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Mr. Alan Clark : Measures introduced by the Ministry of Defence on 11 May to impose a temporary restraint on new financial commitments have not led to any cancellations of contracts for aircraft hydraulic systems.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment was made by the "Options for Change" study of the need to ensure the maintenance of an industrial capacity for the manufacture of hydraulic systems for helicopters and aircraft.
Mr. Alan Clark : None. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence outlined to the House on 25 July broad proposals for change in the size and shape of our defence effort. Further detailed work will include consultation with the defence industry over the implications of the proposals for the future equipment programme.
Service Men (Gulf)
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider making special payments for those currently serving in the Gulf, along the lines of the special gratuities paid to British service men serving under the United Nations auspices in Korea.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Martin) on Thursday 18 October 1990.
Chatham Dockyard
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations have taken place with local authorities regarding nuclear waste at Chatham dockyard.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 17 October 1990] : Gillingham borough council has been kept informed of MOD's plans regarding radioactive waste at the former Chatham dockyard.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether nuclear waste was ever (a) stored or (b) handled at Chatham dockyard when it was run by the Ministry of Defence.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 17 October 1990] : Yes, radioactive waste was stored and handled at the former Chatham dockyard.
Radiation Exposure
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what information he has on studies of the risks to his Department's personnel of exposure to nuclear radiation that have been carried out in the last 10 years ;
(2) what studies are currently being undertaken by his Department to reassess the risks to his Department's personnel of exposure to nuclear radiation ;
(3) what current studies to reassess the risks to his Department's personnel of exposure to nuclear radiation have been commissioned or are being funded by his Department.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 17 October 1990] : No studies are currently being undertaken, commissioned or funded by MOD. Any study confined to
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MOD would most probably lack sufficient numbers to provide the necessary statistical power. MOD is committed to contributing to national studies by providing dosimetry information to larger databases such as the national register of radiation workers and to Professor Kinlen's study into incidence of childhood leukaemia in children of exposed workers in Scotland.Nuclear-powered Submarines
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his decision on the disposal method for nuclear-powered submarines.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 17 October 1990] : The matter is under active consideration and an announcement will be made as soon as a conclusion is reached.
ENERGY
Oil and Petrol
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what was the level of petrol consumption in August and September 1990 and August and September 1989 ;
(2) what was the level of oil stocks and petroleum products, respectively, in each month in 1989 and 1990.
Mr. Wakeham : The level of deliveries of petrol for consumption in August and September 1989 and 1990 and the level of oil stocks and petroleum products respectively in each month in 1989 and 1990 are set out in the tables.
This information is routinely published in "Energy Trends", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.
Table 2
Stocks at the end of the month
Thousand tonnes
|Crude and |Petroleum
|refinery |products
|process oils
----------------------------------------------------
1989
January |6,851 |10,933
February |6,954 |10,764
March |6,706 |10,259
April |6,565 |10,151
May |7,215 |10,332
June |6,306 |10,137
July |7,295 |10,113
August |7,152 |10,235
September |7,048 |10,571
October |6,838 |10,376
November |7,400 |9,804
December |6,920 |10,606
1990
January |6,650 |10,636
February |6,750 |10,154
March |7,728 |10,027
April |7,016 |9,854
May |7,707 |10,655
June |7,229 |10,344
July |7,137 |10,304
August<1> |6,998 |10,926
September<1> |7,372 |10,694
<1>Provisional.
Table file CW901019.013 not available
Table file CW901019.014 not available
Table file CW901019.015 not available
Table file CW901019.016 not available
Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) on what date the budget for advertising the flotation of the electricity distribution companies was agreed ;
(2) what is the budget for advertising the flotation of the electricity distribution companies ; and what proportion is to be spent on (a) television, (b) radio, (c) newspaper and (d) other advertising.
Mr. Wakeham : Total costs will depend on the media rates achieved and advertising volumes. The full costs of the privatisation, including advertising costs, will be made available to Parliament in the normal way.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the dates, venues and estimated cost of the electricity privatisation roadshow.
Mr. Wakeham : The dates and venues of the proposed United Kingdom roadshows for the regional electricity companies share offers are :
|Venue
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 November 1990 |Plymouth, London
6 November 1990 |Bristol, Ipswich, Swansea
7 November 1990 |Bournemouth, Edinburgh
8 November 1990 |Cardiff, Nottingham, Peterborough
9 November 1990 |Leicester, Sheffield, Southhampton
12 November 1990 |Brighton, Glasgow, Stoke on Trent
13 November 1990 |Ashford, Birmingham, Preston
14 November 1990 |Aberystwyth, Belfast, Middlesbrough
15 November 1990 |Manchester, Liverpool
16 November 1990 |Newcastle
19 November 1990 |Leeds
Provisional plans for overseas roadshows include seven in Europe, eight in north America and two in Japan ; final decisions on the dates and location of overseas roadshows will be taken shortly. It is too early to make a reliable forecast of the cost of the roadshow programme for the 12 regional electricity companies share offers until these and other decisions have been taken. The full costs of privatisation, including the roadshow programme, will be made available to Parliament in the normal way.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his current estimate of the total brokers' fees for the flotation of the electricity distribution companies.
Mr. Wakeham : The Department's contract with brokers is commercially sensitive and it is the Government's established practise not to reveal such information. The full costs of the privatisation will be made available to Parliament in the normal way.
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Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what companies have been or are advising him on electricity privatisation in addition to those listed in his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras on 5 February, Official Report, columns 454-58.Mr. Wakeham : Since I last replied on 2 July 1990 at columns 429-30, the following additional companies have been appointed to advise the Department on electricity privatisation :
Henry Butcher--Property valuers
Lloyd Northover--Design consultants
J. Henry Schroder Wagg--Possible trade sale of PowerGen J. Chiene--Pricing adviser
J. Henry Schroder Wagg--Lead underwriter
Hospitality
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in 1989-90.
Mr. Wakeham : The Department spent £46,000 on official hospitality in 1989-90.
Nuclear Accidents
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the number of nuclear accidents reported in the last 12 months to the World Association of Nuclear Operators ; and how many originated from the United Kingdom.
Mr. Baldry : The Government do not have this information. It is a matter for the World Association of Nuclear Operators, which has an office in London.
Piper Alpha
Mr. Robert Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received the report into Piper Alpha chaired by Lord Cullen ; and when he expects this to be published.
Mr. Wakeham : The report is expected shortly. I shall inform the hon. Member when it has been received.
Electricity Companies (Debt)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list for each electricity company the debt agreed with his Department, the date on which it was agreed and the repayment date ; (2) what is the total debt he has agreed with the electricity companies.
Mr. Wakeham : I have agreed debt totalling £2,815 million for the 12 regional electricity companies and the National Grid Company. The details will be included in the forthcoming prospectus when shares in the 12 regional electricity companies are offered for sale. I have agreed debt of £450 million and £270 million for National Power and PowerGen respectively.
Tidal Power
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the invention by Richard Lucy designed to harness tidal power ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Wakeham : An outline suggestion for extracting energy from the movement of tides has been received from Mr. Richard Lucy. It is now the subject of an assessment by an independent engineering consultancy on behalf of my Department. The results of the assessment will be communicated to Mr. Lucy in due course.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Non-proliferation Treaty
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the comments of the United Kingdom delegation at the fourth non-proliferation treaty review conference concerning (a) the export of civil nuclear technology and (b) peacetime nuclear explosions.
Mr. Waldegrave : Our comments at the fourth non-proliferation treaty review conference on the export of civil nuclear technology were contained in the speech which I gave to the conference on 22 August. I made it clear that we are vigilant in implementing internationally accepted nuclear export controls and do not co-operate with non-nuclear weapon states in ways which might assist the development of nuclear weapons.
On peaceful nuclear explosions, the conference achieved consensus, supported by the United Kingdom, as follows :
"1. The Conference confirms that, if the potential for the safe and peaceful application of nuclear explosions were demonstrated and were made available to non nuclear-weapon States Party to the Treaty in accordance with article V, the IAEA would be the appropriate international body through which such applications could be made available.
2. The Conference notes that the potential for the peaceful applications of nuclear explosions has not been sufficiently demonstrated and that no requests for services related to the peaceful applications of nuclear explosions have been received by the IAEA since the Treaty entered into force. The Conference further notes that no nuclear-weapon State has an active programme for the peaceful application of nuclear explosions."
Iraq
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the sources of funds and the amounts available to those countries whose economies are most likely to suffer as a result of the mandatory sanctions against Iraq.
Mr. Waldegrave : Financial support will be available from the IMF and World bank for countries seeking to adjust their economies to the effects of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the consequent application of UN sanctions against Iraq. For Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, the countries most directly affected, special efforts are being made within the framework of the recently established Gulf crisis financial co-ordination group. Contributions so far announced include 1.5 billion ecu ($2 billion) agreed by the EC and its member states, $2 billion from Japan, and substantial sums from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the impact of the United Nations sanctions upon the economy of Iraq.
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Mr. Waldegrave : Available information indicates some deterioration in Iraq's industrial capacity. This is believed to be caused by increasing shortages of foreign-sourced parts, industrial raw materials, manpower and know-how. The shortage of spare parts seems likely to lead in the longer term to problems in the oil industry and refining sector. There are also strong indications that the financial freeze on Iraqi assets overseas is proving generally effective.Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his current estimate of the number of (a) British hostages and (b) British nationals in (i) Iraq and (ii) Kuwait.
Mr. Waldegrave : Our estimate of the number of British nationals held by the Iraqis at special sites is :
Iraq 304
Kuwait 72
Our estimate of the total number of British nationals (including those held at special sites) is :
Iraq 800
Kuwait 650
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries whose economies are assessed to be most likely to suffer as a result of the mandatory sanctions against Iraq ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : The economies of Egypt, Jordan and Turkey have been most directly affected by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the consequent application of United Nations sanctions against Iraq. The best way to help these and other countries damaged by the Gulf crisis is to bring an end to the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and restore stability to the region.
Hospitality
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in 1989-90.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The estimated expenditure on official hospitality by both wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the financial year 1989-90 is £6.4 million.
This figure includes the grant in aid to the Government hospitality fund which meets the costs of ministerial entertainment and guest of Government visits for all Government Departments.
Spain (Transport Dispute)
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he is giving to British lorry drivers ; what representations he has made to the appropriate authorities ; and what advice he is offering to British firms proposing to send goods by road to or through Spain.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Consular officers have visited problem areas to check welfare and give advice and financial assistance where needed. We have asked the Spanish central and regional authorities to ensure the safety of British lorry crews and their vehicles.
Our advice is that road transport to and through Spain should be avoided until the dispute is resolved. Vehicles in transit should wait well short of the border.
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Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effects of the Spanish transport operators' industrial action on British trade with Spain.
Mr. Garel-Jones : It is too early to be able to quantify the effects. Our immediate concern is to ensure that British drivers caught up in the dispute are given all available consular help and Spanish police protection. We very much hope that the industrial dispute will soon be resolved and that all the British lorries involved will be free to go.
Kuwait
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 15 October to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West, what proposals he has for the disposal of the remaining £4,136 received by his Department from the telephone system set up for families to make inquiries about relatives trapped in Iraq and Kuwait.
Mr. Waldegrave : The remaining £4,136 will be put towards further rent payments for the Gulf support group if needed, or towards another good cause connected with the Gulf crisis.
Pakistan
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British representatives will be observing elections in Pakistan due on 24 October ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Official British coverage of the elections will be provided by our diplomatic staff in Pakistan.
Visas
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the demand, at the latest available date, for visas to visit the United Kingdom from eastern Europe ; and what was the demand on the same date a year earlier.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The information requested is as follows :
Visa applications received for eight months January to August Country |1990 |1989 ------------------------------------------ Bulgaria |5,020 |3,887 Czechoslovakia<1> |17,996 |11,458 Hungary<1> |17,606 |15,109 Poland |48,553 |47,387 Romania<2> |6,450 |1,899 Soviet Union |31,020 |18,013 <1> Figures are for period January to July. Visas were abolished for these countries on 1 October 1990. <2> Figures for 1990 are an estimate. Final figures for August not available but variation will be less than 2 per cent.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
EC Food
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the surpluses of various food products and produce in the EEC in the current year ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Curry : A note setting out the volume of EC intervention stocks of agricultural commodities is deposited in the Library of the House and is updated monthly.Slaughterhouses
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure visits by Ministry officials to slaughterhouses are henceforth carried out unannounced ;
(2) what percentage of visits to slaughterhouses in 1989 by Ministry officials were (a) arranged in advance with the management of the slaughterhouses and (b) carried out without prior warning ; what was the total number of visits to slaughterhouses in 1989 by Ministry officials ; and if he will give a breakdown by (i) county and (ii) type of slaughterhouses.
Mr. Curry : Local authorities (district councils) are responsible for the enforcement of hygiene and welfare legislation in all slaughterhouses. Visits by Ministry veterinary officers are for the purpose of giving advice to the local authorities on standards, and are made in the company of local authority personnel. It is usual for visits to be arranged with the business concerned as their purpose is best served if representatives of plant management are present. Unannounced visits may be made in response to reports of problems. In 1988-89 the manpower involved was 45 man years.
Information in the form requested by the hon. Member is not available.
Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives of knackermen and slaughterhouses, to discuss working conditions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I and my officials have regular meetings with representatives of knackermen and slaughterhouses to discuss a wide range of issues. However, working conditions in knackers yards and slaughterhouses are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.
Ducks
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he has given to the value of the introduction of ducks to areas presently occupied solely by cows and pigs as a means of insect control ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : I have given no consideration to this proposal and therefore have no statement to make.
Agricultural Biocides
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total expenditure on agricultural biocides in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) 1989 at 1989 prices ; what was the total acreage subject to biocide treatment in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) 1989 ; what was the total weight of concentrate biocides used in the United Kingdom in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) 1989.
Mr. Curry : The information that the hon. Member requests is as follows :
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Estimated pesticide usage in England and Wales 1970-89
(Total expenditure figures relate to United Kingdom)
|Total |Total area |Total |Total
|expenditure |of crops |pesticide |active
|at 1989 |(hectares) |treated |ingredients
|prices |area<3> |applied<4>
|£ million |(hectares) |(tonnes)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1970 |<1>142 |<2>5,631,000|12,783,000 |22,062
1980 |244 |10,511,000 |26,012,000 |35,533
1989 |<5>440 |10,543,000 |26,791,000 |29,374
<1> Earliest available data on comparable price basis is for 1973.
<2> Excluding permanent grass.
<3> Treated area is the gross area treated with a pesticide, including all
repeated applications.
<4> Tonnage of active ingredients applied not tonnage of pesticide products.
<5> Provisional.
Hospitality
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was spent by his Ministry on official hospitality in 1989-90.
Mr. Curry : The provisional figure for expenditure in 1989-90 is £62,265.
Poultry
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy in respect of the fitting of red-coloured contact lenses to poultry to prevent feather-pecking.
Mr. Curry : The Farm Animal Welfare Council has been asked to investigate this practice and report on any welfare implications.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he takes to ensure turkey slaughtering is carried out without causing suffering to the bird ; and if he has any plans to amend legislation on poultry slaughter to increase the effectiveness of animal welfare measures.
Mr. Curry : The welfare of turkeys at slaughter is protected by the Slaughter of Poultry Act 1967 and the Slaughter of Poultry (Humane Conditions) Regulations 1984, as amended, made under it. Local authorities at district council level are responsible for enforcement, and Ministry veterinary officers also visit slaughterhouses to check that welfare requirements are being met. The Ministry funds research into various aspects of the welfare of poultry at slaughter. As results become available they are and will be used, as appropriate, to update regulations or codes of practice.
We plan to add to the legislation shortly by making new regulations on the licensing of poultry slaughtermen and the supervision of welfare in poultry slaughterhouses, issuing directions to local authorities and making a code of practice on poultry slaughter. These measures will implement Farm Animal Welfare Council recommendations.
Mince Products
Mr. Allen McKay : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will establish a common standard of description to be applied to mince products.
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