HC Deb 09 December 2002 vol 396 cc11-3W
Patrick Mercer

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training the Armed Forces have received for dealing with a fire at(a) a chemical and (b) a nuclear facility. [85458]

Mr. Ingram

As regards the Defence Estate all Ministry of Defence firefighting units are fully trained to deal with fires involving chemicals and, where there is a nuclear facility, personnel are provided with special instructions and training on the actions to be taken should an incident occur.

In relation to the current firelighters dispute, chemical incident and decontamination procedures were part of the 5-week Enhanced Trained Non- specialist (ETNS) training course undertaken by all members of Breathing Apparatus Rescue Teams (BARTs) and Rescue Equipment Support Teams (RESTs) deployed during the fire fighters dispute. This provided both theoretical training and a series of practical exercises including chemical incident scenarios. The subject has also been included in the Continuation Training Programme issued to all Joint Operational Control Centres and carried out at Temporary Service Fire Stations.

ETNS personnel have not been trained in nuclear incident procedures. Military fire fighting teams would be reliant upon the response of specialist teams from the nuclear agencies in the event of such an incident.

Patrick Mercer

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what access the armed forces has to equipment necessary to deal with a fire at(a) a chemical and (b) a nuclear facility. [85459]

Mr. Ingram

All Ministry of Defence firefighting units are fully equipped to deal with fires on the defence estate involving chemicals and special equipment is provided to those sites where there is a nuclear facility.

In relation to the current firefighters dispute, Rescue Equipment Support Teams are equipped with Chemical Protection Suits and decontamination showers. Military firefighting teams that have been deployed are not equipped to deal with nuclear incidents and would be reliant upon the response of specialist teams from the nuclear agencies in the event of such an incident.

Syd Rapson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if naval personnel acting as firefighters during the dispute will lose their long service at sea bonus. [85412]

Mr. Ingram

Longer Service at Sea Bonus (LSSB) is paid, after the qualifying period, to Naval personnel if their permanent place of duty is an LSSB qualifying unit (broadly speaking, most ships, submarines and Naval Air Squadrons). These personnel will continue to receive LSSB if detached temporarily for firefighting duties during the current dispute.

Personnel not entitled to LSSB can qualify for Longer Separated Service Allowance to compensate for extended periods away from their permanent place of duty.

Dr. Julian Lewis

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the effect of the firefighters' dispute on(a) naval training and (b) naval deployment. [84366]

Mr. Ingram

The Armed Forces will continue to perform their duty to the public by providing emergency fire cover for as long as required. But as I stated in the House on 4 November 2002,Official Report, column 16: there must be knock-on effect for the training regime, and the longer the strike runs the greater the effect will be. We must constantly review the situation; over time it will create problems for effective delivery and for other missions in which we may be called on to participate. Specifically for the Royal Navy, the firefighters' dispute has caused some reductions in operational programmes, notably the removal of frigates from NATO's Standing Force Atlantic and from the South Atlantic, but other Royal Navy vessels and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary remain deployed in the Caribbean, the Gulf, the Far East, the Mediterranean and the North and South Atlantic.

The throughput of vessels through operational sea training has been reduced as personnel have been withdrawn from ships. This means that there will be increased demand for training in 2003 as ships return to the operational cycle.

For the individual service person, the effects of the firefighters' dispute on training and deployment are interlinked. Some training is being disrupted with consequential effects on drafting, career progression and promotion. The Royal Navy is making appropriately trained personnel to the fleet. The effect on individuals will be minimised by giving them priority on future courses; and there are existing safeguards for those whose career progression may be adversely affected.