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priority written answer or answer on a named day, were answered within three days; how many received a holding reply; and how many of those which received a holding reply then received a substantive answer within a further five, 10, 15, 20 days or longer; [18506] (3) how many parliamentary questions to his Department that were transferred for answer to the chief executive or other senior official of a non-departmental public body or agency for which he has responsibility received an answer which was not printed in the Official Report in each year since 1979 80 or for each year that the body or agency has been in existence; [18510](4) how many times in each year since 1979 80 his Department has written to a right hon. Member correcting an answer to a parliamentary question; [18508]
(5) how many times in each year since 1979 80 his Department has given a reply to a parliamentary question which has resulted in the information requested being placed in the Library and not printed in the Official Report ; [18507]
(6) how many parliamentary questions to his Department were transferred for answer to the chief executive or other senior official of a non- departmental public body or agency for which he has responsibility in each year since 1979 80 or for each year that the body or agency has been in existence. [18509]
Mr. Norris: The information requested is a matter of public record, but could be extracted in the form requested only at
disproportionate cost.
Coach Parking, London
Mr. Shersby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy for providing coach parks in central London, with particular reference to coaches bringing tourists to visit the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey; and if he will make a statement. [18096]
Mr. Norris: It is for the London boroughs to provide coach parking facilities. With this Department's encouragement, discussions between the boroughs, the coach and tourist industries and others have recently brought significant improvements, including the provision of 150 new coach spaces in central London.
Pedestrian Rights
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the implementation of the European charter of pedestrian rights. [18235]
Mr. Norris: The Government endorse the intentions of the charter to promote the principle of pedestrians as road users, but we do not believe that it would be practicable to adopt all of its detailed requirements.
Correspondence
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Under-Secretary of State for Transport will reply to the letters from Mr. Brian Bostock, dated 20 February and 8 March. [18264]
Mr. Norris: I replied to Mr. Bostock's letter of 8 March on 28 March. My Department has no trace of his letter of 20 February.
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Railway Noise Barriers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost per metre of (a) reflective and (b) absorbent railway noise barriers of a common height. [18397]
Mr. Watts: Railway noise barriers vary in height, but the most commonly used are 2m high. The comparative costs per linear metre at this height are £210 for a reflective barrier and £340 for an absorptive barrier. The costs quoted are for barriers alongside a new railway line and include installation.
Defective Public Service Vehicles
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances a public service passenger vehicle may remain in service with a defective speedometer or tachograph. [18263]
Mr. Norris: It is an offence to use, cause or permit to be used any vehicle on a road which does not comply with the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 which include provisions relating to speedometers and recording equipment.
In addition, under European legislation, in the event of a breakdown or faulty operation of a tachograph, the employer must have it repaired by an approved fitter or workshop as soon as circumstances permit or, if the vehicle is unable to return to the premises within one week, en route.
Pedestrian Zones
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken into the extent to which restrictions on vehicles entering pedestrian-only zones are flouted. [18234]
Mr. Norris: None. Local authorities are solely responsible for the day-to-day administration of their pedestrian zones.
DEFENCE
Phoenix
Mr. Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision will be taken on the future of the Phoenix remotely piloted vehicle programme; and if he will make a statement. [18774]
Mr. Freeman: The Ministry of Defence has reviewed the Phoenix programme to determine how best to proceed in the light of delays to the programme and remaining technical problems.
Subject to the satisfactory conclusion of an agreement with the prime contractor, GEC-Marconi Avionics, we have decided that an additional programme of work on Phoenix should be undertaken to resolve the remaining technical difficulties and to demonstrate satisfactory system performance over a series of rigorous flight trials. This programme of work, which will last about one year, will be undertaken at the contractor's expense. The MOD will make no further payments to the company for the supply of Phoenix until the successful completion of the programme.
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We believe that, provided the remaining technical problems can be overcome within an acceptable time scale, the Phoenix system will provide a cost-effective means of meeting the Army's need for an unmanned airborne surveillance system. Should GMAv fail at any stage to demonstrate satisfactory progress during the programme of work, the Ministry of Defence will, however, be prepared to cancel the project. While the work is in progress we will, therefore, examine potential alternative systems, in case it does not prove practicable to bring Phoenix up to an acceptable standard.The prime contractor's undertaking to carry out the necessary work at its own cost and risk will require the company to apply considerable additional resources. We welcome this substantial commitment on its part, which reflects the confidence expressed at the most senior levels of the company in its ability to produce an effective system. In the meantime, the position of the Ministry of Defence and the interests of the taxpayer have been fully protected.
Defence Accounts Agency
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the first three-year review of the Defence Accounts Agency have now been completed; and if he will make a statement. [18775]
Mr. Freeman: The review of the first three years of operation of the Defence Accounts Agency has now been completed and I have placed a consultative document, summarising its findings; the options for the future; and the proposed way ahead in the Library of the House. The Ministry of Defence has also now considered the future of the proposed Defence Accounts Agency mainframe rationalisation project. We have decided in the light of the conclusions of the review, that it would not now be appropriate to proceed with this project.
Service Career and Manpower Structures
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his policy towards performance-related pay for the Armed Forces; [18297]
(2) what consideration he is giving to a reduction in the number of ranks in (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement; [18299]
(3) when he expects to make a statement concerning the Bett report. [18298]
Mr. Rifkind [holding answer 4 April 1995]: My right hon. Friend, the then Minister for the Armed Forces, announced on 9 February 1994, Official Report, column 361 , the intention, in the light of changes in military commitments and deployment patterns, to set in hand a major independent review of service career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service, to ensure that we will have personnel and management arrangements appropriate to the early part of the 21st century. The review was to be wide-ranging in accordance with the terms of reference set out on 30 March 1994, Official Report , columns 748 49 . It was also to take into account the implications of the front line first exercise. In that context, the Government have made it clear that, following the decisions that have been taken on the size, capabilities and roles of the armed forces for the post-cold war world, the armed forces are now set on a steady
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course for the future. Mr. Michael Bett was appointed to lead the review.Mr. Bett and his team have completed their review; I received their report, "Managing People in Tomorrow's Armed Forces", on 30 March. Mr. Bett has consulted extensively within the armed forces and within my Department. He has made some 150 recommendations which cover the whole field of rank and career structures, pay and allowance structures and pensions, housing and accommodation policies and wider conditions of service. As Mr. Bett says, his intention has been to ensure that the armed forces continue to hold their own against civilian competitors, in recruiting and retaining high quality people. We are most grateful to Mr. Bett and his team for all their work.
Mr. Bett has undertaken an independent review; we now need to consider his recommendations. Our initial examination is likely to take several weeks, and will include a consideration of the amount of further study and development required to validate Mr. Bett's proposals. I shall make a further statement about our general approach at the end of that period. Thereafter, there will need to be a further, more lengthy development period before a final definitive response to the report can be made.
Throughout this process, I intend that, as for front line first, the armed forces themselves should be fully involved. Service personnel will be encouraged to submit their comments, which we shall consider carefully. In the meantime, to assist in the consultation process, Mr. Bett's report is being published today. A copy of the report is being distributed to every unit of the armed forces, together with an explanatory leaflet for every service man and woman. Copies of the report and leaflet are being placed in the Library of the House.
Internet
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Internet electronic mail addresses of (a) his Department and (b) each Minister in his Department; and if he will make a statement on his Department's approach to the information super-highway. [17739]
Mr. Freeman: For security reasons, the MOD does not use Internet electronic mail widely for communication within this Department. This function is served by the Department's own secure electronic mail facility within its corporate headquarters office technology system. Departmental Internet electronic mail addresses are not centrally co-ordinated within MOD and no list is available. However, there are estimated to be several hundred personal addresses rising to more than a thousand if the Defence Research Agency is included. There are no personal Internet electronic mail addressees for MOD Ministers. The Department's approach to the information super-highway is that it may be used where appropriate. For example, the Department's press releases are issued electronically through the Central Office of Information and are accessible to users of Internet via Data-Star dialog (Europe) or Mead/Lexis/Nexis.
RAF Strategic Deterrent Force
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what review process was adopted in regard to the official history commissioned from Humphrey Wynn on
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the RAF strategic nuclear deterrent forces, published by HMSO. [17519]Mr. Soames: Humphrey Wynn's official history on the RAF strategic nuclear deterrent forces was reviewed in accordance with the initiatives set out in paragraph 9.28 of the White Paper on Open Government, Cmd 2290, and released under the provisions of section 5(1) of the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967.
Aircraft Crashes
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what post- crash investigations into the possibility of toxic contamination are conducted by or on behalf of his Department in the event of accidents involving RAF or Royal Naval aircraft. [17517]
Mr. Soames: An RAF environmental health officer is held at immediate readiness at all times to attend aircraft crash sites to identify hazards. The EHO's role is to provide occupational hygiene advice and monitoring for other personnel attending the crash site and environmental monitoring of the site to advise on soil and water contamination.
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will establish an investigation into the recent allegations published in Newfoundland that an RAF Canberra aircraft carrying radioactive samples crashed at Goose bay, Newfoundland in 1957. [17518]
Mr. Soames: I am unaware of these allegations. I can confirm that an RAF Canberra crashed in the vicinity of Goose bay, Labrador, on 16 May 1957. An investigation into the incident was conducted at the time, and I know of no reason to reopen it.
Airport Use
Mr. Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for transport in respect of the possibility of using BAe-owned airports for civilian use in areas where current civilian airports are overcrowded. [17377]
Disabled Former Service Personnel
Mr. Jim Cunnigham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he is making to ensure that those disabled former members of the armed forces are assisted in finding insurance to meet mortgage interest payments. [17374]
Mr. Soames: My Department makes no specific arrangements to assist disabled former members of the armed forces in finding insurance to meet mortgage interest payments. All service personnel discharged on medical grounds are advised by a resettlement advice officer on how best to prepare for entry to civilian life, and this advice covers a number of aspects such as employment, housing and financial matters.
Major Projects (Late Running)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to remedy the late running of major defence projects; and what was the total amount of cost overruns in the current financial year. [17375]
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Mr. Freeman: My Department has instituted several initiatives in recent years to improve the timeliness of delivery of major projects. These initiatives include tauter contracting; improved risk management; better training and guidance for project managers; and procedures for better estimation of in-service dates. Information on Defence equipment cost control performance was published in March 1995 in the MOD's departmental report, Cm 2801, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Nigeria (Visits)
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the exact dates of visits by officials in his Department to Nigeria since June 1993 and the reason for the visit in each case. [17777]
Mr. Freeman: My Department does not hold a central record of visits by officials overseas nor could one be provided except at disproportionate cost. No official visits to Nigeria since June 1993 have been identified.
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the exact dates of ministerial visits to Nigeria since June 1993 listing the Ministers and the reasons for the visit in each case. [17782]
Mr. Freeman: There have been no visits to Nigeria by Ministers in my Department since June 1993.
Arms Exports
Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures his Department will be implementing to ensure that all future transfers of military, security and police equipment, including dual-use technologies, will comply with the European Parliament resolution, passed on 19th January. [17781]
Mr. Freeman: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. colleague the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Technology to him.
Chemical Weapons
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the effect on the marine environment of any leakage of the contents of the ships scuttled in the Irish Sea in the mid- 1950s; [17849]
(2) on how many occasions since 1965 ordnance, nerve gases and other noxious agents have been dumped at sea. [17851]
Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 448 , 3 February, Official Report , column 890 , and 31 March, Official Report , columns 875 76 , to the hon. Members for South Shields (Dr. Clark) and for Western Isles (Mr. Macdonald).
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy for getting rid of surplus ordnance and chemical and biological weapons. [17850]
Mr. Soames: Surplus conventional munitions are disposed of by demolition, open burning or breakdown. The UK no longer holds stocks of chemical weapon munitions, and any old chemical weapons munitions found in the UK are transferred to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down, where rounds are individually analysed and the chemical agent
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"fill" disposed of by incineration. Biological weapons were abandoned by the UK in the 1950s: there has been no recent requirement to dispose of any such weapons.Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that nerve gases, bombs and other noxious agents dumped in the North sea in the mid-1950s do not pose a threat to coastal areas of the United Kingdom and Ireland and to the marine environment. [17852]
Mr. Soames: My Department has no knowledge of dumping of any chemical munitions or their agents in the North sea in the 1950s.
Low Flying
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the reason for the low-level pass over Bessacarr, Doncaster, by an RAF jet at 19.28 on 23 March. [17833]
Mr. Soames: Two formations of two United States Air Force F-15 aircraft were authorised to fly in the general area around this time, and an investigation is underway to establish whether these aircraft flew at low level over Bessacarr. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member when this is complete.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of the training exercise which brought eight Tornado aircraft from RAF Bruggen to Barnoldswick on 30 January . [17853]
Mr. Soames: The cost of the training sortie was £117,000. As the hon. Member is aware from my answer of 10 February, Official Report , column 463 , an investigation is under way to establish whether the aircraft flew over Barnoldswick.
Tornado Crashes
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 March, Official Report, column 397, how many RAF personnel or civilians were killed or injured as a result of the Tornado crashes. [17806]
Mr. Soames: A total of 17 RAF personnel and two civilians were killed in the Tornado crashes referred to.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 March, Official Report, column 397 , what reasons have been established for each of the Tornado crashes. [17804]
Mr. Soames: Summaries of the RAF boards of inquiry into all but four of the crashes referred to in the question can be found in the Library of the House. Boards of inquiry into the remaining four are still under way and copies of the summary of their findings will be placed in the Library in due course.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 March, Offical Report, column 397 , what was the replacement cost of the 27 Tornado aircraft lost since 1981. [17805]
Mr. Soames: Of the 27 Tornado aircraft which crashed over the UK land area or at sea in UK waters, four have been repaired. No replacement costs arise for the remaining 23 aircraft since there is an attrition reserve
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from which aircraft are taken to replace those lost. Records are not maintained centrally of other costs which may arise from an accident, such as aircraft salvage or third party claims.Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 March, Offical Report, column 397, if any of the 17 Tornados which crashed on land did so in built up-area. [17807]
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF Tornado aircraft have crashed since 1983 outside United Kingdom land and United Kingdom-controlled sea (a) in military operations, (b) as a result of pilot error and (c) due to mechanical or similar failure. [17848]
Mr. Soames: The information requested is as follows:
(a) six Tornados crashed during combat sorties during the Gulf conflict.
Completed RAF boards of inquiry concluded that:
(b) six Tornados have crashed as a result of aircrew error; (c) three Tornados have crashed as a result of mechanical or similar failure.
Sarin
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the chemical agent Sarin was stored at RAF Llandwrog. [17893]
Mr. Soames: No Sarin was stored at RAF Llandwrog.
Parliamentary Questions
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many parliamentary questions to his Department that were transferred for answer to the chief executive or other senior official of a non- departmental public body or agency for which he has responsibility received an answer which was not printed in the Official Report in each year since 1979 80 or for each year that the body or agency has been in existence; [18454]
(2) how many parliamentary questions to his Department in each year since 1979 80 requesting a priority written answer or answer on a named day were answered within three days; how many received a holding reply; and how many of those which received a holding reply then received a substantive answer within a further five, 10, 15, 20 days or longer; [18450]
(3) how many times in each year since 1979 80 his Department has written to a right hon. or hon. Member correcting an answer to a parliamentary question; [18452]
(4) how many times in each year since 1979 80 his Department has given a reply to a parliamentary question which has resulted in the information requested being placed in the Library and not printed in the Official Report ; [18451]
(5) how many parliamentary questions requesting an ordinary written answer were received by his Department in each year since 1979 80; and how many such questions received a substantive answer within 10, 15, 20 days or longer; [18449]
(6) how many parliamentary questions to his Department were transferred for answer to the chief executive or other senior official of a non- departmental public body or agency for which he has responsibility in each year since 1979 80 or for each year that the body or agency has been in existence. [18453]
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Mr. Freeman: The information requested is a matter of public record but it could be extracted in the form requested only at disproportionate cost.
Advertising
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for 1992 93 and 1993 94, separate figures for the spending by his Department on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotional materials and activities, (e) the totals in each year of (a) to (d) and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising; and what are his latest estimates for the years 1994 95 and 1995 96. [17617]
Mr. Soames: My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost of aid in each of the last five financial years from his Department to states of the former Soviet Union; and from which subheads of which votes this expenditure has been taken. [18126]
Mr. Freeman: The Ministry of Defence's programme of promoting bilateral defence cooperation and contacts with central and eastern Europe- -including the states of the former Soviet Union--began in 1993 94 and involved expenditure of £70,000 under vote 1E1, in that same year. The budget for 1994 95 was increased to £200,000. In addition, the MOD has on occasion agreed to waive costs of training provided to central and eastern European countries where the aims serve defence interests. The total of these waivers was £77,000 in 1993 94 and £456,000 in 1994 95.
The Ministry of Defence is also assisting Russia in the removal of nuclear warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles to destruction sites. The total costs of this fall to vote 3B4 and are: 1992 93: £2.2 million
1993 94: £13.4 million
1994 95: £16.6 million
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