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Mr. Atkins [holding answer 22 May 1989] : The following areas of the United Kingdom have been designated for eligibility for the European regional development fund (ERDF) with effect from 1 January 1989. Northern Ireland was designated by the Council of the European Communities in its regulation (EEC) 2052/88 of 24 June 1988. The remainder were designated by the Commission, in pursuance of that regulation, on 22 March and 10 May 1989 :
Northern Ireland ;
The assisted areas of Great Britain, except : Cinderford and Ross-on-Wye, Corby, Kidderminster and Whitby travel-to-work areas, and parts of Birmingham, Bridgend, Cardiff, Coventry and Hinckley, Dudley and Sandwell and Sheffield TTWAs ;
The remainder of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and Development Board for Rural Wales areas ;
The remainder of Greater Manchester ; Nottingham City (UPA) ; and the following TTWAs : Alnwick and Amble, Burnley, Castleford and Pontefract, Chesterfield, Goole and Selby (part), Mansfield, Pendle, Retford, Stirling (part), Wakefield and Dewsbury, Whitehaven and Worksop.
Both hon. Members' constituencies (Bassetlaw, and Pontefract and Castleford) are thus eligible in their entirety.
The excluded parts of Bridgend, Cardiff and Sheffield TTWAs remain eligible under transitional provisions, at least for the period of ERDF programmes which relate to them. Camarthen and Llandeilo TTWAs are also now eligible in principle ; but the terms of the previous ERDF regulation, which still apply transitionally in the case, provide for ERDF grants in non-nationally aided areas only exceptionally. Further areas may become eligible for limited grants under special programmes--Resider (steel areas), Renaval (shipbuilding areas) and others that may be adopted by the Commission.
The allocation of grants is determined by the Commission upon application by the Government. Indicative financial plans for ERDF assistance in the three years 1989-91 are to be contained in Community support framework documents, to be established by the Commission in agreement with the Government by the autumn of 1989 and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Column 461
Europe : Open for Business Campaign
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all outside bodies, consultancies and firms who have received payments for work connected with the Europe : Open for Business campaign ; and how they were appointed.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 16 May 1989] : The following are the main contractors used on the Europe open for business campaign. The list includes all prime contractors (but not their subcontractors) employed by DTI and the Central Office of Information where the work involved had a value of at least £5,000. Firms and others contracted by DTI direct are denoted by an asterisk (*) ; those providing services via COI are marked thus( ).
ABC Graphics Ltd.
Atlas Photography Limited
Avon Exhibitions Bristol Ltd.
Graham Bannock and Partners*
Birmingham Metropole Hotel
Ian Blackman
Vic Brent
British Airways plc
British Telecom
Leo Burnett
Capital TV Facilities plc
Carlton Design
Central Office of Information*
Christian Brann Ltd.
Clip Exhibitions and Display Systems
Creative Scene*
Crown Television Productions Ltd.
D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles
Terence Donovan Production Ltd.
Dun and Bradstreet Ltd.
Durrants*
Edit Art Post Production
FT Business Information
Griffin Factors Ltd.
Grundy and Northedge Design*
Peter Hobday Associates Ltd.
HMSO*
Hudson Payne and Iddiols
ITN
Vincent Kane
Mike Kaufman (post production) Ltd.
Leith's Good Food Ltd.
London Colour Copy Centre*
Look Hear
MAS Research Marketing
Peter Matthews Displays Ltd.
Moore and Mathes*
Multimark Ltd.
One Point Five Ltd.
Parkdine Ltd.
Pearl and Dean Publicity Ltd.*
Peat Marwick McLintock*
Portland Outdoor Advertising Ltd.
Post Office
Property Services Agency*
Research Surveys of Great Britain
Rex Pictures Ltd.
Adrian Rowbotham Films
S. D. Systems Ltd.
Security Pacific Business
Soundset Ltd.
Stag Services (Employment) Ltd.
Sheila Stirrat
David Suchet
Teledata Ltd.
Anna Valley Displays
Video Arts Ltd.*
Video Tape Recording Plc
WCRS Mathews Marcantonio Ltd.
Richard Whiteley
Yound & Rubicam Ltd.
Column 462
DEFENCE
Computer Language (ADA)
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will issue a complete list of projects using the mandatory computer programme language Ada ; if he will give the Ada specific costs involved in those projects ; and whether the use of Ada has helped to control software development and maintenance costs.
Mr. Sainsbury : The adoption of Ada as MOD's preferred language for new operational software, together with improvements in the management of those projects which have a large and complex software content, is helping to control the costs of software development and maintenance.
We do not insist inflexibly on the use of Ada. There will be particular circumstances where Ada cannot be used or where an alternative approach might offer better value for money. Information concerning those projects which do use Ada, and the Ada specific costs involved in these projects, is not held centrally. To obtain that information would require a special survey, and would incur disproportionate cost.
Buccaneer
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects agreement on the air staff requirement for the Buccaneer replacement.
Mr. Sainsbury : Initial studies into possible replacement options are currently in hand. It is too early to say when a staff requirement is likely to be agreed.
Nimrod
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects agreement on the air staff requirement for the Nimrod MR2 replacement ;
(2) if he will make a statement on the effects of corrosion on the fatigue lives of the RAF Nimrod maritime reconnaissance fleet.
Mr. Sainsbury : The fatigue life of an airframe is affected by a number of factors, of which corrosion is only one. In the case of the Nimrod MR2, it is too early to assess the effect of corrosion on the aircraft's fatigue life, but we expect the Nimrod to give many more years of useful service. It will be some time before a staff requirement for a replacement aircraft needs to be agreed.
Harrier
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier GR5 squadrons will be based in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Harrier GR/7 to enter service with the Royal Air Force.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : In the early 1990s.
RAF Pilots
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average number of hours flown by RAF fast jet pilots per month.
Column 463
Mr. Neubert : The information requested is classified.
Low-Flying Aircraft
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names, dates and locations of all low-flying exercises conducted since 6 November 1987, advance notice of which was given to hon. Members in affected constituencies.
Mr. Neubert : Advance notice of the following exercises has been given to hon. Members whose constituencies were likely to experience unusual low-flying activity :
Exercise Name |Exercise Dates |Exercise Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988
Key Lift 88 |5-13 March |North Yorkshire
Mallet Blow 88/1 14-18 March Northern England/Borders
Red Lanyard |9-12 April |Many areas with centre on
| Salisbury Plain
Elder Forest 88 |18-21 April |East Anglia/Lincolnshire/
| Northern England/Eastern
| Scotland
Hammer 88/1 |10 May |Northern England/Southern
| Scotland
OSEX 15 |16-20 May |Wales
Roaring Lion |20-26 May |Many areas with centre on
| Northumberland
Central |6 June |East Anglia/Lincolnshire/
Enterprise |Northern England/Eastern
| Scotland
Fast Buzzard |13-24 July |Many areas with centre on
| Salisbury Plain
Mallet Blow 88/2 25-29 July Northern England/Borders
Green Lanyard |1-8 October |Many areas with centre on
| South West Wales
Elder Joust 88<1> |4-6 October |East Anglia/Lincolnshire/
| North eastern England/
| South eastern Scotland
Hammer 88/2 |11 October |East Anglia/Northern England/
| Southern Scotland
1989
Red Lanyard 17-23 February Many areas with centre on
| Norfolk
Mallet Blow 89/1 3-7 April Northern England/Borders
Salty Hammer 89<2> 9 May Northern England/Southern
| Scotland
Equipment Trial 25 April-19 May Northern England/Borders
OSEX 16<3> |10-19 May |Wales
Notes:
<1> Formerly called Exercise Priory.
<2> Formerly called Exercise Hammer.
<3> Including Highland Cardinal work-up exercise.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations and dates of covert surveys of low flying by the RAF police since 25 September 1987.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him in response to his similar question on 16 March 1989, at column 241 . Since 22 February covert monitoring of low-flying activity has additionally been conducted at the following locations over the periods stated :
25-27 April Liskeard
2-4 May Gloucester
8-11 May Blencarn
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what maximum speed and minimum height will be permitted during mock interception manoeuvres and run-ups to simulated targets, for aircraft participating in the OSEX 16 exercise.
Column 464
Mr. Neubert : The normal height and speed regulations for low flying in the United Kingdom will apply to aircraft participating in OSEX 16.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use will be made of the 100 ft low-flying area in central Wales during (a) Exercise Highland Cardinal and (b) Exercise OSEX 16.
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