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Job introduction scheme
|Expenditure estimate|Actual expenditure
Year |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |334,000 |297,201
1980-81 |457,000 |269,433
1981-82 |425,000 |354,588
1982-83 |531,500 |439,861
1983-84 |571,000 |567,980
1984-85 |646,000 |659,000
1985-86 |760,000 |674,000
1986-87 |837,000 |574,000
1987-88 |920,000 |619,000
1988-89 |609,000 |614,000
Adaptations to premises and equipment scheme
Year |Expenditure estimate|Actual expenditure
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |330,000 |50,000
1980-81 |381,000 |64,233
1981-82 |150,000 |71,469
1982-83 |177,000 |107,334
1983-84 |280,000 |134,412
1984-85 |150,000 |243,649
1985-86 |250,000 |295,000
1986-87 |450,000 |256,000
1987-88 |480,000 |404,000
1988-89 |354,000 |423,000
NORTHERN IRELAND
NATO Exercises
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the extent of involvement by his Department in NATO exercise Wintex/Cimex 1987 and exercise Wintex/Cimex 1989 ; what is the number of staff engaged in the exercise planning process and in the exercise themselves ; and what are the posts, ranks and responsibilities of the staff involved.
Mr. Cope : The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments each play their part in testing those procedures in which we have an interest. Staff participate as required. It would not be appropriate for me to supply the detail requested.
Arts
The Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the visits made by each of the Ministers in his Department to events in the arts in the last year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 1 November 1989] : The information on official visits to arts events is as follows :
Secretary of State
Julius Caesar, Grand Opera House.
Armada Exhibition, Ulster Museum.
Don Giovanni, Grand Opera House.
Minister of State
Spanish Armada Exhibition--Ulster Museum.
Ulster Orchestra Concert--London.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for Health Ulster Society of Women Artists Annual Summer Exhibition QUB Department of Architecture,
15 Chlorine Gardens.
Save the Children Reception--Dolls House Exhibition-- Ulster Folk Museum.
Faust--Grand Opera House.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for the Environment
Look Back in Anger.
Jazz Concert--Cornmarket.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for Education Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts--Reception at Hillsborough Castle.
Armada Exhibition--Ulster Museum.
Young Farmers' Clubs Arts Festival, Ballymena.
Performance of Peter Pan by Scottish Ballet--Grand Opera House, Belfast.
"The Entertainers"--Little Theatre, Bangor.
National Choral Competition--Whitla Hall.
Opening Emigration Gallery and Ship--Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh.
American Waterways Wind Orchestra Performance-- Donegall Quay, Belfast.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for Economic Development
National Portrait Gallery, London--private viewing.
Tate Gallery, London--private viewing.
Hayward Gallery, London--private viewing.
Grand Opera House, Belfast.
Tate Gallery, London--reception.
Castleward Opera.
British Museum.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for Agriculture
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Spanish Armada Exhibition--Ulster MuseumBritish Food and Farming Exhibition--Cultra Manor.
Musical Evening.
Cinema Visit.
Queen's Film Theatre.
DEFENCE
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations have been undertaken into the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls in radar units and other equipment ; what steps have been taken to arrange for their safe disposal ; what measures have been taken to protect the health and safety of operators ; what plans there are to discontinue their use ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : Extensive checks have been made over a number of years by the services and the Procurement Executive to ascertain whether equipment in use contains polychlorinated biphenyls. Such checks continue to be made as required. When disposal action needs to be taken, special arrangements are made to ensure that
poly-chlorinated biphenyls are disposed of in accordance with the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980.
Appropriate control measures have been laid down in general guidance on the handling of equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls which has been issued to all units and establishments. This includes advice on the hazards involved and the steps to be taken to prevent contamination, including the use of protective clothing as appropriate.
In accordance with the relevant regulations, whole equipments or components containing polychlorinated biphenyls, which are already in service, are not disposed of until they become obsolete or reach the end of their service life, unless they need replacing sooner.
Defence Procurement
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will estimate the value of defence procurement in the northern region.
Mr. Neubert : Table 6.9 in volume II of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989" (SDE) shows that in 1986-87, the latest year for which figures are available, equipment expenditure of some £500 million was recorded against locations in the northern region of England. The assumptions which underlie the calculations are explained in an essay on pages 61-62 of SDE 88 volume II.
Emergency Broadcasts
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the liaison arrangements between his Department and the United States civilian or military authorities on the proposed content of emergency radio and television broadcasts in the United Kingdom during a pre-war crisis.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No liaison arrangements have been made between my Department and United States civilian or military authorities on the proposed content of emergency radio and television broadcasts in the United
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Kingdom during a pre-war crisis, but there would naturally be liaison between the United Kingdom and its NATO allies over such matters at such a time.NATO Courses
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the posts, ranks and responsibilities of United Kingdom military and civil participants in the biannual courses on civil-military co-operation held by NATO at Oberammergau.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The United Kingdom sends military field-grade officers of rank from major to colonel and civilians of equivalent status who have responsibilities for civil emergency or contingency planning, crisis management or aid to the civil authorities.
Civil-Military Co-operation Conference
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the posts, ranks and responsibilities of United Kingdom delegates to the annual conference on civil-military co-operation at headquarters allied forces central Europe, Brunssum.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : United Kingdom representatives at lieutenant colonel or equivalent level who have responsibilities for contingency planning and crisis management will attend the conference.
NATO Exercises
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the extent of involvement by his Department in NATO Exercise Wintex-Cimex 1987 and Exercise Wintex-Cimex 1989 ; what is the number of staff engaged in the exercise planning process and in the exercises themselves ; and what are the ranks and responsibilities of the staff involved.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My Department plays its part in testing those procedures in which we have an interest. Staff participate as required ; it would not be appropriate for me to supply the detail requested.
Immingham and Tilbury Ports
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present state of progress towards (a) Immingham and (b) Tilbury ports' development of Z-berths for nuclear-powered submarine visits.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The only ports which are currently under discussion with local authorities as possible venues for visits by nuclear- powered submarines are Swansea and Tilbury. Regarding Tilbury, I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar (Ms. Gordon) on 5 May 1989 at column 277.
Meteorological and Hydrographic Offices
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the nature of the differences between the agency to be established for the Meteorological Office and the defence support agency to be established for the Hydrographic Office at Taunton.
Mr. Neubert : As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence explained in his speech in the defence
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debate on 18 October, at column 155, many support activities are an integral part of overall military capability and must remain within the chain of command. Nevertheless, we believe that many of these support activities can be organised on the same lines as full Next Steps agencies, within framework documents which set out the terms under which the support agencies are to be managed on a day-to-day basis. In this way, it is possible for more of the Ministry of Defence to share in the advantages of the Government's Next Steps initiative.Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place copies of the criteria governing the management and operation of (a) the agency to be established for the Meteorological Office and (b) the agency to be established for the Hydrographic Office in the Library.
Mr. Neubert : It is my intention to place in the Library, when these activities become agencies next year, copies of their framework documents, excluding any classified or commercially sensitive parts.
Defence Support Agencies
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) military survey activities, (b) defence accounts activities and (c) Royal Air Force training activities are due to become defence support agencies ; and what is the nature of any other activities that are currently being considered for possible re-organisation into defence support agencies.
Mr. Neubert : We plan to start operating the Hydrographic Office at Taunton as a defence support agency from April 1990. In addition, we are currently preparing framework documents to cover the operations of the following activities :
(a) Directorate of Military Survey at Feltham (excluding overseas elements)
(b) Director General Defence Accounts, including its central bill-paying office at Liverpool and pay-roll offices at Cheadle Hulme and elsewhere
(c) The RAF's training organisation within RAF Support command, based at various locations within the United Kingdom
(d) Service Children's Schools in North West Europe.
We are also looking at a wide range of other possibilities for operation as defence support agencies, including activities in the areas of aircraft maintenance and repair, stores and transport, naval bases, computer services, education and chemical defence research.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what service schools in Germany are due to become defence support agencies.
Mr. Neubert : As announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 18 October at column 155, we are considering operating service children's schools in north-west Europe as a defence support agency, run on Next Steps lines, but remaining within the defence chain of command. The exact scope of the proposed new organisation is under study. There are 87 service children's schools in north-west Europe, located in the Federal Republic of Germany (and Berlin), Belgium and Sardinia.
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Military Flights
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what details are required as standard operational practice before the competent authority authorises a flight by military aircraft operating within the United Kingdom airspace ; and why no central records are kept of unauthorised low flights by military aircraft.
Mr. Neubert : The requirement for information varies according to the circumstances. No central records are kept of unauthorised low flights because none is required.
European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the offer by the Federal Republic of Germany to pay the costs of the alteration of the MSD 2000 radar to satisfy United Kingdom requirements for the European fighter aircraft ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : Under agreed arrangements for procuring individual items of commonly required equipment, participants in the European fighter aircraft project pay for work undertaken within their own country. Two international consortia in which the industry of all four nations are represented have submitted proposals for developing radar for the European fighter aircraft ; and discussions are proceeding among the European fighter aircraft nations with the aim of making a choice acceptable to all four participants.
Frigates
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the purchase of ships built under licence to the design of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation frigate replacement 90 programme in United Kingdom shipyards ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : Following the United Kingdom withdrawal from the NFR90 project, we are looking at how best to meet the Royal Navy's requirement for a replacement for the type 42 destroyer, to come into service at about the turn of the century. It is most unlikely that this would involve licensing any design which might emerge from the NFR90 project.
Low Flying
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many courts martial have been held in the RAF for alleged low-flying offences in the last 10 years for which information is available ; how many findings of guilt there have been ; and what sentences have been imposed.
Mr. Neubert : The table provides details of the Royal Air Force courts martial for low-flying offences in the last 10 years at which the accused were found guilty ; there have been no cases in the past 10 years where individuals charged under sections 51 or 52 of the Air Force Act 1955 were found not guilty.
Column 659
Year |Number of courts martial |Number of personnel |Charges under Air Force |Sentence
|involved |Act 1955
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |1 |1 |Sections 51 and 52 |£300 fine and Severe Reprimand
|Loss of 18 months seniority and
1989 |1 |1 |Sections 51 and 52 | Severe Reprimand<1>
In addition one service man was charged under section 69 in connection with the 1989 case, and was sentenced to the loss of 18 months seniority and a severe reprimand .
Findings and sentence subject to confirmation.
Conduct to the prejudice of good order and Air Force discipline.
Conventional Forces
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the effect on the NATO doctrine of forward defence in the event that the CFE talks achieve substantial reductions in conventional forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Any CFE agreement will require the Alliance to examine its force structures. Our current assessment is that forward defence is likely to remain a key element in NATO strategy for the foreseeable future.
Airborne Stand-off Radar
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the deployment of an airborne stand-off radar system in Europe.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Studies into the feasibility and cost of an airborne stand-off radar system are in progress. No decisions to deploy such a system have been taken.
Conventional Weapons
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the redistribution of forces within NATO in the event that the CFE talks achieve substantial reductions in conventional weapons.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The implications of a CFE agreement for NATO forces are under consideration in the Alliance.
Leaded Petrol
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any vehicles belonging to or used by his Department and used on public roads run on leaded petrol.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Most vehicles used by the Ministry of Defence on public roads either run on unleaded petrol, or use diesel fuel. However, there is a residual number of vehicles, in particular some types of Land- Rover, which run on leaded petrol and which it would not be cost effective to convert to unleaded fuel. As they reach the end of their useful life they are replaced with vehicles which can run on unleaded petrol or are diesel-engined.
SCOTLAND
Lockerbie Air Crash
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Scoland if he has been approached by Strathclyde police about the length of time taken by the West German federal
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police to release relevant evidence in the form of an Air Malta loading list from Frankfurt ; and what effect this has had on the investigation.Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The investigation is being carried out by Dumfries and Galloway constabulary with assistance from Strathclyde police and other police forces who report to my noble and learned friend the Lord Advocate.
The police have not found it necessary to approach the Lord Advocate or any Government Minister in this connection.
The Lord Advocate does not consider that it is helpful to speculate upon specific lines of inquiry or their relevance to the general investigation.
Both he and the chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway constabulary have recently emphasised the importance and productivity of a good working relationship which exists with the West German police and prosecution authorities.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether all the available evidence that is held by the West German police forces investigating the Lockerbie air crash has been made available to the British police force investigating the crash.
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