Showing posts with label Defence PFI. Show all posts

08/06/2009

Object to Planning application for military college PFI

St Athan military academy planning application is submitted 12:20pm Friday 15th May 2009
http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/latestnews/4368173.St_Athan_military_academy_planning_application_is_submitted/
NOTE Susan Dowd from Vale of Glamorgan Council planning tells me that everyoner hasbeen consulted.. the neighbours have been consulted and there are 21 days to file objections from 14th may but they will still take commnets until it has been to planning. Not on agenda yet. objections to
developmentcontrol@vale of glamorgan.gov.uk
Office in charge Steve Ball

Probalbly try to sneak it through when all on holiday!!

1. Development of a Defence Technical College and associated facilities Application 2009/00500/OUT
2. Development at and adjoining the Aerospace Business Park Application 2009/00501/OUT

1. Application is on the Vale of glamorgan website
http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/living/planning/planning_applications/defence_technical_college.aspx

Development of a Defence Technical College and associated facilities
Application 2009/00500/OUT
Plans to create a £12bn Defence Technical College and Aerospace Business Park at the former RAF airbase have been formally submitted to the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
applicant: The Secretary of State for Defence, Metrix UK
Limited and Sodexo Limited,10, Great George Street,2nd Floor,London.W1P 3AE
received 12 May 2009
"Development of a Defence Technical College and associated facilities and works, including 483 Service Families' Accommodation dwellings, military external and field training areas, the alteration and reconfiguration of St Athan golf course, a hotel, an energy centre, improved parking and servicing facilities for the existing spar shop on Eglwys Brewis Road, the provision of a new access road and other associated highway works and improvements, including a garage for Rose Cottage, and all associated ancillary building, sports, community, ecological mitigation and enhancement, engineering, landscaping, means of enclosure and other works."
"Land at and adjoining MoD St. Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, extending from the B4265 at Boverton in the west to Castleton Farm, St Athan, in the east, and from north of the runway and north of Castleton Road at St Athan in the south to land at the northern end of the MoD St Athan site at Picketston and up to Flemingston Road, St Athan, in the north; together with land adjoining the B4265 near Gileston and land at Waycock Cross, Barry."

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Defence Technical College

St Athan

Development of a Defence Technical College and associated facilities

Application 2009/00500/OUT

Site

Land at and adjoining MoD St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, extending from the B4265 at Boverton in the west to Castleton Farm, St Athan, in the east, and from north of the runway and north of Castleton Road at St Athan in the south to land at the northern end of the MoD St Athan site at Picketston and up to Flemingston Road, St Athan, in the north; together with land adjoining the B4265 near Gileston and land at Waycock Cross, Barry.

Description

Development of a Defence Technical College and associated facilities and works, including 483 Service Families' Accommodation dwellings, military external and field training areas, the alteration and reconfiguration of St Athan golf course, a hotel, an energy centre, improved parking and servicing facilities for the existing spar shop on Eglwys Brewis Road, the provision of a new access road and other associated highway works and improvements, including a garage for Rose Cottage, and all associated ancillary building, sports, community, ecological mitigation and enhancement, engineering, landscaping, means of enclosure and other works.

Documents available

Defence Technical College Masterplans

Masterplan Key Plan.

Picketston Masterplan.

Tremains Farm Masterplan.

Castleton Masterplan.

East Camp Masterplan.

Planning Statement

Planning Statement

Service Families Accommodation Site Plans

Tremains Farm Layout.

North West Camp Layout.

Picketston South West Layout.

Golf Club Layout.

Sustainability and Energy

Sustainability and Energy Statement.

To view full application details including Council contact details, applicant, agent and publicity undertaken, please visit the DTC page on the Online Applications Register.

http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/living/planning/planning_applications/aerospace_business_park.aspx

2. Development at and adjoining the Aerospace Business Park

Application 2009/00501/OUT

Site

Land at and adjoining the Aerospace Business Park at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan, extending from land adjacent to the B4265 at Boverton in the west to land adjacent to Cowbridge Road, St Athan in the east, and from the B4265 at Batslays in the south to land north of Boverton Brook in the north; together with land adjoining the B4265 near Gileston and land at Waycock Cross, Barry

Description

Development at and adjoining the Aerospace Business Park, including: the erection of new and replacement buildings, airfield operational facilities and structures; the provision of access roads, hard standings and other infrastructure; security fencing; landscape and ecological works; garage for Rose Cottage; all associated building and engineering works; and related highway improvements.

Documents available

To view full application details including Council contact details, applicant, agent and publicity undertaken, please visit the DTC page on the Online Applications Register.

12/04/2009

Camargue spin/fake support for Military PFI for Rhodri

Letter to Gem on Camargue spin on 'consultatrion'.

"Overwhelming" support for Defence College

My letter (Gem 9th April) pointed out that it was Camargue who first claimed "overwhelming" public support.
That's not "my opinion" as your editorial pen added, but in their conclusion (see "analysis of comments received" on www.st-athanconsultation.co.uk) and based on 20 positives out of 35 answers.

Rhodri Morgan may have other evidence. I asked his office for it on 26th March. As he didn't have a written speech, I asked for a copy of the notes or briefing for the speech.

I am still waiting for it. The delay makes it more likely that Rhodri's staff used the Camargue report and are embarrassed that the actual figures are so poor. Would they or Camargue take responsibility for the gaff?

An underlying question is why did Metrix and the Welsh Assembly Government engage Cheltenham-based Camargue, who were named by PRWeekas the biggest PR agency outside London and who proclaim expertise in media relations?

Camargue have no understanding of Wales of or genuine public consultation, so perhaps Metrix was the driver and we pay through WAG. And unable to put positive spin on the MoD's downgrading of the Defence Academy to "Defence College", Camargue simply amended the title in Orwellian style in their "analysis of comments received".

Max Wallis

18/03/2009

Leanne Wood on the St Athan PFI

WAG - Oral Assembly Questions

Q4 Leanne Wood: What recent discussions has the First Minister had regarding Welsh PFI projects? OAQ(3)1787(FM)

Leanne Wood: We are all acutely aware of the current economic conditions and that the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. The Westminster Government has committed billions of pounds of public money to bailing out the banks, and that money will have to come from somewhere. It seems likely that the bailouts will be paid for, in the long term, by cuts to front-line public services.

We heard in the news today that the Westminster Government intends to provide further billions of pounds to bail out failed and failing private finance initiative schemes. Is it not ironic that public funds are now needed to save private finance initiative schemes? The Welsh Assembly Government is to be commended on its cautious approach to PFI. As times get more difficult, the wisdom of the decision not to embrace the idea of the private sector running public services will become more apparent. However, this Government’s past prudence could work against us in terms of the PFI bailout unless we get our share of any money that becomes available. Will we get our Barnett share of this bailout so that we, too, can build new schools and hospitals?

We also need to be aware that all of this will have an impact on what was meant to be the biggest PFI scheme in the whole of Europe, namely the proposed military training academy at St Athan. The estimated cost of that scheme has already crept up from £11 billion to £12 billion. The project has already lost its lead partner and has since acquired a new partner in the form of a French catering company—

The Presiding Officer: Order. This is not a debate about defence or anything else. This is about the business statement. I would like a question.

Leanne Wood: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Do you agree that PFI is fiscally dangerous, that the Government is under contract to pay for services under PFI—

The Presiding Officer: Order. This is not a debate about PFI. However, if you would like to ask the Leader of the House whether he will organise a debate in which you can raise these issues, that would be quite in order.

Leanne Wood: I am coming to that, Presiding Officer.

The Presiding Officer: Well, it is taking some time. [Laughter.]

Leanne Wood: I would be grateful, Leader of the House, if you could find time for this Assembly to discuss the implications of this latest Westminster bailout. We need to know whether there will be a Barnett consequential for Wales and whether the precarious nature of PFI projects in this economic climate raises questions about the planned development at St Athan.

Carwyn Jones: The Government supports the defence training academy. That project will bring many jobs to the Vale of Glamorgan and surrounding areas. It is the Government’s hope that that project continues to move forward.

The banks are a matter for the UK Government and, indeed, Governments around the world. Despite the imprudence and incompetence of so many banks, it nevertheless remains the case that the banking system must be kept afloat. The hope is that all the shares in the banks that the Government has bought over the past year or so will eventually be sold at little or no cost to the taxpayer. However, I suspect that that time is not at hand, if I may put it in that way.

On the need to debate these issues, the First Minister is able to answer Assembly questions as they come. I know that he will have made his points clearly this week in the meeting of the various First Ministers of the UK’s devolved institutions and the Prime Minster that we wish to ensure that the Welsh budget is protected. (10 march 2009)

28/02/2009

What Peter Collins doesn't tell the people of Wales

Peter Collins drummer boy for Metrix military academy PFI!

Let me raise just a few of the points Peter Collins didn’t make.

Peter Collins just forgot to mention that new labour Ministers have used a sneaky and secretive parliamentary device to quadruple to £40 million the level of taxpayers money to underwrite the privatising of military training in the biggest PFI ever instead of making a ministerial statement. I expect they hoped no one would notice!

So why are we privatising profits and nationalising risk to help huge multination companies like Raytheon arms dealers and Qinetiq who has already been condemned for fiddling the taxpayer? Is he accusing the financial times of being anti Wales?

Pater Collins didn’t report either the risks to the quality of training for our troops which the MoD top brass themselves are worried about! And that was before the French catering firm Sodexo took a 50% stake in the project.

Do the people of Wales want their soldiers to be trained by a French caterer and American arms dealers? Is the Daily Mail being anti- Wales reporting on concerns about sodexo being dragged through the US courts by thousands of its own African-American staff, who claimed they had been discriminated against on the basis of their race. Ir that in Britain, a 2004 Channel 4 documentary exposed the unhygienic preparation of food by Tillery Valley Foods, one of its subsidiaries. Sodexo is also accused of supplying catering at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Peter Collins didn’t mention the fact that the noise levels will be unacceptable to local residents? Nor did he mention the track vehicles ...tanks and such.

Peter Collins omitted to report that that MoD added to the planning permission for a golf course and a field exercise area!

If the people of Wales had the true facts they would NOT support privatising military training or this dodgy school for mercenaries coming to Wales.

Peter Collins Wales on line

THIS week, your Man On The Street has come in for severe criticism for his positive reporting of the multi-billion pound plan for the Defence Technical Academy at St Athan.

The attacks have come from the No To The Military Academy campaign whose members accuse me of, among other things, being dishonest and “chasing fool’s gold” by reporting the economic benefits the scheme could bring, not just to South Wales but to other parts of the Principality.

The campaign often quotes London-based newspapers which question the economic viability of the scheme. Everyone agrees it has had its problems. It would be surprising if it had not been affected by the economic downturn.

Most worryingly, the Financial Times has flagged up concerns about the project.

These doubts have been reflected in the pages of this newspaper, albeit not in the stark terms employed by some other newspapers across the border. The decision to bring the academy to Wales was never that popular in England and so it is not surprising that some there would like to see it fail.

Constant attacks on the project by people in Wales serve to give succour to those in England who lost out and still oppose it coming to Wales.

The other arm to the No To The Military Academy campaign is that it will be run by “arms dealers and war profiteers” and attract “all those trainees from the not-so-democratic Saudi Arabia”.

That is one way of looking at it. But not, I think, a view shared by the majority. The Echo, and thousands of its readers, supported the bid to bring the academy to South Wales.

25/02/2009

State underwrites St Athan defence’s PFI project

Please see the attached which is a copy of document placed before the House of Commons with regards DTR. Mark Pritchard MP tabled an objection today and therefore there will have to be a further investigation prior to this going ahead. It would seem that the Department are getting ever more desperate to somehow give Metrix even more funding to enable them progress. Its looks like they were hoping to sneak this through..... This should be some serious debate asking if this programme should continue if we keep having to bail out Metrix and give them ever more time to try and balance the books to make it look palatable.

Ministry of Defence spends another ￡40m on ailing contract Daily Mail
The Defence Training Review (DTR) is the government's largest private finance deal. It aims to consolidate the MoD's training bases from 30 to about ten,...

Details that the taxpayer has underwritten almost £50million in investment in the project to outsource soldier training even before a brick has been laid has angered the Tories.

Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin and secretary of the Conservative defence committee, has written to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Timms MP, asking him to explain the rising costs.

He said: 'There are serious underlying funding problems in the DTR project and it is incumbent on ministers, given the increased level of taxpayer money involved, to make an early statement on the reasons and justification for these new funds.'

...State underwrites UK defence’s PFI project
Financial Times - London,England,UK
Under the deal, taxpayers will underwrite a further £32m of risk in order to push through the Defence Training Review, the

’s biggest private finance ...

State underwrites UK defence’s PFI project

By Alex Barker, Political Correspondent Published: February 25 2009 02:19 |

Ministers have quietly offered contractors bigger state guarantees as a means of rescuing the £12bn ($17bn) private finance project to centralise the military’s training, the Financial Times has learnt.

Under the deal, taxpayers will underwrite a further £32m of risk in order to push through the Defence Training Review, the UK’s biggest private finance initiative.

The offer was made as the government prepares to intervene to save a clutch of big private finance deals facing funding difficulties, in areas from school building to road construction.

Qinetiq, the defence group, is the lead contractor for DTR, a giant project designed to centralise all non-military technical training for army, navy and air force personnel in one academy in Wales.

The 25-year deal, which has seen significant cost increases, suffered a big setback late last year after an outsourcing arm of Land Securitieswithdrew from the process.

The doubts over its future were partly allayed when Sodexo, the French contract caterer, stepped in to replace Trillium in the Metrix consortium, which was awarded the contract to build and run the academy.

Fresh offers to underwrite parts of the deal, specifically on the design and planning of the new centre, appear to have removed the remaining sticking points.

In an “unnumbered command paper” slipped out to the Commons, the Ministry of Defence said fresh guarantees could be exercised only if it delayed the project. It said the Treasury had approved the plan in principle. The MoD said: “Underwriting the costs of this project is a sensible and prudent business practice.”

MOD Document

DEPARTMENTAL MINUTE DATED 17 FEBRUARY 2009 CONCERNING THE REPORTING OF A CONTINGENT LIABILITY FOR THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFENCE TRAINING REVIEW

It is normal practice, when a Government Department proposes to undertake a contingent liability in excess of £250,000 for which there is no specific statutory authority, for the Department concerned to present to Parliament a Minute giving particulars of the liability created and explaining the circumstances; and to refrain from incurring the liability until fourteen Parliamentary sitting days after the issue of the Minute, except in cases of special urgency.

The Defence Training Review Package 1 Project is a large and complex Private Finance Initiative project, with the Metrix Consortium as Preferred Bidder. It seeks to transform the way the Ministry of Defence (MoD) delivers specialist engineering and communications and information systems training on a Defence wide basis to support better the future needs of the Armed Forces.

In January 2008, a Minute was laid before Parliament outlining an initial contingent liability for the underwriting of an element of Pre-Contract activity with Metrix. This existing Pre-Contract Agreement Letter (PCAL1), which the Department committed to in March 2008, underwrites risk reduction activity up to a maximum value of £9.5M. At the time this was considered sufficient to carry the project to the main investment decision point, however, whilst PCAL1 achieved its strategic objectives in generating the momentum necessary to establish an affordable and acceptable programme, further risk reduction activity is necessary to mature the deal and maintain the mobilisation of Metrix resources to ensure the most effective programme to the point at which the Contract is let.

In order to maintain this momentum a second package of risk reduction activity valued at £40.40M is proposed. This work, of which £32.67M will be underwritten by the MoD, is predominantly focused around the design and planning of the estate solution at St Athan, and further development of the training solution. By undertaking these activities ahead of the main investment point, it will be possible for Metrix to make a planning submission in May 2009 (which is essential if construction at St Athan is to start on time in August 2010). Further development of the training solution will build customer confidence in the training solution, allowing quicker and more efficient drawdown of military manpower after Financial Close.

The costs of these risk reduction activities are to be recovered through the tendered contract and are already captured within the Metrix price. Provided that the Programme reaches Financial Close, the costs will be paid from within the planned budget at no additional charge to MoD. The MoD will only become liable to reimburse the underwritten value of these costs if there is a failure to achieve Financial Close for a reason not attributable to Metrix. This commitment will be subject to a clear Limit of Liability, in total and by specific activity area, with any reimbursement of costs subject to full cost analysis supported by open book provisions. Should this liability be called, provision for any payment will be sought through the normal Supply procedure.

The Treasury has approved the proposal in principle. If, during the period of fourteen Parliamentary sitting days beginning on the date on which this Minute was laid before Parliament, a Member signifies an objection by giving notice of a Parliamentary Question or by otherwise raising the matter in Parliament, final approval to proceed with incurring the liability will be withheld pending an examination of the objection.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

TAKE ACTION!

Crucial to write to the papers so email for example Shropshire Star covers Cosford
StarMail – Letters to the Editor: starmail@shropshirestar.co.uk

Express and Star
Letters to the Editor for publication: letters@expressandstar.co.uk

Western Mail max 150 words
readers@walesonliine.co.uk

NEW ACTION WEBSITE Sain Tathan Action Group (S.T.A.G.)

In Planet magazine there is an email exchange between Stephen Thomas (Director of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs) and Sara Koopman, an academic who is an activist with the School of the Americas Watch, they exchange their experiences of campaigning against St Athan and School of the Amer...icas.

Campaign Objections to defence technical college here

State underwrites UK defence’s PFI project
By Alex Barker, Political Correspondent

Published: February 25 2009 02:19 | Last updated: February 25 2009 02:19

Ministers have quietly offered contractors bigger state guarantees as a means of rescuing the £12bn ($17bn) private finance project to centralise the military’s training, the Financial Times has learnt.

Under the deal, taxpayers will underwrite a further £32m of risk in order to push through the Defence Training Review, the UK’s biggest private finance initiative.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/774cdea6-02ca-11de-b58b-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1

credit crisis derails 12bn mod project
How much will the academy cost?

Credit crisis squeezes defence training
Potential risk to front line here

Private armies will train at St Athan
do you want Blackwater here

Stuart Tannock discusses the disturbing
implications of theMinistry of Defence's
new multi-billion pound training academy.

Private Armies
whatdotheyknow for freedom of Information information
Campaign goes to Open University @ Milton Keynes here

See the Private Eye articles ...AMs in danger of making total fools of themselves!
here. The price is frightful
here. Metrix reloaded
how PFI deals such as the DTR used to hide roughly £200bn of future spending in order to balance the books. here.
Top brassed off
Minstry of Defence’s concerns over it’s own plans to privatise defence training at an academy in South Wales
Potential Risk to the Front Line miscalulation
Defence Training Review Over Budget
Potential Risk to the Front Line miscalulation
Defence Training Review Over Budget

See OU society matters article here
Metrix shambles and OU here
Should the OU be involved in the ARMS TRADE? here OU
OU partnerships with armed forces? here
Daily Mail - controversial £11bn contract to provide training to

Britain's armed forces is in danger of collapsing as a result of the credit crunch.here Plaid chief opposes St Athan Academy 6-Sep-08 here Wales must not be a cog in the war machine - Daily Post..here  ‘St Athan jobs dwindle while the costs rise’ here

Propaganda

The new Defence Technical Academy

 Building the Defence Technical Academy
 pdf  or here

WAG and Metrix sham consultation here

PFI The crunch has come, credibility has gone and the cupboard is bare guardian - 26 Jul 2008

Raytheon want to use training as a means of expansion and arms sales. here

Ban cluster bombs here
Close the US Army School of the Americas

MORE about the campaign

facebook or www.cynefinywerin.org.uk and see also

instructional officers website
No2military academy
No2 O.U. workng with arms companies
Open University loves Arms Dealers
The Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales,

War is Just a Racket: Take a Stand; Dismantle the War Machine; Demilitarize the World! here
EDO's Campaign - EDO have contracts with the UK Ministry of 'Defence' and US arms giant Raytheon relating to the release mechanisms of the Paveway bomb system
Lobbying transparency
Fit watch
Give evidence on lack of human rights & OTT policing here
WAR PROFITEERS
The Five Secret Billion-Dollar Companies Sucking Obscene Amounts of Taxpayer Money By Nick Turse, Tomdispatch.com

Meet the mystery defense contractors that are raking in billions in taxpayer dollars without notice. Read more »
"We recommend that people throughout the world launch nonviolent actions against US and UK corporations that directly profit from this war” - 7th Recommendation of the World Tribunal on Iraq, June 2005; http://www.worldtribunal.org/

What are the 'benefits' to the MOD of transferring risk to the private sector?

Derek Twigg MP, Under Secretary of State for Defence, talks to PSCA International's Matthew D'Arcy about what lies ahead in bringing a new flexible approach to learning through the Defence Training Review. “Partnership with the private sector does give us flexibility, and this is the key point here, to decrease or increase student throughput. The partner will be able to generate third party income from spare capacity and also dispose of surplus capacity. It also allows for a very important part of the role for industry to bring private sector management expertise and the ability to include significant capital investment at this stage. It is really about delivering a modern and flexible learning environment that will be fit for our service personnel of the future.”
Facilities key to defence trainingThe PPP Journal Issue 56 - Thursday, April 12, 2007

What is Metrix? News

Metrix Consortium - arms dealers - unethical - unenvironmentral -
Metrix is a consortium provided by a private consortium of arms companies and educational bodies is made up of AgustaWestland, City andGuilds, Dalkia, EDS, Laing O'Rourke, Land Securities Trillium, Nord Anglia Education, The Open University, QinetiQ, Raytheon, Serco & Sodexho.
Metrix chief exec says: ‘Please be patient about defence academy details’ Cowbridge Today

Metrix spin May 2008

EDS coporate incompetance
EDS contract slammed by union chief Mark Serwotka PCS

Land Securities

Tech Info on Lockheed-Martin's Cluster Bombs

Raytheon in Derry
Support the Raytheon 9
Raytheon by Corp Watch The threat of private military companies...Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Warrior Training Alliance
Raytheon: http://www.landmine.de/en.titel/en.search.output/index.html?entry=en.news.06fd93b824420000 Military contractor Raytheon deleting information on them spying on their competitors and the U.S. Air Force;

Serco & Labour Lord Filkin, labour Baroness Margaret Ford Serco can't even run a play sch eme

Sodexho = Low Paid Low Skill Jobs

QinetiQ Expenses serve up QinetiQ row
Qinetiq PPP & Cluster bombs
Qinetiq US Businesses
Rivals slam £16bn Qinetiq contract This is Money
QinetiQ, the War Profiteer Welsh Politicians Love to Love

Campaign against Cluster Bombs

http://www.landmine.de/en.titel/en.search.output/index.html?entry=en.news.0c661a5b539a0000General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon all produce cluster munitions or their components, according to Human Rights Watch.Download Corporate Mercenaries [pdf]: War on Want's report on PMSCs - Private Military and Security Companies - Corporate Mercenaries: The threat of private military and security companies…..Northrop Grumman and Raytheon are major arms contractors also selling PMSC services. Dirty Dozen Cluster Munitions

Tech Info on Lockheed-Martin's Cluster Bombs

Windfalls of war

Corporate Mercenaries

Amnesty International, Private Military and Security Contractors.

Ending Contractor Impunity see here
The Center for Public Integrity, The Windfalls of War.
Global Policy Forum. “State Sovereignty and Private Security Companies” webpage with documents, analyses, articles and links. Available here
Human Rights Watch, Private Military Contractors and the Law. See here
International Committee of the Red Cross, Privatisation of War section. See here
Private Military Companies. See here
War on Want, Getting Away with Murder. See here
Sourcewatch. See here

UN Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries as a Means of Violating Human Rights and Impeding the Exercise of the Right of Peoples to Self-determination. See here
Top Pentagon Contractors, FY 2006:Major Beneficiaries of the Bush Administration’s Military Buildup

BBC News 24 - Part of Base Training Bid Dropped
BBC News 24 Video Clip - Part of Base Training Bid Axed
BBC News 24 Video Clip - Bases Take Over from Deepcut

Metrix News

20th June Military transfer 'delay' worry 20/06/08
St Athan move ‘may take eight years’ 21/06/08
Metrix spokesman says that St Athan training regi 30/-5/08

Welsh affairs committee welcomes St Athans fiasco!

http://apps.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/councillorSearch/membersByParty.aspx?id=All

Vale of Glamorgan cllrs

The Welsh Affairs Committee Members are:
Dr Hywel Francis MP, (Chairman) Labour, Aberavon
Mr Stephen Crabb MP, Conservative, Preseli Pembrokeshire
David T. C. Davies MP, Conservative, Monmouth
Nia Griffith MP, Labour, Llanelli
Mrs Siân C. James MP, Labour, Swansea East
Mr David Jones MP, Conservative, Clwyd West
Mr Martyn Jones MP, Labour, Clwyd South
Jessica Morden MP, Labour, Newport East
Albert Owen MP, Labour, Ynys Môn
Mark Williams MP, Liberal Democrat, Ceredigion
Hywel Williams MP, Plaid, Caernarfon

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Welsh affairs committee welcomes St Athans fiasco!

Cluster Bombs and Raytheon

News: Officials: Hundreds of Iraqis Killed By Faulty Grenades ..failure rates as high as 40 percent. Hundreds and possibly thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed or maimed by outdated, defective U.S. cluster weapons that lack a safety feature other countries have added, according to observers, news reports and officials……… Britain, which joined the USA in the fight to oust Saddam Hussein, fired 2,000 artillery cluster weapons in the war. All were equipped with Israeli-made grenades with secondary fuses and a 2 percent dud rate, the British Defense Ministry said…….. "The funding for R and D [research and development] in the Army was minimal, and fusing was the last on the list," said Bruce Mueller, a former Army lieutenant colonel who managed the fuse program for defense contractor Raytheon. "They develop weapons, then they develop munitions, and after they develop munitions, the last thing they worry about is how to fuse them."

Raytheon. The company makes the guidance systems for many of the missiles that are sold to Israel and that caused so much civilian death in the conflict, including the 51 people crushed to death in a bunker in Qana.

Cluster Munition Coalition News Bulletin

48 Nations Gather to Fight Cluster Bombs
Explosive Investments Financial Institutions and Cluster Munitions Briefing Paper by Netwerk Vlaanderen February 2007 “Explosive Investments” by Belgian advocacy group Netwerk Vlaanderen
'Circle of impact', report on cluster submunitions New report calls for ban on cluster munitions and for assistance to civilians May 2007
Cluster Bombs, Landmines,Nuclear Weapons and Depleted Uranium WeaponsA report on the financial links between banks and the producers of controversial weapon systems april 2004
The Cluster bomb feeling documentary on investment of Dutch pension fund in arms industry
Banking Secretsdocumentary on investments of Dutch banks in arms industry and other dodgy projects.

Cluster bombs – Skeet warhead - The BLU-108 is capable of integration into a number of weapon systems:

BQM-109 Tomahawk, Raytheon Systems
SM-2 Land Attack STANDARD Missile, Raytheon Systems
MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). Lockheed Martin
AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response (SLAMER), Boeing
AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), Lockheed Martin

The mysterious case of the disappearing cluster bombs
(News/Arms Industry) ...t Industries, MBDA, Rhienmetall, RUAG, SAAB, Denel, General Dynamics, L-3 Communications, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Textron) to discreetly flog you the whole thing.
Who calls the shots?

Download Corporate Mercenaries [pdf]: War on Want's report on PMSCs - Private Military and Security Companies - Corporate Mercenaries: The threat of private military and security companies…..Northrop Grumman and Raytheon are major arms contractors also selling PMSC services.

Clusterbombs - On April 1st an undetermined number of BLU-97/B submunitions hit Hilla, with reports claiming that at least 33 civilians were dead and around 300 injured.

America Cluster Bombs Iraq - UN Security Council - Global Policy Forum The missile is described by the Navy, its primary developer, and Raytheon Systems, its manufacturer, as a long-range glide bomb. Acting Pentagon spokesman ...
www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/2001/0226cstr.htm - 14k -

Dozens of Iraqi dead after cluster bomb attack in Hilla Amnesty International has condemned the Hilla bombing and the US use of cluster bombs, saying that the use of cluster bombs against a civilian area of Hilla ...
www.ccmep.org/2003_articles/Iraq/040403_dozens_of_iraqi_dead_after_clust.htm - 14k -

Cluster bombs liberate Iraqi children - World Notes - civilian .. AMMAN, Jordan -- The Asia Times reported the first description of the cluster bomb attack in the Iraq town of Hilla on April 2 and 3, but as the Times ...
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MKY/is_7_27/ai_111026129 - 27k -.

The use of cluster bombs Human Rights Watch "U.S. Use of Clusters in Baghdad Condemned" 16 April 2003) The cluster bombs that were used in Hilla were identified by Landmine Action, ...
www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3463.htm - 31k -

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