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Electricity Imports

Mr. Jack Thompson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated cost of the importation of electricity from France for the years (a) 1993-94 and (b) 1994-95. [13668]

Mr. Page: This is a commercial matter for the parties to the relevant contracts.

Working Time

Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library copies of all

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(a) relevant academic and departmental research papers relating to the impact of working time on health and safety at work on which the Government have based their response to the European directive on working time and (b) departmental studies he has commissioned with regard to working time and its effects on health and safety. [12774]

Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 30 January 1996]: The Government commissioned Professor J. M. Harrington of the university of Birmingham institute of occupational health to identify and evaluate pertinent medical and scientific literature relating to the effect, if any, of hours of work on employees' health. The study forms part of the Government's legal challenge to the working time directive, 93/104/EC. I have been advised that, in accordance with established practice, it should not be published now; I expect to be able to do so after the case has been concluded. No other studies have been commissioned with regard to working time and its effects on health and safety by this Department.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Cash and Running Cost Limits

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes she proposes to make to her Department's running costs and cash limits for 1995-96. [13763]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class XI, vote 1 will be increased by £4,570,000 from £1,017,049,000 to £1,021,619,000. This is to increase provision for assets accepted in lieu of tax and to increase the gross running costs limit for the Department by £1,900,000 from £26,975,000 to £28,875,000. The increases will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

NORTHERN IRELAND

European Directives

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will place in the Library copies of the guidance notes, office notes and other relevant documents which relate to his efforts in (a) removing gold plating from existing domestic regulation and (b) ensuring new European directives are not gold plated. [10058]

(2) what new systems he has put in place to ensure that European directives are not gold plated in domestic regulations. [10062]

Mr. Ancram: My Department's policy is not to gold plate EC directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in Northern Ireland. We keep existing legislation under review in the light of this policy. Official guidance on gold plating is currently being reviewed in consultation with other Government Departments.

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Shantallow RUC Station--Fort George Army Base

Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the future of the joint Shantallow RUC station--Fort George Army base; and what plans the Government have for the property after 1 September. [12237]

Sir John Wheeler: Accommodation for the police is a matter for the Police Authority for Northern Ireland in line with the operational requirements of the Chief Constable.

I understand that the RUC is currently examining its accommodation requirements to meet future policing needs in Londonderry. As the provision of new facilities at the Maydown complex nears completion, a number of options to rationalise existing accommodation are being considered, including the future of the Shantallow base. The army will consider the position with Fort George once the outcome of the RUC review is known.

Mobile Phones

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what procedures were used by his Department in awarding contracts for the supply of mobile and car phones to his Department and its executive agencies; and which companies were involved in tendering for these contracts. [9744]

(2) what agreements his Department and its executive agencies have with companies for the provision of mobile and car phones; and if he will list the companies having these contracts, the duration of the contracts, the number of phones covered by each agreement and the cost to public fund of each agreement. [9743]

(3) what costs his Department and executive agencies have incurred as a result of withdrawing from contracts under which mobile phones are provided; and if he will list the companies concerned. [9745]

Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 17 January 1996]: Within the Northern Ireland departments and agencies, the procurement of mobile equipment and car phones is carried out using normal Government procurement and accounting procedures, advised by the department of finance and personnel's telecommunication branch. It is normal practice to obtain three quotations for the instruments themselves and a quotation from each of the network providers in Northern Ireland. Quotations are normally obtained from among the following:

British Telecom
Cartec
Motorola
Netcom
Vodac
Communications Shop
Mobile Communications Specialists
CAB Phones
Euromobile
Cellularphones
Hutchison Telecom
Vodafone

The Northern Ireland Office and its agencies have also obtained mobile and car phones, taking into account the cost and most suitable network.

2 Feb 1996 : Column: 960

Individual agreements are taken out for each mobile and car phone purchased within the Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland departments and agencies. Agreements have been taken out with British Telecom, Hutchison Telecom, Vodafone, Netcom, Vodac, Cartec, Motorola, The Communication Shop, Mobile Comms Specialists, CAB phones, Euromobile and Cellularphones covering 533 phones at a total annual cost of £145,026 rental plus call charges.

The normal duration for each agreement is one year plus a three-month cancellation period and the cost depends on the type of service required.

The costs incurred by the Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland departments and agencies withdrawing from such agreements has been £94. The company involved was British Telecom.

Deportation

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what review of practices related to deportation or refoulement he has carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations committee against torture. [12849]

Mr. Kirkhope: I have been asked to reply.

The Government have noted the Committee's recommendations. We are satisfied that our practices relating to deportation do not conflict with our international obligations, including those under the United Nations convention on torture, and do not plan to undertake a review of the kind proposed.

TRANSPORT

Air Traffic Control

Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new en-route air traffic control centre at Swanwick will be on line to meet traffic demands; to what extent this is in accordance with the original time scales for the project; and what implications this has for the new Scottish centre. [12466]

Mr. Norris: The original target date set for the centre to enter operation was the end of 1996. The CAA has announced that, in view of problems that have arisen in integrating the software sub-systems of the air traffic management system, it has been decided to re-schedule the operational date to December 1997.

There are no implications for the new Scottish centre.

Road Schemes (Violence)

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will instruct the Highways Authority to issue instructions to the security firms they have hired in relation to his Department's road schemes not to instigate violence against demonstrators; [12814]

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(2) what reports have been received by the Highways Authority in respect of violent incidents involving private security firms at Newbury; and if he will make a statement. [12762]

Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 2 February 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent questions about security firms in general and the security firm involved with the Newbury Bypass.
There have been a number of media articles about violent incidents involving security guards at Newbury and we are aware of the incidents where protestors appear to have assaulted security guards. But we have received no formal substantiated reports of such incidents and none have been reported to us by the Police, who are present on site at all times when the security firm's staff are present.
It is a requirement of the Highways Agency that sub-contracted security firms are members of the British Security Industry Association and that they conform to British Standard 7499 covering static guards and mobile patrols; they are instructed to work within the law.

2 Feb 1996 : Column: 962

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