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29 Sep 2008 : Column 2438W—continued
China: Armed Forces
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with EU counterparts on the military training of Chinese nationals within EU member states. [224109]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 17 September 2008]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no discussions with his EU counterparts on the military training of Chinese nationals within EU member states.
Departmental Furniture
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) chairs, (b) desks and (c) other office furnishings have been purchased by his Department and its agencies in each of the last five years; and at what cost in each case. [211769]
Derek Twigg: The information requested is as follows:
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | ||||||
| Quantity | Cost £ million | Quantity | Cost £ million | Quantity | Cost £ million | Quantity | Cost £ million | Quantity | Cost £ million | |
These figures include furniture provided for major barracks and Single Living Accommodation investment programmes, but exclude PFI/PPP projects where the furniture is supplied by the Industrial Partner and forms a part of the overall project costs.
Departmental Sick Leave
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of staff in his Department have had more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of the last three years. [218691]
Derek Twigg: The following table shows how many and what percentage of civilian MOD staff have had more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days for the 12 months ending 31 December 2005,2006, 2007 and 31 March 2008.
Information prior to calendar year 2005 is compiled on a previous definition for monitoring sickness absence which is not consistent with figures for calendar year 2005 onwards.
| The number and percentage of civilian personnel with more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of the last three years. | ||||||
| Non Industrial | (%) | Industrial | (%) | Total | (%) | |
| Notes: 1. Data exclude staff in Trading Funds, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and Locally Engaged Civilians for whom sickness absence data are not readily available. 2. Data presented reflect the current Cabinet Office definition, and excludes absence days that occurred on weekends, annual leave and bank holidays. 3. Totals have been rounded to the nearest 10, totals and sub totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts. | ||||||
MOD is committed to reducing sickness absence. Employees included in the table may only have accumulated three working days absence so the figures may appear artificially high. MOD offers guidance and training to line managers on managing absence. It actively encourages the use of Return to Work Interviews and has trigger points in place for the commencement of formal management action.
EU Battlegroups
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the EU Battlegroup roster continues up to 2015. [224128]
Des Browne [holding answer 17 September 2008]: Offers have currently been made to fill six-monthly slots on the EU Battlegroup roster until 2013, although there are a number of gaps from 2010 onwards.
Trident Missiles
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Trident warheads were operationally available at the latest date for which figures are available; and when that number fell below 160. [224250]
Des Browne [holding answer 17 September 2008]: The UK has fewer than 160 operationally available Trident warheads. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 November 2007, Official Report, column 366W. I am withholding further information as its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice national security.
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