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2 Apr 2008 : Column 936W—continued

Defence

Afghanistan: Compensation

Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Government paid in compensation to Afghan nationals injured by British armed forces in Afghanistan in each year since 2001. [198015]

Des Browne: Payments totalling $US 295,386 have been paid to Afghan nationals killed or injured by British armed forces in Afghanistan since 2001 as follows:

2 Apr 2008 : Column 937W

Financial year	Total payments ($)
2001-02	(1)—
2002-03	35,000
2003-04	(1)—
2004-05	(1)—
2005-06	(1)—
2006-07	36,061
2007-08	224,325
(1) None recorded

Air Force: Military Bases

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the duration of the contract with the US administration for its use of (a) RAF Menwith Hill and (b) RAF Fylingdales. [198155]

Des Browne: There is no contract for the use of RAF Menwith Hill. The base is made available to the United States Visiting Force under the terms of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement 1951, and other confidential arrangements.

The use of RAF Fylingdales to provide the US with ballistic missile early warning data is governed by the Memorandum of Agreement Concerning Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station at Fylingdales Moor, Yorkshire 1960. This agreement is scheduled to remain in force while the North Atlantic Treaty remains in force. The use of the upgraded early warning radar at RAF Fylingdales to provide data for the US ballistic missile defence system is governed by the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Ballistic Missile Defence. This agreement is scheduled to last for 25 years, and began in 2003.

Ammunition

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK’s stockpile of cluster munitions is; and what the criteria is for their use. [198111]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. The use of cluster munitions, as with all munitions, is governed by international humanitarian law.

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals in each branch of the armed forces participated in his Department’s shared equity housing scheme. [197932]

Derek Twigg: The Department does not currently operate a shared equity housing scheme.

Armed Forces: Influenza

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance the Defence Medical Services Department has issued to the armed forces overseas on preparing for an influenza pandemic; and if he will make a statement. [195353]

Derek Twigg: Guidance and information on infection control procedures for military establishments, both within the UK and overseas, is set down in the Defence Medical Services document “Pandemic Influenza: Infection Control Guidance for Military Settings”, issued in October
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2006, and based on Health Protection Agency guidance. In the event that the World Health Organisation declares a pandemic alert, Defence Medical Services personnel on operational deployment will work with military commanders to apply the guidance in-theatre.

In addition, MOD has recently produced a “Pandemic Influenza Guide”, to enable defence personnel to make informed judgements on what to do should an influenza pandemic occur. Two leaflets have also been produced, summarising key aspects of the guidance; TLBs and Trading Funds will be arranging promulgation to their staff shortly.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Mr. Mates: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many forces’ widows whose husbands retired before 31 March 1973 were receiving an armed forces pension scheme pension at the latest date for which figures are available. [197893]

Derek Twigg: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Mr. Mates: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons figures on the number of service pensions paid are not included in UK defence statistics. [197895]

Derek Twigg: Figures on the number of service pensions paid are not included in the UK Defence statistics as there has been no past requirement for the Defence Analytical Services Agency to routinely process information on the armed forces pension scheme.

Armed Forces: Schools

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the National Union of Teachers on the provision of materials on (a) the armed forces and (b) Iraq to schools; and what steps have been taken following such discussions. [196606]

Derek Twigg: No discussions have taken place between MOD and the NUT.

Armed Forces: Transexuality

Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Tri Service Draft on Transgender Service Personnel. [198200]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I will place a copy of the policy document in the Library of the House once it has been finalised.

Army: Manpower

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) mean, (b) median and (c) mode length of service of (i) UK nationals and (ii) non-UK nationals in the British Army was in each of the last 10 years. [194551]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: This question has been assumed as mean, median and mode return of service and is therefore based on the length of service of those that outflowed during the period.

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Non-UK nationals have only been recruited into the Army in significant numbers since 1999 and so a comparatively small number have had the opportunity to serve a full career. This is reflected in the number that have outflowed and the mean, mode and median calculations.

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The following tables show the mean, mode and median length of service on outflow for trained regular army direct entry and late entry officers and other ranks. Because of the very small population of outflow from non-UK nationals this information is not comparable with the outflow from UK nationals.

Direct entry officers
	UK nationals				Non-UK nationals
Financial year of outflow	Mean	Mode	Median	Number of outflow	Mean	Mode	Median	Number of outflow
2006-07(1)	16 years 2 months	6 years	16 years	710	13 years 9 months	4 and 9 years	9 years	20
2005-06	17 years	6 and 34 years	14 years	660	11 years 5 months	5 and 6 years	7 years	30
2004-05	16 years 9 months	6 years	14 years	630	11 years 2 months	4 years	6 years	20
2003-04	17 years 3 months	5 and 34 years	16 years	570	13 years 3 months	4 and 34 years	8 years	10
2002-03	17 years 11 months	34 years	16 years	570	7 years 10 months	34 years	5 years	20
2001-02	17 years 4 months	34 years	16 years	650	16 years 11 months	6 years	10 years	10
2000-01	16 years	4 years	12 years	650	13 years 4 months	16 years	11 years	20
1999-2000	16 years 7 months	34 years	12 years	630	11 years 10 months	6 years	8 years	20
1998-99	14 years 11 months	4 years	9 years	750	11 years 3 months	5 and 8 years	8 years	20
1997-98	14 years 11 months	6 years	9 years	650	13 years 4 months	7 years	8 years	20

Late entry officers
	UK nationals				Non-UK nationals
Financial year of outflow	Mean	Mode	Median	Number of outflow	Mean	Mode	Median	Number of outflow
2006-07(1)	9 years 6 months	3 and 4 years	9 years	260	10 years 6 months	7 and 8 years	8 years	10
2005-06	10 years 6 months	6 years	10 years	280	10 years 8 months	4 years	10 years	10
2004-05	10 years 10 months	14 years	11 years	230	11 years 4 months	6 and 10 years	10 years	10
2003-04	11 years 8 months	15 and 16 years	12 years	182	11 years 10 months	(2)—	9 years	0
2002-03	11 years 11 months	15 years	12 years	200	17 years 3 months	16 years	17 years	0
2001-02	12 years 3 months	15 years	12 years	220	19 years 3 months	19 years	19 years	0
2000-01	12 years	14 years	12 years	210	14 years 6 months	(2)—	14 years	0
1999-2000	11 years 8 months	6 years	11 years	190	14 years 3 months	(2)—	15 years	0
1998-99	11 years 11 months	5 years	12 years	230	9 years 10 months	(2)—	5 years	0
1997-98	10 years 2 months	5 years	9 years	260	12 years	11 years	11 years	0

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