This is a regular round up of Parliamentary questions and answers from ministers relevant to defence issues
In addition to oral questions, MPs and Peers can ask government ministers questions for written answer. These are often used to obtain detailed information about policies and statistics on the activities of government departments.
In the House of Commons ‘ordinary’ questions do not have to be answered on a specific date. An MP will date a written question for two days after they have tabled it (ie, submitted it for answer via the Table Office).
The convention is that the MP can expect it to be answered within seven days of the question being tabled.
Contents
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
(1) where each regiment of the (a) Royal Artillery, (b) Royal Engineers, (c) Royal Signals and (d) Household Cavalry is stationed;
(2) where each infantry battalion is stationed.
Answer
Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)
The name and location of each Regular and Territorial Army Infantry Battalion is shown in the following table:
| Name of Infantry Battalion (Bn) | Barracks (Bks)/Station/Location |
| 1st Bn Grenadier Guards | Wellington Bks, London |
| 1st Bn Coldstream Guards | New Mons Bks, Aldershot |
| 1st Bn Scots Guards | Bourlon Bks, Catterick |
| 1st Bn Irish Guards | Victoria Bks, Windsor |
| 1st Bn Welsh Guards | Lille Bks, Aldershot |
| The London Regiment | Battersea, London |
| 1st Bn The Royal Regiment of | Dreghorn Bks, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| 2nd Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland | Glencorse Bks, Edinburgh |
| 3rd Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland | Fort George, Inverness |
| 4th Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland | St Barbara Bks, Fallingbostel |
| 5th Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland | Howe Bks, Canterbury |
| 6th Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland | Walcheren Bks, Glasgow |
| 7th Bn The Royal Regiment of Scotland | Queen’s Bks, Perth |
| 1st Bn The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment | Barker Bks, Paderborn |
| 2nd Bn The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment | Napier Lines, Woolwich |
| 3rd Bn The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment | Leros TA Centre, Canterbury |
| 1st Bn The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Mooltan Bks, Tidworth |
| 2nd Bn The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Trenchard Bks, Celle |
| 5th Bn The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers | Gilesgate Armoury, Durham |
| 1st Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment | Queen Elizabeth Bks, Pirbright |
| 2nd Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment | ESBA, Dhekelia, Cyprus |
| 3rd Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment | Blenheim Camp, Bury St Edmonds |
| 1st Bn The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment | Somme Bks, Catterick |
| 2nd Bn The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment | WSBA, Episkopi, Cyprus |
| 4th Bn The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment | Kimberley Bks, Preston |
| 1st Bn The Yorkshire Regiment | Oxford Bks, Munster |
| 2nd Bn The Yorkshire Regiment | Weeton Bks, Preston |
| 3rd Bn The Yorkshire Regiment | Battlesbury Bks, Warminster |
| 4th Bn The Yorkshire Regiment | Worsley Bks, York |
| 1st Bn The Mercian Regiment | Marne Bks, Catterick |
| 2nd Bn The Mercian Regiment | Palace Bks, Belfast |
| 3rd Bn The Mercian Regiment | Lumsden Bks, Fallingbostel |
| 4th Bn The Mercian Regiment | Wolseley House TA Centre, Wolverhampton |
| 1st Bn The Royal Welsh Regiment | The Dale, Chester |
| 2nd Bn The Royal Welsh Regiment Lucknow Bks, Tidworth | |
| 3rd Bn The Royal Welsh Regiment | Maindy Bks, Cardiff |
| 1st Bn The Rifles | Beachley Bks, Chepstow |
| 2nd Bn The Rifles | Abercorn Bks, Ballykinler |
| 3rd Bn The Rifles | Redford Bks, Edinburgh |
| 4th Bn The Rifles | Kiwi Bks, Bulford |
| 5th Bn The Rifles | Allanbrooke Bks, Paderborn |
| 6th Bn The Rifles | Wyvern Bks, Exeter |
| 7th Bn The Rifles | Brock Bks, Reading |
| 1st Bn The Royal Irish Regiment | Clive Bks, Tern Hill |
| 2nd Bn The Royal Irish Regiment | Portadown, Northern Ireland |
| 2nd Bn The Parachute Regiment | Merville Bks, Colchester |
| 3rd Bn The Parachute Regiment | Merville Bks, Colchester |
| 4th Bn The Parachute Regiment | Thornbury Bks, Pudsey |
| 1st Bn The Royal Gurkha Rifles | Sir John Moore Bks, Shorncliffe |
| 2nd Bn The Royal Gurkha Rifles | Seria, Brunei |
The name and location of each Regular and Territorial Army Regiment of the (a) Royal Artillery, (b) Royal Engineers, (c) Royal Signals and (d) Household Cavalry is shown in the following tables:
| The Royal Artillery | |
| Name of Regiment | Barracks (Bks)/Station/Location |
| 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | Assaye Barracks, Hampshire |
| 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | Caen Barracks, Hohne |
| 4th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | Alanbrooke Barracks. Topcliffe |
| 5th Regiment Royal Artillery | Marne Barracks, Catterick |
| 7th (Parachute) Regiment Royal Horse Artillery | Merville Barracks, Colchester |
| 12th Regiment Royal Artillery | Baker Barracks, Hampshire |
| 14th Regiment Royal Artillery | Royal Artillery Barracks, Larkhill |
| 16th Regiment Royal Artillery | St Georges Barracks, North Luffenham |
| 19th Regiment Royal Artillery | Bhurtpore Barracks, Tidworth |
| 26th Regiment Royal Artillery | Mansergh Barracks, Gutersloh |
| 29 (Commando) Regiment Royal Artillery | RHQ 8, 23,79 Batterys, Plymouth |
| 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery | Roberts Barracks, Larkhill |
| 39th Regiment Royal Artillery | Albemarle Barracks, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne |
| 40th Regiment Royal Artillery | Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn |
| 47th Regiment Royal Artillery | Baker Barracks, Thorney Island |
| The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery | Ordnance Hill, St Johns Wood, London |
| Honourable Artillery Company | Finsbury Barracks, London |
| 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) | RHQ/201 Bty RA(V), TA Centre, Luton |
| 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) | R.HQ, Napier Armoury, Gateshead |
| 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) | R.HQ, Jubilee Barracks, St Helens |
| 104th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) | Raglan Barracks, South Wales |
| 105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) | RHQ, Artillery House, Edinburgh |
| 106th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) | Napier House, Grove Park, London |
| Central Volunteers Headquarters Royal Artillery and Headquarters Woolwich Station | Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich |
| The Royal Engineers | |
| Name of Regiment | Barracks (Bks)/Station/Location |
| 21 Engineer Regiment | Claro Bks, Ripon, N Yorks |
| 22 Engineer Regiment | Swinton Bks, Tidworth, Hants |
| 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) | Rock Bks, Woodbridge, Suffolk |
| 24 Commando Engineer Regiment | RM Chivenor, Barnstaple, Devon |
| 25 Engineer Regiment (Air Support) | Waterbeach Bks, Waterbeach, Cambs |
| 26 Engineer Regiment | Swinton Bks, Tidworth, Hants |
| 28 Engineer Regiment | Gordon Bks, Hameln, Germany |
| 32 Engineer Regiment | Campbell Bks, Hohne, Germany |
| 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) | Carver Bks, Wimbish, Essex |
| 35 Engineer Regiment | Barker Bks, Paderborn, Germany |
| 36 Engineer Regiment | Invicta Park Bks, Maidstone, Kent |
| 38 Engineer Regiment | RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland |
| 39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support) | Waterbeach Bks, Waterbeach, Cambs |
| 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) | Denison Bks, Hermitage, Berks |
| 101 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) | Carver Bks, Wimbish |
| 62 Works Group Royal Engineers 1 | Chetwynd Bks, Chilwell, Notts |
| 63 Works Group Royal Engineers 1 | Chetwynd Bks, Chilwell, Notts |
| 64 Works Group Royal Engineers 1 | Chetwynd Bks, Chilwell, Notts |
| 66 Works Group Royal Engineers 1,2 | Chetwynd Bks, Chilwell, Notts |
| 67 Works Group Royal Engineers 1,2 | Chetwynd Bks, Chilwell, Notts |
| Work Group Royal Engineers (Airfields) 1 | Waterbeach Bks, Waterbeach, Cambs |
| 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment | Brompton Bks, Chatham, Kent |
| 3 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment | Gibraltar Bks, Camberley, Surrey |
| Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) | The Castle, Monmouth, Gwent |
| 71 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) | RAF Leuchars, St Andrews, Fife |
| 72 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) | Napier Armoury, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear |
| 73 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) | TA Centre, Nottingham, Notts |
| 75 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) | Peninsula Bks, Warrington, Cheshire |
| The Royal Signals | |
| Name of Regiment | Station/Location |
| 1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment | Hammersmith Barracks, Herford (GE) |
| 2nd Signal Regiment | Imphal Barracks, York |
| 3rd (United Kingdom) Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment | Picton Barracks, Bulford |
| 7th Signal Regiment | Javelin Barracks, Elmpt (GE) |
| 10th Signal Regiment | Basil Hill Site, Corsham |
| 11th Signal Regiment | Blandford Camp, Blandford Forum |
| 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) | Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy (nr Haverfordwest) |
| 16th Signal Regiment | Javelin Barracks, Elmpt (GE) |
| 18th (United Kingdom Special Forces) Signal Regiment | Stirling Lines, Hereford |
| 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support) | Azimghur Barracks, Colerne (nr Bath) |
| 22nd Signal Regiment | Beacon Barracks, Stafford |
| 30th Signal Regiment | Gamecock Barracks, Bramcote (nr Nuneaton) |
| 32nd Signal Regiment (Volunteers) | Glasgow |
| 37th Signal Regiment (Volunteers) | Redditch |
| 38th Signal Regiment (Volunteers) | Sheffield |
| 39th Signal Regiment (Volunteers) | Bristol |
| 71st (City of London) Yeomanry Signal Regiment (Volunteers) | Bexley, London |
| The Household Cavalry | |
| Name of Regiment | Barracks (Bks) Station/Location |
| The Household Cavalry Regiment | Combermere Bks, Windsor |
| The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment | Hyde Park Bks, Knightsbridge, London |
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
(1) if he will estimate the cost per unit of renovating (a) Mastiff, (b) Ridgback and (c) Jackal vehicles to long-term service;
(2) how many (a) Mastiff, (b) Ridgback and (c) Jackal vehicles will remain in long-term service.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
The Mastiff, Ridgback and Jackal vehicles were purchased as urgent operational requirements, specific to the conditions and threats faced in Afghanistan by our armed forces. No decision has yet been taken as to whether any of the 1,000 plus vehicles so far purchased will be taken into the core equipment programme. The cost of renovating any vehicles will depend on the number of vehicles to be taken into the core equipment programme and the state of repair of these vehicles on their return from theatre.
Question
Priti Patel (Witham, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what allowances and payments in addition to salary were available to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1997; and what the monetary value was of payments and allowances of each type in each such year.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
The Department currently has over 500 pay-related allowances and payments in addition to salary available to civilian staff, the majority of which are listed on the People, Pay and Pensions Agency (PPPA) website:
http://www.pppaservices.qinetiq-tim.com/https@knowledge.chris.r.mil.uk/pppa/index@page=content&id=us131&cat=pay_and_expenses &actp=list.htm
Travel and subsistence claims and transfer allowances are payable to civilian staff, in addition to salary. These are listed on the PPPA website:
http://www.pppaservices.qinetiq-tim.com/https@knowledge.chris.r.mil.uk/pppa/index@page=content&id=pr200&cat=travel_and_subsistence &actp=list.htm
Information on the monetary value of each type of allowance and payment in each year since 1997 is not held in the format requested, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, information is available from July 2007, but will take a short while to compile. I will write to my hon. Friend with the information as soon as possible.
As the strategic defence and security review made clear, we intend to simplify the allowance structure, as part of an update of the current package of terms and conditions of service.
Question
Paul Flynn (Newport West, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preparatory work for the assessment phase for the replacement programme for Trident has been commissioned on (a) the hull structure and structural fittings, including on castings and forgings and on steel and control surfaces, (b) primary and secondary propulsion systems and (c) electrical generation, conversion and distribution, including turbo generators, platform management system software, main switchboards, internal communications, diesel generators, main static converters, main DC distribution, distribution convertors, cathodic protection system, the degaussing system, computer information systems, main battery, and remote visual surveillance system; from which companies such work has been commissioned in each case; and what the value is of each such contract.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
Two of the purposes of the concept phase of the programme to replace the Vanguard submarines are to identify technology and procurement options for meeting the requirement, and to provide information to support initial gate decisions.
During the concept phase the Ministry of Defence has placed contracts with Rolls-Royce Power Engineering plc that include design and development work for the primary propulsion plant, with design verification and validation activities, to a value of some £220 million. A number of technical demonstrator contracts have also been placed with industry and other bodies to inform work on the options and recommendations made in the initial gate business case.
Some of this work will inform decisions on the purchase of the long lead items listed in the question, but further information is not held centrally and to attempt to reconcile the information against the list of long lead items given could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many improvised explosive device attacks there have been on UK forces in Afghanistan in each month since April 2009.
Answer
Liam Fox (Secretary of State, Defence; North Somerset, Conservative)
holding answer 24 January 2011
Records of incidents for the whole of Afghanistan are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Data are more readily available for attacks within the Task Force Helmand area of operations in Helmand province, which includes the majority of UK forces deployed to Afghanistan. This area of responsibility has not stayed constant during the period in question. The figures refer to an explosion that has subsequently been reported by units operating within the Task Force Helmand area of responsibility. This includes both ‘laid’ Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and suicide (both vehicle and person-borne) devices. These figures do not include IED finds with no detonation or IED false alarms.
| Month | IED attacks |
| April 2009 | 21 |
| May 2009 | 46 |
| June 2009 | 81 |
| July 2009 | 107 |
| August 2009 | 83 |
| September 2009 | 76 |
| October 2009 | 63 |
| November 2009 | 67 |
| December 2009 | 69 |
| January 2010 | 79 |
| February 2010 | 79 |
| March 2010 | 71 |
| April 2010 | 45 |
| May 2010 | 75 |
| June 2010 | 79 |
| July 2010 | 89 |
| August 2010 | 76 |
| September 2010 | 67 |
| October 2010 | 35 |
| November 2010 | 48 |
| December 2010 | 61 |
These data are based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operational environment. It is modified over time as more information becomes available.
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops are deployed at each overseas location on operations.
Answer
Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)
The following table shows the number of troops deployed on operations at overseas locations:
| Location | Endorsed number (as at 21 January 2011)( 1) |
| Afghanistan | 9,500 |
| At sea | (2)1,300 |
| Bahrain | 150 |
| Cyprus | 30 |
| Iraq | 100 |
| Oman | 450 |
| Qatar | 150 |
| South Atlantic | 1,500 |
| UAE | 50 |
| Other | (3)<50 |
| (1) Rounded to the nearest 50 personnel.(2)Numbers at sea in support of operations in the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.(3) Small scale deployments in support of EU and UN missions, headquarters liaison officers and capacity building activities. | |
The precise number of personnel in each theatre 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 in theatre.
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military vehicles of each type were reported stolen in the UK in each year since 2009.
Answer
Andrew Robathan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans), Defence; South Leicestershire, Conservative)
The following table shows the number of military vehicles reported to the Ministry of Defence Police as stolen during the years 2009 and 2010.
| Vehicle type | Number reported stolen |
| 2009 | |
| Car | 4 |
| Van | 1 |
| Landrover | 2 |
| Roadsweeper | 1 |
| Inflatable dinghy | 1 |
| 2010 | |
| Pick up truck | 1 |
| Bedford truck | 1 |
| Landrover | 7 |
| Inflatable dinghy and trailer | 1 |
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armoured vehicles of each type in each armed service were (a) in service and (b) available for operations on the latest date for which figures are available.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
I am withholding information on the numbers of vehicles available as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
The number of armoured vehicles of each type in service is shown in the following table:
| Vehicle | Total number in service |
| AS90 | 166 |
| Challenger 2 | 345 |
| CRARRV | 81 |
| CVR(T) | 1,179 |
| Fuchs | 11 |
| FV430 (Mk 2 and Bulldog) | 900 |
| Saxon | 0 |
| Titan | 33 |
| Trojan | 33 |
| Warrior | 785 |
| Mastiff | 304 |
| Panther | 412 |
| Ridgback | 155 |
| Snatch (all variants) | 574 |
| Vector | 179 |
| Viking | 161 |
| Wolfhound | 73 |
| Husky | 236 |
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much and what proportion of his Department’s budget was spent on (a) pay, (b) pensions and (c) equipment in 2009-10.
Answer
Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)
The information available for 2009-10 is provided in the following table.
| Pay | Pensions | Equipment | ||||
| Financial year | £ billion | Percentage | £ billion | Percentage | £ billion( 1) | Percentage |
| 2009-10 | 10.2 | 20.4 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 13.2 | 26.3 |
| (1) The figure quoted comprises capital expenditure on equipment, equipment support and research and development costs. Source:Departmental Resource Accounts 2009-10 and UKDS 2010, Table 1.4. | ||||||
In addition, payments made under the separately funded Armed Forces Pensions Scheme for 2009-10 were £3.5 billion.
Question
Denis MacShane (Rotherham, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will investigate the circumstances in which the then Chief of the General Staff informed HM Ambassador to Afghanistan in 2007 of the reasons for the redeployment of troops from Iraq to Afghanistan.
Answer
Liam Fox (Secretary of State, Defence; North Somerset, Conservative)
No.
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) logistics and (b) engineering vehicles of each type were (i) in service and (ii) available for operations on the latest date for which figures are available.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
I am withholding the information on the number of vehicles available on operations for operational security reasons.
The Department holds a huge variety of logistics and engineering vehicles. For ease these have been grouped by role and category. The overall number of vehicles in service within each category is shown in the following table.
| Role | Total number in service |
| Engineering | |
| Armoured Engineering | 66 |
| Bridging | 177 |
| Bulldozer | 50 |
| Dumper Truck | 190 |
| Excavator | 422 |
| Forklift | 21 |
| Route Engineer Plant | 84 |
| Beach T/WAY Dispenser | 2 |
| Logistics | |
| Bulk Fuel | 1,189 |
| Cargo | 12,446 |
| Container Handler | 23 |
| Crane | 92 |
| Equipment Transporter | 732 |
| Forklift | 649 |
| Medical | 915 |
| Recovery | 466 |
| Bulk Water | 57 |
| Airfield Support | 631 |
| Fire Vehicles | 162 |
Question
Naomi Long (Belfast East, Alliance)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces were serving a sentence in the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester, for having gone absent without leave while under the age of 18 on the first day of each month between January 2009 and December 2010.
Answer
Andrew Robathan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans), Defence; South Leicestershire, Conservative)
The information requested is presented in the following table.
| Date | Number serving in Military Corrective Training Centre |
| 2009 | |
| January | 1 |
| February | 0 |
| March | 1 |
| April | 1 |
| May | 4 |
| June | 5 |
| July | 6 |
| August | 5 |
| September | 4 |
| October | 4 |
| November | 3 |
| December | 1 |
| 2010 | |
| January | 0 |
| February | 2 |
| March | 2 |
| April | 0 |
| May | 1 |
| June | 1 |
| July | 0 |
| August | 0 |
| September | 0 |
| October | 3 |
| November | 5 |
| December | 5 |
Question
Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of dependants of service personnel who are being educated in schools in Germany.
Answer
Andrew Robathan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans), Defence; South Leicestershire, Conservative)
The number of dependants of service personnel currently being educated in schools in Germany is approximately 7,000.
Question
Lee Scott (Ilford North, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving personnel in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force are not UK nationals.
Answer
Andrew Robathan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans), Defence; South Leicestershire, Conservative)
The number of non-UK personnel serving in each of the services is presented in the following table.
| Non-UK nationals serving in the UK regular forces at 1 December 2010 | |
| Number | |
| All services | 9,220 |
| Naval Service | 840 |
| Army | 8,250 |
| RAF | 130 |
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department’s (a) computers, (b) laptops and (c) memory sticks were (i) lost and (ii) stolen in each month in 2010.
Answer
Andrew Robathan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans), Defence; South Leicestershire, Conservative)
The Ministry of Defence takes any loss of information and associated media storage devices very seriously and has robust procedures in place to mitigate against such occurrences. New processes, instructions and technological aids are also being implemented to mitigate human errors and raise awareness of every individual in the Department.
The following table details how many computers, laptops and USB flash memory devices were lost and stolen in each month in 2010.
| Lost and stolen CIS 2010 | ||||||
| Computers | Laptops | USB flash memory devices | ||||
| Lost | Stolen | Lost | Stolen | Lost | Stolen | |
| January | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| February | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| March | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| April | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| May | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| June | 0 | 7 | 3 | 36 | 2 | 0 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| August | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| September | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| October | 9 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| November | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| December | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 12 | 9 | 45 | 76 | 47 | 3 |
| Note:These totals do not include incidents which are currently under investigation but current indications are that they relate to accounting anomalies during force rotation and/or disposal activities. | ||||||
Question
Jim Cunningham (Coventry South, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new (a) units and (b) teams have been established within his Department since May 2010; and what the (i) name, (ii) purpose, (iii) staffing level and (iv) annual running cost is in each case.
Answer
Andrew Robathan (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans), Defence; South Leicestershire, Conservative)
Changes to units and teams within the Ministry of Defence (MOD), as in any large organisation, are made frequently to take account of changing requirements and priorities and the need to constantly improve effectiveness and efficiency.
Since May 2010, the following new units and teams with new remits and responsibilities headed by a senior civil servant, military one-star officer or above or equivalents have been established within the MOD:
| Name | Purpose | Staffing level |
| Directorate Children and Young People | To set the Defence-wide direction for the strategy, structures, governance and quality assurance for the co-ordination of those services that support Service children and young people, at home and overseas. | (1)8 |
| Project AVANTI | To restructure the Army’s Personnel Support Command at regional Division and Brigade levels following the Strategic Defence and Security Review. | (2)3 |
| XO Air Command | Programme direction for the implementation of the Capability Structures Review and subsequent change programmes within the Air HQ on behalf of Commander-in-Chief Air, following the Strategic Defence and Security Review. | 44 |
| Defence Equipment and Support Airworthiness Team | To provide timely airworthiness support to Defence Equipment and Support teams to enable them to produce and support airworthy systems that can be operated safely through-life and to assure Chief of Materiel (Air) that airworthiness is being effectively managed. | 20 |
| Submarine Enterprise Performance Programme | To work collaboratively with the three Tier 1 Industrial Partners to transform the way the submarine enterprise is delivered and managed, following the Value for Money Review and the Strategic Defence and Security Review. | 15 |
| Portfolio Management Office Team within the Defence Estates Strategy and Policy Directorate | To take forward Strategic Defence and Security Review implementation work. | 7 |
| Defence Reform Unit | To support the Defence Reform Steering Group in conducting a fundamental examination of how the Ministry of Defence is structured and managed. | 21 |
| (1) Including the Director who also acts as Chief Executive of The Service Children’s Education Agency.(2) Three dedicated posts embedded within an existing programme team. | ||
All of these posts have been filled by reprioritising staff from other tasks and teams. The budgets to cover the running costs of these units and teams are allocated as part of the MOD’s annual planning round, which is not yet concluded. The establishment of these units and teams, however, has not required an increase in the overall Defence budget.
Details of the organisation of the Ministry of Defence are published on the following website:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/Structure/DepartmentalOrganisationCharts1.htm
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to (a) lease and (b) purchase (i) P-3 Orion, (ii) Airbus A319 MPA and (iii) P-8 Poseidon aircraft.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
We currently have no plans to lease or purchase P-3 Orion, Airbus A319 MPA or P-8 Poseidon aircraft. However, following the decision not to bring the Nimrod MRA4 into service we are keeping our future requirement for maritime patrol aircraft under review.
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the suitability of the electronic equipment removed from the MR4A for installation on P-3 Orion aircraft.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
No such assessment has been made. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 January 2011, Hansard, column 1024W.
Question
Angus Robertson (Moray, Scottish National Party)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Searchwater radar installed on the Nimrod MR2 was removed for future use on other aircraft.
Answer
Peter Luff (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology), Defence; Mid Worcestershire, Conservative)
Some elements of the Searchwater radar installed on the Nimrod MR2 aircraft have been retained as spares for use on the Royal Navy’s Airborne Surveillance and Area Control Sea King helicopter which is fitted with a variant of the same radar.
I understand the need to keep some information secrete for security/operational reasons but I am unhappy about the idea that ministers can simply refuse to answer the questions of elected representatives who are there in part to hold the government to account. Couldn’t the answer be given privately or the MP ask that it be supplied to the relevant select committee?
No, because then any MP with an agenda could “leak” that info into the public domain