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Column 293
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 19 November 1992
NORTHERN IRELAND
Agencies
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those agencies in his Department which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.
Mr. Mates : I refer the hon. Member to a reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary State, Office of Public Service and Science on 17, November Official Report, column 104. Announcements about privatisation or contractorisation of Northern Ireland agencies will normally be made as each agency's periodic review of its framework document is completed.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set up an inquiry into assistance by RUC officers to the South African agents du Randt and Flores.
Mr. Mates : No, because I am advised that there is no substance to the allegations.
Private Detectives
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use his Department has made of private detectives in each of the last five years ; at what cost ; and if he will list the firms involved.
Mr. Mates : Private detectives have been used as follows :--
Date |Cost |Purpose
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |£126.05 |Service of Enforcement Notices
|under the Planning (NI) Order
|1972.
1988-89 |Nil |-
1989-90 | £553.25 ) |To investigate the circumstances
| ) |of persons claiming compensation
1990-91 |£3,090.31 ) |againast the Department of the
| ) |Environment as a result of alleged
1991-92 |£2,644.78 ) |personal injuries
The firms used have not been named in order to protect their identity.
Government Loans Fund
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the outstanding amounts from the Government loans fund for each of the Northern Ireland district councils and other Northern Ireland public bodies.
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Mr. Mates : The Government Loans Fund was abolished by articles 7 to 15 of the Financial Provisions (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 and its functions were transferred to the Consolidated Fund for Northern Ireland. The amounts owed to the consolidated fund in respect of government loans by each of the district councils and other public bodies is set out in the table.
|£
---------------------------------------------------------------
Antrim Borough Council |3,179,498
Ards Borough Council |3,208,270
Armagh District Council |3,053,863
Ballymena Borough Council |845,118
Ballymoney Borough Council |1,674,124
Banbridge District Council |2,817,219
Belfast City Council |13,156,729
Carrickfergus Borough Council |32,369
Castlereagh Borough Council |7,474,718
Coleraine Borough Council |3,438,279
Cookstown District Council |302,725
Craigavon Borough Council |1,429,832
Derry City Council |7,973,570
Down District Council |5,090,230
Dungannon District Council |1,275,374
Fermanagh District Council |806,733
Larne Borough Council |2,019,767
Limavady District Council |1,495,537
Lisburn Borough Council |1,858,928
Magherafelt District Council |1,053,612
Moyle District Council |1,765,237
Newry and Mourne District Council |10,166,233
Newtownabbey Borough Council |8,087,643
North Down Borough Council |10,387,713
Omagh District Council |4,501,915
Strabane District Council |3,563,347
Northern Ireland Housing Executive |1,534,125,582
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum |76,761
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
British Subjects
Mr. Cormack : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what compensation is available to British subjects deprived of their livelihood and detained without charge or trial in a foreign country.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : British nationals in these circumstances should seek compensation through the courts of the country concerned.
Saudi Arabia
Mr. Cormack : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps he intends to take to secure the release of Mr. Allan Nicklin from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Her Majesty's ambassador in Riyadh is urging the Saudi Arabian authorities to speed up the process of Mr. Nicklin's departure from Saudi Arabia. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pressed the case with the Saudi Arabian ambassador in London on 17 November 1992.
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Iranian Arms Procurement
Mr. George Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the resumption of activities in connection with Iranian arms procurement at 4 Victoria street ; and what action he intends to take.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have not given approval for the Iranian military procurement offices to be reopened in Britain by the Iranian Government. Any evidence of wrong doing would be urgently investigated and, if appropriate, would be a matter for the courts.
Cyprus
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the United
Nations-sponsored Cyprus peace talks ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The set of ideas produced by the United Nations Secretary-General, and endorsed by the Security Council as the basis for a settlement, was worked through in full in direct talks from 28 October to 11 November. There are significant areas of common ground. Important differences remain, with some Turkish Cypriot positions incompatible with the ideas. We welcome the agreement to resume talks in early March : and will continue to play a full part in encouraging progress.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet President Vassiliou of Cyprus to discuss the British Government's response to the collapse of United Nations- sponsored Cyprus peace talks in New York ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no current plans to meet President Vassiliou, but we remain in regular contact with him and all parties to the dispute. The Cyprus talks, chaired by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, have not collapsed : the parties have agreed to resume the talks in March next year.
Pet Animals
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom ratification and implementation of the Council of Europe convention on pet animals.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I have been asked to reply.
While existing domestic legislation already fulfils some of the requirements of the Convention, some legislative changes would be required before the United Kingdom could be a party to it. We are currently considering the changes which would be required.
DEFENCE
Submarine Reactor Cores
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and location of used nuclear submarine reactor cores held by his Department.
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Mr. Aitken : Currently some 37 nuclear submarine used reactor cores are stored at BNFL Sellafield. In addition, one nuclear submarine used reactor core is held at each of the following locations : Rosyth royal dockyard, Devonport royal dockyard, and the naval reactor test establishment Dounreay.
A91 Project Definition Study
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer by the Minister of State for Defence Procurement of 6 November, Official Report, column 530, when the A91 project definition study was commissioned ; who is carrying out the study ; and what is the cost of the study.
Mr. Aitken : The contract for the A91 project definition study was awarded to NNC Ltd. on 24 August 1992. The costs associated with this contract are commercially confidential.
Heavy Duty Vehicles
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many truck cargo heavy duty vehicles have now been delivered to his Department.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the volumes of (a) low-level waste, (b) intermediate level waste and (c) high-level waste stored at (i) AWE Aldermaston, (ii) AWE Burghfield and (iii) AWE Cardiff for each year since 1979.
Mr. Aitken : The amounts stored for each year are set out in the table :
Volumes of low and intermediate
level waste stored at AWE sites
Volumes are in cubic metres
Year AWE AldermasAWE BuAWE Cardiff
|LLW |ILW |LLW |LLW
------------------------------------
1979 |580 |870 |7 |160
1980 |720 |370 |5 |80
1981 |780 |340 |8 |70
1982 |1,060|860 |2 |90
1983 |1,140|520 |6 |220
1984 |1,160|800 |3 |140
1985 |1,200|950 |3 |60
1986 |1,670|1,140|3 |210
1987 |1,340|1,380|0.3 |170
1988 |2,630|1,570|0.7 |20
1989 |2,100|1,780|0.7 |20
1990 |1,680|1,940|1 |10
1991 |1,800|2,100|1 |20
1992 |2,210|2,200|1 |50
Notes:
1. The apparent change in AWE(A)
LLW holdings between 1987 and 1988
is mainly due to revised volume
accounting arrangements.
Measurement by gross volume of ISO
containers was introduced at this
time.
2. Figures stated are holdings in
December for each of the years
quoted, actual material held
fluctuates during the course of the
year.
3. ILW has been accumulating each
year since 1983, following
suspension of sea dumping.
4. Figures for AWE(A) and AWE(C)
are rounded to the nearest 10m<3>.
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Plutonium
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the plutonium processing laboratories in A90 are expected to be declared operational.
Mr. Aitken : The plutonium-processing facilities in A90 are scheduled to become operational in time to meet the needs of the Trident programme.
Ancillary Services
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to transfer ancillary services that do not have an offensive or defensive function, to the private sector ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : The Ministry of Defence, in common with other Government Departments, is testing the quality and value for money of its own in-house services by exposing them to competition from the private sector. We plan, over the next four years, to expose to competition activities that currently cost us £1.2 billion a year. Where the private sector can offer better quality and value for money, the work will be transferred.
Iraq
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date it was first brought to his attention that Matrix-Churchill goods were being used for military purposes in Iraq.
Mr. Rifkind : I first became aware in September of this year that Matrix-Churchill goods might have been used for military purposes in Iraq.
Agencies
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those agencies in his Department which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.
Mr. Aitken : All my Department's agencies are periodically reviewed as set out in the procedure described by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science on 17 November, Official Report, column 104.
Army Pay and Personnel Unit
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian and military personnel are at present employed in the Army pay and personnel unit.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : A total of 389 military and 1,770 civilian personnel are at present employed in the Army's pay and personnel process.
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans for the relocation and the future size and composition of the Army pay and personnel unit ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : A study examining the most efficient and cost- effective organisation for the Army's personnel function, and recommending a site for the organisation, has just been completed. I hope to be able to announce our proposals and commence consultation with the trade unions and other interested parties shortly.
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Armaments
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the transportation of armaments by rail in Scotland.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : In Scotland, as in any part of the United Kingdom, the Department uses the most convenient and cost-effective methods of transporting armaments. Providing these criteria can be met, movement by rail is, however, the preferred method. All the necessary safety precautions are taken and the relevant safety regulations strictly adhered to, whatever the method of transport.
Options for Change"
Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what review is being undertaken of the objectives contained within "Options for Change" in the light of the deployment in Bosnia and the possibility of further deployment of British troops.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Government's plans for force restructuring were developed in the recognition that instabilities and risks to our security would continue to exist in Europe and elsewhere. Nothing in recent events, including the commitment of troops to Bosnia, has invalidated those plans.
Portland Naval Base
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 October, Official Report, column 802, whether he has sought the views of other NATO countries concerning the closure of the Portland naval base ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The naval authorities of nations that regularly undertake operational sea training--OST--at Portland have been advised of its proposed transfer to Devonport and have indicated that this would not be a factor in deciding whether they wished to continue participating in OST. We expect to provide the same standard of service to these foreign navies at Devonport.
House Purchase Scheme
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the new house purchase savings scheme for service personnel.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I am pleased to announce arrangements for the introduction of the service home savings scheme have been completed. It will come into operation on 1 December 1992. The scheme is open to service personnel who have served for three years and who do not already own a home. If they save regularly for at least five years, with monthly contributions from £50 to £200, then when they buy a home, my Department will give them £1 for every £3 they have saved, including interest earned on their savings.
Four financial institutions have been selected to operate the scheme, and will offer competitive rates on the savings deposited with them. They are :
Bank of Scotland
Gartmore Money Management
Norwich and Peterborough Building Society
Skipton Building Society
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I am placing in the Library of the House copies of the explanatory brochure on the scheme which is being sent to all service personnel.The introduction of this new scheme represents a significant step forward in improving the opportunities for service personnel to become home owners.
Hydrographic Office
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the performance of the Hydrographic Office in its second year of operation as a defence support agency.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I have today placed in the Library a copy of the Hydrographic Office defence support agency's annual report and accounts for the year 1991-92.
As the chief executive, Rear Admiral Myres, notes in his foreword, the performance targets set for 1991-92 were not insignificant, and the annual report shows that the Hydrographic Office has met or exceeded all its targets. This has been achieved in a difficult year for the Ministry as a whole, faced with the continuing need to secure economies in defence spending and the chief executive and his staff are to be congratulated.
TRANSPORT
Overloaded Coaches
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many coaches have been found to be seriously overloaded after arrival at Channel ports from mainland Europe during the last year in which statistics are available.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Coach traffic from mainland Europe is not specifically targeted for weighing at ports of entry. But of the 506 coaches weighed by the Vehicle Inspectorate at the Department's weighbridge site on the A2 near Dover during the year ending 31 October 1992, the vast majority will have entered the United Kingdom from mainland Europe. Eighty- three coaches--some 16 per cent. of those weighed--were found to be seriously overloaded and were immediately prohibited from continuing their journeys.
Rail Privatisation
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he will ensure that a unified network of rail services is maintained for passengers and freight after privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : The Government proposals are set out in "New Opportunities for the Railways", Cm 2012. Railtrack will provide and control the track network. Train services will be provided by private sector operators, including franchisees meeting standards set by a new franchising authority.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to regulate rail fare rises and keep them within inflation after privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : Where franchised rail services enjoy significant market power, fares will be controlled through the franchise contracts. In addition, the regulator will be
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able to control fares on non-franchised services to protect abuse of monopoly power. Detailed arrangements will be decided later, taking account of the circumstances of individual services : the first franchises will not be let until 1994.Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that tickets for rail services will continue to be acceptable across the network after privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : We have given a clear commitment to preserve through- ticketing. It will be for operators to negotiate acceptance of each other's tickets, to the extent that the regulator does not decide to impose such a requirement.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will preserve railcards, travelcards, and discount and concessionary fares in his plans for the railway network after privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : The offer of discounted ticketing arrangements will be a matter for the operator's judgment, as it is now for BR. In a competitive environment there will be every incentive for operators to seek to attract custom and maximise revenue by such measures. The regulator will have powers to intervene if necessary to ensure that benefits to passengers are maintained.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure rail services with through and connecting trains after privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : We expect the involvement of the private sector to ensure a better response to passenger demand for connecting and through services. Railtrack, as the track authority, will be responsible for the overall planning and operation of the timetable, in close consultation with operators and with oversight by the regulator.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he will ensure continued comprehensive timetable and passenger information for the entire railway network after privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : It will be in the commercial interests of operators to publicise their services and produce timetable information for passengers. If there is any doubt about the extent to which adequate information will be available, the rail regulator will have powers to impose appropriate requirements.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he will maintain customer involvement in changes and improvements to rail services after privatisation.
Mr. Freeman : The Government are well aware of the benefits of the current arrangements and are clear that effective consumer representation needs to be maintained. I have discussed our privatisation proposals with the Central Transport Consultative Committee on a number of occasions and have taken note of its initial views. We intend to publish a document on consumer representation by the end of the year.
Rail Access
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he will make it his policy to increase access to stations, in the national railway network, for elderly and disabled persons.
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Mr. Freeman : The day-to-day operation of the railways, including the provision of all facilities at stations, is currently the responsibility of British Rail. BR has a policy commitment to improve access and facilities for people with mobility problems wherever possible. All major stations have a range of appropriate facilities ; BR also issues design guidance on making stations accessible and run extensive disability awareness training programmes for their staff. In addition, it has a special adviser on disability who chairs an advisory group which looks at all proposals for station developments.
Rail Services (Rural Areas)
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to preserve and enhance rail services to rural areas.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail is under an obligation to provide services which are comparable generally with those provided in 1988. There is no reason why privatisation of the railways should result in service reductions or closures. Subsidy is not dependent on public ownership of the railways and we have made it clear that we intend to provide subsidy where it is required to maintain socially necessary services.
A24
Mr. Higgins : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of converting the A24 to dual carriageway from the Worthing border to the Offington roundabout.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The A24 is the responsibility of West Sussex county council. The Department is not aware of any plans to widen the section between Findon and Offington corner. However, as part of its work in relation to the A27 Worthing-Lancing improvement, the Department has estimated that the cost of dualling this section of the A24 would be between £7.5 million, and £12.3 million, depending on the standard adopted. These costs are at fourth-quarter 1990 prices.
Market Testing
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to ensure that any market testing by his Department measures like with like and that there is a level playing field for such exercises.
Mr. Norris : The White Paper "Competing for Quality", Cm 1730, introduced the concept of the in-house bid to market-testing. The Department is conducting extensive consultations to establish a sound framework within which market-testing exercises will be carried out. It is also ensuring that the experiences of other Departments inform the deliberations. Central Departments are also advising on common issues. Evaluation of bids when received will be carried out with the assistance of the Department's accountancy adviser. Attention to comparing like with like and ensuring a level playing field are central to the Department's procedures.
Merchant Seamen
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, during the United Kingdom European presidency, he will seek changes in EC regulations to ensure that most
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United Kingdom and European merchant seamen serving on vessels under flags of convenience will not be discriminated against with regard to social security and health arrangements.Mr. Norris : Current EC regulations cover only those seamen serving on vessels operating under a flag of a member state. However, all British seamen working overseas outside the Community are entitled to make voluntary national insurance contributions, thereby preserving their rights to some benefits.
Networker Trains
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the quality of service of the new Networker trains currently being tested on the North Kent suburban lines.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend has not received any representations about the quality of service of the new Networker trains which started coming into service at the beginning of October. The new trains are currently running during the off-peak period in addition to the timetabled trains to see how they perform in passenger service. Once the trains have completed, these trials they will be phased into peak services, probably from the end of November. All off-peak services should be operated by Networkers by May 1993 and the complete replacement of the trains should be complete by the end of 1995-96.
Petroleum
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the transport of petroleum by rail in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend has received a letter from the hon. Member, and will respond shortly.
West Highland Railway Line
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with British Rail regarding proposals to end the carriage of petroleum supplies on the West Highland line ; and if he will make a statement.
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