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29 Jun 2009 : Column 37W—continued

On helicopters, we continue to deliver improvements to our fleet to ensure the safety, airworthiness and operational effectiveness of our platforms on operations. We continue to increase the number of helicopter flying
29 Jun 2009 : Column 38W
hours available to our commanders in Afghanistan, which have gone up by 84 per cent. between November 2006 and April 2009 through the deployment of more aircraft and improvements in support and crewing arrangements. By the end of 2009, the Department intends to make the first of the eight Chinook Mk3 Reversion aircraft available for operations and will have deployed the RAF’s Merlin Mk3 force to Afghanistan, providing a significant increase to our front-line helicopter capability.

In the past year, there have been a number of improvements in the equipment provided to the RAF Regiment. The latest variant of the Snatch Land Rover, the Snatch Vixen which has improved mobility and protection is currently deployed on operations, as is the new Panther Command and Liaison vehicle. In addition to the new vehicles, there has also been recent improvement in dismounted close combat equipment including the supply of underslung grenade launchers, night vision devices, combat shotguns and the 60 mm mortar.

Armed Forces: Families

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department provides for the families of service personnel killed in action. [282462]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The MOD places a very high priority on the welfare of its service personnel and their families. To that end, the MOD has robust procedures in place to support immediate family members of service personnel who are killed while on operations. These procedures are under constant review to ensure that the support provided meets the needs of the recipients and reflect current MOD policy. Families are assigned a visiting officer who acts as the link between the family and the services, assisting with such matters as repatriation, funeral arrangements and expenses, and help with necessary paperwork to procure pensions etc. The visiting officers will also direct the family to the most appropriate internal and external welfare agencies for specific areas of support.

Armed Forces: Housing

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many overseas (a) service family and (b) single living accommodation units were in each condition grade in each year since 2001. [266945]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The requested information will take time to collate and verify. I will write to the hon. Member with the information that is available and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Substantive answer from Kevan Jones to Liam Fox:


29 Jun 2009 : Column 39W
As at 1 April each year

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2006

S1fC

361

331

618

181

395

462

S2fC

881

479

519

589

408

446

S3fC

754

690

744

237

283

274

S4fC

1,833

1,779

921

1,848

1,687

1,619

Total

3,829

3,279

2,802

2,855

2,773

2,801


June 2007 June 2008

Grade 1

2,796

2,707

Grade 2

1,594

1,818

Grade 3

4,848

5,503

Grade 4

17,990

12,375

Total

27,228

22,403


Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 18 January 2009, Official Report, columns 1015-6W, on modern housing solutions: complaints, how many of the complaints made to Modern Housing Solutions originated in each region. [271256]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The requested information will take a little time to collate and verify. I will write to the hon. Member.

Substantive answer from Kevan Jones to Nick Harvey:


29 Jun 2009 : Column 40W
Month Housing region Number of complaints

January 2008

East

39

London

120

North

37

South East

116

South West

105

West

33

Total for month

450

February 2008

East

44

London

114

North

41

South East

101

South West

101

West

25

Total for month

426

March 2008

East

37

London

98

North

30

South East

108

South West

91

West

18

Total for month

382

April 2008

East

63

London

121

North

29

South East

102

South West

88

West

25

Total for month

428

May 2008

East

49

London

113

North

29

South East

106

South West

85

West

15

Total for month

397


Missed appointments

January 2008

208

February 2008

186

March 2008

180

April 2008

303

May 2008

225


Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of units of (a) single living accommodation and (b) service family accommodation at each location in England there are at each grade. [274983]

Mr. Kevan Jones: The table provided as follows shows, as of December 2008, the number and percentage of single living accommodation (SLA) broken down by grade. Grade is an assessment of the size, amenities and condition of the SLA.


29 Jun 2009 : Column 41W

29 Jun 2009 : Column 42W
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4
Region No. % No. % No. % No. % Grand total

East Midlands

1,488

25

809

14

265

4

3,464

57

6,026

East of England

3,989

32

2,680

22

2,337

19

3,289

27

12,295

London

129

3

1,147

29

654

16

2,066

52

3,996

North East

417

16

159

6

1,423

55

611

23

2,610

North West

101

8

417

32

737

56

57

4

1,312

South East

7,221

19

4,813

12

4,239

11

22,382

58

38,655

South West

8,764

30

3,164

11

4,230

14

13,449

45

29,607

West Midlands

1,236

19

1,129

18

1,907

29

2,216

34

6,488

Yorkshire and the Humber

3,589

31

742

7

2,240

19

5,040

43

11,611

Wales

427

15

489

17

76

3

1,805

65

2,797

Scotland

2,443

33

1,527

21

2,096

28

1,335

18

7,401

Northern Ireland

1,445

36

971

24

900

22

717

18

4,033

Grand total

31,249

25

18,047

14

21,104

17

56,431

44

126,831


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