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Lobby Organisations
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Ministers in his Department have on any occasion in the last seven days met representatives of (a) Messrs C. S. M. Parliamentary Consultants Ltd., (b) Dewe Rogerson Ltd., (c) Decision Makers Ltd., (d) G. J. W. Government Relations Ltd., (e) G.P.C., (f) G.J.W., (g) Ian Greer Associates Ltd., (h) Market Access Group, (i) Politics International, (j) Westminster Communications Group, (k) Westminster Strategy, (l) Good Relations, (m) Rowland Sallingbury Casy, (n) Lowe Bell, (o) Profile Corporate and Political Relations and (p) Shandwick Consultants Ltd. and discussed issues relating to the clients of these companies.
Cardiac and Orthopaedic Survey
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the waiting list for cardiac and
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orthopaedic surgery in each of the area health and social services boards for the last three years for which figures are available.Mr. Moss: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the total number of patients in Northern Ireland waiting for treatment in the cardiac surgery and trauma and orthopaedic specialties at 31 December in each of the last three years.
Cardiac Trauma and
Orthopaedic
surgery surgery
|(Ordinary |(Ordinary
|admissions)|Admissions)|(Day cases)
------------------------------------------------------------
1992 |797 |3,902 |n/a
1993 |701 |3,190 |n/a
1994 |443 |2,493 |517
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of cardiac operations purchased by Northern Ireland GP fundholders and area boards in the last three years for which figures are available in the Royal Victoria hospital, in Great Britain hospitals, in the private sector and the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Moss: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the total number of patients who have had cardiac operations at the Royal Victoria hospital in each of the last three years.
Year |Number ---------------------- 1991-92 |726 1992-93 |994 1993-94 |1,140
Cardiac surgery is not undertaken in any of the private sector hospitals or clinics in Northern Ireland and information about operations performed outside Northern Ireland is not collected centrally.
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of orthopaedic operations purchased by GP fundholders and area boards for the last three years for which figures are available in Musgrave Park hospital, the Royal Victoria hospital and the private sector.
Mr. Moss: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the total number of patients who had operations within the specialty of trauma and orthopaedics at the Royal Victoria hospital and Musgrave Park hospital in each of the last three years.
|Royal Victoria|Musgrave Park
Year |hospital |hospital
------------------------------------------------------------
1991-92 |1,160 |4,386
1992-93 |1,130 |4,039
1993-94 |1,351 |5,452
Information about orthopaedic operations undertaken in private sector hospitals or clinics is not collected.
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Single Programming Document
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the members of the working groups created to support the monitoring committee on the single programming document for Northern Ireland, their organisations and the planned dates of the meetings of the working groups; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Wheeler: In addition to Government and European Commission officials, the working groups, or sub-programme working committees, also include outside members drawn from various key sectors. Meetings will normally be held twice a year. Details of the outside members and the planned dates for the inaugural meetings of the committees are set out.
Name |Organisation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Economic Development-Meeting 24 March |
Mr. B. Johnston |First Trust bank
Professor I. Allen |NI Neuropathology
| Service, Royal
| Victoria hospital
Mr. P. Gorecki |NI Economic
| Council
Mr. J. McKinney |Society of Local
| Authority Chief
| Executives
|
Tourism-Meeting 23 March |
Mr. D. Fallows |Society of Local
| Authority Chief
| Executives
Mr. D. Broderick |Tourism and
| Hospitality Training
| Council (NI)
Ms P. Morris |Glenavon House
| Hotel
Mr. A. Goan |Belleek Pottery Ltd.
Mr. I McQuiston |National Trust
|
Physical and Social Environment-Meeting 22 March |
Dr. D. Stephens |Irish Council of
| Churches
Mrs. A. McGinley |Fermanagh District
| Council
Ms M. McWilliams |University of Ulster
Mr. S. McAleavey |NI Council for
| Voluntary Action
Mr. J. Redpath |Community Leader
|
Investment in the Development of People-
| Meeting 23 March (provisional)
Ms S. McKee |Cantrell and
| Cochrane Ltd.
Ms A. Kilmurray |NI Voluntary Trust
Mr. L. Hasson |Austin and Co. Ltd.,
| Londonderry
Mr. N. McBride |Job Link Training
| Scheme,
| Coleraine
|
Transportation-Meeting 31 March |
Mrs. M. Bell |NI General
| Consumer
Mr. J. Irvine |NI Transport
| Holding
| Company
|
Energy-Meeting 3 March |
Mr. W. Napier |Tyrone Brick Ltd.
Mr. M. Smyth |University of Ulster
Ms M. McCloskey |Neighbourhood
| Energy Action
|
Agriculture-Meeting 13 March |
Representative to be confirmed |Ulster Farmers
| Union
Representative to be confirmed |NI Agricultural and Producers
| Association
|
Rural Development-Meeting 14 March |
Mr. J. Armstrong |Rural Development
| Council
Professor F. Gordon |Agricultural
| Research Institute
| for NI
|
Fisheries-Meeting 10 to 11 April |
Mr. G. Golligher |Industrial
| Development Board
Mr. P. McCardle |Local Enterprise
| Development
| Unit
Mr. F. Ledwidge |NI Seafoods
|
Environmental Services and Protection-
| Meeting 16 March
Professor A. Long |Queen's University,
| Belfast
Dr. C. Carter |University of Ulster
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the members of the monitoring committee in respect of the single programming document for Northern Ireland, their organisations and the planned dates of the meetings of the committee; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Wheeler: In addition to Government and European Commission officials, the Northern Ireland single programme monitoring committee also includes five outside members drawn from various key sectors. These are Mr. Sean Curran, industry sector; Professor Wallace Ewart, training sector; Ms Avila Kilmurray, voluntary sector; Mr. Desmond Mitchell, district councils; and Mr. Norman Shaw, agriculture sector. The monitoring committee's inaugural meeting was held on 1 December 1994 and the next meeting is provisionally scheduled for 18 May 1995. The committee will normally meet twice a year.
Publications
Mr. Boyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all White Papers, Green Papers and pamphlets issued by his Department, or agencies for
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which it is responsible, in 1994 giving, in each case, the total cost to the exchequer of their production, publication and distribution; and what was the total equivalent cost in 1980.Sir John Wheeler: No White Papers issued by the NI Departments and NIO during 1994.
The following Green Papers were issued:
1. Social Services (NI)--draft codes of practice on conduct and accountability for the health and personal social services in NI, costing £550.
2. A strategic analysis of the education service. Costing £17,569 for production and publication only.
3. Small schools policy statement, costing £2,710 for production and publication only.
4. Policing in the community, costing £6,300.
Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office issue a wide range of pamphlets, broadly covering the services and facilities provided and outlining statutory requirements. To list the pamphlets and associated costs for those issued in 1994 would incur disproportionate costs.
Total equivalent costs for 1980 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Framework Document
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many copies of the framework document have been produced and distributed in Northern Ireland; and at what cost.
Mr. Ancram: Between 22 February and 1 March, almost 150,000 copies were printed, of which about 100,000 are already in circulation. The total cost of printing and distribution over the same period is estimated at £216,000.
The importance of the document and the need to secure wide and informed public debate requires widespread distribution to the public. Printing will continue until the demand for copies is met.
Abortions
Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the total number of abortions carried out on residents of Northern Ireland in England and Wales since 1968; (2) what is the estimated number of abortions on women from Northern Ireland which are included in the notifications of abortions in England and Wales since 1968.
Mr. Moss: Official estimates are not made of the number of abortions on women from Northern Ireland carried out in England and Wales. Since 1970, a total of 33,255 abortions have been notified under the Abortion Act 1967 as having been carried out in England and Wales on residents in Northern Ireland. Information is not available on abortions by country prior to 1970.
Private Lee Clegg
Mr. Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date the process began for the
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release on licence of Private Lee Clegg; and on what dates the meetings were held with (a) the trial judge, (b) the Lord Chief Justice and (c) the parole board.Sir John Wheeler: The internal review of Private Clegg's case commenced on 20 January 1995, immediately following the dismissal of his appeal to the House of Lords. The purpose of this review is to determine when the case should be considered by the Northern Ireland life sentence review board; there is no parole board in Northern Ireland.
The power to release a Northern Ireland life sentence prisoner on licence rests with the Secretary of State who is advised on such matters by the life sentence review board. Consultation with the Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland and the trial judge, if available, has not yet taken place as it is the final step before Ministers decide on release.
Ulster Paper Products
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set out all the public money used to assist Ulster Paper Products, now known as Smurfit Paper Products, since September 1992 and any assistance known to be given by the International Fund for Ireland.
Mr. Ancram: Financial assistance from public funds to Smurfit Corrugated Cases (Lurgan) Ltd., formerly Ulster Paper Products Ltd., since September 1992 is as follows.
Between June 1993 and June 1994, Ulster Paper Products Ltd. received £14,838 from the Training and Employment Agency towards training costs.
In April 1994, the Industrial Development Board offered Smurfit Corrugated Cases (Lurgan) Ltd. assistance of £3 million towards a £16.08 million investment by the company of which £946,000 has been drawn down.
In June 1994, the Training and Employment Agency offered further assistance of £214,800 to the company under the company development programme.
With regard to the International Fund for Ireland, this is an international organisation which is administered by an independent board appointed jointly by the two Governments. All disbursements by the fund are a matter for that board and questions regarding disbursements should be directed to the fund's chairman, Mr. William T. McCarter, PO Box 2000, Belfast, BT4 3SA.
DEFENCE
Iraqi Soil Samples
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soil samples from Iraq have been studied by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment; and how many of these samples show evidence of the use of chemical or biological weapons.
Mr. Soames: This is a matter for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its
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framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.Letter from Graham Pearson to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 2 March 1995:
Question 12, 22 February 1995
1. Your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence of 22 February 1995 asking how many soil samples from Iraq have been studied by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment and how many of these samples show evidence of the
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use of chemical and biological weapons has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to ensure that the UK Armed Forces have effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.
3. The Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment has analysed a total of 31 soil samples from Iraq collected on three occasions. Details of the dates on which these samples were collected, of their analysis and the findings are set out as follows:
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|Date sample
Site |collected |Date analysed |No of samples |Finding
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Triangle area northern Iraq |November 1988 |December 1988 |3 |All contained traces of CW agent,
|mustard and its decomposition
|products.
Various sites in northern Iraq |August |September, October 1992 |16 |No traces of CW agent found.
| 1992
Birjinni northern Iraq<1> |June 1992 |February 1993 |12 |Six samples from two bomb
|craters contained mustard and its
|decomposition products. Six
|samples from the other two bomb
|craters contained nerve agent
|decomposition products and one
|contained traces of the nerve
|agent, Sarin.
4. CBDE has also played a key role in assisting the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) on Iraq. Over 200 soil samples were analysed by CBDE staff in Iraq and a few at CBDE in support of inspections of the Muthanna site and of another site in Iraq. These analyses were not carried out to determine if chemical or biological weapons had been used.
Lethal Equipment
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what modifications or additions he has made to the definition of lethal equipment given in his answers of 2 May 1990, Official Report , column 602, and 23 July 1990, Official Report , column 72.
Export Sales Agreements
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what written guidelines exist to decide whether the advice of the Foreign Office or the Department of Trade and Industry should be obtained before approvals are given to defence export sales under Government to Government defence export agreements to which normal export licence procedures do not apply.
Mr. Freeman: All applications for defence exports under a Government to Government arrangement to which normal export licence procedures do not apply are circulated for advice to the FCO as laid down in an internal MOD manual. The DTI, in these cases, is not consulted because an export licence is not involved.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the defence export agreements memoranda of understanding contain a no-transfer without prior approval provision; and which do not.
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Mr. Freeman: Details of Government to Government memoranda of understanding are confidential. However, it is normal practice to provide for a "no-transfer without prior approval" clause when they cover the sale of defence equipment.
Defence Contractors
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if staff seconded from defence contractors at the time mentioned in his answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) of 1 March 1994, Official Report , column 670 , are still in post; and what additional staff have been seconded from defence contractors.
Mr. Freeman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 30 November to the hon. Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson), Official Report , column 778 .
Debt Collection Visits
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1994, Official Report , column 1167 , if the expenditure or transactions giving rise to the debt collection visits was incurred in the countries listed or in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Freeman: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Accounts Agency. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Michael Dymond to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 28 February 1995:
You asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1994 (Official Report column 1167), the expenditure or transactions giving rise to the debt collection visits was incurred in the countries visited or in the United Kingdom. This
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matter falls to me as Chief Executive of the Defence Accounts Agency for reply.The debt collection visits were in respect of debts incurred both in the countries visited and in the UK.
It was necessary to visit the countries in order to facilitate efficient liaison with the individuals holding the authority to either pay or clear the debt situation.
International Military Services Ltd.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the testing facilities built to designs supplied by International Military Services Ltd., are still available for use in Iraq.
Mr. Freeman: International Military Services Ltd. supervised the construction of a reinforced testing and servicing facility in Iraq between 1981 and 1987. As my predecessor made clear to the hon. Member on 12 March 1992, Official Report , column 607 , we have no record of the precise location of this facility and so cannot say whether it is still available for use.
Military Attache s
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report , column 87 , if he will list for each overseas post (a) the number of attache s, (b) the number of supporting staff and (c) the cost of residences for attache s and support staff.
Mr. Soames: A table showing the number, location, service and rank of service attache s, defence advisers and support staff is being placed in the Library of the House. The cost of residences for attache s and support staff is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report , column 87 , if he will give the strategic purpose of each posting.
Mr. Soames: Service attache s are appointed by the Ministry of Defence, subject to the concurrence of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. They serve the Ministry of Defence by supporting the sale of British defence equipment and related services; aiding defence co-operation, including military assistance overseas, performing representational and liaison duties; and providing advice to the head of mission and diplomatic staff.
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 February, Official Report , column 87 , if he will place in the Library a copy of the Goddard study.
Mr. Soames: Due to the classification of the report, I am unable to place a copy in the Library of the House.
Lobby Organisations
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Ministers in his Department have on any occasion in the last seven days met representatives of (a) Messrs C. S. M. Parliamentary Consultants Ltd., (b) Dewe Rogerson Ltd., (c) Decision Makers Ltd., (d) G. J. W. Government Relations Ltd., (e) G.P.C., (f) G.J.W., (g) Ian Greer Associates Ltd., (h) Market Access Group, (i)
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Politics International, (j) Westminster Communications Group, (k) Westminster Strategy, (l) Good Relations, (m) Rowland Sallingbury Casy, (n) Lowe Bell, (o) Profile Corporate and Political Relations and (p) Shandwick Consultants Ltd. and discussed issues relating to the clients of these companies.Mr. Freeman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science.
Publications
Mr. Boyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all White Papers, Green Papers and pamphlets issued by his Department, or agencies for which it is responsible, in 1994 giving, in each case, the total cost to the Exchequer of their production, publication and distribution; and what was the total equivalent cost in 1980.
Mr. Freeman: No central record is kept of all the White Papers, Green Papers and pamphlets produced, published and distributed by my Department. The central cost of printing such documents, among others, in 1994 was £12.56 million, but no record is held of the comparable figure for 1980. In addition to this, budget holders have considerable freedom and are able to pay for the cost of printing and distributing documents from their own budgets; these costs could not, however, be separately identified. In respect of those White Papers, Green Papers and other publications published by HMSO, all costs are borne by HMSO which aims to recover them from sales revenue.
Staff Cars
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 22 February, Official Report , columns 252-55 , regarding staff cars for officers in the armed services, what the annual mileage of their dedicated staff car was the for latest year for which the information is available for the posts numbered 11, 12, 31, 47, 76, 79 and 90.
Mr. Soames: The mileage of the cars in question during the latest 12 -month period for which information is available is as follows:
|Miles
---------------------------------------------------------
Serial 11, Commander British Forces Cyprus |16,318
Serial 12, Commander British Forces
Falkland Islands |10,046
Serial 31, Commander British Forces
Gibraltar |6,283
Serial 47, General Officer Commanding
Northern Ireland |12,000
Serial 76, Commander British Forces Hong
Kong |11,968
Serial 79, Governor of Gibraltar |2,175
Serial 90, Director General Saudi Armed
Forces Project |13,500
In some cases, topographical and security reasons may necessitate additional vehicles or other methods of transport being used. The serial numbers will have changed in the pursuant question which I answered yesterday.
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Sonobuoys
Sir Michael Neubert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his policy to retain a manufacturing capacity for sonobuoys in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Freeman: All sonobuoy requirements are subject to competition where this is feasible, and foreign competitors are not excluded. Our policy is to obtain best value for money in defence procurement while satisfying the requirements of the armed forces.
Sir Michael Neubert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place the same restrictions on foreign companies bidding for United Kingdom defence contracts as would apply to British companies bidding for similar contracts in those countries; and what the present position is in this respect with regard to sonobuoys and bidders from France and the United States of America.
Mr. Freeman: The Government's policy when procuring defence equipment is to aim for best value for money, wherever possible through the use of international competition for defence contracts. We prefer not to impose restrictions on potential bidders, not least because, if we were to protect our own defence market, this would undoubtedly invite retaliation damaging to United Kingdom defence exporters. Therefore, there are no restrictions on French and United States companies bidding for UK sonobuoy contracts. We continue to strive, through bilateral and multilateral channels, for greater mutual access to defence markets and, where appropriate, seek proposals for UK industrial participation in work let to overseas companies. We take into account a refusal to expand reciprocal rights.
Phoenix Aircraft
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, Official Report, column 885, what are the alternative systems under consideration concerning the purchase of remote- controlled surveillance aircraft.
Mr. Freeman: I have nothing further to add to my reply of 17 February, Official Report, column 885.
RAF St. Athan
Mr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of the damage done to Tornado aircraft at RAF St. Athan since 1990; and how many aircraft involved in a contract with Airwork Ltd., are no longer suitable for operational use.
Mr. Freeman: I refer the hon. Member to the answers which I gave him on 12 December 1994, Official Report , column 460 , and 14 December 1994, column 668 .
Peacekeeping
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his Department's policy to make a distinction between (a) peacekeeping operations and (b) peacemaking operations.
Mr. Soames: My Department recognises a spectrum of potential peace support operations ranging from preventative military deployments, through peacekeeping operations of varying degrees of complexity and intensity, to peace enforcement. The critical distinction is, however, whether such operations take place with the consent of all the parties involved, since this determines whether a peace
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support force is recognised by all sides to be impartial. In practice, decisions on whether to participate in particular operations are taken case by case in the light of the circumstances and other commitments.Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy concerning joint international peacekeeping training; and if he will specify the dates, units involved and countries which have worked with British forces on joint international peacekeeping training.
Mr. Soames: The preparation of individuals and units for peacekeeping operations is a national responsibility and, particularly in view of the differing training requirements of the armed services of different states, should remain so. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Defence favours international cooperation over peacekeeping training where this can usefully be done, and we have supported and contributed to the United Nations' efforts to harmonise national training programmes in this area. To date, co-operation has included joint seminars and map exercises, participation by foreign personnel in British peacekeeping training courses and peacekeeping field exercises. Co-operation has involved a wide range of allied and friendly nations, including activities under the auspices of "Partnership for Peace". There is no central record of the countries and units involved, or the dates on which joint training took place.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received from UNPROFOR in respect of military aircraft flights into west Tuzla air force base; what breaches of the arms embargo such reports have revealed; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: The activity of aircraft over Bosnia-Herzegovina is primarily a matter for the UN and NATO. We understand, however, that a transport aircraft may have been in the vicinity of Tuzla on the night of 10 February, but we have no knowledge of its intentions or whether the arms embargo was breached.
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