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20 May 2009 : Column 1414W—continued
Ex-servicemen: Military Decorations
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the number of people who have applied for a veterans’ badge. [276500]
Mr. Kevan Jones: As at 14 May 2009 over 717,000 veterans badges have been issued. This total includes those issued as a result of individual application and also badges now awarded automatically to those leaving the services.
Ex-servicemen: Pensions
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans are not able to join either the AFPS75 or AFPS05 pension scheme; and how many veterans who left the armed forces before 1975 receive a preserved pension. [276522]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The number of veterans who are not able to join either the AFPS75 or AFPS05 pension scheme is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
As preserved pensions were introduced from 1975, no veterans who left prior to this would be in receipt of a preserved pension.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what minimum level of hearing loss from active service is necessary for a veteran to receive a disablement pension on the grounds of hearing loss. [276523]
Mr. Kevan Jones: No fault compensation for disorders caused by service before 6 April 2005 is provided by the War Pensions Scheme. Its legislation sets out the method of assessment and provides that disablement pensions are paid where disablement is assessed at 20 per cent. or more. For hearing loss this equates to 50dB loss in each ear averaged over 1, 2 and 3 kHz.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme applies to disorders caused on or after 6 April 2005. This scheme is tariff based with lump sum awards linked to specific descriptors. For more serious disorders there is an additional Guaranteed Income Payment payable for life. The lowest award for hearing loss alone is the descriptor ‘bilateral permanent hearing loss of 50-75dB averaged over 1, 2 and 3 kHz with mild or no tinnitus’. In addition a Guaranteed Income Payment becomes payable where hearing loss alone exceeds 75dB averaged over 1, 2 and 3 kHz in each ear.
The Ministry of Defence's approach to the assessment of service related sensorineural hearing loss for both the War Pensions Scheme and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is based on contemporary scientific evidence and understanding. This approach has been confirmed in recent years by several reviews carried out by independent audiological experts.
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next plans to review the eligibility criteria for entitlement (a) to a preserved pension and (b) to pensions for those who served in the armed forces prior to 1975; and if he will make a statement. [276524]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence currently has no plans to review the eligibility criteria for entitlement to a preserved pension and to pensions for those who served in the armed forces prior to 1975.
Military Bases: Aviation
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many logistic movers there are at each military airport; and what the full establishment is in each case. [276235]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The amount of Logistics (Mover) Tradesmen and full establishment figures at each military airport is provided in the following table.
Military Exercises
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of his Department's military training exercises has (a) been cancelled and (b) been cancelled because of a lack of appropriate equipment in each year since 2001. [276550]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The armed forces conduct a wide variety of overseas military exercises each year. All overseas exercises are conducted in order to generate, or maintain military capability in line with the tasks outlined in Defence Strategic Guidance. On occasion, exercises are cancelled for reasons that include effectiveness of delivery; value for money constraints; international policy dimensions and circumstances; changed priorities; operational constraints; and focus on current operations. The proportion of MOD exercises cancelled since 2003 is in the following table.
| Scheduled training events | Cancelled events | Percentage | Conducted | |
Since 2003, there have been no exercises cancelled due to a lack of appropriate equipment.
Details of the exercises cancelled prior to 2003 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Pakistan: EU Action
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution his Department made to the EU’s Pakistan Country Strategy Paper 2007 to 2013; and if he will make a statement. [270101]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
The Department for International Development has the UK Government lead for the European Commission’s Pakistan Country Strategy Paper
2007 to 2013 which focuses on poverty reduction in Pakistan. The Ministry of Defence made no contribution to this strategy paper.
Trident
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which potential aggressors he expects to be deterred by the Trident nuclear deterrent programme in 2024. [276260]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The 2006 White Paper: The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent (Cmd 6994), section three, paragraphs 3-8 to 3-13, states that over the next 20 to 50 years we can foresee nuclear risks in three areas: Re-emergence of a major nuclear threat; emerging nuclear states and state-sponsored terrorism.
International Development
Departmental Accountancy
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's internal audit department report to the accounting officer for every financial year since 1997-98. [258018]
Mr. Michael Foster: Internal audit reports are produced for internal management purposes and releasing them would risk undermining the integrity and effectiveness of the audit process, as well as the safe, secure and effective operation of the Department for International Development (DFID).
UN Development Programme
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much non-core funding his Department has provided to the United Nations Development programme in each financial year since 1997-98; and to which projects in each country of operation such funding was allocated; [275986]
(2) how much core funding his Department has provided to the United Nations Development programme in each financial year since 1997-98; [275987]
(3) if he will place in the Library a copy of each agreement between his Department and the United Nations Development programme (UNDP) on (a) financial, (b) technical and (c) other means of co-operation with the UNDP. [275988]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The “Statistics on International Development” publications, available in the House of Commons Library and at:
provide details of total external assistance through multilateral agencies from all official UK sources. Country-level information on DFID funding for UNDP cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
The UNDP/UK/Denmark Institutional Strategy (IS) 2008-11 sets out how the UK Government will work with the United Nations Development programme (UNDP) over the period 2008-11. It is available at:
The DFID Annual Report outlines the levels of financial support which supports this Institutional Strategy. This is available in the House Library or at:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Aung San Suu Kyi
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations (a) he and (b) the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Burma have made to the Burmese regime on the health of Aung San Suu Kyi; and if he will make a statement. [276351]
Caroline Flint: We were greatly concerned by reports that Aung San Suu Kyi was suffering from low blood pressure and dehydration at the beginning of May. However, latest reporting suggests that her condition has improved. Mrs Suu Kyi was reported to be in good spirits during a visit by an assistant to her regular doctor on Monday 11 May 2009. We have also received reports that she appeared to be in good health on arrival for her trial on 18 May 2009. Nonetheless, we remain concerned that Mrs Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for a considerable period and has not had the level of medical care that can be enjoyed by a free individual. In striking contrast, senior military leaders go out of Burma for medical treatment whenever the need arises.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Burma has had with governments of ASEAN countries on the arrest and detention of Aung San Suu Kyi by the Burmese regime on 14 May 2009; and if he will make a statement. [276355]
Caroline Flint: We are in regular contact with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries regarding Burma's actions, including on Mrs Suu Kyi's arrest. We support the strong statements issued by a number of member countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.
My hon. Friend the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bill Rammell, and European colleagues will be attending the EU-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in Phnom Penh on 27-28 May 2009, where he will raise Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest and our collective response with our Asian counterparts.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to seek to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi following her arrest and detention by the Burmese regime on 14 May 2009; and if he will make a statement. [276356]
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