| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
7 Jan 2008 : Column 46W—continued
| Royal Air Force | |||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | |
| NYA = not yet available. (1) Includes the first of the newly procured Merlin Mk 3 from November 2007. | |||||||||||
Planned hours show the funded annual flying task for each aircraft type as agreed in annually agreed customer supplier agreements (CSA) between the Front Line Commands and Defence Equipment and Support. Actual hours flown includes both those flown in the UK for training as well as those deployed on operations. Hours flown in excess of the CSA on operations are funded by the Conflict Prevention Fund.
There is no requirement to hold data on average flying hours. CSA calculations are based on the total amount of flying hours that can be supported by the integrated project teams for a given aircraft type and are not broken down by individual airframe.
Helicopters: Procurement
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated average cost is of each of the Future Lynx helicopters to be delivered under the contract with the Finmeccanica group. [172588]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The value of the contract placed with Finmeccanica is approximately £l billion (excluding VAT). This cost is for the development and manufacture of 70 aircraft.
Helicopters: Training
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training exercises were conducted by Apache and Chinook helicopter crews in each of the last five years; and what the (a) location and (b) type was of each. [174495]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The number of collective training exercises supported by both Apache and Chinook helicopter crews was seven in 2005, 13 in 2006 and 18 in 2007. Records are not held for collective training exercises conducted prior to 2005. The location and type of each exercise are shown in the following table. The number of collective training exercises supported by Chinook only and Apache only will take longer to collate. I will write to the hon. Member when this information is available. Aircrew training flights are too numerous to quantify.
Influenza: Disease Control
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what documents dealing with contingency arrangements for an influenza pandemic have been (a) prepared by and (b) commissioned by his Department since 1 March 2005; and if he will make a statement. [175797]
Derek Twigg: Since October 2005 the MOD has been developing a generic Pan Defence Pandemic Flu Planning Framework document. This brings together activities which, for the most part, will be undertaken by Departmental operational commands and business units. In June 2006 the Business Continuity Policy team developed a generic influenza exercise scenario with the aid of the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Additionally, the Defence Medical Services Department (DMSD) has issued periodic policy guidance to the Single Services, designed to inform defence medical professionals, beginning in October 2005 when “Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic in UK” was issued. In January 2006 DMSD produced “Use of Influenza Vaccines and Anti-virals in the event of an Influenza Pandemic”, and, in February 2007, “Pandemic Influenza—Infection Control Guidelines for Military Settings” was issued, produced by DMSD in collaboration with the HPA.
No external flu pandemic studies or reports have been commissioned.
Iran: Sequestration of Assets
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Government will take steps to sequester assets of the government of Iran in the UK to the value of the British military equipment which was seized in (a) 2004 and (b) 2007; and if he will make a statement. [176065]
Des Browne: We will continue to pursue diplomatic means for the return of the boats and equipment seized by Iran in 2004 and 2007.
Iraq Conflict: Legal Opinion
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2007, Official Report, column 840W, on Iraq conflict: legal opinion, whether such advice was commissioned using resources from the public purse. [172004]
Des Browne: No private legal advice was sought prior to the invasion of Iraq by any of the then armed forces Chiefs of Staff.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2007, Official Report, column 481W, on Iraq: peacekeeping operations, what the estimated cost of providing medical services to employees of private military and security companies under Government contract in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan was in each of the last five years; what estimate he has made of the cost of procuring such services from the private sector; and if he will make a statement. [168453]
Des Browne
[holding answer 28 November 2007]: In the last five years, the Ministry of Defence has contracted only two private military security companies both in 2007, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Available records do not show any routine or emergency treatment having been provided
to employees of these companies. In order to confirm this categorically a trawl of all medical records would have to be undertaken, which would require a level of effort generating disproportionate cost to the benefit of the information provided.
There has been no estimate done on the cost of procuring such services for PMSCs from the private sector.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many convoy escort missions were conducted by British forces along Military Supply Route Tampa in Britain’s area of operations in each month in 2007. [173732]
Des Browne: The Military Supply Route Tampa is one of numerous routes that British forces can use to conduct convoy missions.
I am withholding further information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of our armed forces.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |