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RAF St. Athan

Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham of 15 July 2008, Official Report, column 314W, on RAF St. Athan, whether it is planned to make the Defence Technical Academy available to military personnel from friendly foreign states; and what accommodation facilities are planned for the academy. [221331]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The armed forces have a long tradition of delivering military training to foreign students and it is likely that this arrangement will continue at the Defence Technical Academy at St. Athan. The Defence Training Review Package 1 project has a requirement to provide a full range of service accommodation for all entitled service personnel who are either attending courses or serving on the staff of the Defence Technical Academy St. Athan.

Wind Power

Dr. Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what planning applications for onshore wind turbines have been objected to by his Department in the period 1 January to 30 June 2008; and what percentage this represented of the number of onshore wind applications to which his Department had been invited to respond during that period. [217946]

Derek Twigg: Between 1 January and 30 June 2008 the Department objected to only 18 planning applications for onshore wind turbines (see following table). These
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represented 18 per cent. of the total number of onshore wind turbine applications about which we were consulted during that time.

Site name Consenting authority Reason for MOD objection

South Denes

Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Holding objection issued as awaiting details of proposal from Council

Dusty Drum

Angus Council

Interference with Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar

Hawthorn

District of Easington Council

Interference with Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar

Waun Garno

Powys County Council

Interference with Low Flying

Sedborough

Torridge District Council

Interference with National Air Traffic Services (NATS) radar

Normanton

Wakefield District Council

Interference with ATC radar

Redland

Caradon County Council

Interference with ATC radar

Hook Moor

Leeds City Council

Interference with ATC radar

Kings Lynn Wind Park

Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Council

Interference with ATC radar

Glittering

South Cambridgeshire District Council

Interference with ATC radar

Gwyndy Quarry Gaia 1

Isle of Anglesey Council

Interference with ATC radar and Low Flying

Rothes Extension

Scottish Government

Interference with ATC radar

Shipping Hill Plantation

Pembrokeshire County Council

Interference with ATC radar

Kingthorpe Stables

West Lindsey Council

Interference with ATC radar

St. Fergus Wind Turbine

Aberdeenshire Council

Interference with Air Defence Radar (ADR)

Withernwick

East Riding Council

Interference with Air Defence Radar (ADR)

The Firs

Aberdeenshire Council

Interference with Air Defence Radar (ADR)

Brunei University

Hillingdon Council

Interference with ATC radar


Since 2001 the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has raised no objection to planning applications for almost 5,600 turbines (both onshore and offshore) which would, if all were consented and built, generate approximately 14.5 GW of electricity.

The MOD fully supports the Government’s renewable energy policies and targets and considers every application received individually. We continue to work closely with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, the British Wind Energy Association and other stakeholders in seeking solutions to problems.

The MOD is one of the signatories to the recent Memorandum of Understanding between the wind energy industry and Government and we were also heavily involved in producing the recent BERR sponsored Aviation Plan which sets out a structured way forward for addressing the need to try to find solutions for the effects of wind turbines on radar and other aviation interests. We are also represented on the newly formed Aviation Management
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Board and Aviation Advisory Panel which will oversee the work contained within the Aviation Plan.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to answer question 190452, tabled on 26 February 2008, on theft of military supplies in transit from Pakistan to Afghanistan. [220122]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 July 2008, Official R eport, columns 1051-52W.

Treasury

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by special advisers in his Department in each of the last 10 years. [215223]

Angela Eagle: Since 1999 the Government have published, on an annual basis, the total costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. The cost of expenses for advisers travel for their travel in the company of Ministers is included in the annual list of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers.

Information regarding special advisers’ expenses for domestic travel could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the “Ministerial Code” and the “Civil Service Management Code”.


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