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Column 361
The Department is concerned that any restructuring of funds for the purpose of clarification should preserve a proper balance of interests as between policyholders and shareholders. In this connection, it considers that the proportion of policyholders' and shareholders' interests in the surplus are unaffected by whether or not the surplus is actually distributed--that is, if in any year surplus is not distributed but is retained in the fund, the policyholders as a class retain their interest in that element of the fund.A life office may make distributions from surplus in the long-term fund as shown by the statutory annual actuarial valuation. It is common practice to make distributions to policyholders and shareholders in the proportion 90:10. In assessing policyholders' reasonable expectations, the Department would expect this ratio to be used as the basis of attribution between the policyholders and shareholders, unless there was clear evidence, based on a company's circumstances, statements or practice, that a different proportion was appropriate in respect of the surplus arising from some particular part of the business.
The Department considers that the proposal announced today by United Friendly Insurance to restructure its long-term funds is consistent with these principles. It has reached this view on the basis of information provided about the history and practice of the company, the amount of accumulated reserves to be set aside for the benefit of with-profit and other policyholders--a part of which is being used immediately to declare a special bonus to
policyholders--and the intended arrangements for the future distribution of surplus arising in the long-term funds.
The Department will assess any similar proposals from other life offices having regard to the facts of the case and the principles described above. The outcome in any specific case will depend on the history and circumstances of the fund, which may differ widely from company to company.
Information Technology
Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to consider specific proposals stemming from the Commission's document "Europe's way to the information society", No. 15486.
Mr. Ian Taylor: The European Commission has already brought forward a number of proposals listed in the annexe to its communication "Europe's way to the information society"-- COM(94)347 final. These are being considered closely by Government, and some are already under discussion in Brussels. I would expect the Commission to bring forward further proposals over the next 12 months, in line with the timetable set out in the annexe.
The UK has played a major role in co-ordinating two projects: global interoperability for broadband networks, building on the success of Super JANET; and government on-line, developing the CCTA's ideas for electronic communication within government.
Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what different forms of scrutiny by the United Kingdom Parliament will apply to the European Commission document 15486, "Europe's way to the information society".
Mr. Ian Taylor: The Commission communication in response to the Bangemann group report, "Europe's way to the information society: an action plan" was a depositable
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document and fell within scrutiny arrangements. I submitted a full explanatory memorandum to Parliament on 29 September 1994 and the document was scrutinised according to agreed procedures.Telecommunications
Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when he expects to present to Parliament the official text of part II of the European Green Paper on telecommunication liberalisation. (2) when he expects to produce the explanatory memorandum from the Government on the implications of the European Commission Green Paper, part II of telecommunications liberalisation.
Mr. Ian Taylor: I expect to submit to Parliament shortly the official text of part II of the European Commission's Green Paper on the liberalisation of telecommunications infrastructure and an explanatory memorandum on it.
Exports (Gibraltar)
Mr. Bennett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the export licence application refused for the export of goods to Gibraltar in 1993 was for equipment specified as MLI in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 of SI, 1992, No. 3092.
Land Mines
Mrs Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what casing or components for anti-personnel mines have been exported by United Kingdom firms since 1982.
Mr. Ian Taylor: I am not aware of any export of specially designed components for anti-personnel mines, but this could be established only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many licences to manufacture British designed anti-personnel mines have been sold to foreign firms since 1982.
Mr. Ian Taylor: This is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. My Department does not maintain such records.
United Projects Co. Ltd.
Mrs Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if United Projects Co. Ltd. has been granted a licence to communicate with Iraq since sanctions began.
Mr. Ian Taylor: It has been the policy of successive Administrations not to comment on individual licensing cases unless the public interest outweighs the need for confidentiality.
Foreign Direct Investment
Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will identify the sites and locations where foreign direct investment has created 300 or more jobs from 1984 onwards; and if he will provide a regional assessment of the total employment created by such investment as at 1 January.
Mr. Eggar: I regret that information in the detail requested by the hon. Member is available only at disproportionate cost.
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However, from 1984 85 to 1993 94, the latest year for which complete figures are available, 154 projects expected to create 300 or more new jobs were notified to my Department's Investment in Britain Bureau. These were expected to create nearly 106,000 new jobs, the regional breakdown of which was expected to be as follows:
Region |Number of new jobs
-----------------------------------------------------------
North East |9,235
North West |5,747
Yorkshire/Humberside |6,275
West Midlands |14,941
South West |5,123
East Midlands |6,966
South East |16,950
Northern Ireland |7,106
Scotland |22,517
Wales |10,809
Total |105,669
In addition, a total of 5,281 jobs were expected to be safeguarded.
These figures are based on information provided to the Invest in Britain Bureau by companies themselves at the time of the announcement of the decision to invest. There is no requirement to notify the Department, so the figures include only those projects where the Invest in Britain Bureau and its regional partners were involved or which have come to their notice. They take no account of subsequent developments.
Personal Security Equipment
Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade under which headings of the successive export control orders from 1988 batons and personal security equipment designed to blind, stun or disable were included.
Mr. Ian Taylor: Such equipment has been classified under one heading --PL5001.
Suppression Coatings
Mr. Cousins: To ask the President of the Board of Trade which sections of the export of goods control orders cover "stealth" coatings and materials; and whether export of designs and expertise related to such coatings are also licensable exports.
Mr. Ian Taylor: "Stealth" coatings and materials are controlled in entry ML17(c), fittings, coatings and treatments for signature suppression of group 1 and entries 1C001, materials specially designed for use as absorbers of electromagnetic waves, and 1C101, materials and devices for reduced observables of group 3 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994- -EG(C)0.
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Software specially designed for such materials is controlled in entry 1D103 of group 3 of the EG(C)0. Technology, which covers documents detailing design and expertise, for such materials is controlled in entries PL5028, of group 1 and 1E001, 1E101 and 1E102 of group 3 of the EG(C)0.In addition, entry PL5032--goods coated or treated for signature suppression specially designed for military use, other than those specified elsewhere in this group--of group 1 controls military goods with signal suppression coatings not controlled elsewhere in group 1.
Northern Region
Mr. Devlin: To aks the President of the Board of Trade how many jobs have been safeguarded in the northern region through offers of regional and regional selective assistance since 1979.
Mr. Ian Taylor: For the region covered by the Government office for the north-east, 43,071 jobs were safeguarded through the operation of the regional selective assistance scheme between 1979 and 1994. The principal criteria for the regional development grants schemes related to the level of capital expenditure not the number of jobs safeguarded. The first RDG scheme closed for applications on 28 November 1985 and the second on 31 March 1988.
Mr. Devlin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many trading companies are based in the northern region of England; and what was the figure in 1978.
Mr. Ian Taylor: For the region covered by the Government office for the north-east, there were 43,222 VAT registered companies trading on 31 December 1993, the latest available figures. On 31 December 1979--the first year that figures were collated--there were 37,436 VAT registered companies trading in the region.
Mr. Devlin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list the companies which have located in the northern region since 1979 which have received Government assistance together with the amount of Government assistance each received at 1995 prices and an estimate of the jobs created or safeguarded, and from which country each company came;
(2) if he will list the overseas inward investment in the northern region since 1979 by (a) company, (b) amount of Government assistance at 1995 prices and (c) direct jobs created.
Mr. Ian Taylor: The information for the period 1985 94 is in the tables. The figures cover all new investments, a total of 67 projects, which received regional selective assistance, regional development grants and/or regional enterprise grants. These projects were drawn from a list of 376 projects including new investment, expansions, joint ventures and acquisitions.
It has not been possible to produce figures for 1979 to 1985 as records for that period are incomplete, unavailable or have been destroyed.
|Original assistance
offered Value at * 1995 Jobs expected
Company |Country of origin |£000 |prices |New |Safeguarded
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year 1985
Tabuchi Electric (UK) Ltd. |Japan |2,983 |4,602.8 |185
Superbadge |Hong Kong |383 |591.0 |116
Komatsu |Japan |1,200 |1,851.6 |262
Shulton (GB) Ltd. |United States America|300 |462.9 |66
Labelling Dynamics Ltd. |Denmark |137 |211.4 |23
Multiman (N'cle) Ltd. |Norway |40 |61.7 |25
Ikeda Hoover |Japan |483 |745.3 |161
Microclad |France |500 |771.5 |88
Tomado |Belgium |10 |15.4 |6
|Totals |6,036 |9,313.5 |932 |0
Year: 1986
Helena Laboratories (UK) Ltd. |United States America|100 |149.3 |25
Transfer All Purpose Foils |United States America|819 |1,222.8 |130
RB Bolton(Mining Eng) Ltd. |Europe |150 |224.0 |35
Grorud Industries |Norway |335 |500.2 |75
Calsonic |Japan |33 |49.3 |11
|Totals |1,437 |2,145.4 |276 |0
Year: 1987
Amdega |Isle of Man |70 |100.3 |20
Fox Valley Systems |United States America|130 |186.3 |12
Key Tech |United States America|1,980 |2,837.3 |260
Mitsumi |Japan |894 |1,281.1 |298
SMK (UK) Ltd. |Japan |690 |988.8 |230
F. Fill and Sons |Sweden |80 |114.6 |377
Prom |Denmark |976 |1,398.6 |60
|Totals |4,820 |6,907.1 |1,257 |0
Year: 1988
BHK (UK) Ltd. |West Germany |200 |273.2 |50
TRW Repa |West Germany |750 |1,024.5 |250
Intertractor |West Germany |500 |683.0 |50
Jotron (UK) Ltd. |Norway |115 |157.1 |30
Lintron Electronics |Sweden |90 |122.9 |30
Glassfibre Flagpoles Ltd. |Sweden |20 |27.3 |5
North Salmon Smokery Ltd. |Norway |387 |528.6 |162
Gliderol Roller Doors |Australia |144 |196.7 |48
Winchmore Knitting |Hong Kong |1,050 |1,434.3 |350
Sanyo |Japan |1,407 |1,922.0 |469
Goldstar |South Korea |1,171 |1,599.6 |330
Swilynn |Hong Kong |4,550 |6,215.3 |505
Cookson Enteck |United States America|660 |901.6 |66
|Totals |11,044 |15,086.1 |2,345 |0
Year: 1989
TRW Transportation
Electronics |United States America|360 |456.1 |120
Fujitsu |Japan |30,000 |38,010.0 |1,626
Cookson Fukuda Ltd. |Japan |1,010 |1,279.7 |115
Hashimoto Forming Co. Ltd. |Japan |1,500 |1,900.5 |135
T T Coil UK Ltd. |Denmark |460 |582.8 |75
|Totals |33,330 |42,229.1 |2,071 |0
Year: 1990
Magneco Metrel |United States America|300 |347.4 |51
TRW Valves |United States America|4,500 |5,211.0 |225
Schurpack UK) Ltd. |Denmark |850 |984.3 |104
Marley Kansei Ltd. |Japan |846 |979.7 |77
Calsonic Automotive Products |Japan |427 |494.5 |48
Inkel Corporation |Korea |553 |640.4 |60
|Totals |7,476 |8,657.2 |565 |0
Year: 1991
Manhattan Kids |United States America|25 |26.4 |17
Lego Fact |Sweden |12 |12.6 |12
Lite-On (NPE) Ltd. |Taiwan |90 |94.9 |85
|Totals |127 |133.9 |114 |0
Year: 1992
Tallent Eng Ltd. |Germany |700 |737.8 |199
Vynapoint Ltd. |Germany |15 |15.8 |6
Samsung Electronic Manuf
(UK) Ltd. |Korea |3,000 |3,162.0 |290
Onwa Electronics |Hong Kong |3,250 |3,425.5 |280
|Totals |6,965 |7,341.1 |775 |0
Year: 1993
Starpak Inc. |United States America|95 |98.6 |70
Whiting Co. |United States America|90 |93.4 |10
Production Services |United States America|25 |26.0 |10
Technotype Ltd. |United States America|6.7 |7.0 |5
Matrixx Marketing Inc. |United States America|95 |98.6 |65
Europa Magnetics Corporation |Korea |8,250 |8,563.5 |550
Siam Furniture |Thailand |3 |3.1 |22
Lineraid Ltd. |Hong Kong |160 |166.1 |89
|Totals |8,629.7 |8,957.6 |751 |0
Year: 1994
Camrex Inc. |United States America|500 |506.5 |56
TRW Transportation
Electronics Ltd. |United States America|1,500 |1,519.5 |136
Nippon Silica Glass |Japan |250 |253.3 |18 |3
L. N. P. Plastics |Japan |450 |455.9 |40
Lucas SEI Wiring Systems Ltd. |Japan |980 |992.7 |650
Goldstar Electric (UK) Ltd. |Korea |4,000 |4,052.0 |431 |44
Samsung Electronics Manuf
(UK) Ltd. |Korea |10,500 |10,636.5 |900
|Totals |18,180 |18,416.3 |2,231 |47
Fire Safety
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a cost-benefit analysis of the proposals contained in the report of the interdepartmental review of fire safety legislation and enforcement which transfer to building control authorities the role of the fire authorities in determining fire safety standards in new and altered or extended buildings.
Mr. Jonathan Evans: In considering the way forward on the review of fire safety legislation and enforcement, the Government recognise the need for the costs and benefits of any possible changes to be properly assessed.
The Government hope to come to decisions on the report in the coming weeks, taking account of comments received during the consultation process. We will look at the case for publication at that time.
UK Investment
Mr. Pawsey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current level of British investment in (a) the United States of America, (b) the EEC excluding the United Kingdom, (c) Japan and (d) south America; and what it was in 1979, at 1995 prices.
Mr. Ian Taylor: The available information, in current prices, is as follows:
Column 368
UK direct investment: book value of net assets
£ million,
current prices
|1978 |1981 |1993
---------------------------------------------------------
United States of America |3,559 |7,979 |57,420
EC |4,926 |5,910 |52,778
Japan |112 |187 |1,909
Caribbean, central and south
America |957 |1,711 |12,216
Note:
Until 1987, the inquiry into overseas transactions was
conducted triennially. Consequently, data are available
for 1978 and 1981, but not 1979.
Military Technology (Export Licences)
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 31 January, Official Report , column 609 , what factors led him to conclude that the information requested on export licences granted for temporary export of military technology for display at exhibitions could be put together only at a disproportionate cost.
Mr. Ian Taylor: As I said in my original reply, the required information could only be extracted by examining original case papers. This is because that information--in the degree of detail that was asked for--is not itemised on my Department's databases. The manual search would breach the guidelines on disproportionate cost.
Column 369
Postal Services
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the position of Her Majesty's Government on (a)
liberalisation of postal services and (b) implementation of the single market in postal services.
Mr. Eggar: The Government made it clear in their consultation document "The Future of Postal Services"--Cmnd 2614 , June 1994--that they favoured the progressive introduction of further competition in postal services, provided this did not put at risk the Royal Mail's ability to maintain a universal service at a uniform and affordable tariff.
As regards the European single market, the European Commission itself produced a Green Paper--Com(91)476, June 1992. This acknowledged that a fully harmonised market in postal services was unlikely as each member state would wish to impose restrictions on competition in postal services, in order to ensure the continued ability of the national postal service to meet its social obligations. It made a number of proposals, however, which were intended to ensure that restrictions on competition were no greater than necessary to fund these social objectives.
The Commission is currently preparing draft directives on postal services as a basis for further discussion. While Her Majesty's Government have no formal position on those directives until they have been published, the United Kingdom has one of the more liberalised postal markets in the European Union and would support moves which would bring similar liberalisation in other member states.
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if Her Majesty's Government support the use of article 90(3) EU to define the list of reserved postal services; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar: The Government would prefer that all directives implementing the single market in postal services should have as their legal basis article 100A of the treaty of Rome.
Nirex
Mr. Flynn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what liability the Government have for future routine or accidental contamination to the environment as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed Nirex nuclear waste repository.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 20 February 1995]: The Government have already announced their intention to introduce regulations to provide for the licensing of radioactive waste repositories. The provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, as amended, will then apply to claims for compensation for third party damage to property or injury in accordance with the arrangements in force at the time. For details of the current arrangements I refer to the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Under Secretary of State for Industry and Energy to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent, (Mr. Smith) on 10 January 1995, Official Report, columns 29 30.
Albert Company Plumbing
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer the charging practices of Albert Company Plumbing of Middlesex to the Director General of Fair Trading.
Column 370
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 21 February 1995]: The Consumer Protection Act 1987 provides a means for individuals to complain about misleading pricing to their local trading standards office.
Dounreay
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many on-site contractors have been engaged at Dounreay over the last six months; and what services they have provided.
Mr. Page [holding answer 23 February 1995]: This is a management matter for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
WALES
Public Appointments
Mr. Gareth Wardell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each non-departmental public body in Wales to which he appoints members (a) the title of the organisation, (b) the number of non- executive members which represents the full complement and (c) the actual current number of non-executive members which have been appointed.
Mr. Redwood: The information given in the following table relates to all executive NDPBs and NHS bodies in Wales. In each case, the figures show (i) the maximum--and, where applicable, the minimum--number of members who may be appointed, including the chairman and vice-deputy chairman; and (ii) the number of appointments which were current at 1 December 1994.
Details of these and all other appointments made by me are listed in "Appointments by the Secretary of State for Wales" which is updated quarterly. Further details about public bodies in Wales is provided in "Public Bodies 1994" HMSO. Both publications are available in the Library of the House.
|Full membership |Appointments held at
|complement |1 December 1994
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive NDPBs
Agriculture Wages Committee<1>
Clwyd |15 |2
Dyfed |21 |2
Glamorgan |15 |2
Gwent |15 |2
Gwynedd |21 |2
Powys |21 |2
Arts Council of Wales |18 |16
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |13 |13
Countryside Council for Wales |8-12 |10
Curriculum and Assessment Authority |10-15 |15
Development Board for Rural Wales |11-13 |13
Further Education Funding Council |8-12 |11
Higher Education Funding Council |8-12 |10
Housing for Wales |6-8 |6
Land Authority for Wales |6-9 |8
National Library of Wales: Council <2> |20 |3
National Museum for Wales: Council<3> |16 |4
Sports Council for Wales |24 |14
Wales Tourist Board |7 |5
Wales Youth Agency |15 |10
Welsh Development Agency |9-11 |8
Welsh Language Board |15 |15
Welsh National Board for
Nursing, Midwifery and
Health Visiting |7 |7
Health Bodies
District Health Authorities
Clwyd |6 |6
East Dyfed |6 |6
Gwent |6 |6
Gwynedd |6 |6
Mid Glamorgan |6 |5
Pembrokeshire |6 |5
Powys |6 |6
South Glamorgan |7 |6
West Glamorgan |6 |6
Family Health Services Authorities
Glwyd |10 |10
Dyfed |10 |9
Gwent |10 |10
Gwynedd |10 |10
Mid Glamorgan |10 |9
Powys |10 |10
South Glamorgan |10 |10
West Glamorgan |10 |9
Health Promotion Authority
for Wales |8 |8
NHS Trusts
Bridgend and District |6 |6
Carmarthen and District |5 |5
Ceredigion and Mid Wales |5 |5
Clwydian Community Care |6 |6
Derwen |5 |5
East Glamorgan |5 |5
Glan Clwyd |5 |5
Glan Hafren |6 |5
Gwent Community Health |6 |6
Gwynedd Community Health |5 |5
Gwynedd Hospitals |6 |5
Llandough Hospital |6 |5
Llanelli/Dinefwr |6 |6
Mid Glamorgan Ambulance |5 |5
Morriston Hospital |6 |5
Nevill Hall and District |6 |6
North Wales Ambulance |5 |5
Pembrokeshire |6 |6
Powys Health Care |6 |5
Rhondda Health Care |5 |5
South and East Wales Ambulance |6 |6
Swansea |6 |5
Velindre |6 |5
Wrexham Maelor |6 |6
Welsh Health Common Services Authority |4 |4
Notes:
<1> Agricultural wages committees-Secretary of State appoints two members to each Committee. The
other members are nominated by groups representing the industry.
<2> National Library-Secretary of State appoints only three of the maximum of 20 members.
<3> National Museum-Secretary of State appoints only four of the maximum of 16 members.
GP Fundholding
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the introduction of total fundholding for general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.
Column 372
Mr. Redwood: I will encourage any suitable projects for piloting total fundholding in Wales which are supported by the health authorities and GP fundholders.
Urban Investment Grant
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the circumstances in which clawback arrangements will apply to urban investment grants paid or part-paid both directly by his Department and by the Cardiff Bay development corporation.
Mr. Redwood: Each development assisted with urban investment grant is assessed for potential clawback liability, either when the developer disposes of it, or after five years, whichever comes first. If the value of the development has increased in real terms, discounting any inflation in the building cost index, clawback will be payable. The rate of clawback will usually be the rate of the urban investment grant which was awarded.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the aggregate level of savings achieved by general practitioner fundholders in each family health services authority in the years 1991-92, 1992 93 and 1993 94.
Mr. Redwood: The information requested is as follows:
FHSA |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94
|£000 |£000
Clwyd |nil |24 |<1>845
Dyfed |nil |nil |239
Gwent |nil |234 |1,<1>156
Gwynedd |nil |nil |<1>13
Mid Glamorgan |40 |139 |414
Powys |nil |<1>36 |876
South Glamorgan |nil |19 |219
West Glamorgan |nil |38 |459
Note:
<1>Included are savings in respect of pilot projects. These were £36,000 in Powys in 1992-93.
In 1993-94 they were £8,000, £80,000 and £13,000 in Clwyd, Gwent and Gwynedd respectively. All
such savings were surrendered and reallocated by the Department for Health spending generally.
In accordance with regulations all savings are available for spending on patient care.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many GP fundholders have submitted their fundholder health plans to the relevant family health services authority.
Mr. Redwood: I understand that nine out or 10 GP fundholders in Wales have submitted health plans to family health services authorities, and that the remaining fundholders are expected to do so shortly.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioner fundholders have so far been removed from the scheme and for what reasons.
Crown Buildings, Cardiff
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he will make for the occupation of those sections of his main departmental accommodation
Column 373
at Crown buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff, when NCM Ltd. leaves.Mr. Redwood: My Department plans to use the space to be vacated by NCM for the relocation of Welsh Office staff currently housed in other buildings in Cardiff.
Steriliser Testing Services
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what independent evaluation he has carried out of the advantages and disadvantages of steriliser testing services carried out by (a) public sector and (b) private sector agencies.
Market Testing
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sections of his Department's responsibilities which have been market tested; on what date each was advertised for market testing; what was the outcome of the market-testing exercise; and, where appropriate, what was the name of the winning outside company.
Mr. Redwood: The information is as follows:
Welsh Office |Date first |Tender outcome
responsibility |advertised/published |(awarded to)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Building maintenance |November 1992 |Kirkham, Williams and
management | Lewis of Newport,
| Gwent
Catering services |August 1992 |Forward Catering
Security guarding |Candidates identified |In-house team
| on basis of research
| conducted by
| external advisers
Reprographic services |November 1992 |In-house team
Support services |November 1992 |In-house team
Staff training |November 1992 |Training Services
| (Wales) Ltd., of
| Bridgend
Cartographic and desk |November 1992 |In-house team
top publishing
Internal audit services |November 1992 |In-house team
Records management |March 1994 |In-house team
Typing services |March 1994 |In-house team
DEFENCE
Royal Navy Hospital, Haslar
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what considerations underlay his decision to retain the Royal Navy hospital at Haslar in Portsmouth; which military hospitals are scheduled for closure between the present time and 1996; and which will still be open in 1996.
Mr. Soames: A mix of defence-related medical training, operational and cost criteria, all of which were contained in the consultative document, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, led to the conclusion that Haslar would best meet the future medical support needs of the front line. Details of the future secondary care organisation of the defence medical services were given in my answer to the hon. Member for Scarborough (Mr. Sykes) of 8 December 1994, Official Report, columns 304- 305.
Column 374
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for improvements to the Royal Navy hospital, Haslar; and what assessments he has made of the costs of improving this hospital and Wroughton hospital.
Mr. Soames: Under our announced plans for reorganising service hospitals in the United Kingdom, the Royal Navy hospital, Haslar is to be expanded to become the tri-service core hospital. The anticipated costs in 25-year discounted cash flow investment appraisal terms are some £146,000,000. Costs for a similar expansion of the Princess Alexandra's RAF hospital, Wroughton would have been some £119,000,000 although not all facilities could have been created and insufficient patient flows would have been generated to fulfil the defence medical services' essential training requirements.
Medical Staff
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical staff were serving in the armed forces in each of the past five years; and what is the projected figure for 1996.
Mr. Soames: The total personnel of the defence medical services during the years in question are as follows:
1990--9,461
1991--9,335
1992--9,100
1993--9,220
1994--7,305
Current plans indicate a requirement for 5,722 posts from April 1996.
Military Hospitals
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the costs in each of the last five years for improvements to all military hospitals.
Mr. Soames: Figures are not available in the form requested.
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