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HOME DEPARTMENT
Police (Restructuring)
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with (a) the Association of County Councils, (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers, (c) the Police Federation and (d) others with regard to proposals to restructure the police force and police authorities in
Nottinghamshire.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend has had no discussions relating to police organisation in Nottinghamshire. He is considering a range of issues relating to the future structure, organisation and funding of the police service generally. My right hon. and learned Friend does not yet have firm proposals for change, but when he does, he will consult interested parties before final decisions are reached.
Fire Services, Nottinghamshire
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the capacity of fire authorities in Nottinghamshire to cope with fire, emergency and other demands in 1993-94.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The standard of service provided by the Nottinghamshire fire and rescue service was last examined in the course of an inspection of the service by Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services between 19 and 23 October 1992. I expect the report of that inspection to be published shortly. It is for Nottinghamshire county council, in the light of its standard spending assessment, to set a budget for 1993-94 which will allow it to comply with its duties under the Fire Services Act 1947 as a fire authority, and with the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.
Young Offenders
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders in the east midlands and in England and Wales were under 21 years of age in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Jack : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 20 January 1993, at column 252.
Car Crime
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to reduce car crime ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the question from the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 16 December 1992 at column 208.
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Vehicle Entry Devices
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legislation to curb the use and sale of vehicle entry devices ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : We have no plans at present to ban or control the sale of vehicle entry devices.
It should be stressed, however, that it is already a criminal offence, under section 25 of the Theft Act 1968, to carry equipment for use in connection with any burglary or theft. This covers vehicle entry devices, and upon conviction an offender is liable to imprisonment for up to three years.
Many people, such as locksmiths and garage owners, have a legitimate need for equipment such as skeleton keys, and this would make it extremely difficult to prohibit their sale. These devices are also often no more effective in gaining entry to locked vehicles than other more rudimentary tools, like screwdrivers or shaped pieces of metal, and often require some skill on the part of the user to work effectively.
Moreover, inquiries by the Home Office crime prevention centre and the Association of Chief Police Officers have not found any evidence of the widespread misuse of skeleton car keys. In particular, the Association of Chief Police Officers has reported that these devices have not been found in the possession of offenders charged with either theft of or from a vehicle.
We do not, therefore, see a need at present for legislation to control the possession, sale or advertising of skeleton car keys, but we shall continue to monitor the situation closely.
We are aware, however, that devices which are capable of deactivating electronic car alarms and central locking systems have recently appeared on the British market. We are actively looking into their availability and effectiveness, with a view to assessing what action may be required. Manufacturers too are aware of the existence of these devices and are working to improve the security of their products accordingly.
Crime Statistics
Mr. Sweeney : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the percentage clear-up rate for each police force in England and Wales in 1981 and 1991 calculated solely on the basis of those charged and found guilty.
Mr. Jack : The information is not available.
Guilty Pleas
Mr. Sweeney : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police force in England and Wales in 1981 and 1991 (a) the number of those people who appeared in court who entered an initial plea of guilty and (b) the percentage of all those who appeared in court which the figure in (a) represents.
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Mr. Jack : The readily available information which is collected in selected sample weeks in February, June and October of each year for proceedings for indictable offences, including either-way, at magistrates courts, is given in the table.
Information for 1985 and earlier years is not available. Information on the type of plea for committals for trial dealt with by the Crown court by circuit, is published annually in the command paper "Judicial statistics, England and Wales". Table 6.7 of the 1991 issue (Cm 1990) gives data for 1990. Information for police force areas is not available.
Table A
Defendants pleading guilty at a summary trial as a percentage of all
those proceeded<1> against at magistrates' courts for indictable
offences by police force area, 1986 and 1991
Police force area |1986 |1991
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |60 |44
Bedfordshire |58 |57
Cambridgeshire |75 |46
Cheshire |66 |52
Cleveland |71 |50
Cumbria |69 |64
Derbyshire |63 |50
Devon and Cornwall |64 |62
Dorset |<2>74 |52
Durham |59 |45
Essex |64 |54
Gloucestershire |72 |59
Greater Manchester |62 |51
Hampshire |68 |53
Hertfordshire |63 |56
Humberside |69 |59
Kent |66 |47
Lancashire |65 |46
Leicestershire |71 |53
Lincolnshire |63 |53
London, City of |<2>60 |<2>48
Merseyside |50 |48
Metropolitan Police District |55 |44
Norfolk |59 |52
Northamptonshire |<2>69 |50
Northumbria |57 |46
North Yorkshire |67 |60
Nottinghamshire |65 |52
South Yorkshire |64 |58
Staffordshire |74 |52
Suffolk |73 |78
Surrey |72 |52
Sussex |75 |58
Thames Valley |66 |51
Warwickshire |<2>57 |<2>53
West Mercia |62 |58
West Midlands |59 |48
West Yorkshire |63 |53
Wiltshire |68 |57
Dyfed-Powys |<2>60 |52
Gwent |72 |45
North Wales |60 |50
South Wales |61 |52
|--- |---
England and Wales |62 |51
<1> Includes proceedings where the defendant is committed for trial to the Crown
Court or the case is withdrawn or discontinued.
<2> Based on less than 200 persons proceeded against; percentages based on small
numbers are less reliable and subject to greater error.
Roads (Policing)
Mr. Adley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the most recent figures available for the total cost of policing the roads in the United Kingdom ; what these figures include ; and how they are created.
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Mr. Charles Wardle : In 1991, approximately 8 per cent. of the total police strength in England and Wales was deployed on specialist traffic duties. The proportion of non-specialist officers' time spent on traffic matters is not recorded. The total costs could not be reliably estimated.
Police Staff
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff have been employed by each police authority in England and Wales for each year since 1979.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The table shows police and civilian strength from 1992. The information for 1979 to 1991 can be found in the appendix to the annual reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary, copies of which are in the Library.
Police and Civilian Strength-1992 As at 31 October Force |Police |Civilians ------------------------------------------------- Avon and Somerset |3,068 |1,097 Bedfordshire |1,129 |387 Cambridgeshire |1,262 |448 Cheshire |1,888 |543 City of London |801 |310 Cleveland |1,490 |461 Cumbria |1,192 |413 Derbyshire |1,803 |581 Devon and Cornwall |2,918 |1,045 Dorset |1,317 |561 Durham |1,390 |542 Dyfed-Powys |966 |268 Essex |2,923 |1,067 Gloucestershire |1,154 |378 Greater Manchester |7,084 |2,508 Gwent |1,008 |318 Hampshire |3,269 |1,078 Hertfordshire |1,690 |583 Humberside |2,027 |692 Kent |3,099 |1,103 Lancashire |3,203 |1,075 Leicestershire |1,846 |671 Lincolnshire |1,188 |486 Merseyside |4,687 |1,621 Norfolk |1,419 |454 North Wales |1,369 |459 North Yorkshire |1,411 |461 Northamptonshire |1,197 |431 Northumbria |3,578 |1,229 Nottinghamshire |2,343 |738 South Wales |3,182 |1,076 South Yorkshire |3,013 |924 Staffordshire |2,196 |740 Suffolk |1,240 |520 Surrey |1,684 |604 Sussex |3,007 |971 Thames Valley |3,843 |1,457 Warwickshire |1,007 |334 West Mercia |2,061 |917 West Midlands |6,935 |2,444 West Yorkshire |5,095 |1,861 Wiltshire |1,257 |490 Metropolitan |27,804 |14,459
Filmed Interviews
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the procedure which has to be followed by any person or organisation wishing to film an interview with a convicted prisoner (a) for
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research purposes, (b) for other private purposes and (c) for publication or broadcast ; and at what level the decision is taken in each case.Mr. Peter Lloyd : Requests to interview a prisoner must be made to the governor of the holding prison or the public relations branch of the Home Office. Applications from the media must be made in writing giving details of the requirements of the interviewer and the justification for the interview to take place.
If the interview is allowed to take place for research purposes or private purposes, a signed undertaking is required that none of the material gathered will be used in any publication or broadcast. Requests for interview for the purposes of publication or broadcast are considered by the public relations branch in conjunction with officials or governors, and where necessary after consultation with Ministers.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) who gave permission for the filming of an interview with Dennis Nilsen which was subsequently broadcast on television ;
(2) to whom permission was given for the filming of the Nilsen interview ; what were the terms of the written request for permission ; and what written conditions were placed on the permission granted.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on Tuesday 2 February.
Appeal Cases
Ms. Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases he referred to the Court of Appeal following an investigation by C3 division at his Department in each of the last 12 months.
Mr. Jack : The information requested is given in the table :
Number of cases referred
under section 17(1)(a) of
the Criminal
Appeal Act 1968 in
respect of conviction
|Number
--------------------------
1992
February |-
March |2
April |-
May |-
June |-
July |3
August |-
September |1
October |1
November |-
December |-
1993
January |4
Notes:
(a) In addition, one case
was referred in October
1992 in respect of
sentence only.
(b) One case was referred
in January 1992 and one
other in October 1992
under section 17(1)(b) of
the Criminal Appeal Act
1968.
Ms. Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were referred to the Court of Appeal following investigation by his Department in each of the last five years.
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Mr. Jack : The information requested is provided in the table :
In respect of |Number of cases |Number of defendants
conviction
(a) Under section
17(1)(a) of the
Criminal Appeal
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988 |2 |2
1989 |3 |6
1990 |7 |20
1991 |10 |12
1992 |8 |11
In respect of sentence
1988 |23 |23
1989 |6 |6
1990 |3 |3
1991 |4 |8
1992 |1 |1
(b) Under section 17(1)(b) of the Criminal Appeal
Act 1968
1990 |1 |1
1991 |2 |2
Ms. Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of alleged miscarriage of justice cases which were held by C3 division at his Department in 1992 or for the latest data available.
Mr. Jack : At the beginning of 1992, 171 representations were under consideration, 790 new representations were received during the year, and 783 representations were concluded ; 178 representations were under consideration at the end of 1992.
Ms. Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average time taken to investigate an alleged miscarriage of justice by his Department during 1992 or for the latest year available ;
(2) how many cases which are currently being examined by C3 division of his Department, at the latest date available, have been outstanding for more than 12 months.
Mr. Jack : Information is not available in the form requested. On the latest available information, the average time taken to deal with representations about an alleged miscarriage of justice is 41 days, but much depends on the complexity of the case and the extent of police or other inquiries that may be required to assess the representations made. Further representations may be received while a case is under consideration, prolonging the conclusion. At 1 February, there were 27 cases which had been under consideration for more than 12 months.
Frankland Prison
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an inquiry into the incident at Frankland prison involving a sexual assault by an inmate on a women prison officer while carrying out her official duties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Serious assaults in prisons are usually investigated by the police. The incident at Frankland, involving a sexual assault on a woman prison officer by an inmate, was immediately referred to Durham constabulary, which is conducting an inquiry. Its findings are not yet known.
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Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the national safety standards for prison officer staff ; and what procedures are being followed by his Department to ensure that these were complied with at Frankland prison.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The safety of all prison staff is always a prime concern in designing procedures within establishments. Arrangements reflect local conditions and I am satisfied that all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of staff are taken at Frankland. The nature of the work and the inmate population inevitably involves some element of risk.
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officer staff have been employed at Frankland prison for each year of the last 10 years for which figures are available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Staffing figures for Frankland prison are available for the last seven years as shown in the table. Before 1986, staffing records were not centrally kept. Further information is not therefore readily available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Date |Staff ------------------------- 1 April 1986 |354 1 April 1987 |376 1 April 1988 |378 1 April 1989 |388 1 April 1990 |399 1 April 1991 |404 1 April 1992 |401
Young Offenders
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many local authority areas help and advice is provided to young people who are cautioned ; and how many (a) aged under 18 years and (b) aged over 18 years received such assistance in each of the past three years in each local authority area.
Mr. Jack : The information requested is not collected centrally.
Squatting
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legislation to tighten up the law on squatting ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : As my hon. Friend knows, we are firmly committed to introduce legislation to tighten up the law on squatting. It is important that any new provisions deal effectively with this clearly unacceptable activity while striking the right balance between the criminal and the civil law. Any new provisions must also be both fair and enforceable. We have been giving very careful thought to the form which legislation might take and will announce our conclusions as soon as possible.
Departmental Budget
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage change in (a) real terms and (b) cash terms of his Department's budget from 1992-93 to 1993-94.
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Mr. Kenneth Clarke : There is no change in real terms between the Home Office's estimated outturn for 1992-93 and its planned expenditure for 1993-94, but there is an increase of 2.75 per cent. in cash terms.
Privatisation
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to privatise parts of his Department over the next year.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I have given approval for advisers to be engaged in preparation for the privatisation of DTELS, formerly the Directorate of Telecommunications. The aim is to privatise during 1993-94 by means of a trade sale.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Manufacturing Industry
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has about the percentage contribution to gross domestic product provided by manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom ; and how this compares with percentages in the other member states of the European Community.
Mr. Sainsbury : The information is in the table.
Manufacturing industry<5> as a
percentage of gross domestic
product
in European Community
countries
|1989
-------------------------------
United Kingdom |<1>19.8
France |21.3
Germany |31.1
Italy |23.2
Belgium |23.3
Netherlands |20.2
Luxembourg |28.4
Denmark |15.8
Ireland |<2>22.3
Spain |26.9
Portugal |<3>29.2
Greece |<4>15.3
<1> Latest year 1987.
<2> Latest year 1979.
<3> Latest year 1986.
<4> Latest year 1988.
<5> Manufacturing is defined
according to the International
Standard Industrial
Classification Division 38.
Source: OECD National
Accounts.
United Kingdom manufacturing share of GDP can also be derived from figures published in "UK National Accounts, the Blue Book". These have the attraction of being more up to date. The United Kingdom national accounts data are, however, not directly comparable with data show in the above table and published by the OECD. A reason for non-comparability is that blue book data shown output at factor cost. OECD estimates show output at market prices. Taxes and subsidies are included in estimates at market prices, but are netted out in factor cost estimates.
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Funeral Costs
Mr. McMaster : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to require all funeral directors to publish an itemised price list covering all costs associated with arranging a funeral ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : No. Whilst I strongly support price transparency, and would welcome an amendment to the code of conduct of the National Association of Funeral Directors in this direction, I do not think it would be appropriate for the Government to prescribe to the funeral industry how it should prepare its estimates and invoices.
British Telecom
Mr. Cousins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the results of the OFTEL consultancy study into the accounting separation of BT activities to be complete ; and if he will place a copy in the Library as soon as it is complete.
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Mr. Leigh : I understand from the Director General of Telecommunications that a preliminary consultancy report has now been received by OFTEL, and that BT's reactions are currently awaited. Any wider consultations and decisions made in the light of the report will be a matter of public record, with copies of the relevant documents available in the library of the House.
Clean Coal Technology
Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much funding has been given to research into clean coal technology in the United Kingdom for each year since 1985 ; and what corresponding information he has for Japan and the United States.
Mr. Eggar : The comparative coal research expenditure figures available for the United Kingdom, Japan and the USA since 1985 cover the period 1985 to 1990 and are as detailed. Specific figures for clean coal technology research are not known, but most of the expenditure detailed is believed to be focused on the development of clean coal technology for power generation.
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Coal R&D expenditure in United Kingdom, United States of America and Japan
Period 1985 to 1990
|1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990
|£ million|£ million|£ million|£ million|£ million|£ million
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom |122.3 |118.2 |58.2 |45.5 |43.8 |45.8
United States of America |179.5 |170.8 |140.7 |243.7 |245.3 |472.2
Japan |159.9 |152.7 |159.2 |175.9 |137.3 |134.5
Notes:
1. United Kingdom R&D expenditure on April-March financial year basis. Annual figures
converted to 1990-91 base and inclusive of expenditure by DEn, DTI, DOE, SERC, CEGB, British
Coal and British Gas.
2. Figures for USA and Japan extracted from IEA publication, "Energy policies of IEA
countries-1991 reviews". Figures are published in 1991 $US which have been converted to £UK
using the IEA average exchange rate of $1.764 to the £ for 1991.
Offshore Licences
Mr. Ainger : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 28 January, Official Report, column 822, which organisations specifically requested that their advice and response to his consultation on the 14th round of offshore licences should be treated in confidence ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : Consultation of other Departments and interested bodies took place on the understanding that the information provided would be treated in confidence. This is our established practice with regard to consultation on blocks offered for licensing.
Exceptional Projects Scheme
Mr. Morgan : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister for Industry of 26 January, Official Report, column 972, (1) what consultations he has had with organisations representing United Kingdom business in relation to the suspension of section 8 assistance to exceptional projects scheme ; (2) what consultations he has had with the European Commissioners responsible for (a) competition and (b) industrial policy in relation to the suspension of section 8 assistance to exceptional projects scheme.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 2 February 1993] : Only two projects have been able to satisfy the stringent criteria
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for demonstrating exceptional national benefit in five years. In these circumstances we did not hold consultations with organisations representing United Kingdom business on our decision to suspend the assistance for exceptional projects facility. The AEP facility required approval from the European Commission. We did not consult any Commission officials about the suspension I have announced.Steel
Mr. Cousins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations on competition grounds he has made to the European Commission about the proposed merger of the steel tube interests of the main Italian Ilva, German Mannesmann and French Usinor, steel companies.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : I understand the proposed joint venture between Ilva, Mannesmann and Usinor Sacilor, to combine their stainless steel seamless tube operations, is likely to fall for investigation by the European Commission under the merger control regulation. Mergers which qualify for investigation must be notified to the European Commission and member states have the opportunity to comment on them. The United Kingdom passes comments to the EC Commission on all notified cases. If the proposed joint venture between the three steel companies is notified the United Kingdom will assess its competition implications and submit comments in the usual way.
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Mr. Morley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the United States Government following their announcement that they will be imposing a 105 per cent. levy on imported British steel ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 2 February 1993] : The provisional anti-dumping duties of 109.22 per cent. on British Steel exports of steel plate are unwarranted and wholly disproportionate.
The actions, brought by the protected United States steel industry, cannot help efforts to secure a much-needed multilateral steel arrangement.
The President of the Board of Trade has written to United States Commerce Secretary Ron Brown urging him to focus on these matters at the earliest opportunity. The issue was also raised at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 February.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Tourism
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his policy for tourism.
Mr. Key : I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans) on 13 November, Official Report , columns 997-98 . I believe that the case is now much less strong for central Government funding of the promotion of tourism in England. The English tourist board has done a great deal over the years to raise standards, to improve access to information, and to show the industry how their products can be developed and marketed. As the industry matures, and the regional tourist boards develop, it is appropriate for other bodies to carry on many of the ETB's central activities. That is reflected in the allocations of Exchequer grants for tourism over the next three years.
However, I also believe that central Government support for the regional tourist boards should continue. I believe that this support should be targeted much more closely than at present on areas where the industry would not fully exploit tourism potential unaided and where this would assist with economic regeneration. The English tourist board is currently working on proposals for support to the regional tourist boards.
Historic Royal Palaces Agency
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration was given to repeating the assertion of his accountability for the policy, operations and resources of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency, contained in the 1990-91 review of the agency, in its 1991-92 report, and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke [holding answer 22 January 1993] : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Historic Royal Palaces Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Beeton. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from David Beeton to Mr. Toby Jessel, dated 28 January 1993 :
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I am writing to confirm our recent conversation about your Parliamentary Written Question on the Secretary of State's accountability for the policy operation and resources of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency.The statements about this in the two documents you referred to derived from the Agency's Framework Document, which is it's Constitution, and was the basis upon which the Agency was established in 1989. That document was to be reviewed after 3 years. This is now in hand and I understand that no changes to the Secretary of State's above stated responsibilities are proposed. I am certainly not seeking any.
You also asked me whether the rumour that Bushy Park might be transferred to the Agency was true. I said that the question had been considered when the maintenance of Bushy Park had been put out to contract as to whether the same should happen at Hampton Court. It was decided then that merged management would not be appropriate and I do not expect this question to be raised again, at least until the present maintenance contract at Bushy Park expires, which is several years from now.
Badgers
Mrs. Helen Jackson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many individuals have been convicted under the Badgers Act 1973.
Mr. Jack : I have been asked to reply.
Information is given in the table for the years 1979 to 1991 which is provisional. Data from 1973 to 1978 are not available.
Number of persons convicted under the Badgers Act 1973, 1979 to 1991<1> England and Wales Year |Convictions ------------------------------------ 1979 |24 1980 |20 1981 |26 1982 |23 1983 |50 1984 |38 1985 |25 1986 |67 1987 |55 1988 |41 1989 |53 1990 |26 <1>1991 |17 <1>Provisional.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Russia (Biological Weapons)
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report , column 705, to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn), what research assistance has been given to Russia in connection with ending biological weapons programmes.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The United Kingdom has not provided Russia with research assistance in connection with ending biological weapons programmes. Under the terms of a trilateral agreement reached between the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia on 11 September 1992, various measures to monitor compliance with the 1972 biological and toxic weapons convention are envisaged including an examination of ways to promote co- operation in the conversion of biological weapons facilities.
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