Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Future
Rapid Effect System to enter service. [148268]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The in-service date for the Future Rapid Effect System will not be fixed until the main investment decision has been taken. The procurement strategy is, however, designed to achieve the earliest in-service date which meets the Army’s needs and offers the potential for sustained operational effectiveness.
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which British companies are involved in the Future Rapid Effects System project; and in what capacity each plays a part. [148551]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 11 July 2007]: UK registered companies currently involved in the FRES programme are listed in the following table:
Company Support provided
Atkins Defence FRES Systems House
Lockheed Martin UK INSYS Ltd. Electric Armour Technology Demonstrator Programme
BAES Land Systems (Bridging) Ltd. Gap Crossing Technology Demonstrator
Programme
SULA Systems Ltd. Independent systems engineering
BMT Sigma Planning and scheduling
Fraser Nash Consulting Ltd. Independent safety advice
Synthesys Systems Engineers Ltd. Independent advice on system integration issues
Cap Gemini Access to a shared working environment to facilitate
joint working between FRES IPT, Atkins and other key
stakeholders
Commerce Decisions Ltd. Provision of tender selection tool and associated
consultancy support
County Cabins Providing the Portacabin village at Bovington for
the duration of the utility vehicle design competition
General Dynamics (UK) Ltd. Utility vehicle design competition
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been
made with the Future Rapid Effect System programme; and if he will make a
statement. [149238]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 12 July 2007]: The acquisition strategy for
future phases of the FRES programme was announced by my noble Friend Lord
16 July 2007 : Column 20W
Drayson in November 2006. The initial wave of three competitions that will
select the utility vehicle (UV) design, UV integrator, and system of systems
integrator, has formally been launched and utility vehicle trials have
commenced. The outcome of the trials will be announced later this year.
Army: Deployment
Armed Forces: Personal Records
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information and statistics his Department records on Service families regarding (a) accommodation, (b) mobility, (c) education, (d) health care, (e) dentistry, (f) demographics, (g) number of family members and (h) age of family members.
Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally in the format requested and therefore could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Protection
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel are providing close protection for EU mission staff. [149130]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: None.
Armed Forces: Training
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the cost of
training specifically for operations is included in the costs of operations
funded from the Treasury Reserve. [148289]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth [holding answer 9 July 2007]: The net additional cost of training specifically for operations is included in the cost of operations
funded from the Treasury’s Reserve.
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces training (a) accidents and (b) deaths were investigated by the Land Accident
Investiga