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7 Mar 2008 : Column 2847W—continued
Armed Forces: Gliding
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the RAF's project evaluation in respect of the relocation of the Joint Service Gliding Centre and the RAF Gliding and Soaring Association Centre from RAF Bicester to RAF Halton. [191928]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 6 March 2008]: Yes. I will place a copy in the Library.
Armed Forces: Publications
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the joint service publications (a) JSP 463, (b) JSP 468, (c) JSP 469 and (d) JSP 471. [175422]
Derek Twigg: The information is as follows:
(a) JSP 463 (Procedures for Project Sponsorship of Staff Targets and Requirements (The Purple Book)) is not a current publication and no copy of it could be located.
I have placed (b) JSP 468 (Joint Service Manual for the Loan and Secondment of Personnel to Commonwealth and Foreign Forces) and (c) JSP 469 (Service Code of Practice for Custody and Detention) in the Library of the House.
(d) JSP 471 (Defence Nuclear Accident Response) is available on the MOD website at the following address:
Armed Forces: Uniforms
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average cost of (a) service dress, (b) blues and (c) mess dress is for each regiment; and how much service personnel receive towards the costs of each. [191447]
Derek Twigg: The average cost, at public expense, for all three Services for parade wear (service dress) is £100 and blues is £190. Mess dress for the RN and RAF is £135. Army officers are given an allowance to purchase all of their uniform requirements and this varies from regiment to regiment. The majority of grants are around £2,100, but it is not possible to separate out the cost of each dress uniform from this.
Defence Medical Service: Manpower
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in recruitment to fill manning shortfalls in the Defence Medical Service. [183133]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We accept that manpower shortfalls remain in some key specialties, including some consultant cadres and specialist nurses. These shortfalls have never resulted in the Defence Medical Services being unable to meet operational commitments. We manage medical deployments on a tri-service basis, allowing the work load to be shared more evenly and maximising capabilities. In addition we make use of reserves and civilian agency contractors and work closely with allies to ensure appropriate medical support is in place.
To encourage the recruitment of certain specialities within the Defence Medical Services, where there are the most severe shortfalls, the Department pays “Golden Hellos”. Golden Hellos are currently paid to General Medical Practitioners, and certain specialist consultants and nurses.
In addition the single services’ medical directorates have their own locally driven policies to improve recruitment.
Departmental Consultants
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many consultants his Department employed in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007; and at what cost in each year. [192643]
Derek Twigg: Specific data on the number of consultants employed by the Ministry of Defence are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, MOD expenditure on external assistance, which includes management and other types of consultancy, has been reported to Ministers since 1995-96: summaries are available in the Library of the House.
Furthermore, information on organisations, including consultancy firms, paid £5 million or more by the MOD in each financial year is published in the UK defence statistics. Copies are also placed in the Library.
Departmental Plants
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on pot plants in each of the last five years. [192056]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Recruitment
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the policy of British jobs for British workers will affect his Department’s recruitment policy. [179880]
Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 3 March 2008, Official Report, columns 2206-07W.
Harrier Aircraft: Repairs and Maintenance
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current percentage shortfall is in spares for the (a) Harrier and (b) Typhoon aircraft. [190636]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held in the format requested.
Aircraft spares for the Harrier aircraft fleet are partly provided direct from industry. Spares demands satisfied from MOD stocks average 90 per cent. Spare parts availability for the Harrier fleet has been sufficient to meet its operational commitments.
Aircraft spares for Typhoon are partly provided direct from industry and partly by the MOD through an international contract. These arrangements are being built up as the RAF fleet grows and demands satisfied from MOD stocks average 68 per cent. Spare parts availability for the Typhoon fleet has been sufficient to meet its operational commitments.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects UK troops deployed in Iraq to be reduced to 2,500; and if he will make a statement. [191331]
Des Browne: UK force levels in southern Iraq currently stand at around 4,100. In keeping with the plans my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out to Parliament on 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 23W, we continue to plan to be able to reduce UK force levels in southern Iraq to around 2,500 from this spring. Final decisions however will, as always, be based on the advice of our military commanders and conditions on the ground at the time. Work continues on the details in consultation with our coalition partners and the Government of Iraq.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average cost is per capita per diem of feeding British troops on operations in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; and what percentage of the total cost is attributable to (i) transport, (ii) storage, (iii) catering and (iv) food. [191342]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Based on actual food and storage and distribution costs, and forecast personnel numbers for March 2008, the average cost per capita, per diem, of food, and the storage and distribution of food, for troops and civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan is as follows:
| Cost (£) | Food (Percentage) | Storage and distribution (Percentage) | |
The ratio between fresh food and operational ration pack elements of the cost varies between the operational needs in each environment. Equally, the storage and distribution requirements for each operational theatre vary, and hence the proportion of overall cost attributable to each is different.
In Afghanistan, there are additional storage and distribution costs in meeting the demands of that operational environment, for example military charter flights and convoys to support the forward operating bases, and these cannot be broken down.
Catering costs in both theatres would include: capital costs of kitchens and dining rooms; maintenance of catering infrastructure; civilian contracts in support of catering. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
RAF Halton: Complaints
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints (a) his Department and (b) the RAF received in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004, (iii) 2005, (iv) 2006 and (v) 2007 about flying activities at RAF Halton. [191929]
Derek Twigg [holding answer 6 March 2008]: The number of complaints received is as follows:
| Complaints about flying activities at RAF Halton since 2003 | |
| Number | |
The information comes from three sources—statistics held by RAF Halton; correspondence directed towards headquarters personnel and training command (before April 2007) and headquarters air command (after April 2007) and written complaints directed towards the Ministry of Defence. There is a possibility that there may be a small amount of duplication between these sources.
Territorial Army
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to mark the role played in the defence of the UK by the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve in its centenary year. [190610]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 29 February 2008]: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces made on 12 June 2007, Official Report, column 41WS, and the reply I gave, as current hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces, on 17 September 2007, Official Report, column 2176W, to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison).
I hope to be in a position to make an announcement on the events that are planned to mark the role played by the Territorial Army in the very near future.
USA: Nuclear Weapons
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with counterparts in NATO countries on the United States' plan to site nuclear missile bases in the Czech Republic and Poland. [192485]
Des Browne: The UK knows of no US plans to site nuclear missile bases in the Czech Republic and Poland. US plans to base conventional ballistic missile defence assets in these countries are discussed regularly in NATO.
Prime Minister
Councillors: Surveillance
Robert Neill: To ask the Prime Minister if he will extend the Wilson Doctrine to cover the communications of elected local councillors with their constituents. [191658]
The Prime Minister: I set out the position on the Wilson Doctrine on 12 September 2007, Official Report, column 2103W.
Devolution: Scotland
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what recent consideration he has given to returning powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament to the United Kingdom Parliament. [190948]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice on 31 January 2008, House of Lords Official Report, column WA145. In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my spokesman on 18 February 2008. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website
and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Efficiency in Public Services Review: Written Questions
Chris Huhne: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2008, Official Report, column 1343W, on efficiency in public services review: written questions, what assessment he has made of the compliance of (a) the Home Office, (b) the Ministry of Defence and (c) other Government departments with the guidance to officials on drafting answers to parliamentary questions in responding to parliamentary questions on redundancies and related costs arising from the conclusions of the Gershon Review; and if he will make a statement. [191517]
The Prime Minister: All Departments, including the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office, publish performance against their Gershon targets in detail in their annual reports. Copies of these reports and further mid-year departmental reports are available in the Libraries of the House.
Farnborough Air Show
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the Farnborough Air Show. [192001]
The Prime Minister: I have no current plans to do so.
British Food
Mr. Paice: To ask the Prime Minister what proportion of food served in 10 Downing Street was of British origin in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007, broken down by food type; and what proportion was sourced from countries outside the EU in each case. [192006]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor, the right hon. Tony Blair, on 31 January 2007, Official Report, column 303W.
Human Embryo Experiments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) letters and (b) postcards he has received since July from (i) members of the public, (ii) hon. Members and (iii) members of the House of Lords on (A) the creation of human/animal hybrids and (B) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill; how many and what percentage (I) supported and (II) opposed each; and if he will make a statement. [190872]
The Prime Minister: Since July my Office has received approximately 5,800 letters about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Given the volume of correspondence I receive, thousands of letters each week covering a broad spectrum of issues, my Office records letters by subject rather than by view expressed.
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