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Weapons of Mass Destruction
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Strategic Defence Review, Supporting Essays, Essay 5, paragraph 47, when the detailed review of national responses to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction will be completed; and when a summary of the conclusions will be made public. [58142]
Mr. George Robertson: As I indicated to the House during the debate on the Strategic Defence Review on 19 October 1998, Official Report, column 978, I plan to report the conclusions of the review to the House shortly.
Gibraltar
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines of (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the US Navy and (c) other navies have docked at the Z-berth at Gibraltar during 1998. [58750]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The information requested is as follows: as at 1 November, 2 Royal Navy and 9 US Navy submarines had used the Z berths in Gibraltar during 1998. A number of US Navy submarines have visited Gibraltar on more than one occasion and in total they have made 15 visits this year. No submarines from other navies have docked at the Gibraltar Z berths during this period.
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by month and name the Royal Navy vessels which have visited Gibraltar during 1998. [58751]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The following Royal Navy vessels have visited Gibraltar during 1998, up to and including 1 November:
9 Nov 1998 : Column: 73
HM Ships Ranger and Trumpeter are based at Gibraltar and have made the following port calls:
| Month | Ranger | Trumpeter |
|---|---|---|
| January | -- | -- |
| February | -- | -- |
| March | -- | -- |
| April | 1 | 2 |
| May | 1 | 2 |
| June | 1 | 2 |
| July | 1 | 1 |
| August | -- | 1 |
| September | 4 | 4 |
| October | 3 | 3 |
In addition, two Royal Navy submarines have visited Gibraltar during this period. They were the Swiftshure class submarine, HMS Spartan, in January and HMS Turbulent (Trafalgar class) in November.
Army Pilots
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Army squadrons currently have a shortage of trained pilots; and what is the total extent of the shortfalls. [57188]
Mr. Doug Henderson: As at 27 October 44 established posts on Army squadrons were vacant, out of a total establishment of 544. Of 18 Army squadrons, the following 12 were affected: 651, 652, 661, 653, 662, 663, 659, 669, 655, 656, 657 and 664.
RAF (Medical Retirement)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force personnel have left the service on health grounds in each of the last five years. [57161]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The following number of regular Royal Air Force personnel have been medically discharged in each year since 1993. These figures do not include RAF personnel who died in service.
| Year | Medical discharges |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 147 |
| 1994 | 121 |
| 1995 | 207 |
| 1996 | 200 |
| 1997 | 222 |
| 1998 at 27 October 1998 | 92 |
Note:
Based on information supplied to DASA as at 27 October 1998.
9 Nov 1998 : Column: 74
TAVR
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people served in the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve in (a) May 1979 and (b) May 1997; and how many are serving at the present time. [57175]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The strengths of the Territorial Army in 1979, 1997 and at present are as follows:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1979 | (21)59,400 |
| 1997 | (22)55,900 |
| 1998 | (23)54,100 |
(21) Figure as at 1 April 1979 which is the closest available to the May figure requested
(22) Figure as at 1 May 1997
(23) Figure as at 1 September 1998
198 Field Park Squadron
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the net saving to the defence budget of removing 198 Field Park Squadron from the TA order of battle. [57582]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The operating costs alone for 198 Field Park Squadron in the financial year 1997-98 were £179,000.
Falkland Islands
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of maintaining the garrison in the Falklands over each of the next five years. [57855]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The cost of the Falklands garrison in the current financial year 1998-99 is expected to be just over £70 million. In the absence of significant modifications to the size and shape of the garrison, which are not currently foreseen, its cost is likely to continue to be roughly of this order in each of the next five years.
Menwith Hill
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) American military personnel, (b) American civilian personnel, (c) GCHQ personnel and (d) RAF military and civilian personnel are present at Menwith Hill Station. [57316]
Mr. Doug Henderson [holding answer 3 November 1998]: As at 9 October 1998, at RAF Menwith Hill there were 435 US military personnel, 935 US civilian personnel and 416 RAF and Ministry of Defence civilian personnel. I am withholding the numbers of operationally deployed GCHQ staff under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the name and rank of the officer in charge at Menwith Hill Station. [57317]
Mr. Doug Henderson
[holding answer 3 November 1998]: Squadron Leader Ted Sumner is the senior RAF officer at the site while the US base commander is Colonel Joseph Brand of the United States Army.
9 Nov 1998 : Column: 75
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the two radomes which are to be part of the space-based infra red system will be constructed. [57313]
Mr. Doug Henderson
[holding reply 3 November 1998]: Construction of the two radomes at RAF Menwith Hill is due to begin in November 1999 and is scheduled for completion in February 2000. The radomes will support the new US Space Based Infra-Red System, providing early warning of ballistic missile launches.
9 Nov 1998 : Column: 76
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army (a) officers and (b) other ranks have been dismissed from the service or court-martialled in each of the last five years. [58299]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The table shows the total number of Army personnel who have been court-martialled (CM) and or dismissed from the service over the last 5 years.
9 Nov 1998 : Column: 75
| Army personnel | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officers court martialled | 13 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 54 |
| Officers dismissed by court martial | 5 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 24 |
| Officers dismissed for mis-conduct | 3 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
| Other ranks court martialled | 646 | 583 | 414 | 359 | 287 | 2,289 |
| Other ranks dismissed by court martial | 236 | 275 | 241 | 159 | 100 | 1,011 |
| Other ranks dismissed for mis-conduct | 394 | 308 | 199 | 149 | 89 | 1,139 |
9 Nov 1998 : Column: 75
RAF Halton
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms and conditions of the original transfer from the Rothschild family to the Government of land at Halton, Buckinghamshire, now occupied by RAF Halton; and if he will make a statement. [58288]
Mr. Spellar: If the Rothschild Foundation agrees to the public release of this document which is a commercial agreement between us, then a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
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