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13 Jan 2010 : Column 991W—continued
Police: Weapons
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what less lethal weapons are permitted to be used by police. [310080]
Mr. Alan Campbell: As well as personal protective equipment like batons and CS spray, police forces in England and Wales are permitted to use taser and the attenuating energy projectile (AEP) round in accordance with Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidance. All less lethal weapons are subject to full and rigorous testing and independent assessment of their medical implications prior to introduction.
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to police forces on handling complaints relating to alleged infringements of the provisions of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in respect of (a) internet and (b) other interceptions; and if he will make a statement. [310544]
Mr. Hanson [holding answer 12 January 2010]: I have no plans to issue guidance to police forces in respect of the offence of unlawful interception set out in Section 1 (1) of Part 1, Chapter one of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000.
UK Border Agency
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the delay by the UK Border Agency in determining the case of a constituent of the hon. Member for Thurrock, reference N11 0518-CRTL5 included in the Agency's backlog of older cases; and how many other cases are to be determined by the Agency prior to this case. [305800]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 10 December 2009]: The UK Border Agency wrote to my hon. Friend in relation to his constituent's case on 6 January 2010. With regards to case conclusion timeframes, the Case Resolution Directorate (CRD) will give priority to cases that may pose a risk to the public, those that can be easily removed or given status and those receiving support at the taxpayer's expense. I can also confirm that the CRD is fully committed to considering all unresolved cases by summer 2011 and is on track to do so.
United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre: Publications
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre to publish a report on its activities as part of the national referral mechanism framework; and if he will make a statement. [309599]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The activities of the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) are already reported through the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, which is published annually. This includes its activities as part of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).
In addition, the UKHTC's website publishes information regarding its work, and provides data from the NRM. After the transfer of the UKHTC's legal entity to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), which will take effect from the start of the next financial year, SOCA's annual report will include the UKHTC's work-including activities undertaken as part of the NRM.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre to publish a report on its activities to date. [309600]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The activities of the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) are reported through the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, which is published annually.
In addition, the UKHTC's website publishes information regarding its work, and provides data from the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). After the transfer of the UKHTC's legal entity to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), which will take effect from the start of the next financial year, SOCA's annual report will include the UKHTC's work.
Defence
Armed Forces: Hearing Impairment
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what progress has been made in the provision of hearing protection for service personnel since 2001; [309691]
(2) how many service personnel are recorded as having experienced hearing loss as a consequence of their duty in each year since 1990. [309693]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence is continually looking at ways of monitoring and mitigating the risk in operational areas, including the development of improved hearing protection which does not hamper the operational effectiveness of combat personnel.
The Surgeon General (SG) has set up a multi-disciplinary Defence Hearing Working Group (DHWG) to address the impact of current operations on the incidence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in serving personnel, set in the wider context of the Health and Safety-led MOD Hearing Conservation Programme, changing legislation and emerging technology. Compared with civilians who may suffer hearing loss due to industrial noise exposure, the relationship between troops' exposure to noise on military operations and hearing impairment is a complex one. Since January 2009, MOD has been working with the charity Deafness Research UK to develop a number of lines of research that will not only provide a more robust means of diagnosis but will also ensure that personnel have the most effective possible protection from hearing loss. Deafness Research UK hosted a highly successful symposium in December 2009, bringing together experts from the field of hearing impairment with members of the Defence Hearing Working Group.
Regarding protective systems, on the present deployment in Afghanistan, some 3,000 sets of an improved hearing protection system known as personalised interfaced hearing protection (PIHP) are in use by front-line troops. This innovative system has been designed to protect against impulse and continuous noise, to be comfortable to wear for prolonged periods, to be compatible with personal radios, not to interfere with equipment designed to counter improvised explosive devices, and to allow the user to keep situational awareness.
Data held centrally does not allow a comprehensive summary of how many Service personnel are recorded as having experienced hearing loss as a consequence of their duty in each year since 1990. The DHWG work now in progress includes improved data capture to allow the effects of current operations on the hearing of personnel to be assessed op a proper basis. However, patients who have attended or been admitted to our field hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan within the 'ear/nose/ throat' (ENT) medical classification can be identified. These data are shown in Table 1 and include UK Service personnel, other NATO forces, civilians (both UK and nationals) and detainees. Note that this information is not limited to those with complaints related to hearing damage, but includes all ENT patients.
| Table 1: Initial ear/nose/throat attendances at UK field hospitals by year and operational area | |||
| Number | |||
| All | Iraq | Afghanistan | |
| (1) Figures cover from March 2003 to April 2009 for Iraq and April 2006 to May 2009 for Afghanistan | |||
The numbers of UK personnel in the last 10 years who have left the Services with a medical discharge with a principal cause given as hearing loss are shown in Table 2. Note that such discharges cannot be specifically linked to operational exposure.
| Table 2: Medical Discharges with a principal cause of hearing loss, 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2008 | |||
| Number | |||
| ICD 10 Cause Group | ( 1) Naval Service | Army | RAF |
| (1) Includes Royal Marines and Royal Navy | |||
This table is not subdivided by year as, in accordance with Office of National Statistics guidelines, numbers less than five would be suppressed by reason of patient confidentiality, which would effectively obscure all information provided.
Armed Forces: Housing
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent estimate he has made of the cost to Modern Housing Solutions of upgrading all properties it manages under contract to his Department to energy efficiency Standard Assessment Procedure 81; [309646]
(2) how many of his Department's properties managed under contract to Modern Housing Solutions have an energy efficiency Standard Assessment Procedure 81; [309647]
(3) how many of his Department's properties managed by Modern Housing Solutions have an energy efficiency rating of (a) A, (b) B, (c) C, (d) D, (e) E, (f) F and (g) G. [309648]
Mr. Kevan Jones [holding answer 11 January 2010]: The Department does not use standard assessment procedure (SAP) ratings to assess the energy efficiency of service family accommodation homes. Defence Estates uses the EcoHomes06 sustainability assessment model for all major improvement works and new build projects. This is an industry recognised environmental performance assessment model and covers a wider range of environmental impacts than the SAP.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) longest, (b) shortest and (c) average period of time taken was to make repairs to forces accommodation after a call out in the last period for which figures are available. [310247]
Mr. Kevan Jones [holding answer 11 January 2010]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 July 2009, Official Report, column 552W, to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox).
Additional information is currently being collated and verified. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether families are allowed to view armed services' accommodation before occupying it. [310248]
Mr. Kevan Jones [holding answer 11 January 2010]: While this Department will do all it can to facilitate families who wish to view service family accommodation (SFA) prior to occupation, for practical reasons this is not always possible to guarantee. However, we are currently introducing "estate agent" style information packs for all UK SFA properties in order to provide occupants with key information relating to their future home.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many calls have been made to his Department's special forces housing helpline in the last 12 months. [310249]
Mr. Kevan Jones [holding answer 11 January 2010]: There are several dedicated housing helplines and the information will take a little time to collect. I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Defence Storage and Distribution Agency
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to sell in whole or in part the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency; and if he will make a statement. [309770]
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency at Ashchurch, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. [310010]
Mr. Quentin Davies [holding answer 11 January 2010]: The Operational Efficiency Programme review of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA) has recently concluded, and we are currently considering its recommendations. No decisions to sell the DSDA in whole or in part have been taken, and all options currently remain open.
Departmental Advertising
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on (a) print, (b) online, (c) television and (d) radio advertising in each of the last five years; how much has been spent on advertising in 2009-10 to date; and what percentage of advertising expenditure in each year was managed by the Central Office of Information. [309901] [Official Report, 27 January 2010, Vol. 504, c. 5MC.]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The majority of advertising conducted by the Ministry of Defence is part of the drive to recruit the best personnel to the armed forces. The recruitment advertising for the armed forces is conducted through the Central Office of Information, and those costs are shown in the following table.
| Armed forces recruitment media spend | ||||
| £ million | ||||
| Print (press and poster) | Online and interactive TV | TV and cinema | Radio | |
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