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Nuclear Submarines
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the arrangements for decommissioning nuclear submarines; and if he will make a statement. [9866]
Mr. Arbuthnot: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Ships Support Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. V. Babington to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 14 January 1997:
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I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the arrangements for decommissiong nuclear submarines as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Ships Support Agency.
When a nuclear powered submarine is decommissioned it is defuelled and any non-essential or re-usable equipment is removed. This leaves only a residual amount of intermediate and low level waste within the vessel. The hull is then stored afloat at the location where it was decommissioned pending final disposal of the low level waste to BNFL Drigg, and the intermediate level waste to the deep repository to be developed by NIREX.
Ex-service Personnel
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has conducted into the time taken for service men and women leaving the armed forces to obtain employment; and if he will make a statement. [10452]
Mr. Soames: My Department has conducted a post-exit survey of service leavers since 1992 designed to evaluate the effectiveness of its resettlement services. The survey includes data on the employment status of respondents three months after discharge. Previously a copy of the then current survey was placed in the Library of the House, 12 May 1994, Official Report, column 200. Three thousand five hundred returns to date indicate that 81 per cent. of service leavers are employed or otherwise engaged in their chosen activity within three months of leaving. Other service studies support these statistics. In the longer term, York university's centre for defence economics study into the "Transition from Service to Civilian Employment", financed in part by my Department, is providing a research base tracking service leavers through initial returns upon discharge and subsequently at the six months and two year points.
Mr. Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what help his Department offers to ex-service men and women looking for employment after leaving the armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [10443]
Mr. Soames: Resettlement advice is available to all service personnel throughout their service. A comprehensive programme of career and specialist briefings, training courses and elements of outplacement is also available to eligible personnel during their final two years. Training may be undertaken either in-house--two main resettlement centres and nine regional centres--or externally. External training, for which a grant is available, may be through commercial providers or educational/training institutions. Service leavers may also undertake familiarisation attachments or spend time with companies to gain work experience or on-the-job training. A separate marketing campaign promotes the personal qualities and skills of service leavers who, in their last six months of service, may register with the services employment network which provides practical help with job finding; and, after discharge, can remain on the register for 12 months. The two service charities, the Officers Association and the Regular Forces Employment Association, which are grant funded by my Department, also play a major role in job finding support for service leavers up to normal retirement age.
Meniere's Disease (Compensation)
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of payment of compensation to ex-service men who are identified as suffering from Meniere's disease; how many claims have been made in the last 12 months; and how many were successful. [10145]
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Mr. Soames: My Department's policy on paying compensation to ex-service men who have Meniere's disease is no different from that which applies if a claim is received in respect of any other illness. Former Ministry of Defence employees are entitled to, and receive, compensation if the Ministry of Defence is legally liable for their illness or vicariously liable for any medical negligence. Information on the number of claims for hearing loss specifically relating to Meniere's disease made in the last 12 months, and how many were successful, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Naval Vessel Tendering
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's policy in respect of ensuring competition in tendering for large naval vessels among United Kingdom shipyards. [10647]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The Government remain committed to their policy of achieving best value for money for the defence budget, and aims to meet UK requirements through competition and open procurement from the UK shipbuilding industry. We believe that scope for competition exists for large naval vessels.
Project Horizon
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on current progress on Project Horizon. [10872]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The next major milestone will be the start of the detailed design and construction of one first-of-class ship for each of the three nations involved in its production. This is currently planned to start in mid-1998, with agreed in-service dates of 2004. These dates do, however, depend on concluding a number of international contractual negotiations, including those on the ships' principal anti-air missile system.
Royal Navy (Alcohol)
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the occasions on which (a) rum and (b) other alcohol is provided free to members of the Royal Navy. [9229]
Mr. Soames: The issue of alcohol at public expense to members of the Royal Navy is governed by regulations and occurs when:
- (1) the order 'Splice the Main Brace' is given by Her Majesty The Queen or members of the Royal Family, or by the Admiralty Board, on special occasions of celebration or national rejoicing; or
(2) in very exceptional circumstances such as occasions of particularly arduous service or exposure, with the approval of a senior commander and, usually, of a Medical Officer.
Consultants
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates he has made of the amount spent on external consultants by his Department's non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years. [10168]
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Mr. Arbuthnot [holding answer 13 January 1997]:
| Financial year | Total amount spent £ |
|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 9,000 |
| 1992-93 | 1,200 |
| 1993-94 | 29,340 |
| 1994-95 | 33,120 |
| 1995-96 | 34,706 |
RAF Stanmore Park
Mr. Dykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his latest estimates of (a) civilian redundancies and (b) military early retirement numbers at RAF Stanmore Park. [10533]
Mr. Soames: The majority of MOD civilian staff affected by the closure of RAF Stanmore Park on 1 April 1997 have been found alternative employment and every effort is being made to find posts for the remainder. It is possible that one civilian may have to leave on redundancy terms by April 1997. There are a further three civilian posts which are required until October 1998. Negotiations are proceeding to see if the occupants of these three posts can be transferred to service posts which are being civilianised. By April 1997, a total of 13 Royal Air Force personnel serving at RAF Stanmore Park are expected to have left the service on premature voluntary retirement during the current financial year.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Cancer Services
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he has taken to recruit additional consultant oncologists and support staff. [9752]
Mr. Moss: It is for health and social services boards, working closely with trusts, to identify and recruit the additional consultant oncologists and support staff needed to improve cancer services.
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to provide additional funding for the recruitment of additional consultant oncologists. [9753]
Mr. Moss: It is for helath and social services boards, working closely with trusts, to identify the funding required for the recruitment of additional consultant oncologists. I will consider sympathetically any proposals from the boards for additional funds to pump-prime the development of cancer services.
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the planned time scale for the option appraisal exercise which is to examine future delivery of cancer services. [9754]
Mr. Moss: The option appraisal is expected to get under way shortly and is likely to take at least six months.
14 Jan 1997 : Column: 235
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who will represent Green Park Healthcare trust on the option appraisal exercise for the future delivery of cancer services. [9755]
Mr. Moss: The Green Park Healthcare trust will determine the two people whom it wishes to represent it on the project board that will be established to control the option appraisal process.
Dr. Hendron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the terms of reference of the group conducting the option appraisal exercise for the future delivery of cancer services. [9756]
14 Jan 1997 : Column: 236
Mr. Moss: The terms of reference for the option appraisal exercise have not yet been finalised.
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