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Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. Cran : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. Stern : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. Key : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. Jack : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 January.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Overseas Aid
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new steps he proposes in overseas aid to seek to prevent future large-scale deforestation in areas of tropical rain forest.
Mrs. Chalker : We shall continue to encourage the wise and sustainable use of forest resources including support for alternative activities which deter deforestation. Countries receiving British aid will be asked to devote more of our aid resources to forestry. We will make more aid funds available for international collaborative forestry research. We will encourage British charities to put forward more forestry projects for support from the aid programme. We will continue to help strengthen the institutional capacity of developing countries to deal with forestry issues by, for example, funding overseas trainees on forestry courses in the United Kingdom.
We shall continue to collaborate with other donors in the tropical forestry action plan which is now active in more than 50 countries. We remain strong supporters of the International Tropical Timber Organisation.
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing for each of the last complete financial years (a) the public expenditure planned on overseas development administration in the public expenditure White Paper published immediately prior to each financial year and (b) the outturn public expenditure for each year, including any mid-year additions to the overseas aid programme.
Mr. Chris Patten : The table, derived from relevant public expenditure White Papers, shows for each of the last four financial years the originally planned provision, estimated outturn (including adjustments to planned provision announced during the year) and final outturn for overseas aid. Since 1984-85, with Treasury agreement, aid programme underspends have been added to provision for the next year rather than, as previously, the year after next. An increase in the planned provision for overseas aid in 1988-89, taking account of the underspend in 1987-88, was announced on 14 November 1988, at column 371.
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Overseas Aid<1>: Plans and outturn 1984-85 to 1987-88
£ million
|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally planned provision |1,125 |1,157 |1,214 |1,263
Estimated Outturn |1,124 |1,160 |1,224 |1,277
Final Outturn |1,120 |1,151 |1,209 |1,224
<1> Overseas aid includes aid administration and amounts attributed
to overseas aid for European Community budgetary spending on aid.
DEFENCE
Emergency Response Team
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual budget for the counter improvised
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nuclear device emergency response team ; what liaison it has with the nuclear emergency search team in the United States of America ; and with which other national counter-nuclear terrorist squads the United Kingdom team liaises.Column 151
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I have nothing to add to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Sir Michael McNair-Wilson) on 13 January at column 784.
North Korea (Weapons Capacity)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the possession by North Korea of chemical or biological weapons capacity.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is not our normal practice to comment in detail on the information available to the Government on such matters.
Nuclear Materials (Storage)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific licensing arrangements exist with the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution covering the storage of nuclear materials at (a) Devonport, Rosyth and Faslane shipyards and (b) the Atomic Weapons Research establishment Aldermaston, Atomic Weapon Research Establishment Burghfield and the Royal Ordnance plant at Caerwent.
Mr. Sainsbury : Since their privatisation, the Devonport and Rosyth Dockyard Companies' nuclear facilities have been licensed, via the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate, under the terms of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (NIA). The disposals of waste radioactive substances from these facilities are now made under authorisations issued, under the terms of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 (RSA), by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in the Department of the Environment (HMIP/DOE) for Devonport and by Her Majesty's Industrial pollution inspectorate of the Scottish Development Department (HMIPI/SDD) for Rosyth. Crown and Government Departments including Her Majesty's forces nuclear and radioactive facilities are not subject to licensing under the NIA. These MOD facilities are, however, subject to appropriate regulation, inspection and enforcement by Her Majesty's inspectors of HSE (HMI/HSE) under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA). Although the terms of the RSA are not applicable to such facilities, disposals of waste radioactive substances are subject to "agreements", made with the relevant environmental Departments, approved by the Secretaries of State for those relevant Departments.
Although safety enactments and statutes are not applicable to defence facilities, it is Her Majesty's Government policy that the standards of the health and safety requirements set by Secretary of State for Defence are, and shall be, at least as stringent as those set by enactments and other legislation for similar civil (non-defence) installations.
The following are the current positions :
(a) The Naval Base at Faslane is not licensed under the NIA. Waste disposals are under an agreement with HMIPI/SDD.
(b) None of the Stations of the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) based on Aldermaston, Burghfield and Cardiff (the former ROF Cardiff) is licensed under the NIA. Radioactive waste disposals are made in accordance with Agreements with the relevant Environmental Departments ; viz : HMIP/DOE and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for AWE (Aldermaston) ; HMIP/DOE for AWE (Burghfield) ; and the Welsh Office, in consultation with HMIP/DOE, for AWE (Cardiff).
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Anti-submarine Atomic Depth Charges
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Admiralty research establishment at Portsmouth conducts any development or defence preparedness research on anti-submarine atomic depth charges.
Mr. Sainsbury : It is not our policy to disclose details of any research work of this nature.
Radioactive Contamination
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of (a) beryllium and (b) depleted uranium are stored at the Royal Ordnance factory Caerwent at Llanishen, Cardiff ; and what safety measures are implemented to stop radioactive contamination of surrounding land areas and water supplies.
Mr. Sainsbury : It is not the policy of the Ministry of Defence to reveal the amounts of nuclear, radioactive and other associated materials held at defence establishments including the atomic weapons establishment at Cardif (AWE (Cardiff)) (formerly the Royal Ordnance factory, Cardiff).
All work involving radioactive and toxic materials is undertaken in facilities which are designed and built to ensure a safe working environment and to protect other workers, the general public and the environment against any potential hazard. Residual radioactive and beryllium wastes are treated before discharge. The airborne discharges are continuously monitored ; liquids are collected and each batch monitored prior to discharge. The total amounts discharged are very small. Monitoring outside the buildings involved does not indicate any significant level of dispersed materials. The radiation doses from these discharges are assessed to be negligible, less than one thousandth of the annual United Kingdom dose limit for members of the public.
We are therefore confident that the storage of quantities of both beryllium and depleted uraniaum held at AWE (Cardiff) does not pose any danger to the work force or the public.
Fissile Material Stockpile
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has recently received any reports from (a) the director of atomic weapon research establishment, Aldermaston and (b) the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces on the preparedness of the United Kingdom fissile material stockpile to meet defence requirements into the 1990s.
Mr. Sainsbury : Future requirements for fissile material are kept under regular review as part of the overall process of planning the defence programme. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to reveal details.
Chemical Weapons
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any report on the chemical weapons capability of (a) Libya, (b) Israel, (c) Iraq, (d) the Soviet Union, (e) France, (f) South Africa and (g) the United States of America.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : Reports are received from time to time on the military capabilities of many countries. However, it is not our normal practice to comment in detail on individual reports.
Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what places, over what time period and using what methods United Kingdom stocks of chemical and biological warfare agents were destroyed.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 25 January at column 653.
Fighter Pilots
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pilots qualified for flying jet fighter planes during 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : A total of 83 pilots graduated to fly fast jet in 1988, which represents a slight increase on 1987 figures.
Chemical Warfare
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any stocks of chemical or biological warfare agents are kept at Porton Down or other Ministry of Defence research establishments for the purpose of experimental research on protective measures for civilians and military personnel against chemical warfare attack.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 25 January at column 653.
Mr. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any tests have been undertaken at Porton Down on any soil samples from the Kurdish areas of Iraq ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The CDE Porton Down has carried out a scientific analysis of soil samples provided by Mr. Gwynne Roberts, a Channel 4 reporter. The analysis, which was given to Mr. Roberts on 11 January, shows that the samples contained traces of sulphur mustard and related compounds together with traces of the explosive Tetryl. We cannot confirm the circumstances in which these samples were collected, but have no reason to doubt Mr. Roberts' account that these were collected in northern Iraq. The Government believe that this, following previous indications, amounts to convincing evidence that chemical weapons have been used by Iraq against their Kurdish population.
Military Construction Projects
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list military construction projects in the United Kingdom that are used in support of (a) British forces and (b) United States forces that are to be funded in whole or in part by NATO infrastructure funds from NATO slices 41 and 42.
Mr. Neubert : The composition of NATO infrastructure slices 41 and 42 will not be agreed until December 1989 and December 1990 respectively.
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Military Exercises (Noise and Damage)
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken since 1986 to lessen the effects of the firing of guns on the Castlemartin range, Pembrokeshire on the range's neighbour ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : A number of measures have been adopted in an effort to reduce the effects of firing at Castlemartin range on the local community. When weather conditions are likely to attenuate firing, noise limitations are placed on the types of ammunition which may be fired and firing on certain areas of the range is prohibited. Night firing is restricted to two hours only between 1830 hours and 2359 hours according to the season and may take place on only two non-consecutive nights per week and not on Fridays, weekends or public holidays ; only the quieter ammunition may be fired. Castlemartin is an extremely important training facility for tank units of the British and Federal German armies. Live firing is an indispensible part of troop training and Castlemartin is one of the few places where this can be done.
Nevertheless, the range authorities maintain close liaison with the local community and seek to do all that is possible, given training needs, to lessen the burden on those living close to the range.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any compensation is paid by his Department in respect of damage caused to civilian properties as a result of vibration from British or West German military guns or aircraft in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : The Ministry of Defence deals with, and, where appropriate, settles, third party claims for compensation for loss of or damage to property in this country arising from the on-duty activities of the United Kingdom's armed forces. The Ministry also deals, under the terms of article VIII of the NATO status of forces agreement (Cmnd. 9363), with claims arising from on-duty activities of the armed forces of other NATO member nations training in this country.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the types of British and West German tank together with their gun calibre used on the Castlemartin range, Pembrokeshire, since 1959, with the dates when new types of tank were introduced.
Mr. Neubert : The following types of tank have been used on the Castlemartin range since 1959.
German |Date -------------------------------------------- M48 |90mm gun |1961-67 Leapoard 1 |105mm gun |1968-69 M48 |90mm gun |1970-73 Leapoard 1 |105mm gun |1974-75 M48 |90mm gun |1976-79 Leopard 1 |105 mm gun|1980-85 Leopard 2 |120 mm gun|1986-date Note: The Federal Republic of Germany first made use of the facilities at Castlemartin in 1961.
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German |Date -------------------------------------------- M48 |90mm gun |1961-67 Leapoard 1 |105mm gun |1968-69 M48 |90mm gun |1970-73 Leapoard 1 |105mm gun |1974-75 M48 |90mm gun |1976-79 Leopard 1 |105 mm gun|1980-85 Leopard 2 |120 mm gun|1986-date Note: The Federal Republic of Germany first made use of the facilities at Castlemartin in 1961.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any arrangements exist for the provision of finance or other assistance for sound insulation of civilian properties adjacent to military ranges in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : The Ministry of Defence has no arrangements for the provision of finance or other assistance for the sound insulation of civilian properties adjacent to military ranges in the United Kingdom. As with all military activities, however, where a reasonable connection can be made between an activity and specific damage or loss, the Ministry of Defence would be prepared to consider individual claims.
ENERGY
Ministerial Advisers (Salaries)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total expenditure on salaries of ministerial advisers in his Department for each completed year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Parkinson : The ministerial advisers appointed in my Department since 1979 are as follows :
1979 Mr. M. Portillo
1983 Ms. L. Rouse
1987 Mr. J. Derrick
1989 Mr. N. D. Martin
It is not the practice to reveal the salaries of advisers as they are individually negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and are therefore confidential. The length of appointment for each adviser varied.
Nuclear Reactors
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy for how long the Didcot Pluto reactors at Harwell have been in use ; if any United Kingdom reactor has been in use longer ; what (a) primary containment or (b) secondary shutdown system exists in these reactors ; what assessment he has made of the safety of these reactors and of the possibility of a melt- down accident ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The UKAEA's reactors Dido and Pluto were commissioned in 1956 and 1957 respectively, contemporary with the first United Kingdom commercial power reactors. On the matters raised by the hon. Member relating to the design of the reactors, I have asked the chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to write to him.
The Health and Safety Executive carried out a safety audit of Dido and Pluto in late 1987. This audit considered all aspects of the safety of the reactors and concluded that the two reactors were safe for current operation, but the HSE made a number of recommendations with which the authority would have to comply to provide justification for operation beyond 1989. The AEA have accepted all the recommendations, the timely implementation of which the HSE will continue to monitor closely.
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Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make available to the public the full report of inspections carried out by the nuclear installations inspectorate towards the end of 1987 on the Didcot Pluto reactors at Harwell.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The technical commentaries on plant operation and arrangements which the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate produced in the course of its review were not prepared with a view to future publication. They include information of a commercially sensitive nature which it would not be appropriate to publish. The conclusions and recommendations arising from the audit were published by the HSE in a press notice dated 21 June 1988 a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.
Offshore Installations (Safety)
Mr. Greg Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made regarding proposals for the application off shore of regulations dealing with safety representatives and safety committees.
Mr. Peter Morrison : A consultative document containing our proposals for a set of regulations to deal with the election of safety representatives and for the formation of safety committees on offshore installations has been issued today. Copies of these proposals are available in the Libraries of the House.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Private Bill Procedure
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received other than from hon. and right hon. Members urging an early debate of the report of the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedure.
Mr. Wakeham : I have received no such representations.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the private bills laid before the House since 1979 and indicate which have been enacted.
Mr. Wakeham : The information requested is as follows :
Bills presented after 27 November 1979
Alexandra Park and Palace [Lords]
*Bangor Market [Lords]
*British Olivetti Limited [Lords]
*British Railways
*British Railways (Castlefield)
*British Transport Docks
*Clifton Suspension Bridge
*County of Kent [Lords]
*Derbyshire [Lords]
*Eagle & Globe Steel Limited [Lords]
*Eastbourne Harbour [Lords]
*East Sussex [Lords]
*Edward Berry and Doris Eilleen Ward (Marriage Enabling) [Lords]
*Falmouth Container Terminal
*Felixstowe Dock and Railway (No. 2) (Late Bill)
*Friends Meeting House (Reigate) [Lords]
*Greater London Council (General Powers) (No. 2)
*Greater London Council (Money) (No. 2)
*Humberside [Lords]
*London Transport (No. 2)
Portsmouth City Council
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