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21 Oct 2009 : Column 1467W—continued
Colombia: Military Aid
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 November 1999, Official Report, column 115W, on Colombia, whether (a) advisory visits and (b) information exchanges between the UK and Colombia on operations in urban theatres, counter guerrilla strategy and psychiatry continue to take place. [293754]
Bill Rammell [holding answer 16 October 2009]: Advisory visits and information exchanges between the UK and Colombia on operations in urban theatres, counter guerrilla strategy and psychiatry no longer take place.
Defence Equipment
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps he has taken to ensure that all troops are properly equipped for each of their duties. [294504]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence is focused on ensuring our armed forces continue to be provided with the equipment they need for the conduct of operations in Afghanistan, our main effort. So far this financial year we have approved £410 million on Urgent Operational Requirements, a large proportion of which has been for Force Protection and to counter the threat from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). New equipments, including vehicles, continue to be delivered as quickly as possible.
Defence Medical Services: Manpower
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the current shortfall is of each rank of medical personnel available for active service; and if he will make a statement; [291717]
(2) what the (a) inflow and (b) outflow rates were of medical personnel in each of the three services in each of the last five years. [291719]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Manning statistics for the Defence Medical Services are updated twice a year, in April and October. The October 2009 figures are currently being collated, and verified figures should be available by the end of November. I will place these figures in the Library of the House.
Departmental Procurement
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department next plans to renew its procurement processes. [294503]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence keeps its procurement processes under continuous review. At the strategic level we plan to publish a Strategy for Defence Acquisition in the new year which will take forward many of the recommendations in the report by Bernard Gray which was published on 15 October 2009.
Ex-Servicemen: Crime
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department plans to take to seek to reduce the number of armed forces veterans in the criminal justice system. [294507]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The MOD's comprehensive resettlement package provides graduated re-training and advice on future careers, financial planning, access to housing and other benefits. For those considered vulnerable to social exclusion, we work closely with ex-service and wider charitable organisations, Communities and Local Government and the Devolved Administrations to reduce the potential of turning to crime by helping them finding a home, access appropriate health care and finding work.
If a veteran of the armed forces is imprisoned, the Veterans Prison In-Reach Group aims to raise awareness among the ex-service prison population of the help and support available to them and their immediate families while they serve their sentence and as they prepare for release. As well as the Ministry of Defence, the Group consists of the National Offender Management Service in the Ministry of Justice, The Royal British Legion, SSAFA Forces Help, Combat Stress, the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, Action for Prisoners' Families, Her Majesty's Prison representatives, and representatives from the Devolved Administrations. Together, they work to explore new ways of better assisting veterans in prison, with the overall aim of reducing re-offending.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the merits of reducing the number of nuclear warheads in the United Kingdom stockpile; what technical capability exists in the UK to dismantle redundant warheads; and whether the UK is able to make use of US expertise on this matter. [294253]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Government are committed to retaining only the minimum credible nuclear deterrent capability. We regularly review the number of warheads in the UK stockpile in that light.
The UK technical capability to disassemble warheads is exercised and maintained at a level appropriate to enable effective warhead surveillance, essential stockpile maintenance and the timely disassembly of the stockpile should the need arise.
We do not rely on US capabilities to dismantle UK warheads. However, the UK has regular specialist technical exchanges with the US through the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement. These exchanges include warhead disassembly, to share best practice and experience.
Territorial Army: Finance
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons he decided to implement reductions in the budget available for the Territorial Army before the end of the 2009-10 financial year. [294120]
Bill Rammell [holding answer 19 October 2009]: This year is very challenging in resource terms, and success in Afghanistan must take priority. As much as the Regular forces, the Reserves must now focus available resources on supporting the ongoing campaign in Afghanistan, which means reducing activity levels elsewhere. These savings have been recommended by the Army and accepted by the Secretary of State. This is about putting today's operations first.
The measures that have been the subject of recent parliamentary debate and media reporting are specific to this financial year and reflect the fact that we are rightly focusing resources on the main effort, Afghanistan. And that means also focusing on forces currently deployed and the next roulement. But we have not taken these decisions without understanding potential risks, and we are absolutely determined that any risks to deployments to Afghanistan in 2012 will not be allowed to materialise. The Prime Minister is clear that the mission to Afghanistan will have all the resources and backing it needs to succeed.
We remain committed to ensuring that we have Reserve forces that meet the needs of Defence, today and tomorrow. Discussions about future training for the TA will be based on the requirement to preserve its ability to support regular forces on operations, and on ensuring that TA soldiers are properly equipped and trained.
Those reserves deploying over the next year will of course continue to be paid for the training they do to prepare them for their deployment, as well as for the deployment itself. This training will vary for individuals, depending on the task they will be required to do and their current skill set. This pre-deployment training is not being cut back. It will continue to be validated at the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre at Chilwell, before individuals are mobilised to join a formed unit for an extended period of training ahead of operations. It cannot be said enough; no soldier will be allowed to deploy to Afghanistan without the necessary training and equipment, whatever their trade, whether regular or reserve.
Solicitor-General
Corruption
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment the Attorney-General has made of whether the terms of Article 5 of the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions are binding when considering whether to consent to prosecute British companies and individuals in relation to allegations of overseas corruption. [294735]
The Solicitor-General: In considering an application for consent to the institution of criminal proceedings, the Attorney-General considers whether or not a prosecution would be in the public interest, in accordance with accepted prosecutorial principles. For the purposes of the 2005 UK phase 2 report of the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions, the then Attorney-General Lord Goldsmith confirmed that none of the factors listed in article 5 would be taken into account by him as public interest factors justifying a decision not to give consent. The present Attorney-General takes the same approach, and abides by article 5.
Justice
Domestic Violence
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) longest, (b) average and (c) shortest waiting period for entry into a domestic violence perpetrator programme was in each probation area in each year since such programmes were introduced. [294199]
Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service are currently collating the requested information and I hope to shortly be in a position to write to the hon. Member before Prorogation.
Drugs: Crime
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many people were (a) prosecuted, (b) convicted and (c) imprisoned for dealing (i) cannabis and (ii) ecstasy in each year since 1997; [294151]
(2) how many people were (a) found guilty and (b) sentenced to immediate custody for the unlawful importation of a controlled drug in each year since 1997; [294200]
(3) how many and what percentage of (a) male and (b) female prisoners were serving sentences for drug-related offences in each year since 1997. [294203]
Claire Ward: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty at all courts and sentenced to immediate custody for 'possession with intent to supply' and 'supplying or offering to supply' cannabis and ecstasy in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in table 1.
The number of defendants found guilty at all courts and sentenced to immediate custody for unlawful importation of a controlled drug in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2007, is shown in table 2.
The statistics given in tables 1 and 2 relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
Court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication at the end of January 2010.
The number of males and females serving sentences in prison establishments in England and Wales for drug offences from 1997 to 2009 (as at 30 June each year) is shown in table 3.
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