16 July 2007 : Column 17W—continued
Armed Forces: Personal Records
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information and statistics his Department records on Service families regarding (a) accommodation, (b) mobility, (c) education, (d) health care, (e) dentistry, (f) demographics, (g) number of family members and (h) age of family members. [149314]
Derek Twigg:
This information is not held centrally in the format requested and therefore could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Protection
Mark Pritchard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel are providing close protection for EU mission staff. [149130]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
None.
Armed Forces: Training
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the cost of training specifically for operations is included in the costs of operations funded from the Treasury Reserve. [148289]
16 July 2007 : Column 18W
Mr. Bob Ainsworth
[holding answer 9 July 2007]: The net additional cost of training specifically for operations is included in the cost of operations funded from the Treasury's Reserve.
Mark Pritchard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces training (a) accidents and (b) deaths were investigated by the Land Accident Investigation Unit between June 2006 and June 2007. [149127]
Derek Twigg:
Between June 2006 and June 2007 the Land Accident Investigation Team undertook 71 investigations of incidents that occurred during training, including seven fatalities.
Armed Forces: Young People
Mr. Nicholas Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of new candidates to the armed forces were school leavers aged 16 and a half years in the last 12 months. [147136]
Derek Twigg:
During the Financial Year 2006-07 there were 58,951 applicants for armed forces employment. Of these, 14,812 were from candidates aged under 17 years of age on the date of application, representing 25.1 per cent.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Future Rapid Effect System to enter service. [148268]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
The in-service date for the Future Rapid Effect System will not be fixed until the main investment decision has been taken. The procurement strategy is, however, designed to achieve the earliest in-service date which meets the Army’s needs and offers the potential for sustained operational effectiveness.
Mr. Ellwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which British companies are involved in the Future Rapid Effects System project; and in what capacity each plays a part. [148551]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth
[holding answer 11 July 2007]: UK registered companies currently involved in the FRES programme are listed in the following table:
| Company | Support provided |
|
Atkins Defence
|
FRES Systems House
|
|
Lockheed Martin UK INSYS Ltd.
|
Electric Armour Technology Demonstrator Programme
|
|
BAES Land Systems (Bridging) Ltd.
|
Gap Crossing Technology Demonstrator Programme
|
|
SULA Systems Ltd.
|
Independent systems engineering
|
|
BMT Sigma
|
Planning and scheduling
|
|
Fraser Nash Consulting Ltd.
|
Independent safety advice
|
|
Synthesys Systems Engineers Ltd.
|
Independent advice on system integration issues
|
16 July 2007 : Column 19W
|
Cap Gemini
|
Access to a shared working environment to facilitate joint working between FRES IPT, Atkins and other key stakeholders
|
|
Commerce Decisions Ltd.
|
Provision of tender selection tool and associated consultancy support
|
|
County Cabins
|
Providing the Portacabin village at Bovington for the duration of the utility vehicle design competition
|
|
General Dynamics (UK) Ltd.
|
Utility vehicle design competition
|
Mr. Ellwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the Future Rapid Effect System programme; and if he will make a statement. [149238]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth
[holding answer 12 July 2007]: The acquisition strategy for future phases of the FRES programme was announced by my noble Friend Lord
16 July 2007 : Column 20W
Drayson in November 2006. The initial wave of three competitions that will select the utility vehicle (UV) design, UV integrator, and system of systems integrator, has formally been launched and utility vehicle trials have commenced. The outcome of the trials will be announced later this year.
Army: Deployment
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) lowest and (b) average period of time between operational tours was for each army infantry battalion over the last three years. [148278]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
Three years is too short a period to produce a meaningful analysis of tour intervals as only two infantry battalions have undertaken more than two operational tours as formed units in that time. A summary of deployments over the last three years by battalion indicating tour intervals is shown in the following table.
| Ser | Army infantry battalion | Last operational deployment (as a unit) | Start date | Previous operational deployment (as a unit) | End date | Prior deployments since June 2004 (as a unit) | Last unit tour interval (months) | Lowest unit tour interval (months) | Average unit tour interval (months) |
|
1
|
1 Gren Gds
|
Afghanistan
|
May 2007
|
Iraq
|
May to September 2006
|
Balkans (October 2004 to March 2005)
|
8
|
8
|
11
|
|
2
|
1 Coldm Gds
|
Iraq
|
May 2005
|
Northern Ireland
|
March 2000
|
—
|
61
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
3
|
1 SG
|
Iraq
|
November 2004
|
Northern Ireland
|
November 2001
|
—
|
35
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
4
|
1 IG
|
Iraq
|
June 2007
|
Northern Ireland
|
March 2004
|
—
|
38
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
5
|
1 WG
|
Balkans
|
October 2006
|
Iraq
|
April 2005
|
—
|
17
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
6
|
1 Scots (1 RS)(1)
|
Northern Ireland
|
January 2006
|
Iraq
|
April 2004
|
—
|
20
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
7
|
1 Scots (1 KOSB)(1)
|
Iraq
|
July 2003
|
Northern Ireland
|
March 2002
|
—
|
15
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
8
|
2 Scots
|
Iraq
|
April 2004
|
Balkans
|
October 1999
|
—
|
53
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
9
|
3 Scots
|
Iraq
|
November 2005
|
Balkans
|
October 2003
|
—
|
24
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
10
|
4 Scots
|
Iraq
|
July 2004
|
Iraq
|
June 2003
|
—
|
12
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
11
|
5 Scots
|
Balkans
|
April 2005
|
Iraq
|
July 2004
|
—
|
8
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
12
|
1 PWRR
|
Iraq
|
May 2006
|
Iraq
|
October 2004
|
—
|
18
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
13
|
2 PWRR
|
Iraq
|
January 2005
|
Northern Ireland
|
December 2003
|
—
|
12
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
14
|
1 RRF
|
Iraq
|
November 2005
|
Iraq
|
June 2003
|
—
|
28
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
15
|
2 RRF
|
Northern Ireland
|
April 2003
|
Northern Ireland
|
June 2002
|
—
|
9
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
16
|
1 R Anglian
|
Afghanistan
|
May 2007
|
Iraq
|
October 2005
|
—
|
17
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
17
|
2 R Anglian
|
Iraq
|
May 2006
|
Afghanistan
|
October 2003
|
—
|
30
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
18
|
1 KORBR(2)
|
Iraq
|
November 2005
|
Balkans
|
October 2000
|
—
|
60
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
19
|
1 Kings(2)
|
Iraq
|
July 2003
|
Prior to January 1999
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
20
|
QLR(2)
|
Iraq
|
July 03
|
Northern Ireland
|
September 2001
|
—
|
21
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
21
|
1 Lancs(2)
|
n/a
|
—
|
n/a
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
22
|
2 Lancs(2)
|
Iraq
|
November 2006
|
n/a
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
23
|
1 Yorks
|
Iraq
|
November 2006
|
Balkans
|
September 2004
|
—
|
25
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
24
|
2 Yorks
|
Balkans
|
April 2006
|
Afghanistan
|
October 2004
|
—
|
17
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
25
|
3 Yorks
|
Iraq
|
November 2004
|
Balkans
|
June 200I
|
—
|
40
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
16 July 2007 : Column 21W
16 July 2007 : Column 22W
|
26
|
1 R Welsh
|
Cyprus (Theatre Reserve Battalion)
|
May 2007
|
Northern Ireland
|
September to January 2006
|
Iraq (May to October 2004)
|
15
|
10
|
13
|
|
27
|
2 R Welsh
|
Iraq
|
June 2007
|
Iraq
|
October 2005
|
—
|
19
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
28
|
1 Mercian
|
Iraq
|
May 2004
|
Northern Ireland
|
December 2002
|
—
|
16
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
29
|
2 Mercian
|
Afghanistan
|
May 2007
|
Afghanistan
|
April 2005
|
—
|
23
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
30
|
3 Mercian
|
Iraq
|
November 2006
|
Iraq
|
October 2005
|
—
|
12
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
31
|
1 Rifles (1 RGBW)(3)
|
Afghanistan
|
October 2005
|
Northern Ireland
|
July 2003
|
—
|
26
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
32
|
1 Rifles (1 D&D)(3)
|
Iraq
|
May 2006
|
Northern Ireland
|
March 2001
|
—
|
61
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
33
|
2 Rifles
|
Iraq
|
November 2006
|
Northern Ireland
|
September 2004
|
—
|
25
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
34
|
3 Rifles
|
Northern Ireland
|
September 20 04
|
Northern Ireland
|
May 2000
|
—
|
51
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
35
|
4 Rifles
|
Iraq
|
June 2007
|
Balkans
|
October 2001
|
—
|
67
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
36
|
5 Rifles
|
Iraq
|
May 2006
|
Iraq
|
April 2004
|
—
|
24
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
37
|
1 R Irish
|
Iraq
|
July 2005
|
Iraq
|
June 2003
|
—
|
24
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
38
|
1 Para(4)
|
Northern Ireland
|
March 2005
|
Iraq
|
June 2003
|
—
|
20
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
39
|
2 Para
|
Iraq
|
November 2005
|
Iraq
|
March 2004
|
—
|
19
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
40
|
3 Para
|
Afghanistan
|
April 2006
|
Northern Ireland
|
August 2004
|
—
|
19
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
41
|
1 RGR
|
Balkans
|
October 2005
|
Balkans
|
March 2004
|
—
|
30
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
|
42
|
2RGR
|
Afghanistan
|
April 2005
|
Afghanistan
|
April 2004
|
—
|
11
|
n/a
|
n/a
|
(1) 1 RS and 1 KOSB amalgamated to form 1 Scots in August 2006. 1 Scots has yet to deploy on an operation. (2 )1 KORBR, 1 Kings and QLR amalgamated in July 2006 to form 1 Lancs and 2 Lancs. 1 Lancs has yet to deploy on an operation. (3) 1 RGBW and 1 DDLI amalgamated in March 2007 to form 1 Rifles. (4) As from August 2005 1 Para are no longer under the operational control of HQ Land.
|
