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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 19 November 2012
Transport
Catering
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on refreshments since May 2010. [127102]
Norman Baker: The following table shows the decreasing spend on refreshments by the Department for Transport and its agencies, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Highways Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Vehicle Certification Agency, Driving Standards Agency, Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, Government Car and Despatch Agency.
| Department for Transport and agencies | ||
| £ | ||
By comparison, in financial year 2009-10, the Department and its agencies spent £525,762.84.
Dementia
Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to support the Prime Minister’s dementia challenge and the work of each of the challenge groups; what resources he has committed; what timescales he has set for this work; and if he will make a statement. [129011]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport will be publishing an Accessibility Action Plan in due course which will identify our priorities for improving access to the transport network. We will be working with transport operators to ensure that invisible disabilities are included in awareness training for staff. Among current initiatives, the Department provides grant funding to 12 mobility centres in England, to help them assess people’s driving capabilities including cognitive skills. People with dementia may be eligible for concessionary bus travel if they are precluded from acquiring a driving licence on grounds of medical fitness.
Manufacturing Industries: Motor Vehicles
Rehman Chishti:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many grants his Department has paid out for the (a) Chevrolet Volt, (b) Citroen CZero, (c) Mia, (d) Mitsubishi i-MiEV, (e) Nissan Leaf, (f) Peugeot iOn, (g) Renault Fluence ZE, (h) Smart fortwo electric drive, (i) Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, (j)
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Vauxhall Amera and
(k)
any other qualifying car since January 2011. [128633]
Norman Baker: The number of claims made for the Plug-in Car Grant, and validated for payment in the period January 2011 - October 2012 is broken down by vehicle type in the table below:
| Manufacturer | Car | No. of Claims validated for payment to end October 2012 |
The UK Launch date for (c) the Mia has still not yet been confirmed, consequently there are currently zero claims for that vehicle.
Railways: Capital Allowances
Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the possibility of including the rail industry in the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme; [128270]
(2) if he will estimate the potential savings that would be accrued by the rail industry if that industry were to be included in the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme. [128271]
Norman Baker: The Secretary of State for Transport regularly discusses a range of policy issues with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The potential savings that would be accrued by the rail industry if it were to be included in the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme are difficult to quantify, and would depend on the amount of eligible capital expenditure incurred by the rail industry, and the rate of corporation tax. The savings may be offset by tax reliefs already available under other regimes.
I have, however, drawn this matter to the attention of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Stagecoach Group and Go Ahead Group
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 564W, on Stagecoach Group and Go Ahead Group, if he will place in the Library minutes of the meetings held by his Department from January 2012 to date. [126947]
Norman Baker: As the minutes of any meetings with Stagecoach Group and Go Ahead Group contain matters of a commercially sensitive nature, it would not be appropriate to place copies in the Library.
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Streatham Common Station
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what reports he has received on (a) the engineering works being carried out at Streatham Common station and (b) any effects on the surrounding area; and if he will make a statement; [128746]
(2) what discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on (a) the engineering works being carried out at Streatham Common station and (b) any effects on surrounding area; [128747]
(3) if he will (a) request and (b) publish a full update from Network Rail on the engineering works being carried out at Streatham Common station to address the (i) effect on local businesses, (ii) work undertaken by Network Rail to mitigate the effect on traffic flow of the works and (iii) communications Network Rail undertook (A) prior to the start of the work and (B) since its commencement. [128748]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), has received no reports from Network Rail on the current engineering works at Streatham Common station. Network Rail is a private sector company limited by guarantee, and the scope and impact of its engineering works are operational matters for the company, in which Ministers have no power to intervene.
Network Rail carries out its responsibilities under the industry's national possessions planning regime which is overseen by the independent Office of Rail Regulation.
However the Secretary of State takes an interest in this issue, and Ministers and officials meet regularly with Network Rail to discuss a range of issues including its engineering works strategy.
As part of our general efforts to improve efficiency on the railways, we are encouraging Network Rail to work closely with train operators and other relevant stakeholders on planning possessions and completing them on time.
Tolls: Motorcycles
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many toll bridges do not charge motorcycles. [128570]
Stephen Hammond: In England, the following toll bridges do not levy a charge for motorcycles using them: the Dartford Crossing, Humber Bridge, Severn Crossings, Tamar Bridge and the Tyne Tunnels.
The Department does not hold such data for tolled bridges and crossings in Wales. All toll charges on bridges in Scotland were abolished by the Scottish Parliament on 11 February 2008, under the Abolition of Bridge Tolls (Scotland) Act 2008.
Universal Credit
Mr McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the qualifying conditions for each passported benefit for which he is responsible will change under universal credit. [128331]
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Norman Baker: The Department for Transport is not responsible for any passported benefits which will be affected by the move to universal credit. However, the move towards the personal independent payment (PIP), which will replace disability living allowance, may have an effect on the award of blue badges and concessionary fares, though we are seeking to keep this to a minimum.
Wales
Employment Agencies
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his policy is on the use of offshore employment companies in the supply of public sector workers in his Department. [128726]
Stephen Crabb: Staff in the Wales Office are generally supplied from other Government Departments. It is not our policy to use offshore employment companies for their supply.
Attorney-General
Pay
Mr Raab: To ask the Attorney-General how many employees of the Law Officers' Departments are paid in excess of (a) £80,000 and (b) £100,000. [128486]
The Attorney-General: The information requested as of 31 October is contained in the following table.
| £80,000 to £100,000 | £100,000 plus | |
| (1 )The individual paid in excess of £100,000 is a public appointment and not a civil servant. | ||
Leader of the House
Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr Winnick: To ask the Leader of the House if he plans to hold discussions with his counterpart in the House of Lords on the report entitled Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster: Pre-feasibility study and preliminary strategic business case, published in October 2012. [128528]
Mr Lansley: I have regular discussions with my counterpart in the House of Lords on a range of issues. The responsibility for consideration of the report entitled Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster: Pre-feasibility study and preliminary strategic business case, predominantly lies with the relevant bodies of the two Houses.
Mr Winnick: To ask the Leader of the House if he will make it his policy that the Government should respond to the report entitled Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster: Pre-feasibility study and preliminary strategic business case, published in October 2012. [128529]
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Mr Lansley: No. The Government do not intend to respond directly to the report entitled Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster: Pre-feasibility study and preliminary business case.
House of Commons Commission
Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance
Mr Winnick: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the total expenditure on essential maintenance of the Palace of Westminster was in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; what the Commons contribution was in each such year; and what estimate he has made of the likely percentage increase for the following two financial years. [128527]
John Thurso: Table 1 shows the total maintenance cost for the Palace of Westminster for 2009-10 to 2011-12, and Table 2 shows the Commons share. Maintenance can be defined in various ways: these figures are an updated version of those produced for the recently published study report on Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster. They include:
in-house staff costs and contract costs for planned maintenance and repair tasks;
the cost of minor projects as well as capital works;
relevant overheads; and
an allocation of estate-wide costs for lifts maintenance, asbestos management, water safety, pressure vessel testing and the upkeep of systems like fire safety equipment and security access control which are not allocated to a specific building.
The expected spend on routine maintenance of the Palace of Westminster in 2012-13 is broadly in line with that of 2011-12. However, the expected capital spend is likely to increase significantly (by about 50%) on previous years. This would suggest a total of some £33 million in 2012-13 (Commons share £20 million) but the final figures will be dependent on the progress of work. This increase in the capital spend is mainly due to pressing requirements for a number of key works, including the Medium Term Mechanical & Electrical Programme, fire safety improvements, Westminster Hall stone conservation, encaustic tile conservation, the Cast Iron Roof programme and security improvements to the perimeter, all of which commence on site this year. The Commons share of this expenditure will be 60%.
The work being undertaken under these projects, including the current M&E programme (designed to replace plant at highest risk of failure in the medium term), is necessary to ensure the continued safe occupation of the building and meet our conservation responsibilities. Every effort is being made to minimise the risk that this expenditure could turn out to be nugatory in the light of the long-term requirement for renewing Palace infrastructure.
| Table 1: Total maintenance costs | |||
| £000 | |||
| Description | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
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| (1) Routine maintenance cost: Direct staff costs of those involved in maintenance (excludes Director's Office, programme and planning, fire, safety and environment, project delivery); planned preventative and reactive maintenance costs; minor projects funded from resource rather than capital budgets; relevant overheads, and an allocation of estate-wide costs in these activities. (2) Total maintenance cost: Routine maintenance cost plus capital projects (excluding staff), and an allocation of estate-wide costs for projects (excluding staff). | |||
| Table 2: Commons share | |||
| £000 | |||
| Description | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
Select Committees
Mr Jenkin: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make it his policy that select committee staff should be given online access to The Times, Sunday Times and the Financial Times; for what reasons this is not currently the case; and if he will make a statement. [127964]
John Thurso: The Library maintained a corporate online subscription to the Financial Times for many years, on behalf of Members and staff of both Houses. However, the price of this subscription rose significantly above the rate of inflation: between 2005 and 2011 the cost of the service to the Library increased by over 250%. A further increase of 85% was proposed for 2012. The cost of the service was assessed to be no longer affordable within the Library's agreed budget without substantial cuts to other hardcopy and online resources provided by the Library for use by Members.
Access to The Times and Sunday Times was previously provided through an online news aggregation service. The Library's contract for this service came to an end in 2012 and the service was retendered in line with public sector procurement guidelines. The new service does not include content from News International titles as this content is currently exclusively licensed to a competing service provider. The quoted price of procuring an online subscription to News International titles for the parliamentary intranet was significantly more than the cost of access to all other titles and news content combined through the news aggregation service and, as a result, was unaffordable within the Library's budget.
The Library has a small number of single user accounts for individual members of its staff to The Times,Sunday Times and the Financial Times to carry out searches on behalf of Members. Single user accounts have also been procured for a very limited number of Committee Office staff working for the Treasury and Foreign Affairs Committees and in the media team. The Library and Committee Office will work together to resolve any issues affecting the hon. Gentleman's Committee.
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The decisions to withdraw access to these publications was endorsed by the Administration Committee. The Library will continue to discuss arrangements with these suppliers in the hope that online access to this content can be provided again in the future at an affordable cost to the House.
Defence
Afghanistan
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of repatriating equipment from Afghanistan to the UK in the current and each of the next four years. [127966]
Mr Dunne [holding answer 12 November 2012]: The Ministry of Defence is currently determining what equipment we will repatriate from Afghanistan, how we will achieve this and what the likely cost will be.
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel who have been seriously injured in Afghanistan have been returned to and been treated in Selly Oak Hospital. [128168]
Mr Francois: The number of very seriously injured and seriously injured service personnel aeromedically evacuated from operations in Afghanistan and treated at Selly Oak Hospital up to June 2010 and/or at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham at some point in their care pathway is 509. This covers a reporting period from 8 October 2007, the earliest date for which data are available, to 30 September 2012.
Selly Oak Hospital has now closed, and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine and the military ward in the hospital have relocated to the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Armed Forces: Children
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on school fees grants for serving soldiers. [128444]
Mr Francois: School fees for the children of serving soldiers are covered within the continuity of education allowance (CEA) package which forms an important element of our support to our service personnel and their families, providing a stable education environment for their children.
Our records indicate that there have been four representations on CEA since 1 January 2012. One of these was in regard to CEA policy and the other three concerned entitlement.
Armed Forces: Foreign Nationals
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign and commonwealth armed forces personnel there were in the UK armed forces, by country and service, in each year since 2000; and what proportion that figure represented of the total armed forces strength of each country in each year. [126683]
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Mr Francois: Consolidated figures for all three services are only available from 2007 onwards. The following table sets out the position as at 1 April each year.
| Services(1) | ||||||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
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| (1 )Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10, except for numbers ending in '5' which are rounded to the nearest 20 in order to prevent systematic bias. Totals may not, therefore, equal the sums of their parts. Note: The tables exclude full-time reserve personnel, Gurkhas and volunteer reservists, and individuals for which no nationality is recorded. | ||||||
Information on the armed forces of other countries is not held in a way which would enable us to make reliable calculations of what proportion these figures represent of the armed forces strength of each country in each year.
Armed Forces: Redundancy
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many military personnel have been made redundant since 2010; [125359]
(2) how many military personnel will be made redundant by 2015. [125375]
Mr Francois: Between 1 January 2010 and 31 August 2012 some 2,300 regular military personnel left the armed forces under the current armed forces redundancy programme. A further 4,300 military personnel are due to depart by June 2013, This will complete tranches one and two of the programme. Tranche two is the last major tranche for the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force, although a small number of redundancies may be required for senior officers (colonel and brigadier equivalents) and senior medical staff on completion of the Senior Liability Review and the Defence Medical Services 20 study.
With regard to the total number of military personnel who will be made redundant by 2015, there is likely to be a requirement for two further main tranches for the
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Army, in order to achieve the reductions to a strength of around 82,000 by 2020. However, no decisions have yet been made.
These changes form part of the overall programme to restructure the armed forces and their capabilities by implementing the conclusions of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. Our goal of battle—winning armed forces, together with a smaller, more professional Ministry of Defence, also involves a reduction of 32,000 civilian personnel by 2020.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the proximity of pensionable age is taken into account when deciding which members of the armed forces to make redundant. [128046]
Mr Francois [holding answer 12 November 2012]: No. When selecting personnel of the armed forces for compulsory redundancy no consideration was given to the proximity of the immediate pension point. As we reduce the size of the armed forces, our priority is to ensure that the services maintain the correct balance of those skills and experience across the rank structures which are required to deliver operational capability now and in the future, and it is this which has determined the redundancy fields.
Armed Forces: Sexual Offences
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2012, Official Report, column 1074W, on armed forces: sexual offences, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Army campaign in relation to raising awareness of sexual assault; and if he will make a statement. [127979]
Mr Francois: Each of the single service police forces undertakes crime and incident analysis, including the reporting of sexual assault, as part of their annual strategic assessments. However, there has been no specific assessment of the effectiveness of either the Royal Navy or the Army poster campaigns, which began earlier this year.
Armed Forces: Vehicles
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the operational benefits of the Vehicle Systems Information Exploitation Health and Usage Monitoring System; and if he will make a statement. [126583]
Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is undertaking work to develop vehicle and equipment sub-systems and exploit the information they provide on vehicle performance and reliability. This will ensure that operational benefits are gained through improved equipment availability, better fleet management and optimised through life support.
Specifically, the MOD is in the process of equipping over 500 combat vehicles in the Operational Training Fleet with a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS). This project will connect information between vehicle platforms, MOD establishments and industry leading to improved fleet performance and availability.
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Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance upgrade; and if he will make a statement; [126567]
(2) what progress has been made towards completion of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance upgrade. [126574]
Mr Dunne: The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked (CVR(T)) has received a number of upgrades since entering service in 1972. CVR(T) Mk2 in its upgraded form was fielded as an urgent operational requirement (UOR) to operations in Afghanistan in September 2011 and has achieved full operating capability.
BAE Systems, as the design authority, was contracted as the prime contractor, which provided greater risk assurance due to the timescales involved with fielding the UOR vehicle. It was the company's role to ensure that the chosen solution was compliant with the requirements set by the Ministry of Defence and to undertake sub-contract arrangements, including competition where appropriate, with a number of small and medium sized enterprises.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect that deployment of the upgraded Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance in theatre will have on UK military capability. [126568]
Mr Dunne: The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance has had several upgrades since it originally deployed to Afghanistan. These upgrades, primarily to improve the performance and protection of the vehicle, have been in response to the evolving nature of the threat faced in theatre and have been specific to operations in Afghanistan. In terms of the UK's broader military capability, the upgrades do not affect the out of service date for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family of vehicles, which is planned to be complete by 2026.
BAE Systems
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the memorandum of understanding recently signed between MASS and BAE Systems. [126584]
Mr Dunne: This is a commercial matter between the companies concerned.
Canada
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the costs to service personnel of gym membership at BATUS in Canada. [128438]
Mr Francois: The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has not received any representations on the costs to service personnel of gym membership at British Army Training Unit Suffield.
Service personnel are not required to pay for gym membership.
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Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the provision of wi-fi networks at BATUS Canada. [128443]
Mr Francois: Wi-fi is provided in British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) through non-public welfare funds. We continue to seek ways in which the service can be improved, including upgrades via the Canadian I-Net system.
Catering
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on refreshments since May 2010. [127110]
Mr Francois: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Civil Servants: Retirement
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many senior civil servants have retired from his Department since 2010; and which such people have held meetings with (a) Ministers and (b) senior civil servants in his Department since retiring. [124297]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 22 October 2012]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 November 2012, Official Report, columns 169-71W, to the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones).
Defence Reform Review
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which recommendations of the Levene report on Defence reform: an independent report into the structure and management of the Ministry of Defence he has implemented. [126767]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 5 November 2012]: We accepted all of Lord Levene's recommendations and will have implemented the majority of his recommendations by April 2013, although a small number of the changes will require longer to implement in full.
Recommendations in implementation of which is complete include: strengthening top level decision making; clarifying the roles of the Permanent Secretary and Chief of the Defence Staff; the roles of the Service Chiefs and how they provide their advice; creation of the Joint Forces Command and appointment of its first Commander; the role of the Cost Assurance and Analysis Service; disestablishment of the former Central Top Level Budget organisation; introduction of the new Joint Assured model for management of senior military officers; and arrangements for personal oversight of implementation by the Secretary of State.
We are making good progress on his other recommendations. We have published the new Head Office concept and senior structure setting out the role of a smaller, more strategic Head Office and we are implementing new command structures for the Navy, Army and Air Force, all delivering a significant reduction in senior posts; we are on course to introduce the new
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delegated financial and military capability operating model with an effective process for holding TLB Holders to account; and we are on course to reach full operational capability for the new Joint Forces Command. We expect these changes to come into force from April 2013 as planned, with subsequent fine-tuning as necessary as they bed down. Work also continues to improve talent management, determine the future arrangements for Defence Equipment and Support and deliver further efficiencies in our enabling services through the development of Defence Business Services and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, drawing on private sector expertise. This is all underpinned by a long-term programme to drive the right behaviours across defence: leadership at every level, everyone working together to make defence as a whole stronger, and modern, innovative ways of doing business.
As set out in his report, Lord Levene is currently conducting his first annual review of implementation. I will report on progress to Parliament in light of his conclusions when I have received them.
Defence: Procurement
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps he has taken to ensure that equipment for the armed forces is procured in the UK. [126573]
Mr Dunne: The overall approach was set out in the National Security Through Technology White Paper (CM 8278) published in February 2012. This makes it clear that we will work to enable UK-based industry to be sufficiently competitive to provide best value for money in meeting our defence and security needs. This includes: sustaining the level of investment in defence science and technology at 1.2% of the defence budget; encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises to fulfil their potential in responding to defence requirements; and increasing support for defence exports. The Ministry of Defence is also working closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to support the Defence growth partnership announced by the Prime Minister at the Farnborough International Airshow in July.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of defence procurement; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the process is more robust. [126586]
Mr Dunne: A core element of Defence Transformation is to reform the acquisition system to drive better value for money from the defence budget. This includes the Materiel Strategy, involving a comprehensive analysis of defence acquisition activities. This has concluded that reforms are essential to address the legacy problems in defence acquisition that have led to cost and schedule overruns.
The Ministry of Defence is currently considering the value for money case for a government owned contractor operated (GOCO) entity for Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S). Subject to the outcome of this work, an investment appraisal will follow that will test the GOCO model against the alternative of an improved DE&S.
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Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2012, Official Report, column 166W, what proportion of contracts tendered were placed through the single source non-competitive process in each of the last three years. [127077]
Mr Dunne: Details of new contracts placed with the Ministry of Defence, including those placed through a non-competitive process, are published annually in the UK Defence Statistics, the most recent version of which is available at:
http://www.dasa.mod.uk/modintranet/UKDS/UKDS2011/c1/table115.php
Defence: Scotland
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Scotland linked (a) indirectly and (b) directly to the (i) Type 26 programme, (ii) carrier programme, (iii) Astute successor programme and (iv) nuclear deterrent programme; [127606]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Scotland linked (a) indirectly and (b) directly to the defence industry; [127607]
(3) in which Scottish towns and cities there are jobs (a) indirectly and (b) directly linked to the UK defence industry; [127957]
(4) how many people are employed in Scotland in jobs linked (a) indirectly and (b) directly to UK military aircraft manufacture; [128182]
(5) how many people are employed in Scotland in jobs linked (a) indirectly and (b) directly to UK military shipbuilding. [128183]
Mr Dunne [holding answers 9, 12 and 13 November 2012]:The Ministry of Defence (MOD) no longer compiles national or regional employment statistics, as they do not directly support policymaking or operations.
The MOD does not, therefore, hold information centrally about the number of jobs in Scotland linked to the programmes or sectors listed, or for the Scottish defence industry as a whole. The MOD, however, does hold some indicative figures which show that an estimated 5,500 jobs are directly linked to UK military shipbuilding in Scotland in general, including associated support staff working at the shipyards.
For the following specific programmes the MOD also has indicative figures relating to directly linked jobs. There are currently approximately 170 industry jobs in Scotland linked directly to the Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme at BAE Systems Maritime—Naval Ships' (BAE MNS) site in Scotstoun.
There are more than 2,000 industry jobs at BAE MNS's shipyards on the Clyde, and up to a further 2,000 at Babcock Marine's site in Rosyth, directly linked to the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier programme. However, the precise numbers at each location vary depending on the work being undertaken at the time.
Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde sustains some 6,500 jobs, the majority of which play a role in supporting the UK's military nuclear programme including the nuclear deterrent and the Astute Class submarine. The MOD intends to base permanently the Astute and Trafalgar
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Class submarines in the Clyde, creating an additional 1,500 jobs. There are also approximately 300 industry jobs linked directly to the programme at the Naval Reactor Test Establishment at Dounreay.
The MOD does not hold information about the numbers of jobs indirectly linked to these programmes.
DM Longtown
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of the theft of munitions from DM Longtown; whether those reports will delay his final decision about its future; and if he will make a statement. [127756]
Mr Dunne [holding answer 9 November 2012]: On 25 October 2012, a number of bar mines were stolen from a munitions train near Warrington which was transporting them from the Defence Munitions (DM) site at Longtown. All of the mines have now been recovered and the police have made arrests in connection with this incident.
It is important that the circumstances surrounding this incident are fully understood. I have therefore deferred my decision on the future of explosive storage and processing at DM Longtown until ongoing investigations have been completed and any implications for munitions transport and storage have been properly taken into account.
Elbit Systems
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role Elbit Systems play in (a) the Joint Venture Company set up with Thales UK and (b) the overall development of Unmanned Air Systems in the UK. [126962]
Mr Dunne: The role of Elbit Systems in Unmanned Air Vehicle Tactical Systems Limited is a matter for the companies concerned.
With regards to Ministry of Defence unmanned air systems (UAS) programmes, Elbit Systems acts as a subcontractor to Thales UK and provides the air vehicles, related ground control technology and operator training for the in-service Hermes 450 UAS. The Watchkeeper UAS, which will replace Hermes, builds on technological expertise developed for the Hermes system, with Elbit Systems acting as subcontractor to Thales UK for the provision of the air vehicles and related ground control.
ELINT
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the personnel requirements of his Department for the analysis of ELINT data; what steps he is taking to ensure that the requirement is met in (a) 2012-13 and (b) subsequent years; and if he will make a statement. [127476]
Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence keeps under regular review the personnel requirements for staff with specialist electronic intelligence (ELINT) skills and continues to take the necessary steps to ensure that the requirement for future years will be met.
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Fuels
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) the armed forces and (b) his Department spent on petrol and diesel in each of the last five years. [116543]
Mr Dunne: The majority of petrol and diesel consumed by the Ministry of Defence—90% during 2010-11—was purchased under the bulk fuel contracts managed by Defence Equipment and Support. Expenditure on petrol and diesel for road vehicles in each of the last three financial years is shown in the following table:
| £ million | ||
| Financial year | Unleaded petrol | Diesel |
The combined expenditure on both unleaded petrol and diesel for road vehicles was £38.2 million in 2007-08 and £46.9 million in 2008-09.
Data on fuel purchased outside of these arrangements are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
HMS Dragon
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received on problems with the gearbox on HMS Dragon; and how much longer she will remain in HM Naval Base Portsmouth before resuming full service. [128092]
Mr Dunne: A problem with HMS Dragon's engine was reported on 27 August 2012 when a defective bearing was identified in the ship's integrated propulsion system during a routine inspection. It has been established that the problem did not affect the auxiliary gearbox.
Following a successful repair, the ship has already resumed her planned operational programme.
ICT
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of his Department's expenditure on the defence information infrastructure in each of the last five years; and what proportion of his Department's IT expenditure such expenditure represented. [127117]
Mr Dunne: The cost to the public purse of the Defence Information Infrastructure, from its approved funding, in each of the last five financial years was:
| Financial year | Cost ex-VAT (£ million) |
The Ministry of Defence's central financial systems combine the costs of IT with telecommunications, which does not allow IT costs to be readily isolated. Therefore
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proportionate information for each of the years above is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information and Communications Technology
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on information technology in the last three financial years; and how much of this sum was spent on (a) software development and testing and (b) application including (i) staff training, (ii) the cost of new hardware and software and (iii) the cost of launching into the live environment. [126181]
Mr Dunne: Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure on IT and telecommunications for use across the armed services and MOD totalled £1.8 billion in 2009-10 and the same in 2010-11. This includes the costs of IT services, equipment purchases, telephone line, telephone rental charges and the service concession arrangements formerly known as the private finance initiative service charges. expenditure for 2011-12 has not yet been finalised.
A breakdown of this expenditure into the categories requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the procurement of the F-35 joint strike fighter jet; and if he will make a statement. [126569]
Mr Dunne: The UK is committed to the purchase of the short take off vertical landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter and took delivery of its first two aircraft in July and October 2012, with both being used for initial operational test and evaluation. A third aircraft is on schedule for delivery in the second quarter of 2013. The UK will commence training for pilots and maintainers in December 2012 at Eglin Air Force Base in the US.
As announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) we plan to deliver a carrier strike capability from around 2020 with embarked trials scheduled for 2018.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the F-35 joint strike fighter jet will be battle-ready. [126580]
Mr Dunne: Under current planning assumptions, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has a provisional initial operating capability of 2018, with the aircraft's in-service date not due to be finalised until its next investment decision point. As stated in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, it is the UK's intention to have the Carrier Strike capability from 2020.
The first two test and evaluation aircraft were delivered this summer. The first production aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2016.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the capabilities of the F-35 joint strike fighter will differ from those of the Harrier. [126581]
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Mr Dunne: The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a fifth-generation aircraft that represents a step change in capability compared to the third generation Harrier. Unlike the Harrier, it is an all-weather stealth aircraft with an autonomous intelligence-gathering capability, and it has significantly greater range and speed. It can also carry a larger payload of more advanced weapons than the Harrier.
Maritime Collaborative Working Environment
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which industry partners are involved in the implementation of the maritime collaborative working environment; [126576]
(2) what assessment he has made of the operational benefits of the maritime collaborative working environment. [126582]
Mr Dunne: The maritime collaborative working environment (MCWE) is a secure collaborative workspace that allows the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to share classified information with industry partners in a protected manner. The MCWE also contains advanced information technology features, which underpin various business critical, design management and safety processes. These are used to support the operation of Royal Navy submarines and surface ships.
The MCWE service is provided by Babcock International Group, through its Maritime Technology division.
The MCWE service is used by the MOD and its industrial partners including:
Babcock;
BAE Systems;
Rolls-Royce;
Lockheed Martin;
Ultra Electronics;
QinetiQ;
BMT Defence Services;
SEA; and
Xpedite.
Military Aircraft
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings former senior civil servants in his Department have had with Ministers or officials in the Department in relation to the procurement programmes for (a) Future Lynx, (b) Fire Shadow and (c) Merlin re-fit since June 2010. [123842]
Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not maintain a central database recording the employment history of all former senior civil servants. The information requested is therefore not available or could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, within two years of leaving the civil service or the armed forces, former MOD personnel must obtain approval before taking up new employment if their roles within their former profession fell within a set of criteria (for instance access to commercially sensitive information of interest to their prospective employer). Employment applications by former MOD personnel at four star level or above, or that are deemed particularly controversial, would be referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
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NATO
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes he plans to recommend to the disbursement arrangements for NATO's Common Funds. [127610]
Dr Murrison [holding answer 9 November 2012]: While we have no plans to recommend changes to the disbursement arrangements for common funds at present, we do support a wider review of how common funding may be used, particularly if a way can be found to support collective training and exercises, an activity highlighted in the strategic concept, and thus maintain levels of operability post-international security assistance force. However, it must be a genuine force-multiplier and not a subsidy for those allies who do not invest appropriately in acquiring defence capabilities.
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK armed forces personnel are serving overseas in NATO-led operations. [128127]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 12 November 2012]: UK armed forces personnel are currently serving overseas on four NATO-led operations. In Kosovo there are two personnel in Kosovo Force (KFOR) posts (one permanent and one temporary). One member of the UK armed forces is serving with Operation Ocean Shield. 45 UK personnel—the ship's company of a Sandown Class ship—are serving with the Standing Naval Mine Counter-Measures Group 2.
The only other NATO operation on which UK armed forces are currently serving overseas is Afghanistan. The precise number of personnel in Afghanistan fluctuates on a daily basis for a variety of reasons, including mid-tour rest and recuperation, temporary absence for training, evacuation for medical reasons, the roulement of forces, visits and a range of other factors.
We do not, therefore, publish actual figures for personnel deployed. I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 6 July 2011, Official Report, columns 1511-4, and confirmed by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 26 April 2012, Official Report, column 1118, that we are in the process of reducing the number of military posts established in Afghanistan to 9,000, which will be achieved by 31 December 2012.
Nuclear Weapons
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many staff in his Department are employed on the Trident replacement design programme; [127785]
(2) how many new staff his Department expects to employ on the Trident replacement submarine design programme as a result of the announcements on spending in (a) May 2012 and (b) October 2012. [127790]
Mr Dunne: The number of Ministry of Defence staff employed solely on the Successor submarine programme is approximately 130, although others contribute to the programme. This figure will change as the programme progresses, but is not affected by either of the recent announcements.
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Public Expenditure
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of his Department's likely level of expenditure in 2012-13. [128130]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 12 November 2012]: This information is accessible on the Treasury website on pages 328 and 329 of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Main Supply Estimates 2012-13 PDF at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/main_supply_estimates_ 2012_13.htm
We shall update our forecast of this financial year's outturn in the MOD's 2012-13 Spring Supplementary Estimates which are planned to be laid before the House in February 2013.
Redundancy
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the posts identified for redundancy within his Department in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13 were categorised as safety-critical. [125811]
Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) did not identify any specific posts for redundancy. Decisions on redundancy related to individuals within specified fields. The MOD remains committed to safety; and safety-critical roles will continue to be filled.
Reserve Forces
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits joined the Royal Naval Reserve in each of the last three years. [128427]
Mr Francois: The number of entrants to the Royal Marine Reserve and the Royal Navy Reserve in the last three financial years (FY) are shown in the following table:
| FY 2009-2010 | FY 2010-2011 | FY 2011-12 | |
Scotland
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which firms based in Scotland have contracts with his Department; [128180]
(2) how many contracts his Department has with firms based in Scotland. [128181]
Mr Dunne [holding answer 13 November 2012]: As at 1 November 2012 the Ministry of Defence held 474 live contracts where more than 50% of the work was being undertaken in Scotland. These contracts have been placed with 222 contractors. Due to the large amount of data that would be required to list these contractors, the information will take time to collate. I will write to the right hon. Member as soon as it is available.
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Sea King Helicopters
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the Sea King ASaC.7 will be retired; and what airborne early warning asset will replace it; [126984]
(2) if he will estimate how much has been spent on the Crowsnest programme to date; and how much he plans to spend on that programme in each year to 2020; [126985]
(3) what assessment he has made of the ability to provide organic air surveillance and early warning after the retirement of the Sea King ASaC.7. [126986]
Mr Dunne: The Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control (SKASaC) aircraft will be retired in 2016 when the Sea King fleet exits service in entirety. Crowsnest is the project that will provide a replacement for this capability.
Crowsnest is expected to enter its assessment phase in 2013. While there has been no direct spend on the project to date, approximately £18 million has been spent on relevant development work under predecessor projects. Crowsnest has not yet passed its main investment decision point. I am therefore unable to provide details of planned expenditure, as disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.
Surveillance and control capability is provided by a range of platforms and equipment that work together in a layered approach. If Crowsnest were not available immediately on retirement of SKASaC, other systems could provide a surveillance and control capability until such time as Crowsnest came into service.
Staff
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of his Department's staff are (a) male and (b) female. [126172]
Mr Francois: The most recent figures on the proportions of male and female staff in the Ministry of Defence, as at 1 July 2012, for civilian personnel is 62.6% male and 37.4% female. The figures for service personnel are 90.3% male and 9.7% female.
Stealth Technology
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps he has taken to commission research into military stealth technology. [126572]
Mr Dunne: Analysis of stealth technology is routinely conducted on an on-going basis.
Submarines
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many of those in employment linked (a) indirectly and (b) directly to the Astute successor programme are expected to work on the Vanguard replacement programme once the Astute is complete; [128477]
(2) how many jobs are linked (a) indirectly and (b) directly to the Astute successor programme; and where each such job is based in the UK. [128520]
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Mr Dunne: It has been clarified that these questions are referring to the Astute submarine programme itself.
The Ministry of Defence does not hold information centrally about the number of jobs linked to the Astute programme.
Estimates are, however, that the Astute programme sustains around 5,000 BAE Systems Maritime and Submarines jobs across the UK, and thousands of jobs through roughly 400 suppliers across the UK submarine supply chain.
It is too early to comment on how many of these jobs will be required to support the successor submarine programme as this will depend on decisions to be made at Main Gate in 2016. It is clear, however, that as part of achieving a sustainable submarine industry, many of the highly skilled people across industry currently working on the Astute submarines are likely to be involved in delivering the successor submarines.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timescale is for the completion of the Astute successor programme, by vessel. [128513]
Mr Dunne: It has been clarified that this question is referring to the Astute submarine programme itself.
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the then Minister for International Security Strategy, my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot (Sir Gerald Howarth) on 3 September 2012, Official Report, column 45W, to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell).
Trident Missiles
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of the Trident missile test launch in the Atlantic ocean on 23 October 2012. [127546]
Mr Dunne: The test launch of a Trident missile in the Atlantic ocean on 23 October 2012 took place as part of the Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO) for HMS Vigilant. The cost of the test launch cannot be disaggregated from the overall cost of the DASO.
A DASO is critical for demonstrating the effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. It comprises a comprehensive series of system and sub-system tests, and provides a period of intensive training for the submarine’s crew. It evaluates the complete weapon system, including crew performance, and concludes with an unarmed Trident missile firing. The resultant data underwrites both UK and US system assurance. Following HMS Vigilant’s long overhaul period (refuel), the DASO was conducted as a routine operation before the submarine re-enters service. Prior to the test firing from HMS Vigilant, the most recent UK DASO was completed by HMS Victorious in 2009.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his policy to inform other governments of Trident missile tests; whether any other governments were informed in advance of the test that took place on 23 October 2012; and if he will make a statement. [127547]
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Mr Dunne: The UK is a signatory to The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation and is obliged to inform the 133 other signatories of ballistic missile and space-launch vehicle launches and test flights; this notification is carried out some days before the scheduled launch event. In addition, the UK issued direct, voluntary pre-launch notifications to Russia, China, France and Canada ahead of the launch.
Trident Submarines
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department’s press release of 29 October 2012 announcing £350 million for successor submarines, what methodology his Department used to estimate that funding would sustain 1,200 jobs. [126465]
Mr Dunne: The £350 million investment represents the second set of work packages on the assessment phase of the Successor submarine programme. Information on the number of jobs sustained by these work packages was provided by the relevant contractors: BAE Systems Maritime—Submarines (BAES) and Babcock Marine. The 1,200 figure consists of approximately 1,100 BAES personnel and 100 Babcock Marine personnel working on the Successor programme.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make each further spending announcement during the Trident replacement submarine design phase; and if he will make a statement. [127545]
Mr Dunne: Announcements on spending on the assessment phase of the Successor submarine programme will be made as appropriate during the period leading up to the Main Gate investment decision in 2016.
Arms Trade: Treaties
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has taken steps to support other countries in implementing the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects in each of the last five years. [127406]
Mr Dunne: Since its adoption by the United Nations (UN) in 2001, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has consistently provided support to a number of states to build and strengthen their capacity to implement the UN Programme of Action, to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.
Over the past five years this support has included visits to states in Africa, the middle east and Asia where MOD personnel have provided technical assistance to improve physical security and stockpile management, ammunition and disposal procedures. In addition to this technical training the MOD has also assisted states physically to dispose of surplus small arms and light weapons (SALW). The MOD has also provided border security training to states and funded the acquisition of weapon-marking machines to assist them to combat illicit trafficking.
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The MOD continues to support Her Majesty's Government efforts to secure a strong, legally binding Arms Trade treaty which will introduce common international standards for exports of conventional arms, including SALW, thereby reducing the opportunity for this equipment to reach the illicit market.
Unmanned Air Vehicles
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) he and (b) his Department have had discussions on the development of drones by states outside the UK in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [126295]
Mr Dunne: The Secretary of State for Defence, Defence Ministers and Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials regularly discuss a wide range of issues with international colleagues, including the development of Unmanned Air Systems (UAS).
The MOD monitors development of UAS in an international context. This includes those developed by allies, which may provide opportunities for collaborative procurement, as well as those developed by potential threat countries, so as to inform our own capability planning.
Veterans
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department offers soldiers leaving the Army with job search skills and CV presentation. [128434]
Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence, through its contracted partner Right Management, provides resettlement services, which include advice, workshops, training and job finding. This arrangement is known as the Career Transition Partnership (CTP).
The CTP provides career transition workshops, which specifically include CV writing and interview skills at regional resettlement centres in UK and Germany.
Westminster Connections
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) Ministers, (b) civil servants and (c) senior military personnel have had any meetings with Scott Hamilton of Westminster Connections since May 2010; and what was discussed at each such meeting. [123921]
Mr Philip Hammond: There are no records of Defence Ministers having met with Scott Hamilton of Westminster Connections.
Information regarding meetings with civil servants or senior military personnel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Home Department
Human Trafficking
15. Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps she has taken to prevent human trafficking; and if she will make a statement. [128828]
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Mr Harper: The Government are absolutely committed to tackling human trafficking and punishing the perpetrators of this terrible crime.
We published our human trafficking strategy in July 2011 and the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group report, published on 18 October 2012, provides a current and full assessment of the Government's anti-trafficking efforts across the UK.
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces include anti-human trafficking measures in their strategic assessment; and how many police forces plan to include such measures in such assessments in 2013. [128951]
Damian Green: Data on local force strategic assessments are not collected centrally.
The Government are committed to combating human trafficking and we will work with police and crime commissioners, who will be responsible for setting local policing priorities in 2013, to ensure that the threat of human trafficking is tackled at a local, as well as a national and international, level.
Police Force Collaboration
16. Mark Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the potential savings police forces could make through collaboration with other forces. [128829]
Damian Green: Collaboration is a key tool by which forces can improve operational effectiveness and drive out savings. HMIC's report “Increasing Efficiency in the Police Service—The role of collaboration” sets out forces' estimate that they will save £132 million through force to force collaboration by March 2015.
20. Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the potential savings police forces could make through collaboration with other forces. [128835]
Damian Green: Collaboration is a key tool by which forces can improve operational effectiveness and drive out savings. HMIC's report “Increasing Efficiency in the Police Service—The role of collaboration” sets out forces' estimate that they will save £132 million through force to force collaboration by March 2015.
Police and Crime Commissioners
17. Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the recent elections for police and crime commissioners. [128831]
Damian Green: We estimate that the elections have cost £75 million, and the full costs will be made public in due course. It should be noted that this money will not come from funds that would otherwise have gone to policing.
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Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received from the Electoral Commission on the police and crime commissioner elections since 1 September 2012. [128373]
Damian Green [holding answer 13 November 2012]: Home Office Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide variety of partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.