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Arms Sales

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what volume of arms and of what type was sold from the United Kingdom to (a) Nigeria, (b) Indonesia and (c) Turkey in each of the past five years. [9565]

Mr. Arbuthnot: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 19 December 1995, Official Report, columns 1081-82. Beyond this, it remains Government policy not to reveal details of exports of defence equipment to particular countries. However, some additional information can be found in the annual UK return to the "UN Register of Conventional Arms", and in table 1.11 of the "UK Defence Statistics". Both documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

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Army Technical Support Agency

Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the possible redundancies within the Army Technical Support Agency if printing and distribution of technical documents and publications are privatised; and if he will make a statement; [9611]

(2) what assessment he has made of the security implications of contracting out the non-core activities of the Army Technical Support Agency; and if he will make a statement; [9612]

(3) what further plans he has for privatising non-core activities of the Army Technical Support Agency; [9613]

(4) what assessment he has made of the number of redundancies that will occur in the Army Technical Support Agency directorate of technical services at Woolwich as a result of current privatisation plans; [9614]

(5) what assessment he has made of the benefits of market testing or contracting out the printing and distribution of Ministry of Defence technical documents and publications. [9610]

Mr. Soames: These are matters for the chief executive of the Army Technical Support Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member. Letter from J. R. Prince to Mr. John Austin-Walker, dated 16 January 1996: Parliamentary Questions--Army Technical Support Agency

I am replying to five questions to the Secretary of State for Defence about Army Technical Support Agency (ATSA) business as this falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the ATSA.
Question: What assessment has been made of the possible redundancies within the ATSA if printing and distribution of technical documents and publications are privatised?
Answer: The next exact number of redundancies which will result from contractorisation of printing and distribution of technical documentation is the subject of an on-going internal study, the results of which are still awaited. The Trade Unions have been advised accordingly and I will ensure that they and yourself are informed of the outcome as soon as possible.
Question: What assessment has been made of the security implications of contracting out the non core activities of the ATSA?
Answer: At present the only ATSA activity with security implications subject to contractorisation considerations is that of printing and distribution. Approximately 1% of the work has security implications. Potential contractors will only be considered providing they meet the MODs security requirements.
Question: What further plans has CE ATSA for privatising non core activities of the ATSA?
Answer: The current ATSA Competing for Quality (CFQ) programme, which includes all aspects of Technical Documentation and Publications, and site management services, is ongoing and may lead to further contractorisation. Any additional proposals will be consulted in the normal manner.
Question: What assessment has been made of the number of redundancies that will occur in the ATSA Directorate of Technical Services (DTS) at Woolwich as a result of current privatisation plans?
Answer: The exact number of redundancies resulting from the contractorisation of printing and distribution of technical documentation is the subject of an on-going internal study, the results of which are still awaited. The Trade Unions have been advised accordingly and I will ensure that they and yourself are informed of the outcome as soon as possible.

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Question: What assessment has been made of the benefits of market testing or contracting out the printing and distribution of MOD technical documents and publications?
Answer: The ATSA study into the future of printing and distribution of MOD technical publications concluded that no work should be undertaken on the market testing option as the value of the ATSA print and distribution package is well below the recommended market testing threshold of £5M. This, coupled with the cost of having to collocate the unit as part of the ATSA restructuring programme, if the in-house bid won, made the market testing option non-viable.

Serving Mothers

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving mothers are currently in post with the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland. [8212]

Mr. Soames: There are five female officers and 208 service women currently in post with the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland who have dependent children.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discretion is afforded to commanding officers of armed forces regiments in assignment of duties for young mothers who wish to develop careers as serving soldiers while their children are of pre-school attendance age. [8213]

Mr. Soames: Commanding officers may exercise discretion in the day-to-day employment of soldiers under their command, subject to the needs of the service. However, it is also the responsibility of all soldiers--male and female, single or married--to make suitable arrangements for the care of their children so that they are fully able to meet their service commitments.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent mothers of young children in the armed forces are required to carry out the same duties as male soldiers. [8214]

Mr. Soames: Female personnel with young children are, in common with all other service personnel, with or without the care and control of young children, expected to carry out the full range of duties for which they are employed. However, in accordance with health and safety regulations, special considerations apply to pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers which may result in their employment on alternative duties.

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the terms and conditions of service in the armed forces for serving mothers with young children will be reviewed. [8215]

Mr. Soames: There are no plans for a special review of the terms and conditions of service for serving mothers with young children. A fundamental review of the terms and conditions of service for all service personnel is taking place under the independent review.

Beaufort's Dyke

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what information he received in respect of explosions on the sea bed in and around Beaufort's dyke in the North channel during 1995; when he received this information; what action he is taking as a result; and if he will make a statement; [8323]

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(2) if he will list the explosions on the sea bed in and around Beaufort's dyke in the North channel notified to his Department for each year form 1979 to 1994, indicating the assumed cause of such explosions. [8324]

Mr. Soames: My Department has only recently received information about probable explosions dating back to 1982 from the British Geological Survey. There are many possible explanations for the readings recorded by the British Geological Survey, but the information provided is incomplete, and accordingly it is not yet possible to make a full analysis of the data.

Electricity Interconnector

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will (a) publish and (b) place in the Library all correspondence between his Department and Scottish Power and Northern Ireland Electricity on the route of the proposed electricity interconnector between Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [8325]

Mr. Soames: It is not our general practice to publish current correspondence between my Department and others.

Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further assessment he has made in respect of his Department's advice to Scottish Power and Northern Ireland Electricity on the route of the proposed electricity interconnector with regard to (a) problems with the British Gas pipeline and (b) the recent report by the British Geological Survey on explosions around Beaufort's dyke; and if he will make a statement. [8326]

Mr. Soames: Future marine engineering work may proceed only once those proposing the work have shown that a thorough environmental survey, including risk analysis, has been conducted and have satisfied the responsible Government Departments and other authorities accordingly. My Department is consulted as necessary as part of this process.

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