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12 Jan 2009 : Column 78W—continued
This information is published annually in the Ministry of Defence annual report and accounts. The latest version can be found in Volume I: Annual Performance Report 2007-08 at the following link:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/Corporate Publications/AnnualReports/MODAnnualReports0708/
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservist personnel are currently deployed, broken down by (a) service and (b) location. [245099]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Data on the number of reservist personnel currently deployed by service are available in table 1, footnote 1 of Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 01 (UK Regular Forces Strengths and Changes). TSP 01 can be found at:
http://bravo.dasa.r.mil.uk/applications/newWeb/www/index. php?page=48&thiscontent=30&date=2008-11-27&pubType =1&PublishTime=09:30:00&from=home&tabOption=3
TSP 01 is a monthly publication; the number of reservists deployed at 1 November will be available from 19 December.
The number of reservists deployed by location is not held centrally in individual level databases and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of each battalion of the infantry are in breach of their harmony guidelines for tour intervals. [245118]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Tour intervals are measured at unit level. Harmony guidelines at the individual level are expressed in terms of separated service, which relates to the number of nights spent away from an individual’s home base. The guideline for the Army is no one to exceed 415 days separated service in any 30-month period.
Separated service figures for each battalion of the infantry are not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The latest available figure for the infantry as a whole (as at 31 December 2006), shows 10.7 per cent. of personnel exceeding the separated service guideline. It is hoped that separated service data will in future be provided by the joint personnel administration system.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times elements of the Theatre Reserve Battalion in Cyprus have been deployed to (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq in each year since 2003, broken down by (i) length of deployment and (ii) unit down to the company level. [245119]
Mr. Hutton: The Theatre Reserve Battalion, based in Cyprus, has been deployed on the occasions listed in the following table.
| Date | Unit | Grouping | Theatre | Duration (months) |
One Company from 2 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment is currently deployed to Afghanistan.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the compatibility of the UK's NATO and EU military commitments. [245271]
Mr. Hutton: The UK works with international partners and allies to ensure that NATO and EU military commitments complement each other. One recent example of this complementarity has been the smooth transition of counter-piracy and escort duties off the coast of Somalia from the NATO Standing Maritime Group 2 to the EU maritime taskforce.
Armed Forces: Drugs
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) serving and (b) former members of the armed forces are in (i) drug and (ii) alcohol rehabilitation. [244936]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Information on the total number of service personnel currently receiving any treatment for substance misuse is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, information on the number of new attendances at military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) in 2007 for which an initial diagnosis of substance misuse was given is contained within UK Armed Forces Psychiatric Morbidity report which is produced by DASA and is available to view on their website at www.dasa.mod.uk/. The number of such initial diagnoses at DCMHs between 1 January and 31 December 2007 are shown as follows; these figures will include regular service personnel, mobilised reservists and entitled de-mobilised reservists as part of the Reserve Mental Health programme.
| Psychoactive substance misuse | Of which disorders due to alcohol( 1) | |
| (1 )Specific data not available for disorders due to use of alcohol during January to March 2007. | ||
The Department has issued guidance to commanders on substance misuse and all three services have robust drug and alcohol policies in place. As such early intervention by the chain of command is likely to occur for disciplinary or welfare reasons before treatment by the Defence Medical Services would become necessary.
Service personnel identified by the chain of command as being at risk of alcohol misuse receive counselling and welfare support, this can include attendance on preventative early intervention programmes designed to alert them to the harm that alcohol can cause to themselves and others. More serious cases are treated through specialist medical and psychological treatment and rehabilitation, including where appropriate as in-patients.
Drug use is seen as being incompatible with military service and as such there is a zero tolerance policy which is reinforced by Compulsory Drug Testing (CDT). In the majority of cases a positive CDT result will lead to an immediate administrative discharge. In very exceptional circumstances service personnel may be retained if their drug use is considered to be uncharacteristic and their retention would be in the interest of the service. In these cases retention is subject to the successful completion of a special programme, which is designed to re-educate and give training in cognitive behavioural therapy.
The Department does not hold information regarding veterans receiving treatment for drug or alcohol misuse.
Armed Forces: Homelessness
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the number of former members of the armed services who were homeless at the latest date for which figures are available. [244773]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Department for Communities and Local Government and the Devolved Administrations lead on homelessness policy. They have strategies that recognise veterans issues. The Ministry of Defence does not collect on a national basis data on the numbers of homeless veterans. We have however estimated that the proportion of veterans among the non-statutory homeless population, at least in London, has fallen over the last 10 years. Independent research by the university of York published this year has shown that the proportion of veterans among the non-statutory homeless population in London in 2007 was about 6 per cent. This is a much lower proportion than in the mid-1990s when separate research reported a figure of 20-25 per cent.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are living in temporary accommodation. [244937]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Housing
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to report assets held by Annington Homes on his Department's balance sheet under IFRIC 12. [245131]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking a review of all PPP/PFI and leasing-type arrangements, including the Annington Homes contract, in order to meet the HM Treasury timetable for the implementation of IFRS as adopted by the public sector for 2009-10.
Armed Forces: Influenza
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 17 June 2008, Official Report, on influenza: disease control, what lessons to enhance the robustness and resilience of the system were identified in Operation United Endeavour II; in what ways these lessons are being addressed; and if he will make a statement. [245606]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
Wherever possible, the information systems used in a pandemic will be based on existing surveillance arrangements for seasonal influenza. Following United Endeavour II, technical work has been undertaken to facilitate daily provision, in a pandemic, of data relating to general practitioner flu consultations and syndromic surveillance from NHS Direct. Work has also been undertaken to confirm the arrangements for co-ordination with equivalent information systems in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and to ensure that the National Pandemic Flu Line Service will be able to provide necessary additional surveillance information.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 20 June 2008, Official Report, column 1205W, on armed forces: influenza, what proportion of the A/H5N1 vaccine stockpile held by the Department of Health is reserved for use by the armed forces. [245611]
Mr. Kevan Jones: MOD has a total allocation of 108,000 doses of H5N1 vaccine, which is sufficient for 54,000 courses of treatment at two doses per person.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 20 June 2008, Official Report, column 1204W, on armed forces: influenza, at which overseas locations antivirals are currently held; and what the total number of antiviral courses at each location is, broken down by type of antiviral. [245612]
Mr. Kevan Jones: As stated in my previous answer, in accordance with Defence Medical Services guidance, 10 antiviral courses have been pre-positioned in medical facilities overseas; five courses in the role 2 (enhanced) field hospital unit at Basra in Iraq and five at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.
A further 18,000 antiviral courses for use in the event of an outbreak of pandemic influenza have been distributed to overseas locations where MOD personnel and their dependents are based. To protect the integrity of the stocks in the event of a pandemic, locations and quantities are not placed in the public domain. The quantities have been calculated in accordance with Department of Health guidance; stockholdings are kept under regular review, and there has been no need to change them since June 2008.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 20 February 2008, Official Report, column 698W, on Armed Forces: influenza, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance note entitled Recovery of operational capability in the aftermath of a pandemic; what the titles are of all other guidance notes on which work was ongoing; whether work is ongoing on other guidance notes; and if he will make a statement. [245699]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The generic MOD Pandemic Influenza Framework brings together activities which for the most part will be undertaken by Defence business units and operational commands so that they can put in place the necessary response arrangements before a pandemic emerges. The guidance notes support the key tasks identified in the framework and are in the form of one-page summaries.
All the guidance notes, including the note “Recovery of operational capability in the aftermath of a pandemic”, have now been completed, although as the framework is a live document, they will be subject to regular review and amendment. I will place a copy of the latest version of the MOD Pandemic Influenza Framework containing the key tasks and guidance notes (dated October 2008) in the Library of the House.
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