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Nuclear Tests
Mr. Peter Shore : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many nuclear tests were conducted by the United Kingdom, France, China, the United States of America and the Soviet Union/Russia in each year since 1985.
Mr. Aitken : The United Kingdom has carried out the following numbers of nuclear tests since 1985 :
Year |Number --------------------- 1985 |1 1986 |1 1987 |1 1988 |0 1989 |1 1990 |1 1991 |1 1992 |0
Nuclear tests carried out by other countries in these years
Admiralty Compass Observatory
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about the radioactive contamination at Admiralty Compass Observatory in Slough ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : Following a preliminary radiological monitoring survey carried out by Ministry of Defence staff at the Defence Research Agency site at Ditton Park, Slough, formerly known as the Admiralty Compass Observatory, very low levels of radium-226 contamination have been found within and adjacent to a former luminising workshop used in the manufacture of compasses from about 1940 to the mid 1950s. There is no access by members of the public to the building. The contamination external to the building is held within the soil structure and poses no hazard to members of the public. Further monitoring will be undertaken in the near future to establish more fully the extent of the contamination and to determine what remedial action is required.
Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, Slough borough council, and the royal borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council have been kept informed of the situation.
Courts Martial
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel were court-martialled in each of the last three years in (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Army and the number of service personnel from each of these services discharged from the services as a result of their court martial.
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Mr. Hanley : The number of service personnel convicted by court martial, and the number consequently dismissed in the most recent years for which figures are available, are as follows :
|Royal Navy |Army |Royal Air Force
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991
Number of offenders |38 |704 |129
Offenders dismissed |21 |281 |32
1990
Number of offenders |31 |816 |140
Offenders dismissed |7 |322 |29
1989
Number of offenders |52 |726 |120
Offenders dismissed |16 |270 |40
Joint Forces Headquarters
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what review was carried out into the operation of the Joint Forces Headquarters in the light of Operation Granby ; and what were its main conclusions.
Mr. Hanley : The operation of the joint forces
headquarters--JFHQ--during Operation Granby was reviewed during the assessment of lessons from the operation. The concept of establishing for major operations a tri-service, in-theatre operational headquarters, and its relationship with the joint headquarters and Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom, were endorsed. Other lessons included the importance during peacetime of the effective training and exercising of the joint forces operational staff who form the core of the JFHQ, and the need for early deployment of the JFHQ should it become apparent that an operation would require the substantial involvement of more than one of the three services.
RAF Leuchars
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the intended future use of the facilities recently vacated by 22 squadron search and rescue at RAF Leuchars.
Mr. Hanley : Further to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) gave to the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Martlew) on 28 April, Official Report, column 406, I can now confirm that the Aberdeen, Dundee and St. Andrews university air squadron has now relocated within the vacated SAR facility.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists, of what rank, and in what roles are serving in (a) the Croatia theatre and (b) the Bosnia theatre in support of the British contribution to UNPROFOR.
Mr. Hanley : There is one member of the reserve forces serving in Croatia, a lieutenant commander of the Royal Naval Reserve public affairs branch ; there are none serving in Bosnia.
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many men and of what rank from (a) the
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Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, (b) the Gordon Highlanders and (c) the Queen's Lancashire Regiment are currently serving with the Prince of Wales Own (Yorkshire) Regiment in Bosnia.Mr. Hanley : The information is as follows :
Rank |Number
-----------------------------
(a) The Argyll and Sutherland
Lieutenant |1
Sergeant |1
Corporal |4
Lance Corporal |11
Private |18
(b) The Gordon Highlanders
Captain |1
Lieutenant |1
Sergeant |1
Corporal |2
Lance Corporal |7
Private |25
(c) The Queen's Lancashire Re
Lieutenant |1
Sergeant |1
Corporal |0
Lance Corporal |10
Private |24
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received from British forces of fighting between Croat and Muslim forces near the British Army base in Vitez on 16 June ; and what representations he intends to make to Croat and Muslim authorities.
Mr. Hanley : The security situation around the British forces base at Vitez is closely monitored by troops on the ground there. On 16 June there was fighting between the Croats and Muslims in the Lasva valley near Vitez. No representations were made to the Croat or Muslim authorities.
Uranium Shells
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received from the United States Government as to the danger to service men posed by the inhalation or ingestion of uranium dust from uranium tipped shells used during the Gulf conflict.
Mr. Hanley : My Department has received no specific formal information from the United States Government regarding the dangers to service men serving in the Gulf resulting from the use of shells tipped with depleted uranium--DU. A comprehensive health evaluation was undertaken prior to the introduction into service of DU tipped shells and the possible risks arising from the inhalation or ingestion of DU dust after impact are well understood. British forces, including those deployed to the Gulf, are issued with prior advice on how to avoid any risk association with the use of DU shells.
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NATIONAL FINANCE
Market Testing
Ms Mowlam : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his Departments since November 1992 and indicate, in each case, whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision, or whether the service was contracted- out.
Mr. Nelson : The information requested is as follows. It covers new market testing only and does not include the retesting of services which are already contracted-out. It also excludes market tests currently in progress but not yet completed.
|Result
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inland Revenue
Bulk Mailing (Employers' |Contracted-out
Annual Pack)
Catering (Telford) |Contracted-out
Customs and Excise
London HQ typing services |Retained in-house
Southend HQ typing services |Retained in-house
Regional Executive Units typing |Retained in-house
services
London HQ messenger services |Retained in-house
Internal Audit |Retained in-house
Vehicle fleet management |Part retained in-house, part
| contracted-out
Department for National Savings
Catering Services |The market test covered four
| units with a combination of
| in-house and contracted-out
| services. The service was
| retained in-house at one
| location, the existing external
| supplier selected at two
| others, and a fresh external
| supplier selected at the fourth
Interest Rates
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about interest rates and their effect on the economy.
Mr. Nelson : A number of such representations have been received.
Mortgage Arrears
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of home owners with mortgage arrears.
Mr. Nelson : The Government do not make estimates of the number of home owners with mortgage arrears. The latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders--CML--which relate to the position at the end of 1992, are as follows :
|Total |Percentage of total
|mortgages
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrears 6-12 months |205,010 |2.07
Arrears over 12 months |147,040 |1.48
The next CML arrears figures will be published at the end of July.
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European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Dr. Hampson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that the views of the central and eastern European shareholders in the European bank for reconstruction and development are taken fully into account alongside those of the G7 shareholders in determining how the bank should be run and in determining any future changes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nelson : The EBRD's board of directors represents all the bank's shareholders. The central and east European shareholders can express their views about the organisation of the bank through their representatives on the board of directors.
Waste Packaging
Mr. Robathan : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce economic incentives to encourage the increased reclamation and recycling of waste packaging by industry.
Sir John Cope : The Government recognise the importance of increased reclamation and recycling of waste packaging. They are currently considering two consultants' reports which they commissioned, "Economic Instruments and Recovery of Resources from Waste" by Environmental Resources Ltd. and "Landfill Costs and Prices : Correcting Possible Market Distortions" by Coopers and Lybrand, and responses by local government, industry and interested individuals. The reports and the responses will help to inform the Government's consideration of whether economic instruments might be used to stimulate higher recovery and recycling rates for waste, including packaging waste.
Balance of Payments
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest position of Britain's balance of payments.
Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on 17 June, at columns 977-78.
Confidential Information (Disposal)
Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what monitoring has been carried out of the disposal of confidential information collected under the Financial Services Act 1986.
Mr. Nelson : Confidential information collected under the Financial Services Act is likely to be information the disclosure of which is restricted under the provisions of sections 179 and 180 of the Act. Each Government Department or regulator which obtains such information is responsible for meeting its confidentiality obligations in relation to the information.
Public Ownership
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net return to the Exchequer at 1993 prices in their last full year in public ownership of British Gas, British Telecom, the British National Oil Corporation, Enterprise Oil, and each of the nationalised electricity generating and distribution undertakings.
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Mr. Dorrell : The net return to the Exchequer, defined as the negative external financing requirement in each case, at 1993-94 prices was as follows :
|£ million
----------------------------------------------
British Gas (1986-87) |1,020
British Telecom (1984-85) |553
Enterprise Oil (1984-85) |32
British National Oil Corporation had a positive external financithin sp ; how maf £48 million in its last year in public ownership--1985-86--in 1993-94 prices.
Comparable figures for the individual electricity companies are not available.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
Mr. Simpson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what part the regional arts boards and regional sports councils will play in the allocation of funds from the national lottery ; and what steps are being taken to ensure an equitable distribution across the country.
Mr. Brooke : The role of the regional arts boards and of the regional offices of the Sports Council will be for the distributing bodies themselves to decide. In reporting on the use to which they have put lottery funds, distributors will be expected to show a reasonable and appropriate response to applications throughout the areas they cover.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish the written guidance issued to the chief officers of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Arts Council or the Sport Council concerning the distribution of proceeds from the national lottery.
Mr. Sproat : No such guidance has been issued.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if projects eligible for Government funding will also be eligible for funding under the proposed national lottery.
Mr. Sproat : My right hon. Friend will have powers under clause 24 of the National Lottery etc. Bill to direct the matters to be taken into account by the distributive bodies in exercising their functions under the Bill. My right hon. Friend is not minded to use those powers to direct that projects eligible for Government funding should not be eligible for national lottery funding. It will be for the distributive bodies to determine their own policy in this matter.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Yugoslavia
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what plans he has to raise the threat of military action by Croatian armed forces against the Serbs of Krajina with European Foreign Ministers with a view to planning a swift and common response in the event of such aggression ;
(2) further to his answer of 19 May to the hon. Member for Westbury (Mr. Faber), Official Report , column 165 ,
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what diplomatic and economic measures against the republic of Croatia are under consideration in the event of continuing Croat aggression in Bosnia-Herzegovina or Krajina ; and if he will make a statement ;(3) what representations have been made to General Tudjman regarding the threat of military action by his forces against Serbs in Croatia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : The conflict in Croatia has been discussed on several occasions by EC Foreign Ministers. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs sent a message to President Tudjman on 15 June expressing our concern that the Croatian Government should not resort to force in order to resolve the situation in the Krajinas, which the international community recognises as Croatian sovereign territory. We welcome a similar message sent on the same day by Chancellor Kohl of Germany.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of whether the explosion in the Bosnian town of Sifluk on 17 June was a deliberate or targeted assault against British personnel ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) If he will make a statement on the injury of United Kingdom citizens by a remote-controlled mine in the village of Sifluk, Bosnia-Herzegovina on 17 June ; and if he will make representations to the Croatian authorities.
Mr. Goodlad : British Forces serving under UNPROFOR auspices in central Bosnia have reported this incident to the Ministry of Defence in London. Three people in a routine patrol were injured by a mine which exploded in a tree at a Bosnian Croat checkpoint near Vitez ; one of those injured was a British journalist. There is no evidence to suggest that this was a premeditated attack by Bosnian Croat HVO forces. We condemn the deliberate targeting of any UN personnel. The safety of our troops is a prime concern and we shall continue to monitor the situation closely. It was announced on 10 June that we have made reinforcements available if necessary to protect British troops already in central Bosnia. We have made it clear to the Croatian Government that we expect them to use their influence with the Bosnian Croat forces to prevent such attacks.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States Secretary of State on the latter's assessment of the effect of the recognition by Germany of Croatia on the situation in the former Yugoslavia ; and if he will convey Her Majesty's Government's opinion on this to the Government of Germany.
Mr. Goodlad : There have been no specific discussions between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the United States Secretary of State on this matter. The decision to recognise Croatia was taken by the EC and its member states in the light of a report submitted by the International Conference Arbitration Commission.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to oppose, in the United Nations Security Council, moves to call a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly with the purpose of rejecting the latest proposals made by Bosnian-Serbs and Bosnian-Croats for the future
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Government of their country ; and if a policy of self-determination by majority consensus will be applied to all former Yugoslav republics.Mr. Goodlad : We are unaware of any moves in the United Nations to call such a meeting of the General Assembly. The Copenhagen European Council in its declaration of 22 June reaffirmed its conviction that a negotiated settlement in Bosnia has to be based on the principles of the London conference.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what report he has received from the co-chairman of the conference on the former Yugoslavia of progress made during talks inrs on 20 June on the eve of the Copenhagen European Council on 21 and 22 June. He outlined proposals on Bosnia put forward by Presidents Milosevic and Tudjman on 16 June at talks between the parties in Geneva and President Izetbegovic's reaction, and reported that a further round of talks would take place in Geneva on 23 June.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to discuss with the United States Administration issues raised during the meeting of the conference on the former Yugoslavia in Geneva on 16 and 17 June.
Mr. Goodlad : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs spoke to United States Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, on 18 and 20 June to brief him on European Community thinking on the conflict in Bosnia following the latest round of negotiations in Geneva on 16 June. We shall continue to maintain close contact on this question with the United States Administration.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Bosnian-Muslim leader, Alija Izetbegovic in respect of fighting in Kakanj between 13 and 16 June ; and what is his estimate of the numbers of civilians who have been displaced by Bosnian-Muslim forces.
Mr. Goodlad : During his meeting with President Izetbegovic on 14 June, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs expressed concern about reports of Muslim atrocities against Bosnian Croats in central Bosnia. Large numbers of civilians have been displaced by military action taken by all three parties in Bosnia ; we have no reliable estimates of the numbers displaced by recent fighting in the Kakanj area.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to President Izetbegovic regarding targeting of civilians by Muslim forces active in Bosnia-Herzegovina ; (2) if he will make a statement following his talks with President Izetbegovic on 14 June.
Mr. Goodlad : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 16 June, at column 642.
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Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Secretary- General of the United Nations about the deployment of United Nations monitors along the border between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Mr. Goodlad : On 11 June, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 838 which calls on the Secretary-General to submit a report on options for the deployment of international observers on the borders of Bosnia-Herzegovina. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made no separate representations to the
Secretary-General on this subject.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to oppose the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina into three ethnic entities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : In its declaration of 22 June, the Copenhagen European Council stated that it would encourage the co-chairmen of the international conference for the former Yugoslavia to promote a fair and viable settlement acceptable to all three constituent people of Bosnia- Herzegovina, and that it would not accept a territorial solution dictated by the Serbs and Croats at the expense of the Bosnian Muslims.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what positive steps the Government of Serbia have taken since the beginning of June to assist the international community to find a solution to the Bosnian civil war ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : During discussions in Geneva on 16 June, President Milosevic of Serbia, together with President Tudjman of Croatia, proposed new territorial arrangements within the existing borders of Bosnia- Herzegovina. A political settlement between the parties will require Bosnian Serb withdrawal from territories seized by force and we call on the Government of Serbia to press for this. The Copenhagen European Council stated in its declaration of 22 June that we would not accept a territorial solution dictated by the Serbs and Croats at the expense of the Bosnian Muslims.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the possible use of air strikes against Bosnian Serb positions with the United States Administration.
Mr. Goodlad : We remain in close contact with the United States on the situation in Bosnia. Recent discussions on the use of air power, notably at the North Atlantic Council in Athens on 10 June, have focused on support for UNPROFOR in the performance of its overall mandate in Bosnia. Both we and the United States have offered aircraft for this purpose.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the note Verbale S-24900-Add.27 of 16 March from the United Nations Secretary- General to the President of the Security Council.
Mr. Goodlad : Yes. A copy of the document will be sent to the library shortly.
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Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from (a) the Secretary-General of the United Nations and (b) the President of the Security Council about another meeting of the London conference ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : The United Nations Secretary-General has on a number of occasions, including in contacts with Her Majesty's Government, suggested that the international community should consider whether to convene the international conference for the former Yugoslavia. No proposals of this kind have been received from the President of the Security Council.
Israel (Boycott)
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 16 June to the hon. and learned Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence), Official Report, column 850, what information he has to confirm the reports that the Kuwaiti Government have abandoned the application of the boycott of Israel to third countries.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The Kuwaiti authorities have told us that they are no longer applying the secondary and tertiary aspects of the boycott.
Somalia
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the authority structure of the United Nations effort in Somalia ; what is the relationship between the political and military wings of the United Nations effort ; and if he will publish the organisational plan for civil objectives.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Admiral Howe is the United Nations Secretary- General's special representative in Somalia. He is the head of mission and has responsibility for all aspects of the United Nations operation there, reporting directly to the Secretary-General. The head of the military component of UNOSOM II is General Bir. There is close co-operation between the military and political wings. Copies of all the United Nations Secretary-General's reports relating to the structure and objectives of the operation have been placed in the House Library.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place a report in the Library on the diplomatic activities and performance of the UN since the unified task force (UNITAF) was deployed in Somalia.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Copies of all the UN Secretary-General's reports on Somalia since the deployment of UNITAF have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Deportees (Sexual Offences)
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the number of United Kingdom nationals deported from other countries back to the United Kingdom as a result of convictions for sexual offences against children committed overseas.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : In the period 1 January 1991 to June 1993, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was notified of 439 deportations, one of which, in 1991, followed a conviction for sexual offences against minors.
Kuwait (Prisoners)
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Iraqi Government for the safe return to Kuwait of the persons taken prisoner during the occupation of Kuwait by Iraq.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : We raised this question on 24 May at the regular review by the UN Security Council on sanctions against Iraq. We will continue to raise the question at each review of sanctions until Iraq fulfils all its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions 686 and 687 to co-operate with the International Committee of the Red Cross in its attempts to gather information on Kuwaiti and other nationals missing in Iraq.
Serbia and Montenegro (Sanctions)
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to review sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : We continue to review the effectiveness of the UN sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro. Any change to these sanctions would be dependent on the prevailing political situation.
SCOTLAND
Nursery Places
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps he has taken to provide specific resources to enable local education authorities to provide most nursery places in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) whether he will now consider making the provision of nursery places a statutory duty of local authorities in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The Government have no plans to impose a statutory duty on education authorities to provide nursery education. In our view, local authorities are best able to decide the most appropriate level of nursery school provision in their areas taking into account local needs and circumstances. The Government provide local authorities with resources to fund education through the aggregate external finance settlement. Under these arrangements, local authorities have the opportunity to increase nursery education spending where they view this as a priority.
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