| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
1 Sep 2008 : Column 1437W—continued
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Foreign Companies
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he has made an estimate of the number of foreign-owned businesses in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [217550]
Mr. Watson: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2008:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the number of foreign-owned businesses in the United Kingdom. (217550)
At March 2007 there were approximately 25,400 enterprises live in the UK owned by a foreign company. This estimate is taken from the UK response to the 2007 Eurostat Registers Questionnaire, submitted to the European Commission. Analysis is based on the national identity of the ultimate owner of an enterprise group.
Defence
Afghanistan: Drugs
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value is of illegal drugs seized by British troops in Afghanistan in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [221396]
Des Browne: The Afghan authorities have the lead for counter-narcotic activity, but under the terms of the current NATO Operational Plan (OPLAN), ISAF forces may support them, including through support to interdiction operations. ISAF forces hand over any drugs, associated equipment, and traffickers to the Afghan authorities at the earliest possible opportunity.
In the absence of any ISAF requirement to record details of narcotic seizures, UK forces have to date not retained a central record of drug seizures, and any attempt to provide one would come at disproportionate cost.
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2008, Official Report, column 62W on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, what types of projects were covered by the term ‘other’ in the table; and whether each project is completed, ongoing or planned. [210912]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The projects listed as ‘other’ in my previous answer referred to projects involving bridge construction, bazaar regeneration, water towers, repair or construction of Government buildings, repair or provision of essential services, and projects aimed at supporting social and economic development. Of these projects, 61 per cent. are completed, 10 per cent. are on-going and 29 per cent. are planned.
In researching this answer it was identified that the table in my previous answer to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Ellwood) was incorrect. The correct number of projects is shown in the following table:
| Location | |||||
| Type of Project | Status | Lashkar Gar | Gereshk | Sangin | Musa Qal'eh |
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on an increased deployment of their armed forces in Afghanistan. [220073]
Des Browne [holding answer 21 July 2008]: I discuss regularly with my NATO counterparts force levels in Afghanistan, including at a meeting of NATO Defence Ministers on 12-13 June.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions live munitions have been launched from MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles controlled by the RAF over Afghanistan; and how many (a) combatants have been killed and (b) non-combatants have been killed and injured as a result of such launches. [220468]
Des Browne: UK Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles operating over Afghanistan have been used successfully to launch munitions on seven occasions. I am withholding details of these engagements as disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying hours have been recorded by unmanned aerial vehicles in (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan and (c) elsewhere in each of the last four quarters, broken down by vehicle type. [220476]
Des Browne: The flying hours recorded for unmanned aerial vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan are shown as follows.
| Hermes 450 | Reaper | |
The figures shown for Reaper are average figures.
The Army also operates Desert Hawk III unmanned aerial vehicles, but flight times are only recorded as a total figure and not in the format requested. The total hours flown in each theatre for the same period are 1,871 in Iraq, and 1,217 in Afghanistan.
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reports he has received on the impact of attacks on convoys to Musa Qala, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on water supplies for British troops serving in that Province. [221395]
Des Browne: I have received no reports suggesting that attacks on convoys to Musa Qala, Helmand Province, have had an impact on drinking water for British troops serving in that Province.
Afghanistan: Reconstruction
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quick impact projects have been undertaken by the Royal Engineers and the Army in Afghanistan since 2001. [218450]
Des Browne: The Royal Engineers, through their construction supervision cell, have managed 201 Quick Impact Projects since 2001, including building schools, medical clinics, roads, irrigation channels and electrical networks.
Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what companies contribute to the running costs of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme; and how much each contributed in the last period for which figures are available. [220704]
Derek Twigg: We are grateful to the sponsors of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme (BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, Augusta Westland and their predecessors) who have contributed £45,000 each for this year, and to Sir Neil Thorne for the very considerable moral and financial support he has lent the scheme since inception in 1989.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme cost to run in the last financial year; and how much external sources of funding contributed towards this cost. [220756]
Derek Twigg: The MOD receives no outside funding assistance for its activity in support of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. The costs to the Department of running the scheme are not recorded separately.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |