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27W
Written Answers
26 OCTOBER 2009
Written Answers
28W
Number of properties
taken on during year
Total number of
properties rented during
year
2003 1,747 4,405
2004 1,794 5,002
2005 1,793 5,243
2006 2,001 5,668
2007 2,147 6,121
2008 2,271 6,658
2009 (to
22 October
2009)
2,021 6,768
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for
Defence how many and what proportion of properties
of Defence Estates’ stock have been classified as (a)
Condition 3 and (b) Condition 4 in each year since the
formation of Defence Estates; and if he will make a
statement. [295199]
Mr. Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the
answer I gave him on 1 June 2009, Official Report,
column 36W.
For the latest number of Service Family Accommodation
in England and Wales at Standard 3 and 4, I refer the
hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 July 2009,
Official Report, column 873W, to the hon. Member for
Moray (Angus Robertson).
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
what steps he is taking to improve the maintenance and
repair of service accommodation. [295589]
Mr. Kevan Jones: Defence Estates works closely with
all of its repair and maintenance contractors to ensure
that levels of service continually improves and that
repair jobs are completed within required timescales
and to an acceptable standard of workmanship.
As an example, in England and Wales, to improve the
maintenance and repair of service accommodation,
personal digital assistants (PDA) will be introduced to
allow better access to information about the property,
including details of previous jobs. Among other benefits,
this should ensure the right trade goes to the right job.
We also aim to ensure better management of the supply
chain to ensure there is a focus on getting repairs right
first time.
All SFA locations are to be assigned to a specified
DE Housing Officer and MHS Technical Officer who
will work closely to provide a cohesive approach to
enhanced service delivery. They will act as dedicated
focal points for local commanders and will be responsible
for holding housing clinics, getting to know families
and resolving everyday problems.
Armed Forces: Mental Health Services
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
how much his Department has spent on mental health
care services in each year since 2001. [295086]
Mr. Kevan Jones: The majority of mental healthcare
for service personnel is provided through MOD’s
15 military-run Departments of Community Mental
Health (DCMHs) in the UK (with additional centres in
Germany, Cyprus and Gibraltar), which have since
2004 provided out-patient mental healthcare for members
of the armed forces. Responsibility for their individual
management is shared between the single service commands,
with oversight from the Joint Medical Command. However,
each service funds its respective DCMHs differently.
Owing to the number of different internal budgets to
which costs would be attributable, any detailed analysis
of DCMH finances would therefore incur disproportionate
costs.
In-patient care, when necessary, is provided in specialised
psychiatric units under contract with an external provider.
Between April 2004 and March 2009, this was provided
by the Priory Group, and costs in each financial year
are contained in the following table:
Contract value (£ million)
1 December 2003-31 March 2004 0.4
1 April 2004-31 March 2005 4.2
1 April 2005-31 March 2006 4.5
1 April 2006-31 March 2007 3.4
1 April 2007-31 March 2008 3.9
1 April 2008-31 March 2009 3.3
These figures take into account the cost of assessing
patients as well as any treatment programmes provided;
the individual care needs of each patient will vary
depending on their particular medical circumstances.
They also include services provided by the Priory Group
between 1 December 2003 and April 2004 prior to the
formal contract start date.
The contract with the Priory Group has been replaced
by a new one, awarded in November 2008 following
open competition, with a partnership of seven NHS
trusts led by South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS
Foundation Trust. Costs for its first full 12 months of
operation will be available in spring 2010.
Prior to April 2004, in-patient care was provided at
MOD’s Duchess of Kent Psychiatric Hospital at Catterick.
Full historic costs back to 2001 are not available, although
costs in its final year of operation (2002-03) were some
£10 million.
Armed Forces: Training
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for
Defence what the training budget for the (a)
Territorial Army, (b) University Officer Training
Corps and (c) Cadet Force is in 2009-10. [293152]
Bill Rammell: This year is very challenging in resource
terms, and success in Afghanistan must take priority.
As such the Army has directed that the Regular Forces
and the reserves must focus available resources on
supporting the ongoing campaign in Afghanistan, which
means reducing activity levels elsewhere. The overall
budget for the Territorial Army, which is inclusive of
the University Officer Training Corps, has been reduced
by £43 million from £139 million. The funding for the
Army Cadet Force has been reduced by £4 million from
£29 million.
Forecast outturn for the Air Cadet Organisation and
Navy Command Cadets for the current financial year is
£20.6 million and £11 million respectively