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6 Sep 2010 : Column 158W—continued
Armed Forces: Training
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons are for the trends in his Department's expenditure under its Defence Training Review contract between 2008 and July 2010; and if he will make a statement. [12132]
Nick Harvey: The current estimate of the cost of the Defence Training Rationalisation Package 1 Project is £14 billion compared to the £12 billion reported on 10 September 2008, Official Report, column 1807W. This represents the cost for the provision of the construction of new facilities at St Athan and the whole operating costs for the entire 30 year life of the project. These operating costs include staff, catering and maintenance costs, the majority of which we already carry today. The increase in costs since 2008 results from the substantial increased cost of finance, increased provision for risk, and the changed assumption for inflation throughout the life of the project.
Armed Forces: Young People
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving military personnel are under 21 years of age. [11987]
Mr Gerald Howarth: At 1 June 2010, there were 22,110 (rounded to nearest 10) members of the armed forces under the age of 21 years.
Further information on the ages and sex of the armed forces is available in TSP 8 published annually by the Ministry of Defence's Defence Analytical Services and Advice which can be found at:
http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/index .php?page=48&thiscontent=80&pubType=1&date=2010-06-10&PublishTime=09:30:00
Bowman Combat Radio System
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Bowman radios of what monetary value have been reported lost in each of the last two years. [12929]
Peter Luff: Four Bowman radios have been lost in the last two years with a value in the region of £80,000.
Defence Industrial Strategy
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the new Defence Industrial Strategy on small and medium-sized enterprises. [12057]
Peter Luff: The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) will form the baseline for determining the capabilities that we need now and in the future. After the SDSR has completed in the autumn, and before the end of the year, we intend to publish a Green Paper on our defence industry and technology policy. The Green Paper will build on the SDSR conclusions, and ongoing discussions with industry and others. This will include our thinking on exports, sovereignty and small and medium-sized enterprises-and issues arising from the SDSR itself. There will then be a formal period of consultation, to allow industry, the public and other interested parties to express their ideas and concerns. A White Paper setting out our industrial policy and strategy for the next five years will then be brought forward in spring 2011. Ministers are determined to use this process to enhance the opportunities for SMEs.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes to the Defence Industrial Strategy he is considering as part of the Strategic Security and Defence Review. [12293]
Dr Fox: The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) will form the baseline for determining the capabilities that we need now and in the future. After the SDSR has completed in the autumn, and before the end of the year, MOD will publish a Green Paper on industry and technology matters. This will build on the SDSR conclusions and ongoing discussions with industry and others. It will include our thinking on exports, sovereignty, and small and medium-size Enterprises-as well as issues arising from the SDSR itself. There will then be a formal consultation period to allow industry, the public, and other interested parties to express their ideas and concerns. A White Paper setting out the MOD's industrial and technology policy and strategy for the next five years will then be brought forward in spring 2011.
Defence: Manpower
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of defence expenditure in 2010-11 is allocated to costs related to (a) Army personnel, (b) Royal Navy personnel, (c) Royal Air Force personnel and (d) all his Department's staff. [12106]
Dr Fox: The Ministry of Defence's forecast expenditure in 2010-11 for personnel costs is shown in the following table:
| Personnel costs (£ million) | |
| (1) Some allowances for service personnel cannot be split by service. These figures are forecasts and are, therefore, subject to change. They include salaries and wages, social security costs, pension costs, and redundancy and severance costs. | |
Defence: Trade Unions
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings he has had with trades union representatives of employees in the UK defence sector as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. [12556]
We have consulted widely on the Security Defence and Security Review and invited comment from all interested parties, including the trade unions. I and my ministerial colleagues meet regularly with trade union representatives, and I intend to meet them again in the coming months.
Departmental Accountancy
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he takes to ensure that his Department meets international financial reporting standards. [12930]
Dr Fox: The departmental resource accounts are compiled in accordance with the Government Financial Reporting Manual ensuring compliance with international financial reporting standards as adapted for the public sector.
The 2009-10 departmental resource accounts were qualified by the Comptroller and Auditor General because the Department has not complied with the new accounting requirements for determining whether a contract contains a lease and has therefore omitted a material value of assets and liabilities from the statement of financial position (previously known as the balance sheet).
The Department has assessed that the impact on the financial statements is likely to be material but the cost of the additional work exceeds the benefits of compliance. The number and complexity of existing contracts, together with likely difficulties in obtaining information required from third parties, would make compliance costly and time-consuming.
In order to move towards achieving compliance, the Department is applying the new accounting requirements to contracts agreed on or after 1 April 2010. However, given the length of some of the Department's existing contractual arrangements, it may be a number of years before compliance is achieved.
In all other respects the 2009-10 departmental resource accounts comply with international financial reporting standards.
Departmental Assets
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which former (a) buildings and (b) land owned by (i) his Department and (ii) (A) non-departmental public bodies and (B) agencies for which his Department is responsible have been sold since May 2005; what the sale price of each was at the time of sale; and to which body the funds from the sale accrued in each case. [12326]
Mr Robathan: A copy of the list of land and property sold by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its agencies in each year since 2005 has been placed in the Library of the House. All sale proceeds have been accrued by the MOD.
Departmental Billing
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the time taken by contractors employed by it to pay the invoices of their sub-contractors under prompt payment arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [9258]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The Ministry of Defence does not hold any central information on the time taken by contractors to pay their sub-contractors. However, we are working closely with contractors to ensure that sub-contractors receive payment promptly.
We remain committed to paying invoices within five working days and continue to work closely with our contractors to ensure that the benefits are felt by all in the supply chain.
Departmental Buildings
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much office space per employee his Department occupied in each year since 1997. [13007]
Mr Gerald Howarth: Data on how much office space per employee the department occupied prior to 2007 are not held. Since April 2008, the Ministry of Defence in common with all other central Government Departments has participated in the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Property Benchmarking Service, which captures office space utilisation of occupied offices that have a net internal area over 500 metres. This information is shown in the following table:
| 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
|
Space per member of full-time equivalent staff (square metres) |
Data for 2009-10 are currently undergoing validation. I will write to my hon. Friend when these data are available.
Departmental Civil Service Live Conference
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of the (a) ATHENA, (b) Export Services Authority, (c) People, Pay and Pension Agency, Defence e-Government Services and Financial Management Shared Service Centre, (d) Ministry of Defence Education Outreach Programme and (e) Met Office stand at Civil Service Live 2010. [12832]
Mr Robathan: The approximate costs of Ministry of Defence participation in Civil Service Live 2010, including the cost of stand hire, materials and staff travel(1), was as follows:
(1) This excludes the costs of travel for MOD employees that visited Civil Service Live 2010, and represents only the travel costs associated with those responsible for the exhibitions.
| £ | |
|
People Pay and Pensions Agency/Defence electronic Procurement Services/Financial Management Shared Services Centre shared stand | |
Departmental Consultants
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by (a) his Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible in each year since 2005. [12487]
Mr Gerald Howarth: Departmental expenditure on external assistance has been as follows:
| Financial year | Expenditure (£ million) |
This information is published in an annual report on expenditure on external assistance which we have placed in the Library of the House since 1995-96. We do not hold information individually by non-departmental public body and executive agency, but the annual report does give an expenditure breakdown for each of our top level Budgets and Trading Funds.
External assistance includes management consultancy, specialist lawyers, commercial bankers and IT expertise. Consultants help us to increase our efficiency and effectiveness, but we employ them only when we cannot do the work ourselves and where we can demonstrate value for money.
All spend on consultancy will comply with the tighter controls announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 May 2010 and is expected to reduce further.
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) average and (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years. [12661]
Mr Gerald Howarth: We contract for external assistance with consultancy companies to deliver a specific output at an agreed price. The daily rate paid to individual consultants is a commercial matter for the contractor involved.
All spending on consultancy will comply with the tighter controls announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 May and is expected to reduce further.
Departmental Contracts
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the monetary value is of his Department's contracts with its suppliers which have been cancelled under his Department's plans to achieve cost savings. [11407]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently reviewing all aspects of defence activity as part of the Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The conclusion of the SDSR is likely to require the MOD to renegotiate specific contracts, but no decisions have yet been made. In the interim, the MOD is participating in the actions announced by the Chancellor on 24 May to reduce public spending.
The MOD has not yet cancelled any contracts as part of this programme of work.
However, the MOD has suspended two projects. These are the search and rescue helicopter contract, at £4.7 billion, and long lead items for the Trident replacement programme, at £66 million.
Departmental Empty Property
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on vacant properties in each year since 1997. [13026]
Mr Gerald Howarth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, information relating to properties currently vacant on the civil office estate across the department is held. As of July 31 2010 the position was:
| Property name | Town | Vacant space (m( 2) ) | Description | Rental value £ million (equivalent and/or total) |
| (1 )Indicates a brace | ||||
The lease on this property expires in March 2011 and it has not proved possible to find a temporary use for the building.
Departmental Furniture
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many chairs his Department has purchased in each year since 1997; how much it spent in each such year; and what the five most expensive chairs purchased in each such year were. [12806]
Peter Luff: Furniture-related data for the financial years prior to 2002-03 are not held in a form that would enable information relating to chairs to be separately identified. The number and cost, excluding VAT, of chairs procured in each complete financial year since then is as follows:
| Financial years | Quantity | Cost (£ million) |
The figures relate to a range of seating including: lounge chairs for messes and barracks; dining chairs, armchairs, settees and child highchairs for service families accommodation; orthopaedic chairs; office chairs; and reception area seating. They do not include private finance initiative or public private partnership projects, where the furniture is supplied by the industrial partner and not charged direct to the Ministry of Defence, but included in the overall costs of the project.
The five most expensive seating items purchased in each financial year from 2002-03 onwards were: orthopaedic office chairs; armchairs for operational crew rooms; large settees for reception areas; three-seater settees for Service family accommodation; and specialist fire retardant operator chairs for use in underground, windowless accommodation.
Departmental Pay
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2010, Official Report, column 179W, on departmental manpower, what the salary range is of staff employed at each grade in the private office of each Minister in his Department. [3250]
Mr Gerald Howarth: From 1 August 2010 the salary range of the staff employed at each grade in the private office for each Minister is as follows:
Departmental Pensions
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by (a) his Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each region of England and (D) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2010-11. [12486]
Mr Robathan: The pension costs of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the on-Vote Defence Agencies are provided in the following table:
| £ million | ||||
| 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 (estimated) | |
| (1 )The Defence Storage & Distribution Agency was disestablished on 31 July 2010. | ||||
The pension costs of our Trading Funds are as follows (the Trading Funds lie outside our departmental accounting boundary and these costs are not therefore included in the MOD total in the previous table):
| £ million | ||||
| 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | |
| (1 )The Defence Support Group was formed on 1 April 2008 from the merger of the Army Base Repair Organisation and the Defence Aviation Repair Agency. | ||||
We disclose the information above in our Annual Reports & Accounts and those of our on-vote Agencies and Trading Funds. Copies of Annual Reports and Accounts are placed in the Library of the House. A regional breakdown of pension costs is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
We do not contribute to the pension costs of the non-departmental public bodies we sponsor, except for the small number of civil servants supporting our advisory non-departmental public bodies. Their costs are included in the MOD total and could be provided separately only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Private Education
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department were in receipt of the continuity of education allowance in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the cost to his Department was in respect of staff (a) in the UK and (b) posted overseas. [11481]
Mr Robathan: In financial year 2008-09, currently the last full year in which figures are available, there were approximately 6,000 (rounded to the nearest 20) service personnel in receipt of continuity of education allowance (CEA). The figure of 6,000 cannot be effectively broken down into UK based and overseas without incurring disproportionate cost, as a number of personnel moved during the academic year.
The cost of CEA to the Department in respect of staff in the UK and posted overseas in financial year 2008-09 was:
| Location | £ million |
| (1 )The Department paid £64.7 million in tax and national insurance (NI) to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs on behalf of UK based personnel in financial year 2008-09. (2) Overseas CEA is not subject to tax or NI. | |
Civilian schooling allowance is only paid to Ministry of Defence civilian employees appointed overseas. Payment ceases on return to the UK. Approximately £1 million was paid in 2009.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent in total in each (a) nation and (b) region of the UK in each of the last five years. [12377]
Mr Robathan: Estimated direct Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure for the nations of the United Kingdom and the regions for the latest five years where data are available are presented in the following tables. These estimates cover MOD expenditure on equipment, non-equipment, service and civilian personnel costs.
| £ m illion at current prices (VAT exclusive) | |||||
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10 million. 2. All totals have been calculated using unrounded data. 3. Indirect expenditure, such as subcontracted work, is not reflected in these figures. 4. Personnel costs exclude contributions made by MOD to the Armed Forces Pensions scheme and War Pensions scheme. | |||||
The Ministry of Defence no longer compiles estimates of expenditure at the sub-UK areas described in the tables presented as they do not directly support policy making or operations. The last estimates relate to 2007-08.
As a result, the complex data analysis required to produce the underlying sub-UK expenditure data is no longer performed. To produce a comparable time series beyond 2007-08 would incur disproportionate cost.
Departmental Regulation
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of his Department's regulations are under review; and if he will make a statement. [7157]
Dr Fox: In the budget the Government announced plans to reduce the regulatory burden and to review all regulation inherited from the previous Government.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently reviewing its secondary legislation in two areas. Firstly, regulations governing the Service Pensions and Compensation Schemes are reviewed annually and updated where necessary. This includes implementing the recommendations of Admiral the Lord Boyce in his review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme laid before Parliament in February 2010. Also being reviewed are existing Defence byelaws and other local instruments in relation to land occupied for Defence purposes.
Although regulations made by the MOD rarely impact on business, the reviews within these policy areas will be conducted in the spirit of this announcement, to ensure fairness and to provide clarity and consistency.
Finally, the 'Your Freedom' website launched by the Deputy Prime Minister on 1 July 2010 will also give members of the public the opportunity to suggest existing regulations for removal, in order to reduce the regulatory burden.
Departmental Rents
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was paid by his Department in rent for properties in (a) total and (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK in each of the last five years. [12327]
Mr Robathan: As at 30 June 2010, there were 65,019 Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties worldwide and as at 31 March 2010, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 146,813 Single Living Accommodation (SLA) bed-spaces.
While the majority of SFA in Scotland and Northern Ireland are owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), other UK properties are leased from the private sector through various arrangements, including Private Finance Initiatives. SLA is owned and controlled by the MOD.
Where suitable SFA or SLA properties do not exist in an area or are temporarily unavailable, as a last resort Substitute SFA (SSFA) and Substitute Single Service Accommodation (SSSA) is also rented from the local rental market.
The total cost of SSSA, SFA or SSFA properties in the UK provided through these arrangements is only available for the last four years, presented in the following table:
| Financial year | Number | Cost (£ million) |
The MOD also currently rents 5,423 SFA properties overseas. Information regarding the rental costs for overseas SFA, as well as details of the rent paid broken down by region, nation of the UK or in London are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
SSFA and SSSA numbers have increased due to a greater requirement for accommodation from the Armed Forces in locations were SFA and SLA does not exist or is not available to meet the increased demand.
Information on the rent paid for other types of property is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Training
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his (a) Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on training for its employees in each year since 1997. [7653]
Mr Robathan: Training and development is an integral part of the Ministry of Defence's core business whether it is providing essential job training for our civilians or training our armed forces in order to maintain a state of readiness to conduct operations in any part of the globe. In order to meet this requirement our armed forces personnel need to remain in a state of constant readiness. The MOD addresses this requirement through what is known as phase training of which there are three stages.
Phase one training is basic military training carried out at a specialist site and will last approximately seven weeks.
Phase two training is specific job or trade training in the individual's choice of branch, for example pilot, engineer, medic etc. This training is again carried out at a specialist site and can take months or years to complete depending upon the branch trade.
Phase three is continuation training which service personnel undergo to increase their knowledge in a specialist area.
Annual information for each year dating back to 1997 along with a breakdown below departmental level is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, the MOD's estimated spend on training in financial year 2009-10 was £3.3 billion. Of this, £2.5 billion was spent on military training covering phases one to three. A further £665 million was spent on other training requirements including recruitment, resettlement and cadet forces. Finally, £189 million funded the Defence Academy which provides post-graduate education and the majority of command, staff, leadership, management and specialist acquisition and technology training for members of the armed forces and MOD civil servants.
Most armed forces and civil service training is provided in-house but some £210 million is provided through external providers.
Guided Weapons
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much has been spent on the Team Complex Weapons programme; [12289]
(2) how much money each Team Complex Weapons contractor has received under the Team Complex Weapons programme to date. [12290]
Peter Luff:
The total public expenditure on the Team Complex Weapons programme from the start of the assessment phase in July 2008 to the end of June 2010 is some £240 million. The two Team Complex Weapons prime contractors associated with this work, MBDA UK Ltd and Thales UK, have received some £218 million and some £12 million respectively over the same period. The remaining £10 million has provided technical and project support to the Ministry of Defence, including
through the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and QinetiQ, as well as securing supporting equipment, facilities and information that the Ministry of Defence provides in support of the initiative and its range of projects.
HMS Queen Elizabeth
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether HMS Queen Elizabeth will carry Harrier aircraft until the Joint Strike Fighter enters service with the Royal Navy. [12550]
Peter Luff: On current plans, Harrier GR9 aircraft will operate from the Queen Elizabeth class carriers prior to the Joint Strike Fighter entering service with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
In the context of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Secretary of State for Defence has set work in hand to review all major equipment programmes to ensure the future programme is coherent with future defence needs, and this work is ongoing.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers will be equipped with an aircraft catapult system. [12862]
Peter Luff: The Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers are being built to an innovative adaptable design. Their initial configuration is for the operation of the Harrier GR9 and the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter, but they could, if required, be adapted to operate catapult-launched aircraft in the future.
The Strategic Defence and Security Review will define the future shape and role of the armed forces and the equipment that they will need.
HMS Sussex
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent assessment is of progress in the salvage of HMS Sussex by Odyssey Marine Exploration. [12922]
Nick Harvey: Work to excavate the site of the shipwreck that is believed to be that of the former Royal Navy warship HMS Sussex, which sank off the coast of Spain in 1694, has been on hold since 2007. This is due to a dispute between Odyssey Marine Exploration, the company that holds the licence to carry out the excavation work, and the Spanish Government.
HMS Triumph
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the recent refit of HMS Triumph; and when HMS Triumph will return to operational duties. [12294]
Peter Luff: The cost of the recent major refit for HMS Triumph is still to be finalised. However, the Department's estimate is approximately £255 million. HMS Triumph is now ready for operational service and the crew are currently undertaking a period of routine training prior to the next deployment.
HQ Royal Armoured Corps
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the establishment of HQ Royal Armoured Corps is; and over how many locations the Corps operates. [11766]
Nick Harvey: The liability for the Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps is 5,778. The locations of the individual regiments are as follows:
| Regiment | Based in : |
Headquarters Director of the Royal Armoured Corps Headquarters is based in Bovington, and its liability is 78 (62 military personnel and 16 civil servants).
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated in-service date with the Royal Navy is of the Joint Strike Fighter. [12549]
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Joint Strike Fighter F-35B short take-off and landing variant to enter service with the Royal Navy. [12864]
Peter Luff: The in-service date for the Joint Combat Aircraft for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy will not be set until we have taken the main investment decision on the project. That decision will be taken in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review and when the project is sufficiently mature.
Larkhill
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which armed forces units are based at Larkhill. [11767]
Nick Harvey: The units based at Larkhill are: 32 Regiment Royal Artillery, The Royal School of Artillery, 14 Regiment Royal Artillery, 1 Artillery Brigade Support Troop, Headquarters Larkhill Garrison and 12 Army Education Centre.
There are also medical and dental centres, staffed by the Army primary health care service.
Military Bases: Security
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of the provision of security to his Department's sites by (a) the Military Provost Guard Service and (b) the Ministry of Defence Guard Service was in the most recent year for which figures are available. [12300]
Mr Robathan: During the financial year 2009-10, the cost of the provision of security to Ministry of Defence (MOD) sites by the MOD Guard Service (MGS) was £120.688 million. The costs during the same period to provide security to MOD sites by the Military Provost Guard Service was £67.263 million.
Military Decorations
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement on the conclusions of the review of (a) the rules governing the awarding of medals and (b) the institution of a national defence medal. [12599]
Mr Robathan: The Coalition provided an undertaking in its programme for government to review the rules governing the award of medals. However, it is too early to say what conclusions will be reached and consequently when any decisions will be made.
Ministry of Defence Police Agency
Mr Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the withdrawal of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency from RAF Welford. [11867]
Mr Robathan: On current plans, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) police will be withdrawn from RAF Welford by the end of September. The Ministry of Defence police officers will be replaced by staff from the MOD Guard Service who have been recruited and are in place. In addition several security enhancements have been made to the base.
Mr Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future number of officers in the Ministry of Defence Police Agency at each base. [11869]
Mr Robathan: The future number of Ministry of Defence police officers will be determined by the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, and by other ongoing work that will determine the future Defence requirement for the policing services and capabilities that are provided by the Ministry of Defence police.
Nuclear Reactors
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons his Department's contract to build a nuclear reactor core was cancelled. [12923]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence has not cancelled any contracts relating to the building of nuclear reactor cores.
Nuclear Submarines
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from what budget the capital cost of replacing the Vanguard nuclear weapons-capable submarines will be met. [12094]
Dr Fox: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 July 2010, Official Report, column 620W, to the hon. Member for Arfon (Hywel Williams).
RAF Menwith Hill
Mr Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost has been of patrolling the Counter-Terrorist Unit at RAF Menwith Hill in each year since 2001. [11873]
Nick Harvey: External policing at RAF Menwith Hill is provided by North Yorkshire Police and the Ministry of Defence Police. It is common practice that police forces do not release the costs and numbers of officers as this might compromise future operations.
St Helena: Armed Forces
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many residents from the Island of Saint Helena are serving in each of the armed services. [12534]
Mr Gerald Howarth: As at 1 June 2010, according to the nationality field of the joint personnel administration system, there are approximately 20 service personnel from St Helena and these are all in the Army.
However, former residents of St Helena who are members of the armed forces are British citizens and may choose to record their nationality as British on their service record. To determine how many former residents of St Helena are currently serving would require the manual search of all recruiting records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Submarines
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimates he has received from Deloitte on the cost of the Future Submarine Programme. [12924]
Peter Luff: No cost estimates have been received from Deloitte on the Future Submarine Programme as this work is being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence. During the programme's concept phase, Deloitte has provided the Department with independent and impartial strategic business advice and undertaken an independent programme, commercial and financial assurance function.
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs were of the ballistic missile submarine fleet in the latest period for which figures are available, expressed in cash terms. [11234]
Dr Fox: Annual figures for the maintenance, refitting and operation of the Vanguard class submarines for the present comprehensive spending review (CSR) period are shown in the following table. It is not possible to provide costs for financial year 2010-11, the last year in the present CSR period.
| Total (£ million) | |
| Note: Figures rounded to the nearest £5 million. | |
Maintenance and refit costs include: specialist subcontractor support for propulsion systems, masts and sensors, and weapons systems; estimated HM Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde labour costs (estimated because these costs are collected for HMNB Clyde as a whole, and are not attributed to specific classes of ships or submarines); and delivering the ongoing Vanguard Class Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) (LOP (R)) programme, the costs of LOP(R) planning, and the procurement of long lead materials.
Nuclear propulsion costs are not included as they are not held in the format requested.
The operating costs cover those directly identifiable costs incurred in the day to day operation of the submarines. These include manpower, stock (such as tools and hardware) and other costs such as travel and subsistence, and accommodation stores.
Taxis
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on taxi fares in each year since 1997. [12988]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence reimbursed service personnel £1.1 million in taxi fares during 2009-10. Expenditure in earlier years, and on taxi fares claimed by civilian staff, is not recorded separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Our staff may only use a taxi for official duty when there is a business benefit to the MOD or when it saves money. A taxi is typically used where no other suitable form of public transport is available. In the present economic conditions, we have also been constraining the amount of travel undertaken.
Trade Unions
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has paid to trade unions in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the value of facilities provided by his Department and its predecessors for use by trade unions in each year since 1997. [11682]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The MOD does not make payments to any trade unions (TUs). The MOD-recognised TUs are funded through the subscription fees of their members.
The MOD views it to be in the joint interest of the Department and its recognised trade unions and staff associations for reasonable administrative facilities to be provided and the Department complies with the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) Code of Practice 'Time off for trade union duties and activities.' Representatives for each recognised trade union and staff association are provided with equipped office space in an appropriate location, including facilities to work in accordance with that provided for other staff in the buildings on site, for example, desk, phone, IT, fax, etc.
Regarding the estimate of the annual value of such provision-the information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many paid manpower hours civil servants in his Department spent on trade union-related duties and activities in each year since 1997. [11683]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The MOD uses a standard figure of 220 days to calculate the time off for trade union duties and activities (facility time). This figure represents the working year after the deduction of annual leave, public, privilege and bank holidays, for full-time employees. The amount of time off, and the purposes for which it is allowed, is determined by what is considered reasonable and the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) Code of Practice "Time off for Trade Union duties and activities". The facility time allowances are agreed annually and are reflected as a percentage of the employee's working year.
The following table sets out the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) civil servants allocated facility time each year since 1997. Based on an average working day of seven hours, a broad estimate has been calculated to address the amount of paid manpower hours spent on facility time. It has not been possible to extract those employees with facility time working part-time.
| Year( 1) | FTEs | Hours |
| (1 )The method of capturing the information changed from a formal manual system (pre 2006) to a system drawn from the Department's management information system (since 2006). The reliability of these data has varied and therefore the following footnotes should be taken into consideration: (2 )2009-10-IT records have been data cleansed to remove known discrepancies. Data exclude facility time for employees in Trading Funds, Service Personnel Vetting Agency and Defence Police Federation. (3 )2008-09-The IT records had improved but were known to include some discrepancies (i.e. duplicate records). Data exclude facility time for employees in Trading Funds, Service Personnel Vetting Agency and Defence Police Federation. (4 )2007-08-The IT data were insufficient data to produce reliable records. (5 )2006-07-There were IT system issues so 2005-06 data were manually updated by local HR business partners. (6 )2005-06-The last year of manual records compiled by local HR business partners. | ||
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil servants in his Department spent the equivalent of (a) five days or fewer, (b) five to 10 days, (c) 10 to 15 days, (d) 15 to 20 days, (e) 20 to 25 days and (f) 25 days or more on trade union-related activities or duties while being paid salaries from the public purse in each year since 1997. [11684]
Mr Gerald Howarth:
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses a standard figure of 220 days to calculate the time off for trade union duties and activities (facility time).
This figure represents the working year after the deduction of annual leave, public, privilege and bank holidays, for full time employees. The amount of time off, and the purposes for which it is allowed, is determined by what is considered reasonable and the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice 'Time off for Trade Union duties and activities'. MOD facility time allowances are agreed annually and are reflected as a percentage of the employee's working year.
The facility time is allocated as follows:
| Percentage | Days |
The following table sets out the number of civil servants allocated facility time while being paid salaries from the public purse in each year since 1997:
| Year( 1) | 1-10% | 11-49% | 50-99% | 100% | Total |
| (1) The method of capturing the information changed from a formal manual system (pre 2006) to a system drawn from the department's management information system (since 2006). The reliability of these data has varied and therefore the following footnotes should be taken in to consideration: (2) 2009-10: IT records have been data cleansed to remove known discrepancies. Data exclude facility time for employees in Trading Funds, Service Personnel Vetting Agency and Defence Police Federation. (3) 2008-09: The IT records had improved but were known to include some discrepancies (i.e. duplicate records). Data exclude facility time for employees in Trading Funds, Service Personnel Vetting Agency and Defence Police Federation. (4) 2007-08: The IT data were insufficient to produce reliable records. (5) 2006-07: There were IT system issues so 2005-06 data manually updated by local HR Business Partners. (6) 2005-06: The last year of manual records compiled by local HR Business Partners. | |||||
Trident
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what costs to the public purse he expects be incurred in respect of work on a replacement for the Trident nuclear weapons system in this Parliament, including costs associated with (a) the submarine replacement programme concept phase, (b) the post-initial gate assessment phase, (c) expenditure on new facilities at the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment and (d) expenditure on (i) the development of a replacement warhead and (ii) the refurbishment of the existing warhead. [12625]
Dr Fox:
The spend on the Concept Phase for the replacement submarine and associated propulsion system since the beginning of April 2007 to the end of June 2010 is some £570 million. The total spend for the
Concept Phase cannot be calculated until the end of this phase is reached and the Initial Gate Business Case has been considered.
The cost of the Assessment Phase will be influenced by the decisions taken at Initial Gate due later this year and will take full account of the ongoing Value-For-Money Review.
Replacement facilities at Atomic Weapons Establishment sites are necessary to support the in-service warhead although they would also be able to support a refurbished or replacement warhead should that be required. Against Current estimates it is planned that the facilities will cost some £490 million in financial year 2010-11. Expenditure in future years is subject to the ongoing comprehensive spending review negotiations.
No decision has been taken on whether to refurbish or replace the existing warhead. Expenditure amounting to some £12 million per annum is presently being incurred on studies required to inform such a decision.
Trident Missiles
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much he expects his Department to spend on the D-5 missile life extension programme in each of the next 10 years. [12928]
Dr Fox: Forecast expenditure by the Ministry of Defence on the D5 missile life extension programme for 2010-11 is currently £5.5 million.
Spending plans for 2011-12 and beyond have not yet been agreed and will be set as part of the Government's spending review process. Therefore, I am withholding details of the proposed spending beyond 2010-11 as to release this information would be likely to impact upon the formulation of Government policy.
USA: Ballistic Missile Defence
Mr Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what costs have been incurred in respect of the US Missile Defence system in each year since 1997. [11875]
Dr Fox: The UK provides support to the US Missile Defence system by sharing radar early warning information from RAF Fylingdales and by allowing the US to use RAF Menwith Hill to receive satellite early warning information; the UK does not incur any additional costs in respect of these activities. Any question regarding the overall cost of the US Ballistic Missile Defence system would be for the US Administration to answer.
Volcanic Ash Disruption: Evacuation
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what dates (a) HMS Illustrious and (b) HMS Ocean arrived at ports in northern France to assist in the evacuation of British citizens following the disruption to flights caused by volcanic ash in April 2010; [12633]
(2) how many British citizens were evacuated by (a) HMS Illustrious and (b) HMS Ocean from ports in northern France in (i) April and (ii) May 2010. [12644]
Nick Harvey: At various times during the flight disruption, RFA Fort Victoria, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Ocean were placed on standby to assist with the recovery of British citizens from northern France. This was at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They were to be used if civilian ferry capacity at French ports proved insufficient. HMS Illustrious was not involved in the effort. Civilian capacity proved adequate and no Royal Navy ships were needed, they did not enter ports in northern France and no British citizens were evacuated.
Wines
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on wine in each year since 1997. [12825]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold financial information in a form that allows us to identify expenditure on wine separately from other expenditure on official entertainment and therefore this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Strict rules apply to the purchase of wine under departmental rules on official entertainment and currently no new official entertainment can be arranged without the prior approval of nominated senior civil servants.
Expenditure on official entertainment is reported annually under administration and programme costs in the MOD's accounts. These can be found on the MOD website at the following address:
Transport
A3: Hampshire
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to mitigate the projected increase in traffic on the A3 (a) between Liphook and Petersfield and (b) at the Ham Barn roundabout near Liss following the opening of the Hindhead Tunnel. [12858]
Mike Penning: The projected increase in traffic using the A3 following the opening of the Hindhead Tunnel is relatively small (estimated to be less than 10%) and largely due to drivers returning to the A3 from other routes. As a result there are no plans to mitigate the projected increase between Liphook and Petersfield.
However, the Highways Agency is investigating potential alterations to the A3 Ham Barn Roundabout which are subject to further stakeholder liaison with Hampshire county council and East Hampshire district council. Any improvement will be subject to the availability of funding.
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the replacement of the Ham Barn roundabout by a flyover to carry the A3. [12859]
Mike Penning: No representations to replace the roundabout by a flyover on the A3 have been received.
Bus Services: Concessions
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have taken up the local entitlement for free bus travel since that entitlement was introduced. [12113]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport is not responsible for issuing passes and so does not maintain records of how many passes individual authorities have issued.
The last information held by the Department was that as of 6 April this year, approximately 10 million smartcard concessionary passes had been issued since the introduction of the England-wide concession in April 2008. This includes passes issued to both eligible older and disabled people.
The Department holds no data about passes issued prior to this date.
Departmental Assets
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which former (a) buildings and (b) land owned by (i) his Department and (ii) (A) non-departmental public bodies and (B) agencies for which his Department is responsible have been sold since May 2005; what the sale price of each was at the time of sale; and to which body the funds from the sale accrued in each case. [12340]
Norman Baker: The requested information has been placed in the Library of the House. Sales proceeds were retained by the Agency disposing of the land or building.
The Information requested at (ii) (A) is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Consultants
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) average and (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years. [13064]
Norman Baker: This information is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Operating Costs
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what expenditure elements comprise the administrative budget for the commissioning and purchasing sections within his Department. [12069]
Mr Philip Hammond: Advice about administration budgets is set out in chapter 4 of the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance for 2010-11 which can be found on the HM Treasury website; the link is:
The administration budget for the Department for Transport includes the relevant costs (as defined in section 4.8 of the guidance) of the core Department, the Highways Agency and the Government Car and Despatch Agency.
Departmental Pay
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the powers of his Department's agencies to set pay rates for their staff; and if he will make a statement. [12068]
Mr Philip Hammond: I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues, including the Chancellor, on a wide range of issues. In line with the Ministerial Code, it would be inappropriate to comment on the content of these discussions.
Departmental Pensions
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by (a) his Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2010-11. [12441]
Norman Baker: A breakdown of pension contribution costs for each of the last three years, together with planned expenditure for 2010-11, by country and region, is not available and would incur a disproportionate cost to produce.
The total pension costs incurred by the Department for Transport, each non-departmental public body and each Executive Agency can be obtained by review of each entity's statutory accounts.
Departmental Public Expenditure
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has undertaken equality impact assessments of the proposed reductions in its expenditure which it has submitted to the Treasury as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. [12067]
Mr Philip Hammond: In line with the Government's commitment to fairness and to conducting the Spending Review in a way that protects the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, my Department is currently undertaking a robust analysis of its proposals for the Spending Review and will look closely at the effects of its spending proposals on all protected groups.
This work includes considering the equalities impacts of particular proposals, where we consider this is helpful as part of fulfilling the Government's commitment to promoting equality for all legally protected groups.
Where the Department has completed full equality impact assessments for prospective budget reductions which are subsequently proceeded with, the results will be made available following the Spending Review.
Departmental Public Relations
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the monetary value was of (a) public opinion research and (b) public relations contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years in each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK. [12444]
Norman Baker: The information requested is not available centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Driving: Eyesight
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will consult representatives of (a) transport organisations and (b) optical professions on the implementation of the vision standards for driving contained in the European Directive on Driving Licences; and if he will make a statement. [12426]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport will issue a public consultation before introducing any changes to UK medical licensing standards as a result of Commission Directive 2009/113/EEC which makes amendments to the minimum health standards for vision, diabetes and epilepsy. Organisations representing the transport industry and eye care professionals will be invited to comment.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and experts from the Secretary of State's Honorary Medical Advisory Panel have been considering how the EU Directive should be applied in the UK. A public consultation is planned but no date has been confirmed for its issue.
The medical licensing rules currently in place contribute to the UK having the safest roads in Europe. Any decisions about changing the standards cannot be taken lightly. The complications of any changes have to be considered before a consultation can be launched.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers have notified the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency that their vision no longer meets the legal eyesight requirements to drive in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [12430]
Mike Penning: The information requested is not held. Information is only available on the number of applications refused and licences revoked on eyesight grounds after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has conducted medical checks. The figures include both visual acuity and visual field cases. Between 2005 and 2009, 6,326 driving licence applications/driving licences have been refused or revoked due to visual field defects and 2,788 due to reduced visual acuity.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that drivers are informed of their responsibility to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency if their vision no longer meets the legal eyesight requirements for driving; and if he will make a statement. [12431]
Mike Penning: Driving licence application forms and associated leaflets remind drivers about their ongoing obligation to meet health standards. Specific mention is made about the requirement to be able to see clearly and to be able to read a number plate. Information is also available on DirectGov where regular reminders appear.
The current requirement is that drivers must be able to read a standard car number plate (with glasses or corrective lenses if necessary) from 67 feet.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the number plate test in assessing a person's visual fitness to drive; and if he will make a statement. [12432]
Mike Penning: Over the past year, the Department for Transport has reviewed the vision standards for drivers, including the effectiveness of the number plate test. This review has been undertaken in conjunction with the experts on the Secretary of State's Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Vision and Driving. The review concluded that the test remains an effective, straightforward means of testing visual acuity.
The number plate test is not just a test of acuity but also of ability to scan information accurately at a distance. The simplicity of the test enables drivers to check that their eyesight continues to meet the required standard throughout their driving career. It also allows the police to make a straightforward check if they are concerned that an individual is driving with defective eyesight.
Freight: Finance
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding his Department plans to provide in (a) rail and (b) water freight operating grants in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12. [12147]
Mike Penning: In 2010-11 it is expected that approximately £20 million will be provided to industry to support the operating costs of both rail and water freight services. At present approximately £19.5 million is allocated to rail services and £0.5 million to water freight services.
The budget for rail and water operating grants in 2011-12 is £20 million. To date £14.5 million has been allocated to rail services and £0.3 million to water freight services.
Heathrow Airport: Night Flying
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on restrictions on night flights at Heathrow Airport after October 2012. [11984]
Mrs Villiers: There have been restrictions on night flights at Heathrow for many years. The Government recognise the importance of the protections afforded by these restrictions for communities affected by aircraft noise. The restrictions are subject to periodic review. The current regime which was introduced in June 2006, will expire in October 2012. An announcement on the proposals for post 2012 will be made in due course.
Integrated Transport Authorities
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's policy is on the creation of new integrated transport authorities; and if he will make a statement. [12215]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport is happy to consider any proposals for new integrated transport authorities put forward by local authorities.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the work of the agency; and if he will make a statement. [12150]
Mike Penning: I have regular meetings with the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to discuss the work of the agency.
Mersey Gateway Project
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Mersey Gateway project will be considered as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review; and if he will make a statement. [12517]
Norman Baker: The Mersey Gateway project is being considered as part of the comprehensive spending review. As with other such schemes, the Government can give no assurances that it can fund this scheme until the outcome of the spending review is known.
Motor Vehicles: Registration
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the introduction of a redesigned Registration Certificate V5C for vehicles in the United Kingdom. [12149]
Mike Penning: The cost of the design work, production tests, IT system changes and enhanced security features was £45,700. The value of paper and information leaflet stocks that can no longer be used is £62,200.
Motorcycles: Driving Tests
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 June 2010, Official Report, columns 7-8WS, on the motorcycle test, what representations he has received in his review of motorcycle tests. [12114]
Mike Penning: We have received some 475 representations on the review of the motorcycle test. The closing date for representations was 31 July and we are considering the responses. We intend to go out to public consultation on our proposals and will publish a summary of representations received in due course.
We have received a range of representations. The main issues raised include the location and accessibility of test centres; calls for the current two module practical test to be combined into a single event test; and concerns about the way in which certain manoeuvres have been implemented, including the linking of the avoidance and controlled stop manoeuvres.
Railways
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide guidance to train operating companies on the number of automated announcements which should be made per hour on trains. [12109]
Mrs Villiers: Guidance is given to train operators on public address announcements relating, for example, to disabled access and security. It is a matter for individual train operators to consider how these are implemented on their services.
Other franchise specific requirements are made where appropriate. For example, the Stagecoach South West franchise required the operator to make announcements on two specified routes where there is a risk of delay due to passengers boarding/alighting for passengers to move down inside the train.
Railways: Construction
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what cost benefit analysis model is being used to determine which route a future high speed rail network will take. [12219]
Mr Philip Hammond: HS2 Ltd has produced a high level assessment of the comparative business cases of the 'reverse S' and "Y' shaped network options. In producing this assessment the company adopted the same methodology as in its work on national network configurations included in its December 2009 report. I will announce my decision on network configurations in due course.
Railways: Repairs and Maintenance
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent discussions he has had with Network Rail on the timescale for re-letting contracts for rail maintenance work which had previously been let to Jarvis; [12752]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with Network Rail on transferring those formerly employed by Jarvis rail maintenance work to new contractors. [12757]
Mrs Villiers: Department for Transport Ministers and officials communicate regularly with Network Rail. Contractual negotiations over the reallocation of track renewal work previously carried out by Jarvis plc are matters between Network Rail and the companies involved.
I understand that Network Rail has now re-let the track renewals work that was undertaken by Jarvis on the London North Eastern and Midland and Continental routes, which has led to a number of staff receiving offers of employment from Babcock Rail.
Network Rail has said that all current track renewal work is now allocated and that there are no outstanding contracts to be filled.
Regional Airports
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many flights (a) landed at and (b) departed from each UK airport in each of the last five years. [12643]
Mrs Villiers: A table has been placed in the Libraries of the House showing the number of flights that landed at and departed from UK airports in each year from 2005 to 2009. These figures are based on data provided to the Department by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 15 June 2010, Official Report, column 48WS, on the South East Airports Task Force, what recent assessment has been made of the capacity for expansion of regional airports; [12650]
(2) what his Department's policy is on the development of regional airports outside the South East; and if he will make a statement. [12753]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport has not made any recent assessment of the capacity for expansion of regional airports. The Government recognise the important benefits that airports contribute to regional economies. Proposals for expanding regional airports should be judged on their individual merits, taking into account relevant environmental considerations.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the likely change in the level of air traffic at regional airports by (a) 2020, (b) 2030, (c) 2040 and (d) 2050. [12747]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport published air passenger demand forecasts most recently in the document UK "Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts", in January 2009. This included traffic forecasts for 26 regional airports between 2005 and 2050.
The following table shows the forecasts for total passengers and flights departing from regional airports in 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050.
| Passengers (million) | Air transport movements (thousand) | |
These forecasts refer to the demand scenario 'PBR Nov 08 GDP' (using GDP forecasts from the 2008 pre-Budget report) and capacity scenario 's02' making maximum use of existing airport infrastructure.
Further details of these scenarios and the regional airports modelled can be found in annex F of "UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts", January 2009. This is available at:
The Department keeps its forecasts under review and will publish updated forecasts as appropriate.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of passengers who used each UK airport in each of the last five years. [12913]
Mrs Villiers: The number of terminal passengers at UK airports is published by the Civil Aviation Authority in table 10.3 of their UK Airports Statistics series. The latest version of this table, which covers 1999 to 2009, is available on their website at the following address:
Roads: Construction
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what (a) national and (b) regional new road schemes (i) in the East of England and (ii) nationally at an estimated cost of more than £10 million are being considered by his Department; and what assessment he has made of the cost-benefit ratio of each such scheme; [11964]
(2) what (a) national and (b) regional road improvement schemes (i) in the East of England and (ii) nationally at a projected cost of more than £10 million his Department is considering. [11965]
Mike Penning: All the national and regional new road schemes and road improvement schemes with an estimated cost greater than £10 million that are still in development are being considered as part of the Government's spending review.
The cost:benefit ratio is one of the criteria for assessing schemes as part of the spending review.
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