| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
27 Jun 2007 : Column 793W—continued
Derek Twigg: It is not possible to separately identify the number of gas leaks reported.
When occupants of service families accommodation contact Modern Housing Solutions to report a gas leak, the report is passed to Transco, who attend the property to identify the problem and make things safe.
Armed Forces: Mass Media
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the duty Minister was on the day the decision was taken to allow the service personnel released by Iran to sell their stories to the media. [145148]
Des Browne: As the Secretary of State, decisions on certain issues are referred to me rather than the duty Minister. The sale of stories to the media by the service personnel released by Iran was one such issue. Between 5-7 April, the duty Minister for other issues was my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces. On 8 and 9 April, the duty Minister was my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support.
Armed Forces: Medical Examinations
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) serving personnel and (b) veterans passed through the Medical Assessment Programme in each year since it was established for (i) physical and (ii) mental health conditions and (iii) in total. [142853]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 14 June 2007]: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the future utility vehicles forming part of the Future Rapid Effect System are (a) expected to be air-transportable in one future A400M Aircraft and (b) within the whole airlift capability for a single operation. [145105]
Mr. Ingram: We expect the A400M to be able to carry one FRES utility vehicle. Airlift capacity for a single operation would be dependent on the scale, speed and distance of the deployment.
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role and function of the future utility vehicle will be as part of the Future Rapid Effect System. [145106]
Mr. Ingram: These vehicles will carry out the protected mobility, command and control, light armoured support, medical, repair and recovery and driver training roles. Other elements of the Utility fleet, to be delivered in later planned increments, include specialist communications, electronic warfare and sensors vehicles.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the future rapid effect system programme will include a tracked variant of the (a) utility, (b) reconnaissance and (c) heavy vehicles. [144761]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 21 June 2007]: It is not envisaged that the FRES utility vehicle will be a tracked vehicle. The FRES reconnaissance and heavy requirements are however, expected to be predominantly met by tracked vehicles, although decisions regarding these vehicles will not be finalised until the main investment decision has been taken.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) development and (b) procurement programmes are being funded by his Department for the securing of effective armour for UK armed forces land vehicles. [145070]
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 18 June 2007, Official Report, column 1443W.
Chiefs of Staff: Powers
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what strategic (a) planning and (b) supervisory roles are currently assigned to the Chiefs of Staff (i) individually and (ii) as a committee; and if he will make a statement. [144780]
Des Browne: The Chiefs of Staff Committee, chaired by the CDS, is the principal forum in which collective military advice is garnered and through which CDS discharges his responsibility for the preparation and conduct of military operations and the formulation of military strategy. CDS is also responsible for the provision of military advice to the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister. The single-Service Chiefs of Staff contribute to this role by providing advice on the employment of their respective service.
The Chiefs of Staff are also members of the Defence Management Board which directs and coordinates the delivery of core Defence outputs. As members of the Defence Management Board the Chiefs of Staff are individually accountable for the delivery of military capability generated by their Service; the fighting effectiveness and efficiency of the forces both now and in the future; and the morale of their personnel.
Defence Equipment: Saudi Arabia
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which officials of the Defence Export Services Agency were interviewed by the Serious Fraud Office as part of its recent inquiry into defence sales to Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement. [144253]
Des Browne:
The Ministry of Defence co-operated fully with the Serious Fraud Office investigation. As the Attorney-General said in his statement in another place on 14 December 2006, Official Report, columns 1712-13, ‘public comment about the case must
inevitably be limited in order to avoid causing unfairness to individuals who have been the subject of investigation’. The details of who was interviewed remain confidential.
Defence Export Services Organisation: Saudi Arabia
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Defence Export Services Organisation staff work for the Saudi Armed Forces Project; what management fee was received from Saudi Arabia to cover the cost of the project in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07; what in addition to salaries this fee covered; and if he will make a statement. [145424]
Des Browne: The Saudi Armed Forces Project employs 200 staff across the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. Aside from salary and salary related costs, the project’s operating expenditure includes the costs of office and domestic accommodation, personnel travel and subsistence, IT and telecommunications, training and professional fees and utilities.
The project’s operating expenditure is covered in full by a management fee received from the Saudi Arabian Government, but details of the fee are confidential between the two Governments. I am withholding the details as they would, or would be likely to prejudice international relations and harm the interests of the United Kingdom.
Defence: Procurement
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether defence contractors are under any obligations to seek ministerial clearance for payments to overseas nationals in connection with defence contracts. [144346]
Mr. Ingram: Defence contractors are not under any obligation to seek ministerial clearance for payments to overseas nationals in connection with defence sales contracts.
Iraq
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 18 June 2007, Official Report, columns 1068-69, on Iraq, on what date it was decided that troops in theatre in Iraq would not face a threat from weapons of mass destruction other than from pre-1991 stocks, chlorine bombs or similar items held by insurgents. [144355]
Des Browne [holding answer 21 June 2007]: In the period following the formal cessation of hostilities, it was assessed that the threat to troops from weapons of mass destruction had decreased such that standard protective measures could be reduced. The precise moment will have depended on unit roles and tasks.
Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations
Mr. Moore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK (a) civilian and (b) military personnel were (i) killed and (ii) injured in the Iraqi provinces of
(A) Al Basrah, (B) Al Muthanna, (C) Dhi Qar and (D) Maysan in each month from March 2003 to December 2005; and how many attacks on multi-national forces were recorded in each Iraqi province during that period. [139096]
Des Browne [holding answer 4 June 2007]: The following figures are produced from the most complete record of events within Multi National Division (South East) and are for the period between March 2003 and December 2005. Each record is not specifically verified and so cannot be guaranteed to be completely accurate.
The figures include incidents that involved the employment of improvised explosive devices, rockets, mortars, rocket propelled grenades, grenades, small arms and other weapons such as petrol bombs or knives, but not the throwing of stones. Number of Attacks on MNF by Province
| Years/province | Month | Attacks on MNF |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |