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15 Jun 2007 : Column 1351W—continued
Medical Assessment Programme
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on referrals by the Medical Assessment Programme in each year since it was established. [142855]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 14 June 2007]: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The cost of running the Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) itself over the last financial year, excluding any onward referrals, was approximately £150,000. This included the cost of premises, staff, and the expenses for individual referrals.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel staff the Medical Assessment Programme for (a) mental and (b) physical health; and what increases are planned in each area. [142856]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 14 June 2007]: Since 2005, two members of staff have been working at the Medical Assessment Programme (MAP). Dr. Ian Palmer has been working one day a week at the MAP for nearly a year in addition to duties within the NHS. He will now be employed at the MAP on a full-time basis to see patients referred for mental or general health assessments. Dr. Palmer is a general practitioner and a consultant psychiatrist with a military background. He is supported in his role by his full-time secretary. We will monitor carefully the number of referrals and increase the staff resources, if required.
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans from (a) the 1990-91 Gulf War, (b) Operation Telic and (c) other operations have passed through the Medical Assessment Programme. [142854]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 14 June 2007]: As at 12 June 2007, some 3,500 1990-91 Gulf veterans (including civilians), 41 Operation Telic veterans, and 138 Porton Down volunteers have attended the Medical Assessment Programme. Many of those concerned will also have taken part in other operations but this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Winter Sports
Mr. Kevan Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2007, Official Report, column 1182W, on armed forces:
winter sports, how much public money was spent on the Army Ski Championship 2007; which commercial sponsors the event had; how the Chief of the General Staff travelled to the event; what the cost was of that travel; which senior officers attended the event; and how those senior officers travelled to the event. [140090]
Derek Twigg: The public contribution to the running of the 2007 Army Ski Championships amounted to £22,000, which paid for the transportation of equipment. The commercial sponsors for the event were Norwich Union and BAE Systems. Land Rover loaned three vehicles free of charge for use by the Army Skiing Championships during the event. Mitsubishi Motors also loaned a vehicle free of charge for use to the Chairman of the Army Winter Sports Association (AWSA) for the duration of the Championships. The championships were held in Chantmerle in South East France.
The Chief of the General Staff, accompanied by his Aide de Camp, flew from the UK to Germany and was driven from there to the championships, subsequently returning by air from Turin to the UK. The total cost for air travel was £1,705.60. CGS’ driver travelled separately, driving one of the Land Rovers, incurring costs of £145 for the Eurotunnel crossing and approximately £375 on fuel. Hotel costs for the party amounted to £935.65.
Senior officers have been taken to mean those of the rank of Brigadier and above. In addition to Chief of the General Staff, nine such officers attended and these individuals are listed. All travelled by air unless otherwise stated.
Assistant Chief of the General Staff (designate), travelled at his own cost; General Officer Commanding, United Kingdom Support Command (Germany), accompanied by his Aide de Camp and driver, attending in his capacity as Chairman of the AWSA, travelled in a sponsored vehicle provided for the event at no public cost;
Director Royal Artillery;
Director Infantry;
Director Army Aviation; Director Royal Logistics Corps;
Director Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (Army);
Director Development, Concept and Doctrine Centre Land; travelled to/from the championships by car from Germany, subsequently returning by air to the UK);
Chief G7 Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, attending in his capacity as Chairman of Army Alpine Skiing, travelled to/from the championships by car from Germany.
Departments: Renewable Energy
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much energy in kilowatt hours was purchased by his Department from renewable sources in the most recent year for which figures are available. [142206]
Derek Twigg:
The Ministry of Defence purchased some 133 GWh of electricity from renewable energy sources in financial year 2005-06. This amount represents 6 per cent. of the Department’s total electricity consumption for the year in question
and is reported in the Sustainable Development Commission’s Sustainable Development in Government Report 2006.
A copy of the report is available in the Library of the House.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his strategy is for renewable energy and meeting energy targets in departmental buildings; and if he will make a statement. [142209]
Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence has agreed to achieve the Sustainable Operations on the Government estate key target to source at least 10 per cent. of its electricity from renewable sources by 31 March 2010.
We are developing a departmental strategy to maximise energy supply from renewable sources and this is expected to be completed in late 2007. Priorities include: procurement of more electricity from renewable sources; supporting the use of sites for renewable energy systems, where appropriate; and providing renewable energy systems for buildings where it is technically and economically feasible.
We are also discussing alternative sources of fuel and technology through our partnership agreement with the Carbon Trust.
Housing
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers of (a) 19 January 2007, Official Report, column 1364W, and (b) 5 February 2007, Official Report, column 688W, on housing, (1) when he expects to provide the information; [141239]
(2) when he expects to be able to provide the information requested. [130503]
Derek Twigg: I wrote to the hon. Member today. I apologise for the delay.
Education and Skills
GCSE
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children in (a) grammar, (b) local authority, (c) church and (d) academy schools obtained five GCSEs including English and mathematics at A*-C in London in each of the last five years. [128657]
Jim Knight: The answers to parts (a), (b) and (c) are given in the following table:
| Percentage of 15( 1) -year-olds obtaining five or more GCSEs at Grades A*-C including English and Maths GCSE in London Government office region | |||||
| School type | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| (1) Aged 15 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August. Source: School and college achievement and attainment tables | |||||
Data for academies are given in a time series showing each academy's performance over the past five years where applicable. Individual academies are provided because there are only a small number of academies in London and there is a different sized cohort each year.
| Percentage of 15( 1) -year-olds obtaining five or more GCSEs at Grades A*-C including English and Maths GCSE in city academies in London Government office region | |||||
| School name | Year open | 2003( 2) | 2004( 2) | 2005( 2) | 2006( 2) |
| n/a = figures not available. (1) Aged 15 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August. (2)2003 includes GCSEs and GNVQs. 2004 onwards includes GCSEs and all equivalents. | |||||
Head Teachers: East Sussex
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacancies for head teachers there are in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex. [125466]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not available at constituency level.
In East Sussex local authority, there were two full-time head teacher vacancies in local authority maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in January 2006, the latest information available.
The figure given shows advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one term's duration) including those being filled on a temporary basis of less than one term.
Home Education: Greater London
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils are home-schooled in (a) Greater London, (b) the London borough of Havering and (c) Romford. [134547]
Jim Knight: Parents may exercise their right to educate their children at home on a temporary or permanent basis. We do not collect information about the numbers of children whose parents provide education at home, and it would be impractical to do so given the transient nature of some of this type of provision. A recent study on the prevalence of home education in England, conducted by York Consulting estimated that there were around 16,000 children being educated at home that were known to the local authority. We have not made any estimate of the number of home educated children that are not known to their local authority.
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