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9 May 2007 : Column 214W—continued
| Governance | |||||
| Responsible agency | Agency responsible to MOD | Location | Title | Total cost ($) | Status |
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which British military units are deployed to Afghanistan, broken down by Afghan province; [135362]
(2) when he plans to update the list of units deployed to Afghanistan on his Department’s website. [135420]
Des Browne [holding answer 2 May 2007]: Following the recent roulement of forces in Afghanistan, an up to date list of military units deployed to Afghanistan is now available on the MOD website.
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/Operations Factsheets/OperationsInAfghanistanBritishForces.htm
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) British and (b) Afghan (i) armed forces members and (ii) civilians were killed in (A) each of the years since the present conflict began and (B) in each month of the most recent year. [135785]
Des Browne [holding answer 8 May 2007]: The numbers of UK military and civilian personnel killed or injured in Afghanistan are published on the Ministry of Defence website:
and are in the following tables. Figures cover military personnel and UK civilians employed, or contracted, by the MOD.
| Number of UK military and civilian fatalities from 7 October 2001 to 31 December 2006 | |
| Number | |
| Number of UK military and civilian fatalities in 2007 by completed month | |
| Number | |
Figures for Afghan armed forces fatalities are not held by the UK and are a matter for the Afghan National Government. There are no reliable means of ascertaining the numbers of Afghan civilians killed during the period since the conflict began. The UK makes every effort to minimise the impact of military action on the Afghan population.
Armed Forces: Casualties
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who is responsible for the (a) policy, (b) administration and (c) operational aspects of the safe return of the bodies of service personnel killed on operations to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [136156]
Mr. Ingram: Ownership of repatriation policy rests with the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel). The administration and operation of the process rests with the personnel staffs located at the permanent joint headquarters and the nominated lead authority, usually the parent service of the deceased.
Armed Forces: Children
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what Government support is available for the children of single parents who are serving in combat with HM armed forces; [130651]
(2) what support is provided for the care of children whose parents or guardians are both deployed on overseas operations with HM armed forces. [130714]
Derek Twigg: Service personnel who are single parents remain liable for deployment on operations in accordance with identified operational requirements. The need to make plans in advance for appropriate care arrangements for dependent children is made very clear to all service personnel but is explicitly brought to the attention of single parents. All children of any service personnel deployed on operations will continue to receive the full range of support available, such as unit staff, specialist service welfare organisations, community support staff, MOD children’s education support staff, HIVE information services, and the families federations.
This support will be available direct to children or, more typically, through those who have taken on the care of those children in the absence of the parent, in accordance with the arrangements made by the service parent.
The responsibilities, arrangements, support and advice available in the case of both serving parents being deployed on operations is no different to the case of a serving single parent deploying on operations. The armed forces are very successful in minimising the occurrence of such simultaneous deployments.
Armed Forces: Employment
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the rules are covering the release of servicemen serving in the armed forces to work for the private security sector during the last weeks of service; and if he will make a statement. [132844]
Mr. Ingram: Service personnel leaving the Regular Forces may accept paid permanent employment while on Terminal Leave subject to the requirements laid down in Queen’s Regulations which are available from the Library of the House.
Contrary to my answer of 26 April 2007, Official Report, column 1247W, Service personnel leaving the Regular Forces may accept paid employment while on Terminal Leave subject to the requirements laid down in Queen’s Regulations which are available from the Library of the House. Queen’s Regulations for the Army do however specifically preclude personnel taking up civil employment in an operational area while on Terminal Leave.
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