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Sex Education
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he has taken, following the Women's National Commission's 1985 recommendation that in any future considerations of the scope of sex education in schools attention should be paid to the need for this to cover discussion of stereotypes of men and
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women, and the dangers these represent in marital relationships, as well as to biological and emotional matters.Mr. Butcher : Responsibility for the scope and content of sex education in schools rests with the school governors, in accordance with section 18 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986.
National Curriculum
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which handbooks relating to the
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national curriculum are currently out of print ; when they will be available ; for what reasons any delays in supply have occurred ; and if he will make a statement.Mrs. Rumbold : The Department issued on 23 February two documents offering general guidance on the national curriculum, circular 5/89 on "The School Curriculum and Assessment" and a handbook for teachers entitled "From Policy to Practice". Nearly half a million copies of the handbook were sent direct to teachers in maintained schools, trainee teachers and local education authorities in the week after publication. The circular and handbook have remained in print and copies are available on request. The first orders and associated documents relating to national curriculum subjects, on mathematics and science attainment targets and programmes of study, were issued with an explanatory circular (6/89) on 14 March. Initial copies have already been sent to all maintained schools, and further copies are being sent to LEAs
Human Genome Project
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what scientific research is currently sponsored on the human genome project (a) solely by his Department, (b) through the research council, (c) in conjunction with industry, (d) in collaboration with the European Commission and (e) within a multilateral international programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for St. Helens, South (Mr. Bermingham) on 20 February at column 518.
Mossley C of E Primary School
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the points raised by the head teacher of the Mossley Church of England primary school about the way in which his local management initiative is being implemented by the local education authority and which have been forwarded to him by the hon. Member for Congleton.
Mrs. Rumbold : I have written to my hon. Friend about the detailed concerns raised by her constituent. It is a key aspect of local management that schools' funding should be determined on the basis of objective need to spend rather than existing spending patterns. The main determinants of needs will be the numbers and ages of pupils. It will be for LEAs to determine the weightings for pupils of different ages after consultation with the governing body and head teacher of each school to be covered by a scheme. My right hon. Friend will consider LEAs' detailed proposals for allocating resources to schools within the overall framework set out in circular 7/88 on local management.
City Technology College (Surrey Docks)
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assurances have been given to the governors of Bacon's school concerning finance for a proposed new city technology college in Surrey docks.
Mr. Butcher : My right hon. Friend wrote to the Reverend Canon Gerald Greenwood, director of the Southwark diocesan board of education, the sponsors of
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the prospective Bacon's city technology college, on 10 March. That letter confirmed that we would be prepared to make capital grant available, up to a total of £10 million, for the establishment of a Bacon's city technology college on the Surrey quays site. My right hon. Friend made clear, however, that that was subject to the city technology college proposal being adopted by the governors of the Bacon's school, to the outcome of a detailed feasibility study of the costs involved, to the sponsors providing their share of those costs, and to his decision on an application by the governors for his leave to their giving notice of their intention to discontinue the school under the provisions of section 14 of the Education Act 1944. My right hon. Friend also made clear that any such approach from the governors would be treated strictly on its merits. The factors he would take into account in these circumstances were set out in his statements of 28 July last year at column 402 and 23 January this year at column 383.British Antarctic Survey (Ship)
Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether a contract has been placed for the construction of the new ship for the British Antarctic survey ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The natural environment research council yesterday signed a contract with Swan Hunter Shipbuilders for the construction of a new ship for the British Antarctic survey, to replace its 33-year-old dual purpose research and logistics vessel, the royal research ship John Biscoe.
The new ship, which will be named the James Clark Ross, will enable the British Antarctic survey to enhance its marine biology, geology and geophysics research programmes and to strengthen the logistical support which it gives to its bases in Antarctica.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Forestry (Yorkshire)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food if he will list by location the forestry projects currently taking place within the three counties of Yorkshire.
Mr. Ryder : Between 1 April 1988 and 28 February 1989 the Forestry Commission has, under its grant schemes, approved 157 new applications for planting grants in the three counties of Yorkshire. These are listed :
Name |Location by local
|authority district
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Halton West |Craven
Acclom House |Hambleton
Moor Close |Hambleton
Patch Wood |Wakefield
Doncaster Golf Club |Doncaster
The Dell Grimethorpe |Barnsley
Spring Wood/St. Helens Wood |Barnsley
Dotterell Cottage Farm |Ryedale
Wentwood House |Calderdale
Toad Hall Wood |Barnsley
Goskins Farm |Hambleton
Beilby Wood |Leeds
Catterick Training Area |Richmondshire
Lower Pitcher Clough |Bradford
West Moss |Craven
Ganton Hall |Ryedale
Hunmanby Hall School |Scarborough
Ella House Farm |Hambleton
Bilton Beck |Harrogate
Westbank Farm |Craven
White House Farm |Selby
Lord Middleton |Ryedale
East Witton Estate |Richmondshire
Birdsall Estates Co. |Ryedale
Skiers Spring Drift Mine |Barnsley
Harton Lodge Plantation |Ryedale
Kilgram Grange |Richmondshire
Lords/Crag Woods |Craven
East Farm Sedbury |Richmondshire
Longside Woodlands |Harrogate
Aldby Park |Ryedale
Bridge Cross Farm |Harrogate
Hawkshaw Gill/Clarks Carr |Harrogate
Manor House Farm |Calderdale
Claxton House |Ryedale
Catkins Farm |Craven
Copley |Calderdale
Windmill Farm |Harrogate
Carlton Farm |Harrogate
Red House Farm |Richmondshire
Ribston Estate West |Harrogate
Kirkham |Ryedale
Todmorden Golf Club |Calderdale
Hazelwood Castle |Selby
Hook Carr Hill Farm |Hambleton
Longlands |Richmondshire
Lower Green Edge Farm |Calderdale
Hesley Aerodrome |Doncaster
Malton/Norton Golf Club |Ryedale
Gledhow Valley Wood |Leeds
Wyre Hall Farm |Leeds
Ribston Estate East |Harrogate
Howe Estate |Hambleton
Yafforth Road Site |Hambleton
Highfield Farm |Harrogate
Langton Hall |Hambleton
Whitwell |Ryedale
East Witton Estate |Richmondshire
Ganton Hall |Ryedale
Low Fold Farm |Sheffield
Hutton Wandesley |Harrogate
Kirkby Wood |Hambleton
Old Tip Asenby |Harrogate
Manor Farm |Selby
Towton Estate |Selby
Tithe House Farm |Doncaster
Cannon House Farm |Selby
Linton Woods Farm |Hambleton
Wink Lodge |Doncaster
Yorkshire Water Authority |Harrogate
Coverhead Farm |Richmondshire
Pallett Hill Quarry |Richmondshire
Squirrel Hall/Manor Farm |Ryedale
Hauxwell Estate |Richmondshire
Settington House Farm |Ryedale
Barlow Common |Selby
Loscar Wood |Rotherham
Ingbar Plantation |Craven
Manor Farm |Richmondshire
Wood Farm |Ryedale
Upper Helmsley Hall |Ryedale
Constable Burton |Richmondshire
Banks Ghyll |Craven
Halton Dene |Leeds
Oakridge Farm |Calderdale
Busty Pond |Hambleton
Ness Hall |Ryedale
Nine Acre Field |Hambleton
Home Farm |Hambleton
Sleightholmdale |Ryedale
Farndale |Ryedale
Land at the Old Brewery
Thornton-le-Clay |Ryedale
Daletown Hawnby |Ryedale
North Farm Fryton |Ryedale
Dovecote Cottage |Ryedale
Low Park Farm |Ryedale
Bransdale |Ryedale
Crow Wood |Hambleton
Yeavering House |Hambleton
Elleron Lodge |Ryedale
Carle House Farm |Hambleton
Low Moor Farm |Hambleton
Three Cottages |Ryedale
Cockerdale Farm |Ryedale
Dale Farm |Scarborough
Wombleton Grange |Ryedale
Dale End |Scarborough
Newbiggin High Farm |Scarborough
Prospect Cottage Farm |Scarborough
Whisperdale Farm |Scarborough
Thornflatt Farm |Hambleton
East Harlsey |Hambleton
Kingthorpe |Ryedale
White House |Hambleton
Crow Wood |Hambleton
Low Costa Mill |Ryedale
Head House Farm |Ryedale
Fairfax Farm |Scarborough
Kepwick |Hambleton
Mann Farm Broughton |Ryedale
Home Farm |Hambleton
Wykeham |Scarborough
Nostell Priory |Wakefield
Thirkleby Warren |Ryedale
North House Farm |Selby
Red House Farm |Richmondshire
Willerby Wold |Ryedale
Long Stoop Farm |Harrogate
Manor Farm |Richmondshire
Beggar Hall |Harrogate
Croft |Richmondshire
Hauxwell Hall |Richmondshire
Higher Kingthorpe |Ryedale
Cheese Vat Farm |Ryedale
Neasham |Richmondshire
Manor Farm |Hambleton
Clifton Castle |Hambleton
Bramham Park |Leeds
West Lowfield Farm |Hambleton
Ripley Castle |Harrogate
Arkendale |Harrogate
Low North and Kirklees |Scarborough
Neasham |Richmondshire
Landales Wood |Ryedale
Manor Farm |Hambleton
Little Bottom Plantation |Selby
Nabs Wood |Barnsley
Low Laithe Farm |Rotherham
Ponden Hall |Bradford
Kexby Estate |Selby
Kirkby Wood |Hambleton
Bramham Park |Leeds
YWA Leighton Reservoir |Harrogate
YWA Thrushcross Reservoir |Harrogate
Wentwoodhouse |Barnsley/Rotherdale
Brown Rigg |Scarborough
High Dales |Scarborough
Intervention Stores
Ms. Quin : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many European Economic Community intervention stores exist in the United Kingdom ; where
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they are located ; and what were the amounts and products held at each site on the last date for which information is available.Mr. Donald Thompson : At the end of February 1989 140 stores in the United Kingdom were holding products bought into intervention. Their locations, the products and quantities held are as follows :
Tonnes
Location |Feedwheat|Barley |Butter |Beef
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberdeen |- |- |- |593
Antrim |- |- |- |1,974
Ballymena |- |- |- |1,029
Banbridge |- |- |631 |-
Banbury |- |- |515 |3
Belford |- |13,508 |- |-
Belfast |- |- |415 |4,388
Bellshill |- |- |- |13
Birmingham |47,422 |- |- |-
Blackburn |- |- |- |286
Blairgowrie |- |- |2 |-
Bressingham |18,007 |- |- |-
Bristol |- |- |195 |-
Bury St. Edmunds |- |- |- |121
Cardiff |- |- |763 |106
Chichester |5,937 |- |- |-
Clivedon, Yorkshire |1,111 |30,923 |- |-
Coleraine |- |- |140 |1,450
Colnbrook |- |- |- |84
Coventry |- |26,184 |- |-
Craigavon |- |- |- |6,531
Cullumpton |- |- |1,955 |71
Derby |- |- |133 |-
Dumfries |- |61,792 |- |-
Dundee |- |- |- |9
Dungannon |- |- |- |600
Duna |- |82,005 |- |-
Dysart |- |32,543 |- |-
Edinburgh |- |- |1 |5
Ely |23,576 |21,007 |- |-
Evesham |- |- |1,512 |-
Exeter |- |- |96 |48
Felixstowe |- |33,129 |- |-
Fleetwood |- |- |160 |-
Fraserburgh |- |- |- |17
Frome |- |- |475 |-
Gainsborough |36,171 |- |- |-
Glasgow |- |- |9 |176
Glenrothes |- |23,821 |1 |691
Gloucester |23,966 |- |- |-
Goole |- |- |476 |-
Grantham |- |- |- |477
Grimsby |- |- |11 |-
Halesworth |74,190 |- |- |-
Haresfield |- |21,172 |- |-
Hereford |- |- |- |2
Heywood |- |- |505 |-
Hull |- |- |252 |242
Huntingdon |12,158 |- |- |-
Kidderminister |26,805 |30,925 |- |-
Leeds |- |- |- |48
Lisburn |- |- |178 |2,609
Liverpool |- |- |649 |119
London |- |- |1 |-
Londonderry |- |- |- |48
Lurgan |- |- |355 |-
Maldon |30,717 |- |- |-
Market Rasen |- |12,925 |- |-
Market Racon |- |10,716 |- |-
Newmacher |- |4,148 |- |-
Newmarket |12,746 |- |- |-
Newport |- |- |1,709 |-
Newton Abbey |- |- |610 |4,058
Newry |- |- |- |20
North Humberside |16,637 |16,386 |- |-
Omagh |- |- |- |454
Ormiston |- |59,345 |- |-
Paddock Wood |- |- |- |72
Penicuik |- |12,628 |- |-
Peterborough |- |- |98 |251
Plymouth |- |- |- |9
Portadown |- |- |1,109 |-
Portbury |- |- |740 |-
Preston |- |- |613 |-
Rochdale |- |- |460 |-
Salisbury |- |32,364 |- |-
Salford |- |- |- |50
Scunthorpe |- |10,837 |140 |1,417
Selby |- |13,532 |- |-
Sheffield |- |- |44 |-
Sherborne |- |- |944 |-
Shrewsbury |- |- |- |56
South Shields |- |- |10 |-
Staughton |- |25,304 |- |-
Strabane |- |- |78 |744
Strachan |- |51,006 |- |-
Sutton in Ashfield |- |- |1 |-
Swansea |- |- |237 |-
Tamworth |- |- |1,729 |205
Telford |- |6,801 |- |-
Tranent |- |16,766 |- |-
Truro |- |- |80 |86
Turriff |- |10,215 |- |-
Whitchurch |- |18,510 |- |-
Whittlesey |- |10,635 |- |-
Wigan |- |- |- |262
Wigston |- |- |- |1
Wimblington |200 |- |- |-
Wisbech |18,128 |- |- |-
Wolverhampton |- |- |439 |-
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |355,361 |689,128 |18,479 |29,434
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy confirmed in each county of the United Kingdom for the four week period ended 17 March.
Mr. Donald Thompson : In the four-week period to 17 March, 643 cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy were confirmed in the following counties and regions of Great Britain :
County |Confirmed cases
-------------------------------------------------------
Avon |14
Bedfordshire |3
Berkshire |2
Buckinghamshire |4
Cambridgeshire |3
Cheshire |5
Cleveland |1
Clwyd |5
Cornwall |48
Cumbria |6
Derbyshire |4
Devon |73
Dorset |82
Dumfries |1
Durham |2
Dyfed |29
Essex |1
Glamorgan Mid |1
Glamorgan South |3
Gloucestershire |17
Grampian |2
Gwent |8
Hampshire |49
Hereford and Worcester |11
Hertfordshire |1
Highland |3
Humberside |2
Isle of Wight |3
Kent |27
Lancashire |16
Leicestershire |12
Lincolnshire |6
Manchester |1
Merseyside |2
Norfolk |12
Northants |2
Northumberland |5
Nottinghamshire |3
Oxon |15
Powys |2
Salop |5
Somerset |39
Staffordshire |6
Strathclyde |4
Suffolk |9
Surrey |7
Sussex West |15
Warwickshire |3
Wiltshire |39
Yorkshire North |21
Yorkshire South |1
Salmonella
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1), pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 3 March 1989, Official Report, columns 373-74 , when he intends to introduce an amendment to the Diseases of Animals Protein Processing Order 1981 requiring protein processors to take samples from each day's production and to notify his Department of the results ;
(2), pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 3 March 1989, Official Report, columns 373-74 , when he intends to lay an order providing for the compulsory bacteriological monitoring of all poultry laying flocks ; (3), pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 3 March 1989, Official Report, columns 373-74 , when he intends to introduce measures on the registration of breeding and laying flocks and the registration and monitoring of hatcheries ;
(4), pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 3 March 1989, Official Report, columns 373-74 , when he intends to strengthen control measures applicable to rodents to further minimise the risk of spread of salmonella ;
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(5), pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 3 March 1989, Official Report, columns 373-74 , when he intends to introduce statutory requirements for the hygienic handling of eggs.Mr. Donald Thompson : On 16 March I introduced secondary legislation under the Animal Health Act 1981 requiring poultry flock owners to submit samples from their flocks for salmonella testing and to keep records of the test results.
This will be augmented as soon as possible with orders requiring the registration of flocks, the registration and monitoring of hatcheries and introducing statutory requirements on rodent control and hygienic handling of eggs.
An order will also be made as soon as possible requiring protein processors to take samples from each day's production and to notify the results to my Department.
Animal Blood
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restrictions there are on the importation of products containing animal blood.
Mr. Donald Thompson : The importation of any product containing animal blood is subject to licensing controls exercised by orders made under the Animal Health Act 1981. In addition any such product intended for sale for human consumption must satisfy the Imported Food Regulations 1984.
Animal Feed
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he plans to restrict the use of animal blood in animal feed products ;
(2) whether he is considering further restrictions on the feeding of animal by-products to ruminants ;
(3) what evidence he has on the animal health implications of feeding ruminants with products containing animal blood.
Mr. Donald Thompson : Various pathogens can be transmitted by animal blood. Feeding ruminant animals with protein material, including blood, derived from ruminants has been prohibited since 18 July last year. This ban will remain in place unless processing methods are established which are sufficient to destroy the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Blood from other animals fed to ruminants must be processed to the standards required by regulations under the Animal Health Act 1981.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he intends to introduce legislation requiring the labelling of animal feeds with a list of ingredients ;
(2) Whether he has any plans to introduce legislation requiring animal feed products containing animal blood to be labelled as such.
Mr. Ryder : The European Council of Ministers is currently considering a proposal which will require suppliers of animal feeds containing more than one ingredient to declare the materials or categories of materials used in them.
Column 615
Potatoes
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has determined the market support prices for potatoes to apply in Great Britain of the 1989-90 crop year beginning 1 July 1989.
Mr. MacGregor : Agriculture Ministers have consulted the National Farmers Union about the market support arrangements to apply for the 1989- 90 crop year. We have decided to authorise the Potato Marketing Board to enter into pre-season contracts with producers over the period November 1989 to May 1990 at a scale of prices not exceeding a weighted average of £53 per tonne. We have also authorised the board to intervene directly on the market throuhout the season where this will ensure that support can be carried out more cheaply than by purchasing under contract, provided that the total intervention during 1980-90 does not exceed 500,000 tonnes. The target area for potato planting by registered producers in Great Britain was fixed last July at 155,000 hectares.
Nitrates
Mr. Nicholas Baker : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 24 November to the hon. Member for St. Ives, (Mr. Harris), Official Report, columns 9-10 , what action the Government propose to take to designate areas sensitive of nitrate leaching.
Mr. MacGregor : After further careful consideration, the Government have reached broad conclusions on the type of agricultural measures which could be introduced in nitrate-sensitive areas. These will now be the subject of extensive consultations with farming, water and other interests. We have also decided that the first designated zones should represent a pilot sample of different types of areas in which a range of agricultural measures can be tested.
It remains the Government's policy that, wherever possible, any agricultural restrictions should be on a voluntary basis, with compulsory powers available as a fallback. Where farmers are obliged to restrict their agricultural activities beyond the degree which could be regarded as good agricultural practice, they should be compensated. Under currently foreseeable circumstances the costs of compensation would be offset by CAP support savings resulting from reduced agricultural production. As part of their approach, the Government will be mounting an intensive advisory campaign in selected key areas. This will involve visits to individual farmers on specific aspects of good agricultural practice.
It will be necessary to amend the current provisions in the Water Bill to provide appropriate powers, and the Government will shortly be tabling amendments. We will also be examining carefully the European Commission proposal for a directive on nitrate pollution of water but, in view of the importance the Government attach to this issue, we are anxious to press ahead with pilot schemes.
Agriculture Council
Mr. Stevens : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 20-21 March ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 616
Mr. MacGregor : Together with my hon. Friend the Parlimentary Secretary, I represented the United Kingdom at this Council. The main business before the Council was the Commission's proposals for farm support prices and related measures for 1989-90. No agreement was reached. The Council will return to the subject at its next meeting on 17 April, with the firm intention of reaching decisions.
The Council again considered the Commission's proposal on the level of imports of butter from New Zealand between now and 1992, and the linked qustion of the arrangements for imports of sheepmeat. Several member states were unwilling to take decisions, and the butter import arrangements were therefore rolled forward for a further two months until the end of May 1989 on the basis of 1988 quantities. Finally the Council adopted a directive regulating imports of meat products from Third world countries with a view to avoiding human and animal health risks.
DEFENCE
Helicopters
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the cost at time of purchase of the most recent procurements of (a) one Sea King HAS 3/5 ASW helicopter and (b) one Westland-Augusta EH 101 helicopter.
Mr. Sainsbury : It is no longer our practice to publish unit production costs.
Challenger
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the cost at time of purchase of the most recently procured Challenger FV tank that is currently in service.
Mr. Sainsbury : It is no longer our practice to publish unit production costs.
Air Misses
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many air misses between hang gliders and military aircraft were reported in 1988 ; and how many of these were in risk category A.
Mr. Neubert : Only one such air miss report was filed in 1988. The joint air miss working group assessed this as category C, that is involving no risk of a collision.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy on the publication of the results of inquiries into air misses involving military aircraft.
Mr. Neubert : I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 16 February at columns 331- 34.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the air miss between a British Airways BAC 1-11 and a Royal Air Force Harrier north of Carlisle on 8 November 1988 ; and when he expects the results of the inquiry to be published.
Column 617
Mr. Neubert : This reported air miss is currently being investigated by the joint air miss section of the National Air Traffic Services, before being considered by the joint air miss working group. A copy of the group's conclusions will be placed in the Library in due course.
Low Flying
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if low- flying training by Royal Air Force aircraft is planned to take place in Morocco.
Mr. Neubert : Discussions with the Government of Morocco on ways to strengthen links between the Royal Air Force and the Moroccan Air Force are continuing. The details are confidential.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has obtained a copy of the July 1988 report by the West German Federal Health Office in Berlin into the effects of low-flying military aircraft on the health of children in Bavaria ; and what evidence he has on the effects of low flying on the health of children in Britain.
Mr. Neubert : Yes, my Department has a copy of the West Germany Federal Health Office pilot study report on "Health Effects of Noise from Military Low level Flights". The Department has no specific evidence on the effects of low flying on the health of children in Britain.
Noise Levels
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the policy of purchasing dwellings subjected to noise levels from military aircraft of 125 db (A) or more, set out in his reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire on 3 February, Official Report, columns 447-48, applies to dwellings not located in the vicinity of a military airfield.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the heights, speeds and aircraft types which were found to produce noise levels of 125 db (A) or more in noise test measurements during Exercise Bedlam.
Mr. Neubert : The information is as follows :
|Aircraft |Speed |Power Setting |Height (ft)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phantom |507 knots (583 mph) |Full Reheat |315 |126dB (A)
Tornado |433 knots (498 mph) |Full Reheat |250 |(126db (A)
Jaguar |462 knots (531 mph) |100 per cent. + reheat |250 |126dB (A)
Lightning |495 knots (569 mph) |Full Reheat |250 |126db (A)
Victor |265 knots (305 mph) |103 per cent. |200 |127dB (A)
Vulcan |256 knots (294 mph) |100 per cent. |250 |127dB (A)
VC10 |298 knots (343 mph) |Full Power |250 |125dB (A)
The hon. Member will wish to note that the above figures are not representative of general military low flying in the United Kingdom and I would refer him to my predecessor's reply of 13 June 1988 to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) at column 70.
Range Activity (Otterburn and Spadeadam)
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire of 3 February 1989, Official Report, column 448, if he will now publish figures showing the extent of range activity by aircraft at Otterburn and Spadeadam in each year since 1979.
Mr. Neubert : Otterburn is primarily an Army artillery range and the use of the facility by aircraft is extremely limited. It would not be possible to detail this usage in terms of number of aircraft and sorties flown without disproportionate cost and effort. The following represents the number of 10-minute flying slots utilised at Spadeadam range in the years 1985-88. Records prior to 1985 no longer exist.
Year |Number --------------------- 1985 |6,330 1986 |6,348 1987 |5,959 1988 |4,645
Lindholme Facility
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the function of the Royal Air Force communications facility at Lindholme near Doncaster ; which North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces provide personnel to operate the Lindholme facility ; how many personnel are based at the Lindholme facility ; and what are their ranks and functions.
Mr. Neubert : 840 Signal Unit at Lindholme forms part of the defence communications network and is entirely United Kingdom manned. It is not our practice to give details of the strength and composition of operational units.
Territorial Army
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans for expansion of Territorial Army units based in the west country.
Mr. Neubert : As part of the phase II enhancement of the Territorial Army announced by the Government in 1984 the establishment of the Territorial Army in the west country has been increased by over 850 personnel. Of these additional numbers 175 will have been incorporated into existing Royal Army Medical Corps and Royal Military
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Police units and the balance into the formation of new Infantry, Army Air Corps and Royal Army Ordnance Corps units.The main enhancement to the infantry is the formation of a new home defence battalion, 4 Devon and Dorsets, with companies based at new TA centres at Exeter, which has just been completed, and Paignton and Plymouth which are both under construction. A new company of the RAOC, 94 Ordnance Company, will be based at Keynsham, near Bristol, while the Territorial Army's first and currently, only squadron of the AAC is at Middle Wallop. All these units have been formed and are gradually increasing towards their established strength.
No additional enhancements to the RTA are currently planned.
Tractors
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans exist for the purchase of tractors capable of transporting light armoured vehicles.
Mr. Sainsbury : There are no plans at present to purchase tractors for transporting light armoured vehicles. The purchase option will however be considered when the arrangements for meeting this requirement in BAOR are reviewed later this year.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations have taken place between his Department and the company currently leasing Mercedes tractors to the British Army of the Rhine regarding their availability in the event of hostilities.
Mr. Sainsbury : Agreement in principle has been reached with the company leasing Mercedes tractors to BAOR regarding their availability in the event of hostilities. Consultations are continuing on the terms of the amendment of the contract to cover this aspect.
6 Brigade
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what helicopters will be specifically assigned to 6 Brigade.
Mr. Neubert : There are no helicopters specifically assigned to 6 Brigade as, following its trial in the air mobile role, it is being converted to an armoured brigade.
Column 620
M109 Howitzer
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding has been provided to Royal Ordnance plc or Vickers Defence Systems plc for trials of their suggested replacement for the M109 self-propelled howitzer.
British Land Forces (Europe)
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the figure for the average number of British land forces stationed on the mainland of Europe that was reported to the council of the Western European Union in 1987.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I shall write to the hon. Member.
NATO (Nuclear Weapons)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of "Modernising NATO's Nuclear Weapons", by Oliver Ramsbotham.
Mr. Neubert : The Ministry of Defence library has a copy of this book.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain for his Department's Library a copy of "In the Dark-- Parliaments, the public and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Nuclear Weapons", by Scilla Elworth Mclean.
Mr. Neubert : The Ministry of Defence library has ordered a copy of this publication.
Overseas Forces (Members' Visits)
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those hon. Members who have visited British forces overseas in the last two years involving expenditure of public money, showing the units visited by each.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts) on 10 February 1989, at columns 861-62 with the addition of the following :
Column 619
Date |Location |Visitors
--------------------------------------------------------------------
February 1989 |Falkland Islands|Sir Dudley Smith
|John Ward
|Keith Mans
|Gwilym Jones
|Bruce Grocott
|Elliot Morley
|William Ross
March 1989 |Cyprus |Eddie Loyden
|Frank Cook
|Jacques Arnold
|Nicholas Bennett
|Tim Devlin
|Harry Cohen
Private Security Firms
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military bases in Yorkshire employ private security firms (a) to guard entrances to the bases and (b) in any other capacity ; and for which armed forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I shall write to the hon. Member.
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