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Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom armed forces personnel have served in Indonesia in each year since 1990.
Mr. Soames: A defence attache with the rank of colonel is attached to the British embassy in Jakarta with a warrant officer in support. Until 1993, a joint naval air attache was also attached to the embassy. Details of training assistance given by the UK, including the numbers involved, are not normally disclosed as they are regarded as confidential between the Governments.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the level of military aid to Indonesia for each year since 1979.
Mr. Soames: It is not our practice to disclose information of this nature.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates memoranda of understanding have been signed with the Government of Indonesia since 1 January 1980.
Mr. Freeman: Memoranda of understanding concerning defence contracts with the Government of Indonesia were signed in September 1983, March 1984, April 1986 and November 1991.
Bosnia
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what accommodation and facilities are available for British UNPROFOR personnel in Gorazde.
Mr. Soames: British UNPROFOR troops in Gorazde are accommodated in 123 portacabins which are equipped with bunk beds and camp beds and fitted with electric heaters. Troops have access to purpose built shower, toilet and washbasin facilities and the camp has its own tented kitchen facilities which are currently in the process of being replaced by a prefabricated kitchen and dining area. There are also two welfare telephones to enable troops to make calls home.
USA Global Positioning System
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the United Kingdom has direct access to the USA global positioning system; and what agreements or treaties govern such access.
Mr. Soames: The United Kingdom armed forces make extensive use of the United States global positioning system. They do so under conditions set out in a memorandum of understanding first negotiated with the US Department of Defence in 1978. MOU IV signed in October 1993 provides for an extension of these arrangements into the next century.
School and Related Fees
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which armed service officers are entitled to school and related fees for their children to be met from the armed forces vote; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: Boarding school allowance is designed to assist with the payment of school fees, and is available to all ranks of the armed forces who are serving either in the United Kingdom or overseas, providing that they meet the eligibility criteria. Service career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service, including
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boarding school allowance, are however the subject of an independent review which the then Minister for the Armed Forces my right hon. Friend the Minister for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), announced on 30 March 1994, Official Report, columns 752-53.Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose school and related fees are paid from the armed forces vote in respect of the education of children of officers in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: Boarding school allowance is provided to assist eligible service parents of all ranks in providing a stable education for their children in the face of the domestic turbulence frequently encountered in service life.
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost over the past 10 years of school and related fees for the children of officers in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: The total cost of school and related fees is not held by my Department. Boarding school allowance is paid up to a maximum annual limit, and service parents are expected to make a contribution of 10 per cent. to the fees. Additionally, for schools whose fees are higher than this maximum rate of BSA, parents are expected to make up any shortfall themselves. The total amounts of BSA paid for all ranks for the years in question is as follows:
|£ million
------------------------------
1985-86 |85.00
1986-87 |93.60
1987-88 |106.58
1988-89 |107.10
1989-90 |104.51
1990-91 |105.61
1991-92 |115.35
1992-93 |116.72
1993-94 |113.61
The total estimated expenditure for financial year 1994 1995 is £104 million.
Armed Forces (Work and Activities)
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept of the work and activities undertaken by members of the armed forces during the hours in which they are on duty.
Mr. Soames: The chain of command in each of the three services exists to ensure that its personnel are working effectively. Against this background, records of work carried out by service personnel are kept only in certain circumstances. These include reports of aircraft or vehicle maintenance completed; stores records of receipts and issues; and log books of various types, including aircrew log books of flying hours. In addition to this, certain records are maintained of individuals' on-the-job training.
Horses (Insurance)
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average cost per year of insuring a horse owned by his Department which is involved in (a) hunting, (b) ceremonial duties and (c) neither (a) nor (b) .
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Mr. Soames: Horses owned by my Department are not insured for hunting, ceremonial duty or any other official use.
Hunting
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel from Britannia Naval college in Devon took part in hunts with the Britannia Beagles during duty hours in each of the last three years.
Mr. Soames: No service personnel from the Britannia Royal Naval college have taken part in hunts during duty hours in the last three years.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many horses are owned by his Department; and how many have participated in hunts in each of the last five years.
Mr. Soames: My Department has an establishment of 474 horses with an average strength of around 470. Records do not separately identify hunting from other forms of recognised training, but it is estimated that some 70 horses have participated in hunts in each of the last five years.
Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received relating to damage caused to property under the control of his Department by the Bicester with Whaddon Chase hunt.
Mr. Soames: My Department has no record of any representations relating to damage caused by the Bicester with Whaddon Chase hunt.
Royal Navy Ships
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those Royal Navy ships which are in a state of (a) refit, (b) repair and (c) rest, giving the date when he expects each will return to full service.
Mr. Freeman: All Royal Navy vessels undergo essential repairs and maintenance as required while remaining part of the operational fleet. The following Royal Navy surface ships are, however, undergoing refit and are consequently non-operational: HM Ships Birmingham, York, Edinburgh, London, Bulldog and Orkney. We expect all of these vessels to be returned to operational service within the next year.
We do not hold Royal Navy vessels in a state of rest. Some vessels are held in extended readiness, thus enabling significant running cost savings to be achieved whilst maintaining assets against the eventuality of adverse changes in the international situation. At present, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Intrepid are in extended readiness. For operational reasons, it is not our policy to discuss when these vessels will be returned to operational service.
Type 23 Frigates
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place an order for the next batch of type 23 frigates.
Mr. Freeman: Invitations to tender for a further batch of up to three type 23 frigates were issued in November 1994. Subject to a successful outcome of the current
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competition, we hope to be in a position to place an order around the end of the year.Departmental Staff
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications from members of his Department to join defence or defence- related companies have been approved (a) subject to a waiting period and (b) with a ban on the involvement of the applicant in a specific project or area of work on behalf of the employer in the last 10 years for which figures are available.
Mr. Freeman: Over the last 10 years, 4,422 business appointment applications have been approved. Of these, 328 were subject to a waiting period and 242 were subject to a ban on the involvement of the applicant in a specific project or area of work. Many staff submitted multiple applications of a speculative nature, and it is not known how many appointments were taken up.
Departmental Houses (Sales)
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and location of his Department's houses sold off on the last two years; if he will give (a) the name of the company which bought the houses, (b) the amount received by his Department for the sale of each house; and (c) what monitoring is carried on of the price at which the houses were subsequently sold on by estate agents; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: In the last two years from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1994 my Department sold the following dwellings:
Number |Location |Purchaser
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
67 |Aberdeen |Aberdeen University
19 |Abingdon |Individual Purchasers
3 |Abingdon |Individual Purchasers
24 |Alderton |Individual Purchasers
30 |Andover |Individual Purchasers
19 |Armagh |Individual Purchasers
1 |Aultbea |Individual Purchaser
30 |Barton Stacey |Individual Purchasers
6 |Barton Stacey |Griffin and Tabb Ltd.
18 |Basingstoke |Individual Purchaser
1 |Bath |Individual Purchasers
48 |Baughurst |Individual Purchasers
3 |Bedford |Individual Purchasers
7 |Beith |Individual Purchasers
3 |Benbecula |Individual Purchasers
1 |Benbecula |Western Isles Island
|Council
1 |Benbecula |Highlands and Islands
|Fire Board
3 |Benbecula |Northern Joint Police
|Committee
1 |Benbecula |Property Holdings,
|Scotland
73 |Biggin Hill |Artesian Group of
|Companies
1 |Boscombe Down |Individual Purchaser
4 |Bournemouth |Mr. Richards
2 |Bovington |Individual Purchasers
68 |Bramley |Individual Purchasers
12 |Bristol |Haig Homes
5 |Broughton Moor |Individual Purchasers
20 |Burghfield |Individual Purchasers
5 |Caerwent |Individual Purchasers
10 |Calcot |Individual Purchasers
1 |Cambridge |Individual Purchaser
32 |Campsie |Individual Purchasers
7 |Cardington |Individual Purchasers
2 |Carlisle |Individual Purchasers
66 |Chatham |London and Quadrant
|Housing Trust
7 |Chatham |Individual Purchasers
1 |Chattenden |Individual Purchaser
2 |Cheadle |Individual Purchasers
4 |Chester |Individual Purchasers
7 |Chester |Northern Counties
|Housing Association
1 |Cobham |Berkeley Homes
2 |Cold Meece |Individual Purchasers
15 |Colerne |Individual Purchasers
19 |Colerne |O'Kane Properties
16 |Colerne |Tyning Properties Ltd
3 |Colerne |Sanctuary Spiral
|Housing Association
3 |Colerne/Durrington/ |Brecks Property Co Ltd
| Hullavington
3 |Corsham |Individual Purchasers
2 |Crombie |Individual Purchasers
3 |Dinton/Tisbury |Hetton Properties Ltd
1 |Dumfries |Individual Purchaser
1 |Dunfermline |Individual Purchaser
1 |Durrington |Individual Purchaser
17 |Edinburgh |Individual Purchasers
3 |Edinburgh |Cairn Housing
|Association
2 |Ely |Individual Purchasers
3 |Enfield Lock |Individual Purchasers
4 |Enford/Compton |Individual Purchasers
3 |Enniskillen |Individual Purchasers
6 |Eskmeals |Individual Purchasers
2 |Ewell |Individual Purchasers
10 |Exmouth |Individual Purchasers
105 |Farnborough |Individual Purchasers
70 |Felixstowe |Orwell Housing
|Association
47 |Felixstowe |Individual Purchasers
119 |Finningley |South Yorkshire Housing
|Association
2 |Formby |Individual Purchasers
28 |Garelochhead |Individual Purchasers
24 |Gosport |Individual Purchasers
196 |Gosport |Barratt London Ltd
75 |Gosport |Ideal Homes
18 |Gosport |Portsmouth Housing
|Association
7 |Great Broughton |Individual Purchasers
1 |Halton Heath |Individual Purchaser
1 |Hampton Magna |Orbit Housing
|Association
2 |Hampton Magna |Individual Purchasers
4 |Helensburgh |Individual Purchaser
3 |Helston |Individual Purchasers
1 |Hendon |Tambarella Properties Ltd
1 |Hereford |Individual Purchaser
11 |Houndstone |Individual Purchasers
7 |Inverness |Individual Purchasers
34 |Ipswich |Individual Purchasers
1 |Kings Lynn |Individual Purchaser
6 |Kirkcudbright |Individual Purchasers
1 |Lee on Solent |Individual Purchaser
16 |Liverpool |Individual Purchasers
16 |Liverpool |Liverpool Housing Trust
6 |Lovedean |Arundel Estates
11 |Lovedean |Individual Purchasers
37 |Lovedean |Portsmouth Housing
|Association
10 |Lower Quinton |Individual Purchasers
1 |Lower Quinton |Orbit Housing
|Association
2 |Lyneham |Individual Purchasers
4 |Maidstone |Individual Purchasers
11 |Malvern |Individual Purchasers
41 |Martlesham Heath |Haymills (Contractors)
|Ltd
17 |Newark |C S H Finance Ltd
2 |Newark |Individual Purchasers
12 |Newbury |Individual Purchasers
1 |Northfleet |Individual Purchaser
12 |Nythe |Individual Purchasers
21 |Padstow |C S H Finance Ltd
19 |Plymouth |Individual Purchasers
170 |Plymouth |Wallsend Estates
26 |Plymouth |Devon and Cornwall
|Housing Association
54 |Plymouth |Plymouth Development
|Corporation
29 |Poole |Individual Purchasers
29 |Portadown |Individual Purchasers
36 |Portland |Individual Purchasers
66 |Portsmouth |Portsmouth Housing
|Association
3 |Portsmouth |Individual Purchasers
228 |Portsmouth |Messrs Pantheon
84 |Portsmouth |Swaythling Housing
|Association
12 |Portsmouth |Messrs Rendle and
|Pringle
1 |Quedgely |Individual Purchaser
6 |Reading |Individual Purchaser
2 |Rochdale |Individual Purchaser
56 |Rosyth |Individual Purchasers
16 |Saxa Vord |Shetland Islands Council
1 |Sevenoaks |Individual Purchaser
24 |Shawbury |Bromford Corinthian
|Housing Association
8 |Shawbury |Beth Johnson Housing
|Association
22 |Shawbury |Individual Purchasers
14 |Shoeburyness |Individual Purchasers
42 |Shotley Gate |Hodge and Co
24 |Shotley Gate |Haymills (Contractors)
|Ltd
52 |Shotley Gate |Individual Purchasers
3 |Small Dole |Individual Purchasers
1 |Southwater |Individual Purchaser
24 |Stafford |Individual Purchasers
5 |Stockton Heath |Individual Purchasers
1 |Stornoway |Individual Purchaser
3 |Strood |Individual Purchasers
2 |Strood |V Perry
33 |Tadley |Individual Purchasers
13 |Tandragee |Individual Purchasers
1 |Tangmere |Individual Purchaser
1 |Thetford |Individual Purchaser
26 |Thurso |Caithness District Council
38 |Thurso |Individual Purchasers
4 |Tidworth |Individual Purchasers
1 |Tisbury |Individual Purchaser
1 |Waltham Abbey |Individual Purchaser
1 |Warton |Individual Purchaser
1 |Welford |Individual Purchaser
5 |Whitby |Individual Purchasers
1 |Woodford Green |Individual Purchaser
30 |Woolwich |Giftboat Properties
8 |Woolwich |N H P Homes Ltd
80 |Woolwich |Brickstern Ltd
2 |Wythenshaw |Individual Purchasers
Bulk sales are carried out by tender or at the district valuer's valuation to ensure that we receive a full market price. Individual purchasers include service personnel who have bought through the services' discount scheme,
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tenants of MOD civilian houses who have bought at a discount and individuals who have bought on the open market through the estate agents. The amount received from sales is commercial in confidence and there are no measures in hand to monitor the price at which houses are subsequently sold on by estate agents.Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel houses have been sold by his Department in each of the last five years; and how much money was received for the sales in each of these years.
Mr. Soames: The number of service married quarters sold and the capital receipts from these sales in each of the past five financial years was as follows:
Financial year |Total sold |Receipts
|£ million
------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |1,380 |46
1990-91 |2,121 |44
1991-92 |1,306 |51
1992-93 |857 |33
1993-94 |1,254 |24
Receipts do not always relate directly to the number of houses sold in a particular year because of stage payments and accounting procedures.
Type 42 Destroyers
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's current policy towards the Horizon class replacement for type 42 destroyers.
Mr. Freeman: We remain committed to Project Horizon. A memorandum of understanding for the joint development of this project was signed by the three partner nations, Britain, France and Italy, in July of last year. We continue to plan to replace the Royal Navy's type 42 destroyers with the common new generation frigate early in the next century.
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Competing for Quality Programme
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision for continuity of supply is made in the contracts awarded to private contractors as part of his Department's competing for quality programme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman: Continuity of supply, or service, is ensured by the arrangements under which our contracts are placed. These arrangements include the use of appropriate conditions of contract, and proper planning of tendering programmes.
Ministerial Duties
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what days he attended the House during the parliamentary week beginning 30 January.
Mr. Soames: Mr right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence attended the House on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the parliamentary week beginning 30 January.
Ian Greer
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many items he has received from Ian Greer in each week of the last month.
Mr. Freeman: My ministerial colleagues and I keep no records of the unsolicited mail or other items that we receive.
I have received one social invitation from Ian Greer Associates which I have declined.
Procurement Projects
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the 10 most expensive procurement projects currently being undertaken by his Department; what was the original estimated cost of each of these projects and their current estimated cost at today's prices; and what was the original planned in-service dates of each project together and the latest estimate of the in-service date.
Mr. Freeman: The 10 most expensive procurement projects currently being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence are set out below. Where data are classified or of a commercially sensitive nature this had been omitted.
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|Original |Current
|estimated cost |estimated cost |Original planned |Current
Procurement project |£ |£ |in-service date |in-service date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trident |15.1 billion |11.6 billion |December 1994 |<2>December 1994
EF 2000<1> |12.7 billion |14.9 billion |December 1998 |December 2000
Common New Generation Frigate (project horizon) |4.5 -5 billion |4.5 -5 billion |December 2002 |<3>n/a
EH101 Merlin<1> |3.8 billion |3.9 billion |December 1993 |December 1998
Bowman<1> |2.1 billion |1.9 billion |December 1995 |January 2000
Challenger 2<4> |1.1 billion |2.02 billion |December 1995 |December 1995
Spearfish |885 million |<5>1.1 billion |December 1987 |March 1994
Asraam |871 million |795 million |December 1994 |December 1998
Tornado MLU |<6>829 million |837 million |June 1993 |September 1998
High Velocity Missile (HVM)<7> |397 million |411 million |December 1990 |Mid 1995
Notes:
<1> Previously reports in Hansard on 1 February 1995, Official Report, column 744.
<2> For first of class. ISD data for the remaining boats is classified.
<3> Date classified.
<4> Costs include Challenger Armament (CHARM) 1 and 3 Programme.
<5> Excludes cost of main production order as commercially sensitive.
<6> At November 1993 reapproval of `reduced scope' programme.
<7> Tranche 1 only.
Ministry of Defence Police Federation
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions he visited the Ministry of Defence Police Federation's exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall during the week beginning 30 January; which police or federation officers he met; what topics he discussed with these officers; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: My right hon. and learned Friend did not make an official visit to the exhibition, but had the opportunity to see it when he was in the Upper Waiting Hall on Wednesday 1 February 1995. At the time, there were no MOD police or Defence Police Federation representatives present.
Gulf War Syndrome
Mrs. Currie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what independent medical audit is carried out on the assessments made of Gulf war veterans claiming to be suffering from Gulf war syndrome; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: My Department is obviously concerned that any serving or former members of the armed forces should be worried about their health following service in the Gulf. It was for this reason that numerous appeals have been made for individuals to come forward for a thorough medical examination under our Gulf medical assessment programme. Under this programme, which has been the main focus of our investigations into the alleged Gulf War syndrome, United Kingdom Gulf veterans receive a full medical evaluation by military medical specialists. Approximately one third of the 233 veterans who have so far come forward under this programme have now been assessed and diagnosed, enabling some provisional conclusions to be drawn. Although there remains no scientific or medical evidence of a syndrome, the substantial statistical assurance which these investigations provide now make it appropriate for these preliminary findings to be subject to independent verification and to be publicised. consequently, the Royal College of Physicians has been approached to carry out an independent clinical audit of our assessment programme and its results to date, and it has kindly agreed to do so. It has been our intention to make public the detailed preliminary findings of the assessment programme at an appropriate stage when sufficient Gulf veterans have been examined under the MOD medical assessment programme, and I have agreed with the Surgeon General that he should do this in a letter to the British Medical Journal after 100 such assessments have been made.
I again urge all current and former armed forces personnel with concerns about their health as a result of service in the Gulf conflict to come forward, through their normal doctors, for assessment under the programme. For those still serving I repeat my assurance that their careers will not be jeopardised as a result.
Defence Industrial Base
Sir John Cope: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will set out the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the United Kingdom's strategic defence industrial base and its relationship to defence procurement decisions.
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Mr. Freeman [holding answer 20 December 1994]: Although we see our relationship with industry as principally one of customer to supplier, we fully recognise that it is an advantage to us and to the economy more generally to have a healthy, technologically capable and broad -based defence industry.
Special Advisers
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.
Mr. Freeman [holding answer 1 February 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 6 February, by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Official Report , column 69 .
SCOTLAND
Executive Search Agencies
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 20 December, Official Report, column 1055 , which posts were filled as a result of the employment of executive search agencies, which executive search companies were involved in this exercise; and what were the values of the individual contracts involved.
Mr. Lang: Between 2 December 1993 and 30 November 1994, my Department made use of executive search agencies Goddard Kay Rogers and Associates Ltd. and Korn Ferry International. These were for appointments to Director of Human Resources and Director of Finance respectively, both within the NHS-Management Executive in Scotland. The total cost was £69,912 including VAT, as stated on 20 December 1994, Official Report, column 1055.
In addition, although none of my agencies has used executive search agencies for search purposes, the Scottish Prison Service has used recruitment services provided by the following companies:
Companies
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Melville Craig |Marketing and sales manager
NB Selection |Five human resource managers; one senior
|procurement officer
Rileys |Ongoing campaign to recruit band C
Search |Prison officers. Partial cost only paid so
|far. Remaining costs to be paid at the
|successful conclusion of the campaign.
Search |Procurement buyer
The cost of this work, which involves advertising and dealing with resulting applications was £64,358.84.
The value of individual contracts is a matter for the companies themselves and is regarded as commercial in confidence.
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Agricultural Census
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the rate of response in each of the past five years in respect of the June agricultural census forms; and when was the last prosecution for failure to return the agricultural census forms.
Sir Hector Monro: The response rate for the main June census was as follows:
1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994 ------------------------------------------------------------ 93 |93 |90 |92 |92
The last year in which non-respondents were prosecuted for failure to return a June agricultural census form was 1992.
Gourock Ropeworks
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discussed the present circumstances surrounding the Gourock ropeworks in Port Glasgow with Historic Scotland and the Inverclyde district council; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro: Historic Scotland is an executive agency within the Scottish Office and reports to my right hon. Friend on built heritage matters.
My right hon. Friend has recently received a letter from Inverclyde district council conveying the council's view that the Gourock ropeworks should not be converted for residential accommodation but should be demolished. He has noted that view.
The building is a category A listed building. Its demolition would require the granting of listed building consent, for which no application has yet been received.
Historic Buildings
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those historic buildings, listed for their architectural merit in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole which have subsequently been de- listed and demolished in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro: The subjects of the question relate to matters undertaken by Historic Scotland. I have asked its Director and Chief Executive, Mr. Graeme Munro to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from F. J. Lawrie to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 8 February 1995:
You tabled a Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Scotland for written answer on 8 February seeking statistics on de-listing and demolition of listed buildings. As your Question relates to operational matters undertaken by Historic Scotland, Mr. Graeme Munro, Historic Scotland's Director and Chief Executive, has been asked to provide the information you seek. In Mr. Munro's absence, I am responding.
I regret that we cannot answer the Question precisely as posed, since we do not keep a separate record of demolitions of listed buildings. Listed buildings may be demolished after the granting of listed building consent, but listed buildings are also lost from time to time by accident, such as through fire damage or structural failure.
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The removal of demolished buildings from the statutory list would occur either through routine list maintenance or as a result of the rolling programme of national re-survey. Information on the annual number of deletions from the statutory list is only readily available from 1989; this information is as follows:
|1989|1990|1991|1992|1993|1994
-----------------------------------------------
Strathclyde |26 |6 |7 |8 |17 |16
Scotland |704 |374 |123 |23 |81 |44
Although we do not keep separate statistics to show why listed buildings have been deleted from the statutory lists, the majority of the deletions arise following re-assessment of merit under the re-survey programme.
I hope this information is helpful.
Mink Farming
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licences were issued for mink factory farms for each county of Scotland in each of the last five years.
Sir Hector Monro: The numbers of licensed mink farms over the past five years are as follows:
Region |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994
------------------------------------------------------
Central |1 |- |- |- |-
Grampian |1 |1 |1 |1 |-
Strathclyde |3 |1 |1 |- |-
Tayside |1 |- |- |- |-
Total |6 |2 |2 |1 |-
Lochgreen Hospital
Mr. Canavan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will instruct Forth Valley health board to extend beyond 8 February the period for consultation on the board's proposal to close Lochgreen hospital;
(2) if he will instruct Fort Valley health board to hold a public meeting as part of the consultation process on the board's proposal to close Lochgreen hospital.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The three-month public consultation on the closure of Lochgreen hospital was originally due to finish on 11 January. Forth Valley health board extended the period to finish on 8 February in response to a request from Central regional council and has no plans to extend the period further.
The Scottish Office guidance on closure and change of use of health service premises published in June 1975 sets out the procedure which health boards must follow when proposing to close a hospital. It is a matter for the health board concerned to decide whether to hold public meetings.
Housing
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the names of the housing associations in (a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow which will be allowed by Scottish Homes to bid for houses which Scottish Homes seeks to release;
(2) what constraints have been placed upon Rankin housing association by Scottish Homes; and if he will make a statement;
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(3) if the ballot papers issued to Scottish Homes tenants in Greenock and Port Glasgow will have an option for the tenants to vote (a) to remain with Scottish Homes, (b) to be transferred to (i) the Rankin housing association,(ii) the Clock housing association (iii) the James Watt housing association, (iv) the Victoria housing association (v) some other community-based housing association or (vi) the Inverclyde district council; and if he will make a statement;(4) which housing schemes in (a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow Scottish Homes is attempting to transfer to housing associations or other landlords;
(5) what is the current value of the houses in (a) Greenock and (b) Port Glasgow that the Rankin housing association is seeking to acquire from Scottish Homes; and how much will be charged by Scottish Homes for these acquisitions.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 7 February 1995]: The information requested is a matter for Scottish Homes. I have asked its chairman, Sir James Mellon, to write to the hon. Member.
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