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13 Nov 2007 : Column 121W—continued
Armed Forces: Courts
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who controls and operates 2 Providence Court; how many (a) US Army personnel, (b) US Navy personnel, (c) US Marines personnel, (d) US Air Force personnel, (e) US civilians and (f) US contractors are working there; and if he will make a statement. [162486]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The United States Air Force 501st Combat Support Wing at RAF Alconbury has administrative responsibility for 2 Providence Court. Control of the personnel based there is the responsibility of their individual chains of command.
There are no US army, navy, marine or air force personnel working at 2 Providence Court. There are 10 US civilians and seven US contractors working there.
Armed Forces: Mental Health Services
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the expenditure of his Department has been on payments to the Priory Group for mental health treatment of service personnel in each year since 2003; [162513]
(2) how many service personnel have received mental health treatment from the Priory Group in each year since 2003. [162533]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: In-patient care for service personnel with mental health problems is provided in specialised psychiatric units under a contract with the Priory Group. An interim arrangement was signed with the Priory Group commencing in December 2003. The full contract, whereby the Priory Group became the default provider of in-patient mental health provision, commenced on 1 April 2004.
The data requested, up until 30 September 2007, can be found in the following table:
| Number of patients treated | Contract value (£ million) | |
These figures take into account the cost of assessing patients as well as any treatment programmes provided; the individual care needs of each patient will vary depending on their particular medical circumstances.
The Priory contract replaced the care provided by MOD’s Duchess of Kent Psychiatric Hospital at Catterick, whose costs in its final year of operation were some £10 million.
Armed Forces: Secondment
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which staff from his Department of each grade are on secondment to EU military bodies. [163396]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: 18 military personnel are currently on secondment from the UK Ministry of Defence to the EU military staff (EUMS). This figure comprises a Lieutenant General, currently the Director-General of the EUMS, 11 officers at Lieutenant-Colonel or equivalent rank, one officer at the rank of army captain or equivalent and five non-commissioned officers.
Armed Forces: Training
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what options his Department is considering for Package Two of the Defence Training Review Rationalisation Programme. [162514]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: As the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, (Derek Twigg) stated in his written ministerial statement on 25 October 2007, Official Report, columns 14-15WS, we will continue to consider a range of options for Package 2. These options will vary from adaptations to Metrix' original PFI proposals, through to a full conventional procurement. This work to develop an affordable project will continue to focus on how best to improve our accommodation and training, and meet our commitments following the review to improve the support, welfare and wellbeing of our trainees. An update on the programme will be provided next year when this work has matured.
Armed Forces: Uniforms
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pairs of cold weather boots were issued to service personnel who were in Afghanistan on 1st October 2007. [162559]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The majority of personnel in Afghanistan on 1 October were due to leave theatre during that month having served during the hot summer months. Consequently they were not equipped with cold weather boots.
All personnel who had recently deployed with the intention of remaining in theatre during the winter were issued with a pair of cold weather boots prior to deployment. Additional stocks of cold weather boots are also held in theatre to cover any personnel who required the issue of boots or replacements in theatre.
1 October 2007 fell during the Relief in Place between 12 Mechanised Brigade and 52 Infantry Brigade with the number of personnel in theatre fluctuating on a daily basis, and therefore the exact number cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what items of cold weather clothing will be issued to the next roulement of British service personnel in Afghanistan; and what quantity of each item will be supplied. [162560]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: All units deploying on operations are entitled to draw upon a vast range of clothing prior to their deployment, including cold weather supplements as appropriate. These have already been made available to the units who deployed to Afghanistan in October. In addition, substantial stocks of cold weather clothing have been sent to both Iraq and Afghanistan. The following items are available as supplementary cold weather clothing:
Cold Weather Boots
Thermal Jacket
Thermal Trousers
Extreme Cold Weather Hat
Extreme Cold Weather Wristlets
Extreme Cold Weather Mitten Inners
Extreme Cold Weather Mitten Outers
Extreme Cold Weather Socks
Face Mask
Windproof Desert Trousers
Moisture Vapour Permeable Desert Jacket
Moisture Vapour Permeable Desert Trousers
The actual quantity of each item issued to a particular operation or exercise is not available. Moreover, some personnel already have elements of specialist equipment due to previous tours or exercises.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the brand and type is of the standard issue of boots given to service personnel before going on operations in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan. [162570]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Since July 2007, in both Theatres, the Meindl Desert Fox Combat Boot is issued as standard. Magnum Light Weight Urban Patrolling Boots are also available as necessary for certain tasks. Pro-Boot or Prabus cold weather boots are issued as required. Additionally, where they are needed, Magnum Safety Boots are also available.
Cambrian Patrol
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will put in place measures to commemorate the 50th anniversary in 2009 of the first training exercise now known as the Ex Cambrian Patrol; [162149]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Ex Cambrian Patrol Army training programme for (a) British participants and (b) participants from overseas countries; and if he will make a statement; [162150]
(3) if he will ensure that sufficient resources are made available to enable the Ex Cambrian Patrol Army training event to take place in 2008. [162151]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Exercise Cambrian Patrol is normally run each year in mid Wales and is based on a long-range patrol within a realistic tactical scenario. It tests military skills, with a focus on leadership, teamwork, physical fitness and achieving the mission. It attracts considerable interest and participation from both the UK and other nations, who regard it as a valuable training opportunity.
We recognise that participation in competitions is important to members of the armed forces. Based on current plans, Cambrian Patrol will not take place in 2008, although similarly challenging training opportunities will be available.
There are currently no plans to hold any commemorative events to mark the 50th anniversary of the exercise which is scheduled to take place in 2009.
Chad: EC Defence Policy
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what NATO assets will be used for the EU mission to Chad and the Central African Republic under the (a) 2003 Berlin Plus Arrangements and (b) 2002 NATO-EU Declaration on European Security and Defence Policy; and if he will make a statement. [162634]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: There are no plans to use NATO assets for the forthcoming ESDP mission to Chad and the Central African Republic.
Under the terms of the 2002 NATO-EU Declaration on ESDP the EU has briefed non-EU European members of NATO on the forthcoming mission.
Consolidated Fund
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what on a near cash basis was the value of (a) request for resources one and (b) request for resources two (i) operating income and (ii) non-operating income that was (A) appropriated-in-aid and (B) paid to the Consolidated Fund in financial years 2001-02 to 2006-07; [162529]
(2) what the subheads are of the (a) operating appropriations-in-aid and (b) non-operating appropriations-in-aid outturn for each of his Department's Request for Resources in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms in each year from 2001-02 to 2006-07. [162658]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the then Secretary of State for Defence gave on 13 February 2006, Official Report, columns 1581-82W; the answers my predecessor gave on 7 March 2006, Official Report, columns 1636-42W and 5 March 2007, Official Report, columns 1283-85W; and the answer I gave on 10 September 2007, Official Report, columns 1889-93W, which broke down the Defence budget by near- and non-cash. All operating income and non operating income are near-cash. Payments to the consolidated funds can be found in the Ministry of Defence annual report and accounts.
Defence: Procurement
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many improvised explosive device jammers have been purchased by his Department in each year since 2003. [162510]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
I can confirm that the MOD has the capability to counter radio controlled improvised explosive devices and that it is being used in theatres of operation. I am withholding details about the numbers
of such equipment purchased as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pieces of surveillance and target acquisition equipment of each type there were in the armed forces in each year since 1997. [162652]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Expenditure
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the central supply Government estimates 2007-08: supplementary budget information, if he will break down his Department's supplementary budget table in (a) near cash and (b) non-cash terms. [161881]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Department does not hold this information in the form requested and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The public expenditure statistical analysis (PESA) publication, however, provides a useful near-cash/non-cash split for departmental expenditure limits.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department spent on office refurbishment and repairs in each year since 1996-97. [162641]
Derek Twigg: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the subheads are of the (a) Main Estimate, (b) Winter Supplementary Estimate and (c) Winter Supplementary Estimate (i) operating appropriations-in-aid and (ii) non-operating appropriations-in-aid provision for each of his Department’s Request for Resources in (A) near cash and (B) non-cash terms in each of the financial years 2001-02 to 2006-07; [162651]
(2) what the subheads are of the Main Estimate (a) operating appropriations-in-aid and (b) non-operating appropriations-in-aid provision for each of his Department’s Request for Resources in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms in 2007-08. [162663]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: All operating income and non-operating income are near cash. Details of the operating and non-operating appropriations-in-aid can be found in the respective published Estimates.
Departmental Property
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of his Department's land has been sold in the last five years; and what money was received from the sales. [162626]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Details of defence land sold in the last five financial years are:
| Financial year | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
The disposal figures shown include receipts from the release of overseas property.
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