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Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by type and number, the items of surplus Ministry of Defence equipment held for (a) two years, (b) five years and (c) 10 years awaiting sale. [15784]
Mr. Freeman: The answer is as follows.
Items held for two years
1 Destroyer
2 Frigates
76 120mm Wombats
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32 105mm Howitzers46 Phantom Spey Engines
Items held for five years
Nil
Items held for 10 years
Nil
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the percentage share of the world market for surplus military equipment enjoyed by the United Kingdom; and if he will publish a table showing, in order, the top 10 nations that export surplus military equipment. [15812]
Mr. Freeman: The United Kingdom enjoyed a 4 per cent. share of the world market for surplus military equipment over the five years 1990 94.
Top ten exports of surplus military equipment 1990-94 |Percentage ------------------------------------- United States |61 Germany |12 United Kingdom |4 Netherlands |4 Iran |2 Bulgaria |2 Moldavia |1 Romania |1 North Korea |1 Qatar |1 Others |11
Defence Export Services Organisation
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) of 25 January, Official Report , columns 285 86 , if he will list the location of overseas staff employed by the Defence Export Services Organisation; if he will list the number employed in each country; what is the total annual cost of keeping staff overseas; and if he will make a statement. [15786]
Mr. Freeman: The information requested is as follows:
|Estimated cost
|1994-95
Location |Staff numbers |£'000
------------------------------------------------------------
Riyadh |2 |138
Kuwait |3 |102
New Delhi |6 |86
Kuala Lumpur |5 |197
Seoul |3 |110
Canberra |2 |88
Jakarta |3 |167
Bangkok |3 |101
Ankara |2 |78
In addition, there are 54 Disposal Sales Agency staff based in Germany, whose costs are not separately identified from UK-based DSA staff, and 83 project management staff whose costs are paid by the overseas customer on whose behalf the project management work is undertaken.
Army Base Repair Organisation Ashford
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement on
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the future of ABRO, Ashford; and if he will make a statement. [15756]Mr. Freeman: The decision on the future of support from ABRO facilities has been delayed due to the complex nature of the issue it raises and to allow for a very full consultation process. I hope to announce a decision shortly.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities in terms of (a) access to telephones, (b) use of equipment, (c) use of offices, (d) access to ministerial meetings, (e) sight of correspondence, (f) attendance at
inter-departmental meetings and (g) access to civil servants are available to specialist advisers in his Department. [15634]
Mr. Soames: Special advisers are members of the civil service, have the same conditions of service as civil servants and are subject to the same rules and conduct as other civil servants, with certain limited exceptions. They have facilities appropriate to their duties.
Political Advisers
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of those persons appointed as political advisers to his Department since May 1992. [15635]
Mr. Soames: The information requested is given below:
Perry Miller (already in post May 1992)
Crispin Blunt (appointed February 1993)
Deregulation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets he has for withdrawing regulations within his Department. [15562]
Mr. Freeman: The MOD does not have any targets for withdrawing regulations because it is not a regulator of business or responsible for any primary or secondary legislation under which regulations are made with a significant impact on business.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that his ministerial management information system for establishing objectives for his Department includes deregulation objectives (a) for him and (b) for each of the Ministers within his Department. [15568]
Mr. Freeman: The MOD is not a regulatory department but is playing a full part in the Government's deregulation initiative, principally by simplifying its dealing with industry wherever possible. The MOD's departmental report contains a standing objective to meet Government requirements, such as deregulation.
Official Service Residences
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the findings of Sir Peter Cazalet's investigation into official service residences. [15962]
Mr. Soames: Sir Peter's Cazalet's report on "Representational Entertainment in the Forces" is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Defence shortly after Easter. I shall make a further statement when
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it has been received and my Department has had an opportunity to consider it.Service Personnel (Suicide)
Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 March, Official Report , column 522 to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), what consideration he gave to including in his answer a reference to Sergeant Robin Feddon, as raised in his statement on 26 July 1993, Official Report , column 976-80 ; and if he will reconsider his Answer in respect of other claimed cases of suicide of Gulf war veterans serving in Germany. [14933]
Mr. Soames: My answer of 14 March about the number of Gulf war veterans who have committed suicide was unfortunately incorrect since it did not take account of the suicide of Sergeant Feddon. Our records are being checked and my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) as soon as possible to set the record straight.
Turkey
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what United Kingdom forces or logistical back-up have been made available to Turkey to support (a) internal and (b) external military operations; and if he will make a statement. [16684]
Mr. Soames: Turkey is a NATO ally. Along with other allies, the UK gives support in a number of ways, including through NATO collective funds which support a range of military facilities in all NATO nations to meet NATO operational requirements.
Ballistic Missile Defence
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the pre-feasibility study on ballistic missile defence; and when he expects to receive a copy of the report. [16539]
Mr. Freeman: Work progresses on the pre-feasibility study for ballistic missile defence. A report will be made available to Ministers in the autumn of 1996 and will include the results of the pre-feasibility and associated studies.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procurement plans he has for ballistic missile defence; and if he will make a statement. [16538]
Mr. Freeman: It is too early to make a statement on procurement plans for BMD. However, the results of the BMD pre-feasibility study programme will inform UK BMD policy and thus UK procurement plans. Announcements will be made as data become available and the options for BMD become clearer.
TRANSPORT
British Rail
Mr. Gunnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total sum refunded by British Rail following claims under the citizens charter.
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Mr. Watts: The latest BR figures show that, up to 12 November 1994, £8.6 million has been paid to passengers claiming compensation under BR's passengers charter.
M25
Sir Cranley Onslow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what explanation he has received from the Highways Agency for its delay in submitting a scheme for motorway link roads between the Chertsey and Wisley junctions on the M25. [14901]
Mr. Watts: The Highways Agency is looking at a range of options for providing additional capacity between junctions 10 and 12 of the M25 motorway. It will submit its recommendations on the scheme following completion of this work.
Rail Modernisation
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold discussions with Railtrack about the time remaining before modernisation; and how the Government can help in the process. [15683]
Mr. Watts: I meet Railtrack regularly to discuss west coast main line modernisation and other important projects. On 21 March 1995 I announced approval for the letting of a contract for the development of the signalling system for the WCML project.
West Coast Main Line
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost of Railtrack's feasibility study team analysis of whether to modernise the rail network; when the work began; what studies have been completed in this time; and what factors governed the time scale of the inquiry. [15682]
Mr. Watts: The feasibility study for the modernisation of the west coast main line was started on 24 March 1994. This study was completed, on time, in December 1994. The time scale for the study was driven by the scale of the task involved. The cost of the study is a commercial issue for Railtrack.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what factors led to the granting to Railtrack of permission to study the west coast main line; what consideration was given to asking an independent body to undertake the study; to what supervision Railtrack is subjected in the course of the study; and what independent study will be carried out before the franchising director adopts Railtrack's recommendation; [15685]
(2) what has been the involvement of (a) the franchising director and (b) the Secretary of State in Railtrack's recent study of rail modernisation. [15684]
Mr. Watts: The project was awarded to a consortium of private sector organisations following a competition. Ministers and the franchising director have been kept closely in touch with progress on the study. The franchising director is currently discussing its conclusions with prospective franchisees.
Special Advisers
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what facilities in terms of (a) access to telephones, (b) use of equipment, (c) use of offices, (d)
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access to ministerial meetings, (e) sight of correspondence, (f) attendance at interdepartmental meetings and (g) access to civil servants are available to specialist advisers in his Department. [15606]Dr. Mawhinney: Special advisers are members of the civil service, have the same conditions of service as civil servants and are subject to the same rules of conduct as other civil servants, with certain limited exceptions. They have facilities appropriate to their duties.
Deregulation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that his ministerial management information system for establishing objectives for his Department, includes deregulation objectives (a) for him and (b) for each of the Ministers within his Department. [15576]
Dr. Mawhinney: One of the aims of this Department is to work to reduce the burden of unnecessary regulation. Each Minister has to pursue this objective in the policy areas for which he is responsible. There is also a Minister with particular responsibility for promoting deregulation in the Department.
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what targets he has for withdrawing regulations within his Department. [15549]
Mr. Norris: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs.
Road Tunnels
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the location, length in metres and cost of all road tunnels (a) constructed by his Department in each of the past 10 years and (b) proposed for construction in future with estimated cost. [15681]
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Robert Key, dated 27 March 1995 :
As you know, Mr. John Watts, the Minister for Railways and Roads has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the location, length in metres and cost of all road tunnels (a) constructed by his Department in each of the past 10 years and (b) proposed for construction in future with estimated cost. This is attached. You will understand that any simple cost comparisons, based on tunnel length, could be very misleading given the many differing factors which will apply in each case--tunnel location (urban/rural region), geological and groundwater conditions, total lane width and construction method (bored NATM or cut and cover etc).
Schemes with Tunnels
|Length |Actual cost|Date
Location |(in metres)|(£m) |opened
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Tunnels opened since 1985
Hatfield tunnel (A1(M) |1,150 |23.6 |12/86
Hertfordshire
Round Hill tunnel (A20 Kent) |390 |13.2 |11/93
[2] Tunnel schemes under construction
Green Man Hackney-M11 |174 |7.04 |-
(East London)
George Green Hackney-M11 |300 |8.43 |-
(East London)
Southwick (A27 Sussex) |490 |14.9 |-
[3] Tunnel schemes about to start construction
Fore Street tunnel (A406 North |310 |17.0 |-
London)
Meir tunnel (A50 |284 |6.01 |-
Staffordshire)
[4] Tunnel schemes in
planning |- |<1>- |-
Western Circus tunnel (A40 |187 |8.0 |-
West London)
Regents Park Road tunnel West London) |830 |30.5 |-
West London)
Ealing Common tunnel (A406 |520 |21.7 |-
West London)
Wilmer Way tunnel (A406 |298 |12.7 |-
North London)
Bounds Green-Green Lanes |198 |7.6 |-
tunnel (A406 North London)
Hindhead tunnel (A3 Surrey) |1,720 |35.0 |-
Worthing Bypass tunnels (A27 |580 |25.0 |-
Sussex)
River Rother tunnel (A259 |300 |19.0 |-
Sussex)
Saltaire Relief Road tunnel |2,500 |135.0 |-
(A650 Yorkshire)
Wychbury tunnel (A456 |330 |9.74 |-
Worcestershire)
<1>Estimated cost (£m) RCPI 95
Political Advisers
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of those persons appointed as political advisers to his Department since May 1992. [15607]
Dr. Mawhinney: Mrs. E. F. Laing was appointed as political adviser from 13 April 1992 to 20 July 1994. Mr. M. G. E. Simmonds has been appointed as political adviser since 24 October 1994.
Delayed Rail Journeys
Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions during each of the last four years rail journeys have been delayed as a result of either poor weather or criminal activity affecting overhead electrical power supply. [15749]
Mr. Watts: The information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
A303
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set up a round table conference to consider improvements to the A303 at Stonehenge; and if he will make a statement. [15929]
Mr. Watts: I hope to do so and will announce the arrangements later in the year.
Ship Loading Hours
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hours a day it is (a) possible and (b) permissible for a ship the size of the MV Caroline to be
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loaded with goods brought in by heavy lorries at Brightlingsea docks. [16001]Mr. Norris: The statutory powers of the Brightlingsea harbour commission do not specify hours within which vessels have to be loaded with goods.
Bilateral Aviation Agreements
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on UK/USA bilateral aviation agreements; and if he will make a statement. [16673]
Mr. Norris: Formal UK/USA aviation talks took place in London from 22 to 24 March. Various proposals designed to increase competition in air services between the two countries were discussed. The talks are due to continue in Washington on 10 April.
British Transport Police
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Home Office on extending the powers and jurisdiction of the British Transport police; and if he will make a statement. [16301]
Scottish Rail Services
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of representations which he has received from Highlands and Islands Enterprise in respect of the highlands to London sleeper and Motorail services; if he will place in the Library a copy of the economic assessment which he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of such services; and if he will make a statement. [15142]
Mr. Watts: My right hon. Friend has recently received a letter from the chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise. A copy of that letter has been placed in the Library.
The withdrawal of the London-Fort William sleeper and Motorail service with effect from 28 May is a commercial decision by the British Railways Board. The franchising director will take account of any representations on the economic impact of the withdrawal of this service within the context of his consultation with the Scottish regional councils and the rail users consultative council on the draft passenger service requirement for ScotRail later this year.
Roads (Co-ordination)
Mr. Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is responsible for co-ordinating road openings by local authorities, utilities and the Highways Agency. [15510]
Mr. Watts: The duty of co-ordination, under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, falls on the relevant street authority--the Highways Agency, on behalf of the Secretary of State, for motorways and trunk roads, the local highway authority for all other roads maintainable at public expense, and the street managers for private streets. The duty extends to co-ordination with other street authorities when the works affect roads for which those authorities are responsible.
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Southend Lane, London
Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department will approve the funding for the bridge works at Southend lane, London SE26, and when he expects the road improvement scheme to commence and finish. [16175]
Mr. Norris: A scheme including the reconstruction of the bridge was not successful in Lewisham's transport policies and programme bid for 1995 96. The Government office for London is discussing with Lewisham how the proposals might be modified for consideration in next year's submission. Nothing definite can be said at present about the funding or timing of the scheme.
Trans-European Road Network
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if United Kingdom roads designated trans-European road network roads may benefit from EU funding. [15977]
Mr. Watts: Schemes to upgrade existing UK roads or construct missing links designated part of the trans-European road network may benefit from EU funding under the trans-European networks budget line, when the draft financial regulation currently under discussionis adopted. The draft regulation provides for support up to a maximum of 10 per cent. of total investment costs.
Roads (Recycled Materials)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what use is made in new road building of recycled material from old roads. [15890]
Mr. Watts: This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 27 March 1995:
As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for the Environment, what use is made in new road building of recycled material from old roads.
It is government policy to encourage conservation and facilitate the use of reclaimed materials to reduce pressure on sources of primary aggregates and obtain environmental benefits. Wherever practical the Highways Agency provides the opportunity in trunk road contracts for including recycled materials from old roads in new road construction. Our requirements for materials are set out in the Specification for Highway Works published by HMSO. material from old roads can be used in a variety of ways. it can be incorporated within road foundations as a fill material, be used as an aggregate within either bituminous or cement bound layers, or as in the case of bituminous planings be mixed with new bitumen and aggregate for use in road construction or maintenance.
Since 1992 up to 10% of new surfacing can be drawn from reclaimed bituminous material such as planings from old roads. Following the results of further research, this summer we are raising the percentage allowable to 30% for certain bituminous materials,. We also permit a wide range of options for reuse and recycling of old concrete roads, indeed crushed concrete is highly valued as an aggregate by the construction industry. The Highways Agency is shortly to publish new advice on the conservation and use of reclaimed materials in road construction and maintenance which highlights the scope for reuse and recycling and is aimed at encouraging a greater awareness of the opportunities available. No central records are kept of actual quantities of old road material used in new roads. However, the DOE's Mineral Planning Guidance MPG6, published in April 1994, indicated that 80% of
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road planings, for example,were recycled in some form. Not all of this will be in roads as planings are in great demand for use on parking areas, footpaths and farm accesses. Estimates suggest that there are around 7 8 million tonnes of bituminous road planings produced each year.Marchioness
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set up a public inquiry into the sinking of the Marchioness in order to resolve issues of public importance which have not been settled either by criminal or civil proceedings or by inquest procedures. [15906]
Mr. Norris [holding answer 24 March 1995]: We do not believe that it would be appropriate or necessary to set up a public inquiry into the loss of the Marchioness. The marine accident investigation branch has carried out a full and thorough investigation into the disaster and its report has been published. The inquest into the deaths of those who died in the disaster has not yet been concluded.
Speed Limiters
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to act upon excessive speeds of commercial vehicles reported under section 11 of his "Road Traffic Statistics Great Britain 1994". [16250]
Mr. Norris: Speed limiters will be fitted to coaches and new heavy goods vehicles by 1 January 1996.
Insurance Policy Discs
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require all vehicles to display a current insurance policy disc on the windscreen in addition to tax discs. [16270]
Mr. Norris: As explained in answers given by my predecessor on 23 June 1993, Official Report, columns 171 72, and 1 February 1994, Official Report, column 628, there would be practical problems associated with a windscreen insurance disc system. However, we continue to take the problem of uninsured driving very seriously and are discussing with the industry various possible measures, including windscreen discs which might reduce the level of evasion of insurance requirements.
Stansted Airport
Mr. Haselhurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if people living near Stansted airport can continue to rely on the assurances given in the 1985 White Paper that a second main runway would not be constructed. [16381]
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