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Royal Naval Supplies Depot, Endsleigh
Mr. Devlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a survey of G Block, Ministry of Defence Endsleigh was carried out prior to the decision to relocate the CRISP computer there from RNSD Eaglescliffe. [26655]
Mr. Soames: Yes. A survey of G Block, Endsleigh, was carried out in 1991 prior to the decision in 1994 to close the CRISP mainframe computer operation at RNSD Eaglescliffe.
Mr. Devlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the cost overrun of relocating the small parts stores from RNSD Eaglescliffe to Portsmouth. [26657]
Mr. Soames: No cost overrun is anticipated.
Mr. Devlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what surveys have been carried out of G and C blocks at Ministry of Defence Endsleigh. [26654]
Mr. Soames: A survey of G block was conducted in September 1991 after which re-cladding work was completed in early 1993. A further survey, carried out earlier this year, revealed faults in the structure of the annexe to G Block and this will shortly be vacated and demolished. Although no specific survey of C block has been conducted, in common with other upgrading on the site, windows are being replaced and the roof relayed; this work is due to be completed later this year.
Mr. Devlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of demolishing, site clearance and construction of a replacement computer facility at Ministry of Defence Endsleigh. [26656]
Mr. Soames: No decisions have yet been taken on the location of the next generation of computer systems being developed for the Navy. It will not be possible to determine any costs, regardless of where they may be located, until the size and configuration of the type of hardware selected for this next generation of systems has been determined. A decision on this is expected later this year.
Mutual Defence Agreement
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all projects on which his Department is working jointly with Los Alomos National Laboratories. [26879]
Mr. Freeman: Under the 1958 UK-US mutual defence agreement, the Atomic Weapons Establishment works closely with Los Alamos National Laboratory on a number of areas of research. These include: Neutron Sources
Irradiation Effects on Materials and Components
High Explosives for Nuclear Weapons
Chemistry and Compatibility of Materials
Metallurgy of Weapons Materials
Non-Nuclear Components
Non-Metallic Materials
Weapons Material Management
Nuclear Weapons Engineering
Physics Design
Weapons Hydrodynamics
Computational Technology
Nuclear Weapons Physics
Nuclear Forces and Counter-Proliferation Studies
Manufacturing Technology
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Nuclear Warhead Accident Response TechnologyNuclear Weapon Computer Code Development
Nuclear Weapons Environment and Damage Effects
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all projects on which his Department is working jointly with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. [26880]
Mr. Freeman: Under the 1958 UK-US mutual defence agreement, the Atomic Weapons Establishment works closely with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on a number of areas of research. These include: Irradiation Effects on Materials and Components
High Explosives for Nuclear Weapons
Chemistry and Compatibility of Materials
Test Monitoring
Metallurgy of Weapons Materials
Non-Metallic Materials
Weapons Material Management
Nuclear Weapons Engineering
Physics Design
Weapons Hydrodynamics
Computational Technology
Nuclear Weapons Physics
Nuclear Forces and Counter Proliferation Studies
Manufacturing Technology
Nuclear Warhead Accident Response Technology
Nuclear Weapon Computer Code Development
Nuclear Weapons Environment and Damage Effects
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money is being paid annually to Sandia National Laboratory in return for them providing engineering services in support of the Trident systems re- entry body. [26881]
Mr. Freeman: The precise figure is commercially sensitive, but amounts to less than $1 million per year.
Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all projects on which Sandia National Laboratories is working on behalf of the United Kingdom Government, in addition to those listed on page 7.69 of Sandia National Laboratories institutional plan, FY 1995 2000. [26882]
Mr Freeman: Sandia National Laboratory provides certain services in support of the UK Trident programme. Sandia also provides goods and services to support the UK nuclear research programme under contracts placed on the laboratory by the US Department of Energy on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence. These are described as "projects" in Sandia's institutional plan.
Parental Leave
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what maternity and paternity entitlements are available to employees within his Department. [27292]
Mr. Freeman: Subject to certain qualifying conditions, most women who intend to return to work after their confinement are allowed three months and one week's maternity absence on full pay, and up to a further 38 weeks' unpaid absence. Service women are allowed 14 weeks on full pay and up to a further 34 weeks unpaid absence. Most fathers, except for service men, are allowed two days leave with pay at or soon after the date on which their children are born.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he and the management executive have taken in Northern Ireland as a consequence of the findings of the EOC (Great Britain) report into the gender impact of CCT in local government. [26012]
Mr. Moss: The health and personal social service management executive has examined the EOC (Great Britain) report and noted that the EOC policy recommendations arising from it are directed to local
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authorities in Great Britain, employers, trade unions and Government. With regard to the issues for Government, these mainly relate to proposed legislative changes for which the HPSS management executive has no responsibility.Health Boards (Staff)
Mr. Soley: to ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) women and (b) men employed in support services in each health board fell below the national insurance lower earnings limit for each year since 1990. [26003]
Mr. Moss: The information is as follows:
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Number of men and women in each board trust employed in support services whose earnings are
below the national insurance lower earnings limit
1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95
Board trust |Men |Women |Men |Women |Men |Women |Men |Women |Men |Women
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern HSSB |2 |33 |3 |44 |4 |26 |1 |31 |0 |0
Northern HSSB |0 |30 |3 |33 |1 |13 |1 |25 |0 |15
Southern HSSB |4 |19 |0 |15 |0 |15 |1 |18 |0 |1
Western HSSB |0 |5 |0 |2 |0 |4 |1 |1 |0 |2
Belfast City Hospital |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |1 |1 |3
Royal Group of Hospitals |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |1 |0 |0
Greenpark |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |0 |0 |0
Eastern Ambulance |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |0 |0 |0
Ulster, North Down and Ards
Hospitals |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |5 |0 |7
Craigavon Area Hospital |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |0 |0 |0
South and East Belfast
Community |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |1 |4
North and West Belfast
Community |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |1 |2
North Down and Ards
Community |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |7
Down and Lisburn |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |2 |3
Mater Infirmorum Hospital |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |0
Newry and Mourne |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |6
Craigavon and Banbridge
Community |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |0 |0
Central Services Agency |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
Total |6 |87 |6 |94 |5 |58 |4 |82 |5 |51
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Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the change in the number of full-time and part-time jobs by gender immediately prior to and immediately after tendering of each support service contract tendered by the four health boards since 1990. [26000]Mr. Moss: The detailed information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, it is known that there was not necessarily a loss of jobs within the health and personal social service as a result of tendering. A number of contracts were awarded in-house and other staff moved to different posts within their organisation.
NHS Support Services
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total annual expenditure on NHS support services, including catering, domestic, portering, grounds maintenance, estate services and telephones, by each of the health boards in each year since 1990. [26011]
Mr. Moss: The information is not available in the exact form requested. In 1992 93, the format of the boards' accounts were changed to allow for the appointment of overheads and capital charges to services. Comparison of
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expenditure figures from that date with those before it is apt to mislead. Consequently, the information provided in the tables below commences with 1992 93.
Health and Social
Services
Board/HSS Trust |1992-93 £ |1993-94 £
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catering
Northern Board |5,319,679 |5,230,055
Southern Board |4,403,175 |3,549,475
Eastern Board |15,132,404 |8,118,187
Western Board |5,512,582 |5,787,112
Royal Group Hospitals HSS Trust |n/a |2,492,283
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |2,197,239
Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |1,463,317
Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust |n/a |924,436
Ulster North Down and Ards
Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |1,672,137
Eastern Ambulance Service HSS
Trust |n/a |n/a
Total |30,367,840 |31,434,241
Domestic
Northern Board |4,250,292 |4,392,266
Southern Board |3,311,888 |2,620,158
Eastern Board |13,966,737 |6,192,290
Western Board |2,824,806 |2,818,703
Royal Group Hospitals HSS Trust |n/a |4,094,951
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |1,656,460
Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |736,213
Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust |n/a |1,170,682
Ulster North Down and Ards
Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |1,179,362
Eastern Ambulance Service HSS
Trust |n/a |n/a
Total |24,353,723 |24,861,085
Portering and Transport
Northern Board |2,694,339 |3,569,974
Southern Board |1,391,971 |1,085,317
Eastern Board |9,071,087 |4,607,199
Western Board |2,120,395 |2,274,714
Royal Group Hospitals HSS Trust |n/a |1,755,282
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |1,543,001
Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |685,160
Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust |n/a |880,492
Ulster North Down and Ards
Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |804,653
Eastern Ambulance Service HSS
Trust |n/a |n/a
Total |15,277,792 |17,205,792
Building and Engineering
Northern Board |6,721,512 |8,173,374
Southern Board |8,324,237 |5,790,577
Eastern Board |16,609,338 |9,342,908
Western Board |4,969,474 |4,589,090
Royal Group Hospitals HSS Trust |n/a |4,747,962
Belfast City Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |2,350,164
Craigavon Area Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |1,436,264
Greenpark Healthcare HSS Trust |n/a |1,795,674
Ulster North Down and Ards
Hospital HSS Trust |n/a |1,720,362
Eastern Ambulance Service HSS
Trust |n/a |n/a
Total |36,624,561 |39,946,375
Market Testing Guidelines
Mr. Soley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the findings when the management executive of the NHS in Northern Ireland applied the policy appraisal and fair treatment guidelines to its revised market testing guidelines in 1994. [26006]
Mr. Moss: The "Market Testing in the HPSS: Revised Guidance" was issued as a consequence of the specific commitment given in the White Paper "Competing for Quality", on page 21, that health departments would consolidate and improve existing best practice guidance, inter alia, to provide model contract terms and specifications; set out examples of good practice; provide procedure check lists; summarise financial arrangements; cover publicity for contracts; and describe reporting and monitoring procedures. The policy appraisal and fair treatment guidelines were not therefore applicable to this particular document.
Parental Leave
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what maternity and paternity entitlements are available to employees within his Department. [27282]
Sir John Wheeler: In conjunction with the statutory entitlements available, and subject to certain conditions, a
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female employee is entitled to maternity leave of three months and one week on full pay. Unpaid maternity leave is also allowed, provided that taken together with paid leave, the total period does not exceed 52 weeks.Male employees are entitled to two days paternity leave on full pay.
Departmental Budget
Mr. Hargreaves: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the 1995 96 running cost limits for the Northern Ireland Office and Norther Ireland Departments. [27981]
Sir John Wheeler: The gross running cost limit for 1995 96 for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is £789, 017,000. There is also a net running cost limit of zero for the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency. Details of the provision for individual Northern Ireland Departments are set out in the Northern Ireland estimates, which were laid before the House today.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Bangladesh
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the aid projects and their funding in which the United Kingdom is currently involved with Bangladesh. [26920]
Mr. Baldry: The information is given in the list of current British aid projects in Bangladesh, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Family Planning
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is provided to his Department by the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations population fund prior to the approval of his Department's grants to their core budgets. [26935]
Mr. Baldry: Decisions concerning the United Kingdom's contributions to the core activities of the United Nations population fund--UNFPA--and the International Planned Parenthood Federation are based on our assessment of the value of both organisations in contributing to better reproductive health. This assessment is based on reports of their programmes, our own monitoring of their work, and participation in UNFPA's governing body and IPPF's annual donors' meetings.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the transfer of buildings controlled by the Galton Institute to the International Planned Parenthood Federation. [26895]
Mr. Baldry: We understand from the International Planned Parenthood Federation that there has been no transfer of buildings, controlled by the Galton Institute, to it.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs what information he has on the practice of some donor nations of tying aid to the implementation of family planning programmes; and in which countries where such conditions have been applied his Department is working. [26933]
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Mr. Baldry: We are not aware of any donor countries that currently tie aid to the implementation of family planning programmes.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what documentation he has other than annual reports of the use to which the core funds of the IPPF and UNFPA are put. [26934]
Mr. Baldry: We have access to a variety of documents, including evaluation and review reports, which describe the activities and programmes supported by the core funds of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations population fund.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the estimates of unmet family planning demand prepared by the United Nations population fund and similar organisations together with copies of studies undertaken by his own Department. [27297]
Mr. Baldry: A large number of country studies examining the unmet demand for family planning have been undertaken over the years. We will arrange for a sample of such studies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount was donated by the Overseas Development Administration in 1993 94 for primary health care projects excluding family planning provision in (a) India, (b) Pakistan, (c) Malaysia, (d) Sri Lanka, (e) Cambodia, (f) El Salvador, (g) Nicaragua, (h) Mexico, (i) Peru, (j) Oceania regional, (k) Russian Federation, (l) Africa regional, (m) Burkina Faso, (n) Ethiopia, (o) Ghana, (p) Kenya, (q) Nigeria, (r) Tanzania, (s) Togo, (t) Uganda, (u) Malawi, (v) Sierra Leone, (w) South Africa, (x) Zaire, (y) Zambia and (z) Zimbabwe. [27226]
Mr. Baldry: In most developing countries, primary health care incorporates reproductive health care, including the provision of means by which people can, if they wish, have children by choice. It is impractical to try and distinguish the proportion of our aid to countries which is given for primary health care "excluding family planning provision".
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what considerations underlie his Department's decision on the relative amounts to be spent on primary health care projects in Bangladesh and on reproductive health projects and family planning. [27298]
Mr. Baldry: The British aid programme helps promote strategic development objectives agreed with the Government of Bangladesh. Primary health care is a priority, within which reproductive health care, including the provision of means by which women and men can, if they wish, have children by choice, forms an essential part. Our emphasis within our primary health care programmes in Bangladesh is on preventive care and local capacity to use British aid effectively.
China
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what liaison exists between officials of his Department and the China Family Planning
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Association and the representatives of the United Nations Population Fund in China. [26932]Mr. Baldry: Officials from the British embassy in Peking do meet occasionally with representatives of the United Nations population fund based in China, but have not met with representatives of the China Family Planning Association.
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 May, Official Report , column 514 , (1) what information he has on the actions taken by the International Planned Parenthood Federation to fight against Chinese policies which discriminate on grounds of gender, race, creed and political beliefs in Tibet; [26894]
(2) what information he has on the actions taken by the China Family Planning Association to fight against Chinese policies which discriminate on grounds of gender, race, creed and political beliefs in Tibet. [26936]
Mr. Baldry: The International Planned Parenthood Federation is opposed to any form of discrimination in the implementation of policies relevant to reproductive health. IPPF encourages its member organisations to pursue this stance. The information we receive, through our discussions with IPPF, indicates that the China Family Planning Association is helping to alert the relevant authorities at township and provincial levels in China to instances of discrimination in the implementation of population policies.
Malaysia
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 18 May, Official Report , column 301 , if he will list the 11 power projects rejected by the Overseas Development Administration because they did not meet the developmental, commercial and industrial criteria for the aid and trade provision scheme, for budgetary reasons or because they were not accepted by recipient governments. [26911]
Mr. Baldry: The list of the 11 projects is as follows:
1. Sarawak Power Transmission
2. Ulu Jelai Hydro Electric
3. Accelerated Power Transmission
4. Connaught Bridge II Gas Turbine
5. Supply of Power Transmission Lines
6. Sabah Hydro Electric Power Stations
7. Paka and Pasir Gudang Power Station
8. Diesel Power Extension
9. Sabah Gas Turbine
10. Liwagu Hydro Electric
11. Transformers
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