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Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the maximum total radiation dose registered in the Institute of Naval Medicine's records held at Alverstoke for any past or present Rosyth dockyard workers ; for what period it was accrued ; and what are the 20 highest doses recorded.
Mr. Neubert : The maximum lifetime total radiation dose for any past or present Rosyth dockyard worker registered in the defence radiological protection service's computerised record-keeping system is 597.75 mSv. This total dose accrued over the period 17 December 1964 to 30 November 1989.
The 20 highest radiation doses recorded for workers so registered are as follows :
Cumulative Radiation Exposures (mSv)
597.75
595.89
571.35
563.78
534.67
515.59
482.52
480.59
479.20
478.22
474.52
472.18
463.02
452.68
439.11
428.03
427.14
420.07
414.16
410.13
Radiation dose records for personnel leaving employment before 1979 are not held on computer compatible media, and therefore any large-scale analysis, even where possible, could be conducted only at disproportionate cost.
Military Pensions
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list British military pensions deriving from wartime service along with compatible information for other European countries.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Pensions are not awarded to members of Her Majesty's armed forces in respect of wartime service as such. Service personnel who suffer disability as a result of injuries attributable to their service, whether or not in time of war, may be awarded pensions under the provisions of the war pensions scheme administered by the Department of Social Security. These pensions are related to the degree of disability experienced. A range of supplements and additional allowances are also available under the scheme, subject to eligibility. Service personnel may also receive pensions under the provisions of the occupational schemes for the armed forces, provided that they meet the conditions of eligibility, including length of service given, which are appropriate to their service and the circumstances of its termination. No distinction is made between wartime service, and other periods of service, in determining eligibility and pension
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benefits. The Ministry of Defence is not in a position to list comparisons between the provisions made by the British Government and those of other European countries.Equipment
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he intends to continue with the development of (a) the battlefield artillery target engagement system, (b) the Trigat anti-tank missile system and (c) the airborne anti-armour weapon after 1990 ;
(2) whether he intends to continue to procure (a) the Foxhunter AI 24 radar and (b) the MLRS system after 1990.
Mr. Alan Clark : As I said to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 13 December 1989 at column 685, we keep our investment in all weapons systems under constant review.
Manpower
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what consideration has been given to reducing the number of infantry battalions ; and to what figure ;
(2) what consideration has been given to reducing the number of surface fleet escorts ; and to what figure ;
(3) what assessment has been made of possible increases in the size of (a) the Parachute Regiment and (b) the Royal Marines.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Government remain committed to the strong defence of the United Kingdom and to meeting our NATO and out-of-area obligations and our future plans will reflect this aim. We have made it clear that the future structure of our armed forces will need to take account of international developments, including arms control. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has stated, we are examining options for change.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent examination of future levels of civilian staff employed by his Department has taken place.
Mr. Alan Clark : The levels of personnel employed by the Department, both service and civilian, are regularly monitored. Future staff levels are considered annually during the formulation of the long-term costing.
Shatterproof Glass
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the restrictions placed on capital spending by his Department include the programme for the installation of shatterproof glass on buildings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence has put in hand a £126 million programme of security enhancements specifically to counter terrorism. Some of this additional expenditure has been allocated to the provision of shatterproof window film. There has been no curtailment of this programme of enhancements.
Helicopters
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any proposals to increase the number of helicopter flying hours per month for the Army in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is not the practice to comment on operational matters. However, I can assure my hon. Friend that such matters are kept under constant review.Service Pay, Northern Ireland
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the annual pay rates for (a) an Ulster Defence Regiment private, permanent cadre, after two years' service, (b) an Ulster Defence Regiment private, part-time after two years' service and (c) a Regular Army private with two years' service serving in Northern Ireland on (a) six-month tour and (b) two-year posting.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Direct comparisons between the Ulster Defence Regiment (permanent cadre) pay structure and that of the Regular Army are difficult although neither pay scale provides for extra pay after two years' service as a matter of course. All Service men in Northern Ireland receive Northern Ireland additional pay when serving in Northern Ireland at the rate of £3.16 per day with effect from 1 April 1990 and £3.20 per day from 1 January 1991.
Illustrative annual rates of pay for private soldiers who are likely to have two years' service are as follows :
X
With effect from: |1 April 1990 |1 January 1991
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UDR (Permanent cadre)
Private, A, Scale B |9,241.80 |9,541.10
Regular Army (Infantry)
Private, Class 1, Band 1, Scale B |8,705.25 |8,946.15
Note: UDR private A and Regular Army private class 1 are both broadly equivalent in
that they represent the most highly qualified in their rank and job.
There is no difference in basic pay between soldiers serving in Northern Ireland for six months and those for two-year periods. A private soldier in the part-time element of the UDR will, after two years' service, receive pay at the rate of £22.30 per day. Service in the UDR (part-time) carries a minimum training/operational requirement and the amount of annual pay received will, therefore, depend on the actual number of days attended by each soldier. In addition to pay, a soldier who completes the minimum obligatory training/duty and fulfils a number of other criteria, may qualify for payment of an annual bounty. Current rates are £565 on satisfactory completion of the second year of service and £800 for the third and subsequent years.
Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been subject to disciplinary proceedings for participation in anti-poll tax activities ; what charges were laid and what sentences imposed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As far as we are aware, no service personnel have been subject to disciplinary proceedings as a result of anti-community charge activities. Service personnel may express their views as private individuals on matters such as the community charge provided their actions are lawful and do not contravene service regulations.
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Genetically Modified Organisms
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline his policy in respect of the development and release of genetically modified organisms.
Mr. Neubert : It is not the Department's policy to release to the atmosphere any genetically modified organisms which may be developed in relation to research which underpins chemical and biological defence.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any releases of genetically modified organisms have taken place from establishments under his Department's control.
Biological Warfare
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he has made an assessment of the offensive capability of genetically manipulated biological warfare and toxin warfare agents ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list those bacteria he is still considering as potential putative agents ;
(3) what is the purpose of his Department's work with Q fever ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to his question on 23 April 1990 at column 76.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the dangers to personnel from working with genetically manipulated biological warfare and toxin warfare agents ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to his question on 23 April 1990 at column 76.
In the handling of any materials in these categories, the Department follows the strict assessment criteria and protocols advised by the independent advisory committee on genetic manipulation, as well as according with the regulations covering the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health and the Genetic Manipulation Regulations 1989.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the need of states intending to develop a nuclear weapons capability to conduct nuclear test explosions.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Such matters are kept under review by the Ministry of Defence. However, different countries take different routes to the development of nuclear weapons and it is not possible to generalise regarding the technologies or methods which may be involved.
Beaufort Dyke Sea Dump
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what materials have been dumped by his Department's personnel from any service in the Beaufort Dyke sea dump in each year since 1980 ; whether any materials from this dump have subsequently been recovered elsewhere ; and if he will make a statement on future dumping in this area.
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Mr. Neubert : None. My Department has no knowledge of the migration of materials dumped at this site being recovered elsewhere. The MOD has no plans to use Beaufort Dyke for the disposal of any material.Mr. Colin Wallace
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the relevant papers referred to in the written reply of 30 January, Official Report, column 112 , include any papers of the Security Service ; and whether representatives of Colin Wallace will be given access to all papers considered by the inquiry.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Mr. Calcutt has access to all papers relevant to his inquiry, and will consider what papers he judges Mr. Wallace and his representatives should see. We shall be guided by his advice.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Calcutt inquiry announced on 30 January, Official Report, column 112 , will be taking evidence from (a) Len Garrett, (b) Sir Peter Leng, (c) Denis Payne, (d) Jeremy Railton, (e) Penny Sadler, (f) Bernard Sheldon or (g) John Waterfield ; and whether it will be open to representatives of Colin Wallace to cross-examine witnesses.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : These matters are for Mr. Calcutt.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what response he has made to the letter of Mr. Colin Wallace to him about his statement on the report into how papers were overlooked in the case of Colin Wallace ; and if he will put copies of the correspondence in the Library.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has received Mr. Wallace's letter of 18 May, which he is considering.
Cash Limits
Mr. Fishburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he can announce any changes to the defence cash limits for 1990-91.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Subject to parliamentary aproval of the necessary summer supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made :
|c|Defence cash limits|c|
Class and |Current |Increase/ |Revised
Vote |cash limit|decrease |cash limit
|£'000s |£'000s |£'000s
-------------------------------------------------------
I, 2 |8,482,308 |+48,900 |8,531,208
I, 4 |1,875,960 |+55,000 |1,930,960
These changes total an additional £103,900,000. Of this sum, £110, 000,000 is an increase to the defence budget in respect of the special payments to pre-1973 war widows (announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 11 December 1989, Official Report, columns 677 and 678). Funding for these special payments was included in supply estimates 1990-91 in class I, vote 3 (as announced on 30 March 1990, Official Report, column 329 ), but total class I provision was not increased over that announced in the autumn statement and detailed in the public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 1001). These increases will be charged to the reserve and they will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
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The changes also take account of a transfer of £6,100,000 to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (class II, vote 2) from class I, vote 2 to cover the provision of military assistance to the Government of Portugal.AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research and inquiries his Department is undertaking in respect of bovine spongiform encephalopathy symptoms in (a) cats, (b) mink and (c) other animals.
Mr. Maclean : Following is the reply :
(a) The clinical symptoms of spongiform encephalopathy in cats are being recorded by veterinary clinicians to whom possible cases are presented for examination. The Ministry can provide histopathological diagnosis if requested to do so.
(b) Studies of the transmissibility of BSE to mink are being planned in collaboration with researchers in the USA. The clinical symptoms of the disease in mink will be recorded, should transmission occur.
(c) The Ministry is undertaking research into the clinicopathology of BSE. Information describing the clinical symptoms of the disease has been published.
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will take urgent steps to ban the removal of cattle brains from crania by means of a modified paint spray gun that mixes water and compressed air ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will take urgent steps to ban the removal of cattle brains from crania by means of a high-power water jet ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Cattle which show signs of BSE, or are suspected of having the disease, are slaughtered and do not go for human consumption. The ban on brains and other specified offal is an ultra-precautionary measure applying to clinically healthy animals. Nevertheless, we are aware of concerns about particular methods of brain removal. Wherever possible, head meat should be removed before the skull is opened. We have conducted studies into the methods employed for removing brains where this is not feasible. These indicate that high-pressure water and/or air jets should not be used as other, more satisfactory, techniques are available. I have asked the Tyrrell committee to review our findings before guidance is issued. I shall consider whether any further action is desirable having regard to the committee's advice. In the meantime, the state veterinary service is ready to give advice if needed.
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has instigated any research into the possible connection between bovine spongiform encephalopathy and the chemical reaction between aluminium and organophosphates in the soil ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Epidemiological studies conducted by the Ministry have found no connection beween BSE and the use of treatments or agricultural chemicals.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the manufacturers that his
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Department have discovered have supplied contaminated food products to farmers that could cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy in their cattle.Mr. Maclean : Epidemiological studies have shown that the most likely cause of BSE is the feeding of ruminant rations which included material derived from scrapie-infected sheep.
All such feed used prior to the ruminant feed ban must be considered as a potential vehicle for the agent which caused the disease.
Environmental Payments
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has given any consideration to supporting the inclusion of environmental payments within the hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme.
Mr. Maclean : My right hon. Friend the Minister announced in the House on 30 January at column 160 that, following changes in the European Community regulation, we would see whether the significant contribution that hill livestock compensatory allowances already provide in terms of environmental benefits should be made more specific. This work is proceeding.
Sheep Variable Premium
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what date he intends to announce the termination of the sheep variable premium.
Mr. Maclean : We are currently consulting interested organisations on the phasing-out of the sheep variable premium scheme which, under the terms of the reformed EC sheepmeat regime, must end by the beginning of the 1993 marketing year at the latest. I am well aware of the need to give good notice of any changes to the arrangements.
Lambs
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department will launch an independent assessment scheme for lambs under the Meat and Livestock Commission to ensure orderly marketing and an effective price reporting system.
Mr. Maclean : The Meat and Livestock Commission currently undertakes extensive price reporting activities as part of its involvement in the administration of the sheep variable premium scheme. Under the reformed EC sheepmeat regime, this scheme will be phased out by the beginning of the 1993 marketing year at the latest. New price reporting arrangements will be introduced under the reformed regime, but the EC Commission is yet to come forward with specific proposals. It will be our objective to ensure that the new arrangements are effective.
Milk Quotas
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a scheme to enable young farmers to lease milk quota allocation from the Government.
Mr. Curry : As the Minister said in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss
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Nicholson) on 2 April at column 447 , we had hoped to introduce a scheme to loan milk quota to new entrants, but the Commission ruled that there is at present no basis in Community law for such a scheme. It was unwilling to propose the necessary changes at this time but may be prepared to consider the possibility of helping young farmers in this way in the context of the general review of the quota system due next year. We shall be pressing it to do so.Straw and Stubble Burning
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy in respect of exemptions to the proposed general ban on straw and stubble burning ; and if he has made an estimate of what percentage of material burnt in 1989 will be permitted to be burnt after the general ban comes into force.
Mr. Maclean : Exemptions to the proposed ban will be made by order and will be strictly limited. They may be either permanent, for example for linseed, a crop residue which is extremely difficult to incorporate in the soil, or temporary, applying only in particularly difficult seasons in particular areas and possibly restricted to particular crop residues, in circumstances when I am satisfied that there is no practical alternative to burning. It is impossible to forecast when the combinations of circumstances might arise that would justify the granting of such exemptions.
Hunting Hounds
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many hunting hounds are known to have died from ataxia for each of the last 10 years ;
(2) what research he has undertaken to establish the reasons for the increase in deaths of hunting hounds from hound ataxia ; and if he will make a statement.
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