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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 3 February 1993
NORTHERN IRELAND
School Accommodation
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the schools in Northern Ireland which have located Portacabin- type accommodation units on their sites, showing in each case the number of such units in use and the number of years that have elapsed since the first such unit was placed on site.
Mr. Hanley : There are over 1,300 schools in Northern Ireland and information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the latest estimate of schools with temporary classroom units on site is as follows :
Number of schools |Number of temporary
|classroom units
------------------------------------------------------------
550 |1-5
80 |6-10
45 |11-15
25 |over 15
Care in the Community Fund
Dr. Hendron : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money will be made available through the care in the community fund.
Mr. Hanley : The total amount of funds to be transferred from social security to the community care budget held and managed by health and social services boards will be £24.63 million in 1993-94, rising to £65.28 million in 1994-95 and to £100.33 million in 1995-96. A further sum of £4.822 million, over and above the transfer sum, will be made available to health and social services boards in 1993-94 to help operate the new arrangements.
Independent Living Fund
Dr. Hendron : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have received payments from the independent living fund for each of the last three years.
Mr. Hanley : I understand that the information requested can be provided only in terms of the average numbers--based on quarterly counts-- who received payments, and is as follows :
Year |Number --------------------- 1990 |748 1991 |1,217 1992 |1,929
Dr. Hendron : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money in total was paid out to people in Northern Ireland under the independent living fund.
Mr. Hanley : I understand that the amount paid up to December 1992 was £10.787 million.
DEFENCE
AWE Aldermaston
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will order an independent safety investigation into the Aldermaston atomic weapons establishment ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : We have no plans to order an independent safety investigation at the Aldermaston atomic weapons establishment, which is already subject to independent inspection under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Safety is, and will remain, of paramount importance at the establishment.
Southern Lebanon (Helicopter Deployment)
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what charge will be raised from the Foreign Office by his Department for the deployment of three RAF Wessex helicopters from Cyprus on 23 January to southern Lebanon.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Final figures are still being collected in Cyprus, but it is anticipated that the charge, based on extra cost, will amount to some £20,000.
Health and Safety
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy relating to the release of official information on health and safety issues at (a) the atomic weapons establishment and (b) the Defence Research Agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : It is my Department's policy to make available all information required in order to comply with health and safety legislation at the atomic weapons establishment and the Defence Research Agency.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to changing his policy relating to the release of official information on health and safety issues at (a) the atomic weapons establishment and (b) the Defence Research Agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : We have no plans to change our policy.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received relating to the release of information concerning health and safety issues at Aldermaston ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : I have received a number of representations from hon. Members and others on this subject.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current health and safety arrangements at Aldermaston.
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Mr. Aitken : The current health and safety arrangements at Aldermaston are designed to ensure that the well-being of the work force, and the safety of the site and the surrounding environment are and will continue to be of paramount importance.
RAF Ground Training
Mr. Temple-Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 1992, Official Report, columns 536- 537, if a decision has now been taken on the proposal to rationalise Royal Air Force ground training.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My Department has consulted thoroughly with the trade unions on the proposal to concentrate training at RAF Cosford, RAF Halton and, subject to further review, RAF Locking. No issues have been raised which call into doubt the viability of the proposal and I have therefore decided that it should be implemented as I set out on 6 November.
Every effort will be made to find alternative employment for the staff affected by these organisational changes and action will be taken to assist those involved in relocation. The personal preferences of staff will be carefully and sympathetically considered and all possible measures will be taken to minimise civilian redundancies. Where redundancies do occur, all staff will be entitled to the appropriate periods of notice or pay in lieu and to compensation in accordance with the relevant pension scheme. The MOD redundancy and outplacement service and the relocation scheme will be available for staff wishing to make use of these services.
Attack Helicopter
Mr. Richard Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the procurement of an attack helicopter for the British Army.
Mr. Aitken : We have previously advised the House of our intention to order a complete attack helicopter
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weapons system to replace the Lynx in the anti-armour role ; and to procure the aircraft, together with an associated support package "off the shelf" through a prime contractor, following competition. I am pleased to announce that the invitation to tender, which will initiate this competition, is being issued to potential bidders today.St. Anne's Head and RAF Brawdy (Winds)
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the annual percentage of winds of at least (a) 5 knots, (b) 10 knots, (c) 15 knots, (d) 20 knots, (e) 25 knots, (f) 30 knots, (g) 35 knots and (h) 40 knots recorded at St. Anne's head and RAF Brawdy during each of the last six years ;
(2) what was the annual percentage of winds coming from each point of the compass recorded at St. Anne's head and RAF Brawdy during each of the last six years ;
(3) what was the annual percentage of winds coming from each point of the compass at speeds of at least (a) 5 knots, (b) 10 knots, (c) 15 knots, (d) 20 knots, (e) 25 knots, (f) 30 knots, (g) 35 knots and (h) 40 knots recorded at St. Anne's head and RAF Brawdy during each of the last six years.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : These matters are delegated to the Meteorological Office under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member. Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Mr. Nick Ainger, dated 2 February 1993.
I am responding to your three written Parliamentary Questions concerning the wind at St. Anne's Head and RAF Brawdy for each of the last six years.
The figures that follow all refer to RAF Brawdy as information from St. Anne's Head is not available for the period requested. Wind directions are given in 30 degree sectors, e.g. east' will be for winds from directions between 075 and 105 . Wind speeds are in knots. The information is based on hourly mean winds (i.e. winds averaged over an hour).
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