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18 Dec 2008 : Column 962W—continued
Armed Forces: Postal Services
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Christmas mail packages sent to armed forces personnel have incurred a penalty charge to the sender in the latest period for which figures are available. [244963]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The British Forces Post Office (BFPO) makes no charges at any time on items being transferred within the BFPO system. We are unable to comment on any charges that might be levied by Royal Mail Group.
Armed Forces: Stress
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks in (i) the Army, (ii) the Royal Air Force and (iii) the Royal Navy have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [244493]
Mr. Kevan Jones:
The MOD's Defence Analytical Services and Advice (DASA) organisation has since July 2007 reported on the psychiatric morbidity of the UK armed forces, and quarterly reports for the whole
of 2007 are now available both in the Library of the House and from the DASA website: www.dasa.mod.uk. Verified data for the whole of the armed forces covering all deployments is not available prior to 2007.
The DASA statistics report on the numbers of new attendances at MOD's Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs) during each quarter. The DASA figures for the number of personnel newly assessed with a mental health disorder are broken down by Service and by officers and other ranks, although the Service totals are not broken down by rank. The DASA figures also report the initial mental health assessment made during the patient's first appointment.
The DASA figures are shown in the two tables, and refer to the calendar year 2007:
| Service | Patients assessed with a mental health disorder in 2007 | Patients assessed with PTSD in 2007 |
| Rank | Patients assessed with a mental health disorder in 2007 | Patients assessed with PTSD in 2007 |
Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what platform will be introduced to provide an interim armoured scout capability between the end of the Scimitar service life and the introduction of the Future Rapid Effects System Scout variant. [244569]
Mr. Quentin Davies: It is planned that the Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle will remain in service until the future rapid effect system Scout vehicle is available.
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Future Rapid Effects System Scout variant to enter service. [244570]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The future rapid effect system programme is currently in its assessment phase. The in-service date for the Scout variant will not be fixed until the main investment decision has been taken.
Atomic Weapons Establishment
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimates are of the capital costs for the proposed (a) small components manufacturing, (b) conventional manufacturing rationalisation, (c) high explosives fabrication and (d) uranium handling facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. [244304]
Mr. Quentin Davies: I am withholding the information as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Blaneau Gwent of 29 October 2008, Official Report, column 1029W, when he expects the commercial discussions between his Department and AWE plc to conclude. [244305]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Discussions between the Ministry of Defence and AWE plc in respect of these matters are continuing. We hope to reach a final settlement during the next financial year.
AWE Aldermaston
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Lewes, 10 November 2008, Official Report, column 777W, on AWE Aldermaston, if he will place in the Library a copy of the preliminary safety report for the proposed uranium handling facility at AWE Aldermaston which has been provided to the Health and Safety Executive. [244285]
Mr. Quentin Davies: As I stated in my answer on 10 November 2008, Official Report, column 777W, should the proposed replacement uranium handling facility proceed, a preliminary safety report would be completed. The document to which the hon. Member refers does not currently exist.
Christmas
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on (a) departmental Christmas parties and (b) staff entertainment in the last three years. [243744]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Staff Christmas parties are paid for from non-public funds or staff subscription. MOD does not use public funds for such activities, in line with departmental guidance and the principles of ‘Managing Public Money’, and no official funds were used for Christmas parties in the last three years.
Departmental guidance states that it is acceptable for service and civilian staff to be entertained at public expense (subject to strict constraints on the cost and frequency of such activity) only in the context of unit cohesiveness or teambuilding events. However, information on amounts spent on staff entertainment in the last three years is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Climate Change
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of its capacity to adapt to climate change; and what plans he has to publish a climate change adaptation strategy. [241175]
Mr. Kevan Jones:
The cross-Government Adapting to Climate Change Programme increases Government’s capacity to adapt by ensuring a co-ordinated approach
across all Departments and the public sector. This includes implementation of the adaptation aspects of the Climate Change Act, such as development of the national climate risk assessment. Information about the Programme can be found at:
The Ministry of Defence Climate Change Strategy has been endorsed by Secretary of State for Defence and will be published in the coming weeks. I will arrange to have copies placed in the Library of the House. The Strategy sets high-level targets for the mitigation and adaptation activities that the MOD will take in order to reduce our impact on climate change as well as the impact of climate change on our outputs.
Defence and Analytical Services Agency
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of (a) the Defence and Analytical Services Agency's (DASA) monthly price index booklets, (b) DASA's quarterly price index forecasts, (c) DASA's quarterly foreign price indices and (d) DASA's negotiators' briefing packs issued in 2008. [245128]
Mr. Kevan Jones: I will arrange for copies of the Monthly Price Indices booklet, Quarterly Foreign Price Indices booklet and the Negotiators Briefing Pack published in 2008 to be placed in the Library of the House.
I am withholding copies of the DASA Price Indices UK Quarterly Forecast as their release would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.
Defence Equipment: Corrosion
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the costs of corrosion of equipment in the armed forces in each of the last three years. [243256]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The detection, prevention and rectification of corrosion are routine maintenance requirements for all ships, aircraft and land vehicles. The costs of such activity cannot be specifically isolated and are not, therefore, held centrally.
Departmental Consultants
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) businesses and (b) individuals provided consultancy services to his Department in each of the last three years; and what the top 10 contracts by monetary value were in each case. [244964]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence does not hold this information centrally. Summaries for the years 1995-96 to 2007-08 of total MOD expenditure on External Assistance, of which consultancy is a part, is available in the Library of the House.
The Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA) publishes a list of companies paid £5 million or more in each year within their UK Defence Statistics. This information can be found at:
Departmental Furniture
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent by his Department on furniture made by (a) British firms, (b) Remploy and (c) overseas firms in each year since 2000. [244343]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The information requested is set out in the following table:
| £ million | ||||||
| Financial yea r | ||||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
The figures exclude PFI/PPP projects where the furniture is supplied by the industrial partner and forms a part of the overall project costs. Data are not held prior to financial year 2002-03.
Departmental Public Consultation
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which occasions his Department has convened a citizens’ jury or randomly drawn panel of people to aid the Department’s policy making since 2000; whether the participants were paid in each case; and if he will make a statement. [243042]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Department has not arranged any citizens’ juries.
Departmental Publications
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the quarterly CPS21 publication for each quarter of 2008. [245134]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Copies of CPS21 for each quarter of 2008 are being collated and will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.
Lynx Helicopters: Procurement
Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the planned in-service dates for the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Army Future Lynx helicopters are; [244567]
(2) how many Future Lynx helicopters he plans to procure for the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Army. [244568]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Under the revised arrangements for the Future Lynx project announced by my right hon. Friend, the Defence Secretary on 11 December 2008, Official Report, columns 65-66WS, we now plan to buy 34 Future Lynx helicopters for the Army and 28 for the Royal Navy. These new arrangements will provide increased commonality leading to greater versatility and flexibility. The in-service dates remain as 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Mental Illness
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the recommendations relevant to his Department's policy responsibilities made in the Foresight report on Mental Capacity and Well-Being; and if he will make a statement. [244015]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence was pleased to receive the Foresight report and will be considering it with a view to taking up any relevant findings.
Part of that process will involve an assessment of what the report might mean for MOD policy on mental well-being, training and development, flexible working and managing sickness absence.
Initial findings indicate that departmental policy is broadly in line with the recommendations made in the report.
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