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1 Sep 2008 : Column 1448W—continued
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) unladen weight, (b) carrying capacity by weight, (c) external measurements, (d) internal measurements of working space and (e) cubic capacity of working space is of the (i) Snatch Land Rover and (ii) Force Protection Cheetah. [220773]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Snatch 2 Land Rover has an overall length of 4,800 mm including the spare wheel, an overall height of 2,370 mm and an overall width of 2,000 mm with mirrors folded. I am withholding the information relating to the weight, internal measurements of working space, cubic capacity of working space and vehicle carrying capacity as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
The Cheetah series of vehicles is produced by the US company Force Protection Inc. The Department does not have any of these vehicles in service and therefore cannot issue what constitutes proprietary information on this vehicle. The hon. Member may, though, be interested in looking at a brochure on the Force Protection Industries website which contains information on the Cheetah’s specifications. The address is:
Army Criminal Legal Aid Authority
Harry Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will bring forward proposals to change the way the Army Criminal Legal Aid Authority
operates following the proceedings on the death of Mr. Baha Musa in Iraq in British custody and the legal aid provided to the defendants. [220888]
Des Browne: No specific issues arose out of the proceedings on the death of Mr. Baha Mousa in Iraq in British custody that indicated the need to change the way in which the Army Criminal Legal Aid Authority (now the Armed Forces Criminal Legal Aid Authority) operates.
Separately, a number of changes have been made to the administration of armed forces legal aid to reflect the interim changes to the civilian criminal legal aid scheme resulting from the Lord Carter's Review of Legal Aid Procurement. Further changes emerging from the review will be considered for adoption in due course. This will allow the Armed Forces Criminal Legal Aid system to continue to reflect the legal aid system operated by the Legal Services Commission.
Defence Estates
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the value of his Department's disposable land as identified in the defence estates development plan. [220494]
Derek Twigg: Market value estimates are only made once sites are released for disposal.
I am withholding the estimated value of released sites within our disposal plans as their release would prejudice commercial interests.
Departmental Appeals
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions his Department has instructed the Treasury Solicitor to seek leave to appeal to the House of Lords from (a) the Court of Appeal and (b) the House of Lords itself in each of the last 10 years; and on how many occasions the application was rejected. [220820]
Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Buildings
Mr. Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses on the Ministry of Defence estate will be refurbished in each of the next five years. [217308]
Derek Twigg: Refurbishment of property is not readily distinguishable from other maintenance or upgrade expenditure when compiling costings and planning for service families accommodation (SFA).
We intend to spend in excess of £8 billion on accommodation over the next decade, of which over £3 billion will be on improvements and upgrades.
Based on current funding levels, the MOD plans to upgrade at least 600 of the worst condition SFA properties in the United Kingdom to the highest Standard for Condition in 2008-09 and at least 800 properties each
year until Financial Year 2012. The upgrade programme prioritises those properties identified as being in the greatest need.
In addition, we will carry out routine works, on SFA, including maintenance and replacement of bathrooms, kitchens and boilers, which while not sufficient to upgrade a property to the next level or higher, will significantly improve the quality of life for the occupants.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what his Department’s policy is on improving the energy efficiency of the buildings which it (a) rents and (b) owns; what changes there have been in the energy efficiency of such buildings in the last (i) five and (ii) 10 years; and whether his Department has adopted targets on energy efficiency improvements in the buildings it occupies over the next (A) five and (B) 10 years; [221095]
(2) what account his Department takes of the level of energy efficiency of buildings before entering into agreements to (a) rent and (b) purchase those buildings. [221111]
Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to meeting the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) targets for improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon dioxide emissions from buildings relative to 1999-2000 levels and achieving carbon neutrality on its office estate by 2012.
In 2006-07, the last period for which published figures are available, we achieved an improvement in energy efficiency per metre squared of 29 per cent., and reduced carbon dioxide emissions from buildings by some eight per cent., against the relevant SOGE reduction targets of 30 per cent., by 2020 and 12.5 per cent., by 2010-11, respectively.
In addition, the MOD has gone further than the 12.5 per cent., reduction in carbon dioxide emissions required by 2010-11 and has put in place a 15 per cent., reduction target relative to 2004-05 levels, which is to be achieved through increased energy efficiency and greater use of renewable and low carbon technologies.
Where existing buildings are being considered for acquisition or rental, the energy efficiency information provided by the Energy Performance Certificate will be taken into account.
Where new build is concerned, the MOD integrates carbon reduction and sustainable development considerations into its building design and construction projects.
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department and its agencies have been (a) dismissed and (b) disciplined for their conduct in the last two years. [217414]
Derek Twigg: The following table shows the number of Ministry of Defence civilian employees who have been (a) dismissed in the last two financial years.
| Headcount | |
| Financial year | Number of MOD civilian employees dismissed( 1) |
| (1) Includes all non-industrial, industrial and trading fund MOD civilian personnel but excludes Royal Fleet Auxiliary and locally engaged civilian staff for whom no information on exit dismissals is available. Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. | |
The following table shows the number of Ministry of Defence civilian employees who have been (b) disciplined for their conduct in the last two years. It includes all discipline and restoring efficiency cases; this can vary from poor attendance to excessive sick absence.
| Financial year | ||
| Level 1 | 2006-07( 1) | 2007-08 |
| (1) Data for financial year 2006-07 are not available. (2) Numbers are provisional. Note: Data provided by PPPA. | ||
Departmental Official Cars
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which make and model of car he has chosen as his Ministerial car to be provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency. [217759]
Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 July 2008, Official Report, column 414W, by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department and its agencies spent on entertainment in each of the last five years. [219254]
Derek Twigg: We report expenditure on hospitality and entertainment in our annual report and accounts.
Copies of our annual report and accounts are available in the Library of the House and online at:
Departmental Pay
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of staff in his Department received bonus payments in 2007-08; what the total amount of bonuses paid was; what the largest single payment was; and if he will make a statement. [213304]
Derek Twigg:
The number and value of annual appraisal-related bonuses paid to members of the senior civil service (SCS), to fixed term appointees and to civil servants below the level of the SCS covered by the MOD main pay deal (excluding trading funds and agencies), in 2007-08, are listed in tables 1 to 3 as
follows. The Ministry of Defence also awards special bonuses to individuals and teams for exceptional performance in a specific task or for the achievement of professional qualifications which benefit MOD and the individual; these are shown in table 4. The final table (5) shows the total value of all bonuses paid in cash terms; it is not possible at this time to give the percentage of the work force to which this refers and this will be advised at the end of July.
| Table 1: Bonuses paid to senior civil servants | |
| 2007-08 | |
| Table 2: Bonuses paid to fixed term appointees | |
| 2007-08 | |
| (1) There is one outstanding bonus payment still to be agreed. | |
| Table 3: End of year bonuses paid to staff below the level of the SCS (excluding MOD trading fund agencies | |
| 2007-08 | |
| Table 4: Special bonuses (excluding MOD trading fund agencies) | |
| 2007-08 | |
| Table 5: Summary of bonuses paid | |
| Total | 2007-08 |
| (1) Staff numbers taken from departmental end year accounts not yet available. | |
Substantive answer from Derek Twigg to Vincent Cable:
I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question of 21 July 2008, (Official Report, column 842-843W) about bonus payments.
I am now able to provide the percentage of the workforce who received a bonus payment in 2007-08. An updated Table 5 is shown below:
| Table 5: Summary of bonuses paid | |
| Total | 2007-08 |
The figures in the table represent bonuses paid to members of the Senior Civil Service (SCS), fixed term appointees, and to civil servants, covered by the MOD main pay deal, below the level of the SCS.
For the SCS, under the current arrangements delegated to departments from the Cabinet Office, bonuses are used to reward excellent performance during the year, and are based on a judgement of how well an individual has performed relative to their peers. The intention is that the best performers receive the biggest bonuses.
For the grades below the SCS, bonus awards are made on the judgement of local managers of an individual's contribution to the year's business objectives, relative to those of colleagues in the same pay band or skill zone. Individual recommendations for or against awards are made by line managers in accordance with corporate criteria and are subsequently reviewed and validated by senior officers.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by special advisers in his Department in each of the last 10 years. [215231]
Derek Twigg: Procedures for reimbursing staff expenses are set out in the MOD policy manual and are in line with the provisions set out in the Civil Service Management Code. The code can be viewed at:
As temporary civil servants special advisers are subject to the same rules.
The following table contains the total amount of reimbursable expenses claimed by MOD special advisers over the last 10 years.
| Financial year | Total expenses (£) |
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