| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
23 Oct 2007 : Column 176W—continued
Greenwich Hospital: Middleton
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Greenwich Hospital, Middleton Estate at Belford, Northumberland, is being marketed in separate lots; what information is being provided to farm and cottage tenants about the progress of the sale; and if he will make a statement. [159113]
Derek Twigg: Greenwich Hospital’s Middleton Estate was offered for sale in autumn 2006 either as a whole or as six separate lots. In May 2007 the hospital accepted a bid for the whole estate from a consortium which included the three existing tenant farmers. The lead buyer has recently withdrawn but the hospital is currently progressing the sale of the farms to the tenant farmers.
Through its managing agents, the hospital periodically informs all tenants of relevant progress and will continue to do so. All potential buyers are fully aware of the terms of all other existing estate tenancies (around 40) and will be bound to purchase subject to the terms and conditions of these tenancies.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serious hand injuries have occurred to soldiers in (a) Iran and (b) Afghanistan over the last 12 months. [157439]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 18 October 2007]: This answer presumes that the question was meant to refer to Iraq, rather than Iran.
Taking a serious hand injury to mean an amputation, open fracture, degloving (removal from the bone of the surrounding muscle and skin structure), or major laceration of artery or vein, our records show that since 1 October 2006 there have been 15 cases in Iraq and seven cases in Afghanistan.
Merchant Marine: War Pensions
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many members of the Merchant Marine have been awarded a war pension due to injuries or illness suffered in the Pacific area during nuclear tests; [157827]
(2) what the rationale is for treating members of the Merchant Marine acting alongside UK forces and service personnel differently in relation to qualification for war pensions. [157828]
Derek Twigg: The rules of the Mercantile Marine scheme are currently contained in the War Pensions (Mercantile Marine) Scheme 1964. The scheme dates from the second world war and was intended to reflect the additional dangers of war over and above those normally found on board ship. The scheme therefore provides for awards to be made to members of the mercantile marine only in respect of “war injuries” (injuries caused by enemy action or in combating such action) and “war risk injuries” (injuries resulting from conditions on ship which would not be normal in peace time, such as measures to avoid or prevent enemy action). The scheme does not cover injuries or illnesses arising in peace time.
Owing to the historical nature of the scheme, information on the total number of war pensions is not held. However I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 October, Official Report, column 1125W, for the number of those currently in receipt of a pension.
Military Bases: Portsmouth
Linda Gilroy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of land at HM Naval Base Portsmouth is allocated to (a) museums and heritage
purposes, (b) Vosper Thornycroft Shipbuilders and (c) operational Royal Navy requirements; and if he will make a statement. [159021]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The total area of land at HM Naval Base Portsmouth is some 383 acres. The proportion of land allocated at the naval base for museum and heritage purposes is 3.6 per cent. (13.87 acres); for VT Group Shipbuilders it is 8.5 per cent. (32.65 acres); and for operational purposes it is 87 per cent. (335.5 acres). In addition, 0.3 per cent. (0.98 acres) of land is allocated to BAE Systems. The figure for land required to support operational requirements includes two ship basins, the Royal Marines School of Music, and sports facilities required to prepare Royal Navy personnel for operations.
Military Fighting Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the option for a further 400 Panther command and liaison vehicles will be taken up. [157078]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We have no current plans to procure further Panther vehicles.
Navy: Drug Seizures
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 July 2007, Official Report, column 1250W, on Navy: drug seizures, what the circumstances and outcome of each drug seizure made by the Royal Navy in 2006-07 was; and to which law enforcement agency the contraband was turned over in each case. [156247]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The following table sets out the details of each drug seizure in which the Royal Navy was involved, for the financial year 2006-07. All the drug seizures detailed in the table involved cocaine. It is difficult to put an accurate value on the amount of illegal drugs seized or destroyed in these operations. The price of illegal drugs varies greatly depending on supply and demand, as well as the purity of the drugs themselves when they reach the UK market. Therefore quoted MOD figures for the “street value” of successful seizures are always estimates. It should be noted that it is likely that not all the cocaine seized would have reached the UK market.
| Date | Location | Estimated Tonnage | Estimated Street Value( 1) (£ million) | Ships involved | Lead Agency for Contraband |
| (1) If drugs had reached the UK. | |||||
In my answer to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 26 June 2007, Official Report, column 670W, about drug seizures, it has been identified that the data are incorrect for 2005-06 and 2006-07. The correct tonnage should read 17 and 14 respectively.
Royal Marines: Devonport
Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to moving the headquarters of 1 Assault Group Royal Marines from Poole to Devonport; and if he will make a statement. [159045]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 18 October 2007]: As part of the overall FLEET Transformation programme, operational control of 1 Assault Group Royal Marines was transferred on 18 October from the Devonport Flotilla to Flag Officer Sea Training based in Devonport. It is planned for the headquarters element of the assault group (approximately 15 personnel) to relocate from Poole to Devonport in the first half of next year.
Royal Regiment of Scotland
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-UK Commonwealth citizens are serving with the Royal Regiment of Scotland. [158702]
Derek Twigg: The information is as follows:
| Non-UK Commonwealth regular officers and soldiers in the Royal Regiment of Scotland at 1 March 2007 | |||
| Officers | Soldiers | Total | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are shown as at 1 March 2007, as reliable Army strength statistics to this level of detail are not yet available for 1 April 2007 onwards due to on-going validation of Army data following the introduction of the new personnel administration system. 2. The numbers have been rounded to the nearest five. | |||
The figures above are trained regular officers and soldiers only.
Figures include non-British Commonwealth citizens posted to the Royal Regiment of Scotland and exclude Royal Regiment of Scotland non-British Commonwealth citizens posted away from the unit.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |