Previous Section Index Home Page

5 Jan 2010 : Column 32W—continued

Military Bases: Scotland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to downsize or close the 2nd Division HQ at Craigiehall; and when a decision will be made on the future of the HQ. [308614]

Bill Rammell: The Army is currently reviewing its top-level structures in order to make them clearer and more accountable, and to remove any ambiguity or duplication. This will mean better and more efficient support to the front-line, and to soldiers and their families. Changes at 3 Star level have already been implemented in HQ Land Forces. The review will look at the detail below this level over the coming months. A key part of this will be the examination of the regional forces structures, centred on the Divisional Commands in Scotland, Aldershot, London and Shrewsbury, in the light of the new 3 Star responsibilities. It is too early to say when this work will conclude, what its outcome will be or what implications this may have for particular establishments or locations.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maintenance costs were for 2nd Division HQ at Craigiehall in each of the last 10 years. [308616]

Mr. Kevan Jones: Building maintenance costs for the 2nd Division HQ at Craigiehall since October 2003 are shown in the following table. Information prior to October 2003 is not held.

Financial year Cost (£)

October 2003-March 2004

115,909

2004-05

511,153

2005-06

636,758

2006-07

467,638

2007-08

408,541

2008-09

267,024

April-November 2009

174,505


These figures do not include running costs, such as cleaning or utilities, which could not be separately identified in the time available.

Nimrod Aircraft

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his statement of 15 December 2009, Official Report, column 801, on the future defence programme, what steps are being taken to ensure the safety of British submarines following the planned withdrawal of Nimrod MR2. [309270]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: As indicated in the oral statement, other platforms are capable of providing the maritime patrol responsibilities. I am not prepared to disclose further details as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.


5 Jan 2010 : Column 33W

Offenders

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been convicted of a criminal offence of each type in each year since 1997. [308510]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The information on the number of employees of the Department and its agencies that have been convicted of a criminal offence of each type in each year since 2007 is as follows:

The information for 1997 to March 2007 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Radioactive Materials: Transport

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 November 2009, Official Report, column 237W, on radioactive materials: transport, what the reason is for the difference in the expected in-service date for refurbished truck cargo heavy trailers and the date originally specified in the initial gate business case. [308140]

Bill Rammell: There has been no change in the expected in-service date for this capability.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of his Department's previous convoy support operations are now undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment. [308188]

Bill Rammell: There has been no recent change to the scope of the tasks undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in support of convoy operations. Plans are in place however to transfer to the AWE contractor, during the second quarter of 2010, the responsibility for managing four areas of support. These are administrative support of the Special Safety Cell, maintenance of the fleet of escort vehicles, documentation management and training. The Ministry of Defence retains control of all these tasks.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what audit has been undertaken of the work of private companies servicing the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. [306820]

Mr. Quentin Davies [holding answer 14 December 2009]: We have carried out a range of audits and reviews of the work carried out by the five through-life cluster support contractors servicing the vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Examples include quality audits, periodic performance reviews, work package acceptance procedures, and MOD and Third Party assurance processes. These will continue throughout the life of the contracts and will ensure that works are carried out in accordance with requirements.


5 Jan 2010 : Column 34W

In addition, the five contractors are required to hold the appropriate ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification, which is subject to regular independent audit.

Security

Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK private military and security companies have been awarded contracts by his Department to carry out work in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq, (c) Sudan, (d) Israel, (e) Somalia, (f) Pakistan, (g) Colombia, (h) Ethiopia and (i) Eritrea in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007, (iv) 2008, (v) 2009 and (vi) future years; and what the monetary value is of each contract. [306911]

Mr. Quentin Davies: One UK private security company was awarded a contract to provide security for the UK defence advisers' accommodation in Kabul for three months in 2006-07: this contract was worth £37,000.

One UK private security company was awarded a contract to guard two compounds in Basra palace in 2008: this contract was worth £1,113,000.

No contracts have been awarded by this Department to private military and security companies for work in Sudan, Israel, Somalia, Pakistan, Colombia, Ethiopia or Eritrea.

Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department (a) has had recently and (b) is planning to have with US officials on regulation of private military and security companies in Iraq and Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [307013]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Ministry of Defence staff have frequent and regular communication with their US equivalents in order to ensure our coherence on a range of issues. The subject of private military security companies (PMSCs) has been discussed at staff level in broad terms over recent months as part of this routine interaction.

The US, UK and Swiss Governments have all been working together closely to agree a set of draft international standards for the PMSC industry. As the lead UK Department on PMSC policy, the FCO hopes to agree these standards with the US and Swiss Governments in the course of next year through a series of workshops and a plenary conference where MOD will be represented.

Territorial Army: Manpower

Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army soldiers there were of each rank in each year since 1997. [308759]

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 November 2009, Official Report, column 410W to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox).

Trident

Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make his announcement on the decision on the initial gate of the approval process for a replacement for Trident submarines. [308057]


5 Jan 2010 : Column 35W

Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 December 2009, Official Report, column 1218W, to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mrs. Cryer).

Type 45 Destroyers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated cost is of procurement and installation of the Sea Viper Missile system on the Type 45 destroyers. [308609]

Mr. Quentin Davies: The costs for designing and manufacturing the Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS), renamed Sea Viper by the Royal Navy, and for installing it on each of the six Type 45 Destroyers are included as part of the overall Type 45 programme costs of £6.5 billion. These costs also include the design and manufacture of the six Type 45s and are broadly split 60 per cent (£4 billion) for the ships and 40 per cent. (2.5 billion) for the weapons system.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to equip Type 45 destroyers with the Sea Viper Missile system; and if he will make a statement. [308610]

Mr. Quentin Davies: The Sea Viper missile system is to be fitted to all six of the Type 45 Destroyers being built for the Royal Navy. The first ship in the Class, HMS DARING, is currently undergoing final MOD controlled Trials and Acceptance activity, including integration and trials of the Sea Viper missile system, prior to entering service with the Royal Navy.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many test firings of the Sea Viper missile have taken place; how much each firing cost; and how many of each firing have been successful. [308611]

Mr. Quentin Davies: Four test firings of the Sea Viper missile have taken place. These trials have all successfully provided vital system and performance evidence. This has enabled Sea Viper qualification and ship trials to progress in accordance with the planned Type 45 programme. Two of the test firings did not, however, meet all the planned trials objectives.

The test firings form part of the contract for the development and initial production of the Sea Viper system and the costs are not separately identifiable.

Warships

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Statement of 15 December 2009, when the minehunter will be decommissioned; and what the UK base is of that minehunter. [308636]

Mr. Quentin Davies: On current plans HMS Walney will be withdrawn from service in April 2010. Her base port is Faslane.


5 Jan 2010 : Column 36W

Wales

Offenders

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees of his Department have been convicted of a criminal offence of each type in each year since 1997. [308522]

Mr. Hain: None.

Culture, Media and Sport

Arts Council England: Advertising

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Arts Council England has spent on advertising in each of the last five years. [307331]

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for Arts Council England, which operates independently of Government.

I have therefore asked Arts Council England's chief executive to consider the question raised by my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East and to write to him direct.

Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England: Audit

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what audits have been undertaken since 1994 on restructuring of Arts Council England. [307330]

Margaret Hodge: Arts Council England's costs and savings are recorded as part of their external audit and are published with their annual report and accounts.

Arts Council England: Consultants

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many consultants Arts Council England has hired in each of the last five years; and at what cost in each of those years. [306830]

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for Arts Council England, which operates independently of Government.

I have therefore asked Arts Council England's chief executive to consider the question raised by my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East and to write to him direct.

Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England: Redundancy

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Arts Council England has set aside for redundancy payments in respect of its proposed restructuring; what proportion of this sum the organisation plans to spend on redundancy payments to employees in the West Midlands; and if he will make a statement. [307493]


5 Jan 2010 : Column 37W

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for Arts Council England, which operates independently of Government.

I have therefore asked Arts Council England's chief executive to consider the question raised by my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, East and to write to him direct.

Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Arts Council England: Venture Capital

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much venture capital Arts Council England has provided to small creative enterprises since its inception under the Creative Britain strategy; and how many creative enterprises have received such funding. [306364]

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 14 December 2009]: Arts Council England funds individuals and organisations through its Grants for the Arts scheme, rather than providing venture capital for small creative enterprises.

Arts Council England provided £46,021,104 in Grants for the Arts funding in 2008-09. So far in 2009-10 it has made grants totalling £22,375,366. Many of these grants have gone to organisations that could be described as creative enterprises.


Next Section Index Home Page