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4 Jun 2007 : Column 158W—continued

Defence

Afghanistan: Apache AH-64 Helicopter

Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what technical problems have delayed the deployment of Apache helicopters to Afghanistan. [138521]

Des Browne: There has been no delay in the deployment of Apache helicopters to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Peace Keeping Operations

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Desert Hawk mini-unmanned aerial vehicles have been (a) lost and (b) damaged beyond repair in Afghanistan. [134196]

Des Browne: A total of 15 Desert Hawk (1+ variant) air vehicles have been lost on operations in Afghanistan in the period up to 24 April 2007. In the same period, one Desert Hawk air vehicle has been damaged beyond economic repair.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are located outside the United Kingdom. [137079]

Derek Twigg [pursuant to the reply, 21 May 2007, Official Report, c. 1047W]: The figure of 15,220 armed
4 Jun 2007 : Column 159W
forces personnel deployed on operations outside the UK was incorrect for which I apologise. The correct answer should read;

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average tour interval is of (a) 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh, (b) 1st Battalion the Scots
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Guards, (c) 19th Regiment Royal Artillery, (d) 5th Regiment Royal Artillery and (e) 39th Regiment Royal Artillery. [137348]

Mr. Ingram [pursuant to the reply, 18 May 200 7 , Official Report, c. 981-82W]: The table provided was incorrect and should have read as follows:

The recent average tour intervals for the Army units listed are provided in the following table:

Regiment Operational deployments Tour interval (months) Date Average (months)

1st Battalion the Royal Welsh

Unit deployed to:

Northern Ireland (June to November 2001)

29

December 2001 to April 2004

18

Iraq (May to October 2004)

10

November 2004 to August 2005

Northern Ireland (September 2005 to January 2006) Theatre Reserve Battalion (May 2007 to May 2008)

15

February 2006 to April 2007

1st Battalion the Scots Guards

Unit deployed to:

Northern Ireland (May to November 2001)

35

December 2001 to October 2004

30

Iraq (November 2004 to April 2005)

(1)24

May 2005 to May 2007

19th Regiment Royal Artillery

Unit deployed to:

Iraq (May to November 2005) Afghanistan (May to October 2007)

17

December 2005 to April 2007

17

39th Regiment Royal Artillery

Unit deployed to:

Northern Ireland (November 2002 to May 2003) Cyprus (October 2006 to April 2007)

40

June 2003 to September 2006

40

Now deploying as subunits in support of operations

5th Regiment Royal Artillery

Deployed as subunits in support of operations to Operation Telic, Operation Herrick and Northern Ireland

n/a

n/a

n/a

(1 )To date

All tour intervals are calculated by units rather than subunits. We are unable to calculate tour intervals for 5th Regiment Royal Artillery.

Armed Forces: Expenditure

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the budget is for the up keep of the garden at the residence of (a) the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland and (b) the Commander in Chief Land. [134232]

Derek Twigg: The main element of expenditure in relation to garden maintenance at official service residences relates to salary costs, and I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 May 2007, Official Report, column 629W.

Any additional expenditure on garden maintenance is usually very modest and is not identified separately in forward budgets.

Armed Forces: Housing

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the (a) availability and (b) adequacy of accommodation for phase 3 of the Army Recruiting and Training Division draft Management Plan 2007; and if he will make a statement. [138745]

Derek Twigg: The Army Recruiting and Training Division (ARTD) maintains a running assessment of the volume, standard and availability of its accommodation. Based on current, predicted patterns of attendance, this is assessed to be sufficient to deliver phase 3 training in financial year 2007-08. Army accommodation, including that in ARTD, is subject to ongoing upgrade programmes.

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was charged for damages to occupants of Modern Housing Solutions housing in each financial year since 1997. [139769]

Derek Twigg: Modern Housing Solutions has been responsible for maintenance of service families accommodation in England and Wales only since 2006.

Relevant records of charges since 1997 are not held centrally and service housing has been subject to
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changes of organisation. It will take a little time to determine what details are available and in what form. Once our inquiries are complete, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Occupant's Handbook will be made available to occupants of Modern Housing Solutions housing. [139770]

Derek Twigg: It is planned that the Occupant’s Handbook will be issued to occupants of Service Families Accommodation (SFA) worldwide during the summer. It applies to all occupants of SFA and is not limited to those properties maintained in England and Wales by Modern Housing Solutions.


4 Jun 2007 : Column 162W

Armed Forces: Officers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) name and (b) rank was of each senior British military representative to CENTCOM of the United States between 2001 and 2006; how long each person served in that capacity; what subsequent positions in the British military establishment each has taken up; and if he will make a statement. [139083]

Des Browne: The following table shows the name and rank of the officers who have undertaken the role of senior British representative to CENTCOM of the United States between 2001 and 2006, and how long each person served in that capacity:

(a) Name (b) Rank as Senior British Representative to CENTCOM (c) Period of Service (d) Length of Tenure (months)

Sir Jock Stirrup GCB AFC ADC FRAeS FCMI

Air Marshal

September 2001 to May 2002

9

Sir Cedric Delves KBE DSO

Lieutenant General

May 2002 to October 2002

6

David Wilson CB CBE

Major General

October 2002 to October 2003

12

Mike Heath CBE FRAeS

Air Vice-Marshal

October 2003 to August 2005

22

Jonathon Riley DSO

Major General

August 2005 to August 2007

24


The following table shows the subsequent positions in the British military establishment that senior British representatives to CENTCOM of the United States between 2001 and 2006 have taken up:

(a) Name (b) Subsequent military positions

Sir Jock Stirrup GCB AFC ADC FRAes FCMI

Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Equipment Capability) (May 2002 to July 2003)

Chief of The Air Staff (July 2003 to April 2006)

Chief of Defence Staff (April 2006 to present)

Sir Cedric Delves KBE DSO

Commander Field Army (October 2002 to September 2003)

Deputy Commander in Chief NATO Headquarters Armed Forces North (September 2003 to December 2003). Medically discharged following a serious road traffic accident December 2003

David Wilson CB CBE

Commander United Kingdom Amphibious Forces (October 2003 to August 2004)

Commandant General Royal Marines (Titular Role) (February 2004 to August 2004) Retired August 2004

Mike Heath CBE FRAeS

Special Adviser to CENTCOM (August 2005 to Present)


Armed Forces: Pay

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints from (a) RAF, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Army personnel the Armed Forces Joint Personnel Administration Agency’s internal complaints system received in each month in 2007 on mispayment under the system; and how many (i) are still outstanding and (ii) have been resolved. [139618]

Derek Twigg: As at 24 May 2007, the number of complaints received from service personnel via the centralised JPA complaints process about mispayments, and other apparent problems with pay or the handling of a query, were as follows:

Royal Air Force
Received Outstanding Resolved

January

67

2

65

February

61

3

58

March

60

4

56

April

38

4

34

May

30

22

8


Royal Navy
Received Outstanding Resolved

January

37

1

36

February

25

3

22

March

35

4

31

April

20

6

14

May

31

23

8


4 Jun 2007 : Column 163W

Army
Received Outstanding Resolved

January

3

0

3

February

3

0

3

March

3

0

3

April

15

4

11

May

31

22

9


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