| Previous Section | Home Page |
Defence Operational Analysis Centre
Sir David Madel : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key performance targets have been set for the chief executive of the Defence Operational Analysis Centre in 1994-95.
Mr. Aitken : The chief executive of the defence operational analysis centre at West Byfleet is responsible for providing the Ministry of Defence with advice on formulation of defence policy, military operational capability and future equipment requirements ; this advice being derived from operational analysis studies and field trials. He has been set the following challenging key performance targets for 1994-95.
Service to customers
a. To complete 90 per cent. of the planned studies for customers within agreed timescales, and to seek progressive improvements in future years.
b. To complete 85 per cent. of the planned sites for customers within planned cost, and to seek progressive improvements in future years.
c. To complete 80 per cent. of studies within agreed time and cost.
d. To subject 100 per cent. of new major studies to a formal quality process, which will require peer review and measures of customer satisfaction, and to conduct a trial of a "total quality target" for studies for implementation in future years.
e. To respond to 90 per cent. of requests from customers for unplanned urgent advice within timescales negotiated at the outset, and to seek progressive improvements in future years.
Management systems
f. To implement a management information system linked to the full cost accounting system introduced last year and publish auditable accruals based accounts.
Efficiency
g. In 1994-95, to increase overall efficiency by 3 per cent. This includes a programme of market testing.
Royal Naval Stores Depot, Eaglescliffe
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent in the last five years on refurbishing the computer room at RNSD Eaglescliffe.
Mr. Hanley : The air conditioning system in the computer building was replaced in 1993 at a cost of £251,000. Other maintenance carried out during the last five years has been of a routine and minor nature and the costs are not separately identifiable from the overall maintenance costs of the depot.
Column 227
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much is being spent on the construction of a new gatehouse at RNSD Eaglescliffe.
Mr. Hanley : A new gatehouse is being constructed at a cost of some £262,000, to replace the old police gatehouse which has been declared structurally unsound.
South Africa (Defence Force)
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role his military representatives are going to play in the integration of the new national defence force in South Africa ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The Transitional Executive in South Africa has made a formal request to the United Kingdom to provide a military team to assist with the integration of the new national defence force, which will be formed from all the existing forces in South Africa after the elections. Urgent consideration is being given to this request.
Mozambique Army
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with his Department's involvement in training for the new unified Mozambican army ; and if he will make a statement on any future involvement.
Mr. Hanley : In January this year the United Kingdom deployed a short-term training team to Mozambique to follow up earlier training of instructors from the new unified Mozambican army, FAMD, undertaken at Nyanga, Zimbabwe. Assistance provided by the United Kingdom currently takes the form of monitoring and advising the instructors in the training of their own troops. The Mozambican authorities have suffered some delay in the preparation of training camps and the arrival in them of trainees. A second STTT has now taken over from the first, whose personnel have other commitments, and full training commenced on 25 April.
Column 228
Territorial Army
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under which budget the Territorial Army's non-regular permanent staff are paid ; and what is their cost.
Mr. Hanley : Territorial Army non-regular permanent staff are paid from three different budgets. They are (a) Commander In Chief United Kingdom Land Forces, CinC UKLF ; (b) Assistant Chief of the General Staff, and (c) Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, VCDS. The total annual cost is some £27,000,000.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women were members of the Territorial Army in England and Wales at the latest convenient date.
Mr. Hanley : As at 31 March 1994, there were 47,046 male and 8,018 female members of the Territorial Army in England and Wales.
Reserve Forces
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are members of the Army's long-term reserve.
Mr. Hanley : As at 1 March 1994, the membership of the Army's long- term reserve was 104,722.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Sheep and Lamb
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) from which countries sheep have been imported into the United Kingdom in each year since 1990, and in the current year to date ; (2) what has been the total number of sheep imported into the United Kingdom in each year from 1990 and in 1994 to date.
Mr. Soames : Final date for years 1990 to 1992 are shown in the table. Data on numbers of live animals imported during 1993 are provisional and subject to change.
Column 227
United Kingdom imports of sheep
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |<1>1994 (January)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whole world |119,217 |98,032 |234,487 |72,939 |3
of which:
Republic of Ireland |118,382 |96,666 |204,230 |72,935
France |527 |400 |261 |0
Netherlands |135 |90 |392 |4
Belgium/Luxembourg |69 |213 |59 |0
Germany |13 |0 |5 |0 |0
Iceland |58 |0 |0 |0 |0
New Zealand |21 |662 |0 |0 |0
Canada |12 |0 |0 |0 |0
Australia |0 |1 |0 |0 |0
Nicaragua<2> |0 |0 |730 |0 |0
Iran |0 |0 |340 |0 |0
Japan |0 |0 |0 |0 |3
<1> No INTRASTAT data available for January 1994.
<2> Sheep import data estimated on reported weight of animals concerned.
Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tonnage of lamb and sheep is
Column 228
reared in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland ; what proportion of the total United Kingdom production is accounted for by each country ; what tonnage of lamb and sheep reared in each country is exported (a) live and (b) dead ; and what proportion of total British lamb and sheep exports, live and dead, is accounted for by each.Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 26 April 1994] : The table provides estimates of the tonnage of lamb and sheep production for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 1993, together with the proportion of the United Kingdom total.
Both live and dead export figures are only available for the United Kingdom as a whole, and are not available separately for each country.
United Kingdom home fed sheep and lamb production 1993<1>
Estimate of breakdown by country
|'000 tonnes |Proportion of United
|Kingdom per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
England |197 |52
Wales |79 |21
Scotland |73 |19
Northern Ireland<2> |31 |8
|------- |-------
United Kingdom |380 |100
<1> Includes meat equivalent of live exports.
<2> Includes an estimate of unrecorded trade in live exports to Ireland.
Fisheries
Mr. Gill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether a new fisheries derogation will be required before January 2003 to avoid equal access by all EU countries to British waters.
Mr. Jack : The provision for member states to retain sovereignty or jurisdiction out to 12 miles from baselines is in article 6 of regulation 3760/92. The provision expires on 31 December 2002 unless new arrangements are put in place.
Article 14 of the same regulation provides for the Commission to report on its implementation by 31 December 2001, and for the Council to take a decision by 31 December 2002 on any necessary adjustments, in particular with reference to the provisions which could follow the arrangements referred to in article 6.
The importance of the exclusive zone to all member states was again recognsied in the recently concluded Norwegian accession negotiations when it was agreed that the special interests of coastal communities dependent on fishing in the member states would be paid special attention when reviewing the present regime in 2002.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what definition of ecological risk will be used by the European Commission when deciding whether to allow a further derogation on the 2.5 km drift net limit for the French fishing fleet.
Mr. Jack : Under EC Council Regulation 3094/86, as amended, the derogation for certain French vessels to use drift nets of up to 5 km in length expired at the end of 1993. Any further derogation can only be proposed by the Commission, and adopted by the Council by qualified majority,
"in the light of scientific evidence showing the absence of any ecological risk linked thereto".
The United Kingdom will be pressing the Commission to state how this absence of risk can be demonstrated.
Column 230
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has put to the European Fisheries Commissioner on days at sea limitations.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what specific steps he intends to take to protect salmon and seatrout in the Irish sea, the Irish box, and other waters adjacent to the United Kingdom when Portuguese and Spanish vessels are allowed to fish in these areas.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 26 April 1994] : There is no need for any additional measures to protect salmon and sea trout stocks as a result of changed access arrangements for Portuguese and Spanish fishing vessels. Article 6 of EC Council Regulation 3094/86 already effectively prohibits fishing for salmon and sea trout in waters beyond 12 miles from member states' baselines, and Spanish and Portuguese fishing vessels have no access rights within 12 miles of United Kingdom baselines.
Epidemic Diseases in Livestock
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has to prevent increased epidemic disease in livestock ; what warnings she has received from the British Veterinary Association of the threat of corridors of diseases from eastern Europe ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Soames : The Government consider the maintenance of this country's high animal health to be a matter of the utmost importance.
Ministry veterinary officials maintain close links with the British Veterinary Association and are aware of the concerns in relation to the introduction of disease by animals imported into the Community from eastern Europe. We are taking a number of measures to help prevent the introduction and spread of disease by imported farm livestock and equine animals. These are set out in my reply to the hon. and learned Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence) on 1 December 1993, Official Report, column 590. Such measures are kept under constant review and the level of checks are intensified in the light of perceived disease risks.
Bovine Somatotropin
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what financial assistance she has given to the private sector to facilitate research into the development and use of bovine somatotropin.
Milk Quotas
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to achieve equity on the application of milk quota controls in all European Union member states.
Mr. Jack : The Government are always concerned to ensure that member states comply with their EC obligations. The Commission has direct responsibility for ensuring that the Community rules are observed. If there is
Column 231
evidence that other member states are not applying milk quota controls, we are always ready to take the matter up with the Commission. Indeed, we have challenged the Commission's latest proposal to award additional quota to Italy, Spain and Greece.Agriculture Council
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 25 and 26 April ; and if she will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : This meeting of the Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, again discussed the Commission's proposals for farm support prices for 1994-95 and related measures. I made it clear that I continued to have a number of objections to the proposals, in particular to the suggested 1 per cent. cut in milk quotas. No decisions were reached and the Council will return to the subject at its May meeting.
There was a brief discussion, initiated by the German Minister, on bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The Agricultural Commissioner, Mr. Steichen, supported my view that current control measures fully safeguarded public health. The Commissioner and several member states also endorsed my insistence that any further measures must be consistent with scientific advice. He confirmed that it would be unacceptable for a member state to take unilateral measures which interfered with intra-Community trade.
The Council adopted a proposal to continue assistance to transporters of Greek fruit and vegetables affected by the war in ex-Yugoslavia. Denmark voted against and France abstained.
WALES
Local Government
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received prior to the publication of the White Paper, "Local Government in Wales : A Charter for the Future", (a) in favour of the exclusion of Llanelly from the then proposed Heads of the Valley unitary authority and (b) in favour of the inclusion of Llanelly in the proposed unitary authority of Powys.
Mr. Redwood : I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Health Authority Appointments
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) who are the members currently appointed to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales ;
(2) who are the members currently appointed to national health service trusts ;
(3) who are the members currently appointed to the district health authorities ;
(4) who are the members currently appointed to the Welsh Health Common Service Authority ;
(5) who are the members currently appointed to the family health service authorities in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information requested is included in the list of public appointments in Wales, which is held in the Library of the House, and is regularly updated.
Column 232
EC Additionality Rule
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his office's interpretation of the European Commission's rule on additionality following the issuing of advice to local authorities that their permitted capital spending has been reduced because of receipts of European regional development fund grants during 1992-93.
Mr. Redwood : No such advice has been issued. The Government place no limit on total capital spending by local authorities. All European regional development fund capital grants to local authorities on expenditure since 1 April 1993 are accompanied, automatically and in full, by an equal amount of supplementary credit approval. This accords with the Government's agreement with the European Commission.
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the representations he received prior to his White Paper, "Local Government in Wales : A Charter for the Future", and the dates he received them, in favour of the inclusion of Wick, St. Bride's Major and Ewenny in the proposed unitary authority of the Vale of Glamorgan ;
(2) if he will list the representations he received prior to his White Paper, "Local Government in Wales : A Charter for the Future", and the date he received them, in favour of the inclusion of Llanelly in the proposed unitary authority of Powys.
Mr. Redwood : I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Voluntary Bodies (Government Funding)
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the total amount of Government funding disbursed by each voluntary body for the latest available financial year in respect of each district council area in Wales and for Wales as a whole ; (2) what was the total amount of Government funding disbursed by each voluntary body for the latest available financial year in respect of each county council area in Wales and for Wales as a whole.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Public Bodies (Government Funding)
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of Government funding received by each public body to which he makes appointments in respect of each district council area in Wales and for Wales as a whole.
Mr. Redwood : The information is not available in the form requested.
The amount of Government funding received by executive non-departmental bodies, advisory bodies, tribunals and NHS bodies is shown in "Public Bodies 1993" which is available in the Library of the House.
Column 233
Forestry Commission
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are his proposals for the future of the Forestry Commission in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Ministers are considering the report of the Forestry Review Group and will make an announcement in due course.
Housing
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet representatives of council tenants in Drury and Buckley to discuss damp, rotten windows and the need for central heating ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I have no plans to do so. It is for the local authority to deal with repairs and improvements to its housing stock.
Travel Concession Schemes
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the groups of two or more local authorities which are jointly operating travel concession schemes under section 93 of the Transport Act 1985.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information is as follows :
South Glamorgan
South Glamorgan county council and Cardiff city council. South Glamorgan county council and the Vale of Glamorgan borough council.
Mid Glamorgan
Mid Glamorgan county council and the borough councils of Cynon Valley, Merthyr Tydfil, Ogwr, Rhondda, Taff Ely and the district council of Rhymney Valley.
West Glamorgan
West Glamorgan county council, Swansea city council and the borough councils of Lliw Valley, Neath and Port Talbot.
Dyfed
Dyfed county council, the district councils of Ceredigion, Preseli Pembrokeshire, South Pembrokeshire and the borough councils of Llanelli and Dinefwr.
Gwent
Gwent county council and the borough councils of Monmouth Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Islwyn.
Health Promotion Authority
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the budget for the Health Promotion Authority for Wales in 1994-95.
Mr. Redwood : Subjecct to parliamentary approval in 1994-95, £3,573,000 will be made available to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales, which includes £325,000 for national health promotion projects and £5,000 to fund the authority's capital expenditure.
The allocation will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of an annual performance review.
Homelessness
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what resources he has given to each of the housing authorities in the county of Clywd, borough and district, to combat homelessness.
| Next Section
| Home Page |