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9 Feb 2009 : Column WA159
Written Answers
Monday 9 February 2009
Armed Forces: Equipment
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the portable Bowman radios indicate the level of charge remaining in the batteries without the need to remove the batteries. [HL879]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Bowman radios are either very high frequency (VHF) or high frequency (HF) units; a separate battery type is used for each.
The VHF Bowman radio can be equipped with a key display unit (KDU) that enables the user to check the battery level without having to remove it.
This facility is not available for the Bowman BF radio. Therefore, it is not currently possible to check the charge level of the battery without disconnecting it from the radio manpack.
In the future, it is intended to introduce an audible alarm for both the VHF and BF Bowman radios that will inform the user when the battery has dropped to a specific charge level.
Armed Forces: Non-British Nationals
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many non-British nationals are currently serving in (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Army, and (c) the Royal Air Force; and, for each service, which countries they are from. [HL1127]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The following tables below show the number of non-British nationals currently serving in the trained UK Regular Armed Forces as at 1 December 2008 by recorded nationality category on the Ministry of Defence Joint Personnel Administrative system.
- p denotes provisional due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System denotes fewer than 5.
- Figures are for trained UK Regular Forces, and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel and mobilised reservists.
- 1. Includes Zimbabwean and Fijian citizens, who continue to retain Commonwealth status under the British Nationality Act 1981.
- p denotes provisional due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System denotes fewer than 5.
- Figures are for trained UK Regular Forces, and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel and mobilised reservists.
- 1. Includes Zimbabwean and Fijian citizens, who continue to retain Commonwealth status under the British Nationality Act 1981.
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