Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 23 January 2008
Scotland
Nuclear Power Station
7. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the planning process for applications to build a new nuclear power station in Scotland. [179994]
David Cairns: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a wide range of issues, including energy matters. However, responsibility for the planning process is devolved to Scottish Ministers.
Disabled Children: Financial Support
8. Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on HM Treasury’s review of support for the families of disabled children. [179995]
Des Browne: I speak regularly to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a range of topics. The disabled children’s review reported in May 2007, setting out plans to improve the services available to disabled children and their families in England.
Post Offices: Highlands and Islands
9. Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of the Post Office network to the social and economic well-being of the highlands and islands; and if he will make a statement. [179996]
David Cairns: The Government recognise the value of the Post Office network and are seeking to strike a balance between the wider benefits of the network and the cost to the taxpayer. I would urge people to participate in area plan consultations to allow the Post Office to make informed decisions.
HMS Gannet
10. Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the performance of the Royal Navy search and rescue team based at HMS Gannet in relation to civilians. [179997]
Des Browne:
There have been no such discussions but my hon. Friend will be pleased to note that figures released by HMS Gannet state that the crews of the three Sea King search and rescue helicopters based
there undertook 357 helicopter missions in 2007. This is around 100 more than the next closest UK helicopter base and an increase of 30 per cent. over last year’s figures.
All those at HMS Gannet have shown great dedication and professionalism. They have assisted 349 people on these missions, making it the greatest number of missions and people saved by any single UK search and rescue unit since Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre records began in 1983.
Winter Fuel Payments
11. Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on winter fuel payments for pensioners in Scotland. [179998]
David Cairns: I speak regularly to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on a wide range of issues. I am pleased to report that over a million winter fuel payments are made in Scotland.
Aircraft Carriers: Construction
12. Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive and the Ministry of Defence on the development of the skills base in Scotland in preparation for construction of the two aircraft carriers. [179999]
Des Browne: The development of skills in Scotland is largely a matter for the Scottish Executive. However, the Ministry of Defence works closely with suppliers in order to develop an understanding of its long-term shipbuilding plans so that the industry can plan recruitment and training accordingly. The anticipated contract for the manufacture of the two carriers potentially presents great opportunities for yards both on the Clyde and at Rosyth and highlights that Government spending on defence has a far reaching impact on Scotland’s industrial base and also, the wider economy of Scotland.
Household Debt
13. Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on levels of household debt in Scotland. [180000]
David Cairns: In the United Kingdom, household debt as a percentage of income is currently 169 per cent. This is in the context of rising levels of household assets and the lowest growth in total household debt for five years. Specific details on Scotland are not available.
Devolution
14. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent devolution cases the Advocate-General has considered; and if he will make a statement. [180001]
David Cairns: Since 24 October 2007, 89 devolution issues have been intimated to the Advocate-General. Of these 89 devolution issues, 52 related to criminal proceedings and 37 related to civil proceedings.
Nuclear Power Stations
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on new nuclear power stations in Scotland. [180125]
David Cairns: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has had no such recent discussions. The decision to grant consent to construct or operate any power station, including nuclear, with a capacity in excess of 50 MW in Scotland lies with the Scottish Ministers.
House of Commons Commission
Renewable Energy
Nia Griffith: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate the House of Commons Commission has made of the percentage of electricity used on the parliamentary estate generated from renewable sources. [181165]
Nick Harvey: Since 1 April 2007 all the electricity consumed on the Commons part of the parliamentary estate has come from renewable sources.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of board of inquiry reports into deaths of armed services personnel in Afghanistan which occurred in September 2006; and if he will make a statement. [180071]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 21 January 2008]: We recognise that in high-profile cases the public interest is served by disclosure of the findings and recommendations of a Board of Inquiry. The main elements of such reports will normally be made available to the public via the following MOD website address, once the family has been briefed on its contents:
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made in securing the commitment of personnel from other European NATO member states to the international security assistance force in Afghanistan. [180124]
Des Browne: NATO nations have a made a collective commitment to Afghanistan and to meet the force levels set out in the Combined Joint Statement Of Requirements. Recent pledges made by European NATO members include additional forces from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Poland, Romania and Turkey.
Armed Forces: Housing
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the (a) quality and (b) quantity of (i) current and (ii) projected (A) married and (B) single living accommodation at Catterick. [180517]
Derek Twigg: Currently, single living accommodation (SLA) at Catterick Garrison is at the following grade for charge:
| Number of bed-spaces | |
Under current plans, a further 3,186 SLA bed-spaces at Catterick will be at Grade 1 by 2015.
The service family accommodation (SFA) at Catterick Garrison is at the following standard for condition (SfC).
| Number of SFA | |
A full condition based asset survey is currently being conducted to inform future investment priorities for SFA at Catterick and elsewhere in Great Britain.
Armed Forces: Republic of Ireland
Mrs. Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women registered as born in the Republic of Ireland serve in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy, (iii) Royal Marines and (iv) Royal Air Force as (A) commissioned officers and (B) other ranks; and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last 10 years. [181161]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the number of Republic of Ireland Nationals(1) that serve in the UK armed forces(2,3) by service, gender and rank as at 1 April each year.
(1) Nationality information has been used in place of country of birth as data on country of birth are currently unavailable.
(2 )Data are for UK regular forces (trained and untrained), including nursing services and excluding full-time reserve service personnel, Ghurkhas, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.
(3 )Information on nationality for Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel is only available post joint personnel administration implementation (6 October for Royal Navy and Royal Marines). Information on nationality for RAF personnel pre joint personnel administration (6 April for RAF) can be provided only at a disproportionate cost. Information in the table is for Army personnel only in 1998 to 2005; for Army and RAF personnel in 2006 and for all services in 2007. All 2007 information and 2006 RAF information is marked as provisional due to the ongoing validation of joint personnel administration data.
| Service | Rank | Gender | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| (1) Data not available (2) Zero or rounded to zero. Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: DASA (Quad-Service) | ||||||||||||
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