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Army Pilots
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army personnel are currently undergoing training to become pilots. [57189]
Mr. Doug Henderson: As at 1 October, a total of 116 Army personnel were undergoing training to become pilots.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Army and (b) RNAS pilots have completed training in each of the last five years. [57165]
| 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Army pilots | 37 | 62 | 58 | 78 | 80 |
| (b) RNAS pilots | (9)33 | 29 | 37 | 37 | 24 |
(9) This figure is an estimate based on available records
Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will announce the selection of bidders for the Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon. [57168]
Mr. Spellar: The Next Generation Light Anti-Armour Weapon, known as NLAW, will comprise a man-portable, shoulder launched, short range light anti-armour weapon. An Invitation To Tender for the competitive Project Definition stage of the project was issued on September last year and bids have now been received from Matra BAe Dynamics UK Ltd., Bofors Anti-Armour AB and Dynamit Nobel Gmbh. These bids are currently being assessed with contract placement expected early in the new year.
Military Detention Centres
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military detention establishments there are in England and Wales; and if he will list them. [57436]
Mr. Doug Henderson: One. The Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester is used for all three Services. The Army has in addition 24 licensed Custody Facilities which can be used for short periods of detention.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women were serving sentences in military detention centres in England and Wales on 1 October. [57435]
Mr. Doug Henderson: On 1 October 1998 there were (a) 139 male and (b) 2 female detainees at the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester which is the sole military detention centre in the UK.
Scots Guards Regiment
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons in the Scots Guards Regiment were born in (a) Scotland, (b) the remainder of the United Kingdom, (c) the Republic of Ireland and (d) elsewhere. [57589]
2 Nov 1998 : Column: 355
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The following table shows the places of birth of members of the Scots Guards by the locations specified:
| Place of birth | Number |
|---|---|
| Scotland | 474 |
| Remainder of the United Kingdom | 272 |
| Republic of Ireland | 0 |
| Elsewhere | 38 |
| Total | 784 |
Irish Guards Regiment
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons in the Irish Guards Regiment were born in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) the remainder of the United Kingdom, (c) the Republic of Ireland and (d) elsewhere. [57587]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The following table shows the place of birth of members of the Irish Guards Regiment by the locations specified:
| Place of birth | Number |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 166 |
| Remainder of the United Kingdom | 417 |
| Republic of Ireland | 3 |
| Elsewhere | 91 |
| Total | 677 |
Welsh Guards Regiment
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons in the Welsh Guards Regiment were born in (a) Wales, (b) the remainder of the United Kingdom, (c) the Republic of Ireland and (d) elsewhere. [57579]
Mr. Doug Henderson: The following table shows the place of birth of members of the Welsh Guards Regiment by the locations specified:
| Place of birth | Number |
|---|---|
| Wales | 513 |
| Remainder of the United Kingdom | 170 |
| Republic of Ireland | 0 |
| Elsewhere | 25 |
| Total | 708 |
Royal Irish Regiment
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current strength of the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland; how many members are (a) full-time and (b) part-time; how many full-time members have (i) resigned and (ii) joined the regiment this year; and how many part-time members have (1) resigned and (2) joined the regiment this year. [57580]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The current strength of The Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland as at 30 September 1998 is 2,627 full-time, and 1,961 part-time, members.
2 Nov 1998 : Column: 356
The number of members who have resigned or given their intention to resign between 1 January and 30 September 1998 was 75 full-time and 131 part-time. Recruitment to the Regiment was 77 full-time and 131 part-time members.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the policy of the military garrison on the Falkland Islands in relation to the country of origin of lamb and beef purchased for its use. [57469]
Mr. Spellar:
The procurement of food for the Armed Forces is contracted to Booker Foodservice and this includes supply to our personnel stationed in the Falkland Islands. Our contractor is currently unable to supply British beef to any of our Armed Forces outside of the UK because of the continuing EU export ban. The beef provided is, therefore, predominantly Australian, New Zealand and Uruguayan in origin with a small amount from Brazil, Ireland and Belgium. Some 65 per cent. of the lamb supplied is sourced from New Zealand and Australia with the remainder from Uruguay.
My Department and our contractor have been working closely with farmers' representatives and the Meat and Livestock Commission since the beginning of the year to ensure that every opportunity to buy British meat at competitive prices explored. All of the beef being bought for our Forces in the UK is now British in origin, following agreement by the European Commission to allow access to stocks of British beef in intervention. We are actively pursuing opportunities to purchase British frozen lamb and this includes offering to commit to substantial forward buy to encourage competitive pricing.
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department will publish its report on its investigation of the removal of explosives from Army camps in the Brecon area and the subsequent explosion on 1 September 1997 in Brecon. [56373]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The Board of Inquiry into the theft of explosives from the Infantry Training Centre Wales has reported. As is customary, I am withholding the report of the Inquiry itself under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. But I will write to the hon. Member with a summary of the findings of the Board.
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to provide a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon tabled on 7 October 1998. [57989]
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what budgeted receipts for the sale of Royal Navy surface ships are included within the Ministry of Defence capital
2 Nov 1998 : Column: 357
receipts projections for (i) 1998-99 and (ii) 1999-2000; which ships are involved; and what are the total budgeted capital receipts. [57525]
Mr. George Robertson:
Receipts for the sale of RN surface ships were forecast at £10.5 million in 1998-99 and £36.4 million in 1999-2000. The Ships concerned are as follows:
The forecast for all Naval capital receipts (including the above) was £29.7 million in 1998-99 and £84.9 million in 1999-2000.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what account he took in his consideration of bids for the HMS Vernon and Gunwharf site in Portsmouth of the contribution proposed by the bidder to the Millennium Landmark Project for Portsmouth Harbour; [57895]
2 Nov 1998 : Column: 358
Mr. Spellar:
The contribution or cost of the Landmark Project, which is taken to refer to the 'Millennium Tower', had no bearing on the consideration of the bids received for the sale of the Gunwharf site.
1998-99
HMS Arun
HMS Blackwater
HMS Itchen
HMS Spey
HMS Battleaxe
HMS Brazen
HMS Brilliant
1999-2000
HMS Battleaxe
HMS Brazen
HMS Brilliant
HMS Birmingham
HMS Orkney
HMS Beaver
HMS Boxer
HMS London.
(2) how much the Government received for the disposal of the HMS Vernon and Gunwharf site in Portsmouth; what was the highest bid received; and what criteria were used to select the successful bid. [57896]
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