Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 14 October 2008
Scotland
Departmental Marketing
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of Government-commissioned advertising in the last 12 months relating to matters falling within the remit of his Department. [226509]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office incurred no expenditure on advertising in 2007-08.
Departmental Pay
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Department in the last 12 months; and at what total cost. [226429]
Ann McKechin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 2 June 2008, Official Report, column 530W, to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond).
Wales
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small and medium-sized businesses were paid within 30 days of receipt by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which his Department is responsible in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. [226505]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My office paid 90 per cent. of all invoices received within 30 days, and of the small amount of invoices received from small businesses, 92 per cent. were paid within 30 days of receipt in 2007-08. The Wales Office does not have any agencies.
Departmental Written Questions
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many and what proportion of written Questions for answer on a named day his Department has answered on the due date in the current Session of Parliament to date. [226888]
Mr. Paul Murphy: This Session my Department has answered 24 out of 27 named day questions on the due date, a proportion of 89 per cent.
Taxis
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was claimed in expenses for taxi travel by officials from his Department in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2004-05, (d) 2003-04 and (e) 2002-03; and if he will make a statement. [227041]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department has spent the following amounts on taxis:
| £ | |
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2008, Official Report, column 1052W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, (1) what the details were of each confirmed report of theft; [224126]
(2) how many cases of theft are being investigated; and on what date each investigation began. [224127]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 17 September 2008]: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to Liam Fox:
I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Questions on 29 September 2008, (Official Report, column 2432W), about the theft of military supplies during transit to Afghanistan.
Below is a list of those reports which have been confirmed as theft. I have omitted some of those cases referred to in my original answer to you on 22 July 2008, (Official Report, column 1052W) regarding reported thefts, as subsequent investigations proved that some losses were due to other causes, such as accounting errors or having been destroyed by enemy forces while in transit. The information given in the table is sourced from the records held by the Royal Military Police, who investigate all reports received. At the time of writing there are no cases of reported theft of goods in transit still being investigated.
I am placing a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many enemy combatants were taken prisoner in Afghanistan by UK forces in each month of operations in the last two years. [225730]
Mr. Hutton: The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking a review of its detention records and I will write to the hon. Member when the review has been completed.
Armed Forces: Food
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department's ration packs cost on average. [226766]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The average cost of the components required to make one Operational Ration Pack (ORP) are as follows:
| £ | |
China: Military Alliances
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Memoranda of Understanding on military-co-operation signed during the Prime Minister’s visit to China in January 2008. [225408]
Mr. Hutton: Although a number of Memoranda of Understanding and bilateral agreements were signed during my right hon. Friend's very successful visit to China in January 2008, none related to military co-operation.
Disabled
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in (i) his Department and (ii) the executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff. [220189]
Mr. Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office on 8 October 2008, Official Report, column 651-57W.
European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for future orders of Tranche 3 Typhoon fighters; and if he will make a statement. [227033]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Negotiations with partner nations and industry on Tranche 3 are continuing; decisions will be taken once these negotiations are complete.
Iran: Weapons
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many deaths of UK armed forces personnel in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan are considered to have resulted from the use of technology, explosives, ordnance or other weapons whose provenance is believed to be Iranian; and if he will make a statement. [225085]
Mr. Hutton: It is not possible to identify the origin of all technology, explosives, ordnance or weapons employed against British Forces operating in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some evidence suggests that a proportion of the equipment and armaments used in attacks originate from within the borders of Iran but the precise number is not available.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in transferring Basra airbase to Iraqi civilian authority; and if he will make a statement. [222018]
Mr. Hutton: As the Prime Minister set out in his statement on 22 July 2008, Official Report, column 662, finalising the preparations for transfer of Basra International Airport (BIA) to Iraqi control is one of the key remaining tasks for UK forces in southern Iraq.
With some support from the Royal Air Force, the Iraqi civilian authorities are already able to operate BIA as a civil airport during daylight hours. We continue to assess that—subject to security conditions on the ground—the Iraqi authorities will be able to take over development of the airport at the turn of the year.
Porton Down
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when and for what purpose South Africa's Surgeon-General, Neil Knobel, visited Porton Down; and if he will make a statement. [225084]
Mr. Quentin Davies: I believe that your question relates to a claim made by Dr. Wouter Basson, during the Truth and Reconciliation Council hearings in August 2001, that Neil Knobel visited Porton Down. Officials at DSTL Porton Down have reviewed their records and have found no evidence to support the claim that this individual visited the establishment.
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