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22 Mar 2010 : Column 15W—continued
The fluctuations in submarine numbers reflect the gradual drawdown of the Swiftsure class vessels, as they reach the end of their in-service life. Over the next few years, as HM Naval Base Clyde becomes the main operating base for all classes of submarines, there will be a gradual transfer of three Trafalgar class submarines from Devonport to Faslane. In the future, the Astute class and the replacement for the Vanguard class will also be based in Scotland.
The number of surface ships initially increased over this period, reflecting the move of the Sandown class mine counter-measure vessels to Scotland, then decreased reflecting the subsequent disbandment of the Northern Ireland Squadron following the NI Accord. The numbers are commensurate with the reduction in the surface fleet numbers as a whole throughout this period.
Additionally some 23 small boats allocated to the Royal Marines are currently maintained in Scotland. These are not allocated to a base port in the same way as larger vessels; details of the numbers maintained in Scotland since 1997 are not available.
I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement on 6 May 2009, Official Report, column 16WS, which provided clarity to future base-porting regarding the three naval bases under the Maritime Change Programme.
Nimrod Aircraft
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of the Nimrod MR2 modification programme announced in March 2009. [322845]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The cost of replacing a number of fuel seals and the engine hot air ducts on the Nimrod aircraft, as announced on 9 March 2009, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, together with associated maintenance work, was in the order of £16 million.
RAF Coningsby
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the fast jet test and evaluation advice available at RAF Coningsby is provided in-house. [322787]
Bill Rammell: On 1 April 2010, the Fast Jet Test Squadron, currently based at MOD Boscombe Down, will complete its merger with 17 (Reserve) and 41 (Reserve) Squadrons. Under this new arrangement, most fast jet test flying will be conducted by the two RAF squadrons at RAF Coningsby. Evaluation advice will be provided jointly by QinetiQ and MOD personnel at RAF Coningsby and MOD Boscombe Down. A fast jet experimental flight, and the fast jets owned by QinetiQ, will remain at MOD Boscombe Down.
Rescue Services
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to respond to the petition on SAR Chivenor presented to the Prime Minister on 25 February 2010. [322844]
Mr. Quentin Davies: The Ministry of Defence is in receipt of the petition and I will write to the hon. Member, as the petition organiser, shortly.
Rescue Services: Helicopters
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what timetable has been set for signing the search and rescue helicopter contract with Soteria Consortium. [322843]
Mr. Quentin Davies: Subject to finalisation, it is expected that the contract will be signed later in 2010. This is anticipated to be in good time to allow the service to commence in 2012.
Royal Hospital Haslar
Sir Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether contractual provisions were included in the documentation for the sale by Defence Estates of the Royal Hospital Haslar to ensure that the vision for the future of the site referred to in the letter from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Member for Gosport of 16 July 2009 would be fulfilled. [321679]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The future of the site is now a matter for Gosport borough council as the local planning authority.
As I set out in my written ministerial statement on 20 July 2009, Official Report, columns 94-95WS, Our Enterprise has a vision of promoting the quality of life for both individuals residing on the site and for Gosport as a whole and will continue social and health care on the site by providing a "Veterans Village", student accommodation, community healthcare and a commercial centre as well as residential uses.
Contractual provisions between the Ministry of Defence and the purchaser affecting the development of the site were not included in the sale documentation for the sale of the Haslar site.
University Officer Training Corps
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had on (a) the funding and (b) the participation of students in officer training corps units at universities; and if he will make a statement. [322613]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The Government fully recognise the value of the University Royal Naval Units, the Officer Training Corps, the University Air Squadrons and the Defence Training Undergraduate Scheme. They allow individuals to develop skills that are extremely valuable in a future career either within the armed forces or without.
Each of the services is looking at how best to support the University Training Units; until those decisions are finalised I cannot speculate about future funding levels.
No University Training Units have closed as a result of changes to funding during this financial year. Despite some reduction in attendance by Officer Cadets at University Officer Training Corps they remain oversubscribed against their establishment. The average actual strength in 2009 was around 3,500. This is against an establishment figure of 2,946.
Justice
Arrest Warrants
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what account was taken of each of the criteria in the Government's code of practice on consultation in preparing his Department's consultation on arrest warrants and universal jurisdiction. [323262]
Claire Ward: The question of arrest warrants for universal jurisdiction offences is not the subject of a consultation exercise. Given the importance of the issue, however, the Government thought it right to seek views from a small number of interested parties.
Crime: Victims
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the remit of the National Victims Fund will extend to British residents who are victims of crimes committed abroad. [323278]
Claire Ward:
The Victims Fund is used to provide funding to third sector organisations that support those bereaved by homicide. These services are provided by
third sector organisations and are available to British residents in England and Wales regardless of where the homicide takes place.
Applications for the 2010-11 fund are being processed and results will be announced shortly.
The National Victims' Service will provide services to victims of crime who are resident in England and Wales regardless of where the crime takes place.
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what services his Department provides for the families of British victims of homicides committed abroad. [323279]
Claire Ward: The Ministry of Justice provides funding to the charities Victim Support and SAMM National (Support After Murder and Manslaughter) to deliver services to those bereaved by homicide. The service provided by Victim Support is available to anyone in England and Wales regardless of where the homicide takes place.
The Justice Secretary recently announced the launch of a National Victims' Service. The first part of the service has begun with the introduction of the homicide scheme which will be delivered by Victim Support. This will provide focused support for each bereaved person and a range of commissioned services. Residents in England and Wales who are bereaved are entitled to support under this scheme wherever the homicide takes place.
Departmental Surveys
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) if he will publish the benchmark results of the Civil Service People Survey relating to his Department; [322308]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the benchmark results of the Civil Service People Survey for his Department and its agencies. [322565]
Mr. Straw: I will arrange for the results from the Civil Service People Survey for the Ministry of Justice and its agencies to be placed in the Library of each House.
Juries: North West
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people resident in Leeds North West constituency have been summoned for jury service (a) once, (b) twice, (c) three times and (d) four times in each year since 2005. [322699]
Bridget Prentice: The following table shows, on a national level basis for each calendar year from 2000-08, the following:
(a) how many people have been required for jury service
(b) how many people have been supplied to the court for jury service
(c) how many people have been deferred from the original date they were summoned for jury service
(d) how many people have been excused from jury service
(e) how many people have been disqualified from jury service
The Jury Central Summoning Bureau (JCSB) is not able to supply the information for Leeds North West as the data cannot be extracted in this way by the computer system.
The JCSB is also unable to provide information on how many people have been summoned for jury service more than once. This is because jurors are selected on a
completely random basis by the JCSB using the electoral voting registers supplied annually by each local authority. As the electoral registers are updated annually and due to the randomness of jury selection there is potential for some members of the public to be called for jury service more than once while some may never be called.
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