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Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purposes RAF C-130 Hercules aircraft undertake low flying ; and under what circumstances they receive clearance to fly between 100 and 250 feet.
Mr. Neubert : The tactical transport role of the RAF C-130 Hercules aircraft requires it to be capable of operating in a potentially hostile environment at low level. Aircraft may be cleared to fly at under 250 ft in the United Kingdom to undertake training in the three tactical training areas or to carry out free-drop training on designated drop zones in military danger areas.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights in the United Kingdom low-flying system were undertaken during the years 1987, 1988 and 1989 by (a) RAF C-130 Hercules, (b) USAF C-130 Hercules, (c) USAF C-141 Starlifter and (d) USAF C-5 Galaxy ; and how many of these flights for each of those years were in areas 14, 14T, 14C, 16 and 20T of the low-flying system.
Mr. Neubert : The information requested is not readily available and could not be provided without disproportionate cost and effort.
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Air Force Exercises
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what Royal Air Force participation is planned in exercises (1) Green Flag 90-4 and (2) Red Flag 90-5 ; how many and what types of RAF aircraft will take part ; and how many work-up training sorties will be conducted in the United Kingdom in preparation for these exercises ; (2) what joint work-up training between French air force and Royal Air Force Jaguar units took place in Britain prior to the French participation in exercise Red Flag 90- 3.
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the planned dates and locations of the main United Kingdom air activity, for exercises (a) Central Enterprise, (b) Mallet Blow, (c) OSEX, (d) Salty Hammer and (e) Elder Joust, during 1990.
Mr. Neubert : The information requested is as follows :
Exercise |Dates |Locations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Central Enterprise |18-22 June 1990 |No significant
|activity in the United
|Kingdom
(b) Mallet Blow |26-30 March and |North England and
|30 July-3 August |Borders
|1990.
(c) OSEX |9-13 July 1990 |Mid and North
|Wales, North
|Lancashire and South
|Cumbria
(d) Salty Hammer |22 May 1990 |North England and
|South Scotland
(e) Elder Joust |2-3 October 1990 |East Scotland and
|North and East
|England
There are some minor variations against the planned dates given to the hon. Member on 3 April (columns 595-98. )
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been made to the United States authorities (a) to relax the minimum height restrictions for sorties in the first two days of Red/Green Flag exercises in respect of Royal Air Force aircrew already qualified to fly at 100 ft and (b) to relax the regulation prohibiting offensive or defensive manoeuvring below 300 ft for Royal Air Force aircraft participating in Red or Green Flag exercises.
RAF Combat Training
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on future policy on realistic combat training for Royal Air Force strike/attack units following the recent NATO decision to abandon plans for a tactical fighter training centre.
Mr. Neubert : Following the decision by NATO Ministers not to pursue further the sites under consideration for a NATO tactical fighter centre, the EURO/NATO training group has been invited to consider alternative ways of meeting NATO training requirements in this area. Future United Kingdom training requirements will naturally need to take account of the outcome of our current examination of options for change.
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Controlled Airspace (Unauthorised Penetrations)
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the regulations concerning the requirements for aircrew to report incidences of unauthorised penetration of regulated or controlled airspace in the event of having to climb out of the United Kingdom low flying system unexpectedly ; and how many such unauthorised penetrations were reported in each year since 1985.
Mr. Neubert : Aircrew are instructed to report any such unauthorised penetrations of regulated or controlled airspace, but very few occur and separate statistics for such incidents are not maintained.
Sea Harriers
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any Royal Navy Sea Harrier pilots are currently qualified to fly overland at less than 250 ft ; and what consideration has been given to requesting Sea Harrier participation in flag exercises in north America.
Mr. Neubert : It is not our policy to disclose the operational capabilities of Royal Navy pilots. I can say however that the Royal Navy does not participate in the flag exercises held in north America, as these are designed to train pilots in roles not normally assumed by the Royal Navy.
Aldermaston
Mr. Flannery : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the construction of the Aldermaston A90 building.
Mr. Neubert : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newbury (Sir M. McNair-Wilson) on 18 May 1990, at column 578.
Nuclear Testing
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there has ever been a joint United Kingdom-United States nuclear warhead test in (i) Nevada, (ii) the Pacific islands or (iii) Australia.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : All United Kingdom nuclear tests in Nevada have been joint United Kingdom-United States activities ; the United Kingdom permitted the United States to use its Pacific (Christmas Island) test site for the Operation Dominic series of tests in 1962 ; all tests in Australia were United Kingdom national tests.
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Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information in support of the United Kingdom nuclear weapons and warhead design and development has been made available by the United States under the 1958-59 as amended mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters ; and for what period this agreement will remain in force without requiring amendment.
Mr. Alan Clark : It has been the policy of successive British Governments not to disclose information exchanged under the terms of the 1958 United Kingdom/United States defence agreement. The agreement will remain extant until 31 December 1994, when article III is due for renewal.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the financial savings made if the planned number of warheads for the Trident D5 programme were reduced by (i) 50 per cent. and (ii) 75 per cent.
Mr. Alan Clark : It has been the policy of successive Governments not to reveal details of this nature, for security reasons.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) of 15 May, Official Report, column 729, what matters with regard to nuclear non-proliferation were discussed at the NATO nuclear planning group in Kananaskis, Canada on 9-10 May.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The alliance's long-held position with regard to the proliferation of nuclear weapons remains unchanged. However, given the profound political changes in the countries of central and eastern Europe over recent months, the meeting of the NATO nuclear planning group, which took place in Canada on 9 to 10 May, concentrated its discussions on the implications of these developments for the alliance's nuclear policy. A copy of the final communique issued on completion of the NPG meeting is available in the Library.
Management Strategy
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made towards introducing its new management strategy.
Mr. Neubert : Good progress has been made in preparing for the introduction of the new management strategy in April 1991.
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SCOTLAND
Fisheries
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of any research commissioned or financed by him on square mesh panels as a means of conservation.
Mr. Lang : I refer to the reply given today to the hon. Member by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), which sets out the various research work being carried out on square mesh panels throughout the UK, including the major contribution by the marine laboratory in Aberdeen.
Mental Health Programmes
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make more funds available to the Training Agency for people with mental health problems.
Mr. Rifkind : No. The Training Agency has sufficient resources to meet the demand for training places for young people and unemployed people with special needs including those with mental health problems.
HIV
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the first known sero-conversion to HIV took place in a person with haemophilia as a result of using Scottish factor concentrates.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : This information is not available.
Bankruptcy
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce maximum hourly rates of remuneration for work carried out by trustees in terms of section 53(4) of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985.
Mr. Redwood : I have been asked to reply.
An evaluation of the Scottish bankruptcy system is currently taking place and this will cover remuneration.
Water Supply
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the progress of the programme of action required by the European Community water directive, to bring Scotland's water supply up to the European Community standard ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : All Scottish water authorities have now given undertakings, which my right hon. and learned Friend has accepted, to carry out improvement programmes to meet the standards set in the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990. The regulations incorporate the quality requirements of the European Community drinking water directive.
The programmes mainly concern improvements to meet the standards for aluminium and for iron derived from unlined cast-iron pipes. Improvements in respect of aluminium are mostly due for completion by 1996, while
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those in respect of iron will be completed over a longer period. Improvements to disinfection will also be made, especially to rural supplies, to ensure that microbiological standards are met at all times. Much of this work will be completed within the next two years.Programmes for meeting the European Community standard for lead should be complete by the end of this year except in two small supplies and three where major improvement works are in progress.
Toxic Waste
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the Government's estimates of toxic waste imports to Scotland in each of the next five years ;
(2) if he will list the quantity of imported waste destined for Scotland in each of the last five years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Returns by district and islands councils indicate that the total amounts of waste imported into Scotland in 1987 and 1988 were as follows :
Year
|(tonnes)
---------------------------
1987 |15
1988 |453
Information is not available for earlier years ; returns for 1989 are not yet complete.
Centrally, there are no estimates for the import of any wastes in future years.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is currently taking to monitor and investigate the incidence of illness and death among humans and animals in areas where there are incinerators and landfill sites ; and if he will make a statement on safeguards to the general public in such areas.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 district or islands councils as waste disposal authorities have powers to reject any application for the use of land, plant or equipment for the disposal of controlled waste which the council believes will cause a danger to public health. Health boards and environmental health departments are responsible for investigating particular incidents.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to strengthen current legislation to protect public health and the environment in the specific area of landfill sites and incineration.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Yes. The Environmental Protection Bill will tighten controls both on air pollution, from incinerators and other sources, and on waste disposal to landfill sites.
Lead Contamination
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department has spent on publicising the effects of lead in water in Scotland annually between 1979 and 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : In 1983, £76,000 was spent on a publicity campaign in Scotland to inform the public about
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the hazards of lead in the environment, including the effects of lead in water. A leaflet was sent to all households in Scotland and newspaper and radio advertisements were placed to publicise the distribution of the leaflet. There is now an adequate degree of public awareness of these hazards.Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been allocated by his Department for the provision of lead replacement grants by local authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Capital allocations to local authorities in 1990-91 on the non-housing revenue account block total £124.635 million, of which £22.250 million is earmarked to clear the backlog of pre-1984 repairs grant applications in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Within these allocations resources are not earmarked centrally for particular programmes such as lead replacement. It is the responsibility of each local authority in the light of local circumstances to decide on the priority which should be attached to particular programmes such as lead replacement within the block allocation made available.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown of Scottish Office spending plans in the area of water and sewerage over the next three years ; how much of this allocation will be spent on dealing with the problem of lead in water ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : For 1990-91, capital expenditure provision for authorities' water and sewerage
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programmes was set at £142 million. Provision for 1991-92 totals £170 million and for 1992-93, £190 million, a 50 per cent. increase over the comparable figure for 1989-90. Each regional and islands council determines priorities for expenditure within its capital allocation.All but five of the 103 programmes of improvements required to meet the standard of lead set in the EC drinking water directive are due to be completed by the end of this year. It is estimated that remaining expenditure on treatment to meet the EC lead standard will amount to about £1.7 million in 1990-91 and about £1 million in 1991-92.
The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 set tighter standards for lead. To meet the new standards authorities are currently assessing the expenditure required, and this will be taken into account in determining allocations in future years.
Health Authority Revenue
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the annual budgets over the last five years up to and including 31 March, and the percentage they have been over or under Scottish health authorities revenue equalisation parity in each of these years, for (a) Greater Glasgow, (b) Highland, (c) Tayside, (d) Central and (e) Borders and Dumfries and Galloway health boards.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : On the assumption that the reference to Central health board should be to Forth Valley health board the information is as follows :
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1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90
Board |Gross |Distance |Gross |Distance |Gross |Distance |Gross |Distance |Gross |Distance
|alloca- |from |alloca- |from |alloca- |from |alloca- |from |alloca- |from
|tion |parity |tion |parity |tion |parity |tion |parity |tion |parity
|£ million|Per cent.|£ million|Per cent.|£ million|Per cent.|£ million|Per cent.|£ million|Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greater Glasgow |360.607 |+4.78 |383.516 |+4.16 |411.541 |+4.04 |457.513 |+3.95 |484.025 |+4.2
Highland |51.044 |-2.13 |55.520 |-1.18 |59.945 |-0.70 |66.684 |-1.27 |73.532 |-1.35
Tayside |126.932 |+7.17 |135.633 |+4.44 |146.535 |+2.27 |162.924 |+2.30 |174.143 |+0.68
Forth Valley |63.788 |-2.74 |68.391 |-3.32 |74.820 |-1.70 |82.441 |-1.38 |90.525 |-1.26
Borders |20.211 |-6.71 |21.903 |-4.85 |24.648 |-3.90 |27.421 |-3.32 |30.521 |-2.95
Dumfries and Galloway |35.535 |-3.05 |37.547 |-1.46 |40.898 |-2.07 |45.258 |-1.62 |50.229 |-1.61
General Practitioners
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many budget-holding practice groups he envisages being in operation by April 1991.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Health boards are conducting discussions with the practices that have expressed an interest in the general practitioner funding scheme with a view to determining which of them are suitable for undertaking the necessary preparatory work. It is not possible to anticipate how many fund holders will be in place for April 1991.
Divorce
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications were made for legal aid in connection with actions for divorce in the latest year for which figures are available ; in how many of these cases legal aid was granted ; and what was the cost to the legal aid fund.
Column 248
Mr. Rifkind : The information for 1988-89 is set out in the table :
|c|Legal aid for actions of divorce: Scotland|c|
|Number of |Number of |Cost<1>
|applications|applications
|made |granted |£
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheriff Court |11,182 |8,610 |5,330,902
Court of Session |217 |143 |2,223,971
|------- |------- |-------
Total |11.399 |8,753 |7,554,873
<1> The cost shown represents expenditure in 1988-89, not
expenditure on cases for which legal aid was granted in 1988-89.
Mentally Ill People
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients were detained in Scotland under section 26 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Rifkind : In 1989 the number of episodes of emergency detention under section 24 of the Act which
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were subsequently continued under section 26 was 1,211. This figure includes patients who were subject to these detention provisions on more than one occasion during the year.Social Work
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was local authority expenditure on social work in Scotland for each of the last five years ; and what is the expected figure for each of the next three years.
Mr. Rifkind : From information supplied by local authorities in Scotland net expenditure (cash) on social work was :
|£ million
------------------------------
1985-86 |316.7
1986-87 |334.8
1987-88 |375.5
1988-89 |421.6
1989-90 |<1>473.4
1990-91 |<2>552.1
<1> provisional outturn
<2> budget estimate
Notes: Figures up to 1989-90
are exclusive of central
administration; those for
1990-91 are inclusive.
Expenditure in future years is a matter for local authorities to determine.
Fine Collection Officers
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fine collection officers are now in post in Scotland ; and in what sheriff courts they are based.
Mr. Rifkind : There are 15 fines officer posts. The sheriff courts at which they are based and the number at each court are as follows :
|Numbers
----------------------------
Aberdeen |1
Airdrie |1
Dundee |1
Dunfermline |1
Dumbarton |1
Edinburgh |2
Falkirk |1
Glasgow |<1>3
Hamilton |2
Kilmarnock |1
Paisley |1
<1> Includes one post
presently vacant and in the
process of being filled.
Offenders' Hostels
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hostels there are in Scotland providing accommodation for offenders ; how many bed places these contain ; what the occupancy rate was in the latest year for which figures are available ; and what percentage was taken up by occupants on bail.
Mr. Rifkind : Offender accommodation grant-aided by the Scottish Office under section 27B of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 takes a variety of forms. The number of bed places fluctuates but is currently around 90. Detailed information on the level and nature of bed occupancy is not available centrally. A recording system is,
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however, in the process of being introduced, and a preliminary assessment of some of the accommodation has indicated an occupancy rate of 80 per cent.Security Firms
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees of his Department have been made redundant in the last five years in consequence of the employment of private security firms.
Mr. Rifkind : Three patrolmen at the marine laboratory, Aberdeen, were made redundant on 30 November 1986 as a result of security duties being taken over by a private security firm.
Legal Aid
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of legal expenses incurred by the Scottish Legal Aid Board in connection with their recent application to the Court of Session to countermand the order for the chairman of the Scottish Legal Aid Board to appear before a sheriff to explain matters arising from the handling of an application for civil legal aid.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The last such application by the Scottish Legal Aid Board was made over two years ago, and the information requested is not readily available.
Seals
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many grey and common seals were shot in each of the past 10 years, under section 9 of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, during (a) the close season and (b) the rest of the year and what steps he is taking to regulate this killing of seals under the terms of the Berne convention.
Mr. Lang : Information is not held centrally on the basis requested. No prior permit, or subsequent reporting of shooting of a seal, is required under the provisions of section 9 of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970.
My right hon. and learned Friend's obligations under the Berne convention in respect of seals in Scottish waters are met by the provisions and operation of the Conservation of Seals Act.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licences have been issued for the shooting of seals under section 10 of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 in the years, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and so far in the current year.
Mr. Lang : The figures requested are as follows :
Year |Licences
|Issued
---------------------------
1983 |<1>-
1984 |4
1985 |31
1986 |34
1987 |52
1988 |34
1989 |0
<2>1990 |0
<1>No figures are
available.
<2>to date.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current policy on the issuing of licences to shoot and kill grey and common seals for the prevention of damage to fisheries and fish stocks.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend is reviewing this matter in the light of a number of current applications for licences.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken in order to assess (a) the scale of damage inflicted upon the stocks of fish farms by birds and seals and (b) the number of birds and seals killed in order to prevent predation at fish farms.
Mr. Lang : There is no general requirement for fish farmers to report damage by predators to their stocks or equipment. Applicants for licences to shoot seals under the provisions of section 10(1)(c) of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, or to shoot protected birds under the provisions of section 16(1)(k) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are required to indicate the damage which shooting under licence is expected to prevent and to report the numbers of seals or birds which are shot in accordance with a licence.
Information on numbers of seals and seabirds shot under provisions other than licences is not available centrally.
Gourock Ropeworks
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received concerning the present circumstances and future of the Gourock ropeworks in Port Glasgow ; and if he will make a statement.
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