment
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel are (a) deployed and (b) stationed at each location overseas. [136039]
Mr. Ingram: The following table shows the number of personnel deployed on operations by operation and location at 30 April 2007.
| Number of personnel deployed by operation and location | |
| Operation | Number |
| (1) Other UN locations have fewer than 10 personnel per country and include Georgia, Nepal, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia. Note: The strength of UK regular forces posted outside the UK is available in Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 6—Global Location of UK Regular Forces. The most recent publication show the numbers of service personnel at 1 October 2006. Copies of TSP 6 are held in the House of Commons Library and are also available at: www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp6/tsp6-oct06.pdf. | |
Due to the introduction of a new personnel administration system (JPA), TSP6 RAF location data for 1 April 2006 are provisional and subject to review, and after 1 April 2006 are not currently available. TSP6 Naval service location data are not currently available after 1 October 2006.
Armed Forces: Pensions
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ex-service personnel pensioners who served in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force do not receive a full armed service pension. [138058]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Army: Greater London
Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether an estimate has been made of the value of the property occupied by the general officer commanding London district. [138926]
Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 May 2007, Official Report, column 989W.
Departments: Money
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 30 April 2007, Official Report, column 1463W, on Departments: money, what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of notes and coins lost each year. [138776]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 22 May 2007]: Guidance on the safeguarding of cash is set out in Joint Service Publications 462 (Financial Management Policy Manual) and 501 (Imprest Accounting and Banking Policy Manual). The guidance is routinely updated, as necessary, to reflect any lessons learned.
A management action plan is also being implemented in response to the National Audit Office (NAO) report entitled “Ministry of Defence, Management of Losses and Special Payments” published in July 2006. Revised procedures include the requirement for top level budget holders to report the value of losses formally to the Finance Director on a quarterly basis. These are consolidated into departmental reports for the Defence Audit Committee.
Departments: Rates and Rating
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under which budget heads in his Department’s accounts (a) council tax payments and (b) national non-domestic rate payments can be identified in respect of Ministry of Defence property. [138416]
Derek Twigg: All service accommodation in England, Scotland and Wales is formally exempt from the payment of council tax but the Ministry of Defence pays instead a Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax (CILOCT) to local authorities. CILOCT is broadly equivalent to the amount of tax that would otherwise be due based on an assessment made by the Department on the number and type of properties it occupies. These are agreed annually with individual authorities.
Both CILOCT and National Non-Domestic Rates are included within the 2005-06 Departmental Resource Accounts in the Operating Cost Statement as ‘Other Operating Costs’. The costs are included within Note 10 under the description of ‘Accommodation Charges’.
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department paid to local authorities for (a) council tax and (b) national non-domestic rates in respect of (i) Erskine Barracks, Wilton, (ii) Boscombe Down Airfield, (iii) Defence Science and Technology Laboratories, Porton Down and (iv) Royal Naval Dockyard, Portsmouth in 2006; and if he will make a statement. [138417]
Derek Twigg: In financial year 2006-07 the non domestic rates paid were:
| Site | Amount (£) |
All Service accommodation in England, Scotland and Wales is formally exempt from the council tax regime and the Ministry of Defence instead pays a contribution in lieu of council tax (CILOCT) to local authorities, broadly equivalent to the amount of tax that would otherwise be due. In financial year 2006-07, MOD paid some £2 million in CILOCT to Salisbury district council, which covers the sites at Erskine Barracks, Boscombe Down Airfield and Porton Down and some £700,000 to Portsmouth city council, which covers the Royal Naval Dockyard, Portsmouth. These payments cover both service families accommodation and single living accommodation.
I will write to the hon. Member with a further breakdown of payments made in relation to the specific sites requested and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Military Bases: Industrial Health and Safety
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the most recent defence estate health and safety inspection in the Library. [119245]
Derek Twigg: I understand that the hon. Member is referring to health and safety information published by the former Defence Housing Executive (DHE). The last health and safety information prepared by DHE was reported in the DHE agency annual report and accounts 2003-04, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
DHE formally ceased to be a Defence agency on 1 April 2004 and was merged with Defence Estates (DE) from that date. DE’s subsequent annual report and accounts have provided details of the governance procedures in DE for safety, health, environment and fire. The last such report covered 2005-06 and a copy is available in the Library of the House.
In managing the provision of Service Families Accommodation (SFA), DE is responsible for ensuring that a range of SFA safety inspections are carried out. These include gas safety inspections, inspection and testing of electrical installations, and inspections in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations. Such inspections are carried out by the housing prime contractor, Modern Housing Solutions (MHS).
DE’s annual report and accounts for 2006-07 are being prepared. Once completed, I will place a copy in the Library of the House.
NATO: Uniforms
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the wearing of the NATO logo on armed forces uniforms. [138369]
Derek Twigg: It is usual multinational practice for troops under NATO command to wear the NATO logo. This is to ensure that they are easily recognised as being members of NATO forces.
University Officer Training Corps
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the strength is of the University Officer Training Corps; how many applicants were turned down for the current academic year because there were no vacancies; and if he will make a statement; [137914]
(2) if he will increase the strength of the University Officer Training Corps by (a) expanding existing units and (b) creating new units; and if he will make a statement. [137915]
Derek Twigg: The current overall strength of the University Officer Training Corps is approximately 5,030 (including the instructional staff). The actual strength of the student body is currently approximately 4,430(1). Demand can exceed capacity and a selection process is adopted similar to that which governs Officer Selection at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Candidates can fail to gain entry for a number of reasons, not just because of capacity constraints. A list of reasons given for non-selection of individuals is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
There are currently no plans to increase the strength of the University Officer Training Corps by either expanding existing units or creating new ones. A contingent can only be formed when specifically requested by a university. There have been no formal requests for a new contingent by a university since the year 2000.
(1) In accordance with departmental policy, figures have been rounded.
Duchy of Lancaster
Charities Advisory Trust: Finance
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Charities Advisory Trust has received from the public purse since it was set up; and for what purpose funding was provided. [138939]
Edward Miliband: I understand the Charities Advisory Trust received funding from the Home Office when it was established in 1979. There are no current records of recent funding for the Charities Advisory Trust.
Departments: Consultants
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if she will list the outside (a) agencies and (b) consultancies which are undertaking work commissioned by her Department; and what the (i) purpose and (ii) cost is of each commission. [138464]
Hilary Armstrong: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald), the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) and the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 5 March 2007, Official Report, column 1631W.
Education and Skills
Apprentices: North East Region
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people in (a) the North East and (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland undertook apprenticeships in each of the last two years; and what percentage went on to find employment in the field of their apprenticeship. [134761]
Phil Hope: Figures for those participating in apprenticeships funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) derive from the Individual Learner Record (ILR). The table shows the number of learners on Advanced Apprenticeships and Apprenticeships in the North East and in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland in 2004-05 and 2005-06.
| Advanced apprenticeship | Apprenticeship | Total | |
The ILR does not collect information about the field of employment learners go into on completion of their apprenticeships although because the vast majority of apprentices are employed during their training it is probable that most will stay in the same field of employment on completion of their training.
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