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28 Apr 2008 : Column 58W—continued
Iran: Territorial Waters
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will (a) prepare and (b) place in the Library a commentary on the documents released to The Times newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to the Iranian seizure of personnel from the crew of HMS Cornwall. [201777]
Des Browne [holding answer 25 April 2008]: Yes.
Iraq: Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much it costs to transport one (a) Mastiff and (b) Bulldog armoured vehicle from the UK to (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan. [201021]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The cost of transporting heavy equipment varies considerably according to the method employed. The means of transportation is decided on a number of criteria, primarily when the equipment is ready for transport and its required delivery date.
For Iraq the approximate cost of transporting one Mastiff vehicle by commercial heavy lift aircraft is £41,600.
For Afghanistan the approximate cost of transporting one Mastiff vehicle by commercial heavy lift aircraft is £55,000.
Bulldog deploy to theatre using military shipping. Using a standard calculation for operating costs including the costs of fuel, port handling charges and Suez Transit (and excluding fixed costs such as wages and cost of ownership) the cost of moving one Bulldog is £717. This figure assumes that the vessel carried a full load of cargo which was the case for both of the shipping consignments in this case.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those (a) captured and (b) killed by British forces in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan since November 2007 were of Iranian nationality. [200963]
Des Browne: As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member on 18 October 2007, Official Report, column 1234W, the Ministry of Defence does not maintain records on the nationality of individuals killed in engagements involving UK forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.
No Iranian nationals have been detained by UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan since November 2007.
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of service casualties on current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have been killed and injured in incidents involving roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices. [201885]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth
[holding answer 25 April 2008]: The percentage of fatalities of UK service personnel resulting from improvised explosive devices or mines is
27 per cent. for operations in Afghanistan and 28 per cent. for operations in Iraq.
Data on the proportion of injuries caused by improvised explosive devices or mines are not held centrally.
Joint Rapid Reaction Force
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK's military commitment to (a) the European Union Battlegroup, (b) NATO Response Force, (c) NATO Operational Reserve Force, (d) the Spearhead Land Element, (e) Small Scale Focused Intervention Force and (f) Allied Rapid Reaction Corps will be sourced from the Joint Rapid Reaction Force from July to December 2008. [201023]
Des Browne: The Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) exists to provide the UK's high readiness military contingency and to meet our international high readiness military commitments. In the period from July to December 2008 the UK may be required to provide force elements to the EU Battlegroup, the NATO Response Force and the NATO Operational Reserve Force; these commitments, should they arise, will be met from the JRRF as normal.
The Spearhead Land Element and the Small Scale Focused Intervention capability are both integral components of the JRRF. They are two elements that contribute to the JRRF capability available to Defence for contingent tasks.
The Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps (HQ ARRC) is a UK led multinational HQ assigned to NATO. Between July and December 2008 the UK's military commitment to HQ ARRC will not be drawn from elements assigned to the Joint Rapid Reaction Force.
Lynx Helicopters
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what operational roles are planned for the Future Lynx helicopter. [199463]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 21 April 2008]: The Army variant of Future Lynx is intended to be used primarily as a reconnaissance and utility helicopter. The maritime variant is intended to be used primarily against surface and sub-surface threats.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire dated 19 March 2008 on Gurkhas (Reference: MC01743/2008). [202386]
Derek Twigg: I replied to the hon. Member on 28 April.
NATO Response Force
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what mechanisms the NATO Response Force is funded; and if he will make a statement. [201025]
Des Browne: Costs associated with the NATO Response Force (NRF) are borne directly by the nations providing the force elements; common funding arrangements are not applied. The exception to this is a time-limited arrangement (until the end of 2009), by which common funding can be used to defray the costs associated with the short-notice deployment of elements of the NRF. This is intended to allow nations a reasonable period of time in which to acquire-individually, collectively or by ensuring access to—the strategic lift capability they need to be able to deploy their own forces.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Government spent on the NATO Response Force in each year since 2005. [201026]
Des Browne: The force elements we make available on standby to the NATO Response Force are drawn from the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force. As yet, none of these force elements have been activated for deployment. No expenditure specifically related to the NATO Response Force has therefore been incurred in this period.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what units will form the British commitment to the NATO Response Force in the second half of 2008. [201027]
Des Browne: From July to December 2008, the UK's contribution to the NATO Response Force will be an Air Component Command Headquarters and associated support, a deployable air operating base, eight Tornado GR4 aircraft and four air defence aircraft together with two air refuelling aircraft, two tactical transport aircraft, and a contribution to the Joint Logistic Support Group. We will also provide mine counter measures task group command, with a command ship, a destroyer/frigate escort, and a survey vessel. All these forces will be drawn from the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force.
Navy: Equipment
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ice breakers the Royal Navy had in each year since 1997. [201137]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Ice Patrol ship HMS Endurance is the only ship of this kind operated by the Royal Navy and has been in service since 1991.
Woolwich Barracks
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the redevelopment of Woolwich Barracks; and if he will make a statement. [200959]
Derek Twigg: Good progress has been made, and planning consent for the redevelopment of Woolwich Barracks has been obtained. New junior rank single living accommodation for over 400 personnel is due to be delivered by late 2009.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Coal Mining: Bangladesh
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) what support his Department has provided to promote the proposal by the UK company Global Coal Management Resources PLC for an opencast coal mine at Phulbari in North West Bangladesh; [198833]
(2) if he will have discussions with the Bangladesh Government on the proposal by the UK company Global Coal Management Resources PLC for an opencast coal mine at Phulbari in North West Bangladesh. [198832]
Mr. Thomas: We have provided support to Global Coal Management Resources PLC, through the British high commission in Dhaka. They have lobbied to ensure that the Government of Bangladesh take the company's interests into consideration and do not prohibit opencast mining. The British high commission will continue to remain in touch with the company and will represent their interests as appropriate. The Bangladeshi Caretaker Government's new draft coal policy leaves the way open for opencast mining in Bangladesh in the future.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was spent on the most recent redesign and implementation of his departmental website. [200149]
Mr. Thomas: Following the creation of the Department in June 2007 changes to the design of the website reflecting both the Department's new name and associated brand guidelines were implemented. The total cost of the changes to our website and intranet—which cannot be separated except at disproportionate cost—was £67,000.
Electricity Generation: Renewable Energy
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of UK electricity supply was generated from renewable sources in each year between 1998 and 2007. [200515]
Malcolm Wicks: The proportion of electricity generated in the United Kingdom that has been derived from renewable sources in each year between 1998 and 2006 is shown in the following table. Data for 2007 will not be available until later this year.
| Proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources | |
| Percentage | |
Energy: Finance
Mr. Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2008, Official Report, column 334W, on renewable energy: finance, what funds are held by Ofgem arising from the auctioning of renewable obligation certificates and electricity generated under non-fossil fuel obligation contracts. [199305]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 21 April 2008]: The balance of the England and Wales Levy account as at 31 March 2008 is £29.9 million. This amount includes accumulated interest on the account.
The balance of the Scottish Levy account as at 31 March 2008 is £105.9 million. This amount includes accumulated interest on the account.
Gas and Electricity Markets Authority
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what financial contributions energy suppliers make to Ofgem. [200317]
Malcolm Wicks: Under a Standard Licence Condition, licence fees are collected from the network businesses that hold the following types of licence:
gas transportation
electricity transportation (where the relevant condition is in force)
electricity distribution.
Costs to be recovered by Ofgem are calculated on the basis of a customer numbers formula. For 2007-08, £35.1 million was collected in licence fees to cover Ofgem-related expenditure.
Industrial Diseases: Compensation
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform who the members are of the co-ordinating group for the solicitors representing former mineworkers. [201644]
Malcolm Wicks: Members of the coordinating group (CG) of claimants' solicitors for each of the Coal Health Compensations schemes are as follows; for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the CG is made up of:
Irwin Mitchell
Hugh James
Thompsons (Newcastle)
Thompsons (Edinburgh);
and for vibration white finger:
Irwin Mitchell
Hugh James
Thompsons (Edinburgh)
Thompson & Co.
Watson Burton.
Low Carbon Buildings Programme
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the reduction in maximum grant levels under the domestic stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme on household demand for solar photovoltaic and micro-wind technologies; and if he will make a statement. [199375]
Malcolm Wicks: Since the introduction of a grant cap in May 2007 for household installations monthly applications, including for solar PV and micro-wind, have decreased relative to before May 2007. However, we have seen a more even spread across the various technologies. There are potentially a number of factors contributing to this lower uptake of household grants. However, we believe that the extension to the household stream of LCBP, relaxation of planning requirements and wider promotion of the programme should help to boost take-up.
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the number of micro-generation installations to be delivered by the domestic stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. [199377]
Malcolm Wicks: To date, we have funded 4,300 domestic installations through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. We recently announced that the domestic stream will be extended to June 2010 or until the funds are exhausted whichever comes sooner. We also announced the relaxation of planning permission requirements, making it easier for homeowners to install microgeneration on their homes.
Should we continue allocating grants at the current rate of 200 per month, we would expect to see a further 2,800 completed installations by scheme closure. However, with the changes that we have made, we expect that uptake to increase.
We will continue to monitor uptake to the domestic stream going forward.
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