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Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 13 January 1992] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) on 16 June 1989, Official Report, columns 542-43. This remains the Government's policy.
DEFENCE
Employment (Scotland)
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian personnel are employed by the Ministry of Defence in Scotland.
Mr. Alan Clark : There were 12,125 as at 1 January 1992.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans any new construction to aid rapid dismantling of British nuclear weapons withdrawn from service.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the implications of the announced reduction in numbers of WE177 free-fall nuclear weapons held by the RAF for his Department's plans for the development of a tactical air-to-surface missile.
Mr. Alan Clark : There are none.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what differences exist between WE177s in (a) Royal Navy and (b) RAF service.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is not our practice to discuss details of nuclear weapon design.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the composition of the special nuclear experts team sent to Russia on 10 February to evaluate the problems in dismantling and transporting the nuclear weapons being removed from deployment ; what criteria were used in choosing these experts ; and whether any specialist non-governmental organisations have been consulted as to the most appropriate technical approaches required.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The team was led by the Ministry of Defence's principal technical adviser on nuclear matters, and included experts on nuclear weapons and materials from Government and from industry. The composition of the team was decided in the light of advance contacts with the Russian authorities and information received from allies who had previously visited Russia.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to meet experts from Scientists for Global Responsibility to discuss its reports on the methods and risks of dismantling nuclear warheads.
Harrier
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to give the Harrier GR5 or GR7 a nuclear role.
Submarines, Irish Sea
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department next expects to meet representatives of the fishing industry in order to discuss submarine activity in the Irish sea.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Ministry of Defence officials will discuss this and other matters with representatives of the fishing industry in the sub-group of the Fishing Industry Safety Group set up to consider submarine operations and fishing vessel safety. The sub-group is chaired by the Department of Transport and officials there will shortly be making arrangements for a further meeting.
Departmental Orders
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by value, the orders placed by his Department with Scottish- based defence industry individual companies in the last 10 years.
Mr. Alan Clark : The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only with disproportionate cost and effort.
Arms Sales
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of British arms exports are sold to (a) third world countries and (b) to the middle east countries ; how those proportions have varied in the past few years ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Alan Clark : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1991, volume 2, table 2.7.Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact the Gulf war has had on his Department's monitoring of the export of weapons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : All export licence applications for the export of weapons to any destination have always been subject to the most rigorous scrutiny.
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Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department has on the proportion of world trade in arms sold to (i) third world countries and (ii) middle east countries ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Clark : The proportion of world trade in arms sold to third world countries is 35 per cent. and to middle east countries 42 per cent. These figures represent an average based on 1986 to 1990 data.
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