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disabled people requiring these services, following the recent announcements on the closure of the majority of the employment rehabilitation centres.Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service Executive Agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Careers Service
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the organisations to which he circulated his Department's consultative paper on the future of the careers service.
Mr. Jackson : I have consulted with training and enterprise councils, local education authorities, the Association of County Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress and various other careers education and guidance organisations about the future of the careers service.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many organisations representing people with disabilities and learning difficulties were sent copies of his Department's consultative document on the future of the careers service.
Mr. Jackson : I have consulted with training and enterprise councils, local education authorities, the Association of County Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Confederation of British Industry, the Trades Union Congress and other relevant organisations about the future of the careers service. These are organisations which provide services for people with disabilities and learning difficulties.
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Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to make an announcement on the future of the quota system and the need for anti-discrimination legislation to improve the employment prospects of people with disabilities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : The Consultative Document "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities" discussed the role of legislation in improving the prospects of people with disabilities, including the future of the quota scheme and other approaches, such as anti-discrimination legislation. I am currently considering the many responses I have had on this issue.
Training Programmes
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the main training programmes and numbers involved for each of the last three years on offer to people in Coventry ; how that is planned to change in the current financial year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 14 May 1991] : It is not possible to provide information solely for the Coventry area.
The table shows the main training programmes on offer in the Coventry and Warwickshire area for each of the last three years and the numbers involved.
Coventry and Warwickshire training and enterprise council (TEC) have funds available to take forward initiatives that will provide a full range of training opportunities for both employed and unemployed, including those seeking to enter self-employment in the Coventry and Warwickshire area.
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Coventry and Warwickshire
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |Notes |Planned for 1991-92
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Youth Training (YT) |6,434 |5,998 |4,802 |Based on the average number in training, |4,601
| 1990-91 includes an estimate for national
| schemes
(2) Adult Training (AT) |5,694 |2,761 |1,927 |Based on the average number in training |1,995
(3) Enterprise Allowance Scheme (EAS) |1,416 |1,102 |919 |Based on actual numbers joining |600
Note: Changes in all of the programmes makes it impossible to make direct comparisons.
(1) YT:-One-year YT in 1988-89
-introduction of two-year YT in 1989-90
-national programmes influencing local provision
-increase in employer participation
-demographic downturn.
In 1991-92 eligibility has changed along with the length of the programme. TECs are contracted to guarantee places for all young people.
People can enter YT up to 25 years of age.
(2) AT-In 1988-89 there were seven different programmes, with CP making up 3,357 places.
-All other years include ET and HTNT.
Eligibility has changed for ET in 1991-92 with a longer duration programme being possible, and the introduction of employed status. TECs
are contracted to deliver for the long term unemployed.
(3) EAS:-programmes have changed, (ie, duration, and differential funding).
DEFENCE
Nuclear Weapons (Safety)
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make it his policy that the safety standard required for any United Kingdom nuclear warhead design, under any circumstances, involved in an accidental nuclear explosion with a yield equivalent of 4lb of TNT, should be less than one in a million ;
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(2) what proportion of United Kingdom operationally deployed nuclear weapons are equipped with enhanced nuclear detonation safety devices ;(3) what proportion of United Kingdom operationally deployed nuclear weapons are equipped with fire-resistant pits.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that the safety standard required for any United Kingdom nuclear
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warhead design, under any circumstances, involved in an accidental nuclear explosion with a yield equivalent to 4lb of TNT, should be less than one-in-a-million.Mr. Archie Hamilton : It has been the policy of successive Governments not to disclose information relating to United Kingdom nuclear weapon design.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration the Nuclear Weapons Safety Panel has given to the United States House of Representatives December 1990 "Report of the Panel on Nuclear Weapons Safety of the Committee on the Armed Services".
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what consideration he has given to the implications for United Kingdom operationally deployed nuclear weapons of the United States House of Representatives December 1990 "Report of the Panel on Nuclear Weapons Safety of the Committee on Armed Services" ;
(2) what consideration the Nuclear Weapons Safety Panel has given to the United States House of Representatives December 1990 "Report of the Panel on Nuclear Weapons Safety of the Committee on the Armed Services".
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Ministry of Defence officials and members of the Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee have studied this report.
Trident D5
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had regarding United States plans for a redesign of the Trident D5 missile system.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the United States navy concerning potential redesign of the Trident D5 missile system.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The United Kingdom maintains a close and continuous dialogue with the United States authorities regarding the Trident D5 missile system. I am not aware of any current plans by the United States to redesign this system.
Nuclear Weapons (Safety)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals comprise the Nuclear Weapons Safety Panel ; and whether any of these individuals are external to his Department.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals comprise the Nuclear Weapons Safety Panel ; and whether any of these individuals are external to his Department.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are 20 permanent members of the Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee, 13 of whom are external to the Department.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 March, Official Report, column 302, whether the continuous safety review has led to a revision in the estimated risk of unintended nuclear detonation of any weapon in the United Kingdom nuclear stockpile.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : The United Kingdom's nuclear weapons continue to meet stringent safety standards endorsed by independent experts.
Submarines
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has recently held discussions with representatives of the Clyde Fishermen's Association and the United States navy concerning the movement of submarines through traditional fishing grounds in and around the Firth of Clyde ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I met representatives of the Clyde Fishermen's Association on 5 December 1990 to discuss their concerns about submarine operations in the Clyde area. In addition, the Royal Navy authorities on the Clyde, who maintain very close relations with the United States Navy with regard to operational matters, hold regular meetings with local fishermen and their representatives to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Thurleigh Airfield
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what price has been placed on the airfield at Thurleigh ; when the site will be offered for sale ; and what rate of return he expects to secure from its disposal.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : It is not our normal practice to disclose commercially sensitive information about valuations and prospective returns from the disposal of surplus defence land. Our aim is to offer the RAE Bedford airfield site for disposal as soon as possible.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what time will be required to complete the removal of facilities and equipment from Thurleigh airfield to Boscombe Down.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The precise timetable for the relocation of facilities and equipment from the RAE Bedford airfield site will emerge only from the detailed planning now being set in hand. Our aim is to move expeditiously ; but this will still take a number of years to complete.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence of the totality of land held at Thurleigh airfield, Bedfordshire, what acreage will continue to be held by his Department and agencies and what will be available for disposal, following his recent decision on the future of the airfield.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : We intend to offer for disposal the RAE Bedford airfield site in its entirety save for a small enclave which we envisage will be retained to house a simulator facility.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to retain the freehold of Thurleigh airfield and grant leases to potential buyers.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : It is our normal practice to dispose of the freehold of sites for which we no longer have a defence requirement.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how he proposes to balance the return on investment at the Thurleigh airfield with the environmental considerations of the residents of north Bedfordshire.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : We intend to follow the normal planning procedures in disposing of the RAE Bedford airfield. In so doing, the intention would be to agree an appropriate planning brief with the local planning authorities concerned. This will take due account of relevant environmental issues.Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what scale of development of a commercial, non-passenger airfield is envisaged in his preliminary assessment for Thurleigh airfield.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : It would be premature at this stage to speculate about the possible scale of any development of the RAE Bedford airfield site as a commercial (non-passenger) airfield. This will emerge from the detailed work now being set in hand, including consultation with the local planning authorities concerned.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current written down value of Thurleigh airfield.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Our valuation of the RAE Bedford airfield site is commercial-in-confidence.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he proposes to dispose of any part of the Thurleigh airfield (a) for agricultural purposes, (b) for industrial and commercial use, (c) for housing and (d) as a recreational park.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : No decisions have been made on future uses for the RAE Bedford airfield site. We have already indicated our preliminary assessment of a commercial flying option ; we now intend to explore this and other possible uses in more detail with the local planning authorities concerned.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he proposes to dispose of the Thurleigh airfield site as a single operation or in a number of separate parcels.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The precise nature of the disposal will emerge from the detailed work now being put in hand, including consultation with the local planning authorities concerned but our current view is that a fragmented disposal should be avoided if possible.
Middle East
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he is holding with his United States counterparts on preventing the export of ballistic missile technology to the middle east.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : Ministers and senior officials from interested Whitehall departments are fully engaged with their United States counterparts on this important subject.
NATO
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role he envisages for the Royal Air Force in the proposed NATO ready- deployment structure.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Following the changes now under way, the RAF-- though smaller--will retain the full range of capabilities currently committed to NATO. Work on NATO's strategy review is continuing, but aircraft are intrinsically capable of rapid deployment.
RAF Leeming
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the main works undertaken at RAF Leeming to enable the deployment of Tornado aircraft to take place there ; and whether they included any extension to the main runway.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The main works undertaken at RAF Leeming were associated with the upgrading of the station's utilities, the enhancement of technical accommodation, married quarter developments and the construction of airfield survival measures, which included hardened aircraft shelters and command and control centres. The runway was resurfaced and re-profiled, but no extension work was undertaken.
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the main uses of Royal Air Force Leeming in the 10 years prior to the deployment of Tornado aircraft there ; and what were the principal types of aircraft that were based there or used at the air station regularly during that period.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Tornado aircraft were deployed to RAF Leeming in 1988. From 1978 until 1984 RAF Leeming's main role was as a flying training station operating Bulldog and Jet Provost aircraft. Jetstream aircraft operated there between 1978 and 1979. Throughout the period an air experience flight of Chipmunk aircraft and a university air squadron of Bulldogs also operated from the station--and continue to do so--except for a break during 1987 and 1988 while the runway was being rebuilt.
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