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5 Mar 2008 : Column 2545W—continued

Office of the Third Sector: Finance

Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the Office of the Third Sector’s expenditure in 2007-08; and what budget has been set for the Office for 2009-10. [191095]

Phil Hope: The outturn for the Office of the Third Sector for 2007-08 will be available only when the Department’s resource accounts are fully audited and laid before Parliament. This is expected to be before the 2008 summer recess. The budget for the Office of the Third Sector can be found in the Spring Supplementary Estimate 2007-08 published on the HM Treasury website:

The 2009-10 programme budget is as set out in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 1084W.


5 Mar 2008 : Column 2546W

Defence

Afghanistan

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the statement by the Prime Minister of 12 December 2007, Official Report, columns 303-4, on Afghanistan, how many civilian helicopters leased by NATO are in use in Afghanistan; and whether any are operating in (a) Helmand, (b) Kandahar, (c) Zabul, (d) Uruzgan, (e) Ghanzi, (f) Pakitka, (g) Khost and (h) Paktia provinces. [190836]

Des Browne: NATO has a contract for a civilian contractor to transport by air up to 13,000 kg per day of cargo in the four largest regional command areas of Afghanistan. The contract is for a service, rather than for a number of capital assets, and therefore the number of helicopters or fixed wing aircraft used to deliver this service can and does vary on a day-to-day basis.

The contract requires a capability to operate from the four main regional hubs outside Kabul to forward operating bases and other locations throughout Afghanistan. The regional hubs are: Kandahar in the south; Herat in the west; Mazar e Sharif in the north; and Bagram in the east. The southern hub covers as required the provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, and Uruzgan. The eastern hub covers the provinces of Ghanzi, Pakitka, Khost and Paktia.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) ambush and (b) improvised explosive device attacks have been carried out against international security assistance force troops in Helmand Province in each month in 2007; [172154]

(2) how many (a) ambush and (b) improvised explosive device attacks were carried out against international security assistance force troops in Helmand Province in each month in 2007. [162790]

Des Browne: The following table records the number of attacks (direct and explosive devices) instigated by enemy forces on ISAF forces in Helmand Province, Afghanistan for each month requested. I am withholding details of these attacks as the information would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness and security of the armed forces.

2007 Number of attacks

January

65

February

92

March

149

April

82

May

132

June

120

July

125

August

131

September

125

October

108

November

132

December

151


5 Mar 2008 : Column 2547W

This data is based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operation environment.

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many attacks were made on British forces in Southern Afghanistan in (a) May 2006, (b) June 2006, (c) July 2006, (d) August 2006 and (e) September 2006, with reference to the answer of 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 62W, on Afghanistan peacekeeping operations; [161882]

(2) how many attacks have been made on British forces in Afghanistan in each month since October 2006. [162657]

Des Browne: The following tables shows the number of attacks (direct or using mines/improvised explosive devices) instigated by enemy forces on ISAF forces in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in each of the months requested. It is not possible, except at disproportionate cost, separately to identify attacks directed exclusively at British forces given the multinational nature of forces operating in Helmand Province.

Number of a ttacks

2006

May

3

June

18

July

133

August

141

September

150

October

49

November

32

December

53

2007

January

65

February

92

March

149

April

82

May

132

June

120

July

125

August

131

September

125

October

108

November

132

December

151

2008

January

71


These data are based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operation environment.

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many contacts were recorded between British forces and insurgents in Southern Afghanistan in each month since May 2006, with reference to the answer of
5 Mar 2008 : Column 2548W
8 October 2007, Official Report, column 61-2W, on Afghanistan peacekeeping operations. [161883]

Des Browne: The number of direct engagements (regardless of the instigator or the means of instigating the incident) between ISAF forces and insurgents in Helmand Province per month since May 2006 are shown in the following table.

Number of contacts

2006

May

4

June

18

July

140

August

180

September

177

October

77

November

48

December

64

2007

January

110

February

156

March

260

April

178

May

208

June

178

July

189

August

170

September

197

October

149

November

161

December

202

2008

January

106


It is not possible, except at disproportionate cost, separately to identify attacks exclusively involving British forces given the multinational nature of forces operating in Helmand Province.

These data are based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operation environment.

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) suicide bombings and (b) improvised explosive device attacks were recorded against (i) (A) NATO and (B) British forces and (ii) Afghan civilians in each month since May 2006 in Afghanistan. [161935]

Des Browne: It is not possible further to break down these statistics in the way requested as in some instances it is not possible to determine against whom a particular attack was targeted.

The numbers of suicide attacks recorded in Afghanistan are shown in the following table.


5 Mar 2008 : Column 2549W
Number of suicide attacks

2006

May

6

June

3

July

8

August

13

September

19

October

13

November

13

December

9

2007

January

12

February

8

March

14

April

13

May

15

June

12

July

22

August

11

September

12

October

11

November

4

December

8


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