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3 Nov 2009 : Column 828W—continued
State Retirement Pensions: Overseas Residence
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in state pensions to British expatriates in each overseas country in each year from 1997 to 2008. [297122]
Angela Eagle:
The information requested is not available, as nationality is not routinely held on our statistical
data sources. Information on state pensions paid overseas, irrespective of nationality, can be found in the DWP pages on the internet (table SP2):
Winter Fuel Payments
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in St Albans constituency (a) over the age of 60, (b) over the age of 80 and (c) in total received a winter fuel payment in each of the last three years. [297531]
Angela Eagle: The number of individuals that received a winter fuel payment in St. Albans constituency, in each of the last three years are as follows:
| (a) Number of individuals aged 60 to 79 | (b) Number of individuals aged 80 and over | (c) Total number of individuals | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 for years. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100 per cent. data | |||
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department has spent on winter fuel payments in each year since 2005. [297408]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the following table:
| Expenditure on winter fuel payments | ||||
| £ million | ||||
| Outturn | Provisional outturn | |||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are for Great Britain. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest million. 3. Figures include additional payments made in 2008-09 of £50 for 60-79 year-olds and £100 for over 80 year olds. Source: DWP benefit expenditure tables, Table 3 http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/alltables_Budget2009_Values.xls | ||||
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many British (a) citizens and (b) residents have been captured by (i) British and (ii) coalition forces in Afghanistan in each province in each year since 2001; [296141]
(2) how many British citizens and residents captured in Afghanistan have subsequently been charged with a crime; how many were released without charge; and how many have been detained without charge; [296142]
(3) how long on average British citizens and residents captured by British and coalition forces in Afghanistan since 2001 have been detained; and in which countries they have been detained; [296143]
(4) how many British citizens and residents captured in Afghanistan and subsequently charged with a crime remain in custody. [296731]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: No UK citizens or residents have been captured by British forces in Afghanistan since 2001.
Her Majesty's Government are aware of six UK citizens captured by coalition forces in Afghanistan since 2001, all of whom were subsequently transferred to Guantanamo Bay. None of these individuals were charged with a crime and all have since been released without charge. The average period of detention by coalition forces, including time spent at Guantanamo Bay, for these individuals was approximately two and a half years.
It is not possible to be specific about the number of UK residents captured by coalition forces. When detained an individual will be asked their nationality, not their country of residence, and may choose not to offer this information. It should also be noted that coalition forces are not obliged to inform us of when they detain a non-UK national; therefore, we may not be informed when a British resident has been detained. Furthermore, while an individual may have resided in the UK it will not always be possible to determine whether they were lawfully resident. For this reason, any figure we give cannot be definitive. We are, however, aware of at least one UK resident captured by coalition forces in Afghanistan since 2001, and who was subsequently transferred to Guantanamo Bay where he remains detained without charge.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been (a) killed and (b) seriously wounded in Afghanistan in each year since UK forces entered Helmand province; and how many such casualties were caused by (i) roadside or other pre-positioned devices and (ii) enemy fire in combat. [297021]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The MOD is committed to openly publishing casualty statistics on the number of service personnel killed and wounded on operations. Information on casualties sustained since January 2006 in Afghanistan and information on how each individual was killed is included in their eulogies available on our website
We do not disclose information on how casualties are injured as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Armed Forces: Housing
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the detailed analysis of the net profit and loss accrued from the management of Service Families' Accommodation by Defence Estates in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [296985]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The main constituents of income and expenditure in relation to the management of Service Families Accommodation within the UK for the financial years (FY) 2006-07 to 2008-09 are provided in the following table. Comparable and consistent data prior to FY 2006-07 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Accurate and consistent data for overseas Service Family Accommodation is not held centrally.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the average monthly rent is for properties rented under the substitute single living accommodation scheme; [297362]
(2) how many (a) civil servants and (b) military personnel participate in the substitute single living accommodation scheme. [297386]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Substitute Service Single Accommodation (SSSA) is provided to members of the armed forces in cases where no single living accommodation is available at or near their permanent duty station. As at 23 October 2009, we rented 5,100 SSSA properties across the UK at an average monthly rent of £738.93.
These were occupied by 6,376 entitled Service personnel. The scheme does not extend to civilian personnel.
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who is entitled to assistance under the substitute single living accommodation scheme. [297387]
Mr. Kevan Jones: All single and married unaccompanied regular armed forces personnel are entitled to substitute service single accommodation (SSSA) when:
There is no suitable single living accommodation available.
They are expected to stay in the SSSA for at least six months and for not less than four nights each week.
They are serving within the UK.
Armed Forces: Injuries
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many families of service personnel injured in combat overseas since 1997 have sought advice from his Department on welfare and support in (a) England, (b) the North East and (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency. [296394]
Mr. Kevan Jones:
This information is not held in the format requested and therefore it could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, following the formation of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency
(SPVA) in April 2007 the Veterans Welfare Service has proactively provided support to injured personnel as they leave the service and thereafter. In addition the welfare organisations within the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy also provide welfare support to injured personnel while they are still in service. The Veterans Welfare Service also provides support to the dependants of those who have died in service. The level of welfare support offered to the families of Service Personnel killed or injured is the same regardless of the cause or where it occurs. I have provided in the following tables data the SPVA Welfare Support Services hold on the support they have given in these circumstances.
| Death in s ervice | |
| April to March each year | National |
| Seriously injured | |||
| April to March each year | National | England | North East |
| Medical discharge | |||
| April to March each year | National | England | North East |
Armed Forces: Meat
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which countries (a) beef, (b) pork, (c) chicken, (d) lamb and (e) bacon has been procured for consumption by military personnel in each of the last three years. [296960]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Catering, Retail and Leisure (CRL) contracts are being introduced across the UK, which include the feeding of service personnel living in UK units. These account for around 60 per cent. of service personnel fed. CRL incorporates pay as you dine arrangements, the responsibility for food procurement is therefore passed to the CRL contractor and data are not held in the format requested.
For UK armed forces personnel "in barracks" (when personnel are not being fed under the CRL contracts), and those serving on operations and overseas exercises, there is a single food supply contract for which the following information is available:
| Meat | Country of origin |
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