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11 Nov 2008 : Column 993W—continued
Second Homes: Cornwall
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what percentage of homes in Cornwall are registered as second homes. [234042]
John Healey: There were 13,201 properties registered as second homes for council tax purposes in Cornwall in October 2007. This is 5.4 per cent. of the total number of dwellings in Cornwall at that time.
The data are from a snapshot taken each year and are as recorded, in council tax base returns submitted annually, by each local authority.
Shared Ownership Schemes
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding her Department has allocated for shared ownership schemes for key workers in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13. [234156]
Mr. Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Julia Goldsworthy) on 28 October 2008, Official Report, column 951W.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his objectives are for military action in Helmand province in (a) the next three months, (b) the next six months and (c) the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [233669]
Mr. Hutton: I am withholding details of our short term military objectives for operational security reasons. However, all military action in Helmand is fully integrated as part of the comprehensive approach. This also includes, as stated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 12 December 2007, Official Report, column 303, a long-term framework for security, political, social and economic development for Afghanistan.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights transporting service personnel to Britain from theatre in Afghanistan have been (a) cancelled and (b) delayed in each year since 2006. [234391]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the punctuality statistics for RAF Tristar passenger flights returning from Kandahar, Afghanistan to Brize Norton. Unlike the civil air sector which measures departure punctuality the MOD chooses to measure the punctuality of arrival at the destination airfield, in this case Brize Norton.
Flights will only be cancelled from the schedule if the requirement ceases. Potential causes of delay include bad weather, technical delays to ensure flight safety and the need to divert aero-medical cases direct to Birmingham airport. In the event of a protracted delay, where practicable, an alternative means will be found to move passengers.
Airwave Service
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what organisations for which his Department is responsible (a) use and (b) are planning to use Airwave handsets. [234704]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The following Defence organisations currently use Airwave handsets:
British armed forces units based in the UK mainland (for operations, security, policing, health and safety purposes);
MOD Police and Guarding Agency (MOD Police and MOD Guard Service);
Nuclear Accident Response Organisation (NARO) (covering all MOD nuclear sites).
In addition, allied forces based in or transiting through the UK mainland with functions identical to MOD organisations that use Airwave handsets could potentially use Airwave handsets in the future. Airwave might also be used in the context of military prisoner transportation, armaments transportation and Defence medical services.
Armed Forces: Discharges
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been discharged on medical grounds in each year since 2001. [234919]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The number of service personnel medically discharged each year since 2001 is provided in the following table.
| Naval service, Army and RAF medical discharges, numbers( 1) 2001-07 | |||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| (1) Numbers may not add up to the sum of their parts due to rounding. (2) Includes the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines | |||||||
The processes for administering a medical discharge differ between the three services and as a consequence the numbers have been presented by service rather than annual tri-service totals.
Armed Forces: Uniforms
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the outcome of the meeting with clothing specialists held in his Department on 23 October 2008 was; and what progress has been made in finding a substitute for bearskin caps. [232800]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The industry day held on 23 October to assess the market’s appetite and capability to develop a faux fur replacement for the bearskin cap was attended by six companies. The industry representatives were able to gain a clear understanding of the technical challenges involved, and expressed a keenness to contribute to a successful outcome if at all possible.
MOD intends to place a development contract with one or more suppliers through competition. An invitation to tender is likely to be issued early in 2009 with contract award likely to be mid 2009. Due to the complexities of producing a faux fur with no discernable difference from real bear fur in appearance and behaviour, it is possible that development and trialling by the customer may take longer.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Dr. Fox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 29 October 2008, Official Report, columns 28-30WS, on protected mobility, if he will break down by
category of expenditure the cost of each armoured vehicle type. [234310]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Contract negotiations for the procurement of new vehicles are still to be finalised and I am therefore unable to confirm the exact cost of each acquisition, although the costs are expected to be in the region of:
| £ million | |
We have also approved £96 million for the Talisman system which will include Buffalo, Mastiff and High Mobility Engineer Excavators. In addition, the Department has already approved £109 million for Jackal, £270 million for Mastiff and £188 million for Ridgback.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 29 October 2008, Official Report, columns 28-30WS, on protected mobility, what the source is of the £100 million his Department proposes to pay for the new armoured vehicles. [234321]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The MOD will contribute £128 million towards the protected mobility package through a limited re-prioritisation of its Equipment Programme funding.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Wolfhound, (b) Coyote and (c) Husky armoured vehicles will be included in the package announced on 29 October. [234395]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The strategy for the procurement of the vehicles is still to be finalised. We expect to purchase around 95 Wolfhound, 260 Husky and 80 Coyote Vehicles.
Army: Deployment
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average tour interval for each battalion of the infantry was in the most recent period for which information is available. [234220]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Historical data to support the calculation of average tour intervals for each infantry battalion is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The current tour intervals for individual infantry battalions are shown, giving an average tour interval of 22 months for the infantry as a whole.
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