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30 Mar 2010 : Column 870W—continued
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tanzania
Thailand
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
USA
Uruguay
Yemen
Zambia
We also provided language training to the Kosovo Security Force in the UK during 2008-09. Given this is not a military organisation, it has not been included in the above list.
Cluster Munitions
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will ensure that US cluster bombs held in the UK are removed forthwith; [325173]
(2) by what mechanism his Department will ensure enforcement of the agreement that US cluster bombs should be removed from the UK. [325174]
Bill Rammell: The United States inventory of weapons is declared annually to the Ministry of Defence who ensure that all weapons are appropriately licensed and stored.
The US has identified the cluster munitions on UK territory as exceeding their worldwide operational planning requirements. These cluster munitions will be removed
from sites in the UK in 2010 and from all UK territories by 2013, as declared by Baroness Kinnock during the Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill Second Reading on 8 December 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column 1020.
Defence Academy
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for the recruitment and training of linguists following the closure of the research and assessment facility at the Defence Academy. [321483]
Bill Rammell: The research and assessment facility in the Defence Academy was not involved in the recruitment or training of linguists for the MOD. No change in procedures will therefore be required.
Defence: Expenditure
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer from the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Banbury of 17 March 2010, Official Report, column 869, on what date he was briefed that defence spending had not risen in real terms in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [325077]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The briefings that I have received on this issue as Secretary of State have stated that there has been a sustained increase in the Defence budget since 1997, and that every spending review since that date has provided for a real terms rise in core defence spending over the period it covered.
Defence: Finance
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the real term change was in the defence budget for (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2006-07 compared with the previous year. [324627]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: In 2004-05 there was a real term increase on the previous year of 0.72 per cent. (2003-04 £29.08 billion up to £29.29 billion).
In 2006-07 there was a real term increase on the previous year of 0.87 per cent. (2005-06 £29.97 billion up to £30.23 billion).
These figures were calculated using the 'near cash' element of the Defence budget as laid out in the spending review settlements, and converted to 2008-09 prices using the HM Treasury GDP deflator.
These figures do not include the net additional cost of military operations, which are not met from the Defence core budget, but funded from the Reserve.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the five most expensive hospitality events hosted by his Department and its agencies were in the last three years; and what the (a) cost and (b) purpose was of each. [324703]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 29 March 2010]: Information on official entertainment by event is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
We use official entertainment to pursue British security policy interests, facilitate a wider public understanding of the armed forces, and enhance professional contacts within the UK and with other nations.
Expenditure on official entertainment must be modest and is incurred according to business need. It is subject to prior approval and compliance with departmental rules and the principles of propriety set out in Managing Public Money and the Treasury's handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has incurred expenditure on (a) foreign exchange derivatives and (b) consulting on currency hedging strategies in each of the last three years. [325120]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) incurred expenditure as a result of foreign exchange derivatives in 2007-08 but this has been more than offset by gains in both 2008-09 and 2009-10. In the same period the MOD did not incur any expenditure on consultancy support for its currency hedging strategy.
Future Large Aircraft
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2010, how much of the £848 million for the A400M project has been spent under each cost category. [322035]
Mr. Quentin Davies [holding answer 12 March 2010]: The expenditure on A400M to date is broken down as follows:
| Resource departmental expenditure limit (RDel) (total £5 million) | |
| £ million | |
| Capital departmental expenditure limit (CDel) (total £843 million) | |
| £ million | |
HMS Vanguard: Accidents
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to Lord Dykes of 16 March 2010, Official Report, House of Lords, column 167WA, on nuclear-powered submarines, if he will publish a summary of the report on the collision between HMS Vanguard and FS Le Triomphant, redacting the elements relating to classified operational detail. [325261]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: It is the Government's policy not to disclose details of submarine operations. I am therefore withholding all particulars of the collision between HMS "Vanguard" and FS "Le Triomphant" on the grounds of national security.
Land Mines: Bomb Disposal
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with charities working to dispose of landmines. [322622]
Bill Rammell: Officials at the Department for International Development regularly meet with the HALO Trust and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) which are the two UK based charity organisations which are funded as part of DFID's global demining programme. These discussions focus on evaluation and monitoring of ongoing programmes in several countries.
The most recent ministerial contact was by my the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire, South (Mr. Alexander). He met with MAG in September last year when he visited their new Manchester offices as part of a visit to the region.
Lionel Crabb
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) for what reason the Prime Minister has retained portions of records ADM 1/29241 under section 3.4 of the Public Records Act 1958; if he will discuss with the Prime Minister a review of this decision with a view to releasing the records to the National Archives; and if he will make a statement; [325288]
(2) for what reason his Department has retained portions of records ADM 1/29241 under section 3.4 of the Public Records Act 1958; if he will review this decision with a view to releasing the records to the National Archives; and if he will make a statement. [325289]
Mr. Kevan Jones: These extracts were retained by the Ministry of Defence in 2006 on national security grounds. My officials have looked again at the information in question in recent days and have reaffirmed that earlier decision.
RAF Menwith Hill
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the single-storey extension to the bermed earth building at the base at Menwith Hill will be operational; and for what purposes it is to be used. [325175]
Bill Rammell: The estimated construction completion date for the single-storey extension is January 2011, with internal works to follow thereafter. This building will form part of the RAF Menwith Hill Operations Complex.
Territorial Army: Pay
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) for what reasons payment of Territorial Army annual training bonuses has been deferred to May 2010; [325056]
(2) what estimate he has made of the savings which he made by deferring the payment of annual Territorial Army training bonuses to May 2010; [325057]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effect on the (a) morale, (b) retention and (c) personal finances of members of the Territorial Army of deferral of payment of annual training bonuses to May 2010. [325058]
Bill Rammell: There has been no deferral of the Territorial Army (TA) annual bounty.
Bounties are paid annually to all those who have qualified for a Certificate of Efficiency. The certificate confirms that the appropriate levels of attendance, training and performance have been met.
The certificates are produced at the beginning of April and cover the previous 12-month period. In the majority of cases individuals receive payment by the end of the same month. This is the expectation for 2010. In a small amount of cases, where the certificate is delayed, payment may not be received until May.
United States Africa Command
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the US administration on the basing of AFRICOM at the Joint Intelligence Operations Centre at Molesworth. [325176]
Bill Rammell: US personnel at RAF Molesworth currently provide intelligence analysis capabilities for a number of organisations, including US Africa Command. The US continue to examine the future basing options for the headquarters of Africa Command and no formal discussions have taken place regarding RAF Molesworth.
Transport
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 3 March 2010, Official Report, column 1192W, on automatic number plate recognition, if he will place in the Library copies of the request and approval documents relating to each of the local authorities using automatic number plate recognition for civil parking and civil traffic enforcement. [324835]
Mr. Khan: Automatic number plate recognition is not a requirement for the certification of CCTV equipment used for civil traffic enforcement and any use of that technology is incidental to certifications granted.
Applications for the certification of equipment must demonstrate compliance with The Bus Lanes (Approved Devices) (England) Order 2005 or The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Approved Devices) (England) Order 2007. They are generally technically complex, voluminous and contain information on technology that is commercially sensitive. It is not appropriate, or always practicable, to publish them.
A list of all the certifications that have been granted is maintained on the Department's website. I have arranged for the current list to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Aviation: Security
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether he discussed with the Secretary of State for Health the potential health implications of the use of body scanners at airports. [324697]
Paul Clark: No ministerial discussions have been held with the Department of Health. However, the Health Protection Agency has provided a risk assessment covering the use of those security scanners which use ionising radiation. This has been made publicly available on the Department for Transport's website and placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Leech: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether any (a) individuals and (b) categories of British citizen will be exempt from undergoing full body scans when passing through airport security. [324961]
Paul Clark: All passengers departing from UK airports are subject to search, and airport authorities are entitled to refuse access to restricted (i.e. airside) areas to any persons not willing to be screened. If a passenger is selected for screening by a security screening device and refuses to go through, then they will not be able to travel.
A small number of individuals are exempt from certain screening procedures in line with international protocols.
Cycling: Accidents
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many cyclists have been (a) injured and (b) killed in road accidents in London in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009 and (iv) 2010 to date; and if he will make a statement. [325154]
Paul Clark: The number of pedal cyclists injured and killed in reported road accidents in London in 2007 and 2008 are shown in the following table. Data is not available yet for 2009 and 2010. Data for 2009 will be published in June 2010. Similarly, data for 2010 will be published in 2011.
| Injured and killed pedal cyclist casualties in reported road accidents in London: 2007-08 | |||
| Injured | Killed | All casualties | |
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