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24 Feb 2010 : Column 594W—continued
Northern Ireland
Departmental Energy
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated (a) amount and (b) cost was of energy used in his Department and its agencies in each year since 1997; what proportion of the energy used was generated from renewable sources in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. [317230]
Paul Goggins: The information requested is contained in the following tables.
| Northern Ireland Office Core | ||||
| Total energy Kw/h | Total cost( £) | Percentage of electricity purchased generated from renewable sources | Biomass Kw/h | |
| Public Prosecution Service | ||
| Total energy usage | ||
| Kw/h | £ | |
| Crown Solicitor's Office | ||
| Total energy usage | ||
| Fuel (Oil) (£) | Electric (£) | |
| Northern Ireland Prison Service | ||||
| Total Kw/h | Total (£) | Percentage green electricity | Total renewable | |
| Forensic Science Northern Ireland | ||
| Total energy usage | ||
| Kw/h | £ | |
| Youth Justice Agency | ||
| Total energy usage | ||
| Kw/h | £ | |
The Compensation Agency's best estimate is that the energy costs since 1997 directly paid have been £10,000 per annum.
Weapons
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning to publish an inventory of decommissioned terrorist weapons, explosives and materials. [318274]
Paul Goggins: The decommissioning arrangements ended in the United Kingdom on 9 February 2010 and end in Ireland on 25 February 2010. The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) will shortly provide both Governments with a report on the decommissioning which has taken place in the last six months. I will place copies of that report in the Libraries of both Houses. I am discussing with the Irish Government and the IICD arrangements to conclude the work of the IICD.
Defence
Defence Medical Services: Manpower
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 21 October 2009, Official Report, column 1468W, on Defence Medical Services: manpower, when a copy of the October 2009 figures will be placed in the Library. [310002]
Mr. Kevan Jones: I apologise for the delay in responding to this question.
The latest available data are summarised in the following table:
| Defence Medical Service Regulars: Manning as at 1 October 2009 | |||
| Requirement | Trained strength | Shortfall (percentage) | |
| Notes: 1. Requirement excludes the manning and training margin. 2. Trained strength only includes personnel that are qualified in their speciality. 3. 'Medical support services' include the paramedics cadre. 4. Dental officers and allied dental healthcare professionals includes dental practitioners, dental support officers, dental surgery assistants and dental technicians. | |||
It has been decided that detailed data will no longer be published where this would highlight potential pinch points within the armed forces, including the Defence Medical Services. I am withholding information on pinch points as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
In order to maintain appropriate external scrutiny of such data, the Department will continue to provide comprehensive restricted manning data to the House of Commons Defence Committee.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the proportion of staff of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies managed out in the last five years who remain working in the public sector. [313843]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on urgent operational requirements in 2009-10. [314472]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth:
We have recently raised our 2009-10 Urgent Operational Requirements estimate to £936 million. The precise in-year spend will not be known until after
the end of the financial year but we are currently forecasting that we will spend close to, but below, the estimate.
Nuclear Submarines: Decommissioning
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of the interim storage of laid-up submarines project. [318369]
Mr. Quentin Davies: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 24 November 2009, Official Report, column 54W and on 30 November 2009, Official Report, column 418W.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent estimate he has made of the whole-life cost of the submarine dismantling project; [318412]
(2) what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the submarine dismantling project in (a) Rosyth Dockyard and (b) Devonport Dockyard. [318413]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The project currently has approval to undertake a £14 million assessment phase due to complete in 2011. This will be followed by the demonstration phase, which will run from 2011 to 2013; costs for this phase have not yet been approved. Whole life cost figures will be developed as part of the preparation of the main gate business case, which is planned to be submitted for approval in 2013.
The development of the costs associated with different project options, including site options, will form a part of this work.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment his Department has made of the merits of using the site at Sellafield for the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project; [318414]
(2) what sites his Department is considering to use for the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project. [318415]
Mr. Quentin Davies: There are currently four regions where there are MOD or defence-related commercial sites that are likely to be considered for submarine dismantling project activities. These regions are Devon, Fife, Argyll and Bute and Berkshire. A number of briefings to elected representatives in these regions have already been carried out, including to the hon. Member, and others have been scheduled.
The project is at an early stage in the process to develop an effective public consultation and associated strategic environmental assessment. This work has included identification of existing nuclear sites, both defence and civil, that are technically capable of submarine dismantling or storing the resultant radioactive waste. At this stage, two sites have been identified that could be technically capable of carrying out dismantling activities and 12 sites have been identified that could be technically capable of
carrying out waste storage. Technical capability is only one aspect and the wider suitability of sites has not yet been assessed.
Further analysis work is still required and, until the public consultation is complete, no decisions will be taken on sites for either submarine dismantling or waste storage. I am withholding details of the individual sites identified at this time, as the MOD intend to publish this information in the future as part of the planned public consultation and strategic environmental assessment.
Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the technical barriers to the (a) submarine dismantling and (b) radioactive waste storage elements of the submarine dismantling project. [318416]
Mr. Quentin Davies: No technical barriers have been identified that would prevent either submarine dismantling or radioactive waste storage from taking place. Most technical aspects of the work have already been demonstrated elsewhere, either in other industry sectors, particularly the civil nuclear sector, or through other countries' work on dismantling nuclear submarines.
We continue to work closely with a range of organisations, including both industry and Government, in the UK and elsewhere, to ensure that we develop appropriate technical solutions that are both safe and effective.
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