§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about arrangements for the sending and receipt of personal mail by Her Majesty's forces deployed in Macedonia. [77494]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonMail to and from Macedonia and the UK is conveyed six days a week Monday to Friday and Sunday from London Heathrow to Skopje via Vienna and return.
Mail to and from Macedonia and British Forces in Germany is conveyed five days a week Tuesday to Friday and Sunday outbound and Monday to Friday inbound from Dusseldorf to Skopje via Vienna.
On both routes the mail is moved by commercial airline as this provides a quick, sustainable and reliable service. This core service is supplemented by RAF flights whenever they are flying to Macedonia and have space available for mail. Additional civilian routings are also being investigated.
The current transmission time to Macedonia is four to five days from the UK and two to three days from Germany. Once the mail has arrived at Skopje, individual units collect and distribute the mail to their service personnel.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Territorial Army personnel are(a) currently deployed in Macedonia and (b) planned to be deployed in Macedonia; and whether notice has been given to TA units and personnel of intention to deploy them. [77491]
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§ Mr. Doug HendersonTen personnel from the Territorial Army are currently deployed in Macedonia, and it is planned to deploy a further six on 22 March. At this stage general notice has not been given to TA units of an intention to deploy them to Macedonia. Individual members are being identified for particular posts as the requirement arises. If there is a requirement for further TA personnel a general trawl will be conducted, as was the case for Bosnia.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what units of the Defence Medical Services will be deployed in support of operations in Macedonia. [77492]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonIn addition to medical personnel deployed as part of formed units, a number of specialist medical elements have been deployed to Macedonia on Operation "Agricola" with the main contribution being from 2 Armoured Field Ambulance which is supported by a surgical team and a small detachment of RAF medical personnel. Other specialist medical personnel from the three Services fill a variety of posts as part of the existing NATO Extraction Force, Kosovo Verification Co-ordination Centre, the Kosovo Verification Mission and UK headquarters staff.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Internet and e-mail facilities will be available for the personal and welfare use of British forces deployed in Macedonia. [77493]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonInternet facilities are not normally provided for personal and welfare purposes on operations. The main means of communication from theatre to home are letter and telephone, both of which are funded or subsidised by the MOD. In other operational theatres, where there is a demand, units have installed and maintained Internet terminals on their own initiative from non-public unit funds.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the(a) current and (b) planned entitlement for welfare telephone calls for personnel deployed in Macedonia; and whether such calls will be available through his Department's satellite links or commercial contractors. [77495]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonService personnel, where operationally feasible, are permitted a weekly 10-minute private call home at public expense while on operations. This concession currently applies to all ground forces in Macedonia (and also supporting elements in Greece). Where possible, calls are made using the Macedonian commercial PTT system. In some locations, where this is not available, arrangements are in hand for civilian contractors to provide a service. In cases where neither option exists, troops are permitted to use the military communications network to make weekly private calls home.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the supply of bottled mineral water to British troops in Macedonia; and if he will make a statement. [77496]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonThe majority of our forces deployed in Macedonia obtain their drinking water from local sources which have been assessed as safe to drink either by local Government laboratories or the in-theatre Royal Army Medical Corps Environmental Health 871W Officer. For those personnel in specific locations where local water sources are suspect, bottled water is provided. The bottled water supplied to British troops is either potable drinking water or still bottled water. It is not classed as "mineral" water.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of British troops in Macedonia are currently accommodated(a) under canvas and (b) in CORIMEC 20 foot equivalent units and (c) in other shelters; and if he will make a statement. [77497]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonApproximately 20 per cent. of the British troops currently deployed in Macedonia are accommodated under canvas, less than 1 per cent. in CORIMEC-type units and the remainder in other accommodation.
§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many 20 foot equivalent CORIMEC accommodation units are(a) in place in Macedonia, (b) in transit to Macedonia and (c) on order for use by (i) the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and (ii) other British forces. [77498]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonNo such accommodation units are currently in place, in transit or on order for use by the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps or other British Forces in Macedonia. However, accommodation will be provided, as necessary, in relation to the size of any force and the timing of its deployment.