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6 July 2009 : Column 555W—continued
Christmas Island
Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make an assessment of the merits of (a) commissioning a commemorative Christmas Island medal and (b) awarding the general service medal to those who served at Christmas Island; and if he will make a statement. [283835]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Since the end of World War II, the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (known as the HD Committee) has maintained a policy that it will not consider the belated institution of awards and medals for service given many years earlier. The reason for this policy is that the present HD Committee cannot put itself in the place of the Committee which made the original decision and which would have been able to take account of the views of the Government and of other interested parties at the time of the decision. The HD Committee has made it clear on a number of occasions in response to requests for the institution of belated awards, that it will not reconsider this policy.
It has never been the Government's policy to consider service of a particular specialist nature such as the British nuclear test programme as the sole justification for the institution of a medal. It would be divisive to offer service personnel a medal simply for being involved in this project, when those who have undertaken other specialist duties would be excluded from receiving any award. This does not imply that their contribution to the defence of the country has not been appreciated.
Defence: Finance
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much and what proportion of the defence budget was spent in Scotland in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [281650]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 June 2009, Official Report, columns 1068-69W.
Department: Water
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of water consumption on his Department’s office estate in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07, (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff. [280942]
Mr. Kevan Jones: It will take more time to collate and verify the information required to answer the question. I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Substantive answer from Kevan Jones to James Paice:
In my answer of 22 June 2009 (Official Report, column 623-624W) I undertook to write to you with the requested details of the Department’s office water consumption.
Water consumption data for the office estate is not separately identifiable from that for the rest of the Defence estate.
For the estate in Great Britain (GB), covered by Project Aquatrine, the total consumption and consumption per GB full-time equivalent (FTE) member of staff in 2005-06 and 2006-07 was estimated to be as follows:
| Financial year | Total consumption (m3) | Consumption per FTE member of staff (m3) |
This information is the best that can be provided without disproportionate cost. Like for like data is not available for Northern Ireland or the overseas estate.
Consumption per FTE member of staff has been estimated using the personnel numbers published in the UK Defence Statistics 2007, available to view on the Defence Analytical Services and Advice website found at the following link:
Departmental Data Protection
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have been (i) disciplined and (ii) dismissed for (A) breaches of data protection requirements and (B) inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data in the last 12 months. [278748]
Mr. Hutton: In the 12 months to 31 May 2009, eight individuals (including four contractor’s staff acting on MOD’s behalf) have been disciplined for breaches of data protection requirements. A number of other cases remain subject to investigation. Figures for inappropriate use of personal or sensitive data are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HMG. The Security Policy Framework and the Data Handling Report produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures which Departments must adhere to.
MOD has issued internal guidance to remind staff that if they are found to have been responsible for a serious breach of data security procedures, dependent upon the circumstances, a range of sanctions are available including disciplinary or administrative action, and in extreme or persistent cases, termination of employment/services and, if appropriate, criminal proceedings.
Departmental Information and Communications Technology
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the original target date for the completion of the second increment of the Defence Information Infrastructure programme was; when the original target date was changed; and what his latest estimate is for the completion of the second increment of the programme. [283541]
Mr. Quentin Davies: When the contract for the DII Programme was amended in December 2006 to include Increment 2A, the target date for completion of Increment 2A was end June 2009. This was further amended in October 2008 to December 2009 and the programme remains on track to meet this target date.
Diabetes
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will review the prohibition on insulin-treated diabetics joining the armed forces; [284047]
(2) how many people have been (a) diagnosed with diabetes while serving in the armed forces and (b) discharged from the armed forces as a result of being diagnosed with diabetes in each year since 2004; [284048]
(3) how many people had an application to join the armed forces turned down because they had diabetes in each year since 2004; [284049]
(4) how many people at each rank in the Army have insulin-treated diabetes. [284050]
Mr. Kevan Jones: It is our policy that armed forces personnel should be recruited to be fully fit for deployment worldwide on operations. For this reason, the services do not recruit or commission personnel with existing medical conditions which require regular access to medication, such as diabetes. We currently have no plans to review this policy.
This policy is intended to protect sufferers of diabetes from military circumstances which may adversely impact upon their condition and to ensure the effectiveness of the armed forces. For example, a diabetic individual deployed on operations may experience difficulties in monitoring blood or urinary glucose levels; accessing medication; taking regular meals; maintaining a regular sleep pattern; accessing shared-care diabetic clinics; and accessing specialist services such as ophthalmology or chiropody. Such circumstances would adversely impact upon their diabetic control, thus increasing their risk of micro—and macro-vascular complications. Furthermore, an uncontrolled diabetic may constitute a risk not only to themselves, but also to others in a military or operational context.
Potential recruits are given details during the recruitment process of those medical conditions that make an individual unsuitable for entry into the services, of which diabetes is one. No centralised record is kept of the specific reasons why individuals are turned down on recruitment.
The single services manage individuals who develop diabetes during their service careers according to their specific operational requirements and each case will be considered on an individual basis. The total number and rank of individuals who were diagnosed with diabetes while serving in the armed forces and are currently still serving is not held centrally, and could be obtained only by examining the medical records of all personnel, which would incur disproportionate cost. While we will make every effort to retain in-service individuals who subsequently develop diabetes (provided that there are worthwhile military roles for them to fulfil), this will normally mean that they will have to be re-graded and will not be able to deploy on operations. This also applies to other disabilities which might arise while an
individual is in service but the forces do not recruit individuals where they would only be able to serve from the outset in a medically restricted capacity.
The following table presents the numbers of service personnel medically discharged each year between 2004 and 2008 with diabetes as the principal cause leading to discharge. Figures have been compiled using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems version 10 (ICD 10). Small totals of individuals (fewer than 5) are not shown, in line with Office for National Statistics Guidelines, in order to protect individual identities. Such numbers are represented as *.
| Year of medical discharge | ||||||
| All | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| (1) Includes Royal Navy and Royal Marines. | ||||||
European Fighter Aircraft
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many squadrons of the Tranche 3 Eurofighter are due to be deployed in the UK armed forces. [283666]
Bill Rammell: On current plans, once the RAF's Typhoon fleet is at full strength it will consist of seven squadrons; five front line squadrons supported by an Operational Evaluation Unit and an Operational Conversion Unit. The distribution of Tranche 3 aircraft across these squadrons has yet to be decided.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any reductions in the UK's planned expenditure on the Tranche 3 Eurofighter procurement have taken place as a result of agreements to sell the aircraft to other countries. [283667]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Typhoon Tranche 3 is currently the subject of negotiations with our partner nations and industry.
Foxes
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of controlling foxes on his Department's land has been in each year since 1997. [284010]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Control of foxes on the defence estate is carried out as part of overall vermin control measures and is not recorded separately. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Gifts and Endowments
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military bases in Northern Ireland formerly owned by his Department have been gifted to the Northern Ireland Executive in each year since 1998; what estimate he has made of the monetary value of such properties; and what plans there are for further such gifts. [284115]
Mr. Kevan Jones: In 2003 four military sites were transferred to the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) free of charge at Malone, Magherafelt, Long Kesh (The Maze) and Ebrington, valued at £4.8 million, £1.3 million, £0.3 million and £13 million respectively. Since then the NIE has bought other sites from the Ministry of Defence, paying market value. The MOD and Northern Ireland Executive are working together on plans for a number of MOD sites scheduled for disposal.
Iraq and Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops required medical evacuation as a result of injuries caused by improvised explosive devices in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008 and (iii) 2009 to date. [283550]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence holds statistics on the number of casualties suffered by UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, including on the number of casualties evacuated by air from Iraq and Afghanistan on medical grounds. These are published on the Ministry of Defence website, two weeks in arrears, at the following addresses:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/DoctrineOperationsand DiplomacyPublications/OperationsInIraq/OpTelicCasualtyAndFatalityTables.htm
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/DoctrineOperationsand DiplomacyPublications/OperationsInAfghanistan/OpHerrickCasualtyAndFatalityTables.htm
I am withholding information regarding the number of personnel requiring medical evacuation as a result of injuries caused by improvised explosive devices, as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Military Aircraft: Manufacturing Industries
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department provides to UK (a) financial and (b) other manufacturers bidding for fighter jet contracts; and if he will make a statement. [283592]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Government support to the export efforts of the UK defence industry, including the aerospace sector, is led by UKTI. This Department works closely to support their Defence and Security Organisation on these matters, for example, where Defence Ministers raise such issues with their counterparts or through the provision of equipment for demonstration.
Military Bases
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what main amenities are available for (a) service personnel and (b) their families on each military base in (i) the UK and (ii) overseas. [283556]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The majority of military bases in the UK and overseas provide service personnel and their families with amenities such as banks, post offices, medical centres, welfare offices and facilities including play areas, sports facilities, nurseries, information and support centres and retail outlets.
More detailed information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many wardens are employed on each military base; and how many (a) service personnel and (b) members of families of service personnel are resident on each base. [283557]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Estate wardens are no longer employed on the defence estate. The other information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Pleural Plaques
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department made of its potential liabilities arising from compensation claims from those with pleural plaques in advance of the House of Lords judgment on pleural plaques compensation of October 2007. [284309]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Department's potential liabilities arising from compensation claims from those diagnosed with pleural plaques in advance of the House of Lords judgment in October 2007 was approximately £4.3 million per annum, excluding legal costs, up to 2015, at which time the number of reported cases are expected to peak and then tail off by 2030. Total liabilities have been estimated to be approximately £50 million excluding legal costs.
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