House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 27 Nov 1996 (pt 3)

Hawk Aircraft (Training)

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities are made available by his Department for training on Hawk aircraft in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) England. [5913]

Mr. Soames: Facilities for training on Hawk aircraft are centred at RAF Valley in north Wales. In addition to the facilities based at the station and its relief landing ground at RAF Mona, the students make use of United Kingdom airspace and may deploy to suitable airfields throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The students also use the weapons range at RAF Pembrey in south Wales.

Sea Cadets

27 Nov 1996 : Column: 237

Mr. Soames: The total number of cadets, including juniors, in the Sea Cadets in each year was as follows:

1993: 16,464
1994: 16,233
1995: 15,531
1996: 15,697.
Note:
these figures are at 31 March each year.

Air Training Corps

Mr. Mans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of commissioned reserve officers serving with the Air Training Corps in (a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995; and what is the present number. [6244]

Mr. Soames: The total number of commissioned reserve officers serving with the Air Training Corps in 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as follows:

As at 31 March 1993: 2,929
As at 31 March 1994: 2,944
As at 31 March 1995: 2,984.

The most recent centrally held figure which relates to 31 March 1996, is 2,981.

Mr. Mans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of running the Air Training Corps in (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95 and (c) 1995-96; and what is the estimated cost of running the corps in this financial year at 1996 prices. [6242]

Mr. Soames: The total cost of running the Air Training Corps in the last three financial years was as follows:

FY 1993-94: £19.0 million
FY 1994-95: £19.8 million
FY 1995-96: £21.0 million

The estimated cost of running the Air Training Corps in financial year 1996-97 is currently £18.7 million.

Mr. Soames: The total number of squadrons in the Air Training Corps in 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as follows:

As at 31 March 1993: 928
As at 31 March 1994: 928
As at 31 March 1995: 927.

There are currently 928 Air Training Corps squadrons.

Mr. Mans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of civilian instructors serving with the Air Training Corps in (a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995; and what is the number currently serving. [6243]

Mr. Soames: The total number of civilian instructors serving with the Air Training Corps in 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as follows:

As at 31 March 1993: 4,556
As at 31 March 1994: 4,656
As at 31 March 1995: 4,603.

The most recent centrally held figure, which relates to 31 March 1996, is 4,662.

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Mr. Soames: The total number of cadets in the Air Training Corps in 1993, 1994 and 1995 was as follows:

As at 31 March 1993: 35,381
As at 31 March 1994: 35,474
As at 31 March 1995: 35,343.

The most recent centrally held figure, which relates to 31 March 1996, is 34,528.

Army Cadet Force

Mr. Soames: The average total number of cadets in the Army Cadet Force in 1993, 1994 and 1995 was 40,281, 40,786 and 40,181 respectively. The current number is 39,652.

Bosnia

Mr. Congdon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the United Kingdom has for a contribution to a successor to the implementation force; and if he will make a statement. [6775]

Mr. Portillo: The international community is still developing its political strategy for Bosnia in 1997 and it remains too early to make any final decisions, but it seems increasingly likely that a military presence will be required to support the continuing civilian effort.

The Government have therefore decided that, in principle, the UK is prepared to make a contribution of some 5,000 ground troops to such a force, subject to the outcome of the London conference, to a satisfactory military plan being developed by NATO and to appropriate contributions from our major allies.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Magna Steel Project

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what representations she has received in connection with the Magna Steel heritage project in Templeborough, Rotherham; [3914]

Mr. Sproat: I have received no such representations.

Computers

Mr. Hoon: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many separate computer programmes her Department operates. [5513]

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Mr. Sproat: There is no universal definition of what constitutes a computer programme. Assuming a programme is a complete application, the Department of National Heritage operates 96 separate computer programmes.

Women

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps she is taking to measure and evaluate the effect of her Department's policies on women. [5492]

Mr. Sproat: In July of this year, the model guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment was revised and circulated at Cabinet level for Departments to adapt to their own circumstances. A copy was placed in the Library of the House. This guidance requires officials to identify policy issues which might impact differently on women and men, to assess whether this is justified in policy terms, and to adjust the policy if it is not. My permanent secretary wrote to all senior officials in my Department in July about policy appraisal and the need for the Department and its sponsored bodies to reflect the guidance in future. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to monitor the effect of this guidance.

The recent Government report "One year On" outlines action taken by the Government to benefit women since the world conference on women, and also includes baseline statistics against which future progress can be measured.

Mr. Hoon: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many lines of computer code there are in her Department's computer systems. [5512]

Mr. Sproat: The Department uses a number of proprietary software packages and, for these, information on the number of programmes or lines of source code is known only to the supplier. An inventory is being carried out of that bespoke software which is likely still to be in use in 2000.

Amsterdam Wreck

Sir Cranley Onslow: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the most recent occasion on which her Department discussed the wreck of the Amsterdam with the Dutch Government; what assurances she was then given that the Dutch recognise their responsibility for the protection of the wreck and intend to take appropriate action to that end; and if she will make a statement. [6300]

Mr. Sproat: An official from the Department of National Heritage met an official from the Dutch embassy on 16 October to discuss the Amsterdam. The matter has also been discussed more recently on the telephone. The Amsterdam is the property of the Dutch Government and, therefore, responsibility for decisions about the future of the site rests primarily with them. The Dutch Government are currently considering the most appropriate course of action for the site.

Trafalgar Square

Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the cost to her Department of (a) the ceremony and (b) the reception for the

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switching on of the new lighting in Trafalgar square in 1995; and on how many occasions her officials and their families received hospitality from the sponsors of the new lighting. [6260]

Mr. Sproat [holding answer 26 November 1996]: The cost to the Department was £13,463 for the ceremony and £6,839 for the reception which marked the switching on of the new Trafalgar square lighting scheme by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in November 1995. A departmental official had one working lunch with the sponsor beforehand, in order to discuss the project.

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