HC Deb 20 November 2000 vol 357 cc10-1W
Mr. John Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) service and (b) civilian personnel are employed (i) by DARA and (ii) outwith DARA at RAF St. Athan. [138886]

Mr. Spellar

As at 1 October 2000, DARA employed 729 service personnel and 2,224 civilian personnel at RAF St. Athan. The non DARA personnel employed at St. Athan on that date were 669 service personnel and 340 civilians.

Mr. John Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many headquarters staff were employed by DARA at RAF St. Athan when it was launched in April 1999. [138883]

Mr. Spellar

There were 39 staff employed in the DARA Head Office at RAF St. Athan on 1 April 1999.

Mr. John Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost of re—locating DARA operations at RAF St. Athan to Cardiff International Airport. [138884]

Mr. Spellar

DARA are conducting a rigorous investment appraisal of the various options to provide modern infrastructure for its Aircraft Business Unit. This investment appraisal is not yet complete and an accurate cost is therefore not yet available.

Mr. John Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) military and (b) civilian personnel are employed by DARA at (i) Fleetlands, (ii) Almondbank and (iii) RAF Sealand. [139327]

Mr. Spellar

The number of personnel employed by DARA at its four locations is set out in the table.

Locations Civilian Service
Fleetlands 1,103 13
Almondbank 363 0
Sealand 1,070 184

Mr. John Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the annual cost of maintaining RAF St. Athan if DARA were to re—locate elsewhere. [139330]

Mr. Spellar

No decision has been made yet to relocate the DARA elsewhere. Options are being considered, and the extent of any relocation, if it were to go ahead, has not been decided. Until a full business case has been prepared, no estimate of the cost of maintaining RAF St. Athan without the DARA can be provided.

Mr. John Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian employees working for DARA at RAF St. Athan live in the Vale of Glamorgan. [139583]

Mr. Spellar

This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. John Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who in his Department was involved in the appointment of the Chief Executive of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency; when he was appointed; and what criteria were used to assess his suitability for the post. [138273]

Mr. Spellar

The selection board for the Chief Executive of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency consisted of the Chief of Defence Procurement, the Air Member for Logistics, the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Civilian Management (Principal Establishment Officer) and the Non Executive Director of the Air Officer Communications, Information Systems and Support Services RAF Signals and Engineering Establishment (AOCSS's RAF SEE) Owners Board. The board was chaired by the Civil Service Commissioner and confirmed by Ministers. CE/DARA designate was appointed on 1 September 1998.

The Department was seeking an innovative Chief Executive to lead and motivate a diverse team during the creation and development of the new Agency, and to devise a strategy for moving the Agency to Trading Fund status in order to operate on a fully commercial basis. Candidates were asked to demonstrate experience at Director/Board level of successful change management to improve working methods and achieve cost reductions in an organisation relevant to the core business of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency. In addition to commercial experience, financial acumen was also sought.