Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 2 June 2010
Defence
Armed Forces: Deployment
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) UK troops and (b) UK civilian personnel are involved in the (i) MONUC, (ii) MINURCAT, (iii) UNAMID, (iv) UNMIL, (v) UNMIS and (vi) UNOCI missions. [626]
Peter Luff: The following table shows the number of UK troops and Ministry of Defence civilian personnel currently involved in the listed United Nations (UN) missions.
| Mission: | Number of UK military personnel | Number of MOD civilian personnel |
|
MINURCAT (UN Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad) | ||
Armed Forces: Housing
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who is responsible for the maintenance of roads, pavements, draining and lighting on those roads within the Ministry of Defence housing estates at the Colchester Garrison on which houses are now occupied by civilians; and if he will make a statement. [358]
Mr Robathan: The following list sets out the names of the roads at Colchester Garrison for which the Ministry of Defence is responsible.
Cottonwood Close
Ebony Close
Ilex Close (numbers 102-141 only)
Beechwood Close
Hornbeam Close
Peerswood Road
Earlswood Way
Olive Grove
Fallowfield Road
Midway Road
Mareth Road
Glebe Road (junction with Mareth Road only)
Holly Close
Alamein Road
Anzio Crescent
Salerno Crescent
Aisne Road
Menin Road
Messines Road
Mons Road
St Barbara's Road
Cambrai Road
Cassino Road
Knightsbridge Close
Rimini Close
Homefield Road (numbers 21-44 only)
Leas Road
Malting Road
Meadow Road
St Catherine's Close
St Michael's Road
Cottonwood Close
All other roads are either adopted by the local authority or maintained by private owners.
Armed Forces: Mental Health Services
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department takes to assess the mental health of personnel who have served in combat zones (a) at the time of and (b) subsequent to discharge. [423]
Mr Robathan: All armed forces personnel receive a discharge medical assessment 90 days prior to discharge. This detailed examination is undertaken by a doctor and the results are recorded on the individual's F-Med-1 form. This form contains a specific assessment of the mental capacity and emotional stability of the individual. A reassessment is carried out seven days prior to discharge to confirm the record or reflect any further changes.
A summary of each individual's medical history while in the armed forces, including the results of the discharge medical, is recorded on an F-Med-133 form which is given to the individual to pass on to their civilian general practitioner (GP). The F-Med-133 also contains information on how the GP can gain access to the individual's complete service medical records if required.
Following discharge, ex-service personnel with concerns about their mental health should obtain treatment through the NHS. The Department of Health and devolved Administrations, with support from the Ministry of Defence, are undertaking community mental health pilots for veterans at six NHS trusts across the UK in Staffordshire and Shropshire, Camden and Islington, Cardiff, Bishop Auckland, Cornwall and Edinburgh. These arrangements aim to make it easier for veterans with concerns about their mental health to seek and access help. The pilots, which will be evaluated later this year, provide key input into planning future provision across the NHS, including how a dedicated PTSD treatment service within the NHS might best be configured.
Ex-service personnel can also access the Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) which is available to veterans who were deployed on operations since 1982. MAP offers comprehensive physical and mental health assessments who feel that their ill-health may be linked
to military service. Veterans are also designated as a special interest group (SIG) in the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme.
Defence Storage and Distribution Agency
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future (a) role and (b) structure of the Defence Storage Distribution Agency; and if he will make a statement. [42]
Peter Luff: The Treasury-led Operational Efficiency Programme made a number of recommendations regarding increased outsourcing of the work of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, subject to Value for Money considerations. The Ministry of Defence is currently considering, in consultation with the trade unions, how these recommendations could be delivered. Once this work is complete, I will make a further announcement.
South China Sea
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what British naval assets are deployed in the South China Sea. [465]
Peter Luff: There are no British naval assets deployed in the South China sea.
Trident
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to include the renewal of Trident in the Strategic Security and Defence Review. [722]
Dr Fox: We will maintain Britain's nuclear deterrent, and have agreed the renewal of Trident should be scrutinised to ensure value for money.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to examine the value for money of the proposal to renew Trident. [723]
Transport
A1079: Accidents
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were (a) killed and (b) injured in traffic accidents on the A1079 in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [16]
Mike Penning: The information requested is given in the following table:
| Casualties in reported personal injury road accidents A1079: 2004-08 | |||
| Casualties | |||
| Killed | Injured | Total | |
Departmental Official Cars
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Government (a) cars and (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Department. [303]
Mike Penning: The current interim arrangements for the Department for Transport are (a) one car and (b) one driver allocated to departmental Ministers. This is supplemented by the use of pool cars as needed.
The new Ministerial Code, published on 21 May 2010, contains changes that affect ministerial entitlement to travel by Government car. It states that:
"the number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed".
The Department for Transport and its Government Car and Despatch Agency are working with Departments to effect the transition to the new arrangements.
The Ministerial Code, published on 21 May 2010, is available on the Cabinet Office website.
M1: Nottinghamshire
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the road works between junctions 28 and 25 of the M1 motorway to be completed. [37]
Mike Penning: The new additional lanes on the M1 between junction 25 and junction 28 were opened to traffic on 21 May 2010.
Some work on the project has still to be completed and this is scheduled to be completed by autumn 2011. The Highways Agency plan to carry out as much of this work as possible at night time and without daytime lane or speed restrictions.
Railways: Finance
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the impact of planned reductions in his Department's funding of rail in 2010-11. [399]
Mr Philip Hammond: My Department has agreed to contribute a total of £683 million to the £6 billion of in-year budget reductions sought in the emergency budget.
As part of this Network Rail has indicated that, subject to the consent of the Office of Rail Regulation, it will reduce its requirement for Government funding by £100 million.
I am clear that similar efficiencies can be driven from the large organisations to which the Department for Transport makes grants, such at Network Rail, as can be found by the Department.
Railways: Greater London
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of each technical and financial assessment of alternative London termini for High Speed 2. [60]
Mr Philip Hammond: The "Route Engineering Study" published by HS2 Ltd. alongside its report of 11 March contains the detailed analysis of London termini options. Further information about how HS2 Ltd. appraised and sifted these options is contained in its report, "High Speed Rail-London to the West Midlands and Beyond".
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the most recent estimated cost is of construction of the proposed tunnel for High Speed 2 from Old Oak to Euston. [61]
Mr Philip Hammond: The estimated base construction cost, excluding risk, of the link between the Crossrail Interchange station at Old Oak Common and Euston, including the cost of the tunnel, is £457,983,408. Further detail can be found in the "HS2 Cost and Risk Model" (appendix C-section 8/02) prepared by HS2 Ltd. and published on 11 March. Copies of this report are available in the House Library and at
Railways: Northamptonshire
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the compensation arrangements to apply to homeowners in South Northamptonshire constituency adversely affected following the announcement of the High Speed Two route preferred by the previous administration; and when he expects such compensation to be paid to homeowners who can demonstrate genuine hardship. [581]
Mr Philip Hammond: I refer my hon. Friend to the High Speed Rail written ministerial statement of 27 May 2010, Official Report, columns 15-16WS, on the Exceptional Hardship Scheme.
If the Government decide to bring in a scheme it will seek to introduce it, assess cases and, where necessary, issue compensation as quickly as possible, but the precise timing is subject to the nature of the responses to the consultation. Those most affected by the proposed line will also be eligible for statutory blight compensation at the point that a final decision on the route has been taken.
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