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Mr. Hanley : Compensation has been paid at the following military airfields :
RAF Conningsby
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Honington
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Leeming
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Marham
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Wattisham
RNAS Yeovilton
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is regarding the use of executive search consultants in making appointments to public bodies ; and if he will (a) list the appointments where such consultants have been used and (b) list the cost in each case since April 1992.
Mr. Hanley : In respect of MOD non-departmental public bodies, executive search consultants will be used when appropriate. At present, there are no appointments that have been made where such consultants have been used.
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the appointments made to public bodies by his Department since April 1992 have been advertised.
Mr. Hanley : There have been four appointments made to MOD NDPBs since April 1992 : two trustees to the RAF museum and a chairman and one member to the Review Board for Government Contracts.
None of the above posts was advertised.
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Contract Specifications
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 December, Official Report, column 424, how he distinguishes between reliability and maintainability requirements forming an essential and non-essential element of a contract specification.
Mr. Hanley : The word "essential" was used to indicate the tauter approach which is now used in contracting for reliability and maintainability. In the past, reliability and maintainability were often specified as targets. Today's contracts are not fulfilled until the specified levels of reliability and maintainability are achieved.
Defence Research Agency
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a de-classifiied copy of the management parameters in the customer satisfaction survey used by the Defence Research Agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 16 December 1993 :
In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying to your question about the DRA's customer satisfaction survey.
In answer to the first part of your question the management parameters of the survey are not classified and are shown in the annex. The results of the survey are however commercially confidential.
You also asked for a statement about the survey. As part of the DRA's Framework Document we are required to agree annual performance targets with the Secretary of State and one of these concerns quality of service. One element of this is the customer satisfaction survey. The survey has three related uses. Firstly is demonstrates to my Secretary of State that the DRA is offering a quality service and that this is improving. The target for this year is a 2 per cent. increase in overall satisfaction since the previous survey. Secondly, it helps to develop the strategic relationship we are trying to forge with industry where we are both a competitor and partner. Thirdly, and very importantly, it helps the DRA's business sectors to become more effective by knowing their customers' perception of their strengths and weaknesses.
The survey has been carried out for the last three years and last year was extended to 18 key industrial as well as about 50 MOD customers. This year's survey is now under way but the results will not be known until about the end of January when they will be incorporated into the DRA's Business Plan.
Annex--
Management parameters for customer satisfaction survey
Overall customer satisfaction
An overall impression of the top-level performance of the technical work of a particular DRA business sector (BS).
Responsiveness
The ability of the BS to provide the customer's needs in the required timescale.
Quality
The progress towards formal quality accreditation and the impact on the customer's product.
Project management
The BS's management of the research task as a discreet project : monitoring and reporting performance against milestones, deployment of staff and resources and use of management information systems.
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Understanding requirementsThe ability to analyse and interpret the customer's needs to their satisfaction.
Technology
The level of technology development or innovation used to meet the customer's expectation.
Facilities
The customer's view on the use, relevance and cost of using DRA facilities.
Staff reputation
The customer's perception of the scientific and management qualifications and reputation of the BS staff undertaking their work.
RAF Support Command
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are used by the RAF Support Command maintenance group to assess efficiency savings.
Mr. Hanley : The RAF Support Command maintenance group efficiency programme is based on the detailed reporting of efficiency performance against annual targets set by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Support Command, the agency's owner. Efficiency savings from all the stations and units within the maintenance group are rigorously pursued, and reported upon at mid-year and end-of-year financial reporting points. In addition, the maintenance group financial staff have pursued the efficiency savings generated by the group on behalf of other areas within the Ministry of Defence. Significant efficiency savings have also been programmed into each of the annual costing exercises.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the prototype financial and management accounting systems installed by RAF Support command maintenance group at RAF St. Athan and at its headquarters.
Mr. Hanley : The financial and management accounting system installed by the maintenance group at RAF St. Athan and the headquarters to meet Her Majesty's Treasury's draft accounts direction is a commercial package known as FW-Agresso. It is marketed by Fraser-Williams (East Midlands) Ltd.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the pursuit of a total quality approach to management within RAF Support Command maintenance group.
Mr. Hanley : To date four stations have adopted the total quality approach within the RAF support maintenance group.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide detailed descriptions of all of the formal quality systems that have been installed by RAF Support Command maintenance group since its formation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The RAF Support Command maintenance group adopted assessment and certification against recognised quality systems nine years ago. A succession of standards have been used : defence standard 05-21 ; the NATO allied quality assurance publications ; and in recent times the International Standards Organisation 9000 series.
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Royal Army Engineer Regiment
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of the length and number of emergency tours completed by each Royal Army Engineer regiment in each year since 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The Royal Engineers have deployed in regimental strength on four occasions since 1988 :
To the Gulf (approximately August 1990-March 1991)
(1) 21 Engineer Regiment with 7 Armoured Brigade
(2) 23 Engineer Regiment with 4 Armoured Brigade
(3) 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment with 1 Armoured Division To former Republic of Yugoslavia (November 1992-May 1993) (1) 35 Engineer Regiment with 1 Cheshire.
Services (Christmas Celebrations)
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he intends to take to ensure that service personnel deployed in (a) Bosnia and (b) Northern Ireland can properly celebrate Christmas and communicate with their families over the Christmas period ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : An important part of the welfare support for service personnel on unaccompanied tours has always been the provision of facilities to allow them to communicate with their families and friends. This is particularly important at Christmas. For troops in Bosnia, free aerogrammes are already available and the arrangements for subsidised telephone calls will be enhanced over the Christmas period. In Northern Ireland, official welfare telephones are provided and personnel receive reimbursement towards the cost of telephone calls to families. In addition, concessionary telephone cards are available for purchase to allow more frequent contact. British forces deployed in Bosnia and in Northern Ireland will continue their operational duties over the Christmas period. Arrangements are nevertheless in hand for traditional regimental Christmas celebrations. Church services will be held in both Bosnia and Northern Ireland.
Helicopters
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which RAF units are currently equipped with helicopters capable of operating in all-weather conditions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : All helicopters are limited in some respects by weather conditions. RAF Chinook and Sea King helicopters have a full capability to operate under instrument flight rules. Furthermore, RAF search and rescue Sea Kings have a capability to operate in reduced visibility.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to replace the helicopters used by the Royal Marines Brigade air squadron ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The Lynx helicopter armed with TOW missiles will provide both the Army and the Royal Marines with effective anti-armour capability for some time to come. We plan to replace Lynx/TOW with a modern attack helicopter system by the end of the decade, and this will offer a substantial increase in capability. We have yet to
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decide on total numbers and deployment. The Royal Marines also currently operate Gazelle helicopters in the communications and battlefield support role. Options for the replacement of these latter aircraft are under consideration.Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of his plans to introduce the Merlin helicopter into service, including a timetable setting out the numbers to be introduced in each year for the next 10 years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : We currently have 44 EH101 Merlin ASW helicopters on order. The first of these is expected to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 1996. Initial aircraft will be allocated to operational proving trials. It is planned that the first operational aircraft will be deployed around the turn of the century.
All-weather Helicopters
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Army units are currently equipped with helicopters capable of operating in all-weather conditions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : All helicopters are limited in some respects by weather conditions. All Army air corps helicopters can operate in the majority of conditions likely to be encountered in their primary deployment areas. There are, however, limitations in their capability in cold weather and in poor visibility.
10 Squadron
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current annual running cost of 10 Squadron.
Mr. Hanley : The average annual operating cost--at 1993-94 outturn prices--of 10 Squadron is approximately £43 million. This includes personnel, fuel, maintenance and equipment support costs but excludes depreciation, interest on capital, station and administration costs.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional revenue has been generated by the activities of 10 Squadron ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : 10 Squadron was established to provide strategic airlift in support of British defence and foreign policy objectives. It retains an immediate capacity to respond instantly to crises and war situations. In peacetime, it is used to support defence activities across a wide spectrum by providing air transport for operational, administrative and exercise purposes.
It does not generate revenue per se, but when non-defence specific tasks are undertaken on behalf of other Government Departments, the United Nations, or NATO, these are carried out on a repayment basis. The total value of the repayment tasks undertaken on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and in supporting United Nations operations during the 12 months to October 1993, was in the order of £2 million.
Departmental Land
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give the size, name and location by county, in Wales of land, (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department which he intends to dispose of ;
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(2) if he will list by region in Scotland the size, location and name of all land (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department which he intends to dispose of ;(3) if he will give the size, location and name by county, in England of land (a) owned or (b) leased by his Department which he intends to dispose of.
Mr. Hanley : My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the area, in hectares, in each county of England of land (a) owned or (b) leased by his Department.
Mr. Hanley : Land owned--freehold--and leased--leasehold--including foreshore by the Ministry of Defence in each of the counties of England is set out in the tables :
(a) Freehold Landholdings
|Hectares
-----------------------------------------
Avon |165
Bedfordshire |1,315
Berkshire |1,911
Buckinghamshire |648
Cambridgeshire |2,793
Cheshire |407
Cleveland |48
Cornwall |2,724
Cumbria |8,025
Derbyshire |112
Devon |2,991
Dorset |4,928
Durham |168
East Sussex |256
Essex |15,927
Gloucestershire |1,487
Greater London |1,226
Greater Manchester |449
Hampshire |12,714
Hereford and Worcester |840
Hertfordshire |92
Humberside |1,047
Isle of Wight |5
Kent |5,528
Lancashire |627
Leicestershire |1,047
Lincolnshire |6,027
Merseyside |198
Norfolk |10,874
North Yorkshire |12,860
Northamptonshire |874
Northumberland |23,092
Nottinghamshire |848
Oxfordshire |3,630
Shropshire |1,795
Somerset |807
South Yorkshire |405
Staffordshire |1,177
Suffolk |3,438
Surrey |4,674
Tyne and Wear |10
Warwickshire |1,631
West Midlands |33
West Sussex |736
West Yorkshire |6
Wiltshire |41,336
|----
Total |181,931
(b) Leasehold Landholdings
|Hectares
-----------------------------------------
Avon |26
Bedfordshire |1
Berkshire |13
Buckinghamshire |26
Cambridgeshire |1
Cheshire |41
Cleveland |1
Cornwall |142
Cumbria |3,786
Derbyshire |Nil
Devon |687
Dorset |452
Durham |209
East Sussex |Nil
Essex |595
Gloucestershire |Nil
Greater London |32
Greater Manchester |2
Hampshire |21
Hereford and Worcester |23
Hertfordshire |6
Humberside |Nil
Isle of Wight |1
Kent |215
Lancashire |6
Leicestershire |8
Lincolnshire |3,915
Merseyside |Nil
Norfolk |294
North Yorkshire |680
Northamptonshire |14
Northumberland |28
Nottinghamshire |648
Oxfordshire |24
Shropshire |1
Somerset |4
South Yorkshire |Nil
Staffordshire |361
Suffolk |19
Surrey |268
Tyne and Wear |4
Warwickshire |Nil
West Midlands |Nil
West Sussex |Nil
West Yorkshire |Nil
Wiltshire |52
|----
Total |12,606
Note:
Figures are at 1 April 1993-the latest
date for which records are available-and
relate to freehold and leasehold
landholdings, including foreshore for
which deeds or lease agreements were
held. Acquisitions or disposals which
may have been completed but where deeds
had not been transferred, or agreements
not formally signed or determined by 1
April 1993 are not included.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the area in hectares in each region of Scotland of land (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department.
Mr. Hanley : Land owned--freehold--and leased--leasehold--including foreshore by the Ministry of Defence in each of the regions of Scotland is set out in the table :
|(a) |(b)
|Freehold |Leasehold
|landholdings|landholdings
|Hectares |Hectares
-------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |Nil |1
Central |78 |2
Dumfries and Galloway |4,746 |5
Fife |1,322 |7
Grampian |2,076 |87
Highland |2,786 |2,278
Lothian |1,155 |Nil
Strathclyde |5,581 |144
Tayside |1,444 |9
Orkney Isles |4 |Nil
Shetland Isles |34 |13
Western Isles |1,317 |25
|------- |-------
Total |20,543 |2,571
Figures are at 1 April 1993--the latest date for which records are available--and relate to freehold and leasehold landholdings, including foreshore, for which deeds or lease agreements were held. Acquisitions or disposals which may have been completed but where deeds had not been transferred, or agreements not formally signed or determined by 1 April 1993 are not included.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the area in hectares of land in each county in Wales (a) owned and (b) leased by his Department.
Mr. Hanley : Land owned--freehold--and leased--leasehold--including foreshore by the Ministry of Defence in each of the counties of Wales is set out in the tables :
Hectares
|Freehold |Leasehold
|landholdings|landholdings
-------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |322 |61
Dyfed |6,716 |Nil
Gwent |666 |4
Gwynedd |796 |2
Mid Glamorgan |8 |Nil
Powys |12,059 |Nil
South Glamorgan |400 |2
West Glamorgan |1 |Nil
Total |20,968 |69
Figures are at 1 April 1993--the latest date for which records are available--and relate to freehold and leasehold landholdings, including foreshore, for which deeds or lease agreements were held. Acquisitions or disposals which may have been completed but where deeds had not been transferred, or agreements not formally signed or determined by 1 April 1993 are not included.
Ferranti International
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December, Official Report , column 176 , how many contracts he currently has with Ferranti International.
Mr. Hanley : Our records show about 500 current contracts with Ferranti International. On many of these, however, work is complete and they remain open only pending final settlement.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December, Official Report, column 177, what assessment he has made of the impact of the immediate termination of all contracts with Ferranti International on the operational effectiveness of (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Army ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The receivers of Ferranti International are continuing to trade, and my Department is co-operating
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with them to minimise any disruption to MOD contracts. The question of the immediate termination of all contracts does not arise in the present circumstances.Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December, Official Report, column 177, what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts relating to the future of Ferranti International.
Mr. Hanley : My right hon. and learned Friend has had no such discussions.
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of outstanding commitments to Ferranti.
Mr. Hanley : My Department has a large number of contracts with Ferranti International, and defence procurement officials have been discussing with the receivers how the outstanding business can be completed with the minimum of disruption.
Amphibious Operations (Support Vessels)
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current vessels available for supporting amphibious operations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The Government are satisfied that the Royal Navy is fully capable of providing the support which amphibious operations currently require. In recognition of the importance of this area of operations in the current strategic environment however, the Government are currently making a sizeable investment in our capability in this field : the contract for the design and construction of a helicopter carrier was awarded on 11 May ; project definition studies for the replacement of the assault ships HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid are now nearing completion ; and the invitation to tender for the refurbishment of the landing ship logistic Sir Bedivere was issued on 26 November 1993.
Bosnia (Logistical Support)
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what extra expenditure has been caused by the deployment of Warrior armoured vehicles in Bosnia on (a) spare parts and (b) other logistical support for these vehicles ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : I will write to the hon. Member.
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