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Asylum Seekers: Right to Bail
The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the fourth Written Answer given by Baroness Blatch on 10 February (WA 5), how widely available is the information that all detainees may apply to independent appellate authorities for bail; and what steps they are taking to ensure that detainees are aware of this fact.
Baroness Blatch: Instructions issued when the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1996 received Royal Assent made clear to staff that any detainee with a right to apply for bail should be informed of this. Leaflets issued to illegal entrants and those subject to deportation action are being updated and will, among other things, include advice on entitlement to bail. All detainees have access to legal advice, and information about this is available in detention centres.
Prison Inspection Reports
Lord Harris of Greenwich asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many reports by the Chief Inspector of Prisons remain to be published, and on what dates each such report was submitted to Ministers.
Baroness Blatch: Twenty inspection reports have been received from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons but have not yet been published. The establishments concerned, and the date on which the report was received from the Inspectorate by the Home Secretary, are set out in the table below:
| Establishment | Date inspection report was received by the Home Secretary |
| Acklington | 16 December 1996 |
| Albany | 22 October 1996 |
| Belmarsh | 17 December 1996 |
| Channings Wood | 22 October 1996 |
| Chelmsford | 16 December 1996 |
| Dartmoor | 29 August 1996 |
| Dover | 7 October 1996 |
| Eastwood Park | 6 January 1997 |
| Everthorpe | 14 November 1996 |
| Featherstone | 15 August 1996 |
| Gloucester | 22 October 1996 |
| Lancaster Castle | 18 November 1996 |
| Onley | 19 June 1996 |
| Ranby | 15 August 1996 |
| Shepton Mallet | 6 November 1996 |
| Styal | 12 February 1997 |
| Usk/Prescoed | 14 November 1996 |
| The Verne | 15 August 1996 |
| Whitemoor | 29 November 1996 |
| Wormwood Scrubs | 31 October 1996 |
The reports of the inspections of the following 10 establishments in the above list are expected to be published during February and March: Channings Wood, Dartmoor, Dover, Featherstone, Gloucester, Lancaster Castle, Onley, Ranby, The Verne and Wormwood Scrubs.
The remaining 10 reports are under consideration. They will be published as soon as possible, but action in response to the recommendations made in an inspection report does not wait until the publication of the report.
Royal Yacht: EU Procurement Rules
Lord Clinton-Davis asked Her Majesty's Government:
- To what extent the building of a new Royal Yacht would be affected by European Community public procurement rules.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe): There is an exclusion from the European Community Public Procurement Rules in this instance as, on security grounds, the future Royal Yacht can only be designed and built in a British shipyard. An invitation to tender for construction of the vessel will be advertised in the MoD Contracts Bulletin in the usual way.
Defence Secondary Care Agency
Baroness Park of Monmouth asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What was the cost of setting up the Defence Secondary Care Agency, and what are its annual operating costs, including salaries.
Earl Howe: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Secondary Care Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my noble friend.
Letter to Baroness Park of Monmouth from the Chief Executive of the Defence Secondary Care Agency, Mr. Ron Smith, dated 20 February 1997.
I am replying to your Question about the cost of setting up and operating the Defence Secondary Care Agency (DSCA) as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the DSCA.
The only costs which can be attributed to setting up the DSCA, as opposed to implementing the broader recommendations arising from Defence Costs Study (DCS) 15 on the restructuring of secondary care, are those incurred by the Secondary Care Agency Review Team (SCART). SCART's task was to determine the structure of the agency and put that structure in place. SCART's total expenditure, which was all incurred in financial year 1995/96, was £3.36 million. Of this total, £2.84 million was spent on setting up the computer systems necessary for the running of the agency and in particular for the production of agency accounts on a commercial basis, and on establishing and equipping the agency headquarters. The balance of £0.52 million covered staff and other operating costs of SCART itself.
Turning to the second part of your question, estimated operating costs for the DSCA in the current financial year are £103 million. This figure compares with the pre-DCS 15 budget for secondary care, in financial year 1995/96, of £165 million. Both these amounts are at
1996/97 prices. 1995/96 was the last year in which the single Services had responsibility for their own secondary care. The figures also exclude secondary care costs for Germany, which are not part of my agency's responsibilities.As a result of the restructuring of secondary care, there has been an improvement in its efficiency and effectiveness within the DMS along with substantive savings to the Defence Budget. The new arrangements better reflect the need to support the front line with well trained medical personnel.
Eurofighter
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Eurofighter 2000 has been conceptually matched against (a) electronic and information warfare developments; and (b) warfare as it may be conducted by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by the time it is delivered.
Earl Howe: The key parameters of Eurofighter's performance are defined in the European Staff Requirement for Development (ESR-D). The ESR-D takes into account likely developments in the fields of electronic warfare and future air systems in order to ensure that the RAF will have the best possible combat aircraft to meet future needs.
Royal Navy: Joint Strike Fighter
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Royal Navy's definitions of its requirements for a Joint Strike Fighter take into account developments in (a) electronic and information warfare; and (b) warfare as it may be conducted with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by the time a Joint Strike Fighter is delivered.
Earl Howe: The Staff Target which defines the Royal Navy's anticipated requirement for a Future Carrier-Borne Aircraft, which may be met by the Joint Strike Fighter, takes account of the various potential threats such an aircraft might encounter while in service. The final procurement decision will take into account our latest assessment of these threats and their implications for the Royal Navy's requirement.
Reserve Forces: Medical Officers
Lord Ironside asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many medical officers are serving in each rank and professional grade of the Territorial Army and other reserve forces.
Earl Howe: Information on the rank and professional grade of medical officers in the TA and other reserve forces is set out in the following tables:
| Consultants | Surg Capt | Surg Cdr | Surg Lt Cdr | Surg Lt |
| Pathology | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| General Surgeon | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Occupational Medicine | 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| Gynaecologist | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Orthopaedic Surgeon | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Radiologist | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Anaesthetist | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Applied Physiology | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Dermatology | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| General Medicine | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Ear Nose and Throat | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Accident & Emergency | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Ophthalmology | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Neuro Psychiatrist | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Nuclear Medicine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rheumatology & Rehab | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Specialists/Registrar | ||||
| General Surgeons | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Occupational Medicine | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Anaesthetists | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Ear Nose and Throat | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Radiology | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| General Medical Practitioners | 4 | 16 | 36 | 12 |
| Non-specialist | ||||
| Occupational Medicine | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| General Duties MO's | 0 | 1 | 13 | 6 |
| Total | 13 | 74 | 69 | 25 |
| Surg Capt | Surg Cdr | Surg Lt Cdr | Surg Lt | |
| Consultants | ||||
| Neuro Surgeon | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Occupational Medicine | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Gynaecology | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Orthopaedic Surgeon | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oramaxillofacial | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Paediatric Surgeon | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Anaesthetist | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| General Medicine | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Accident and Emergency | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Neuro Psychiatrist | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Neurologist | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Staff Grade | ||||
| Accident & Emergency | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Specialist/Registrar | ||||
| General Surgeon | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Gynaecology | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Orthopaedic Surgeon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Anaesthetist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Ear Nose and Throat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| General Practitioners | 1 | 1 | 16 | 1 |
| Junior Hospital Doctors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 1 | 6 | 30 | 8 |
Territorial Army Medical Officers
This table lists officers in medical officer posts in the TA's Field Hospitals, Field Ambulances, Parachute Medical Squadron, Ambulance Train Group and Field Surgical Teams. It does not include doctors filling posts as CO or 2ic of units or as Regimental Medical Officers with units of other Arms.
Medical Officers in the Regular Army Reserve of Officers
Officers recorded as suitable for medical appointments on mobilisation.
Royal Auxiliary Air Force Medical Officers
No. 4626 (County of Wiltshire) Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron RAuxAF
1 Sqn Ldr--Consultant in Community Medicine
1 Sqn Ldr--Consultant in Urology
1 Sqn Ldr--Consultant Anaesthetist
There are no medical officers in the RAF Volunteer Reserve.
There are 216 medical officers on the RAF Retired List who could be recalled in times of "national danger" or "great emergency".
Medical Classification of TA Post filled Lt Col Maj Capt
Anaes/A&E Consultant 6 2 0
Medicine Consultant 4 4 0
Surgeon Consultant 5 1 0
A&E Senior Specialist (SSP) or Consultant 2 4 1
Anaes & Resus SP/SSP/Consultant 7 22 7
Gynaecologist SSP/Consultant 0 5 1
Medicine SP/SSP/Consultant 2 5 2
Pathologist SSP/Consultant 0 6 0
Psychiatrist SSP/Consultant 3 3 1
Radiologist SSP/Consultant 1 3 0
Surgeon SSP/Consultant 7 19 12
Medical Officer 11 78 97
Neuro Surgeon 1 1 0
Ophthalmic Surgeon 1 1 0
Oral Surgeon 1 4 0
Total 51 158 121
Medical Category 2 Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Above Col
Medical Officer 1 4 95 108 38 4 1
General Surgeon 0 0 4 7 16 3 1
Anaesthetist & Resuscitation 0 0 4 9 10 2 0
General Medicine 0 0 0 9 3 0 0
Pathology 0 0 1 3 4 1 0
Psychiatry 0 0 0 7 3 0 0
Radiology 0 0 0 3 5 0 0
Plastic Surgery 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Total 1 4 104 146 80 10 2
Flt Lt Sqn Ldr
Specialist--Surgery 1 3
Senior Specialist (SSP)--Medicine 1 1
SSP--Anaesthetist 0 2
SSP--Neuropsychiatry 0 2
Consultant--Neuropsychiatry 0 1
GPs 8 28
Total 10 37
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