| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
11 Jan 2010 : Column 739W—continued
Skill Force
18. Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has provided support to Skill Force to place former service training personnel in employment in secondary schools in Nottingham. [309583]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence has been a firm supporter of Skill Force since the idea of using retired service personnel to re-motivate young people was first suggested and inspired its creation in 2000.
Skill Force has received a grant of £30,000 from the Ministry of Defence towards a Two Year Pilot Internship Programme for personnel recovering from physical and psychological injuries and illness as part of their rehabilitation pathway and a lieutenant-colonel is currently seconded full time to manage the programme.
No interns have yet been placed in the Nottinghamshire area. This is because locations for interns reflect their personal preferences.
Southern Afghanistan
19. Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the implications for UK forces in southern Afghanistan of the recent US decision on troop numbers. [309584]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We welcome the US announcement that it will deploy additional forces to Southern Afghanistan. These additional troops will have a positive impact in increasing international security assistance force capacity to conduct security operations in the south and to train and partner the Afghan National Security Forces.
We continue to work closely with our American counterparts and ISAF commanders to determine the best allocation of tasks in Southern Afghanistan.
Security Situation: Afghanistan
20. Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in Afghanistan. [309586]
Bill Rammell: We recognise that the security situation in Afghanistan remains serious, however, in the past year much has been achieved.
At the end of 2009, we and the United States marines provided security for over 50 per cent. of the Helmand population, which is set to increase in 2010.
Veteran Support
21. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of support provided by his Department to service personnel leaving the armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [309587]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Although the great majority of service personnel make a successful transition from the armed forces to civilian life, the Ministry of Defence recognises that it can be a daunting experience. Therefore, my Department remains committed to supporting service leavers in making this important step.
I am satisfied that the existing resettlement arrangements offered to service leavers by my Department remain robust and effective. However, resettlement arrangements are kept under constant review, to ensure that the needs of service leavers are met.
The last major assessment of my Department's resettlement provision was undertaken in 2007 by the National Audit Office.
The NAO commended the assistance offered to service leavers in helping them transition to civilian life, and found that 94 per cent. of service personnel who were seeking work using the Career Transition Partnership services were in employment within six months of leaving the armed forces.
UK-US Defence Cooperation Treaty
22. Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the ratification of the UK-US defence co-operation treaty. [309588]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: I speak to Secretary Gates regularly, and the UK-US Defence Trade Co-operation treaty is a frequent subject of discussion. My Cabinet colleagues, other Ministers and senior officials also raise the treaty regularly with their counterparts, and we look forward to early ratification.
Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Region
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security threat posed by the Taliban in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. [309573]
Mr. Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security threat posed by the Taliban in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. [309581]
Bill Rammell: The threat posed by the Taliban remains serious. On both sides of the border efforts to bring stability and operations to constrict the insurgents' ability to operate continue.
This approach was set out by the Prime Minister in our April 2009 policy document "Afghanistan-Pakistan: The Way Forward".
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. [309582]
Bill Rammell: The threat posed by the Taleban remains serious. On both sides of the border efforts to bring stability and operations to constrict the insurgents' ability to operate continue.
This approach was set out by the Prime Minister in our April 2009 Policy Document 'Afghanistan-Pakistan: The Way Forward'.
Air Force: Military Bases
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2009, Official Report, column 90W, on the Royal Air Force: military bases, what provision of the Data Protection Act 1999 governs the withholding of the name of each base commander requested in the question; and if he will make a statement. [309128]
Bill Rammell: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 the names of the RAF commanders are classed as personal data. Section 1(1) of the Act defines 'personal data' as information which relate to a living individual, who can be identified from the data. The First Data Principle requires that personal data have to be processed fairly and lawfully and to allow disclosure have to meet one of the conditions contained in schedule 2. One of the conditions is the consent of the person. In cases where the individual's personal details have already been made public they would have had to provide consent, which would fulfil the first condition contained at schedule 2 to the Act.
The names of the Station Commanders for RAF Wyton, RAF Digby and RAF St. Mawgan were incorrectly omitted from the reply given on 7 December 2009, Official Report, column 90W due to an administrative error. Their names are shown as follows:
| Base | Position | Name/Rank |
Armed Forces: Uniforms
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of waterproof clothing issued to members of the armed services. [309644]
Mr. Quentin Davies:
Performance of in-service items is assessed in two ways: defect reports from the users
and periodic visits to front line command operational units to seek user feedback on equipment. There have been no defect reports or concerns relating to the performance of in-service items. A trial was recently carried out to compare the in-service waterproof clothing with two commercially available products, from two suppliers, in which the in-service waterproof clothing performed extremely well.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce the taped seam clothing specification developed for waterproof clothing as part of his Department's Personal Equipment and Common Operational Clothing programme. [309645]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The Personal Equipment and Common Operational Clothing Programme is an ongoing project, and no decisions about whether to change the specification of waterproof clothing have yet been made.
Colombia: Military Aid
Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel are assigned to duties in Colombia. [309568]
Bill Rammell: There are currently two military personnel assigned to diplomatic duties and attached to the British embassy in Bogota. In addition, there are a small number of personnel conducting counter-narcotics capacity building activities.
Military Aircraft: Helicopters
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the future of manufacturing of Chinook helicopters in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [309481]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The intent to purchase 22 new Chinook helicopters was announced on 15 December 2009, Official Report, columns 99-100WS. The place of final assembly of these helicopters will be decided later this year, and will be based on ensuring that the aircraft are delivered at the rate and quality required and in the most cost-effective manner. Through-life support of our Chinook fleet will continue to be carried out in the UK with our industrial partners.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first Chinook reverted from HC3 to HC2 will be deployed to Afghanistan. [308612]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The first of eight Chinook HC3 aircraft, reverted to HC2 Support Helicopter standard, was delivered for training purposes in November 2009, and is therefore already fulfilling tasking commitments as part of the wider Chinook fleet. A second Chinook is scheduled for delivery shortly, when it will also be available for training purposes. The remaining six aircraft will be delivered during the course of 2010 and delivery is expected to be complete by the end of the year. This will allow us to deploy more Chinooks to Afghanistan in the course of 2010.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many combat-ready helicopters are stationed at the British Sovereign Base Area of (a) Akrotiri and (b) Dhekelia. [309084]
Bill Rammell: There are no combat-ready helicopters stationed at the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri or Dhekelia.
Radioactive Materials: Transport
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the high security vehicles for the transfer of special nuclear materials are still in service. [308189]
Bill Rammell: In support of the UK's nuclear deterrent, High Security Vehicles are used to transport special nuclear material between the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Burghfield and the Royal Naval Armament Depot Coulport. These vehicles are planned to remain in service until they are replaced by the Truck Cargo Heavy Duty Mk 3. As I told the hon. Member in the answer I gave on 10 November 2009, Official Report, column 237W, these are planned to be brought into service by the end of 2010.
Yemen: Military Aid
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK armed forces personnel are based in Yemen; and what their role is. [309637]
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will deploy UK armed forces personnel to Yemen. [309739]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 21, we are pursuing a cross-governmental strategy in Yemen based on addressing the causes of conflict, support for political structures, building Yemeni capacity to tackle security, and helping the Yemeni Government to deliver the functions of the state.
The Ministry of Defence is fully engaged in this strategy, and there are currently two UK military personnel in the Defence Section of the UK embassy in Yemen, whose role is to advise the ambassador on defence issues.
Our relationship with Yemen, as with many other countries, also includes work on counter-terrorism. At the invitation of the Government of Yemen we are providing a training and mentoring programme for the Yemen Coast Guard and we are also offering training to the counter-terrorist police unit. It is not the practice of the Government to make public the details of such assistance to individual countries as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice international relations.
We will continue to offer support to the Government of Yemen and will consider any further requests for training assistance.
International Development
Hotels
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many hotel room nights were booked by officials in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each year since 2007; and how much (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies spent on the fees of third party agents in booking hotel accommodation in each of those years. [309059]
Mr. Michael Foster: The information requested is not held centrally and would incur disproportionate cost to provide.
Overseas Aid: Uganda
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make provision of aid by his Department to Uganda conditional on a removal of anti-homosexual legislation and ending of public statements of anti-gay prejudice by Ugandan Government ministers. [308142]
Mr. Thomas: Aid provided by the Department for International Development (DFID) to Uganda is conditional on progress in reducing poverty, strengthening financial management and respecting human rights and international obligations. Recent assessments of human rights in Uganda indicate mixed progress. The UK Government, alongside the EU, US, French, Canadian and Swedish Governments, has lobbied intensely against the introduction of new anti-homosexual legislation in Uganda. We are monitoring this situation closely. DFID will continue to take the human rights situation into account when making decisions on funding to Uganda.
St. Helena: Airports
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent progress has been made on deciding upon air access options for St Helena. [309106]
Mr. Michael Foster: I refer the hon. Member to the statement the Secretary of State for International Development made on 15 December 2009, Official Report, columns 114-15WS on St. Helena.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |