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2 Apr 2008 : Column 946W—continued
In-Flight Refuelling: Procurement
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to acquiring future strategic tanker aircraft by adding the UK’s requirement to that of the United States. [197734]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: As I announced in my statement to the House on 31 March 2008, Official Report, column 31WS, we have concluded a contract with AirTanker Ltd to deliver the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft service from 2011. It is a holistic contract including provision of purpose designed training and maintenance facilities at RAF Brize Norton, together with through life training and maintenance support services, until 2035. The US has selected an aircraft to meet its requirement but has not yet concluded the commercial arrangements. We believe that the FSTA contract is the most cost effective way to meet the UK requirement.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many awards for (a) bravery and (b) distinguished service were issued to personnel who had served in Iraq in each year since 2003, broken down by (i) service, (ii) rank and (iii) regiment. [195380]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: It has not been possible to collate the necessary information in the format requested within the required timescale. I can however provide aggregate figures as follows:
| Service | Gallantry | Meritorious service | Total |
The Army figures can be further broken out into regiment follows:
| Regt/Corps | Gallantry | Meritorious service | Total |
I will write to the hon. Member with more detailed information when this has been collated.
Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Nick Harvey:
I undertook to write to you in answer to your parliamentary question on 19 March 2008, Official Report, columns 1174-75W with more detailed information on bravery and distinguished service since 2003.
After further investigation by officials it has become clear that the information is not held in the format you requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Since 2003 there have been 10 operational honours lists, all of which have been published in the London Gazette, http://www.london-gazette.co.uk, copies of which were forward to the Library of the House. The operational honours list was gazetted on the following dates:
31 October 2003
23 April and 7 September 2004
18 March and 9 September 2005
24 March, 8 September and 15 December 2006
19 July 2007
7 March 2008
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK armed forces personnel were stationed in Basra in each month since December 2007; and if he will make a statement. [196918]
Des Browne: The number of established UK military posts in southern Iraq over the period requested is shown in the table (to the nearest hundred):
| Number | |
The actual number of UK military personnel in theatre varies significantly from day-to-day for a variety of reasons, including leave (rest and recuperation), temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement offerees and other factors.
Jo Swinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK armed forces personnel have
served (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more tours of duty in Iraq since March 2003. [197890]
Des Browne: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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