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3 Mar 2009 : Column 1430W—continued
Defence
Afghanistan and Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers of each rank have served in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in each year since 2003. [258432]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Data on the numbers of officers who have served in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in each year during the period 2003-07, broken down by rank are not held centrally in individual level databases and as such could only be provided a disproportionate cost.
Due to ongoing validation of data from the joint personnel administration (JPA) system, data on the numbers of officers who have served in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in 2008, broken down by rank are not available and as such could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British armed forces personnel are stationed in Kabul and the surrounding area. [259922]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Some 500 UK Service Personnel are currently stationed in and around Kabul, although the precise number fluctuates on a daily basis. This is for a variety of reasons, including mid-tour rest and recuperation, temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons and the roulement of forces.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of NATO’s deployment in Afghanistan was in 2007-08. [259955]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The underlying principle is that costs incurred by nations deploying their forces on NATO-led operations are borne individually by Allies. The net additional cost to the UK of operations in Afghanistan in 2007-08 (i.e. expenditure above that which would have been incurred anyway, such as salaries) was £1,504 million. Other nations’ contributions to multinational operations are a matter for them.
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of RAF passenger carrying flights from Brize Norton to Afghanistan have left more than three hours after the scheduled time of departure since 1 January 2009; and if he will make a statement. [260365]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: 10 passenger flights from Brize Norton to Afghanistan were delayed for more than three hours between 2 January 2009 and 26 February 2009. This figure represents 21 per cent. of the total numbers of flights.
Severe winter weather conditions were a factor in many of the delays. Additionally, minor technical faults, which were quickly corrected, lead to some flights losing their departure or arrival slot, which had a disproportionate effect on departure times.
Aircraft Carriers
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost to his Department of the two aircraft carriers under construction; and what change this represents from estimates made in 2006. [259920]
Mr. Quentin Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence, gave on 12 January 2009, Official Report, column 76W to the hon. Members for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth) and Dunfermline and West Fife (Willie Rennie).
Armed Forces: Casualties
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria the armed forces use to determine whether to report and make public instances of individual service personnel who have been (a) wounded, (b) seriously wounded and (c) killed. [259665]
Mr. Hutton: It is MOD policy to publish casualty statistics. These statistics, which cover all those admitted to field hospitals with serious injuries and diseases, are updated on a fortnightly basis. They do not include minor treatments. They are available openly on the MOD website.
The MOD releases the names of deceased personnel after their Next of Kin have been informed. The names of those who have been wounded, whether seriously or otherwise, are not publicized, unless specifically requested by the individual concerned, in order to preserve the privacy of the patient and their family during convalescence.
Armed Forces: Compensation
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 328W, of the 38 personnel who were very seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007 and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008, what the (a) 10th, (b) 25th, (c) 50th, (d) 75th and (e) 90th percentiles were for the amount awarded in respect of the claims that were settled by 13 January 2009; and how many of the claims had been determined by 13 January 2009. [249580]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Unfortunately Defence Analytical Services and Advice are currently unable to provide information on compensation amounts paid out to personnel that were very seriously injured in Afghanistan during 2006 and 2007. However, I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.
Of the 38 personnel who were very seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008, all have had their claims determined as at 13 January 2009.
Letter from Kevan Jones, dated 3 March 2009:
I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 3 February, (Official Report, column 111W) about the 42 personnel who were seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007 and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008. You requested information on the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90(th) percentiles for the amounts awarded in respect of the claims that were settled by 13 January 2009; and how many of the claims had been determined by 13 January 2009.
Of the 42 personnel who were seriously injured in Afghanistan during 2006 and 2007, and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008, 40 have had their claims determined as at 13 January 2009.
Table 1 presents the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles for total lump sum payments awarded to the 40 personnel with a determined claim.
| Table 1: Lump sum amounts awarded to seriously injured personnel, percentiles( 1) | |
| £ | |
| (1) Figures are rounded to nearest £1,000 | |
In addition to a lump sum award, two personnel that had left Service were also in receipt of an ongoing tax-free, index-linked Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) as at 13 January 2009. Rounded to the nearest one thousand, the total GIP paid to these personnel over the next forty years will average £503,000.
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, columns 327-8W, of the 42 personnel who were seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007 and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008, what the (a) 10th, (b) 25th, (c) 50th, (d) 75th and (e) 90th percentiles were for the amount awarded in respect of the claims that were settled by 13 January 2009; and how many of the claims had been determined by 13 January 2009. [249581]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Unfortunately Defence Analytical Services and Advice are currently unable to provide information on compensation amounts paid out to personnel that were seriously injured in Afghanistan during 2006 and 2007. However, we will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.
Of the 42 personnel who were seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007, and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008, 40 have had their claims determined as at 13 January 2009.
Letter from Kevan Jones, dated 3 March 2009:
I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 3 February, (Official Report, column 110W) about the 38 personnel who were very seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2006 and 2007 and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008. You requested information on the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles for the amounts awarded in respect of the claims that were settled by 13 January 2009; and how many of the claims had been determined by 13 January 2009.
Of the 38 personnel who were very seriously injured in Afghanistan during 2006 and 2007, and whose claim for compensation had been registered by 13 November 2008, all have had their claims determined as at 13 January 2009.
Table 1 presents the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles for total lump sum payments awarded.
| Table 1: Lump sum amounts awarded to very seriously injured personnel, percentiles( 1) | |
| £ | |
In addition to a lump sum award, four personnel that had left Service were also in receipt of an ongoing tax-free, index-linked Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) as at 13 January 2009. Rounded to the nearest one thousand, the total GIP paid to these personnel over the next forty years will average £623,000.
Armed Forces: Hearing Impaired
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many one-off payments were made to people discharged from the armed forces since 1980 due to defective hearing; and what the average amount of such payments was. [259865]
Mr. Kevan Jones [holding answer 2 March 2009]: Information is not held in the format that identifies how many one-off payments were made under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS) to people discharged from the armed forces between 1980 and 1994 due to defective hearing; and what the average amount of such payments was. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Defence Analytical Services and Advice hold data for personnel medically discharged between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2007. However, it is not possible to relate medical discharges to awards made under the WPS.
Personnel medically discharged due to defective hearing caused by service on or after 6 April 2005 are considered under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). Successful applicants who have hearing loss in both ears of 50 decibels or more will be awarded a lump sum tariff payment.
Rounded to the nearest five, five of the 75 personnel medically discharged with hearing loss between 6 April 2005 and 31 December 2007 were awarded a lump sum tariff payment for hearing-related conditions under the AFCS. The amount of that payment depends on the nature and extent of the hearing loss—for example hearing loss in both ears of between 50 and 75 dB attracts a tariff award at level 13, current value £5,775.
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been discharged from the armed forces owing to defective hearing in each year since 1980; and what percentage of those people had hearing loss of (a) over 20 per cent. and (b) between 15 and 19 per cent. at time of discharge. [259866]
Mr. Kevan Jones [holding answer 2 March 2009]: Information for those discharged from service due to defective hearing between 1980 and 1994 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The number of service personnel medically discharged each year between 1995 and 2007 with the principal reason for discharge due to hearing loss is contained in the following table. All numbers presented have been rounded to the nearest five to avoid disclosure of individual identities.
| Table 1: Naval service, Army and RAF medical discharges due to hearing loss( 1) , 1995 to 2007 | |||
| Service | |||
| Naval service | Army | RAF | |
| (1 )Numbers may not add up to the sum of their parts due to rounding. (2 )Indicates less than five personnel have been discharged in this subgroup. Note: Includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines | |||
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