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25 Jan 2010 : Column 520W—continued
In addition, payments made under the separately funded Armed Forces Pensions Scheme have been as follows:
| £ billion | |
| Notes: 1. The calculation of the percentage figures has been based on the sum of the outturn for (a) departmental expenditure limits, including non-cash costs (depreciation, impairments and cost of capital) and (b) war pensions and allowances (Request for Resources 3). 2. Expenditure on pay includes salaries and wages and social security costs. 3. Complete information is not held for before 2003-04. 4. The pension costs funded by the MOD are mainly those for armed forces personnel. The pension costs for civilian staff are covered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme operated by the Cabinet Office. | |
Departmental Public Expenditure
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on (a) new furnishings, (b) works of art and (c) new vehicles in each of the last two years. [312540]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: In each of the last two years there has been no expenditure on new works of art by the MOD. It is not possible to separately identify the costs of new vehicles from the overall leasing costs of non-operational vehicles used by the Department. For new furnishings, the expenditure in each year is shown in the following table:
| New furnishings | |
| Expenditure (£ million) | |
These costs represent only the cost of new furniture purchased including office furniture, furniture for messes and barracks, service families' accommodation, and ships; other furnishing costs are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
EU Battlegroups
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for the UK to participate in permanent structured co-operation. [312654]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: We are currently engaging with other EU member states over the establishment of permanent structured co-operation, including discussion of what benefits it might bring for European capability and what criteria might be proposed. We will decide on UK participation once agreement has been reached.
European Fighter Aircraft: Falkland Islands
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate has been made of the cost of deploying Eurofighters to the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement. [312207]
Bill Rammell: The cost of deploying Typhoon aircraft to the Falkland Islands was £1.56 million.
A further £416,000 was allocated for one-off infrastructure costs at Mount Pleasant Permanent Joint Operating Base associated with the changeover from Tornado F3 to Typhoon. Additionally the cost of returning the Tornado F3 airframes to the UK was £800,000.
Typhoon took over responsibility for the Falkland Islands Quick Reaction Alert ole in September 2009.
Military Aircraft
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft of each type there are in the RAF. [312651]
Bill Rammell: The numbers of aircraft in the Royal Air Force in-service fleet are provided in the following table. The figures show the service fleet position as of 31 December 2009. "In service" has been taken to mean the effective fleet, which covers all aircraft barring those which are redundant, declared as surplus or awaiting disposal.
| Aircraft type | In service fleet |
Military Decorations
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider the merits of awarding a General Service Medal to British forces personnel who served in Oman prior to 1970. [312085]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Since the end of World War II, the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals, known as the HD committee, has maintained a policy that it will not consider the belated institution of awards and medals for service given many years earlier. The Government consider it important to respect this policy, and therefore have no plans to consider the merits of instituting a General Service Medal for British forces personnel who served in Oman prior to 1970.
RAF Menwith Hill
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the space-based infrared system at RAF Menwith Hill to be operational. [312742]
Bill Rammell: The space based infra-red system (SBIRS) facilities at RAF Menwith Hill are ready for operation. The operational date for SBIRS is a matter for the United States, but is unlikely to be until later this year.
RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of external policing at (a) RAF Menwith Hill and (b) RAF Fylingdales in each year since 2001. [307295]
Bill Rammell: External policing at RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales is primarily provided by the local constabulary, the North Yorkshire Police (NYP). At RAF Menwith Hill the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) conduct joint patrols with the NYP. The MDP costs are met from the defence budget. It is common practice that police forces do not release specific information relating to ongoing police operations, to prevent the potential for operational compromise.
Submarines: Females
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on women serving as crew members of Her Majesty's submarines. [313109]
Bill Rammell:
Women are excluded from serving in Royal Navy submarines because of the potential risk to an unborn foetus from contaminants in the submarines' atmosphere. The Royal Navy, however, continues to examine this position and the Institute of Naval Medicine is currently conducting medical research to determine the levels of risk in more detail. The results of this
research will inform the next review of women serving in submarines, which will take place later this year.
Trident
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the answer of 29 October 2009, Official Report, column 502W, on Trident, whether the Defence Board has concluded its assessment of the work required during the concept phase of replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system. [310144]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Progress on the concept phase for the future deterrent has been considered by the Defence Board. More time is required to ensure that we take decisions based on the most robust information. We are aiming to be in a position to make a statement on progress soon.
Trident Submarines
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the maintenance cost of the Vanguard class submarines in (a) 2009-10 and (b) each of the next five years. [311156]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The estimated maintenance costs of Vanguard class submarines in 2009-10 and for each of the next five years, which cover fleet maintenance and capital spend incurred as part of the Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) maintenance programme, are provided in the following table:
| £ million | |
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maintenance cost for the Vanguard class submarine was in 2008-09. [311157]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The maintenance cost for the Vanguard class submarine in 2008-09 was £90 million. This figure includes fleet maintenance and capital spend incurred as part of the Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) maintenance programme.
Warships
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been signed in respect of the construction of new (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels since May 1997. [313108]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Construction contracts for 15 surface ships and submarines have been signed since May 1997. Details are provided in the following table:
| Type of vessel | Name of vessel | |
| (1 )The Type 45 contract was re-negotiated in 2007. | ||
Transport
Aviation
Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many domestic flights in the UK travelled (a) 300 and (b) 360 miles or less in each of the last three years; and how many such flights were lifeline flights. [312501]
Paul Clark [holding answer 21 January 2010]: The information requested is as follows.
(a) Table 1 shows the number of domestic flights that departed from a UK reporting airport and travelled 300 miles or less in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
| Table 1 | |
| Number of flight departures | |
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