| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
10 Dec 2008 : Column 131W—continued
Defence Storage and Distribution Agency
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the Pre Budget Report 2008, page 119, what the meaning is of the phrase examining alternative business models in respect of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency; and if he will make a statement. [240394]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Detailed Terms of Reference for the studies on individual assets are still being prepared. In the case of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA) these might provide for the organisation to offer new related products and services; to identify new sources of revenue; to consolidate with other elements in the defence supply chain or to identify alternative ways of providing DSDA services.
Falkland Islands: Air Routes
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the affordability of the proposed pricing scheme for the Falkland Islands Airbridge under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement; [240771]
(2) what assessment he has made of the socio-economic impact on the Falkland Islands of the proposed pricing scheme for the Falkland Islands Airbridge under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; [240772]
(3) what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the withdrawal of the child/student fare from the Falkland Islands Airbridge agreement on the ability of Falkland Islands family members to travel between the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement; [240773]
(4) if he will reinstate the child/student fare to the Falkland Islands Airbridge pricing scheme under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; [240774]
(5) what representations his Department has received on the proposed pricing scheme for the Falkland Islands Airbridge under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; [240775]
(6) what consultations were carried out by his Department on the proposed pricing scheme for the Falkland Islands Airbridge under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement; [240776]
(7) if he will reduce the prices under the proposed pricing scheme for the Falkland Islands Airbridge under the provisions of the Joint Policy Statement agreed between his Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement. [240777]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The existing Joint Policy Statement governing the South Atlantic Airbridge dates from 1992 and is based on the previous service provided by Royal Air Force TriStar aircraft. The introduction of a civilian charter service clearly required a revision to this statement, and this is being currently discussed between the MOD and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It would be premature to comment on any of the detail of this revised statement until these discussions have been completed.
Harrier Aircraft: Manpower
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier pilots were deployed on Operation Herrick in each month since the deployment began. [240496]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Information on the exact number of Harrier pilots deployed on Operation Herrick in each month since the deployment began is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, prior to September 2006, around nine pilots at a time were deployed in theatre. Since September 2006 (when the number of Harrier aircraft deployed in theatre increased from six to eight), around 11 pilots at a time were deployed in theatre. These figures may have occasionally fluctuated for short periods.
Joint Force Harrier
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces currently serving with Joint Force Harrier have been in breach of harmony guidelines in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) air crew and (b) ground crew and (i) Royal Air Force and (ii) Royal Navy personnel. [242292]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1554W.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces serving with Joint Force Harrier are not being administered by the Joint Personnel Administration System, broken down by trade. [242296]
Mr. Kevan Jones: All armed forces personnel, including those serving with the Joint Force Harrier, are administered by the joint personnel administration system.
Keep Our Future Afloat
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations his Department has received from the Keep Our Future Afloat campaign; and whether it has responded. [241849]
Mr. Quentin Davies: During the course of this year the Ministry of Defence has received several representations from the ‘Keep Our Future Afloat Campaign’. All letters received a written reply. Additionally, my predecessor as Minister with responsibility for Defence Equipment and Support, my noble Friend Baroness Taylor of Bolton, met representatives of the group in July.
Stress
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many working days were lost by his Department due to stress-related illnesses in each of the last 24 months. [242087]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The MOD reports sickness absence figures over a 12 month period on a quarterly basis and does not report working days lost on a monthly basis. The MOD does not have a specific sickness absence code for stress. Stress falls within the mental and behavioural disorders ICD10 category, which includes anxiety, depression and stress. The following table shows the number of working days lost for Ministry of Defence civilian personnel(1 )which was attributed to the mental and behavioural disorders category for the 12 month period preceding each quarter point.
| Total working days lost due to mental and behavioural disorders in the preceding 12 month period | |||
| Year ending | Industrial | Non-industrial | Total |
| (1) This includes all permanent and casual non-industrial and industrial civilian personnel, but excludes locally engaged civilian and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel for all periods and trading fund personnel prior to 1 January 2008. Note: From 1 January 2008, due to a change in definition personnel classed as on zero pay absences are excluded. | |||
Territorial Army: Pay
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much back pay was owing to Territorial Army soldiers who have undertaken active service in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan at the latest date for which figures are available; what steps are being taken to clear the backlog; and if he will make a statement. [241277]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, there are no known systematic problems with any back pay owed to TA soldiers who have undertaken active service in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Where isolated errors are notified by individuals, SPVA take immediate action to rectify the situation.
Trident Submarines
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the maintenance cost of Trident submarines in (a) 2008-09 and (b) each of the next five years. [241354]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The estimated maintenance costs of Vanguard class submarines in 2008-09 and each of the next five years, which cover fleet maintenance and capital spend incurred as part of the long overhaul period (refuel) (LOP-R) maintenance programme, are:
| Tota l (£ million) | |
Communities and Local Government
Departmental Disabled Staff
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what conclusions her Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [240989]
Mr. Khan: The conclusions the Department has reached to fulfil its disability equality duty are outlined in our Disability Equality Scheme Annual Report published in February 2008, which is available on our website at:
An update on progress on these actions will be published, as explained in that document, as part of our Department’s Single Annual Report on Equalities. We intend to do this in spring 2009.
The Secretary of State’s report on Disability, published on 1 December, also reports on progress made towards disability equality by public authorities in our policy sectors. The report is available on our website at:
Departmental Rail Travel
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what expense claims the right hon. Member for Don Valley made whilst Minister of State for Housing in each month from January to October 2008 in respect of rail journeys; how many rail tickets were claimed for; how many journeys were claimed for; and what the sum claimed was. [242287]
Mr. Khan: My right hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) made one expense claim during the period January to October 2008. This was in June 2008, a single ticket for £178.
Empty Property: Business Premises
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department has made of the number of commercial premises that were empty in each month since May 1997. [241546]
Mr. Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1493W, to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Sarah Teather).
Fire Services
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost of leasing and maintaining each regional fire control centre (a) has been since becoming operational and (b) was in the latest month for which figures are available. [241298]
Mr. Khan: The running costs for the eight regional control centres (RCCs) which have completed their commissioning process—‘practical completion’—are shown for October, broken down by region, in the following table:
| Region | Running costs (£) |
These eight buildings are in the process of being fitted out, including installing the IT hardware, AV screens and furniture. Note, the range reflects the relative stages of completion. Therefore, no regional control centre is yet operational.
In the interim the buildings are used for a range of purposes including Fire and Rescue Service meetings and workshops to progress FiReControl work. In many cases the regional project team works out of the RCC.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects the replacement system for the fire service emergency cover risk management system to be (a) installed and (b) fully operational. [241301]
Mr. Khan: Under Fire Control, the risk management toolkit will replace the fire service emergency cover toolkit and will be rolled out prior to the point at which there is an FRS cut-over.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |