| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Sackville : As with all maternal deaths, district directors of public health assemble confidential information regarding deaths following legal abortion. This information is collected by the Chief Medical Officer and published anonymously in the "Reports on Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths", copies of which are
Column 155
available in the Library. This information is collected independently of the system for notification of abortions under the Abortion Act 1967.DEFENCE
High Energy Beam Weapons
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tests are either currently conducted or planned to be conducted by his Department at his Department's site at Dundennan in Scotland into high energy beam weapons in conjunction with the United States Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Mr. Aitken : This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. A. R. Chisholm to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 2 February 1993.
In today's written answer the Secretary of State for Defence informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding tests on high energy beam weapons at Dundrennan, Scotland. The tests to which I think you are referring are part of a DRA research programme into the feasibility of using electromagnetic energy for the propulsion of a solid projectile to enhance the armour penetrating performance of tank gunnery. This is a collaborative research programme between the United Kingdom and the United States which has nothing to do with so-called high energy beam weapons. The tests will be carried out at a facility that is still in the process of construction on the MOD range at Kirkcudbright ; it is due to be completed by the end of May 1993.
Porton Down
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the source of the biological and chemical nerve agents used in prophylactic research at Porton Down chemical research establishment.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : This is a matter for the chemical and biological defence establishment (CBDE) under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive of CBDE to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Llew Smith, dated 2 February 1993 :
1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him what is the sourse of the biological and chemical agents used in prophylactic research at Porton Down Chemical Research Establishment (Question 6, Order Paper 25 January 1993) has been passed to me to reply as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures (including prophylactic measures) against the threat that chemical or biological weapons may be used against them. As part of this work it is necessary to investigate the effectiveness of protective measures against the range of potential chemical and biological agents. This involves the use of small quantities of chemical agents which are largely synthesised as required. Some of the chemical agents are provided from residual stocks originally prepared at Nancekuke and on occasion it is necessary to obtain compounds from external suppliers. In respect of biological agents, these are usually produced from cultures held at CBDE Porton Down although again on occasion it is necessary to obtain culture samples from external sources.
Column 156
3. The Chemical Weapons Convention which recently opened for signature in Paris allows States Parties to carry out work on protective measures and permits each State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention to have a single small scale facility in which small quantities of Schedule 1 chemicals for protective purposes can be prepared or stored. The United Kingdom small scale facility will be at CBDE Porton Down.Reservists (Annual Reporting)
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many army reservists have not been able to undertake an annual reporting exercise during the last 12 months due to the inability to their units to fund such events ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The annual reporting exercise for army reservists was funded centrally by the Ministry of Defence and not by units, but the exercise has been suspended since autumn 1991 as a result of the restructuring of the reserve forces. The suspension will be reviewed once the restructuring is complete.
Search and Rescue
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given by his Department to the level of investment in specialist training and equipment undertaken to date by Dyfed county fire brigade to deal with offshore emergencies in tandem with the search and rescue helicopter squadron at RAF Brawdy within his Department's review of the search and rescue service.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The level of investment in specialist training and equipment, by Dyfed county fire brigade is a matter for that brigade.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what consideration was given to the overlapping of circles of coverage in his Department's review of the search and rescue service in the United Kingdom ;
(2) what assessment has been made by his Department of the impact of a withdrawal of the search and rescue helicopter squadron from RAF Brawdy upon response times in dealing with coastal and offshore emergencies in and around the Ceredigion and Pembroke, North constituency.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the open government document "The Future Provision of Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Helicopters", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the average response time taken by Sea King helicopters from RAF Brawdy to reach the scene of a coastal or offshore emergency in and around the Ceredigion and Pembroke, North Constituency in each of the last three years ; and if he will publish estimated response times for helicopters from (a) RAF Chivenor and (b) RAF Valley to reach future coastal or offshore emergencies in or near the constituency.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Information on average response time taken by Sea King helicopters from RAF Brawdy for the area and period in question can be provided only at disproportionate cost. For future estimated response times from RAF Chivenor and RAF Valley, I refer the hon. Member to the open government document "The Future Provision of RAF Search and Rescue Helicopters", a copy of which is in the Library of the House and which shows that the civil search and rescue criteria will be met.
Column 157
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what research has been conducted by his Department on the effect of withdrawing the search and rescue helicopter squadron from RAF Brawdy upon established contingency plans drawn up by the Dyfed fire brigade to deal with offshore emergencies ;
(2) what assessment has been made by his Department into the effect of withdrawing the search and rescue helicopter squadron from RAF Brawdy upon the training needs of local county fire fighters in tackling offshore emergencies.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : None. The RAF search and rescue helicopter flight will continue to assist fire brigades in their training for dealing with offshore emergencies when this flight is transferred from RAF Brawdy to RAF Chivenor.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of lives saved in and around the Ceredigion and Pembroke, North constituency in each of the last five years, as a result of the response of the search and rescue helicopter Squadron at RAF Brawdy.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Such estimates are not made. For information on the number of call-outs involving the rescue of people I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) on 2 November 1992 at column 51-2.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long a person could be immersed in water at (a) 6 C and (b) 7 C before experiencing at least a 50 per cent. chance of becoming unconscious ; and how rapidly, in percentage terms, their chances of survival would thereafter diminish.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the 1986 report of the United Kingdom civil rescue helicopter coverage working group, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Atomic Weapons Establishment (Accidents)
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the unclassified reports of inquiries into accidents and incidents which occurred at the atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston on 15 May 1961, 19 December 1976, 23 July 1978, 29 November 1978, 2 December 1987 and 19 February 1991.
Mr. Aitken : It would neither be appropriate nor practicable to place in the Libary unclassified versions of reports into accidents and incidents which occurred at the atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston over the last 30 years, nor could this information be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
Landing Platform Helicopter
Mr. Eastham : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place an order for the landing platform helicopter.
Mr. Aitken : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 January to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) at column 840.
Column 158
Mr. Eastham : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which firms have been invited to tender for the main engines for the landing platform helicopter.
Mr. Aitken : Tenders for the main engines form part of the tenders for the landing platform helicopter currently being evaluated by my Department. Details of these tenders are commercially confidential.
Crossley Engines, Manchester
Mr. Eastham : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MOD contracts have been placed with Crossley Engines of Manchester in the past 10 years.
Mr. Aitken : My Department's direct contracts with the Crossley Engines division of NEI Allen Ltd. are for spares and repairs only. Complete engines would normally be supplied on a sub-contract basis through a prime contractor such as a shipbuilder.
To minimise administrative effort, both by my Department and the company, one enabling arrangement was set up in July 1990. This permits nominated officials to order spares from Crossley Engines as and when required, without having to negotiate separate contracts each time. Since July 1990, we have also placed 15 small contracts for special requirements outside the scope of the enabling arrangement.
Data on contracts before 1990 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
B Flight 202
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of call-outs flown by B Flight 202 squadron RAF Brawdy in 1986 and 1992 ; and how many operations in each year were in response to military incidents.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information requested is set out in the table. The figures in brackets show the number of call-outs that involved the rescue of people, including incidents such as the transfer of sick or injured people from ship to hospital.
Year |Total Call-outs |Military Call-outs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1986 |98 (46) |11 (4) 1992 |158 (50) |7 (2)
St Anne's Head and RAF Brawdy
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which bodies, organisations or individuals he has received objections to, or statements of concern about, the proposed removal of search and rescue helicopters from RAF Brawdy ; and how many objections or expressions of concern he has received in total.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My Department has received a number of representations from a variety of sources on the withdrawal of the RAF search and rescue flight from RAF Brawdy.
NATO Status of Forces Agreement
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in the renegotiation with the German authorities of the
Column 159
supplementary agreement to the NATO status of forces agreement ; when he expects the negotiations to be concluded ; and when he expects a new agreement to come into force.Mr. Archie Hamilton [pursuant to his reply, 9 December 1992, col. 718] : The negotiations on the review of the supplementary agreemento the NATO status of forces agreement have now been concluded. The outcome is a good one from the United Kingdom's point of view. The agreement ensures that our forces in Germany will be able to train effectively and that the quality of life of the forces involved has been preserved. Signature of the agreement is likely in the late spring.
EMPLOYMENT
Jobcentres
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will re-open the jobcentre in Barnoldswick, Lancashire ; and if she will make a statement on the criteria used in deciding whether to re-open jobcentres
Mr. McLoughlin : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 2 February 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the Employment Service office in Barnoldswick. This is something which falls within the
responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. The decision to close the office at Barnoldswick in April 1991 was taken only after a full consultation process. The representations we received were considered very carefully and all the relevant factors were taken into account. The office at Barnoldswick had offered only a limited service and did not reflect the full range of services available at our nearby fully integrated office at Colne. It was mainly for this reason that it was decided to close the office. There are no plans to re-open the office. However, to ensure that local clients have ready access to job opportunities we have provided two vacancy display boards and a freephone facility in the local library.
You also asked what criteria are used when considering the re-opening of offices. A number of factors are taken into account when such decisions are taken and these would apply equally to the initial siting of offices. Such factors include :
--levels of business to be generated.
--number of clients to be served.
--the level of service offered to our clients.
--the proximity of other offices.
--availability of suitable premises.
Other factors may be taken into account when looking at specific locations but the overriding consideration is to provide the best possible service to our clients within available resources. We cannot, I am afraid, provide an office in every location.
I hope this is helpful.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
Trade Unions
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which employers' associations or employers have asked for trade unions to be required to review members' written authorisations to deduction at source of union subscriptions every three years.
Column 160
Mr. Michael Forsyth : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received no such representations. Under proposals in the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill it is employers who will be required to seek renewed consent to check-off deductions from their employees every three years.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many individual claimants have registered as unemployed since (a) April 1990 and (b) November 1990.
Mr. McLoughlin : In the period April 1990 to December 1992, and on the unadjusted basis, about 354,300 people on average per month joined the claimant unemployment count and 313,900 people on average per month left the count. The corresponding figures for the period since November 1990 are 371,600 and 321,600 respectively. Of those becoming unemployed about a quarter leave unemployment within the first month ; a half leave within the first three months and two-thirds within six months.
Work Permits
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list for the last five years the number of employers whose applications for a work permit are refused who ask for a review ; and what percentage of those reviews result in a reversal.
Mr. McLoughlin : The information requested is not available.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research and data collection are carried out by her Department to assess which skills are in short supply to inform decisions on work permit applications.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Department draws on a range of labour market information and consults employer and professional bodies and other relevant organisations to inform decisions on work permit applications.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average time taken to inform (a) tier 1 applicants for work permits and (b) tier 2 applicants for work permits whether their applications have been successful.
Mr. McLoughlin : The information requested is not available in the form requested. During 1992 more than 80 per cent. of work permit applications were decided within eight weeks of receipt.
Employment Training
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what has been the average administrative cost to her Department of a place on the employment action scheme ;
(2) what has been the average administrative cost to her Department of a place on the employment training scheme ;
(3) what will be the average administrative cost to her Department of a place on the training for work scheme.
Mr. McLoughlin : I regret that this information is not available.
Column 161
Health and Safety Executive
Ms. Eagle : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of reportable accidents in the north-west resulted in a visit by an inspector from the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. McLoughlin : The information is not available in the form requested.
Unemployment Benefit Disqualification
Mrs. Golding : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes the constituency of Newcastle under Lyme.
Mr. McLoughlin : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from M. Fogden to Mrs. Llin Golding, dated 2 February 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.
I hope this is helpful.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes Warley East.
Mr. McLoughlin : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Column 162
Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Andrew Faulds, dated 2 February 1993.As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the Warley East area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.
I hope this is helpful.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
SCOTLAND
Fife Health Board
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the resignation of Mrs. Ann Ferguson from the chairmanship of Fife health board ; and what severance or compensation payment was made on her resignation.
Mr. Stewart : My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to the statements issued by Mrs. Ferguson and by him on 22 January. Any payment made to Mrs. Ferguson at the time her resignation takes effect will be subject to normal rules for reporting expenditure to Parliament.
Sight Tests
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people had sight tests in all health board areas for which figures are available in (a) the last 12-month period for which figures are available and (b) in each year since 1987-88.
Mr. Stewart : The information requested for each of the financial years from 1987-88 to 1991-92 is shown in the table. Information for the period October 1991 to September 1992, the last full 12-month period for which information is available, is shown separately in the table.
Column 161
Numbers of National Health Service sight tests<1> in Scotland by Health Board area
Health Board |1987-88 |1988-89 |<2>1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1 October 1991 to 30
|September 1992
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argyll and Clyde |95,153 |98,926 |36,636 |39,703 |46,243 |48,096
Ayrshire and Arran |80,202 |85,746 |34,754 |34,606 |38,236 |39,902
Borders |16,123 |17,981 |7,176 |5,240 |6,316 |7,163
Dumfries and Galloway |29,324 |31,007 |11,761 |11,336 |13,637 |14,704
Fife |72,534 |76,854 |24,821 |28,556 |34,049 |35,453
Forth Valley |54,525 |58,847 |26,276 |18,426 |21,637 |22,354
Grampian |96,777 |108,592 |30,582 |33,367 |36,977 |39,129
Greater Glasgow |237,924 |252,843 |131,605 |110,697 |122,878 |128,436
Highland |36,185 |36,599 |15,841 |13,091 |15,476 |16,073
Lanarkshire |119,371 |119,307 |47,680 |47,983 |56,269 |58,527
Lothian |162,353 |176,902 |74,531 |56,682 |66,297 |69,096
Orkney |2,674 |2,972 |862 |873 |1,034 |1,156
Shetland |7,000 |7,069 |2,808 |2,420 |2,834 |2,700
Tayside |83,680 |90,498 |28,103 |28,132 |32,642 |34,802
Western Isles |4,320 |4,467 |2,043 |1,773 |2,073 |2,035
-------
Scotland Total |1,098,145 |1,168,610 |475,479 |432,885 |496,598 |519,626
<1> One person may have more than one sight test in the period.
<2> Since 1 April 1989 free National Health Service sight tests have only been available to children, full-time students under 19, those in receipt of Income Support or
Family Credit, the registered blind and partially sighted, complex lens users, those who hold an AG2 exemption certificate from the Health Benefits Unit, diagnosed
diabetic or glaucoma sufferers, and close relatives aged 40 or over of glaucoma sufferers. Information is not collected on private sight tests.
Littlewoods Pools
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will visit the Littlewoods Pools operation at Inchinnan, Paisley.
Sir Hector Monro : Littlewoods Pools is located at Hillington, Glasgow. My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to visit Hillington.
| Next Section
| Home Page |