PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS FROM PS2 THE UK’S LEADING GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ORGANISATION
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DEFENCE
156 Provost Company
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will issue posthumous medals to the members of 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, killed on active service in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [196299]
Mr. Hoon: The armed forces do not, as a matter of course, make recommendations for the award of military honours to all those who have died in the line of duty.
However, service personnel who die on operations are awarded Campaign Medals. All the Royal Military Policemen who died in Al Majarr al Kabir last year were awarded posthumously the Iraq Campaign Medal, which was presented to their families at a service at the Royal Military Police Training School Chapel on 4 September 2004.
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will publish the findings of the report of the investigation into the deaths of members of 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, killed on active service in Iraq. [196300]
Mr. Hoon: The Board of Inquiry into the deaths of the six Royal Military Policemen who died in Al Majarr al Kabir last year has now concluded and I expect to be able to publish information on the outcome of that inquiry shortly.
The Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) investigation has been referred to the central criminal court of Iraq. In line with usual practice we have no plans to make public the SIB findings.
Channel Islands
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) British service personnel and (b) ships will take part in the 60th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the Channel Islands in May 2005; and if he will make a statement. [196727]
Mr. Caplin: Arrangements are being made for the armed forces to be represented at events in the Channel Islands in May 2005, but at this stage it is too early to be more specific.
Departmental Publications (Accessibility)
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of publications issued by his Department are available in (a) Braille, (b) autoprint, (c) large print and (d) easy read format. [194298]
Mr. Caplin: Due to the lack of demand, the Ministry of Defence no longer routinely holds in store copies of its corporate publications in formats such as Braille and large print. However, in accordance with the Ministry’s equality and diversity guidelines and legislative requirements, alternative formats of corporate publications are provided as and when they are requested.
Falklands War
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Ministry of Defence will sponsor a commemoration in the UK of the 25th anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands. [173790]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 17 May 2004]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him at Defence questions on 25 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1133–34.
Temporary Staff
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2004, Official Report, column 223W, on temporary staff, how many agency temporary staff have been working for his Department in its central headquarters buildings in each of the last five years. [196615]
Mr. Caplin [holding answer 8 November 2004]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 2 November 2004, Official Report, column 223W.
US Military Personnel (Europe)
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the implications for UK security of the decision by the US Department of Defense to re-organise its military personnel in Europe. [187568]
Mr. Hoon: US plans for the disposition of their forces are a matter for them. Our assessment, however, of the US proposals for future deployments in Europe that have, so far, been made public is that they are entirely consistent w