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You are here: Publications and Records > Commons Publications > Commons Hansard > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
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10 Mar 2005 : Column 1983W—continued

Military Tanker Capacity

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to match military tanker capacity to defence requirements. [220828]


 
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Mr. Ingram: The military afloat reach and sustainability project is planned to provide new maritime tankers. Land and air requirements will be met respectively by the wheeled tanker, which has just entered service, and the future strategic air tanker for which the preferred bidder has just been announced.

Naval Refit Contracts

Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the competition process for the contract for the repair of HMS Nottingham. [219455]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 8 March 2005]: The contract for the repairs to HMS Nottingham was awarded to Fleet Support Ltd. (FSL) in 2002 following a three-way competition between FSL Portsmouth, Devonport Management Ltd. (DML) Devonport, and Babcock Support Services Ltd. (BSSL) Rosyth, the outcome having been judged on overall value for money.

Naval Shipbuilding Implementation Study

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the members are of the UK naval shipbuilding implementation study; what its terms of reference are; and when it will report. [220572]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 7 March 2005]: A team has been established within the Ministry of Defence to investigate the potential for a United Kingdom naval shipbuilding industrial strategy that best meets the needs of the forward naval equipment programme. The strategy will be developed in consultation with key members of the UK naval shipbuilding industry, other Government Departments (OGDs) and the trades unions. Formal terms of reference are under consideration, but in broad terms the study will investigate the potential for sustaining sufficient industrial capability and capacity, at the requisite level of performance and quality, to deliver an affordable UK naval ship programme in the longer term.

Time scales for delivery and implementation of the strategy are currently under review in consultation with industry.

RAF

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which squadrons will be affected by planned changes to the Royal Air Force. [212364]

Mr. Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 343, a number of changes to the Royal Air Force which affected squadrons. These included a reduction in the number of Tornado F3 squadrons by one (XI (F) Squadron in October 2005), bringing forward the disbandment of Jaguar Squadrons (54(F) to 2005 and 41(F) to 2006 and the disbandment of the final Jaguar squadron in 2007 (6 Squadron)), and a reduction in the Nimrod MR2 fleet to 16 aircraft. As a result of the latter, I announced in December that 206 squadron would be disbanded.
 
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Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for the future of RAF High Wycombe. [220401]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 8 March 2005]: As I advised the hon. Member in my letter to him of 27 February last year, the use of RAF High Wycombe, along with all of the defence estate, is kept under constant review. RAF High Wycombe is the headquarters of RAF Strike Command and it is currently being considered as part of the process and organisation review into the collocation of the two RAF headquarters. I will announce the outcome of this review when the work is complete.

RAF Flights (Ascension Island)

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian passengers have flown on RAF flights to Ascension Island in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [220322]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has no requirement to retain information specifically relating to the numbers of civilians flown on RAF or chartered aircraft utilized on the South Atlantic schedule. Furthermore, the MOD does not retain air travel booking information longer than the current and previous financial years. No figures are, therefore, available for the period 1997 to March 2003. Booking information for the financial year April 2003 to March 2004 is not all held centrally and detail of civilians is not in a form which could be extracted without disproportionate cost.

While information for the current financial year is not all held centrally, it has been possible to establish the number of fare-paying civilian passengers who have been booked through the Defence Passenger Reservations Centre in the UK and who have flown to/from Ascension Island during the period April 2004 to February 2005: 1,481.

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects on UK military operations on Ascension Island of civilian aircraft using Wideawake Airport. [220323]

Mr. Ingram: Wideawake is a United States military facility operated under the terms of the 1950 Bahamas Agreement as modified by subsequent Exchange of Notes. The use of Wideawake by civil aircraft was established under an Exchange of Notes in October 2003. Up to four movements (two arrivals, two departures) are allowed a week. Under the terms of agreement, military movements, both UK and US, have priority over civil movements at all times. In times of crisis, civil flights would be allowed only if there is no operational impact.

Regiments

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has for regimental headquarters which will not be used following the formation of the Kings, Lancashire and Border Regiment; [219058]
 
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(2) what estimate has been made of the value of regimental properties and establishments of each of the three regiments to be merged into the King's, Lancashire and Border Regiment; and what estimate he has made of potential savings from the merger. [219044]

Mr. Ingram: Work on potential changes to the Army's estate resulting from the formation of the King's, Lancashire and Border Regiment is still at an early stage. Announcements on this issue will be made once details have been finalised.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army Board decision on a regimental name could be changed. [219059]

Mr. Ingram: The only circumstances under which a decision on a regimental name could be changed would be when there is an organisational requirement to do so.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) where the regimental headquarters for the King's Lancashire and Border Regiment will be located; and when he expects relocation to take place. [219065]

Mr. Ingram: It is anticipated that a study into the future of the Army's Corps and Regimental Headquarters, which would likely contemplate issues such as locations in the light of the restructuring of the Army and the Infantry, will be commissioned in the near future. At the present time I can provide no details as to what conclusions such a study might draw and no timescale as to when it may report.

RFA Argus

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) capital and (b) revenue costs were of maintaining RFA Argus for the last year for which records are available; and what the forecast is for each of the next three years. [219724]

Mr. Ingram: In financial year 2003–04, the last year for which records are available, £14.78 million was spent on maintaining RFA Argus. Of this, £14.7 million were resource costs and £0.087 million were capital costs.

To release details of maintenance budgets for the next three financial years could prejudice future competitions for RFA refit and maintenance work and this information is therefore being withheld on commercial grounds.

Rosyth Dockyard

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department had with the right hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) prior to the decision to award the contracts to refit HMS Edinburgh and HMS Ark Royal to Rosyth Dockyard; [219732]

(2) what representations were received by Ministers in his Department from hon. Members representing constituencies in and around Rosyth, Scotland, in relation to the contracts to refit HMS Edinburgh and HMS Ark Royal. [219731]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 3 March 2005]: There were no discussions between Defence Ministers and the right hon. Member for Dunfermline, East prior to the
 
10 Mar 2005 : Column 1987W
 
decision to award the contracts to refit HMS Edinburgh and HMS Ark Royal to Rosyth Dockyard. Defence Ministers have received representatives from hon. Members representing constituencies in and around Rosyth, Scotland on a range of issues, including in relation to these contracts.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what basis the contracts to refit HMS Edinburgh and HMS Ark Royal were awarded to Rosyth Dockyard; and what the cost to public funds is of each contract; [219714]

(2) whether his Department always accepts the most competitive tender for the refitting of surface ships. [219716]

Mr. Ingram: Contracts for the refitting of surface ships, including those for HMS Edinburgh and HMS Ark Royal, are awarded following open competitions. Royal Navy surface ship work is competed fairly and all tenders within the same competition are assessed against identical criteria, such as technical and commercial compliance, partnering proposals and price. The outcome is judged on overall value for money against these criteria.

The estimated cost for the refits of HMS Edinburgh and HMS Ark Royal, including the Ministry of Defence supplied materials, are around £20 million and £55 million respectively.

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