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Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has established a unit within his Department to examine the possibility of Britain offering privatisation expertise to developing nations.
Mr. Chris Patten : I see no reason to establish such a unit. The Overseas Development Administration's arrangements for managing bilateral aid already enable it fully to consider proposals related to all aspects of private sector development including privatisation.
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost to date of the exercise undertaken to identify opportunities for assisting developing countries with the promotion of private sector development, including privatisation.
Mr. Chris Patten : The exercise has not resulted in significant additional expense. Providing the information requested would involve disproportionate cost, far exceeding any costs which the exercise itself has incurred.
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to conclude agreements with developing countries which would include Her Majesty's Government assisting with the privatisation of nationalised industries ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chris Patten : There are no immediate plans for the conclusion of such agreements, but we have always made clear that we are ready to consider helping where we can.
USAID
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates and locations when his officials have met representatives of the organisation USAID over the past two years.
Mr. Chris Patten : Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, both at home and overseas, are in frequent touch with USAID officials.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Urban Development Grants
Mr. John Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which urban areas applications for urban development grants are now being accepted.
Mr. Needham : Applications for urban development grant funded by the Government are being accepted in Belfast and Londonderry. Under the second urban development programme funded by the international monetary fund for Ireland the advertised closing date for applications was 28 February 1989. Consequently, only in Belfast and Londonderry are applications now being accepted.
Dwellings (Valuation)
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dwellings in Northern Ireland have a net annual valuation of less than £60.
Column 591
Mr. Ian Stewart : The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Schizophrenia
Mr. Goodlad : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent in Northern Ireland in the last year on the care and treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia ; and what percentage that figure represented of total expenditure on (a) mental and (b) all health services.
Mr. Needham : The information is not available.
Mr. Goodlad : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current annual cost per patient to the National Health Service in Northern Ireland of the care and treatment of patients with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia psychoses.
Mr. Needham : The information is not available.
Knackeries
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what study his Department has made of the Group Public Health Committee's report "The Unfit Meat Trade in Northern Ireland, Law and Enforcement Review" and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : The Departments of Agriculture and Health and Social Services are considering the detailed recommendations made in the report and will issue a response shortly.
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he intends to bring forward new measures for the control of licensed knackeries to prevent unfit meat entering the human food chain.
Mr. Needham : A draft order in Council is being prepared by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland which will provide for prescription in regulations of the standards to be met by knackeries, before such premises are licensed by district councils.
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prosecutions have been brought against those operating illegal knackeries or trading in unfit meat during the last five years ; what convictions have been obtained ; and what penalties have been imposed.
Column 592
Mr. Needham : The information is as follows :
Offence |Prosecutions |Convictions |Total fines (plus costs)
|£
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Operating illegal
knackery |11 |10 |350
(ii) Trading in unfit
meat |42 |42 |1,965
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what specific and formal advice and assistance is available for those wishing to set up properly licensed and supervised knackeries to deal with fallen and casualty animals.
Mr. Needham : Any person wishing to set up a knackery can obtain advice from the environmental health department of the district council in whose area the proposed knackery would be situated. The advice would include information on licensing arrangements, siting and standards of premises and conditions to be observed in handling, treatment and movement of any unfit meat and the keeping of records.
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list existing licensed knackeries, with the location of each and the service each offers to farmers.
Mr. Needham : There are two licensed knackeries in Northern Ireland- -Lisburn By-Products Ltd., Moira road, Lisburn and Ulster Farm By-Products Ltd., Glenavy. Both knackeries provide farmers with an essential means of disposal of casualty and dead animals.
Computer Consultants
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount spent by his Department in 1988 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; and if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1988, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.
Mr. Ian Stewart [holding answer 4 April 1989] : The total amount spent on management and computer consultancy in 1988 was £4,402,979. The remainder of the information is as follows :
Column 591
Firm |Subject of assignment
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aims Systems |Structured Systems Analysis Design Methodology (SSADM)
| Consultancy
Aims Training |SSADM
Anderson and Co. |IT resourcing
Apricot Ltd. |Microcomputer Skills
Associated Marketing (NI) Ltd. |Marketing Appraisals
W. S. Atkins Management Consultants |Market Research
Atkins Planning |Marketing Appraisals
D. E. Barnard Systems Ltd. |Historic Monuments/Building Branch Strategy Study Country/Wild-
| life Branch Strategy Study Training Division Project
Basil Singleton |Assessing potential of Health Service sites for advertising hoardings
BDO Binder Hamlyn |Financial Appraisals and Marketing Appraisals
Belmin Systems Ltd. |Development of NI Parliamentary index
BIC Systems Ltd. |Microcomputer Skills
Binder Hamlyn |Industrial Science Division project
BIS Beecom |Management Information System
| Marketing Appraisals
BIS Beecom (International) Ltd. |Incentive Bonus schemes in DOE (NI) Works Service
| Specialised communication aspects of Integrated Computer System
| in DOE (NI) roads Service. Integrated Computer System in DOE
| Water Service. Monitoring Equal Opportunities in Public Bodies,
| Roads and Water Services integrated systems. User awareness-
| consultancy skills
BIS Mackintosh
| Information on EEC anti-dumping tariffs as applicable to electronics
| companies
BPA (Tech Mangt) Ltd. |Annual subscription to BPA Compass Scheme
Brennan and Simmons |Leadership Training
|Training for Trainers
British Telecom |Government Network
Capita |DENI IT Strategy
| Social Security Fraud Scrutiny
| Human Resource Management System
| Advanced Office Management Information System
CARA Data |Project Management
CCTA |Project Support
| IT Development Study
| Strategy enabling study
| Review of Bureau Services
Centrehouse Management |Financial appraisals
J. T. Chambers |Analysis of transportation costs for an inward investment company
CIPFA |Training for NICS Internal Auditors
CIPFA Services Ltd. |Integrated Computer System in DOE (NI) Water Service
CI Training |Microcomputer Skills
Collingwood Harris |Business Co-operation:
| Feasibility study
| Company Matchmaking in Maryland, USA
Common Service Agency Scotland |Community Health Index Project
John Compton Associates |Marketing Appraisals
Computer Science Co. Ltd. |Departmental Information Technology
Construction Industry Computer |Procurement of computer aided design system
Association
Consulting Partners International |Marketing Appraisals
Coopers & Lybrand |NI Emigration Package
| Development and implementation of information technology
| strategy for social security benefit payments
|Review of the Training Levy
|"Total Quality Centre" feasibility study
|Joint study with NM Rothchild & Sons Ltd-preliminary study on
|Application of Clerical Work Measurement
|Project Sponsors
|Financial & Marketing Appraisals
|Company Appraisals
|To review the present arrangements for testing motor vehicles in
| Northern Ireland and advise on the feasibility of the privatisation
The supervision and monitoring the affairs of the NI Transport
| Holding Company and the three subsiduary transport operating
| companies
Cork Gully |Study into the Procedures for Investigating Personal Bankruptcy
C S College |PROMPT
Deloitte Haskins & Sells |Integrated Computer System in DOE (NI) Roads Service Company
| Appraisals
|Financial & marketing Appraisals
Department of the Environment |Building project advice
Department of Finance & Personnel |Survey of the disabled
(PPRU)
Department of Information Services, |Consultancy Services for Road Survey Vehicle project
University of Ulster |Support for software/electronics presentations in US
|Support for presentation to company in Switzerland
D J S Consultants |Marketing Appraisals
Denham Nash |Consultancy Skills Training
|User Awareness
Diane Bailey Associates |Staff Training
Digital Equipment Co |Office automation
Elite Consultancy Services |Project cost monitoring
EOSYS |Data Communication
Ernst and Whinney |Financial Appraisals
ESCO Management Consultants |European salary survey for software industry
|Analysis of large computer sites in Northern Ireland
Pauline Farrell |Leadership Training
|Training for Trainers
FIRA |Marketing Appraisals
Flynn Moore |Financial Appraisals
Focon International |Marketing Appraisals
Furniture Industry Research Association |Kitchen furniture-GB Market Survey
Gilpin Black Associates |Financial Appraisals
|Management Training for Professional Staff
Gloria Henderson Management
Consultancy |Social Security Fraud Scrutiny
Gryphon Group |Provision Business Pack Stage 1, distance learning video/audio pack
| aimed at business management
W. Halcrow |Efficiency study in the DOE (NI) Environmental Protection Division
Hanna Thompson and Co. |Financial Appraisals
Stephen Hughes Associates |Marketing Appraisals
Victor Hausner and Associates |Belfast Special Action Group/Belfast Initiative
HAY-MSL |Review of salaries of senior NI Housing Executive Staff
IBI Corporate Services |Financial Appraisals
|Study re sale of shares in textile company
ICL |Systems Performance and Data
|Communications
|Training Division Project
|VME
Industrial Training Services |Community Projects Branch-Staff Training
|Review of health service personnel function
|Community Workshops Evaluation
|Monitoring of Recognised Training Organisations
Investment Bank of Ireland |Study re sale of shares in textile company
Jackson Andrews |Financial Appraisals
Mark Jampolc |Business Co-operation: Feasibility report; then Company match
|making; in North West Pennsylvania
Kleinwort Benson |Privatisation of Short Bros PLC
Knight Wendling |Technical Appraisals
Knowledge Tech Ltd |Training Division Project
KPMG Peat Marwick |Report on the UK market for sheep's milk and sheep's milk products
|Update of study into the commercial viability of an irradiation
| facility in Northern Ireland. The original study was carried out in
| 1986
Kurt Salmon Associates |Study of the NI Clothing Industry
Lazard Bros |Privatisation of Harland and Wolff
Learmont and Burchett |Implementation of PROMPT Department of Agriculture Fatstock
| project-SSADM Project Control
Lindsay Marketing |Marketing Appraisal
Gordon Lyell Associates |The presentation and marketing of Historic Monuments in Northern
| Ireland, and in particular Carrickfergus Castle
C. and K. MacFarlane |Marketing Appraisals
Stuart McKechanie |Assignment Skills
J. Leslie McKeown |Financial Appraisals
R. A. McLaughlin |Assisting with the management of the EC Star (advanced
| telecommunications) Programme
D. J. MacRitchie |Financial Appraisals
Mrs. D. Phillips |To review the functions of the DOE (NI): Historic Monuments and
| Buildings Branch and the legislation under which it operates
Practical Management Consultants |Marketing Appraisals
Price Waterhouse |Evaluation of Training Programme for people in employment
|Study into the Comparative Corporate and Regional Tax Systems of
|Statutory audit of Northern Health Board Company Appraisals
|Financial and Marketing Appraisals
John McVeigh and Co. |Financial appraisals
Mandelo Development Consultants |Study of contracting-out of economic development activities
A. Manning Associates |Team development
Marceton Ltd. |Marketing appraisals
Market Research Scotland |Marketing appraisals
Market Research UK |Marketing appraisals
Marketing and Management Information Services |Marketing appraisals
Meconsult Ltd. |Evaluation of Information Technology Centre
Mindworks Partnership |Business analysis training
Muir and Addy Management Services |Financial appraisals
E. F. Munrose and Associates |Marketing appraisals
Netherlands Economic Institute |Prospects of economic development in NI
Northern Bank |Pre-retirement
NI Council on Alcohol |Alcohol awareness
North West Design Engineers |Company appraisals
Oracle |Obstetrics project
Oracle UK |Oracle implementation
|4 G. L. training
PA Consulting Services |Introduction of a total quality management programme
|Preparation of guideline standards for work study
PA Management Consultants |Marketing appraisals
Peat Marwick |Company appraisals
|Financial-marketing appraisals
|Marketing appraisals
P. E. Consulting Group |Marketing appraisals
Peterborough Software |UNIPAY system
Michael Peters Group plc |Provision of design clinics for NI business community "Profit
| by Design"
PRI Consultants |Evaluation of Voluntary Organisations with regard to Grant Aid
Queen's University, Belfast |Administrative Law, Basic Book-keeping, Investment Appraisal,
| Management Accounting, Policy Management, Tuition for
| Institute of Internal Auditors Examinations, Understanding
| Company Accountants
Quinn and Co. |Financial Appraisals
David Rigby Associates |Company Appraisals
Roffey Park |Training for Trainers
RMA Management Consultants |Company Appraisals
N. M. Rothchild and Sons Ltd. |Joint study with Coopers and Lybrand-Preliminary study on the
| privatisation of NIE
Saville/Holdsworth |Block funding assessment project
Sherwood Systems Ltd. |Dataflex
Shirley M. Holt Associates |Marketing Appraisals
Alan Smyth Associates |Retention of services as IDB Quality Co-ordinator
Software Ireland |Management Information System, Valuation/Land office
Stamen |Horticultural activities for the mentally handicapped
Strategic Training Ltd. |Marketing training courses for NI business management
Syntek Ltd. |To review Transit computer procedures
|Training Division project
Telebriton Ltd. |Pilot Study-Defence Sector Market Strategy for NI
|Identification of possible inward investment projects
|Identification of possible inward investment projects
|Software Fair in NIBC, London
Time Consulting Group |Software Strategy for NI-Investigation of the role of a Resource
| Centre
Hans Tolin |Business Co-operation:
|Feasibility report
|Company matchmaking with Swedish companies
Touche Ross |Privatisation and monitoring of Harland & Wolff
|Privatisation and monitoring of Short Bros PLC
|Financial/Marketing Appraisals
|Internal Audit Development
|Mental Health Service Audit
|Provision of NI Trade Director 1989 and Local Sourcing Database
|Analysis of transportation costs to and from various locations
|Market Research
|Company Appraisals
|Comparison of tax (personal and corporate) regimes in various
|European countries
Training and Development Associates |Young People's Programme
University of Ulster |Export Research Project
|Personal Computers Appreciation
|Policy Analysis
|Policy Management
|Report on research activities in informatics at NI universities
United Medical Enterprises |Studies in connection with the export of NI
|Health Care Expertise
Ritchie Ward Associates |Project Management
|Project Sponsors
Warne Franklin |RAPRA Project-Technological Consultancy
Wilt Thornton |Financial Appraisals
Xentec |To review Transit computer procedures
Mr. William Strathearn
Mr. Livingstone : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the letter from the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, North (Mr. Stewart) to the hon. Member for Brent, East on 4 September 1988 about Mr. William Strathearn.
Mr. Ian Stewart [holding answer 4 April 1989] : No. It is not our usual practice to publish correspondence of this kind.
Regional Rates
Mr. Clifford Forsyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will explain the methodology employed in striking the regional rate for Northern Ireland.
Mr. Ian Stewart [holding answer 10 April 1989] : I refer the hon. Member to the explanation of the regional rate methodology given in the information note "Northern Ireland Regional Rate 1989-90" which is available in the House of Commons Library in support of the Rates (Regional Rate) Order (Northern Ireland) 1989 which was laid before Parliament on 7 March 1989.
Column 602
SCOTLAND
Working for Patients"
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he is giving to the number of overseas patients that can be treated in the self-managing hospitals proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients".
Mr. Michael Forsyth : We are considering how treatment of overseas patients in National Health Service hospitals, including self-governing hospitals, might best be administered in the context of the White Paper and the associated working papers.
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received on the White Paper "Working for Patients".
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Some 600 letters have been received, offering comments and suggestions in relation to various aspects of the White Paper.
Private Secretary (Under-Secretary of State)
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects a new private secretary for the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Education, the hon. Member for Stirling, (Mr. Forsyth) to be in post.
Column 603
Mr. Rifkind : There are no immediate plans to replace my hon. Friend's private secretary.
Conifers
Mr. Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will seek to alter the different tree-planting grants to eliminate the 300 per cent. differential between farm schemes and commercial schemes in the planting of conifers.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : No. Farmers have a choice as to which scheme they apply to enter.
Edinburgh-Carlisle Trunk Road
Mr. Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the schemes approved and their expected completion dates for improvements to the A7 Edinburgh-Carlisle trunk road.
Mr. Rifkind : The major A7 schemes in the trunk road programme are the north Middleton diversion, the Dalkeith bypass and the Langholm bypass. Works started on the north Middleton bypass in March. Advance works on the Dalkeith bypass are expected to start in May or June and the main works in October. The contract period for both schemes is 24 months and they should therefore be completed during 1991. The Langholm bypass will not complete its statutory and design stages before the mid-1990s.
Mental Illness
Mr. Goodlad : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authority residential places are currently available for those discharged from mental illness hospitals in Scotland ; what is the current rate of occupancy ; and what are the projected figures for the next two years.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Information about the provision of residential places is given in annual statistical returns from local authorities. At 31 March 1988 the provisional number of residential places in local authority establishments was 167 ; the occupancy rate was 61 per cent. The local authorities' returns do not extend to planned provision.
University Grants
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the Scottish Education Department grant regulations which prohibit individuals who hold a higher national diploma qualification from receiving a full grant for a university course.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Under present rules, eligible students who complete a course leading to a higher national diploma may qualify for a student's allowance for the third and any subsequent year of a full-time degree or comparable course.
With effect from session 1989-90, my right hon. and learned Friend has decided that those higher national diplomates who wish to proceed to undertake full-time studies at degree level in the sciences, technology, or certain teacher shortage subjects will, exceptionally, be entitled to grant assistance for the second and any subsequent year of a degree or comparable course.
Column 604
Housing
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dwellings were completed by local authorities and new towns in Scotland in 1988.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Although a number of returns have yet to be received, we estimate that almost 2,000 dwellings were completed by local authorities in Scotland in 1988. Returns submitted by new town development corporations indicate that 257 dwellings were completed during the year.
Homelessness
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households were accepted as homeless in Scotland in the calendar years 1987 and 1988 ; and how many applications by households there were in those years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Returns submitted by local authorities indicate that during 1987, 23,882 households applied to be considered under the homelessness legislation. Of these, authorities assessed 9,317 as being homeless. A comparable figure for 1988 cannot be provided at present as most local authorities still have returns outstanding.
Enterprise Allowance Scheme
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of unemployed people in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland who have been helped to start a business through the enterprise allowance scheme in each year since its inception ; and how many of these schemes have failed in each year.
Mr. Lang : The number of unemployed people who started their own business with the help of the enterprise allowance scheme in each year since its inception in August 1983 in the areas requested is set out in the table.
‚
|c|Enterprise allowance scheme|c|
Entrants
Year |Greenock and Port Glasgow|Strathclyde |Scotland
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 (August to March) |26 |585 |2,249
1984-85 |48 |1,352 |3,794
1985-86 |79 |1,601 |5,311
1986-87 |105 |2,386 |8,260
1987-88 |122 |2,779 |9,894
1988-89 |101 |2,558 |8,494
Information on the number of these businesses which have subsequently failed is not available. However, the latest national survey shows that of those businesses completing 12 months on the scheme 74 per cent. were still trading 18 months after start-up with 65 per cent. still trading three years after start-up.
Working Women
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time working women for each year since 1979 in (i) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Scotland as a whole.
Column 605
Mr. Lang : The table gives the number of (a) full-time and (b) part -time women employees in employment in Scotland for September each year since 1979, and the available information on women employees in employment for Strathclyde region and Greenock and Port Glasgow parliamentary constituency.
Information for Strathclyde and Greenock and Port Glasgow is available only from the 1981 and 1984 census of employment. For 1981 analyses for parliamentary constituencies do not distinguish full-time from part-time employees.
The figures for Scotland for 1984 onwards may be revised when the results of the 1987 census of employment available later this year.
|c|Employees in employment full and
part-time women workers at|c|
|c|September|c|
Thousands
|Full-time|Part-time
------------------------------------------
Scotland
1979 |571.6 |330.8
1980 |558.9 |331.5
1982 |508.0 |340.4
1983 |503.6 |336.8
1984 |505.1 |346.0
1985 |504.9 |363.2
1986 |499.7 |366.6
1987 |503.3 |380.7
1988 |528.7 |381.9
Strathclyde
1981 |252.3 |146.9
1984 |233.4 |144.4
Greenock and Port Glasgow
1981 |13.7
1984 |8.3 |4.6
General Practitioners (Contract)
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from general practitioners in the Eastwood constituency about a new contract for general practice in the National Health Service in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : In addition to the discussions with my hon. Friend and the representations he has received on behalf of general practitioners in his constituency my right hon. and learned Friend and I have received representations from general practitioners throughout Scotland many of which have been helpful to us in drawing up a new contract for general practice in the National Health Service in Scotland. That new contract has been sent to the General Medical Services Committee and I am sending a personal copy to every general practitioner in Scotland. The document is being published in Scotland today and copies have been placed in the Library.
DEFENCE
Alcohol Consumption
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy with regard to the supply and consumption of alcohol on board Royal Navy vessels as it applies to (a) officers and (b) ratings.
Column 606
Mr. Neubert : Ratings on board Royal Navy vessels are limited in their daily onboard alcohol consumption. No specific limits are placed on officers but it is the responsibility of commanding officers to ensure that alcohol consumption of all personnel is not excessive. Drunkenness, even off duty and ashore, is an offence under the Naval Discipline Act, which can attract a punishment of up to two years imprisonment.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if submarines carrying nuclear weapons carry alcohol for consumption by the crew while the vessel is on active duty.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the navies which contribute to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ; and if he will indicate which do and do not permit alcohol consumption on board vessels.
Mr. Neubert : As far as I am aware only the United States Navy does not permit alcohol consumption on board.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate, by type, of the alcohol consumed on board Royal Navy vessels in the latest available year ; and if he will indicate consumption differences between the wardroom and lower deck.
Mr. Neubert : Records are not maintained centrally. To obtain the information requested would involve disproportionate cost and effort, requiring individual returns from Royal Navy ships worldwide.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of the recent court martial of the commanding officer of a submarine, who because of alcohol consumption was unable to be on board at the time of sailing and whose intake of alcohol started on board, he will review the policy of allowing alcohol consumption on board Royal Navy vessels.
Mr. Neubert : No. The policy on alcohol consumption aboard Royal Navy vessels takes full account of operational safety and efficiency while allowing those who so desire a moderate level of alcohol consumption during off-duty hours. By virtue of being at sea, frequently for long periods, Royal Navy personnel are already severely restricted in their freedom of choice of off-duty activity without considering further curtailment.
Specialist Staff
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence he has to suggest that it will be easier to recruit specialist staff for the directorate general of defence quality assurance in Teesside than in south east England.
Mr. Sainsbury : The directorate general of defence quality assurance is currently experiencing difficulty in recruiting specialist staff to work in south-east England, despite the higher pay allowances offered.
The level of unemployment in the likely travel-to-work area for the proposed site is considerably higher than in the south-east. We would expect to be able to recruit or train people with the technical skills and expertise we require from Teesside which has a strong heavy engineering, process and chemical engineering tradition.
Column 607
Northern Ireland
Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many units of battalion or equivalent size, are currently serving in an infantry role in Northern Ireland, and as part of the permanent garrison are on short-term detachment ; and what have been the figures in each year since 1969.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I shall write to my hon. Friend.
Soldiers (Costs)
Mr. Trotter : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current annual cost of a Regular Army soldier and of a Territorial Army soldier.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The estimated annual cost at 1987-88 prices of a regular soldier is £14,100, and of a Territorial Army soldier £2,500. These figures cover pay and allowances, personal equipment and other support costs and in the case of the Regular Army soldier, elements for training and non-effective benefits. Training cost figures for Territorial Army soldiers are not separately identifiable without disproportionate cost and effort.
Nuclear Convoys
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what prior warning was given to local authorities, both district and region, in the Clydeside area of the passage of nuclear convoys during the three weeks beginning Monday 20 March.
(2) what is his policy for alerting local authorities to the imminent passage of nuclear naval convoys through their area.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It has been the long-standing practice of successive Governments neither to confirm nor to deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any particular location, and it is not our policy to inform local authorities of nuclear weapon movements. We do, however, inform local police forces, who are responsible for road traffic control.
Anti-tank Weapons (Movements)
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether light anti-tank weapons en route by rail and road from Royal Ordnance, Chorley to Ministry of Defence establishments are guarded by an armed escort.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It would not be in the interests of security to divulge the arrangements for the physical protection of military stores during transit.
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the danger of theft of light anti-tank weapons in transit from Royal Ordnance, Chorley, to Ministry of Defence establishments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The danger of theft of these stores is constantly reviewed in the light of the security threat assessment. It would not be in the interests of security to divulge the current assessment.
Rolls-Royce
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report the value of headquarter
Column 608
contracts awarded to Rolls-Royce Ltd. and Rolls-Royce plc by his Department for goods and services destined for the British armed services in each of the five years to 31 March 1988.Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 4 April 1989] : The value of headquarters contracts awarded to Rolls-Royce Ltd. and Rolls-Royce plc. for goods and services destined for the British armed forces in each of the five years to 31 March 1988 were as follows :
|£ million
------------------------------
1983-84 |370.00
1984-85 |390.00
1985-86 |445.00
1986-87 |300.00
1987-88 |220.00
HEALTH
Meningitis
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been made available by his Department for research into the causes of clusters of meningitis ; and if he will make a statement on what results have so far been obtained.
Mr. Jackson : I have been asked to reply.
The Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from this Department, is the main agency through which the Government support medical research. The council is funding a range of research into meningitis, and details are available in the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 21 December 1988 at column 291-92. The Council is not, however, funding research into the causes of clusters of meningitis. The council is always ready to consider soundly based scientific proposals for funding of new research, in competition with other applications.
Griffiths Report
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department expects to publish the Government's response to the Griffiths report on community care.
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