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Community Care (Grants and Loans)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate the number of cases in the year end 31 March for the Walthamstow, Leytonstone and Woodrange park offices of his Department in which applications for (a) community care grants and (b) community care loans were turned down.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Such information is available in the Library for the period April 1988 to February 1989. Information for March 1989 will be placed in the Library later this month.
Central Pensions Office
Mr. Peter Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the average waiting time for a
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telephone call to the central pensions office in Newcastle after it has been received at the switchboard before it is answered by the appropriate office ;(2) what plans there are to improve the speed of response to telephone calls by the appropriate departments at the central pensions office at Newcastle after they have been received at the switchboard.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The average time when the required extension is free is 10 seconds. Information is not collected showing how long it takes to connect to an extension when it is engaged.
A new telephone exchange and additional lines are to be installed at Newcastle central office later this year which will help to improve response times particularly through automatic re-routing of calls.
Grants and Loans
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what are the staff to claimant ratios for social fund departments (a) nationally, (b) in the Northern region, (c) in South Tyneside, (d) in Gateshead, (e) in Newcastle, (f) in Sunderland and (g) in North Tyneside, respectively.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is not available in the format requested. Details are recorded monthly of the staff days spent on social fund activity. Information to 28 February 1989, the latest available date, is given in the table.
|c|February 1989|c|
|Staff days spent on|Income Support Load
|Social Fund
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National |67,300 |4,395,046
North Eastern Region |12,442 |708,675
North Tyneside
Gateshead |276 |21,072
Newcastle St. James |206 |14,926
Newcastle East |285 |14,514
Newcastle West |179 |10,451
Wallsend |173 |7,986
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |75 |4,363
Jarrow |172 |7,515
North Shields |160 |10,438
South Shields |285 |12,006
Sunderland North |374 |18,823
Sunderland South |238 |15,389
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications were received in each month since 1 April 1988 for (i) community care grants, (ii) budgeting loans and (iii) crisis loans (a) nationally, (b) in the Northern region, (c) in South Tyneside, (d) in Gateshead, (e) in Newcastle, (f) in Sunderland and (g) in North Tyneside, respectively.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Details of the Department's local offices both nationally and in the north-eastern region are given in this information held in the Library. Details of the offices in the North Tyneside and South Tyneside areas were given in my reply to the hon. Member on 23 March at column 787.
Changes to the social fund on 11 April 1988 introduced community care grants, budgeting loans and crisis loans.
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Information on the numbers of applications processed for social fund loans and grants, listed by local office, is in the Library.Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time taken by social fund officers to reach a decision on crisis or budgeting loans or community care grants (a) nationally, (b) in the Northern region, (c) in South Tyneside, (d) in Gateshead, (e) in Newcastle, (f) in Sunderland and (g) in North Tyneside, respectively, for each month from April 1988.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The average for budgeting loans clearance times includes the time taken by the applicant to accept or refuse the loan offer. This time may vary from as little as a few minutes up to 14 calendar days.
The information available is shown in the table :
|c|Average clearance time (in whole working days)|c|
|Crisis loans |Budgeting loans |Community care grants
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1988
National |0.5 |17.1 |8.7
North Eastern Region |1.0 |17.1 |9.0
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |24.0 |11.0
Newcastle St. James |1.0 |7.0 |9.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |16.0 |1.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |16.0 |14.0
Wallsend |1.0 |24.0 |5.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |6.0 |27.0 |1.0
Jarrow |3.0 |14.0 |5.0
North Shields |1.0 |8.0 |1.0
South Shields |3.0 |40.0 |13.0
Sunderland North |2.0 |22.0 |21.0
Sunderland South |2.0 |19.0 |1.0
May 1988
National |0.5 |11.5 |4.5
North Eastern Region |0.9 |11.6 |4.1
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |20.0 |3.0
Newcastle St. James |1.0 |12.0 |1.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |12.0 |1.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |4.0 |2.0
Wallsend |1.0 |23.0 |2.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |3.0 |4.0 |1.0
Jarrow |2.0 |6.0 |1.0
North Shields |1.0 |25.0 |1.0
South Shields |6.0 |30.0 |18.0
Sunderland North |2.0 |19.0 |6.0
Sunderland South |1.0 |16.0 |1.0
June 1988
National |0.6 |11.2 |4.3
North Eastern Region |0.8 |11.2 |4.3
North Tyneside
Gateshead |2.0 |11.0 |1.0
Newcastle St. James |1.0 |8.0 |7.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |9.0 |2.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |4.0 |3.0
Wallsend |1.0 |6.0 |3.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |3.0 |1.0
Jarrow |1.0 |5.0 |1.0
North Shields |1.0 |17.0 |1.0
South Shields |7.0 |15.0 |6.0
Sunderland North |1.0 |19.0 |15.0
Sunderland South |1.0 |26.0 |5.0
July 1988
National |1.0 |13.9 |9.7
North Eastern Region |1.1 |12.5 |8.7
North Tyneside
Gateshead |2.0 |6.0 |1.0
Newcastle St. James |1.0 |6.0 |4.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |5.0 |7.0
Newcastle West |2.0 |7.0 |4.0
Wallsend |1.0 |6.0 |5.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |6.0 |1.0
Jarrow |1.0 |23.0 |20.0
North Shields |1.0 |22.0 |2.0
South Shields |5.0 |19.0 |11.0
Sunderland North |1.0 |14.0 |20.0
Sunderland South |1.0 |26.0 |9.0
August 1988
National |1.0 |12.8 |9.1
North Eastern Region |1.1 |12.1 |8.5
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |14.0 |2.0
Newcastle St. James |1.0 |8.0 |5.0
Newcastle East |3.0 |4.0 |1.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |5.0 |3.0
Wallsend |1.0 |9.0 |10.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |8.0 |5.0
Jarrow |1.0 |17.0 |16.0
North Shields |1.0 |20.0 |3.0
South Shields |4.0 |30.0 |19.0
Sunderland North |2.0 |7.0 |7.0
Sunderland South |2.0 |9.0 |11.0
September 1988
National |1.2 |16.3 |10.1
North Eastern Region |1.3 |16.0 |9.8
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |11.0 |3.0
Newcastle St. James |1.0 |12.0 |7.0
Newcastle East |2.0 |11.0 |3.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |16.0 |5.0
Wallsend |2.0 |13.0 |6.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |9.0 |4.0
Jarrow |1.0 |9.0 |5.0
North Shields |1.0 |27.0 |8.0
South Shields |7.0 |14.0 |12.0
Sunderland North |1.0 |18.0 |13.0
Sunderland South |2.0 |15.0 |13.0
October 1988
National |1.3 |13.8 |9.0
North Eastern Region |1.3 |12.5 |8.1
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |10.0 |5.0
Newcastle St. James |1.0 |8.0 |2.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |10.0 |4.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |17.0 |5.0
Wallsend |2.0 |12.0 |5.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |10.0 |4.0
Jarrow |1.0 |11.0 |4.0
North Shields |1.0 |25.0 |8.0
South Shields |6.0 |19.0 |17.0
Sunderland South |2.0 |13.0 |13.0
November 1988
National |1.4 |13.3 |8.7
North Eastern Region |1.4 |12.3 |7.7
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |8.0 |4.0
Newcastle St. James |3.0 |9.0 |2.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |10.0 |6.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |5.0 |3.0
Wallsend |2.0 |13.0 |4.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |8.0 |4.0
Jarrow |1.0 |14.0 |12.0
North Shields |1.0 |11.0 |2.0
South Sheilds |5.0 |17.0 |11.0
Sunderland North |2.0 |16.0 |12.0
Sunderland South |2.0 |17.0 |16.0
December 1988
National |1.4 |8.6 |7.1
North Eastern Region |1.4 |7.5 |5.8
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |7.0 |2.0
Newcastle St. James |3.0 |5.0 |5.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |4.0 |7.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |5.0 |2.0
Wallsend |1.0 |4.0 |4.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |3.0 |1.0
Jarrow |1.0 |10.0 |8.0
North Shields |1.0 |14.0 |4.0
South Shields |5.0 |8.0 |6.0
Sunderland North |1.0 |9.0 |6.0
Sunderland South |2.0 |14.0 |11.0
January 1989
National |1.0 |10.6 |6.5
North Eastern Region |1.1 |9.9 |6.0
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |10.0 |4.0
Newcastle St. James |2.0 |9.0 |4.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |7.0 |6.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |5.0 |2.0
Wallsend |1.0 |7.0 |6.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |2.0 |9.0 |7.0
Jarrow |1.0 |8.0 |5.0
North Shields |2.0 |21.0 |2.0
South Shields |3.0 |14.0 |13.0
Sunderland North |1.0 |9.0 |6.0
Sunderland South |2.0 |17.0 |11.0
February 1989
National |1.0 |9.3 |6.2
North Eastern Region |1.1 |8.9 |5.6
North Tyneside
Gateshead |1.0 |9.0 |3.0
Newcastle St. James |3.0 |6.0 |5.0
Newcastle East |1.0 |8.0 |14.0
Newcastle West |1.0 |9.0 |3.0
Wallsend |1.0 |9.0 |6.0
South Tyneside
Houghton le Spring |1.0 |10.0 |5.0
Jarrow |1.0 |15.0 |11.0
North Shields |2.0 |23.0 |1.0
South Shields |3.0 |11.0 |6.0
Sunderland North |1.0 |9.0 |7.0
Sunderland South |1.0 |14.0 |9.0
All figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
Column 503
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will publish a breakdown of the money spent from the latest social fund figures for community care grants, in percentage terms ; (2) what are the latest social fund figures for the community care grants with regard to (a) the allocated budget, (b) the amount spent from the budget and (c) the proportion of successful claims in percentage terms.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Total expenditure on community care grants to the end of February 1989, was £34.1 million, and represented 56.8 per cent. of the budget, arising from 127,121 successful awards. Expenditure in February was over £6 million, representing 110 per cent. of anticipated monthly expenditure.
Approximately 50 per cent. of all applications received to the end of February were successful. The average success rate has gradually improved from the early months of the scheme and in February was 56 per cent. The largest identifiable reason for refusal is that the applicant is not in receipt of income support.
Incomes
Sir Ian Gilmour : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table, based on the 1979 and most recently available family expenditure surveys, showing the average weekly net incomes, that is, gross income including non-means-tested state benefits less income tax and national insurance contribution, of each of the following family types (a) one adult, non-retired, (b) one man, one woman, non-retired, single wage, (c) one man, one woman, non-retired, two-wage, (d) lone parents, (e) one man, one woman, one child, single-wage, (f) one man, one woman, one child, two-wage, (g) one man, one woman, two children, single-wage and (h) one man, one woman, two children, two-wage.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The figures requested are as follows :
|c|Average net income|c|
£ per week
|1979 |1986
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) |One adult, non-retired |48 |89
(b) |One man, one woman, non-|84 |176
|retired, single wage
(c) |One man, one woman, non-
|retired, two wages |121 |251
(d) |Lone parents |53 |106
(e) |One man, one woman, one
|child, single wage |94 |175
(f) |One man, one woman, one
|child, two wages |113 |248
(g) |One man, one woman, two
|children, single wage |100 |197
(h) |One man, one woman, two
|children, two wages |121 |255
Notes:
1. Net income is defined as gross income from all sources less income tax and national insurance.
2. "Wage" has been defined as any earnings from employment and self-employment.
3. Categories (a) and (d) differ from the other categories in that they include all people in these family types; both
earners and non-earners.
4. Figures are given in cash terms rounded to the nearest pound.
5. Figures are derived from the FES which is a sample survey and are subject to sampling error.
Statutory Sick Pay
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give an estimate of the average number of people receiving statutory sick pay at any one date in the year, for each financial year from the introduction of the scheme in 1983-84 to the most recently available year.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information to enable such an estimate to be made is not collected. However, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 23 March at columns 790- 91, which gives the recorded payments of statutory sick pay in each year since its introduction. The average length of a statutory sick pay spell is about three weeks.
International Peto Foundation
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals exist to provide finance for an international Peto foundation in Hungary for the purposes of rehabilitation of the brain-injured ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Sir McNair-Wilson) on 17 March at column 394.
National Insurance
Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing his estimates of the number of male and female employees expected to pay national insurance contributions (a) in a full year under the April 1989 regime, and (b) in a full year under the proposed October 1989 regime, together with the forecast number of employees and the amount of their contributions at each rate ; and if he will divide the figures between those contracted-in and those contracted-out.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 7 April 1989] : The information is as follows :
|c|Average number of Class 1 contributors for the full year 1989-90|c|
|c|under both April 1989 and October 1989 regimes (millions)|c|
Rate per cent. |Male |Female |Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard rate
Contracted-in
5 |0.3 |1.4 |1.7
7 |0.5 |1.3 |1.8
9 |3.8 |1.7 |5.5
|--- |--- |---
Total |4.6 |4.4 |9.0
Contracted-out
5 |- |0.1 |0.1
7 |0.1 |0.2 |0.3
9 |6.8 |2.8 |9.6
|--- |--- |---
Total |6.9 |3.1 |10.0
Total standard rate |11.5 |7.5 |19.0
Reduced rate (Married women)
Contracted-in
3.85 |- |0.5 |0.5
Contracted-out
3.85 |- |0.3 |0.3
|--- |--- |---
Total reduced rate |- |0.8 |0.8
|--- |--- |---
Total Class 1
contributors |11.5 |8.3 |19.8
|c|Estimated Full-year yield under the April 1989 regime (£ billions)|c|
Rate per cent. |Male |Female |Total
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard rate
Contracted-in
5 |- |0.2 |0.2
7 |0.2 |0.4 |0.6
9 |3.9 |1.3 |5.2
|--- |--- |---
Total |4.1 |1.9 |6.0
Contracted-out
5 |- |- |-
7 |- |0.1 |0.1
9 |6.5 |2.2 |8.7
|--- |--- |---
Total |6.5 |2.3 |8.8
Total standard rate |10.6 |4.2 |14.8
Reduced rate (Married women)
Contracted-in
3.85 |- |0.1 |0.1
Contracted-out
3.85 |- |0.1 |0.1
|--- |--- |---
Total reduced rate |- |0.2 |0.2
|--- |--- |---
Total Class 1 contributions |10.6 |4.4 |15.0
Contracted-out yields are net of the 2 per cent. incentive payments which are payable
under the 1986 Social Security Act.
|c|Estimated Full-year yield under the October 1989
regime (£ billions)|c|
|Male |Female|Total
-------------------------------------------------------
Standard rate<1>
Contracted-in |3.4 |1.5 |4.9
Contracted-out<2> |5.5 |1.9 |7.4
|--- |--- |---
Total standard rate |8.9 |3.4 |12.3
Reduced rate
Contracted-in |- |0.1 |0.1
Contracted-out |- |0.1 |0.1
|--- |--- |---
Total reduced rate |- |0.2 |0.2
|--- |--- |---
Total Class 1 contributors |8.9 |3.6 |12.5
<1> All Class 1 contributors paying NIC at the
standard rate will pay 2 per cent. of the lower
earnings limit and 9 per cent. of earnings in excess
of the lower earnings limit (or 7 per cent. if
contracted-out) up to the upper earnings limit.
<2> Contracted-out yields are net of the 2 per cent.
incentive payments which are payable under the 1986
Social Security Act.
DEFENCE
Navy Retention Rates
8. Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve retention rates in the Royal Navy.
37. Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve retention rates in the Royal Navy.
Column 506
47. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve retention rates in the Royal Navy.
50. Mr. Ron Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve retention rates in the Royal Navy.
Mr. Neubert : Present emphasis is on alleviating the effects of time spent at sea. We introduced last October a long service at sea bonus--now to become a monthly allowance--and are giving the seagoer financial help so that he can get home more often. Maximum notice of impending seagoing appointments and drafts is given, to help domestic and personal planning, and we prescribe minimum periods ashore between sea drafts.
More generally, a tri-service review was recently conducted aimed at making allowances more relevant to current and prospective needs. The effect, over a period, should be beneficial to retention.
Gulf Operations
17. Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy vessels are currently deployed in the Gulf ; and what impact this has on their availability for other duties.
46. Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy vessels are currently deployed in the Gulf ; and what impact this has on their availability for other duties.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Eccles (Miss Lestor) and for Wallsend (Mr. Garrett).
Nuclear Submarines
18. Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the role of emergency planning units in relation to the operation of the British nuclear submarine fleet and Royal Navy procedures for dealing with a nuclear submarine accident in a near port.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The response to a serious accident involving the reactor of a Royal Navy submarine in or near port would be a joint one, including local authority emergency planning units, the Ministry of Defence nuclear accident response organisation, the civil emergency services, and other government departments. The procedures for dealing with accidents are discussed in local liaison committees by the various authorities involved, and are embodied in public and special safety schemes.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many nuclear-powered submarines are currently held by Warsaw Pact and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries ; at what rate these stocks are being increased ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are currently 210 nuclear-powered submarines in service with the Warsaw Pact and 165 with NATO. Since 1980, NATO and Warsaw Pact production rates for nuclear-powered submarines have been broadly similar, averaging five to six vessels per year.
Column 507
Conventional Forces
19. Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications for United Kingdom forces levels in western Europe of progress being made at the conventional force limitation negotiations in Vienna.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The negotiations on conven-tional armed forces in Europe opened in Vienna on 6 March. It is therefore too early to say what will be the implications for our armed forces of any reductions which may be agreed.
42. Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much more in real terms his Department has spent on conventional defences since 1978-79.
55. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much more in real terms his Department has spent on conventional forces since 1978-79.
Mr. Younger : I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Boswell (Mr. Tredinnick).
Mr. Carttiss : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he now intends responding to Mr. Gorbachev's announcement of a unilateral cut in conventional forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We welcome the announced reductions, responding to NATO's long-standing concerns. If implemented, they will be a major step towards removing conventional imbalances in Europe. However, significant imbalances will still remain, and we shall need to maintain our capability to deter aggression while pursuing our goal of conventional stability.
Exercise North Star
20. Mr. McWilliam : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what lessons have been learnt as a result of the recent North Star exercise.
58. Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what lessons have been learnt as a result of the recent North Star exercise.
62. Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what lessons have been learnt as a result of the recent North Star exercise.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Exercise North Star 89, a United States national maritime exercise with multinational participation, including the United Kingdom, took place from 6 to 15 March 1989. Detailed assessment and evaluation of the exercise is currently being undertaken by the United States authorities and the NATO countries which participated. From a United Kingdom viewpoint, early indications are that the exercise was a success.
Soviet Union (Nuclear Submarines)
21. Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made concerning Soviet submarine nuclear fleet modernisation.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Soviet Union continues to modernise its nuclear submarine fleet. Five Typhoon and five Delta IV nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) have been completed and further units are
Column 508
expected. Typhoon, the world's largest SSBN, is armed with 20 8,000 km range, SS-N-20 submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBNs). The Delta IV is equipped with 16 SS-N-23 SLBNs. Five units of the Oscar class of cruise missile firing submarine (SSGN) have been completed so far, each equipped with 24 SS-N-19 anti-ship cruise missiles with a range of 550 km. More advanced and quieter nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) are being produced, such as the Akula and Sierra classes. The Akula will probably carry the SS-N-21, 2,500 km range, sea-launched cruise missile.33. Mr. Redwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made concerning Soviet short-range nuclear forces modernisation.
61. Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made concerning Soviet short-range nuclear forces modernisation.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Soviet Union has modernised some 95 per cent. of its SNF systems in the course of the last five years and it has begun the process of transferring these new systems to its Warsaw Pact allies. The extent of this modernisation and the large number of weapons which the Soviet Union has available in this category enable it to fill any gaps in its capabilities which will be created by the elimination of missile systems under the INF Treaty. In Europe at present the Warsaw Pact has some 1,450 SNF missile launchers and some 7,000 artillery systems which are capable of firing nuclear as well as conventional and chemical munitions, compared with 88 NATO SNF launchers and some 2,500 NATO artillery systems which are assigned to the nuclear role.
Defence Policy (Representations)
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Scotland on defence policy since 11 March ; and if he will make a statement.
22. Mr. Summerson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Scotland on defence policy since 11 March ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Younger : I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter).
RAF Bruggen
23. Mr. Heffer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit Royal Air Force Bruggen.
44. Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit Royal Air Force Bruggen.
60. Mr. Galloway : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit RAF Bruggen.
Mr. Younger : I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave today to the hon. Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley).
Column 509
Royal Navy (Expenditure)
24. Mr. Knapman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much more in real terms his Department has spent on the Royal Navy since 1978-78.
32. Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much more in real terms his Department has spent on the Royal Navy since 1978- 79.
Mr. Younger : Up to the end of 1987-88, £4.5 billion more had been spent on the Royal Navy, in real terms, than would have been spent if spending had remained at the 1978-79 level. This takes into account GDP inflation and excludes expenditure on both the Falklands garrison and nuclear strategic forces.
British Army of the Rhine
25. Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the British Army of the Rhine.
35. Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the British Army of the Rhine.
38. Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the British Army of the Rhine.
51. Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the British Army of the Rhine.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has plans to visit BAOR in the autumn ; part of this visit will be in the company of his German colleague, Dr. Scholz.
Army (Expenditure)
26. Mr. Amess : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much more in real terms his Department has spent on the Army since 1978-79.
48. Mr. David Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much more in real terms his Department has spent on the Army since 1978-79.
Mr. Younger : Up to the end of 1987-88, £5 billion more had been spent on the Army, in real terms, than would have been spent if spending had remained at the 1978-79 level. This takes into account GDP inflation and excludes expenditure on the Falklands garrison.
European Fighter Aircraft
27. Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his West German counterpart to discuss progress on the European fighter aircraft project ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave the hon. Member on 7 February at column 657 .
29. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation European fighter aircraft management agency in the last three months.
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59. Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation he has had with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation European fighter aircraft management agency in the last three months.
Mr. Sainsbury : MOD officials have frequent meetings with representatives from NEFMA to discuss all aspects of the European fighter aircraft development programme.
Defence Export Services Organisation
28. Mr. Day : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the work of the Defence Export Services Organisation.
40. Mr. Gerald Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the work of the Defence Export Services Organisation.
Mr. Sainsbury : A considerable number of letters and
representations are received from hon. Members and members of the public covering many different viewpoints including, of course, appreciation of the good work of the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) in helping to secure significant defence exports.
Non-provocative Defence
30. Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends adopting a strategy of non-provocative defence.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : NATO's military strategy, to which the United Kingdom is committed, is entirely defensive.
Sea Harriers
31. Mr. Cran : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects work to commence on the conversion of the Royal Navy's fleet of Sea Harrier FRS 1 air defence fighters to FRS 2 standard.
Mr. Sainsbury : Work to update the Sea Harrier began in 1983 at British Aerospace for the aircraft conversion and Ferranti for the Blue Vixen radar. The first FRS 1 aircraft will be delivered to British Aerospace for conversion to FRS 2 standard in 1990.
Defence Efforts (Western Europe)
34. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his west European counterparts on the need to improve upon existing levels of defence efforts.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has regular bilateral and multilateral discussions with his western European colleagues on NATO's defence plans and the contributions made by each ally. For example, the equitable sharing of roles, risks and responsibilities within the Alliance was dicussed at the meetings of the Eurogroup and defence planning committee between 30 November and 2 December 1988.
British Forces (NATO)
36. Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of British forces are under North Atlantic Treaty Organisation command.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : Most British forces are committed to NATO, but in peacetime they normally operate under national command. However, some RAF squadrons are under NATO command in peacetime and details of these are given in annex C of volume 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988" (Cm. 344-I).
AOR Programme
39. Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the auxiliary oiler replenishment programme.
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