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Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details from the maintenance and servicing record of the quantity and type of ozone-destroying chemicals used annually in the Department's refrigeration and air conditioning equipment for servicing and in leakages ; and what proportion is removed for recycling.
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Mr. Aitken : The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances consumed by the Department are identified as controlled wastes when they are no longer in use.
Mr. Aitken : It is my Department's policy that all ozone-depleting substances when no longer required are treated as controlled waste, and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner.
Fire Extinguishers
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many portable halon fire extinguishers are contained within departmental buildings ; and what measures are being taken to ensure their recycling and replacement.
Mr. Aitken : It would require a disproportionate cost and effort to establish the number of hand held Halon fire extinguishers currently in my Department's buildings. My Department has a programme to replace these fire extinguishers with non-ozone-depleting alternatives ; withdrawn material will be recycled.
Ozone Layer (Protection)
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the Departmental Green Minister has promoted protection of the ozone layer with specific policy measures ; and which possible measures have been considered and rejected, and on what grounds.
Mr. Aitken : This Department's major protection initiatives include the cessation of venting to atmosphere and a programme to phase out uses of ozone-depleting substances. Only those critical uses which cannot be substituted will continue to be supported for a limited period.
Refrigerators
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many CFC domestic fridges are contained within his Department's buildings.
Mr. Aitken : There is no central register of domestic fridges held in departmental buildings. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give an undertaking to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain CFCs or HCFCs for his Department.
Mr. Aitken : Domestic fridges are replaced on an individual basis to the prevailing commercial standards. Bulk food storage facilities are to be redesigned to comply with the latest EC food storage requirements, and use of a non-ozone-depleting substance will be specified.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many refrigeration and air conditioning systems in his Department are equipped with automatic leak detection systems.
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Mr. Aitken : The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
CFCs and HCFCs
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the latest available figures are for his Department's total purchase of CFCs and HCFCs.
Mr. Aitken : The information requested is not held centrally and could not be provided without disproportionate cost and effort. However, a total of 114,300 kgs of CFCs and HCFCs have been procured through contracts let by my Department since January 1992.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many CFC and HCFC installations are contained within his Department's buildings.
Mr. Aitken : The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asbestos (Compensation Claims)
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel who served with the Royal Navy during the second world war have made successful claims for compensation as a result of exposure to asbestos.
Submarines
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the subfacts scheme into the Minches ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is planned to extend the subfacts scheme to cover the Minches and the Sea of Hebrides. At present, we are considering, in consultation with the chief coastguard and others, the detailed practical arrangements for the operation of the scheme in these areas. An announcement will be made as soon as these arrangements have been decided.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to alter the code of conduct for submarines following the Lupina incident in September 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We shall consider whether changes to the arrangements governing the conduct of dived submarine operations in waters frequented by fishing vessels are warranted once the report by the United States authorities into the incident has been received and studied.
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Armaments Exports
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the amount of military armaments exported by the United Kingdom in each year since 1979 ; what percentage was exported to (a) Africa, (b) Asia, (c) central America and (d) south America in each year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : A breakdown of the total value of defence exports by geographical region for 1975, 1980 and between 1985 and 1991 is given in the "Defence Statistics 1992 Edition", table 1.12, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Military Land Byelaws
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many persons have been prosecuted under military land byelaws at (a) Fylingdales, (b) Molesworth, (c) Lakenheath, (d) Mildenhall, (e) Burghfield and (f) Aldermaston in (i) 1990, (ii) 1991 and (iii) 1992 ; what signs are displayed on this land warning citizens that byelaws will be enforced ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) how many persons were arrested under Her Majesty's Forest Moor and Menwith Hill station byelaws 1986 in (a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992 ; how many such persons were convicted ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member.
Surplus Equipment
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current arrangements for disposal of his Department's equipment which is surplus to requirements ; how decisions about which equipment is surplus are arrived at ; who decides on the arrangements for disposal ; what procedures there are for fixing reserve prices ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : Decisions on whether equipment is surplus to my Department's requirements take into account the required levels of spares holdings and the defence equipment programme. Authority for day-to-day decisions rests with the appropriate service commodity and supply manager in consultation with the technical and engineering authorities and operational sponsors. The directorate of sales (disposals) arrange sales of surplus equipment through
Government-to-Government and Government-to-industry contracts, competitive tenders and public auctions. These take into account the type and condition of the equipment and the available market opportunities. Sales prices are determined by competition. Auction reserve prices are based on a technical assessment by the directorate's staff of expected saleability. Unsold and unsellable items are disposed of under waste contract arrangements.
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