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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 9 November 1992
DEFENCE
RAF Hercules
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many relief flights have been made by RAF Hercules aircraft into Sarajevo airport ; how many Hercules aircraft are devoted to this task ; what information he has on the number of flights by other nations' air forces ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As at 8 November, RAF Hercules aircraft have made a total of 193 flights into Sarajevo. We have made available to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees four C-130 Hercules aircraft for use in accordance with Security Council resolution 758. The airlift co-ordinated by UNHCR and United Nations protection forces began on 3 July when one of our Hercules aircraft left Zagreb for Sarajevo. The other three aircraft remain on standby at RAF Lyneham. The information we have on total flights by other nations as at 5 November 1992 is as follows :
Country |Number of flights -------------------------------------------------------------- Algeria |1 Belgium |28 Canada |160 Denmark |18 France |290 Germany |218 Greece |5 Italy |149 Kuwait |2 Netherlands |13 Norway |10 Portugal |1 Saudi Arabia |4 Spain |6 Sweden |27 Tunisia |1 Turkey |21 United States |309 MED du MONDE (Contractor) |1
RAF Missiles
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF service and civilian jobs will be lost as a result of the move of in-depth maintenance of RAF missiles to royal naval armament depots ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Some depot level maintenance of RAF missiles has been carried out at Royal Navy armaments depot--RNAD--facilities for many years efficiently and effectively. Our plan to move more work to RNADs is expected initially to save in the order of 16 service and three civilian posts. Some service posts are planned to be civilianised once the new arrangements are established.
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Sentry Aircraft
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether RAF E-3 Sentry aircraft are to receive an equivalent advanced passive sector system refit to that to be provided to equivalent USAF and NATO E-3 aircraft.
Mr. Aitken : RAF E-3D Sentry aircraft already have an advanced passive sector system equivalent to that to be provided for United States Air Force and NATO aircraft. There is no requirement for a refit.
Ministry Committees
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the committees that operate within his Ministry, giving the objective and membership in each case ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind : The principal committees operating within the Ministry of Defence are listed in a publication entitled "The Ministry of Defence", a copy of which is available in the Library. The current edition is, however, out of date and is being revised. I have, therefore, also placed in the Library an updating paper listing the main MOD committees, their objectives and membership. A number of other committees exist in the Department or are convened from time to time as required, but these could be included in the paper only at disproportionate cost and effort.
Ministry Land
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the sites of Ministry land that have been sold to wildlife or landscape conservation organisations in each of the past five years, giving the name of the sites, to whom they were sold, the hectarage involved and whether the land was designated for conservation purposes ; and what was the type of designation in each case.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
HMS Drake
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to his Department of running HMS Drake ; how much was spent in each of the last five years on hyperbaric medicine at HMS Drake ; how many patients have attended in the past two years ; and how many patients were sent from HMS Drake to the diving diseases research centre at Fort Bovisand in each of the past two years.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The cost of running HMS Drake in the financial year 1991-92 was £27 million. No money has been spent on hyperbaric medicine at HMS Drake in the last five years. A total of 16,976 patients attended HMS Drake in 1991 and to date in 1992, 21, 475 patients have attended. No patients have attended for hyperbaric treatment at HMS Drake or been referred to the diving diseases research centre at Fort Bovisand in the last two years.
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Mr. W. L. Martin
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to pay Mr. W. L. Martin of Blackdown goat farm, Loddeswell, Kingsbridge, compensation for the loss of a cow resulting from a low-flying helicopter on 5 February ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) when he expects to reply to the two letters written by Mr. John Janes of Messrs. How and Janes, solicitors, Fore street, Kingsbridge, South Devon, regarding the claim for compensation submitted by Mr. W. L. Martin of Blackdown goat farm, Loddeswell, Kingsbridge.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : A letter was sent to Mr. Martin's solicitors, Messrs. How and Janes, on 28 October offering a sum in payment of his claim.
Redundancies
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the redundancy terms offered to civilian employees of the Ministry of Defence and contracted employees made redundant as a result of reductions in defence expenditure or relocation and rationalisation.
Mr. Aitken : Civil servants' redundancy payments are made under the terms of the principal civil service pension scheme and the benefits are based on reckonable service and pensionable pay. Generally, those aged 50 or over receive an immediate payment of their superannuation lump sum and an annual compensation payment, in lieu of and equal to their pension, and calculated using enhanced reckonable service. They also receive a compensation lump sum of up to six months' pensionable pay. Those under 50 have their pension benefits preserved to the minimum retirement age and receive an immediate compensation payment of up to three years' pensionable pay. A commercially run redundancy counselling and outplacement service has been set up to help civil servants who have been made redundant identify new opportunities. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member about the redundancy terms offered to contracted employees.
17 Training Regiment, Royal Artillery
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the number of civilian redundancies that will occur if the 17 Training Regiment, Royal Artillery, moves from Woolwich ;
(2) if he will make a statement on the future of the 17 Training Regiment of the Royal Artillery in Woolwich.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No final decision has been made on the future of 17 Training Regiment.
Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a statement on the future of the Queen Elizabeth military hospital in Woolwich.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 19 October 1992, Official Report, column 158.
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Departmental Properties
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many houses and flats in the ownership of his Department are currently vacant in each of the London boroughs ; and how many have been vacant for more than three months, more than six months and more than one year ;
(2) if he will list the number of residential properties in the ownership of his Department in each of the London boroughs showing separately the number of houses and flats.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member.
Trident
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer of 27 October to the hon. Member for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid), Official Report, columns 860-61, suggesting a figure of 500 warheads, if he will now publish the number of nuclear weapon warheads to be deployed on Trident by the United Kingdom.
Mr. Rifkind : No. We have long emphasised that our Trident submarines will enter service carrying no more than 128 warheads each, but that the actual number to be deployed will be decided in the light of circumstances at the time.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Bailiffs
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received on the organisation and management of bailiffs ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John M. Taylor : On 30 October 1992, when the consultation period closed, 98 responses to the consultation paper on the organisation and management of civil enforcement agents had been received by this Department. Some additional late responses are also expected. The views expressed are now being considered, but have not yet been analysed in detail.
Magistrates
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates there are in England and Wales ; how many are (a) women, (b) from the ethnic minorities and (c) ethnic minority women.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The total number of magistrates in England and Wales at 1 January 1992 was 29,441 of whom 13,336 were women. The total number from the ethnic minorities is not recorded centrally but of 2,017 appointments made in 1991, a total of 97--4.8 per cent.--were from the ethnic minorities, of whom 40 were women. All these figures include appointments made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give the political balance for each magistrates bench in England and Wales.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Duchy Accounts
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date he expects to publish the latest accounts of the duchy.
Mr. Waldegrave : Duchy of Lancaster accounts are placed in the Library of the House in late January.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Civil Servants
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are currently employed by all Departments and agencies at each of the grades from grade 7 upwards ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The table shows the total number of non-industrial civil servants at each of the grades from grade 7 upwards, as employed by all Departments and agencies, at 1 April 1992.
Grade |Staff<1> in post
---------------------------------------------------
1 |36
2 |130
3 |487
4 |280
5 |2,557
6 |4,569
7 |13,321
|----
Total |21,379
<1>Full-time equivalents (part-time staff are
counted as half units).
Source: Mandate and departmental returns.
These grades represent just over 4 per cent. of the non-industrial civil service.
Banking Supervision
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to appoint the head of the new investigations unit in connection with banking supervision from a firm which has not been criticised by the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors.
Mr. Nelson : The appointment of the head of the new special investigations unit is a matter for the Governor of the Bank of England.
Banknotes
Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consult the Governor of the Bank of England concerning changing the colour of the new £20 and £10 banknotes so as to avoid confusion between them.
Mr. Dorrell : The design of Bank of England notes is the responsibility of the Bank. It advises that it has no plans to change the colours of the new £20 and £10 notes, which are predominantly purple and orange-brown respectively.
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As well as different overall colours, the distinguishing features of the new notes include a bold coloured symbol on the front, different historical portraits on the reverse and different sizes, both in terms of height and width.Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consult the Governor of the Bank of England concerning the redesign of United Kingdom banknotes or the use of different paper so as to reduce the risk of forgeries.
Mr. Dorrell : The design of Bank of England notes is the responsibility of the Bank. It advises that it has no plans to redesign its banknotes or to use different paper. The existing designs and the paper used take full account of the need for security against counterfeiting.
Tobacco
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 30 June, Official Report, column 467, what is the expected loss of United Kingdom revenues from tobacco duties arising from the removal of fiscal frontiers ; what increased level of tobacco imports this represents ; and what action he will take in response to these changes.
Sir John Cope [holding answer 5 November 1992] : The removal of fiscal frontiers will improve trade opportunities for both imports and exports. However, commercial imports of tobacco and other excise goods will remain subject to United Kingdom rates of duty before they can be sold in the United Kingdom and there will therefore be no change in the volume of commercial imports or exports arising from the difference between United Kingdom rates of duty and duties in other member states.
The removal of fiscal frontiers is expected to result in an increase in levels of cross border shopping for personal consumption. An estimate of £250 million for the revenue loss associated with personal importation of all excise goods was included in my right hon. Friend's 1992 Budget judgment--see "Budget Report and Financial Statement 1992-93", page 56.
To adapt to the new circumstances of the single market, Customs have developed a new control strategy based on flexible anti-smuggling teams. As the focus of controls on EC trade is moved away from the physical frontiers, these mobile teams acting on intelligence, focused risk assessment and profiling will replace traditional systematic Customs checks at ports and airports.
Financial Services (Regulation)
Mr. Rooney : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Financial Intermediaries, Managers and Brokers Regulatory Association on the operation of
self-regulation arising from the Financial Services Act 1986.
Mr. Dorrell : [holding answer 6 November 1992] : Matters relating to FIMBRA and the other bodies recognised by the Securities and Investments Board under the Financial Services Act are primarily for the board.
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HOUSE OF COMMONS
Modernisation
37. Mr. Connarty : To ask the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has to modernise the operations of the House.
Mr. Newton : I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway).
Electronic Voting
42. Ms. Hoey : To ask the Lord President of the Council what consideration he has given to changing the system of voting in the Chamber by the introduction of an electronic system.
Departmental Select Committees
43. Mr. Barnes : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many reports have been produced by Departmental Select Committees arising out of work undertaken by these bodies in the 1987-1992 Parliament ; and how many of these reports dealt exclusively with Northern Ireland matters.
Mr. Newton : Departmental Select Committees agreed to 317 reports, excluding special reports, during the 1987-1992 Parliament, of which five dealt exclusively with Northern Ireland matters.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
East Timor
3. Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 October to the hon. Member for Norwood, (Mr. Fraser) Official Report, column 697, what steps he has taken as chairman to refer the question of human rights in East Timor to the European Foreign Affairs Council.
Mr. Goodlad : None. European Community Ministers have considered and expressed a view on this subject, most recently in the presidency's statement to the 47th session of the UN General Assembly.
Plutonium
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the framework guidelines implemented by Her Majesty's Government to cover the transfer or retransfer of plutonium from the United Kingdom to foreign states under article 9 of the International Atomic Energy Agency INECIRC/254/REVI part 1, on nuclear export controls.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the then hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield on 31 March 1976. The relevant paragraphs state :
"When considering the export of nuclear equipment, material or technology we shall study each case on its merits.
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Our first consideration will always be the provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Euratom Treaty, and whether or not the prospective customer has concluded a Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.Our detailed requirements will include the application of IAEA safeguards or comparable safeguards which are verified by the IAEA to exported nuclear equipment and material : an assurance that whatever we export will not be used to manufacture nuclear explosives for any purpose : an assurance that our exports will be adequately protected against the possibility of theft or sabotage : and assurances that if the equipment or material that we export is re-exported then the new purchaser will be required to give the same assurances on safeguards, non-explosive use and physical protection as were given by the original customer."--[ Official Report, 31 March 1976 ; Vol. 908, c. 515. ]
The safeguards requirement in these guidelines was subsequently expanded by the statement issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 24 September 1991 :
"As part of our policy of seeking further to strengthen the barriers against nuclear proliferation, the British Government has decided with immediate effect to adopt a policy of full-scope safeguards as a condition of supply. This means that in future Britain will not allow the export of any significant new nuclear supplies or materials to any country, other than the nuclear weapon states, where there are any unsafeguarded nuclear installations."
Tunisia
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an estimate of the number of British tourists who visited Tunisia during the past year.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There are no detailed figures available from Government records of the numbers of British tourists visiting Tunisia in the past year. However, the Tunisian tourist office in London says that 120,326 British tourists visited Tunisia in 1991 and that it expects that around 200,000 British tourists will have visited Tunisia by the end of 1992.
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the reports of Amnesty International in March and October concerning human rights abuses in Tunisia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We are aware of the Amnesty International reports and have raised the question of human rights with the Tunisian Government.
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those states that have ratified or acceded to the non-proliferation treaty since 1 January, including the date of ratification or accession for each state.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The following states have become parties to the non-proliferation treaty this year :
|1992
---------------------------------------
Estonia | 7 January
Latvia |31 January
China | 9 March
Slovenia | 7 April
Uzbekistan | 7 May
France | 3 August
Azerbaijan |22 September
Namibia | 2 October
Niger | 9 October
Israel
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to invite Prime Minister Rabin of Israel to visit London.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : As I told the House on 28 October, at column 1008, the Israeli Prime Minister will visit London in December.
Regional and Minority Languages
Dr. Hendron : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Her Majesty's Government's intentions regarding signing the European charter for regional or minority languages.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We are still considering whether to sign the European charter on minority or regional languages.
St. Helena
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy not to approve the proposal to establish a clothing manufacturing plant on St. Helena unless it has the support of the local population.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We understand that the proposal did not gain the support of St. Helenians. It has accordingly been rejected by the Saint Helena Government.
Angola
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken within the international community to help bring about a return to peace and constitutional rule in Angola following the recent election ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have been working closely with the United Nations Security Council and our EC partners, as evidenced by United Nations Security Council resolution 785 adopted on 30 October and an EC statement issued on 4 November, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
In Luanda, our ambassador and his staff were instrumental in supporting the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General to broker the cease fire which came into force on 1 November. They continue to be very active in support of efforts by the United Nations special representative in Angola to consolidate the cease fire.
IAEA
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money has been allocated by Her Majesty's Government to the International Atomic Energy Agency to undertake monitoring work in relation to the non-proliferation treaty in 1992-93 ; what plans he has for the allocation of money for this purpose in the future ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Eggar : I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 1992 at Official Report, column 211. For 1992-93 the United Kingdom has contributed £5.1 million to the Agency's regular budget. The Government will continue to meet its obligations as a member of the agency. Financial provision for the payment of future subscriptions will be sought through the main Supply Estimates.
EDUCATION
Parents in Partnership
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received concerning the future of Parents in Partnership ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : I have received several letters from Parents in Partnership about future funding arrangements. This Department undertook to provide transitional funding for a limited period. Now that the three-year period has come to an end, it is for the London boroughs to support local and regional voluntary groups as they see fit.
St. Paul's Secondary School, Abbey Wood
Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received regarding the future of St. Paul's Roman Catholic secondary school in Abbey Wood ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has received one letter about St. Paul's school and I have replied to one previous question. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 19 October, Official Report, column 8.
Schools, Chelmsford
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, for each school in the Chelmsford parliamentary constituency, the amount of money given to each school under the local management of schools formula in the last financial year and the current financial year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : Details of schools' budget shares are contained within part 2 of the section 42 budget statements prepared and published by each local education authority. A copy of the statements for 1991-92 and 1992-93 published by Essex county council have been placed in the Library.
Determination of budgets for a local authority's schools has to be in accordance with the local management of schools formula devised by the LEA within the national policy framework.
Examination Results
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department plans to spend on the compilation and publication of comparative tables of school examination results.
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