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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 6 March 2012
Wales
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions her Department has made under the 10:10 initiative. [97941]
Mrs Gillan: The Wales Office is provided with its corporate and estates management services by the Ministry of Justice, and so is contained within that Ministry's sustainability framework and targets.
Northern Ireland
Domestic Visits
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits he has made to each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland since May 2010. [97847]
Mr Paterson: Since May 2010 I have made numerous visits right across Northern Ireland and will continue to do so.
Politics and Government
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on dealing with issues concerning the past in Northern Ireland since May 2010. [97848]
Mr Paterson: The work taken forward by my Department on issues concerning the past is part of normal departmental expenditure in accordance with its business objectives. No additional costs have been incurred.
Scotland
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative. [97939]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office made a saving of 46% in its carbon dioxide emissions during the period of the 10:10 initiative.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Ann McKechin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had any discussions with (a) the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, (b) the STUC, (c) civic society organisations in Scotland and
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(d)
the Scottish Government on the effects of the new Organisational Design for the Equality and Human Rights Commission due to be implemented in April. [98437]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), has regular meetings with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the STUC, civic society organisations in Scotland and the Scottish Government where they discuss a range of matters.
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Equality and Human Rights Commission. [98438]
David Mundell: Following his appointment, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), met the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Scotland commissioner to discuss a range of matters. Scotland Office officials are in contact with officials in the Government Equalities Office on the reform of the EHRC.
Women and Equalities
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent discussions her Department has had with the (a) Bank of England and (b) HM Treasury on the reasons for the absence of women on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee. [97743]
Lynne Featherstone: I have had no specific discussions with the Bank of England or Treasury regarding women on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
The appointment of the four external members of the MPC is the responsibility of the Chancellor. Appointments to the MPC are made on merit and diversity is always an important consideration.
Equalities and Human Rights Commission: Scotland
Ann McKechin: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what plans she has for the provision of assistance to the public in Scotland after the planned closure of the Equality and Human Rights Commission helpline service. [98422]
Lynne Featherstone: We are currently commissioning a new Equality Advisory and Support Service, which will replace the current Equality and Human Rights Commission helpline and will provide a high-quality service to individuals experiencing discrimination in Scotland, as well as the rest of Great Britain. The service will have a full appreciation of the distinctive constitutional, legal, social and policy context within Scotland.
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Recruitment: Quotas
John Pugh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether quotas would best address any instances of institutional recruitment bias under her consideration. [98417]
Lynne Featherstone: The Government have no intention of introducing quotas. We are working actively with businesses to ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations made by Lord Davies in February 2011 and more widely promoting voluntary action by business to improve equality in the workplace.
Transport
Bridges: South East
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations she has received on river crossings in (a) London and (b) Kent. [97420]
Mike Penning: The Department, including both Ministers and officials, has received a number of recent representations about river crossings in London and Kent. The Mayor of London has asked DFT to work with his officials to take forward two new river crossings in east London.
The Department has also received representations from members of the public, local MPs and other stakeholders, concerning issues about the operation of the existing Dartford Thurrock crossing; charges levied at the crossing; and the importance of ensuring that a new lower Thames crossing is delivered without having unacceptable impacts on the local road network and the environment.
Crossrail: Rolling Stock
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the Invitation to Negotiate for the procurement of rolling stock and associated depot facilities in respect of the Crossrail Train Manufacturing Contract. [R] [97878]
Mrs Villiers: Crossrail Ltd is delivering the procurement of Crossrail rolling stock and depot on behalf of Rail for London—the future operator of Crossrail services.
Crossrail Limited normally only issue tender documentation to selected bidders.
However, on this occasion, I have asked them to provide a copy of the Instructions for Tenderers and the Rolling Stock Provision Agreement, which I will place in the Libraries of the House.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue the local office network of the DVLA generated in each calendar year since 2005. [96008]
Mike Penning: The following table shows the Vehicle Excise Duty collected at local offices by financial years since 2005—as published in our Annual Report and Accounts.
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Although other transactions are banked at local offices the DVLA accounts do not separate this revenue and it would incur disproportionate costs to provide the information in this format.
| VED collected by local offices (£ million) | |
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the closure of local Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices on service users including those with complex registration queries concerning older vehicles; and what steps she plans to take to mitigate any adverse effects. [98144]
Mike Penning: All services undertaken within the local office network, including the complex registration of older vehicles, have been analysed to understand the implications of centralising the work. Initial results indicate that the centralisation of services should not affect the agency's ability to meet its customer service targets. The DVLA is also examining ways in which its services could be operated either electronically or through intermediaries that could offer these kinds of services. Decisions about which solutions will be taken forward will not be made until after the consultation period.
Driving: Licensing
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will extend driving licence requirements to off-roader vehicles. [98036]
Mike Penning: There are no plans to extend driver licensing requirements to individuals driving off-road, as the current arrangements are considered appropriate.
Manufacturing Industries: Procurement
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support her Department is providing to UK-based manufacturers to help them secure procurement contracts. [97863]
Mrs Villiers: A package of measures to further reform public procurement to support growth was announced as part of the Chancellor's autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810.
These measures are aimed at helping the UK industry build their supply chain capability. In April, the Department plans to publish a pipeline of potential rolling stock requirements which, together with the National Infrastructure Plan, will provide enhanced visibility of future investments. This forward view will give the UK supply chain greater confidence to invest in their capability which will in turn leave them well placed to compete effectively for future orders.
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Bombardier have recently been successful in securing a £188 million deal to build 130 new railway carriages following a procurement competition run by Southern Railways.
DFT asked the rail industry to look into the possibility of improving the existing fleet of diesel Cross Country Voyager trains by adding an additional carriage with a pantograph and upgrading the rest of the train.
This work is being led by Cross Country Trains with Bombardier, the Voyager Leasing Company and Network Rail.
On the basis of work carried out before Christmas 2011, it appears that there could be a good case for the conversion of 30-35 four car Cross Country Voyagers into E Voyagers to operate on current and future routes with a mix of diesel and electric operation, either singly or in pairs.
The parties have been asked to move to the next stage of work including a firm priced proposal on which a final decision can be made.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role staff of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have in respect of the (a) marine leisure industry and (b) commercial shipping industry. [98641]
Mike Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) provides a 24 hour maritime search and rescue service to support all maritime activities in the UK search and rescue region, and also to coastal leisure users. The inspection and enforcement of standards for ships in accordance with statutory obligations is primarily concerned with regulating the commercial shipping industry, although some of these regulations are equally applicable to leisure users—eg collision regulations. Although the operation of the Registry of Shipping and Seamen (RSS) is primarily concerned with commercial vessels, the MCA does operate a small ships' register for yachts and small craft used for leisure. The MCA also promotes improved safety among seafarers, the fishing community and the recreational sector.
The MCA's business plan, which can be seen at
http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/business_plan_2011-2018.pdf
or within the Libraries of the House, sets out our highest profile commitments to Government, our industry and the public to maintain our reputation for the highest maritime safety standards.
On average, the agency deals with 20,000 SAR incidents, 10,000 ship surveys and inspections, 18,000 ship and seafarer registrations and certifications, and prevent or respond to 650 pollution incidents each year.
Network Rail: Finance
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the Office of Rail Regulation's effectiveness in reducing costs and increasing value for money at Network Rail since 2004. [98071]
Mrs Villiers:
The Government note that the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) set Network Rail a target to improve its controllable operating, maintenance
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and renewals efficiency by 31% in the period 2004-05 to 2008-09. Network Rail achieved an improvement of 27%.
In the period 2009-10 to 2013-14, ORR has set Network Rail a target of 21% and continues to monitor its progress.
The Government further note the recent conclusions of the Public Accounts Committee in its report ‘Office of Rail Regulation: Regulating Network Rail's Efficiency’ (HC 1036) about the Regulator's effectiveness in securing improvements in Network Rail's efficiency and the absence of effective sanctions for under-performance in the system.
The Government will shortly publish a Command Paper setting out our agenda for rail reform to achieve cost reduction, greater efficiency and better value for money for taxpayers and farepayers.
Office of Rail Regulation
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Coalition Agreement, what consideration she has given to merging Passenger Focus and the Office of Rail Regulation to create a single powerful passenger champion. [98072]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport considered the future of Passenger Focus as part of the public bodies review.
We concluded that it should be retained but with substantial reforms to reduce its cost to taxpayers while maintaining its core role as the statutory independent complaints body.
The Department currently has no plans to merge Passenger Focus with the Office of Rail Regulation.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had on further reductions in the budget for Passenger Focus and the allocation of some of its resources to the Office of Rail Regulation for the purposes of creating a passenger champion role. [98073]
Mrs Villiers: There are no current plans either to further reduce the budget of Passenger Focus or transfer any of their resources to the Office of Rail Regulation.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the Office of Rail Regulation's performance in regulating Network Rail; and what assessment she has made of the effect of allocating responsibility to the Office of Rail Regulation in respect to passengers on costs at Network Rail. [98105]
Mrs Villiers: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is independent of Government and is accountable to Parliament for its performance in regulating Network Rail.
The Government noted the conclusions of the Public Accounts Committee's 2011 inquiry, ‘Office of Rail Regulation: Regulating Network Rail's Efficiency’ (HC 1036), and understand that the ORR is acting on them.
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The Government will shortly publish a Command Paper setting out our agenda for rail reform to achieve cost reduction, greater efficiency and better value for money for taxpayers and farepayers.
We will also in due course announce our conclusions on any allocation of additional responsibilities to the ORR, and those conclusions will take into account the potential impact on Network Rail's costs.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate she has made of the effect on rail industry costs of any expansion of the role of the Office of Rail Regulation; [98106]
(2) what progress she has made on delivering the commitment in the Coalition Agreement to turn the Rail Regulator into a more powerful passenger champion; [98107]
(3) if she will ensure that any further expansion of the Office of Rail Regulation's responsibilities takes into consideration the past effectiveness of the regulator in reducing costs on the railways. [98108]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport and the Office of Rail Regulation are currently considering the responses to their joint consultation document, “A greater role for ORR regulating passenger franchisees in England & Wales”
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10746
for which the consultation period ended on 2 March. Our conclusions will be announced in due course and will take into account the capability of the ORR to take on any expanded role and the potential impact on rail industry costs of any transfer of responsibilities.
Railways: Electrification
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railway track were electrified between May 1997 and May 2010. [98207]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 5 March 2012]:Approximately an additional 39 miles of route were electrified between May 1997 and May 2010.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railway track the Government has committed to electrify since May 2010. [98215]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The Government have committed to electrify over 800 single track miles since May 2010. Subject to confirmation by Network Rail of the business case, over a further 130 miles would be added with North Transpennine electrification.
Transport Select Committee: Expenditure
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis the figures her Department provided to the Transport Select Committee on its expenditure in each region were calculated. [98098]
Norman Baker:
Figures submitted to the Transport Select Committee in December show the total expenditure in each region of schemes announced in both the autumn
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statement of 29 November 2011,
Official Report
, columns 799-810, and the 14 December announcement on Local Major Schemes.
Where schemes are multi-regional, it can be difficult to accurately apportion expenditure. In such cases, spend has been apportioned equally between the relevant regions. For example, spend on the Trans Pennine Electrification, is apportioned between Yorkshire and Humber and the North West.
The figures do not include the further £1 billion announced for the regional growth fund as part of the autumn statement.
Transport: Incentives
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to reduce the level of bonuses in transport organisations funded from the public purse. [97784]
Mrs Villiers: Bonuses at shareholder-owned private sector companies are a matter for the companies' own remuneration committees and shareholders. I have made clear my view that large bonuses are not appropriate unless they reflect exceptional performance.
Home Department
Animal Experiments
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she launched the tender process for the Development Collaborative Business Project portal for the Animals in Science Regulation Unit; when the tender process closed; how many bids were received; what criteria she used for assessing bids; and how many bids met the minimum criteria. [96433]
Damian Green: This project modernises the submission of applications to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit for customers external to the Home Office.
Previous attempts at modernising had proved unsuccessful due to difficulties in finding a suitable and cost-effective IT application. In October 2010, a system was identified in the UK Border Agency that was already in use for communicating with parties external to the organisation, the Collaborative Business Portal (CBP).The CBP had been in use for eight years and contractual arrangements were in place with the supplier, Fincore Ltd. The strategic approach to IT acquisition within the Home Office requires that we look to re-use existing applications and infrastructure before entering into complex, lengthy and expensive procurement exercises. Therefore no procurement exercise was necessary.
Animal Experiments: Inspections
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training and qualifications will be required for inspectors operating under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in the period 2012 to 2015. [96438]
Lynne Featherstone:
Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors are required to have such medical or veterinary qualifications as the Secretary of State thinks requisite. We have no plans to change
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these requirements but will review them when considering the options for transposing European directive 201/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The directive defines the broad range of expertise required for the evaluation of project applications which is currently carried out principally by inspectors.
Training needs will be met through a range of initial training, mentoring and continued professional development to ensure all inspectors carry out their functions effectively.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has any plans to change (a) the number of inspectors employed by her Department to conduct inspections under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and (b) the number and locations of the outstations used to accommodate these inspectors. [96439]
Lynne Featherstone: I have no plans to change the number of inspectors employed to carry out functions under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Under current proposals to restructure the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) in which they are employed, it is proposed to close all current regional offices in a phased programme by the end of 2013 and to co-locate most ASRU functions in a single location in London to promote integrated working. However, those inspectors who are not currently based in London will continue to be based close to those they inspect. Arrangements will be made to ensure they have all necessary support and facilities to enable them to continue to carry out their duties effectively.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations she has undertaken with establishments using animals in scientific procedures on plans to reduce the number of regional offices used by inspectors operating under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. [96440]
Lynne Featherstone: No formal consultations have been undertaken with establishments designated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Current proposals to restructure the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) are designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our implementation of the 1986 Act and we are confident these will not disadvantage designated establishments.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effects of (a) reductions in the number of inspectors operating under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, (b) changes to the locations at which these inspectors are based and (c) reductions in the number of outstations at which these inspectors are based on animal welfare standards for animals used in scientific procedures. [96441]
Lynne Featherstone:
No reduction in the number of inspectors employed to carry out functions under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is planned as part of the current proposals to restructure the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) in which they are employed and steps will be taken to ensure those proposals do not adversely impact their work. Those inspectors who are not currently based in
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London will continue to be based close to those they inspect and arrangements will be made to ensure they have all necessary support and facilities to enable them to continue to carry out their duties effectively.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the minimum number of inspectors required to be operating under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to maintain existing animal welfare standards. [96442]
Lynne Featherstone: The number of inspectors required is dependent on the expected workload arising from our risk-based approach to the inspection process. We will continue to use this approach, with regular review. I am confident the Inspectorate is adequately staffed to meet current and expected future needs.
Animal Experiments: Pay
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Chief Inspector of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit is based in London for the purpose of determining salary, allowance and expenses; and whether the post holder has been considered as living in London since the date of appointment. [96455]
Lynne Featherstone: The Chief Inspector of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit is not based in London for the purposes of determining her salary, allowances and expenses. The post holder is not considered to have been living in London since her appointment.
Asylum
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Co-ordinating Group for Asylum Seekers and Refugees has met between January 2008 and January 2012; which (a) Departments, (b) public bodies and (c) community sector organisations were represented at each meeting; what was discussed at each meeting; and what the terms of reference are for the group. [93174]
Damian Green: The national asylum stakeholder forum (NASF) was launched on 12 July 2007. The forum was designed to promote dialogue, transparency and the ability to work in partnership between the agency and its external stakeholders. The group meets bi-monthly and is comprised of a number of voluntary sector and other government department attendees. A full list of members is shown as follows:
National Asylum Stakeholder Forum participants
Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
Association of Directors of Social Services and Association of Directors of Children's Services
Asylum Support Appeals Project
Asylum Support Tribunal
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
Department for Education
Department of Health (DoH)
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Department for Work and Pensions
Local Government Association
MOJ
Scottish Government
UNHCR
Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
Amnesty International
Asylum Aid
Bail for Immigration Detainees
British Red Cross
Children's Society
Evelyn Oldfield Unit
Freedom from Torture
Helen Bamber Foundation
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)
Refugee Action
Refugee Council
Scottish Refugee Council
The Coram Children's Legal Centre
The Employability Forum
Welsh Refugee Council
Asylum Support Partnership (Refugee Council)
Regional Migration Partnerships
The group has met 28 times to discuss a range of issues. The UK Border Agency is currently taking forward five joint pieces of work with NASF partners looking at the applicant journey, asylum screening reform, the quality of asylum decisions, gender issues and integration.
Asylum: Syria
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effect on the number of applications for asylum received from Syrian nationals of the situation in that country. [97745]
Damian Green: There is some evidence that the recent violence in Syria has led to an increase in applications for asylum, albeit from a very low base. The UK Border Agency, which is in contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on this issue, will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that it is well placed to respond effectively to the developing situation.
Biofuels: Manufactured Goods
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to tackle the (a) theft of waste cooking oil and (b) illegal manufacture of biofuel. [97728]
James Brokenshire:
Local crime such as the theft of waste cooking oil is a matter for individual chief constables, and the introduction of police and crime commissioners in November will ensure that police forces are responding to the priorities of local citizens and businesses. More widely, the Home Office is committed to working with retailers to reduce crimes against business. We launched
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the Business Self Assessment Tool last year which provides guidance to businesses to make them more resilient and reduce their vulnerability to criminals.
Biofuel is an important sustainable transport fuel as it both reduces waste and, by replacing fossil fuels, reduces greenhouse gas emissions from transport. The Government are therefore seeking to promote its use, including the use of used cooking oil as a source of this fuel.
Biometrics: Eyes
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the job title is of the senior civil servant in charge of the contract to procure IRIS scanners. [98118]
Damian Green: There is no contract to procure IRIS scanners, as these are being phased out. It is the UK Border Agency's intention to replace them with other types of gates that both EU and non-EU passengers will be able to use.
Paul Waring, director of e-Borders, is the senior civil servant responsible for this area.
Charities: Theft
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the value of clothes stolen from charity collections in each of the last three years. [97548]
James Brokenshire: Crime data held centrally by the Home Office are not available at the level of detail required to provide specific information relating to the value of clothes stolen from charity collections.
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, the umbrella Government organisation that co-ordinates and oversees the fight against fraud, is working with the voluntary sector to obtain more information and intelligence on theft of charity bags.
Crime Prevention
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the (a) level of maintenance and (b) use of the directory of specialised competences, skills and expertise in the fight against crime established by Article 1 of EU Council Joint Action 96/747/JHA. [97748]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The EU Council Joint Action 96/747/JHA concerns the creation and maintenance of a directory in order to facilitate law enforcement co-operation between member states in the fight against international organised crime. The Joint Action sets out to facilitate this co-operation through the requirement to provide brief, accurate details and a description of the specialised competences, skills and expertise held within member states. The financial cost of maintaining the directory (the Europol Knowledge Management Centre) has been borne by Europol. In recent years, online thematic expert platforms have emerged in parallel to facilitate expert engagement and have now superseded the directory, which closed on 16 February 2012.
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Departmental ICT
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans she has put in place in the event of (a) technical failure of the Collaborative Business Portal (CBP) and (b) insolvency of the CBP provider. [96444]
Damian Green: CBP is housed within one of the Home Office shared service data centres and is subject to the standard service and support arrangements provided by the Department's primary service delivery partner, Atos, supported by Fincore Ltd. Standard service level arrangements are currently in place.
Both suppliers are contractually obliged to maintain back-ups of the software and data held on the system, and have processes and time targets for recovery in the event of losing the service.
The contract with Fincore Ltd addresses the issue of supplier insolvency. In practice, a copy of the software will be held in escrow so that the service can be maintained until an alternative supplier is found or the situation resolved.
Deportation
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were made against (a) UK Border Agency staff and (b) G4S in respect of enforced removal operations in 2011. [92919]
Damian Green: All complaints received for Detention Services are recorded on a central database which includes complaints received from detainees, members of the public, legal representatives or those acting on behalf of detainees or former detainees.
Every complaint received is subject to local investigation or referred for investigation by the UK Border Agency's Professional Standards Unit.
The figures provided are for all complaints received up to 30 September 2011 in line with published statistics.
There have been no complaints recorded against UK Border Agency staff from Detention Services in respect of enforced removal operations in 2011.
There have been 22 complaints made against the UK Border Agency's escort providers concerning misconduct in respect of enforced removal operations in 2011.
The data provided are based on management information only and have not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.
G4S held the contract for escorting detainees including during enforced removals until 30 April 2011. Reliance were awarded the contract from 1 May 2011. The data provided cover both contractors.
Drugs
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many new substances were identified by her Department's Forensic Early Warning System in each of the last three years; and how many substances are being monitored; [96301]
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(2) when her Department's Forensic Early Warning System first became aware of the use of D2PM and diphenylmethylpyrrolidine in the UK; [96302]
(3) when her Department was first informed by the National Poisons Information Service of the dangers of D2PM, diphenylmethylpyrrolidine and other components of the drug Ivory Wave; and what correspondence she has had with the National Poisons Information Service on these substances. [96303]
James Brokenshire: The Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) programme was set up in January 2011. 10 substances, new to the UK, were identified under the project in 2011 and two substances have been identified so far this year. D2PM and diphenylmethylpyrrolidine were first identified under the FEWS project in January 2011.
The results from the project, including any further identification of 2-DPMP and related compounds, are provided to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (the ACMD), our independent experts, to inform their ongoing review of new psychoactive substances. The FEWS findings on D2PM and diphenylmethylpyrrolidine were passed on to the ACMD and informed their advice on pipradols available at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/agencies-public-bodies/acmd1/desoxypipradrol-report
The ACMD keep under review the situation in the United Kingdom with respect to drug-related issues, including new psychoactive substances. The current availability of these substances is being monitored and, as appropriate, individual substances will be reviewed by the ACMD and advice provided to the Government.
The Department has not received any representations from or corresponded directly with the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) on the dangers of D2PM and related substances. The ACMD who were conducting a review of pipradols were in contact with the NPIS. The NPIS is part of the UK's Drugs Early Warning System.
EU Justice and Home Affairs
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the effect of liaison magistrates or officials operating under EU Council Joint Action 96/277/JHA on improving the effectiveness of judicial co-operation between EU member states. [96748]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 February 2012]: The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for the posting and management of the UK liaison magistrates to France, Italy and Spain. The experience of the Crown Prosecution Service is that the UK liaison magistrates have greatly enhanced bilateral judicial co-operation, including in complex transnational cases involving major criminality. Their involvement has often been instrumental in the successful conclusion of major investigations and prosecutions. The Home Office hosts liaison magistrates from France and Italy.
Their role is to further the work of their own country in the field of judicial co-operation and as such the UK has not evaluated their effectiveness.
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Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many international joint customs surveillance operations as provided for in EU Joint Action 97/372/JHA UK authorities participated in each of the last five years; and what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of such operations. [97651]
Damian Green [holding answer 1 March 2012]: There are no recorded instances of participating in international joint customs surveillance operations under the provisions of EU Joint Action 97/372/JHA.
National Crime Agency
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's Business Plan, what estimate she has made of the cost of the operational changes to make the National Crime Agency fully operational and to incorporate the Border Police Command. [97750]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The Home Office Business plan 2011 to 2015 committed to introducing a shadow National Crime Agency (NCA) before the NCA becomes fully operational in financial year 2013-14. Costs will be minimal in this phase as it will primarily be about ensuring better co-ordination of existing law enforcement activity. Any additional costs, including those to establish the border policing command, will be funded from existing budgets.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what she expects the costs of the National Crime Agency to be in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15. [97484]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The National Crime Agency (NCA) will be operational in financial year 2013-14. Costs in advance of this will be minimal. It is too early to say what the final budget of the NCA will be, but the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) will form the bulk of its budget. SOCA's budget for planning purposes in 2013-14 is £387 million Resource and £17 million Capital, and in 2014-15 is £380 million Resource and £15 million Capital. The budget for the National Policing Improvement Agency functions transferring to the NCA via SOCA is being finalised but is in the region of £10 million per year.
National Policing Improvement Agency
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the total costs associated with the phasing out of the National Policing Improvement Agency. [97751]
Nick Herbert: [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The Home Office is working closely with the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and others to ensure that the transition of NPIA functions and services is managed within its existing, funding allocation that was set out in the 2010 spending review.
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Serious Organised Crime Agency
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has provided the Serious Organised Crime Agency with additional resources to enable it to undertake action related to copyright infringement. [97457]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 1 March 2012]: No.
Smuggling: Alcoholic Drinks
Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of alcohol have been made by the UK Border Agency at ports of entry into the UK in each of the last five years. [98163]
Damian Green: The data requested are not published by Border Force.
I refer my hon. Friend to the UK Border Agency Transparency Indicator for the annual level of tax revenue that is protected through detecting alcohol where excise duty has not been declared.
In 2010-11 35,385,000 litres of spirits, beers and wines were detected and referred to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Up to Quarter 3 of 2011-12 33,318,945 litres of spirits, beer, wine, cider and alcopops were detected and referred to HMRC.
The data available via the following web address can also be found in the Library of the House.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/annual-level-of-tax/
Stone Theft
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of stone theft there were in each of the last three years in (a) Lancashire and (b) the UK. [98238]
James Brokenshire: Crime data held centrally by the Home Office are not available at the level of detail required to provide specific information relating to the theft of stone in Lancashire or the UK.
Metal Theft
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives will be funded by the £5 million allocated to the metal theft taskforce. [97846]
James Brokenshire: The British Transport Police is the lead agency for the delivery of the national metal theft taskforce. The taskforce aims to achieve five strategic objectives: to reduce the theft of metal; to increase detections of metal theft offenders; to disrupt organised criminal networks involved in metal theft; to implement a structure of scrap metal dealer visits; and to improve compliance with the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 and associated legislation.
UK Border Agency
Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to reach a decision on the status of Mr Ali Jawad Kadem, UKBA Reference number: J1087501. [98219]
Damian Green: I will reply to my hon. Friend separately providing details about this case.
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Written Questions: Government Responses
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer (a) questions (i) 86689, (ii) 86690 and (iii) 86691 on entry to the UK by rail (passport checks), tabled on 12 December 2011 for answer on 14 December 2011 and (b) questions (A) 88770 and (B) 88784 on foreign national offenders, tabled on 20 December 2011 for answer on 10 January 2012. [92661]
Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 777W and 29 February 2012, Official Report, columns 322-23W.
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to reply to question 91795 on life in the UK citizenship tests, tabled on 23 January 2012 for answer on 25 January 2012. [95558]
Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 29 February 2012, Official Report, column 318W.
Defence
Air Force
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of relocating 39 Engineer Regiment from Waterbeach to Kinloss. [96291]
Mr Robathan
[holding answer 27 February 2012]: The total cost of relocating 39 Engineer Regiment from
6 Mar 2012 : Column 646W
Waterbeach to Kinloss, which will include the cost of any infrastructure work required at Kinloss as a result of the move, has not yet been finalised. It is anticipated that these costs will be off-set, in due course, against receipts from the sale of Waterbeach.
Air Training Corps: Expenditure
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the time taken to obtain 2/3 star approval of any spending cost over £1,000 by Air Training Corps, broken down by month of application in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement; [96564]
(2) what proportion of applications for approval of spending seeking 2/3 star approval by Air Training Corps was for transport costs of over £1,000 by region in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement. [96565]
Mr Robathan: The requirement for 2 or 3 star approval for all Air Training Corps costs over £1,000 was introduced between April 2011 and September 2011 in line with a Ministry of Defence-wide drive to control of non-operational costs. Outside this period, normal financial delegations pertained.
Information on the number of requests for spending over £1,000 submitted for 2 or 3 star approval by the Air Training Corps and the average time taken to obtain that approval by month for the period requested is shown in the following table. For months not shown in the table there were no requests submitted for approval at 2 or 3 star level.
| 2010 | 2011 | ||||||||
| Nov | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Total | |
Of the 55 requests for 2 or 3 star approval, 40 were for travel and subsistence costs. These are shown by region in the following table:
| Corps HQ | Central and East region | London and South East region | North region | Scotland and Northern Ireland region | South West region | Wales and West region | Total | |
Armed Forces
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on the benefits to (a) military service personnel and (b) their families available under the military covenant. [96814]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence maintains a close dialogue with the devolved Administrations. A network of armed forces advocates in other Government Departments and in the devolved Administrations supports the interests of the armed forces community in their areas of responsibility. The Covenant Reference Group, which oversees the Government's work in support of the armed forces, families and veterans, includes representatives from the devolved Administrations.
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many firms made bids to his Department in respect of armed forces recruitment. [96980]
Mr Robathan: Four companies were initially invited to tender for the Recruiting Partnering Project requirement, of which two companies submitted bids at the Final Tender stage.
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Armed Forces: Agencies
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what hourly rate his Department pays to agency drivers from Pertemps; and whether such payments include VAT; [97516]
(2) how many third party logistics movements in and out of (a) Bicester, (b) Donnington and (c) West Moors were undertaken by (i) Palletways, (ii) Pertemps, (iii) private couriers, (iv) hauliers and (v) other contractors or outside suppliers in (A) 2006, (B) 2007, (C) 2008, (D) 2009 and (E) 2010; and if he will make a statement. [97517]
Peter Luff [holding answer 1 March 2012]:The Pertemps Employment Agency is paid a variable hourly rate for the provision of drivers. I am withholding information about the hourly rate as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Payments made to the agency include VAT.
Information about the number of movements made by third parties engaged in the transportation of Defence equipment at Logistic Services Bicester, Logistic Services Donnington and Logistic Commodities and Services West Moors is not held.
Armed Forces: Capita
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the bid made by Capita to his Department for armed forces recruitment was the lowest it received. [96979]
Mr Robathan: The selection of Capita as the recommended supplier for the Recruiting Partnering Project was decided on the basis of the ‘Most Economically Advantageous Tender’ in accordance with predetermined criteria. Further approvals are being sought prior to any award of contract.
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost of the bid made to his Department by Capita was in respect of armed forces recruitment. [96981]
Mr Robathan: The Recruiting Partnering Project has announced Capita as the recommended supplier. Further approvals are being sought prior to any award of contract. The total cost of the Capita bid remains commercially sensitive until contract award when it will be published in accordance with the Government's transparency and advertising obligations.
Armed Forces: Languages
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs the effects of the closure of the Defence Language School on the Government's (a) requirement for Arabic and Farsi speakers and (b) overall language requirements. [95647]
Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 January 2012, Official Report, column 188W, to the right hon. Member for Coventry North East (Mr Ainsworth) and the hon. Member for Glasgow South (Mr Harris).
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Armed Forces: Manpower
Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which trades within the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force, (c) Defence Medical Services and (d) Army are assessed as being pinch points; what the operational and retained task requirements are for each of those trades; and what the manning levels were for each of those trades on the most recent date for which figures are available. [95382]
Mr Robathan: This information is published in the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts. It can be found in the table on page 39 of the following link:
http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E0440EEF-1A7E-4335-B6CD-1CC394FA0AAD/0/mod_ara1011.pdf
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) Gurkhas, (b) soldiers, (c) airmen, (d) naval personnel and (e) reservists were based in each (i) constituency, (ii) local authority area and (iii) region in May 2010; and how many such personnel were based at each such location at the conclusion of Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme; [98186]
(2) how many (a) Gurkhas, (b) soldiers, (c) airmen, (d) naval personnel and (e) reservists were based in each (i) constituency, (ii) local authority area and (iii) region in May 2010; and how many such personnel were based at each such location in (A) June 2011, (B) December 2011 and (C) January 2012. [98187]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The requested information, where available, has been placed in the Library of the House.
Location information in respect of reserve forces is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Although the selection of candidates for Tranche 1 has been completed, this element of the redundancy programme will not finish until September 2012 when those who are non-volunteers will leave service. Similarly, Tranche 2 of the programme was launched on 17 January 2012 and the outcome will not be known until June 2012. It is therefore too early to say for either tranche at this time how many people in each of these regions will be affected.
Armed Forces: Newspaper Press
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which national newspapers have been purchased by his Department for service personnel in the last financial year; and how many copies of each newspaper were purchased. [96815]
Mr Robathan: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Olympic Games 2012
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the venues hosting Olympic events will be protected by (a) regular forces and (b) reservist forces. [96583]
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Nick Harvey [holding answer 27 February 2012]:Planning is ongoing, however it is expected that reservists will be integrated with regular forces and will contribute to venue security at a wide range of Olympic and Paralympic venues, including the Olympic Park and in Weymouth.
Armed Forces: Psychology
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to improve the long-term psychological (a) testing and (b) treatment of recruits to the armed services (i) prior to joining, (ii) whilst in service and (iii) when leaving the armed services. [96780]
Mr Robathan: All potential recruits to the armed forces are required to pass a one-to-one medical examination, which is intended to assess their functional capacity, including their mental health, and thus fitness for service. The medical policy for entry is laid out in Joint Service Publication 346, which is regularly updated to take account of national clinical best practice. Where necessary, the examining medical officer will obtain advice from a consultant psychiatrist.
Dr Andrew Murrison MP's 'Fighting Fit' Report, published in October 2010, made two recommendations regarding mental health assessments of serving personnel and those leaving the services. The first of these was that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) should encourage research to develop a mental health screening tool, ensuring that the work is capable of generating data that will be of benefit in a UK context. The MOD is working closely with King's College London on a two-year study, funded by the US Department of Defence, of a possible screening tool for mental health issues using UK armed forces personnel. The trial will evaluate computer-delivered psychological screening against the standard intervention of a Post Operational Stress Management brief at the 12-week post-deployment point. This important study will help understand the efficacy of screening, examine whether such a tool would benefit the UK armed forces, and provide evidence on which the US can gauge their current policy on mental health screening. The trial started in autumn 2011 using the cohort of service personnel returning from Afghanistan during the summer 2011. The study will involve 12 months' preparation time followed by 36 months' data-gathering and analysis.
The second recommendation was that a mental health systems inquiry should be built into routine service medical examinations, discharge medicals and the medical examinations conducted prior to invaliding from the service on the grounds of physical or mental incapacity. The pilot of a new Enhanced Mental Health Assessment, which incorporates a mental health questionnaire as a routine part of discharge medicals, was successfully conducted on units across the services during the summer of 2011. Following the evaluation of the pilot, the mental health assessment is now being rolled out on a regional basis.
Serving personnel who require treatment for a mental health disorder have access to a wide range of first-class professional care. In Afghanistan, we deploy uniformed mental health nurses to provide assessment and treatment. In the UK, we provide community-based mental health care, both at local unit level and through our 15 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs)
6 Mar 2012 : Column 650W
across the UK (plus centres overseas), which provide out-patient treatment. In-patient care, when necessary, is provided in specialised psychiatric units under contract with a partnership of seven NHS Trusts, led by Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust (SSS FT).
Dr Murrison's report also made a number of recommendations for improving the care provided for ex-service personnel, and the MOD is working with the Department of Health and other organisations to implement them. Key among these are the commissioning of an extra 30 whole-time equivalent NHS mental health professionals to deliver improved access to NHS mental health services to veterans, and the launch in March last year of a professional 24-hour helpline for current and ex-service personnel and their families, offering help and support on a wide range of issues, health-related and otherwise. To help provide for continuity of care, those who, on discharge, are diagnosed with a mental health condition are now able to continue to be treated at a DCMH for a period of six months following discharge.
Additionally, we are currently trialling use by the service community of the Big White Wall, an online early intervention service for people in psychological distress. We have launched an e-learning package to help civilian GPs understand the needs of the military, their families and ex-service personnel. 10 armed forces networks have been established across England, in the existing strategic health authority areas, and the NHS and Combat Stress are working together in each of these areas to develop services for ex-service personnel with mental health problems.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what opportunities his Department offers to serving service personnel to undertake continuing education within each branch of the armed forces; and if any such accredited courses include improving psychological resilience. [96781]
Mr Robathan: Education and training is a continuous matter for all members of the UK armed forces, not only in enabling them to obtain the right skills and qualifications to progress successfully throughout their careers, but to provide them with the necessary training for operational deployment. A key part of this is preparing them psychologically for the particular circumstances of front-line deployment. The Joint Stress Management Training Centre at Shrivenham co-ordinates the delivery of such training, ensuring that policy and subsequent training reflect the needs of service personnel, and each of the three services has its own training delivery team.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of psychological testing and training in the armed forces on (a) levels of post-traumatic stress disorder and (b) health care costs. [96784]
Mr Robathan: The major Post-Operational Screening Trial (POST) being undertaken at the King's Centre for Mental Health Research (KCMHR), which is due to report in 2015, is looking at both these issues in relation to post-deployment testing of personnel. Other published studies from KCMHR have looked at the effects of Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) and decompression on the mental health of those exposed to them.
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Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on psychological (a) testing and (b) training for each branch of the armed forces in each of the last 10 years. [96785]
Mr Robathan: The majority of psychological testing and training is carried out by members of the Defence Clinical Psychology Service, located across the Ministry of Defence's 15 UK Departments of Community Mental Health. A range of other general instruction and briefing may be carried out as part of pre-deployment training, or on an informal basis by mental health staff on operational deployment. Specific costs for these activities cannot be disaggregated from overall staff and resource costs, which range across a large number of budget areas.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what psychological testing and training is given to service personnel prior to their entering a combat zone. [96786]
Mr Robathan: Research undertaken at the King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) has produced evidence which strongly suggests that pre-deployment psychological testing is ineffective and may indeed be counter-productive. Selecting out individuals who might be at increased risk of developing mental health difficulties prior to deployment is considered to be a flawed strategy because, whether one uses clinical interviews or questionnaire-based methods, it is impossible to distinguish reliably between those who will go on to experience psychological difficulties and those who will not.
The psychological welfare of troops (which covers well-being as well as mental health) is primarily a chain of command responsibility. Personnel benefit greatly, in terms of mental health, by being within well-led units with good support from their colleagues. However, all personnel are provided with pre-deployment stress management training, for which there is some evidence of effectiveness. We have also successfully introduced an informal peer-led programme known as TRiM (Trauma Risk Management), which is a model of peer-group mentoring and support for use in the aftermath of traumatic events.
It aims to empower non-medical staff to spot those who might have been affected by traumatic events in order that their peers and leaders can provide them with appropriate support or, where it is required, refer them for specialist help.
Defence Equipment
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much his Department spent on (a) warehousing, (b) staff, (c) IT and (d) transport costs for managing its defence inventory in the latest period for which figures are available; [93752]
(2) which carrier companies his Department uses in respect of its defence inventory; and how much it spent with each carrier for each defence class of inventory item in the latest period for which figures are available; [93753]
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(3) what estimate he has made of the (a) gross value and (b) impaired value of (i) capital spares, (ii) consumable spares, (iii) explosive capital items and (iv) consumable explosive items in the defence inventory; [93754]
(4) what estimate he has made of the proportion of the defence inventory which is surplus to military requirements and is stored (a) in the UK, (b) in Germany and (c) elsewhere; [93755]
(5) what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of the defence inventory which is not fit for immediate military issue. [93756]
Peter Luff: [holding answer 6 February 2012]:This information is not held centrally and will take time to collate. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as this task has been completed.
Substantive answer from Peter Luff to Stephen Barclay dated 6 March 2012 :
I undertook to write to you on 8 January 2012 (Official Report, column 288W) in answer to your questions about the management of the Department's Defence Inventory. I am afraid it has not been possible to provide all of the information that you have asked for.
We define the Defence Inventory as Guided Weapons, Missiles and Bombs (GWMB), Capital Spares, and Raw Materials and Consumables (RMC). Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) hold all of the Department's GWMB, Capital Spares and the majority of the RMC. As at 31 December 2011 the value of the MOD's RMC was £10.03 billion Gross Book Value (GBV), £7.51 billion Net Book Value (NBV). For clarity, all of the financial information in the following paragraphs that relate to the value of GWMB, Capital Spares and RMC is for the DE&S held Inventory only.
In terms of sites involved in the management of the Defence Inventory we have interpreted this to mean the Base Depots and Defence Munitions sites in the United Kingdom and Germany. The role of these sites is to receive, store, maintain, issue and distribute non-explosive and explosive materiel on behalf of the UK's Armed Forces and (in the case of non-explosive materiel) other Government Departments. For ease of reference I am responding to your questions in the order that you raised them.
You asked for the cost of warehousing, staff, IT systems and transport in relation to the management of the Defence Inventory. The cost of managing the Defence Inventory, including the estate and associated infrastructure, is met by a number of different areas across the Department and to determine which elements of these costs are attributable to the categories you have requested would be a subjective exercise.
In financial year 2010-11 the operating costs of the Base Depots and Defence Munitions sites in the United Kingdom and Germany were part of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA) budget. The total operating cost of DSDA in that year was £157.83 million. In August 2010 DSDA relinquished Agency status and was fully absorbed into the DE&S organisational structure. This change did not impact on the above figure which is for the full financial year.
Expenditure for the transportation of Defence equipment against each freight services contract (including special courier) is shown in the following table. These costs include the transportation of Defence Inventory items but the Department does not record details of the equipment carried for each journey and this element of the expenditure cannot, therefore, be identified separately.
| Contract | Financial year 2010-11 (£ million) |
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The value of the DE&S inventory for the nine months to 31 December 2011 is shown in the following table. The table also shows the value of GWMB (explosive capital items). This is DE&S in-year management information which will feed into the 31 March 2012 audited accounts, and is subject to change to reflect ongoing operational activity.
| £ billion | ||
| Gross Value | Net Book Value (1) | |
| (1) Net Book Value (NBV) is Gross Value less Depreciation/Provision, NBV is the equivalent of Impaired Value. | ||
The GBV of the Non-Explosives DE&S Inventory which has been identified for disposal and transferred to the Disposal Services Authority on the Warehouse Management systems between 1 April 2011 and 31 December 2011 is £833.54 million GBV, £0 NBV. This figure includes both surplus and obsolete items. Due to the limitations of the Inventory systems, notably their age and the number of systems in use, it is not currently possible to split out this disposal activity by geographical location. These Information Systems are subject to a replacement / rationalisation programme which is planned to commence in 2013 and complete in 2015.
The value for GWMB identified for disposal in the period 1 April 2011 to 31 December 2011 is £344.06 million GBV, £0 NBV.
As at 31 December 2011 the GBV of the DE&S Inventory was £39.65 billion prior to impairment, of which 22 percent (£8.79 billion prior to impairment) was classed as unserviceable and not fit for immediate military use. This figure represents the quantity of items awaiting repair which will progress through the repair system to become serviceable items in support of our in-service equipment.
In the Strategic Defence and Security Review published in October 2010 we announced that we would withdraw half of the UK Armed Forces currently based in Germany by 2015 and the remainder by 2020. Plans for the future of the defence storage locations in Germany and the associated costs of moving or disposing of the Defence Inventory are being taken forward against that timescale; these plans are at an early stage and no decisions have yet been made.
Income received from the sale of items by the Disposals Services Authority for the year ended 31 March 2011 can be obtained from the MOD 2010/11 audited accounts. Between 1 April 2011 and 31 December 2011 the Disposal Services Authority received sale receipts for Defence equipment with a total value of
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£100.27 million. At least £4.39 million is from sales of Inventory items, including Capital Spares. To identify how much of this total revenue is attributed to the sale of Inventory items, each individual sale transaction would need to be scrutinised. This exercise could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost.
I recognise that I have not been able to provide all of the answers to your questions but I hope that, nonetheless, this level of detail is helpful to you.
Defence: Finance
Mr Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 20 February 2012 to the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, when he expects to be able to make a further statement on rebasing and the future of the QinetiQ-operated facilities at the Sound of Raasay. [96198]
Peter Luff [holding answer 27 February 2012]: We continue to work with QinetiQ to ensure that the most effective and efficient use is made of the two Ministry of Defence ranges in the Sound of Raasay. The ranges are not part of the Army 2020 Study to which the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Philip Hammond), referred.
Defence: Training
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government has provided support for (a) internal security training, (b) public order training, (c) sniper training and (d) any other training or assistance within Syria since 27 October 2011; and if he will make a statement. [97073]
Nick Harvey: The UK has not provided any support to Syria in respect of internal security training, public order training, sniper training or any other training assistance since 27 October 2011.
Animal Experiments
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research experiments his Department has performed on animals since May 2010; for what purposes; and on which types of animal. [92636]
Peter Luff [holding answer 30 January 2012]: The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down undertakes the animal research conducted within the Ministry of Defence.
DSTL returns the numbers of procedures involving animals to the Home Office on an annual basis in accordance with UK legislation. The return to the Home Office for 2011 was provided to them by the 31 January 2012 deadline and they are currently undertaking the necessary review and verification.
Once the Home Office has completed this process, the total annual figures for research experiments performed on animals within Government will be available.
DSTL Porton Down conducts less than half of 1% of the total animal experimentation carried out in the UK.
DSTL is proud of the research undertaken by its staff and believes that the remit to provide safe and effective protective measures for the UK and its armed forces
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against the threat posed by chemical and biological weapons and to enhance the treatment of conventional casualties on the battlefield, could not currently be achieved without the use of animals.
The main areas of use are as follows: regulatory testing; medical countermeasures to biological agents; medical countermeasures to chemical agents; provision of tissue; hazard assessment; treatment and decontamination of chemical agents; medical management and surgical care; detection and identification of biological weapons and the effects of radiofrequency radiation.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative. [97923]
Peter Luff: During 2010-11, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) exceeded the Prime Minister's Greening Government commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 10% in central Government during the course of the year, reducing consumption by 14%, some 9,000 tonnes CO2.
Although this is separate from the 10:10 initiative, the MOD pledged support to the campaign by encouraging staff to take up the initiative at an individual level.
Equality Impact Assessments
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equality impact assessments his Department has carried out since May 2010; and for what purpose in each case. [88578]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence considers equality issues in exercising its functions, to comply with equality legislation and to ensure it understands how its activities will affect different people. It provides information about this consideration in various ways. In the specified period, this information was sometimes published in the form of an equality impact assessment, although there has never been a legal requirement to produce such a document. Information about the number of such documents published by the Ministry of Defence is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Lost Property
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Harrow West of 24 November 2011, Official Report, column 545W, on departmental lost property, what steps were taken to recover the (a) desktop computers, (b) laptop computers, (c) mobile telephones, (d) BlackBerrys, (e) CD/DVD discs, (f) removable hard disk drives, (g) backup tapes, (h) USB memory sticks and (i) other miscellaneous IT items that were reported lost in 2011. [96497]
Mr Robathan
[holding answer 27 February 2012]: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the loss of any Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment and associated media storage very seriously and has robust procedures in place to mitigate against
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such occurrences. New processes, instructions and technologies are continuously being developed to reduce the chances of loss and subsequent information compromise. Whenever a loss occurs, there are well established and understood reporting chains and responses. The Joint Security Co-ordination Centre maintains a database of all reported losses and subsequent recoveries.
Following any reported loss, it is routine procedure to conduct a thorough physical search for the missing item(s). If the search is unsuccessful, an investigation will usually be launched. The extent of each investigation is influenced by the degree of risk posed by the loss, the availability of evidence and the resources available to conduct it. Where criminal activity is suspected, a Civil Police, MOD Police or Service Police investigation is carried out.
In addition to investigating reported losses, the Department routinely monitors online sales sites for evidence of the suspected sale of stolen MOD ICT equipment which may not have been reported. Suspicions are followed up by the MOD Police.
The primary aim of any investigation is to assess whether or not MOD information has been compromised in order to ensure that the appropriate counter-compromise action is taken. In some circumstances, including where secure encryption is in place, where data can be wiped remotely and where ICT equipment contains no Protectively Marked information, the recovery of physical hardware may not be critical but will still be attempted whenever possible. In other circumstances, investigations may establish that ICT equipment has been officially disposed of without the proper destruction records being maintained. Where this occurs recovery is clearly not possible.
The MOD continually seeks to learn from the losses and incidents that occur, reviewing and improving its policies and processes accordingly.
Public Sector Pay
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible are paid (i) £100,000 and (ii) £142,500 or more per annum. [97035]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) currently employs 78,000 civilian officials. 40 are paid over £100,000 basic salary, with 12 of the 40 earning over £142,500. One official in a MOD non-departmental public body (NDPB) earns £100,000. No official in an NDPB earns over £142,500. These figures do not include military staff.
Departmental Procurement
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent procuring products and services in 2010-11. [93872]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence spent around £25 billion, excluding VAT, on procuring products and services in financial year 2010-11.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value was of his Department's purchases (a) direct from suppliers and (b) from the industrial prime vendor in each of the last five years. [96512]
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Peter Luff [holding answer 5 March 2012]:Information covering the Ministry of Defence's payments to industry can be found in the UK Defence Statistics 2011, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration his Department gives to the human rights and working conditions of employees of suppliers in its procurement processes. [96514]
Peter Luff [holding answer 5 March 2012]:The Ministry of Defence expects its suppliers to comply with all human rights and employment legislation in the country in which they do business. A serious breach of this legislation in the conduct of their business may lead to the supplier being excluded from the procurement process where it is proportionate and relevant to the contract. We also continue to develop standard contract conditions on certain key human rights and working conditions.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quality control checks his Department carries out to ensure that products supplied through an industrial prime vendor meet the required technical specifications. [96515]
Peter Luff [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) carries out a number of discrete activities to ensure that products purchased from suppliers meet the required technical specifications. Contracts specify the required quality standards that need to be met by the supplier, the adherence of which may be subject to additional checks by experienced MOD quality professionals. When selecting suppliers, the Department requires an appropriate quality management system to be in place which conforms to an international standard, such as ISO 9001, and which has been accredited by a certification body such as the British Standards Institute.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to support UK manufacturing through its procurement processes; and what steps his Department has taken to ensure that its next industrial prime vendor will support UK manufacturing. [96516]
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Peter Luff [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The Government will work to enable UK-based industry to be sufficiently competitive to provide best value-for-money to the UK taxpayer in meeting our defence and security needs and to export successfully. We will continue to support responsible defence and security exports; help to create the right conditions for companies in these sectors to invest in the UK, and take significant steps to ensure small and medium sized companies can continue to deliver the innovation and flexibility we need. We intend to ensure an environment in which companies of all sizes can fulfil their potential in a competitive market.
This approach is laid out in detail in 'National Security Through Technology: Technology, Equipment and Support through UK Defence and Security' (Cmd 8278) published on 1 February 2012.
We will also publish our 10-year equipment plan later this year to provide industry with the clarity that will help them to invest in the right areas, protecting both our security and the contribution these companies make to the UK economy.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many items (1) with NATO Stock Number 5100 99 3010301 have been purchased by his Department in each year since 1998; and how many of such products have failed due to quality issues in each year; [96955]
(2) with NATO Stock Number 5112 99 7552103 have been used in each year since 2002; and how many of such products have failed due to quality issues in each year; [96956]
(3) with NATO Stock Number 5112 99 6018200 have been used in each year since 2002; and how many of such products have failed due to quality issues in each year. [97095]
Peter Luff [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The following table shows the quantities purchased and used for NATO Stock Numbers (NSN)s 5110 99 3010301, 5110 99 7552103 and 5112 99 6018200 between 1998 and 2011, where the information is held.
| NSN | Description | 1998 to 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| NSN | Description | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
The MOD stopped buying the Rigger's tool kit (NSN 5180 99 7552103) in 2008 as there was no longer a requirement for this item. Similarly, further purchases of the Rigger's knife (5112 99 6018200) also ceased in 2008, as the item was made obsolescent.
There have been no reported equipment failures for any of the above items.
Depleted Uranium
Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department provides to veterans who carry a health condition as a result of exposure to depleted uranium. [96959]
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Mr Robathan: Lead responsibility for the health care of veterans lies with the NHS. The MOD provides financial support to former service personnel suffering from injuries or illness caused or made worse by their service through the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation schemes. We also offer assistance and support from the Veterans' Welfare Service.
Eastern Europe: Military Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) from where UK fast jets were directed during airspace patrols in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania since 2004; [95466]
(2) how many times his Department has refused a request from a NATO member-state for UK jets to patrol its airspace; and what reason for the refusal was given in each case; [95467]
(3) how many patrol missions have been flown by UK fast jets to protect Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian airspace since 2004; and what the duration was of each such mission; [95468]
(4) what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of UK air-patrolling operations to protect Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian airspace since 2004; [95469]
(5) how many (a) UK fast jets, by type, and (b) UK service personnel have taken part in operations to patrol the airspace of (i) Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and (ii) Iceland since 2004; and what the duration of each operation was; [95473]
(6) when UK fast jets have been assigned to patrol Icelandic airspace since 2004. [95474]
Nick Harvey: From October 2004 to January 2005, four RAF Tornado F3 aircraft undertook the NATO Baltic Air Policing role for the States of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. They were based at Siauliai airbase in Lithuania supported by 105 UK military personnel. UK military aircraft have not undertaken any Icelandic Air Policing since 2004.
During the 2004 Lithuania detachment, while remaining under UK national Command, the operational control for Quick Reaction Alert launches was the responsibility of the NATO commander at Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Kalkar. Since 2004, Baltic Air Policing has become the responsibility of CAOC Uedem, but no UK aircraft have been involved.
Other operational commitments, including to NATO-led operations, have meant that in agreement with all NATO members, we have been unable to contribute to these Air Policing roles since 2004. We are pleased that other Allied nations, a number of which undertake fewer operational commitments than the UK, have agreed to assume the burden and fill the rotations as required.
Information on the number of sorties flown or their duration during the Lithuania detachment is no longer held.
Baltic Air Policing was conducted from within the Tornado F3 force funded annual flying hours and therefore, was provided at no additional cost. Other detachment costs are no longer held, but these would have been reduced by the contribution of host nation support by the Lithuanian Government.
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Hebrides Missile Range
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many hours each (a) week and (b) month a security guard at the Hebrides Range works; and what the equivalent hourly wage is; [98504]
(2) what assessment he has made of security arrangements at (a) West Camp RCB and (b) Rangehead, Hebrides Range. [98505]
Mr Robathan: The Hebrides Range is operated by a private company, QinetiQ, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) under a long term partnering agreement. Security guards at the range are employed by the QinetiQ Guard Service (QGS) and, typically, would work a 42 hour week (168 hour month) excluding meal breaks. The MOD does not hold information on the salaries paid to QGS employees. This is a matter for the company.
Security arrangements at the MOD Hebrides Range, including West Camp, the Range Control Building (RCB), and Rangehead, are assessed regularly by the MOD and QinetiQ as part of normal business, the most recent assessment being undertaken in 2011. Any changes to the arrangements would be implemented in line with QinetiQ's contractual and legal obligations.
Iran: Military Intervention
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to seek the approval of Parliament before allowing the use of US bases in the UK by the (a) US Administration and (b) governments of other countries to launch military strikes against targets in Iran. [97777]
Nick Harvey: The UK continues to work with other countries to achieve a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear ambitions. We want a negotiated solution, not a military one, but all options should be kept open.
The potential use by US forces of bases in the UK would be a matter for joint decision by the two Governments in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time. The Government have made clear in the Cabinet Manual their intention to abide by the convention that before the commitment of UK forces to military action, Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the matter.
Kenya: Armed Forces
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to fund phase two of the development of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in the new camp at Nanyuki to accommodate BATUK Permanent Operations. [97646]
Nick Harvey: The detailed requirement and funding for Phase 2 of the development of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) has yet to be approved. The project is currently being scoped and will be tested for affordability and against other competing priorities as part of the routine financial planning round for the Army top-level budget.
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Kenya: Military Aid
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual operating cost of the British Army training unit in Kenya is; how many members of the armed forces received training there in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and how many are expected to train there in 2011-12. [98232]
Nick Harvey: The running costs of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) Collective Training Establishment for financial year (FY) 2010-11 were approximately £14 million.
This figure does not include specific costs associated with individual training exercises, which would include the associated manpower costs and those for stock consumption, since broadly comparable costs would be incurred on these items wherever the training was undertaken.
Details of the number of troops trained at BATUK in the last two year FYs, together with those anticipated to train during (FY) 2011-12 are shown in the following table:
| Financial year | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 (1) |
| (1) Anticipated | |||
Large Goods Vehicles
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much a Pertemps Employment Agency driver received from his Department per mile driven in the latest period for which figures are available; [97262]
(2) for what reasons private hauliers are able to quote for contracts using the price of bulk-bought fuel whereas bids by his Department have to use kerbside prices; [97263]
(3) what reports he has received on whether a management buy-out is being prepared to take over MOD Logistics. [97296]
Peter Luff [holding answer 29 February 2012]: The Pertemps Employment Agency is paid a variable hourly rate for the provision of drivers. I am withholding information about the hourly rate as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Information on how much drivers receive per mile driven is not held.
Freight services companies tendering for Ministry of Defence (MOD) contracts are responsible for including the cost of fuel within the price for the requirement that they submit. The basis of this fuel cost is not determined by the MOD.
Defence Equipment and Support's Logistic Commodities and Services group, which includes the storage and distribution function, is currently developing a transformation programme which will consider a number of options. These may include the sale or outsourcing of some of its component parts but no decisions have yet been made.
Medals: Veterans
Mr Kevan Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Gosport of 20 February 2012, Official Report,
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column 599, on Arctic convoy veterans, (1) who will be
(a)
leading and
(b)
sitting on the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans; [96978]
(2) what the timescale is for the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans; [97012]
(3) what the terms of reference are for the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans; [97013]
(4) which individuals will be asked to contribute to the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans. [97014]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 27 February 2012]: There is no separate review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans. As I said in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport (Caroline Dinenage) on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 599, the Government have agreed that there should be a fresh review of the rules governing the award of military medals. The terms of reference and further details of this will be released shortly.