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6 May 2008 : Column 837W—continued
Data on the number of staff who took between five and 40 days sick leave due to stress could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Eco-Towns
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department owns land in any of the 15 locations short-listed as possible eco-towns. [201840]
Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) owns land in four of the 15 potential locations short-listed as possible eco-towns.
| Serial | Proposed eco-town | MOD establishment |
The Department also has a residual legal interest in the land at former RAF Coltishall. This is being transferred under departmental agreement for use by the Ministry of Justice, but we have yet to convey the freehold to the new owner.
HMS Endurance
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of time HMS Endurance was (a) at sea and (b) undergoing maintenance in each year since 1997. [203404]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The percentage of time HMS Endurance spent at sea and undergoing support maintenance in each year since 1997 was as follows:
| Calendar year | Days at sea percentage | Support maintenance percentage |
The remainder of her time was spent alongside training, self maintenance and periods of leave.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of medical personnel serving in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan were reservists in the latest period for which figures are available. [200940]
Des Browne: The proportions of UK medical personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who are reservists, as at April 2008, are 7 per cent. and 31 per cent. respectively. There is a total of around 200 UK medical personnel deployed in each theatre.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what competencies and powers the Royal Military Police have to investigate allegations of misconduct by (a) British nationals and (b) nationals of other countries, other than Iraqis who are employees of private military or security companies contracted to work in Iraq by his Department and British armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [202976]
Des Browne [holding answer 1 May 2008]: The Ministry of Defence has no active contracts with Private Military or Security Companies (PMSC) in Iraq.
Under the Army Act 1955 the RMP has jurisdiction over individuals employed in the service of, (or accompanying, such as dependents in Cyprus and Germany), a body of the regular forces that is on active service. It does not matter whether the civilian is British or a national of another country or whether they are employees of PMSCs.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the most recent tour intervals are of those units serving in the next roulement for Operation Telic. [203203]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 January 2008, Official Report, columns 522-4W.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) required and (b) actual number of units serving in the next roulement for Operation Telic is. [203204]
Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement on 24 April, Official Report, columns 107-109WS. There have been no changes since my statement.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2008, Official Report, column 58W, on Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations, for what reasons his Department does not keep records of the nationality of individuals killed in engagements involving UK forces in Iraq or Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [203476]
Des Browne: It is not possible to maintain accurate records of the nationalities of individuals killed by UK forces in Iraq or Afghanistan. Although battle damage assessments are conducted following an engagement, insurgents frequently do not carry documents that reliably indicate their nationality. Additionally the circumstances of engagements mean that the risks to UK forces remaining at the scene would frequently outweigh any benefits from attempting to confirm nationalities; many engagements are also conducted at ranges where UK personnel are unable to reach any insurgent fatalities before they are removed.
Military Bands: Training
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances bandsmen are being trained with live ammunition for active front-line service. [203333]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Musicians of the Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force receive the same initial training as any other recruit joining their respective Service. Part of this initial training package will cover weapon handling and shooting; including the firing of live ammunition. These skills are reinforced periodically through mandatory training and testing.
Service personnel, including musicians, receive theatre-specific training prior to deployment on operations. This training includes live firing and weapon handling elements. All Service musicians deploying on operations will be issued with a personal weapon. Most will deploy in medical support roles, where the need to provide armed protection of themselves and casualties may arise.
Navy: Piracy
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the Royal Navy (a) arresting pirates at sea and (b) rendering arrested pirates for justice before (i) United Kingdom and (ii) non-United Kingdom courts. [203580]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Royal Navy is prepared to meet the United Kingdom’s obligations under international law with respect to piracy, in particular the United Nations Conventions on the Laws of the Sea.
Piracy
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what guidance his Department issues to Royal Navy ships operating in or passing through areas where there is a risk of piracy on (a) intervention in and (b) taking active steps to prevent acts of piracy; [202712]
(2) what guidance his Department has issued to (a) UK-registered and (b) Royal Navy ships operating in or passing through areas in and near Somali territorial waters where there is a risk of piracy on (i) intervention in and (ii) taking active steps to prevent acts of piracy in the last five years. [203016]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Royal Navy provides Commanding Officers with classified policy and legal advice to enable them to fulfil the United Kingdom’s obligations under international law, including in particular, the United Nations Conventions on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Department for Transport is responsible for providing advice to UK registered ships on piracy and maritime armed robbery. Up until December 2007, the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) produced the World Wide Threat to Shipping which was available via the Royal Navy website. Although this publication has now ceased, the DIS continue to provide assistance to the Department for Transport.
Royal Military Academy: Foreigners
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many overseas cadets were trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in each of the last five years. [203681]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 February 2008, Official Report, column 2016-20W to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague).
Saudi Arabia: Defence
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia on the Saudi British Defence Cooperation Programme was signed; what the scope of the memorandum is; and whether it supersedes the al-Yamamah memoranda of understanding of (a) 1985, (b) 1986 and (c) 1988. [201672]
Des Browne: The UK and Saudi Arabian Governments agreed to close al-Yamamah at the end of 2006. It was further agreed that support for equipment already in service with the Saudi Arabian armed forces should be provided under a new and discrete defence co-operation programme funded through the Saudi Arabian Defence Budget. This new arrangement has been named the Saudi British Defence Co-operation Programme (SBDCP) and it has been in operation since the beginning of 2007. There is no separate memorandum of understanding governing the operation and structure of the SBDCP, which operates under the auspices of the 1986 MOU.
Territorial Army: Officers
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many potential Territorial Army officers are undergoing training. [203178]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Brigade Regional Training Centres are the primary source of young officers into the Territorial Army. There are currently 284 potential officers under training through these centres.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Territorial Army (TA) officers were commissioned into the TA in each year since 1997; [203189]
(2) how many Territorial Army officers left the Territorial Army in each year since 1997. [203215]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the total intake and outflow for Territorial Army Officers during the period 1 October 2003 to 28 February 2007. October 2003 is the earliest date for which reliable TA inflow and outflow data are available.
| Inflow and outflow of Territorial Army officers by calendar year( 1,2,3,4) | ||
| Calendar year | Inflow( 5) | Outflow( 6) |
| (1) The data exclude Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS), Non-Regular Permanent Staff (NRPS) and Mobilised TA. (2) The data are based on flows during the period 1 October 2003 to 31 December 2003, calendar years 2004, 2005, and 2006, and the period 1 January 2007 to 28 February 2007. (3) The data have been rounded to the nearest 10, numbers ending in ‘5’ have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid systematic bias. (4) Figures are for officers only. (5) Inflow figures include all inflow e.g. intake from civil life and intake from other parts of the armed forces, but does not include the inflow of personnel returning from mobilisation. (6) Outflow figures exclude those officers who become mobilised. (7) 1 October to 31 December 2003. (8) 1 January to 28 February 2007. (9) Due to the ongoing data validation following the introduction of the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) System, there are no TA flows information available after 1 March 2007. | ||
Veterans: Mental Health
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the development of the community-based mental health programme for veterans announced on 23 November 2007; and if he will make a statement. [203327]
Derek Twigg: Four pilots have been launched for a new community-based veterans’ mental health service, providing expert assessment and treatment within the NHS, and including input by ex-service charities. These pilots are located at Staffordshire and Shropshire, Camden and Islington, Bishop Auckland and Cardiff Vale. These will be followed shortly by two further pilots in Cornwall and Lothian. The pilots will run for two years. There will be an independent evaluation and the plan is to apply the lessons learned from them nationally. In the interim, for areas not yet covered by the pilots, veterans with mental health problems resulting from operations since 1982 may attend our Medical Assessment Programme based at St. Thomas' Hospital, London.
Culture, Media and Sport
Archaeology
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the (a) terms of reference and (b) timetable of the review of the portable antiquities scheme are; who is to undertake the review; and if he will make a statement. [203898]
Margaret Hodge: The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council's (MLA) review of the portable antiquities scheme will examine the objectives of the scheme and options for its future management and delivery. The MLA will make an announcement about the timetable of the review and who will undertake it in due course.
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