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21 Jan 2008 : Column 1602W—continued
The MOD will continue to maintain a Defence Attaché network that is effective and relevant to our international interests.
Military Equipment: Iraq
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what military equipment the UK gifted to Iraqi forces in each year since 2003; [163033]
(2) what military equipment the Government plan to gift to Iraq over the next 12 months. [163034] [Official Report, 26 February 2008, Vol. 472, c. 15MC.]
Des Browne: The UK has gifted a range of military equipment and infrastructure to prepare the Iraqi security forces to be self-sufficient in the management of their own security.
The following military equipment has been supplied by HMG to the Iraqi Government for use by the Iraqi security forces. A list of security related equipment has also been provided for completeness:
6,500 AK47 assault rifles
5.3 million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition
25,058 sets of body armour
2,500 helmets
2,000 sets of public order equipment
7,444 Kevlar helmets
308 high frequency radios
992 Binoculars
69 GPS
42 GPS with radio
12 sets of urban operations equipment
450,000 rounds of AK47 blank ammunition (for training purposes)
500,000 rounds of PKM (light machine gun) blank ammunition (for training purposes)
438 Underslung grenade launchers (UGL) for AK47s
18,400 UGL rounds
36,800 UGL training rounds
5,666 x 9mm pistols
850,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition
3,000 personal radios handset
50 operations room radios
200 vehicle radios
79 refurbished armoured Land Rovers
774 light machine guns (PKMs)
5 million rounds of ammunition for the PKMs
1,150 light machine guns (RPKs)
211 high frequency radios
16 high frequency base station fixed installation kits.
The following security related equipment has also been gifted:
2 luggage x-ray machines
3 archway metal detectors
27 hand-held metal detectors
15 under vehicle search mirrors
211 pick-up vehicles
12 water trucks
9 flat bed trucks
Networked data/voice capability (local area network)
Refurbishment of 24 boats.
90 Dshka 12.7mm heavy machine guns
6,300 9mm pistols
85 medium machine guns
12 Dragunov sniper rifles
20,500 helmets
14,500 pairs of boots
734 Motorola GM160 VHP radios with microphone and antenna.
The following security related equipment has also been gifted:
415 Iraqi Police Service patrol cars
319 Iraqi Police Service 4x4 patrol cars.
Our records indicate that no military or security-related equipment was gifted to Iraq in 2003 or 2004; none was gifted in 2007. Currently, we have no plans to gift military equipment in future.
Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency: Recruitment
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence police officers were recruited for service in each year since 1997. [177592]
Derek Twigg: The figures for the number of Ministry of Defence police (MDP) officers recruited since 1997 are provided in the following table.
| Number of MDP officers recruited | |
QinetiQ
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much has been received from QinetiQ following the sale of each former Government-owned site as a result of the clawback agreement; and in relation to which sites the money has been received; [178249]
(2) in relation to the sale of which sites he expects to receive monies from QinetiQ as a result of the clawback agreement during 2008; how much he expects to receive in relation to each such site; and for which sites he does not expect to receive monies; [178250]
(3) what acreage of land has been transferred from his Department to QinetiQ; how much of that land has subsequently been disposed of and at what price; and if he will make a statement. [178976]
Des Browne: The requested information is not held centrally or in a consistent form. However, it should be possible to compile the requested information without incurring disproportionate cost. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the work has been completed and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
RAF Innsworth: NATO Rapid Reaction Corps
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he anticipates the Rapid Reaction Corps will move to RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement. [180593]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The BORONA Programme is drawing up detailed plans for the move of the Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps to the Innsworth site. The exact timing of the move is subject to ongoing consideration.
Shipbuilding: Glasgow
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Government have made of the future viability of Govan and Scotstoun without work from the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability project. [178174]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The MOD is working closely with industry, including BAE Systems, to ensure that a sustainable UK maritime sector is able to support the needs of the Royal Navy both now and in the future.
At this stage, in the timescales required for procurement of the MARS tankers, there is more than sufficient work from other maritime programmes to sustain the required on-shore design and build capability.
Angus Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many orders the Government have helped
secure for Govan and Scotstoun from other EU countries. [178175]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Government's support for naval sales has helped to bring work for a number of UK shipyards, including Scotstoun. But no orders from EU countries have brought work to Govan or Scotstoun in recent years.
Territorial Army: Motor Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what forms Territorial Army personnel have to complete in order to take a vehicle out. [180036]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: All military personnel are required to hold a valid Form Military Transport (FMT) 600 before they may take a service vehicle out.
Additionally, any TA soldier required to undertake a driving duty must complete a Reserve Forces Certificate of Employment stating what activity that soldier has undertaken in the week preceding the driving activity.
Individual units may have local forms and procedures for completion before any type of vehicle is taken out in order to manage their vehicle fleets.
Trident
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether a new production plant for highly enriched uranium is needed for Trident nuclear warheads. [177838]
Des Browne: It is currently assessed that existing stocks of highly enriched uranium are sufficient to meet the needs of the Trident warhead programme.
In 1995 the UK declared a moratorium on the future production of fissile material. This was reaffirmed in the 2006 White Paper on the Future of the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent. Negotiating a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty, banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons, remains the UK’s disarmament priority.
Vetting
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2008, Official Report, column 891W, on vetting, which other Government Departments use the Defence Vetting Agency for vetting (a) applicants for security clearance and (b) employees. [180034]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Defence Vetting Agency (DVA) undertakes the role of an approved Shared Service Provider for various Other Governments Departments (OGDs). The DVA reflects the relationship between itself and these repayment customers in a series of Customer Supplier Agreements. Applications for vetting can cover both direct employees and staff undergoing the recruitment process but also, contractor personnel engaged in support of Government approved contracts. The DVA presently conducts selected personnel security vetting inquiries for the following:
British Telecommunications Plc
Competition Commission
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
Crown Prosecution Service
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Department for Children, Schools and Families
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Department for Transport
Department for Work and Pensions
Department of Culture, Media and Sport
Department of Health
ESTYN (HM Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales)
Export Credits Guarantee Department
Financial Services Authority
Food Standards Agency
Gambling Commission (parent organisation—Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Government Car and Despatch Agency
Health and Safety Executive
HM Revenue and Customs
HM Treasury
Home Office (incorporating the Association of Chief Police Officers)
Metropolitan Police Service
Ministry of Justice
National Archives
National Assembly for Wales
National Audit Office
Northern Ireland Office
O2(UK) Plc
Olympic Delivery Authority
Office for Civil Nuclear Security
Office for Standards in Education
Office for the Gas and Electricity Markets
Office of Communications
Office of Fair Trading
Office of Government Commerce
Ordnance Survey
Registers of Scotland
Royal Mail Group
Scottish Court Service
Scottish Government
Serious Fraud Office
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