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Derelict Land

Mr. Kirkhope : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources are being made available under the derelict land programme in 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier : The resources available for derelict land reclamation under the derelict land programme will be £67.182 million in 1989-90, we expect that about 900 hectares of land will be reclaimed by the programme in 1989-90 thus maintaining the momentum of the programme which, since 1979, has funded the reclamation


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of more than 11,000 hectares of derelict land. In addition, urban development corporations are now tackling some of the most extensive areas of dereliction and city grant is also helping redevelop derelict sites in inner city areas.

As in previous years more than 90 per cent. of derelict land grant will be spent in the northern and midlands regions. We have given particular priority to Yorkshire and Humberside and the west midlands. We are providing £12 million to the Yorkshire and Humberside region to increase the attack on persistent dereliction. £13 million is allocated to the west midlands and of this £6 million is intended to continue the investigative and remedial work on old limestone workings in the black country. Overall the allocations include more than £12 million for coal mining and related dereliction, a further increase on last year's record expenditure.

We are approving a new rolling programme for the joint local authority initiative in the Dearne valley in south Yorkshire. Existing rolling programme status for the lower Don valley (Sheffield) and Preston docks is to cease. We are also introducing triennial reviews for all rolling programmes and major projects and under these arrangements the present programmes in Wigan, north-east Lancashire, Wirral, Normanby park, Corby and the black country will be examined with the local authorities in the course of 1989 and targets set for completion of their work. Total expenditure on the 13 local authority rolling programmes approved for 1989- 90 will be nearly £19 million.

The allocations will permit completion of work on the major reclamation of the Consett steelworks and the 1990 Gateshead garden festival site. Progress will be maintained in Corby, Wigan and the black country and on the exciting private sector Meadowhall development in Sheffield. A start should be made on the BICC site in Knowsley.

In general, priorities for derelict land reclamation remain as set out in the department's circular 28/85, "Reclamation and Reuse of Derelict Land". This stressed the importance of schemes designed to reclaim urban, especially inner city, land for housing and industrial and commercial uses. These priorities will be reflected in the schemes that will be supported in 1989-90.

However, as I announced on 20 July 1988, I have undertaken to review priorities for derelict land reclamation in the light of the findings of the 1988 derelict land survey. In doing so we shall also have regard to the recent report of the National Audit Office on derelict land grant and to the forthcoming report of the Public Accounts Committee. Officials are already engaged on the review with terms of reference

"to review the causes and incidence of derelict land and the measures needed to deal with it and to prevent dereliction in future having regard to value for money."

If changes are proposed to policies or procedures for the reclamation of derelict land then a consultation paper will be published before firm decisions are taken.

Endangered Species

Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to publish the results of his monitoring of progress in the implementation of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1985.


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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 6 February 1989] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 3 February at column 43.

Pesticides

Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the number and location of breaches of the maximum admissible concentration of single and mixed pesticides in water reported by the Anglian water authority.

Mr. Moynihan : Last year sample analyses indicated that there had been some breaches of the precautionary standard for pesticides in drinking water in some supplies provided by the Anglian water authority. However, all were within levels considered acceptable by medical advisers.

Correspondence

Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to reply to the letter of 22 December 1988 from the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury relating to clause 7(5) of the Water Bill.

Mr. Moynihan : I have sent the hon. Member a reply today.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Agricultural and Food Research Council

Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, following the recommendations of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, he will amend the method of funding of the Agricultural and Food Research Council so as to distinguish between the funding of food research in the public interest and work of direct benefit to industry ; and if he will direct the Agricultural and Food Research Council to ensure that its Bristol laboratory remains open and intact.

Mr. Ryder : The Government have made their position clear on the removal of public support for near market research and that is already reflected in the commissions which my Department places with the Agriculture and Food Research Council. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science is responsible in this House for matters directly affecting the research councils.

Public Appeals

Dr. Thomas : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will specify each donation made by his Department in response to public appeals for financial aid during each financial year since 1979-80.

Mr. MacGregor : It is not usual for my Ministry to make donations to public appeals for financial aid but the Ministry has on occasion been prepared to sponsor projects within the purview of such appeals. The most recent example has been a £50K sponsorship of a project within the ambit of the British Food and Farming 1989 appeal. Identification of examples for the period back to 1979-80 could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.


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Nutritional Labelling

Mr. Shersby : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has made to proposals by the European Commission for revised nutritional labelling ; and if he will make it his policy to resist any extension of the four principal nutrients now recommended for use in the United Kingdom and specified in Codex Alimentarious.

Mr. Ryder : The European Commission's proposals on nutrition labelling are currently under discussion at Council working group level. I am aware of the food industry's view that nutrition labelling should be restricted to energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat with optional declarations of other nutrients, as recommended by the Codex Alimentarius.

Potato Marketing

Mr. Shersby : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to complete his review of potato marketing policy ; and if he will ensure that in relation to any proposals he makes for change in the existing arrangements, producers, users and consumers will be brought together to develop a strategy which ensures that the market need is met.

Mr. Ryder : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering and evaluating the responses to the consultation document in September 1988, including comments on the suggestion that non-producer interests should be represented in market management decisions. We are not yet in a position to say when this process will be completed, but a decision will not be unduly delayed.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give, for each year since its introduction (a) the total amount of conservation grants paid under the

environmentally sensitive areas scheme and (b) the total amount of funding received from the European Economic Community for conservation grants under the environmentally sensitive areas scheme.

Mr. Ryder : In the financial year 1987-88 the payments made under the ESA schemes in England amounted to £2.944 million. Our estimate of expenditure in the current financial year is £8.3 million. Information on funding received from the European Economic Community towards the ESA expenditure in 1987 is not yet available.

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report (a) the total extent in hectares, of each environmentally sensitive area, (b) the extent of agricultural land within each environmentally sensitive area, (c) the number of farmers eligible to enter into management agreements on each environmentally sensitive areas, (d) of the number of agreements concluded with farmers in each environmentally sensitive area and (e) the total area of land covered by agreements in each environmentally sensitive area.

Mr. Ryder : The total area in hectares of each environmentally sensitive area in England is as follows :


                          |Hectares         

--------------------------------------------

Broads                    |29,870           

Somerset Levels and Moors |26,970           

South Downs               |53,340           

Pennine Dales             |15,900           

West Penwith              |7,210            

Breckland                 |94,030           

North Peak                |50,250           

Suffolk River Valleys     |32,150           

Shropshire Borders        |21,000           

Test Valley               |2,690            

The figures are provisional and subject to minor amendment when final measurement and checking has been completed. The extent of agricultural land in each environmentally sensitive area is still being measured. Information on the number of farmers eligible to enter the environmentally sensitive area scheme in each area is not available.

The number of agreements concluded in 1987 and total area of land covered in each environmentally sensitive area together with applications and agreements for 1988 are as follows :


                       Agreements 1987             Applications and                         

                                     agreements 1988                                        

Area                  |Number       |Area hectares|Number       |Area hectares              

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Broads                |389          |6,735        |239          |5,627                      

Somerset Levels       |523          |7,709        |148          |1,437                      

South Downs           |58           |3,104        |65           |2,743                      

Pennine Dales         |218          |8,130        |39           |1,175                      

West Penwith          |139          |5,552        |10           |314                        

Breckland             |-            |-            |86           |3,933                      

North Peak            |-            |-            |77           |35,911                     

Shropshire Borders    |-            |-            |184          |13,747                     

Suffolk River Valleys |-            |-            |287          |7,191                      

Test Valley           |-            |-            |15           |373                        

The last five environmentally sensitive areas (and the South Downs Western extension) were  

not open for applications until 1988.                                                       

Soil Erosion (Norfolk)

Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated annual rate of soil loss by erosion in Norfolk.

Mr. Ryder : While information is available in respect of areas known to be particularly susceptible, this is not representative of the whole country. Figures are not available for individual counties. The basic principles of soil erosion and measures to minimise its risk are well understood and have been incorporated in ADAS advice to farmers for many years. ADAS has published advisory leaflets on water erosion and on wind erosion and will advise farmers on techniques to minimise erosion risks.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

Charitable Donations (VAT)

Mr. Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information his Department has about the role, in France, of the Fondation de la France in routing corporate charitable donations to schools and higher education institutions, thereby exempting such donations from value added tax under the 6th directive on value added tax and whether he has plans to encourage donations in the United Kingdom by such a method.

Mr. Butcher : The Department has no information on the Fondation de la France or its methods of routing


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charitable donations. We welcome charitable donations to schools and higher education institutions but their United Kingdom tax treatment is and must remain in line with the 6th directive.

Mr. Michael Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information his Department has about the effect on the LINK programme of charging value added tax on the value of donations of computer equipment, software and services made by companies to schools and higher education institutions.

Mr. Butcher : None. LINK provides a framework for collaborative research involving industry and the science base ; donations play no part in the funding arrangements.

Mr. Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has had consultations on seeking a method of removing from companies wishing to make donations in kind to schools and higher education institutions the disincentive of having value added tax levied on the value of such donations.

Mr. Butcher : The arrangements for value added tax are a matter for HM Customs and Excise. I understand that there are no plans to change the present arrangements which are in line with the EC 6th directive on VAT.

Student and Pupil Records

Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to issue the consultative document on the keeping and disclosure of further education student records and to make the regulations on the keeping and disclosure of pupil records.

Mr. Jackson : My right hon. Friend hopes to do so within the next few months.

Public Appeals

Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will specify each donation made by his Department in response to public appeals for financial aid during each financial year since 1979-80.

Mrs. Rumbold : This information is not readily available.

Business and Commercial Subjects

Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current position with regard to the extent to which business and commercial subjects are taught in schools, the extent to which such subjects were taught in schools five and 10 years previously and the extent to which he envisages such subjects being taught in schools over the next 10 years.

Mrs. Rumbold : Estimates from the 1977 and 1984 secondary school staffing surveys show the following :


d

Tuition in business studies (1) as a percentage of all tuition received                             

in maintained secondary schools                                                                     

                         |1977 (England and Wales)|1984 (England)                                   

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Year groups 1-3          |*                       |*                                                

            4-5          |3.7                     |3.3                                              

6th form                 |4.6                     |4.7                                              

All year groups          |1.7                     |1.6                                              

*less than 0.1 per cent.                                                                            

(1) Business studies includes commerce, accounts, bookkeeping, typing and shorthand.                

Further information will be provided by the 1988 secondary school staffing survey, the results of which are expected to be available in the spring.

Zidovudine

Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 25 January, Official Report, column 596, he will publish in the Official Report the protocol of the medical research trial on the benefits of zidovudine for healthy people who are HIV positive ; how many people are involved ; and when the results of the trial will be available.

Mr. Jackson : Planned numbers to be involved in the trial are 1,000 in the United Kingdom and 1,000 in France, as set out in the relevant MRC press notice earlier placed in the Library. Results are expected to be available by the end of 1992, and will be published as soon as is practicable after that. The protocol is extremely lengthy and a copy has been placed in the Library.

Teachers' Pay

Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to receive the report of the interim advisory committee on teachers' pay ; when it will be published ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Kenneth Baker : I have asked the interim advisory committee to submit its report by mid-February at the latest. I will be arranging for its early publication.

Natural Environment Research Council

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the total Natural Environment Research Council budget was allocated by that council to (a) the Institute of Terrestial Ecology research station at Bangor and (b) the research vessel support service at Barry in each of the years 1979 to 1988 ; and what figure is projected for 1989 in each case.

Mr. Jackson : The information is as follows :


             |(a)         |(b)                      

Year         |Bangor      |Barry                    

from 1 April |per cent.   |per cent.                

----------------------------------------------------

1979         |0.69        |7.44                     

1980         |0.59        |7.10                     

1981         |0.55        |7.78                     

1982         |0.59        |8.20                     

1983         |0.59        |6.32                     

1984         |0.64        |7.02                     

1985         |0.66        |6.57                     

1986         |0.62        |8.05                     

1987         |0.69        |8.24                     

1988         |0.54        |5.88                     

1989-90      |<1>         |5.31                     

<1> Not yet available.                              

Figures are gross proportion of NERC gross total expenditure.

Environmental Research Vessels

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the projected costs of


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creating facilities at Southampton in the event of moving the environmental research vessel support base from Barry.

Mr. Jackson : I understand that the Natural Environment Research Council estimates the capital cost of creating the relevant new facilities in Southampton for the research vessel services from Barry and the Deacon laboratory from Wormley at about £21 million over four years at 1988- 89 prices. Offsetting savings from land sale receipts and expenditure on work otherwise needing to be committed will total some £11 million.

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what budget his Department has allocated in (a) cash terms and (b) adjusted to 1989 prices to the research vessels support service base at Barry for each of the years 1979 to 1988 ; and what figure is projected for 1989.

Mr. Jackson : I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many jobs he estimates will be shed at Natural Environment Research Council establishments and vessels during 1989 ; where these job losses will be located ; where any new posts are to be located ; and how many of the deleted posts he estimates will be vacated by (a) redundancy and (b) relocation.

Mr. Jackson : The Natural Environment Research Council identified 160 posts, the majority of which were in marine sciences, to be shed during the financial year to 31 March 1989. In consequence, 38 staff will be made compulsorily redundant, the remainder of the posts having been shed through voluntary redundancy. I understand that in 1989-90 further posts will have to be lost ; it is hoped to limit these to 60, through voluntary redundancy. The locations of the posts concerned are not yet known.

Science Budget

Mr. Franks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the distribution of the science budget for 1989-90.


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Mr. Kenneth Baker : I have considered the recommendations of the advisory board for the research councils and have decided that the science budget for 1989-90 should, subject to approval by parliament of the Estimates in due course, be allocated as follows :


                                                  |£ million          

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Agricultural and Food Research Council            |74.57              

Economic and Social Research Council              |32.02              

Medical Research Council                          |176.34             

Natural Environment Research Council              |123.46             

Science and Engineering Research Council          |404.96             

The Royal Society                                 |11.64              

The Fellowship of Engineering                     |0.97               

Science Policy Studies (ABRC)                     |0.22               

Centre for Exploitation of Science and Technology |0.08               

I am publishing the board's advice today. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

ENERGY

Margam Pit

Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whose consent is required for the commencement of work on Margam pit ; and whether British Coal has sufficient capital available for the work in 1989- 90.

Mr. Michael Spicer : Decisions on particular investments are a matter for British Coal. However, there are long-standing arrangements under which major projects are the subject of prior consultation with the Secretary of State. British Coal's capital allocation for each of the years 1989-90 to 1991-92 has been reduced by £25 million from the figures originally set out in Cm 606. Within these capital allocations, it is for British Coal to determine the priority to be given to specific projects.


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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

Aid Statistics

Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will express the difference as a plus or minus figure for the latest available year against 1979 in the level of net flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries, at 1979 prices.

Mr. Chris Patten : The difference between the level of net flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries in 1979 and 1987, at 1979 prices, is minus £5,584 million. The 1979 figures is dominated by an exceptionally high level of bank lending fuelled by the recycling of petro- dollars.

Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will express the difference as a plus or minus figure for the latest available year against 1979 in the level of (a) public expenditure on aid, (b) the aid programme and (c) official development assistance, at 1979 prices.

Mr. Chris Patten : The latest year for which information is available is 1987. The information is :

Gross public expenditure on aid: minus £208 million Net aid programme:

minus £228 million Net official development assistance: minus £388 million

Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the value at 1980 prices of net private flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries, for the latest available year, expressed in percentage terms of its value in 1979.

Mr. Chris Patten : The value at 1980 prices of net private flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries in 1987 expressed in percentage terms of its value in 1979 was 1.5 per cent.

Christian Aid (Report)

Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he plans to make to the report from Christian Aid "British Overseas Aid 1975-87", a copy of which was sent to him ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chris Patten : This report was sent to me for information. I do not intend to make a statement on it.

Ethiopia

Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the aid to Ethiopia, expressed per capita of the population of that country, for the latest year for which the figures are available.

Mr. Chris Patten : Gross British bilateral aid to Ethiopia in 1987 was the equivalent of 19p per head of the population of that country.

TRANSPORT

Channel Tunnel

Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the security of the Channel tunnel ; and if he will make a statement.


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Mr. Portillo : The recent incident in which a journalist gained entry to the construction site will doubtless require those responsible to review and improve their procedures. It would not be appropriate for me to make a statement on the details of the security arrangements.

Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities and other interested parties about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Manchester ; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Edinburgh ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Glasgow ; and if he will make a statement ; (4) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Liverpool ; and if he will make a statement ; (5) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Newcastle ; and if he will make a statement ; (6) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Leeds ; and if he will make a statement ; (7) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Plymouth ; and if he will make a statement ; (8) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Birmingham ; and if he will make a statement ; (9) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Southampton ; and if he will make a statement ; (10) what consultation has taken place between his Department, British Rail, the appropriate authorities, and other interested parties, about the route for a high speed rail link between the Channel tunnel and Bristol ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo : No consultations involving my Department have taken place about trains beyond London. British Rail is carrying out widespread regional consultations in preparation for the plan which it is required to publish by the end of 1989, in accordance with section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987, setting out its proposals for Channel tunnel rail services serving various parts of the United Kingdom.


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Radioactive Materials

Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will update to include 1988 his reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas), Official Report, 27 July 1988, columns 247-48, about the number of incidents involving the loss of radioactive materials in transit.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) on 15 December at column 660.

On 26 September 1988 the Antigua-registered vessel Ardlough sank off the North Wales coast. A small quantity (50MBq) of Californium 252 was lost. There were no significant radiological consequences.

Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 24 January, column 466, to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford, he will set out the form in which consignors of radioactive materials by air must satisfy in advance his Department that the arrangements comply with international regulations ; and if he will list any instances when permission has been declined.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : Consignors whose package designs require approval must submit detailed safety reports to the Department of Transport for assessment against the provisions of the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations. They are notified of any shortcomings and given the opportunity to remedy them before resubmitting their case for reassessment. A copy of the Department's "Guide to Applications for Competent Authority Approval of Package Designs, Shipments and Special Form Material" has been sent to the hon. Member for information.

Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford, Official Report, 24 January, column 466, the International Atomic Energy Agency special review of international nuclear materials transport was begun ; what evidence, and in what form, has been submitted by the United Kingdom ; and when he expects the special review to be completed.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : The review began in March 1988. The United Kingdom is represented on the review committee and the recently published report by the Advisory Committee on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material on the transport of plutonium by air was submitted to a technical meeting in December 1988. The

recommendations and the need for further work will be considered by the standing advisory group of the International Atomic Energy Agency in April 1989.

Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what transport licence arrangements exist to cover the transport of (a) nuclear materials from atomic weapons establishment Aldermaston to atomic energy research establishment Harwell for processing and (b) nuclear materials from atomic energy research establishment Harwell to atomic weapons establishment Aldermaston for processing ; and what liaison arrangements exist between his Department and the international safeguards authorities at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and EURATOM in Luxembourg over such transport.


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Mr. Peter Bottomley : The safety procedures observed by the Ministry of Defence in the transport of nuclear materials are no less stringent than those required of civil operators.

They comply with the internationally agreed standards set by the IAEA. Liaison arrangements concerning international safeguards are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.


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