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Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of each suicide at Doncaster prison in 1994, what was (a) the time the suicide occurred, (b) the prison wing, (c) the number of prisoners on that wing and (d) the number of staff on that wing.

Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 19 January 1995:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Doncaster prison.

The only official verdict of suicide at Doncaster has been that of Ian Buck. He was discovered in his cell at 8.02am on 16 September on Unit B of houseblock 2. The number of prisoners unlocked on the unit that morning was 44 and there were 11 staff on duty.

Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers of staff and number of inmates at Doncaster prison, including those on home leave, on 1 January 1995; how many deaths of inmates held in the prison have taken place since 20 June 1994; and how many prisoners have required immediate hospital admission since 20 June 1994.

Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 10 January 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 19 January 1995:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Doncaster prison.

There were 410 full time and 34 part time staff employed at Doncaster on 1 January 1995. The total inmate population at


Column 678

midnight on 1 January was 723. There were no prisoners on home leave at that time.

Two inmates have died within the prison and one has died in St James' hospital, Leeds. Since 20 January 1994, twelve prisoners have required immediate hospital admission needing an overnight stay. The reasons for admission include acts of deliberate self-harm, drug-related incidents and assaults by other prisoners, as well as sudden illness.

Carl Bridgewater Case

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Merseyside police commenced their inquiry into the Carl Bridgewater case; and on what date it was completed.

Mr. Maclean: Merseyside police began the current inquiry in February 1994. I understand that they are making every effort to complete it as quickly as possible.

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which of the requests for disclosure received by the Home Secretary from representatives of the four men convicted of killing Carl Bridgewater, following the High Court judgment of 28 November, he has yet to respond; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maclean: The expert reports and records of interviews with police witnesses, which the divisional court said specifically should be disclosed, have been made available to the representatives of the convicted men. We are considering what further disclosure is now required in this case in accordance with the court's judgment.

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum applicants have been removed to (a) Italy, (b) the Netherlands, (c) Belgium, (d) Germany and (e) France, following refusal of their application on safe third country grounds, since the implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act on 26 July 1993; and how many of those so removed have been returned to the United Kingdom by the authorities of the country concerned; (2) how many asylum applicants, excluding dependants were removed from the United Kingdom following refusal of their application on safe third country grounds in 1993; and if he will provide a breakdown of those so removed, by nationality grounds and by country to which they were removed.

Mr. Nicholas Baker: Information on the number of removals of asylum seekers whose applications were refused on safe third country grounds, by nationality, for 1993 is given in the table.

Information on the destination of persons removed after having their application for asylum refused on safe third country grounds and the number of those who were returned by the country removed to could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.


Number of asylum seekers whose           

applications were refused on             

safe third country grounds and who were  

removed, excluding                       

dependants, by nationality, 1993         

Country                  |Number         

-----------------------------------------

Afghanistan              |7              

Albania                  |1              

Algeria                  |14             

Angola                   |21             

Bangladesh               |1              

Brazil                   |3              

Bulgaria                 |4              

China                    |4              

Colombia                 |6              

Ethiopia                 |10             

Former Soviet Union      |6              

Former Yugoslavia        |12             

Ghana                    |27             

Hungary                  |3              

India                    |12             

Iran                     |2              

Iraq                     |6              

Ivory Coast              |7              

Jordan                   |1              

Kuwait                   |2              

Lebanon                  |16             

Liberia                  |6              

Libya                    |2              

Morocco                  |2              

Niger                    |2              

Nigeria                  |11             

Pakistan                 |12             

Palestine                |4              

Poland                   |18             

Romania                  |34             

Saudi Arabia             |1              

Sierra Leone             |10             

Somalia                  |33             

Sri Lanka                |64             

Sudan                    |6              

Togo                     |1              

Tunisia                  |1              

Turkey                   |59             

Uganda                   |4              

United States of America |1              

Zaire                    |25             

Nationality doubtful     |6              

                                         

Total                    |467            

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum in the United Kingdom were refused on safe third country grounds in 1994.

Mr. Nicholas Baker: In 1994, 865 applications for asylum were refused on safe third country grounds.

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provide a breakdown of current costs to his Department associated with removing from the United Kingdom persons refused asylum on safe third country grounds;

(2) what was the total cost to his Department in the financial year 1993 94 of removing from the United Kingdom persons refused asylum on safe third country grounds.

Mr. Nicholas Baker: Staff costs relating to removing people refused asylum on safe third country grounds are not recorded separately, and details of escort, detention and removal costs relating to such cases are not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the available information suggests that in the majority of cases in which people were removed to safe third countries in the financial year 1993 94, the directions for removal would have been given to the


Column 680

inward carrier, who would have been responsible for the costs of escort and detention and for the removal itself.

Police Budget, Merseyside

Mr. Loyden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the chief constable of Merseyside on the police budget.

Mr. Maclean: The budget for the Merseyside police is a matter for the Merseyside police authority.

My right hon. and learned Friend received a letter on 29 September from the chief constable of Merseyside, Mr. Sharples, on the subject of the new police funding formula for 1995 96. Mr. Sharples was a member of the delegation from Merseyside which met my right hon. and learned Friend on 14 December 1994 to discuss the proposals, announced on 1 December 1994, for the funding to be available for policing on Merseyside in 1995 96.

Ethnic Minorities

Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what amounts have been requested by way of section 11 spending in 1995 96 by each local education authority; and what has been the total amount requested in England.

Mr. Nicholas Baker: Most existing projects which will still be running in 1995 96 relate to education. It is hoped to notify local authorities shortly of their grant allocations for 1995 96 expenditure in relation to those projects. In addition, the authorities listed in the table have requested for 1995 96 the amounts of grant shown in respect of new education projects.


England                                                      

Authority              |Amount requested £                   

-------------------------------------------------------------

Avon                   |536,190                              

Barking and Dagenham   |265,750                              

Barnet                 |160,000                              

Bedfordshire           |87,500                               

Berkshire              |19,500                               

Bexley                 |20,644                               

Birmingham             |319,143                              

Bolton                 |79,500                               

Bradford               |3,692,728                            

Brent                  |370,000                              

Bromley                |28,800                               

Buckinghamshire        |1,138,021                            

Bury                   |18,700                               

Cambridgeshire         |118,000                              

Camden                 |1,403,561                            

Cleveland              |92,464                               

Coventry               |165,355                              

Croydon                |427,174                              

Derbyshire             |227,940                              

Devon                  |83,000                               

Doncaster              |12,088                               

Dorset                 |45,700                               

Dudley                 |770,000                              

Ealing                 |1,149,762                            

East Sussex            |67,000                               

Enfield                |456,597                              

Essex                  |64,511                               

Gateshead              |27,000                               

Gloucestershire        |17,071                               

Greenwich              |1,011,000                            

Hammersmith and Fulham |413,000                              

Hampshire              |66,750                               

Haringey               |250,000                              

Harrow                 |26,989                               

Havering               |35,484                               

Hereford and Worcester |175,500                              

Hertfordshire          |29,000                               

Hillingdon             |126,828                              

Hounslow               |412,000                              

Islington              |1,201,5000                           

Kent                   |90,000                               

Kingston upon Thames   |53,064                               

Kirklees               |2,000,000                            

Lambeth                |1,587,940                            

Lancashire             |909,079                              

Leeds                  |369,924                              

Leicestershire         |49,000                               

Lewisham               |1,459,424                            

Lincolnshire           |18,437                               

Liverpool              |154,871                              

Manchester             |101,500                              

Merton                 |79,120                               

Newham                 |140,320                              

Norfolk                |217,051                              

North Tyneside         |28,493                               

Northamptonshire       |211,277                              

Nottinghamshire        |404,467                              

Oldham                 |121,000                              

Oxfordshire            |119,500                              

Redbridge              |149,000                              

Richmond               |25,200                               

Rochdale               |97,000                               

Rotherham              |333,767                              

Salford                |99,110                               

Sandwell               |316,753                              

Sefton                 |24,165                               

Sheffield              |313,500                              

Shropshire             |89,072                               

Somerset               |34,273                               

South Tyneside         |160,073                              

Southwark              |839,528                              

St. Helens             |20,064                               

Staffordshire          |310,744                              

Suffolk                |27,500                               

Sunderland             |52,920                               

Surrey                 |47,985                               

Sutton                 |108,425                              

Tameside               |26,900                               

Tower Hamlets          |949,484                              

Trafford               |48,645                               

Wakefield              |222,500                              

Walsall                |1,320,500                            

Waltham Forest         |143,757                              

Wandsworth             |158,931                              

Warwickshire           |863,500                              

Westminster            |136,250                              

Wigan                  |80,000                               

Wiltshire              |54,300                               

Wolverhampton          |1,323,600                            

                                                             

Total                  |32,103,663                           


Wales                                                    

Authority          |Amount requested £                   

---------------------------------------------------------

Clwyd              |139,968                              

Gwent              |184,000                              

South Glamorgan    |24,000                               

West Glamorgan     |245,884                              

                                                         

Total              |593,852                              

Illegal Immigrants

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many illegal immigrants have been apprehended during the past year; and how many have been sent back to their home country;

(2) how many known illegal immigrants there are in the United Kingdom; and what measures he is taking to apprehend them.

Mr. Nicholas Baker: When a person is known to be here unlawfully, firm action is taken by the immigration service in cooperation with the police and other agencies. It is not possible to give the total number of immigrants who are here unlawfully. The available information relates to those who have been detected and served with a notice of illegal entry or a notice of intention to deport. In 1994, 7,240 illegal entrants were detected. In the same period, 3,670 were removed, or departed voluntarily, from the United Kingdom. In addition, 4,750 persons were issued with a notice of intention to deport because of a breach of conditions of leave to enter or remain, and 1,080 such persons were removed, or departed voluntarily, from the United Kingdom in 1994.

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been granted asylum during the past year from (a) non- Commonwealth and (b) Commonwealth countries.

Mr. Nicholas Baker: The provisional information is that in 1994, 825 asylum applicants were recognised as refugees and granted asylum. Of this figure, 45 were from Commonwealth countries.

Parkhurst Prison

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) at what date in October 1994 he received a copy of the letter from the Chief Inspector of Prisons to the Director General of the Prison Service concerning security at Her Majesty's prison, Parkhurst; and if he will place a copy of the letter in the Library; (2) what action he took following receipt of the copy of the Chief Inspector of Prisons' letter to the Director General of the Prison Service concerning security of Her Majesty's prison, Parkhurst; on how many occasions he wrote to the director general concerning security at Her Majesty's prison Parkhurst and on what dates; and what steps he instructed the director general to take.

Mr. Howard [holding answer 10 January 1995]: Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, Judge Stephen Tumim, wrote to the Director General of the Prison Service, Derek Lewis, on 7 October 1994. His letter set out some concerns about security at Parkhurst expressed by an inspection team. As I announced in my statement of 10 January 1995, Official Report, columns 31 46, I have placed a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

A copy of the letter was received in my office on Friday 7 October 1994. I spoke to the director general on the same day and again that weekend and asked for a full report. I received that report on 11 October 1994. On the basis of advice from the governor of Parkhurst, the director general advised me that all Judge Tumim's

recommendations had been implemented.

My office wrote to the director general on 14 October 1994 to ask for further details on the use of the X-ray machine in the prison's gatelodge and on plans to search


Column 683

all staff coming on duty. The director general replied to my office on 21 October 1994, again informing me that procedures had been changed to address Judge Tumim's criticism.

Prisons (Satellite Television)

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all prisons that have satellite television installed in (a) cells and (b) communal areas.

Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 18 January 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 19 January 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about satellite television in Prison Service establishments. Two establishments in England and Wales have the capacity for prisoners to watch satellite television in cells and 105 establishments have the capacity for prisoners to watch satellite television in communal areas.

Television viewing equipment--including satellite television--is not paid for by taxpayers' money but from an establishment's general purpose fund which is largely derived from prisoners' own contributions.

A list of these establishments which use satellite television in cells or communal areas is attached. A copy of this list has been placed in the Library of the House.


Establishments which use satellite television in cells or           

communal areas                                                      

Area             |In communal area|In cell                          

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Central                                                             

                 |Ashwell                                           

                 |Brinsford                                         

                 |Featherstone                                      

                 |Glen Parva                                        

                 |Leicester                                         

                 |Long Lartin                                       

                 |Stafford                                          

                                                                    

The Chilterns                                                       

                 |Coldingley                                        

                 |Finnamore Wood                                    

                 |Onley                                             

                 |Reading                                           

                                                                    

East Anglia                                                         

                 |Hollesley Bay                                     

                 |Norwich                                           

                 |Wayland                                           

                 |Highpoint                                         

                                                                    

East Midlands                                                       

                 |Doncaster       |Stocken                          

                 |Lincoln                                           

                 |Lindholme                                         

                 |Moorland                                          

                 |Morton Hall                                       

                 |North Sea Camp                                    

                 |Nottingham                                        

                 |Ranby                                             

                 |Whatton                                           

                                                                    

Kent                                                                

                 |Aldington                                         

                 |Blantyre House                                    

                 |Canterbury                                        

                 |Cookham Wood                                      

                 |Dover                                             

                 |Maidstone                                         

                 |Rochester                                         

                 |Stanford Hill                                     

                 |Swaleside                                         

                                                                    

London North                                                        

                 |Bedford                                           

                 |Grendon                                           

                 |Littlehey                                         

                 |Pentonville                                       

                 |Spring Hill                                       

                 |Wellingborough                                    

                 |Whitemoor                                         

                 |Woodhill                                          

                 |Wormwood Scrubs                                   

                                                                    

London South                                                        

                 |Albany                                            

                 |Belmarsh                                          

                 |Brixton                                           

                 |Camp Hill                                         

                 |Parkhurst                                         

                 |Wandsworth                                        

                 |Feltham                                           

                                                                    

Mercia                                                              

                 |Brockhill                                         

                 |Foston Hall                                       

                 |Hewell Grange                                     

                 |Stoke Heath                                       

                 |Sudbury                                           

                 |Swinfen Hall                                      

                 |Werrington                                        

                                                                    

North east                                                          

                 |Acklington                                        

                 |Castington                                        

                 |Frankland                                         

                 |Full Sutton                                       

                 |Holme House                                       

                 |Kirklevington                                     

                 |Low Newton                                        

                                                                    

North west       |Haverigg        |Garth                            

                 |Hindley                                           

                 |Kirkham                                           

                 |Lancaster Castle                                  

                 |Lancaster Farms                                   

                 |Preston                                           

                 |Thorn Cross                                       

                                                                    

South coast                                                         

                 |Downview                                          

                 |Ford                                              

                 |Haslar                                            

                 |Highdown                                          

                 |Kingston                                          

                 |Lewes                                             

                 |Send                                              

                                                                    

Trans pennine                                                       

                 |Leeds                                             

                 |Liverpool                                         

                 |New Hall                                          

                 |Risley                                            

                                                                    

Wales and west                                                      

                 |Bristol                                           

                 |Cardiff                                           

                 |Erlestoke                                         

                 |Gloucester                                        

                 |Leyhill                                           

                 |Pucklechurch                                      

                 |Swansea                                           

                 |Usk                                               

                                                                    

Wessex                                                              

                 |Channings Wood                                    

                 |Dartmoor                                          

                 |Dorchester                                        

                 |Exeter                                            

                 |Portland                                          

                 |Shepton Mallet                                    

                                                                    

Yorkshire                                                           

                 |Askham Grange                                     

                 |Deerbolt                                          

                 |Everthorpe                                        

                 |Hatfield                                          

                 |Hull                                              

                 |Northallerton                                     

                 |Rudgate                                           

                 |Thorp Arch                                        

                 |Wetherby                                          

                 |The Wolds                                         

DEFENCE

Defence Procurement Agency

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many public service jobs have been created by the establishment of the Defence Procurement Agency to be located in Bristol

Mr. Freeman: On present plans, the Procurement Executive will relocate to north Bristol between autumn 1995 and autumn 1996. We expect between 500 and 600 local public service jobs to be created over this period.

Departmental Responsibilities

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the division of responsibilities and relationship between his departmental Ministers and agencies.

Mr. Freeman: For each agency, the position is as set out in the framework document for that agency, a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House at the time of launch.

Used Reactor Cores

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the location of each of the used reactor cores from his Department's nuclear-powered submarines.

Mr. Freeman: Used reactor cores that have been removed from my Department's nuclear-powered submarines are held at the following locations:


                                           |Current holding of                   

Site                                       |used reactor cores                   

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BNFL Sellafield                            |38.5                                 

Devonport Royal Dockyard                   |3.0                                  

Rosyth Royal Dockyard                      |2.5                                  

Naval Reactor Test Establishment, Dounreay |1.0                                  

Procurement and Maintenance Contracts

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what files his Department currently holds regarding (i) brokerage fees, (ii) agency fees and (iii) commissions with regard to procurement and maintenance contracts.

Mr. Freeman: Individual branches within the Department maintain files appropriate to their business


Column 686

needs. The information requested is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Naval Procurement

Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the naval procurement programme for 1995 to 1997.

Mr. Freeman: The naval procurement programme includes the continuation of the Trident programmes, a helicopter carrier, EH101 Merlin ASW helicopters, further type 23 frigates, Sandown class single role minehunters, and Sea Harrier F/A2s, the upgrading of Lynx mark 3 helicopters to mark 8 standard and the purchase of Spearfish torpedoes. We also remain fully involved in the common new generation frigate programme, Project Horizon. In addition, we have issued invitations to tender for replacement LPDs, batch 2 Trafalgar class submarines, an oceanographic survey vessel and another batch of type 23 frigates.

Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards ensuring competition in naval procurement.

Mr. Freeman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon Member for Ayr (Mr. Gallie) on 22 November 1994, Official Report column 134 .

Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment Vessels

Mr. Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to the Exchequer including subsidy and post-acceptance refit costs, of (a) AOR1 and (b) AOR2.

Mr. Freeman: The total cost to the end of December 1994 to my Department, including post-acceptance rectification work, is £131.130 million and £159.460 million (actual prices) for AOR 01 and AOR 02 respectively. Final costs for both vessels have still to be agreed. An independent assessment of Harland and Wolff's bid for AOR 01 concluded that the bid contained no element of subsidy. Neither was there any element of subsidy in Swan Hunter's bid for AOR 02. The Northern Ireland Department of Economic Development made payments of £53 million to Harland and Wolff as part of the yard's privatisation. These payments were tied to progress in completing AOR 01.

Military Equipment

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what military needs three rough terrain wheeled tractors are required as set out in the future purchase No. EM and D1A/152; what consideration has been given to leasing the equipment; what information he has as to the availability of such equipment on the civil market; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman: The three rough terrain wheeled tractors in future purchase No. EM and D1A/152 will be deployed in the Falkland Islands and used for the handling and movement of International Standards Organisation containers on semi-trailers. Vehicles that meet the military specification for this requirement are not currently available for leasing or immediate purchase on the civil market.

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what military needs it was decided that 13 rough terrain container handlers were required; what


Column 687

consideration was given to leasing the equipment; what information he has as to the availability of such equipment on the civil market; why the tender has been cancelled; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman: Rough terrain container handlers are used to handle International Standards Organisation containers on operations and during major exercises in the field. Vehicles that meet the military specification of this requirement are not currently available for leasing or immediate purchase on the civil market. The tender has been delayed to modify the specification and broaden the scope of potential bidders; it will be reissued.

Service Accommodation

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average rent per week in service married quarters; and what was the average rent in each of the last five years.

Mr. Soames [holding answer 17 January 1995]: The average rents for Service married quarters owned by my Department are given below. These figures are based on furnished accommodation in England and represent the most commonly occupied quarters.


Column 688


Married quarters charge for last five years                 

            |1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95        

            |£      |£      |£      |£      |£              

------------------------------------------------------------

Officers    |32.65  |37.17  |40.67  |41.30  |43.12          

Other ranks |20.91  |23.87  |26.04  |26.46  |27.74          

Additionally, most personnel pay a contribution in lieu of council tax.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many lone parents there are living in accommodation owned by his Ministry.

Mr. Soames: As at 16 January 1995 there were 647 lone parents in married quarter accommodation owned by my Department. Lone parents are defined as widows or widowers, divorced, separated or unmarried personnel who have parental responsibility for a child or children within the terms of the Children Act 1989.

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of his Department's houses and their estimated total value in each of the districts and boroughs of Wales and in Wales as a whole.

Mr. Soames: Although we maintain no record by district and borough, as at 30 September, my Department owned the following housing properties in each county in Wales:


                                                |Former married |Former civilian                                

                |Service married|MOD civilian   |quarters in the|houses in the                                  

                |quarters       |houses         |process of sale|process of sale|Total                          

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clwyd           |292            |0              |0              |0              |292                            

Dyfed           |451            |25             |26             |1              |503                            

Gwent           |175            |0              |15             |0              |190                            

Gwynedd         |391            |0              |0              |0              |391                            

Mid Glamorgan   |6              |0              |0              |0              |6                              

Powys           |205            |0              |0              |0              |205                            

South Glamorgan |965            |0              |0              |0              |965                            

West Glamorgan  |16             |0              |1              |0              |17                             

                                                                                                                

Total           |2,501          |25             |42             |1              |2,569                          

The married quarter returns are reported by service unit based on the unit's location, and some of the properties may therefore be located in a neighbouring county. The information requested on valuations is not available.

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's houses remain vacant in each of the districts and boroughs of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Soames: Although we maintain no record by district and borough, as at 30 September, my Department owned the following vacant housing properties in each county in Wales:


                                        |Former                             

                                        |married                            

                |Service    |MOD        |quarters in                        

                |married    |civilian   |the process                        

                |quarters   |houses     |of sale    |Total                  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clwyd           |81         |0          |0          |81                     

Dyfed           |56         |8          |26         |90                     

Gwent           |107        |0          |15         |122                    

Gwynedd         |16         |0          |0          |16                     

Mid Glamorgan   |0          |0          |0          |0                      

Powys           |20         |0          |0          |20                     

South Glamorgan |33         |0          |0          |33                     

West Glamorgan  |4          |0          |1          |5                      

                                                                            

Total           |317        |8          |42         |367                    

The married quarter returns are reported by service unit based on the unit's location, and some of the properties may therefore be located in a neighbouring county.

A large number of the vacant service married quarters were undergoing or awaiting major maintenance, held for future deployments or formed part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families.

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the improvement and development of his Department's houses in Wales; and if he will make a statement.


Column 689

Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 17 November 1994, Official Report, column 1, to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw). My Department's plans for improving the quality and management of our married quarter estates include our properties in Wales.

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what grounds his Department has not pursued its plans to establish a housing trust for the sale of the married quarters estate.

Mr. Soames: The problems surrounding the Housing Trust, as originally conceived, related to its classification as a private sector body. As my right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence, announced on 17 November 1994, Official Report, column 1, we are proceeding instead with the creation of a Defence Housing Executive, thus building on the efforts and resources invested in the trust proposal.

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total cost to date for management consultants and merchant bankers who have advised on his Department's plans for the future of the married quarters estate.

Mr. Soames: The total value of invoices presented to date by management and other consultants and merchant banks assisting in developing the Department's plans for the future of the married quarters estate is some £3,300,000 exclusive of VAT. The work undertaken in developing the Housing Trust proposals will form the basis for the creation of the Defence Housing Executive as announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 17 November 1994, Official Report, column 1.

Mr. Paul Martin

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Mr. Paul Martin has yet return to his post since he was suspended from work for the Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Freeman: No. Mr. Martin has tendered his resignation from the Ministry of Defence.

Military Museums

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those military museums that currently have fewer than 15,000 visitors a year; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Soames: A list of the military museums which have fewer than 15,000 visitors per year, based on the most recent figures available, is as follows.

Museum:

Royal Artillery Regimental Museum, Woolwich

Royal Signals Museum, Blandford

Royal Logistics Corps Museum, Deepcut

Royal Army Medical Corps Museum, Mytchett

Royal Army Dental Corps Museum, Aldershot


Column 690

Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Museum,

Aldershot

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Museum,

Arborfield

Corps of Royal Military Police Museum, Chichester

Intelligence corps Museum, Ashford

Household Cavalry Museum, Windsor

The Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum, Glasgow

The Black Watch Museum, Perth

The Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen

The Royal Anglian Regimental Museum (Suffolk Regiment), Bury St. Edmunds

The Staffordshire Regiment, Lichfield

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Lancashire Fusiliers)

Museum, Bury

The Regiments of Gloucestershire Museum, Gloucester

The Duke of Edinburgh Royal Regiment Museum, Salisbury

The South Wales Borderers and Monmouthshire Regimental

Museum of the Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/21st Foot), Brecon

The Devon and Dorset Regiment Museum, Dorchester

The Green Howards Museum, Richmond

The list comprise those museums in receipt of public funding, but does not include military museums which are privately funded or run by regimental associations.


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