§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what deployments include the use of private military companies' services(a) in Britain and (b) abroad; what the additional cost is of using mercenary troops rather than British troops: and if he will make a statement. [38798]
§ Mr. IngramThe Green Paper entitled Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation published on 12 February 2002, highlights the problem of defining a private military company. It notes that their services may include provision of forces for combat, but much more usually, services such as advice, training, logistic support, supply of personnel for monitoring roles, and de-mining operations. In practice, a wide spectrum of people and companies may be involved in the supply of military and security services.
The Ministry of Defence does not employ commercial contractors to provide forces for combat or armed guards. The MOD does, however, utilise the services of commercial contractors where appropriate and cost effective in a number of areas on deployments both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Contracted services are primarily in the areas of logistic support services, e.g. provision of accommodation, catering and maintenance. We also employ local host nation support (e.g. for food supplies 539W and locally employed cleaning and interpreters). Similarly commercial contractors may also be employed to provide advice, support, training and maintenance on equipment supplied to the forces.
Such services are provided on the majority of UK deployments in some form, and are contracted separately by individual commands. This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to use private military companies' services; in which sectors of the armed forces these will be used; and if he will make a statement. [38797]
§ Mr. Adam IngramThe Government has no plans to engage the services of commercial contractors to provide forces for combat, but will continue to use commercial contractors to provide a range of services, both in the United Kingdom and overseas, wherever it is appropriate and cost effective to do so.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many private military companies he estimates exist in the UK; and how many UK nationals he estimates are employed by these companies. [73953]
§ Mr. IngramThe Green Paper entitled Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation published on 12 February 2002, highlights the problem of defining a private military company. In practice, a wide spectrum of people and companies may be involved in the supply of military and security services.
Royal Navy, Army and RAF expenditure on medical provision in financial years 1992–1993 to 2001–2002 1992–1993 1993–1994 1994–1995 1995–1996 1996–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999 1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 £M COST OF DMS N/A N/A 330.6 333.0 257.7 273.5 291.5 320.16 332.88 348.89 Notes:
1. Expenditure for 1992–1993 and 1993–1994 cannot be provided since figures ceased to be published in the Statement on the Defence Estimates after 1991 when budgets were disaggregated and contemporary records are no longer available.
2. Figures for 1994–1995 and 1995–1996 are the cost of the DMS estimated by Defence Cost Study 15(DCS15). The figures contained in the DCS15 report included primary care costs, estimated at £83.5 million for 1994–1995 and £81.1 million for 1995–1996. These have been removed here to allow accurate comparison with the figures for the subsequent years.
3. Figures for 1996–1997 to 2001–2002 comprise the costs of the Surgeon General's Department and the four medical agencies (the Defence Secondary Care Agency, Defence Dental Agency, the Medical Supplies Agency and the Defence Medical Training Organisation), the single Service Medical Directorates General, the Institute of Naval Medicine, the Centre for Aviation Medicine and British Forces Germany. Except for British Forces Germany, the figures exclude primary care costs. Figures for Germany cover secondary care for Army and RAF personnel and primary care for Army personnel from 1996–1997 to 2000–2001 and both Army and remaining RAF personnel in 2001–2002.
4. Except where advised above, primary care costs cannot be provided without disproportionate effort as they are disaggregated and are embedded in individual units' budgets.
5. It should be noted that although the Ministry of Defence has changed accounting systems to include full Resource Accounts in financial year 2001–2002 (which include costs of fixed assets etc, not reported previously), the figures contained in the table have been adjusted to allow comparison with the previous years.