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Column 363
Headquarters and four platoonsIntelligence Corps
23 Security Company
Miscellaneous
Aberdeen University Officer Training Corps
Edinburgh and Heriot Watt University Officer Training Corps Glasgow and Strathclyde University Officer Training Corps Taylforth University Officer Training Corps
Royal Scots (V) Band
Royal Highland Fusiliers (V) Band
51 Highland Band
Staff (Directorships)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those of his Department's senior staff who are non-executive directors of major companies, together with the companies.
Mr. Neubert : The following MOD senior staff are currently non- executive directors :
|Name |Grade
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J. C. Mabberley |3 |Automated Security
M. J. Harte |3 |Glaxochem
B. A. E. Taylor |3 |North British Newsprint
D. E. Humphries |3 |Thorn EMI
K. G. Hambleton |3 |Dowty Seals
D. R. Morris |5 |Rank Organisation
A. J. D. Pawson |5 |Cleanaway Ltd.
Officers (Dismissals)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy in future defence estimate statements to indicate the number of officers and officers-designate whose reason for leaving the services comes within the categories "unsatisfactory" and "discipline".
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Outflow from the services of officers and officers-designate whose reason for leaving comes within the categories unsatisfactory and discipline are already included in table 4.18 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989" volume 2 (Cm. 675-II) under the heading "other reasons", which has a similar coverage to the "Unsatisfactory, disciplinary and other reasons" sub-heading shown for servicemen and service women. The officers' "other reasons" sub-heading will be changed in future editions of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" to make this clear. A more detailed breakdown in separate unsatisfactory and disciplinary categories is not available.
Expenditure Statistics
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the proportions of expenditure in (a) Scotland and (b) the south-east of England for each industry group heading, in the year 1986-87, as set out in table 2.5 of Cm. 675-II.
Mr. Neubert : Estimates of the regional breakdown of the figures in table 2.5 are not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
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Recruitment
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what detailed studies his Department has conducted on recruitment and the demographic trough ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Army has undertaken a study on manning and recruiting in the lean years of the nineties, better known as the Marilyn report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The Ministry of Defence has also conducted a number of internal reviews covering the three services. As a result, a wide range of measures are being taken to step up our recruiting effort and to improve retention.
East Germany and Poland (Defence Cuts)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has of East German and Polish cuts in troop numbers, tanks and aircraft over the period 1988-1991.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Following President Gorbachev's announcement in late 1988 about intended Soviet force reductions, East Germany announced that it would make unilateral cuts of 10,000 troops, 600 tanks, and 50 aircraft, and Poland announced that it would cut 40,000 troops, 850 tanks, and 80 aircraft, in the period up to 1991. Some of these cuts have already taken place. It is difficult to forecast progress, but we have no reason to believe that they will not adhere to their reduction programmes.
Spares
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of expenditure on spares in 1988-89 ; and what proportion was taken by suppliers located in (a) Scotland and (b) south-east England.
Mr. Neubert : Total estimated expenditure on spares in 1988-89 was approximately £1,635 million. A breakdown of this expenditure by region could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
RAF Contracts
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total value of RAF contracts, in the latest available year, to external contractors, at Linton-on-Ouse, Shawbury and Church Fenton.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : In the current financial year, the total value of RAF contracts placed with external contractors at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, RAF Shawbury and RAF Church Fenton is approximately £9.6 million.
Medical Research
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what part of his Department's medical expenditure is devoted to medical research within military establishments.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : This information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Volunteer Reserves
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the turnover rate of the volunteer reserves in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I regret that this information is not available in the form requested.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the turnover rate of the volunteer reserves in the past year.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The outflow from the volunteer reserve forces during training year 1988-89 was 25,705, representing a turnover of 29.7 per cent. against strength at the beginning of the year. This outflow includes some 700 other ranks who left to take up commissions in the regular forces.
Non-strategic Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision on modernisation of the United Kingdom's non-strategic nuclear weapons is to be taken.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The studies into a number of options for the possible replacement of the WE 177 free-fall bomb are continuing. It is not yet possible to forecast when a decision may be taken.
Chemical Weapons
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether work undertaken at the Chemical Defence Establishment is capable of conversion to the production of offensive chemical weapons.
Mr. Neubert : The role of the Chemical Defence Establishment is to provide effective protective measures for the United Kingdom Armed Forces against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. The United Kingdom abandoned all offensive chemical warfare work over 30 years ago and CDE has no facilities capable of conversion to significant production of offensive chemical weapons.
Major Equipment Projects
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which companies are the main contractors for the major equipment projects set out in table 3.2 of Cm. 675-II ; and how many of these have head offices located in (a) Scotland and (b) England.
Mr. Neubert : The main contractors for the major equipment projects set out in table 3.2 of Cm. 675-II are as follows :
Project |Main contractor
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trident |VSEL Consortium plc
Type 23 Frigate |Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd.
Single Role Minehunter |Vosper Thorneycroft (UK) Ltd.
Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment |Harland and Wolff plc
Vessel
Type 2400 Submarine |VSEL Consortium plc
Sea Dart missile |British Aerospace plc
Sea Wolf missile |British Aerospace plc
GWS26 MOD 1 vertical launch |British Aerospace plc
Sea Wolf
Harpoon surface launched |McDonnell-Douglas Missile
| Systems Company
Stingray |The Marconi Co. Ltd.
Spearfish |The Marconi Co. Ltd.
Sonar 2054 |Plessey UK Ltd.
Challenger MBT |Vickers plc
TOGS |Barr and Stroud Ltd.
Warrior MICV |GKN Sankey Ltd.
Milan |British Aerospace plc
Rapier Field Standard B |British Aerospace plc
Rapier Self-Propelled |British Aerospace plc
Rapier Field Standard C |British Aerospace plc
Blowpipe/Javelin |Short Brothers plc
High Velocity missile |Short Brothers plc
MLRS 1 |European Production Group
LAW 80 |Hunting Engineering Ltd.
Trigat Medium Range |British Aerospace plc
Trigat Long Range |British Aerospace plc
Ptarmigan |Plessey UK Ltd.
European Fighter Aircraft |Eurofighter Jadflugzeug GmbH
|Eurojet Turbo GmbH
Tornado GR1
Turbo Union Ltd.
Tornado ADV |British Aerospace plc
E3-AEW |The Boeing Company
Harrier GR5 |British Aerospace plc
Tristar 1st batch |Marshall of Cambridge
| (Engineering) Ltd.
Tristar 2nd batch |Marshall of Cambridge
| (Engineering) Ltd.
EH101 |EH Industries Ltd.
Sky Flash |British Aerospace plc
ALARM |British Aerospace plc
JP 233 |Hunting Engineering Ltd.
Foxhunter A1 |The Marconi Co. Ltd.
Skynet 4 stage 1 |British Aerospace plc
Of these, two have their major works in Scotland and 10 in England.
Operational Fuels
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which companies have contracts to supply operational fuels to the armed services ; and how many of these companies have their head offices in (a) Scotland and (b) England.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence currently holds contracts with 28 different companies for the supply of operational fuels to the armed services. Of these, two have their head offices in Scotland and 17 have their head offices in England.
Ethnic Minorities
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which firms of consultants have been commissioned to study recruitment of ethnic minorities to the armed services ; and what is the value of each contract.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The contract for the study into ethnic minority recruitment to the armed services was placed with Peat Marwick McLintock, who conducted the study in conjunction with their sub- contractors, Mass Observation. It is not our practice to disclose the value of such contracts.
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Belize (Accommodation)
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given to the replacement of locally-rented accommodation for service families on Belize by purpose-built accommodation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Taking into account the uncertainty over the period British Forces will remain in Belize, it has been previously assessed that it would not be cost-effective to replace locally rented accommodation for families in Belize with purpose-built accommodation. We are currently in the process of looking at this matter again, although no decision has yet been reached.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to improve the single and married accommodation of Her Majesty's forces serving in Belize.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We are currently in the middle of a five-year programme for the replacement of the older single accommodation in Belize, which is due to be completed in 1992. We are also in the middle of rebuilding the 10 old-style married quarters in Airport camp, which will be replaced by 1991.
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Service Pay
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the percentage and actual increases in pay for each year since 1964 for (a) at private rank, (b) at sergeant rank, (c) at captain rank and (d) at a major, and for the equivalent Royal Air Force and Royal Navy rank, in each case.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The present system of pay in the Armed Forces, which introduced what is known as the military salary, was implemented in two stages in 1970 and 1971.
Prior to this, service men were paid partly in cash and partly by the provision of free food and accommodation, with different rates for married personnel. Information on these earlier rates of pay is not readily available and would not in any case be comparable with the present system. Rates of pay and the increase from 1971 are set out in the table. The variations in percentage increases between the ranks in some years of the 1970s arose in part from the effects of various income policies in force at the time and subsequent catching-up awards.
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Private<1> Sergeant<1>
Year |Annual pay|Increase |Increase |Annual pay|Increase |Increase
|amount |per cent. |amount |per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1971 |1,296 |- |- |1,752 |- |-
1972 |1,445 |149 |11.50 |2,091 |339 |19.35
1973 |1,657 |212 |14.67 |2,241 |150 |7.17
1974 |1,869 |212 |12.79 |2,522 |281 |12.54
1975 |2,405 |536 |28.68 |3,285 |763 |30.25
1976 |2,718 |313 |13.01 |3,598 |313 |9.53
1977 |2,854 |136 |5.00 |3,778 |180 |5.00
1978 |3,245 |391 |13.70 |4,307 |529 |14.00
1979 |4,055 |810 |24.96 |5,486 |1,179 |27.37
1980 |5,011 |956 |23.58 |6,826 |1,340 |24.43
1981 |5,482 |471 |9.40 |7,552 |726 |10.64
1982 |5,785 |303 |5.53 |8,004 |452 |5.99
1983 |6,215 |430 |7.43 |8,616 |612 |7.65
1984 |6,676 |461 |7.42 |9,293 |677 |7.86
1985 |7,154 |478 |7.16 |9,979 |686 |7.38
1986 |7,687 |533 |7.45 |10,757 |778 |7.80
1987 |8,136 |449 |5.84 |11,470 |713 |6.63
1988 |8,625 |489 |6.01 |12,228 |758 |6.61
1989 |9,224 |599 |6.94 |13,082 |854 |6.98
<1>The pay of non-commissioned ranks is divided into different pay bands according to
their technical and other skills. The pay shown is for the middle pay band and for
personnel committed to between six to nine years service. Pay for RAF and RN personnel
of equivalent ranks is broadly similar but full pay banding is not used in the RN and
minor variations can therefore occur.
<2>Officers are paid on a scale related to the number of years in rank. The rates shown
are for the top of the scale. There is no difference for the pay of equivalent ranks in
the RN and RAF.
Captain (Army)<2> Major<2>
Year |Annual pay|Increase |Increase |Annual pay|Increase |Increase
|amount |per cent. |amount |per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1971 |2,555 |- |- |3,322 |- |-
1972 |3,000 |445 |17.42 |3,950 |628 |15.90
1973 |3,180 |180 |6.00 |4,170 |220 |5.57
1974 |3,573 |393 |12.36 |4,679 |509 |12.21
1975 |4,121 |548 |15.34 |5,103 |424 |9.06
1976 |4,434 |313 |7.60 |5,416 |313 |6.13
1977 |4,642 |208 |4.69 |5,624 |208 |3.84
1978 |5,917 |1,275 |27.47 |7,457 |1,833 |32.59
1979 |7,397 |1,480 |25.01 |9,432 |1,975 |26.49
1980 |9,136 |1,739 |23.51 |11,994 |2,562 |27.16
1981 |10,424 |1,288 |14.10 |13,494 |1,500 |12.51
1982 |11,129 |705 |6.76 |14,498 |1,004 |7.44
1983 |12,144 |1,015 |9.12 |15,830 |1,332 |9.19
1984 |13,169 |1,025 |8.44 |17,115 |1,285 |8.12
1985 |14,188 |1,019 |7.74 |18,509 |1,394 |8.14
1986 |15,279 |1,019 |7.69 |20,049 |1,540 |8.32
1987 |16,272 |993 |6.50 |21,352 |1,303 |6.50
1988 |17,418 |1,146 |7.04 |22,849 |1,497 |7.01
1989 |18,812 |1,394 |8.00 |24,433 |1,584 |6.93
<1>The pay of non-commissioned ranks is divided into different pay bands according to
their technical and other skills. The pay shown is for the middle pay band and for
personnel committed to between six to nine years service. Pay for RAF and RN personnel
of equivalent ranks is broadly similar but full pay banding is not used in the RN and
minor variations can therefore occur.
<2>Officers are paid on a scale related to the number of years in rank. The rates shown
are for the top of the scale. There is no difference for the pay of equivalent ranks in
the RN and RAF.
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European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Jack : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to resolve the outstanding decision on the choice of radar for the European fighter aircraft ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : Since taking office my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has met his German opposite number of two occasions during which the choice of radar for European fighter aircraft was considered. Further meetings will take place with the Defence Minister of European fighter aircraft nations as necessary. Senior officials are also in regular contact with their counterparts in the other European fighter aircraft countries. Every opportunity is taken during these meetings to seek an early resolution of this issue.
Colonial Service Pensions
Mr. Stanbrook : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to clear the back-log of claims for certification of war service submitted by colonial service pensioners at the Army records office, Hayes.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Of the 2,551 inquiries received by the Army record office at Hayes for verification of war service, 2,342 have been completed and returned to the Overseas Development Administration. The outstanding 209 await further information from the ex-service men themselves or from the Department of Social Security before they can be verified and returned to the Overseas Development Administration.
Bird Strike Risk
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation have taken place since 1983 between officials of his Department or service personnel and representatives of the Nature Conservancy Council to discuss bird strike risk in low-level flying exercises ; and the possible effects of such exercises on seabird colonies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : I am not aware of any formal discussions between my Department and the Nature Conservancy Council on bird strike risk in low flying exercises, but areas of major bird concentrations, including the locations of major seabird colonies in Scotland, are notified to aircrew who will take account of the potential hazards in the planning and execution of their low-flying sorties. My Department also has regular discussions with the Nature Conservancy Council, at which matters of mutual concern, including the effect of low-flying aircraft on seabird colonies, are discussed.
Land, Wales
Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate how much land has been purchased by his Department to add to that already owned by them on Mynydd Eppynt in Brecon and Radnor in the following years : (a) 1987, (b) 1988 and (c) the present year to 30 September.
Column 370
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 6 July 1988 at column 646. A further 25 acres in the Brecon and Radnor areas have been purchased from the Forestry Commission this year.
Holy Loch
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has of the contribution to the local economy made by the United States Government as a result of the use of Holy Loch by the United States Navy and as to who benefits therefrom.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 9 May 1989 at column 426.
TRANSPORT
Network SouthEast
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of public subsidy for Network SouthEast in each of the past three years.
Mr. Portillo : Figures for Government support paid to the British Railways board, including public service obligations grant under EC regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974, and level crossings grant under EC regulation 1192/69, are given in the table. Final claims have not yet been agreed.
The table also shows the figures for total investment by British Rail in the railways.
£m cash (rounded to nearest £m)
|Grant |Investment
--------------------------------------------
1986-87 |709 |399
1987-88 |782 |526
1988-89 |557 |570
In the annual report and accounts for 1987-88 British Rail estimated the PSO grant requirement for Network SouthEast at £231 million ; in 1988- 89 British Rail put NSE's requirement at £141 million.
Air Traffic Movements
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all planning or other environmental measures limiting air traffic movements at (a) Heathrow airport and (b) other airports in the United Kingdom.
Mr. McLoughlin : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to seek it from the airports direct.
BAA (Land)
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the acreage and asset value of land owned by BAA at the time of its privatisation at each of the airports in its ownership ; and what assurances were sought from the management of BAA plc regarding the future disposal of such land ;
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(2) what was the value of the total land owned by BAA at Prestwick airport at the time of privatisation.Mr. McLoughlin : The 1987 BAA company accounts show the following gross current cost valuations for freehold property, comprising land and buildings, at the seven BAA airports :
|Acres
----------------------
Heathrow |2,750
Gatwick |1,642
Stansted |2,406
Glasgow |699
Edinburgh |873
Prestwick |555
Aberdeen |497
|Acres
----------------------
Heathrow |2,750
Gatwick |1,642
Stansted |2,406
Glasgow |699
Edinburgh |873
Prestwick |555
Aberdeen |497
In addition, the company held approximately 1,815 acres of land and buildings which were not directly or immediately required for airport operations.
BAA's articles of association provide that the company may not dispose of an airport designated for the purposes of economic regulation under the 1986 Act without the prior consent of the holder of the special share. This may only be held by a Minister or other person acting on behalf of the Crown. Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are the BAA airports currently designated and my right hon. Friend holds the share.
Scottish Lowlands Airports Policy
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those officials and advisers who will be involved in carrying out the consultation exercise on Scottish lowland airports policy.
Mr. McLoughlin : No. The consultation is being conducted by the Department of Transport in association with the Scottish Office. My right hon. Friend will consider the Government's policy in the light of the responses received.
Flight Diversions
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions have flights been diverted from (a) Glasgow and (b) other airports to Prestwick airport since 1980.
Mr. McLoughlin : This information is published monthly and annually by the Civil Aviation Authority, and copies are placed in the library. The relevant figures are as follows :
Column 372
Year |Landings diverted to |Landings diverted to
|Prestwick from Glasgow |Prestwick from other
|United Kingdom and from
|overseas airports
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |148 |67
1981 |123 |100
1982 |38 |47
1983 |35 |62
1984 |77 |59
1985 |71 |74
1986 |15 |65
1987 |43 |74
1988 |66 |87
to end June 1989 |1 |39
|------- |-------
Total |617 |674
Source:
CAA "Annual Statistics" 1980, 1981, 1982.
CAA "UK Airports: annual statements of movements, passengers and cargo" 1983 to 1988.
CAA "UK Airports: monthly statements of movements, passengers and cargo" January to June 1989.
West London Assessment Study
Sir Barney Hayhoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what consultation arrangements he is making to ensure that local opinion is taken into account before Government decisions are made on the issues covered by his consultants' stage 2B report of the west London assessment study ;
(2) when he expects to receive the stage 2B report of the west London assessment study from his consultants ; and whether he will publish it without delay.
Mr. Atkins : We expect to receive reports from the consultants for all four London assessment studies in the next month or so. Arrangements for printing will be put in hand as soon as possible for publication early in December. The reports will be available for purchase and there will be free summaries. Displays will be offered at town halls and public libraries in the study areas.
In order to reduce uncertainty we intend to announce at the time the reports are published which options will not be considered further. We shall be inviting comments from local authorities, other organisations and members of the public before reaching firm decisions on the remaining options.
London Regional Transport (Anti-inflation Policy)
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice, instructions or indications he has given to, London Regional Transport and its subsidiary undertakings concerning their part in supporting the anti-inflation policy of Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Portillo : London Regional Transport is fully aware of the Government's determination to win the fight against inflation and I have satisfied myself that LRT appreciates the significance of its own pay and price increases. My right hon. Friend has no powers to issue instructions to LRT on these matters.
Air Traffic (Near Misses)
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many near-miss cases over Orkney involving both civilian and military aircraft have been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority since 1 January 1985.
Column 373
Mr. McLoughlin : There have been three reported airmisses over Orkney since 1 January 1985. Each involved civil and military aircraft and all were graded by the joint airmiss working group as category C--no risk.
Column 374
Transatlantic Flights
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average real or notional extra cost for each transatlantic flight which has to use Prestwick as a gateway airport.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Department does not hold the information needed to establish this figure.
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