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10 Jan 2008 : Column 704W—continued
The budget agreed for 2008 does not yet include the costs of a planned EU-led military operation in Chad and the Central African Republic. The 2008 Athena budget will be increased as necessary once a budget for that operation has been approved.
Defence Analytical Services Agency: Forecasts
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of (a) the Defence Analytical Services Agency’s (DASA) monthly price index booklet, (b) DASA’s quarterly price index forecasts, (c) DASA’s quarterly foreign price index, (d) DASA’s negotiators’ briefing pack issued in 2007 and (e) the DASA electronic price indices query tool. [176290]
Derek Twigg: I will arrange for copies of the Monthly Price Indices booklet, Quarterly Foreign Price Indices booklet and the Negotiators Briefing Pack(s) published in 2007 to be placed in the Library of the House.
I am withholding copies of the DASA Price Indices UK Quarterly Forecast as their release would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.
Similarly, I am withholding the electronic price indices query tool as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.
Defence Aviation Repair Agency: Vector Aerospace
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the basis was for the decision to sell the DARA Helicopter, Rotary Wing and Components business in Almondbank on to the Canadian company Vector Aerospace. [176802]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer my hon. Friend to my previous answer on 13 December 2007, Official Report, column 773W, to the hon. Member for Gosport (Peter Viggers).
European Defence Agency: Finance
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected budget is for the European Defence Agency in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [177523]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The European Defence Agency budget for 2008 is €32 million; there are no budget figures for 2009 and 2010.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many medical personnel were hired by his Department under private contract to work in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq in each of the last three years; and what the cost of hiring such staff was; [176838]
(2) which private companies his Department uses to hire medical personnel for service in Iraq and Afghanistan; [176839]
(3) if he will break down by specialisation those medical personnel hired by his Department under private contract to work in Afghanistan and Iraq. [176840]
Derek Twigg: The Defence Medical Services Department employs civilian medical locums to work at UK medical facilities on deployed operations through Frontier Medical (a division of Exploration Logistics Group plc).
The following table provides the total number of individuals who have been employed over the past three complete financial years and up to 15 December of this financial year. Not all of these individuals deployed at the same time. For example, during the financial year 2006-07, at any one time, up to two intensive therapy unit nurses and two emergency nurses were deployed as civilian locums in Iraq by the Defence Medical Services.
| Financial year | Specialism | Operation | Number of individuals employed as civilian locums | Cost (£ million) |
Kenya: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel are based in Kenya; and what their roles are. [177310]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: 65 UK military personnel are based in Kenya, undertaking a wide variety of roles. These include: providing advice and assistance to the British high commissioner; helping build Kenyan and regional capacity to manage and conduct peace support operations; providing high quality mine action training; and liaising with Kenyan authorities over the planning and execution of British Army exercises.
RAF: Labour Turnover
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) total outflow and (b) voluntary exit rate was of (i) officers, (ii) other ranks and (iii) all personnel in the RAF in each month since January 2006. [177535]
Derek Twigg: RAF figures for total outflow and voluntary exit rates broken down by officers and other ranks since January 2006 can be found in Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 5 — ‘Trained Outflow to Civil Life’. Monthly figures show the number of personnel who have outflowed in the previous 12 month period. TSP 5 is published monthly and all publications can be found at:
Copies of TSP 5 are available in the Library of the House and at:
Royal Navy: Labour Turnover
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) total outflow and (b) voluntary exit rate was of (i) officers, (ii) other ranks and (iii) all personnel in the Royal Navy in each month since January 2006. [177530]
Derek Twigg: Royal Navy figures for total outflow and voluntary exit rates broken down by officers and other ranks since January 2006 can be found in Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 5 — ‘Trained Outflow to Civil Life’. Monthly figures show the number of personnel who have outflowed in the previous 12 month period. TSP 5 is published monthly and all publications can be found at:
Copies of TSP 5 are available in the Library of the House and at:
Sierra Leone and the Balkans: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 11 June 2007, on Sierra Leone: peacekeeping operations, what progress has been made on reconciling casualty data for operations in (a) Sierra Leone and (b) the Balkans since May 2007. [162225]
Derek Twigg: Work on reconciling casualty data for operations in Sierra Leone and the Balkans is continuing. I will write to the hon. Member when the work is complete and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Substantive answer from Derek Twigg to Liam Fox:
I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 19 November 2007 (Official Report, Column 486W) about the progress made on reconciling casualty data for operations in Sierra Leone and the Balkans since May 1997. I trust you will also accept this letter as a reply to your letter of 13 December on the same subject.
I can now confirm the current position in respect of both the Sierra Leone and Balkans casualties is as follows:
Fatalities
As at 10 June 2006, a total of 72 British Forces personnel had died while serving in the Balkans since the start of operations in 1992. This information can be found at:
During the operations in Sierra Leone between 2000 and 2002, five UK Armed Forces personnel died whilst deployed: one was killed in action, three died in operational accidents and one died of natural causes. This information is not available via the public websites.
Non-fatal casualties
I can also confirm that the notifiable casualty (NOTICAS) data on Very Seriously Injured (VSI) and Seriously Injured (SI) for Operations in the Balkans and Sierra Leone since January 2001 have now been verified and validated.
Between January 2001 and April 2007, there were four VSI and 13 SI casualties in the Balkans. This data is published on the MOD Website at:
Between 1 January 2001 and 30 July 2002, there were no VSI or SI casualties on operation in Sierra Leone.
Non-fatal casualty data prior to 2001 have not been examined and could only be captured centrally and verified at disproportionate cost.
I am placing a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Warships
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships are in each readiness category, broken down by ship type. [177537]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding the information requested as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of the Armed Forces. My predecessor wrote to my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 6 March 2007 explaining in detail the Department’s policy on releasing such information. A copy of his letter is available in the Library of the House.
Weapons: Testing
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records his Department holds on (a) the testing of weapons in space by other Governments over the last 10 years, (b) the volume of debris in low earth orbit which relates to such testing and (c) the potential effects of such debris; and if he will make a statement. [177043]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We have no evidence suggesting that any state has conducted tests of space-based weapons in the past 10 years. China conducted a successful anti-satellite (ASAT) missile test against its own space asset on 11 January 2007, but the missile itself was ground launched and hence, not stationed in space. The UK has expressed its concern to China about the potential impact of the additional debris this ASAT test created.
The British National Space Centre (BNSC) conducts regular assessments of the volume of space debris in orbit and the potential threat this poses to UK assets.
Work and Pensions
Carbon Monoxide: Alarms
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department has issued to the Health and Safety Executive on annual testing of carbon monoxide alarms. [175657]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 7 January 2008]: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates domestic gas safety and provides Ministers with information in this area. In its public advice to domestic gas consumers, HSE recommends that carbon monoxide alarms are fitted and used according to manufacturers’ instructions.
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: ICT
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the existing IT contract between his Department and EDS—Electronic Data Systems—will be transferred to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC); and whether it is open to CMEC to seek to renegotiate this contract. [169006]
Mr. Plaskitt: The contract between the Department and EDS contains clauses that cover the possibility of future changes in our organisation. These clauses will be used to ensure that the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will be able to continue to make use of EDS services in the same way that the Child Support Agency does now.
It will be for the Commission to determine its future arrangements for the provision of IT services. Should the Commission wish to renegotiate the EDS contract, however, it would have to do so in conjunction with the Department as the contract is at a departmental level.
Child Maintenance: Arrears
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the (a) amount and (b) proportion of child maintenance arrears that are uncollectable; and if he will make a statement. [173590]
Mr. Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 10 January 2008:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and pensions, what estimate he has made of the amount and proportion of child maintenance arrears that is uncollectable; and if he will make a statement. [173590]
The latest estimate of the amount and proportion of child maintenance arrears that is uncollectable is set out in notes 5 and 6 to the Client Funds Accounts as published in the Agency’s Annual Report and Accounts 2006-07. This was laid before Parliament on 3 December 2007 and copies were placed in the House of Commons Library. A copy can also be found on the internet via the following link: http://csa.gov.uk/en/PDF/reports/arep0607.pdf
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Children: Maintenance
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the policy of the Child Support Agency is on British fathers paying child maintenance to non-British mothers resident in the UK. [168396]
Mr. Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 10 January 2008:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the policy of the Child Support Agency is on British fathers paying child maintenance to non-British mothers resident in the UK. [168396]
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