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Older Workers
Rev. William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what special provision is being made for the employment of older workers in the Province. [12579]
Mr. Ancram: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Ian Walters to Rev. William McCrea, dated 6 February 1996:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your question about the employment of older workers.
The Agency's network of 31 local offices provides an all-age service for those seeking employment. We also help employers to fill vacancies. If an employer seeks to impose age limits when notifying a vacancy, the Agency encourages the employer to either abandon the age limits or broaden the age band. We also emphasise the experience and reliability of older workers.
If an employer insists on imposing an age restriction for a vacancy which appears unjustifiable, the Agency will not handle it. This has been the position for several years.
On a more general note the Agency is planning to produce a booklet giving practical advice to older people about finding work, training and changing jobs. It will also encourage them to realise the wealth of experience, maturity and skills they possess. In addition we propose to produce a separate booklet for employers highlighting both the benefits of recruiting older people and the unfairness of age discrimination.
I hope that you find this reply helpful. I will of course be pleased to provide further information if you would find it useful.
Independent Schools
Rev. William McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils are currently educated in independent schools, including independent Christian schools; and what the figures are for each of the last three years. [12580]
Mr. Ancram: Nine hundred and forty-one pupils are currently educated in independent schools--1994-95. the numbers of pupils educated in independent schools for the previous three years are as follows:
6 Feb 1996 : Column: 165
DEFENCE
Naval Bases (Privatisation)
14. Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has held with (a) naval officials and (b) union representatives regarding privatisation measures for naval bases. [12040]
Mr. Arbuthnot: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence keeps in regular touch with the whole range of efficiency improvements planned for naval bases.
Mr. David Hart
15. Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review Mr. David Hart's security clearance. [12041]
Mr. Portillo: Mr. Hart has gone through the proper security clearance procedure.
Departmental Expenditure
16. Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money including the pay of service personnel his Department spends annually in each standard planning region of the United Kingdom. [12042]
Mr. Arbuthnot: Data of MOD equipment expenditure in each of the standard economic planning regions of the UK is available in table 1.9 of "UK Defence Statistics 1995", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. We do not compile regional data for other aspects of defence expenditure.
24. Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to eliminate unnecessary spending in his Department. [12051]
Mr. Arbuthnot: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Members for Tyne Bridge (Mr. Clelland) and for Wolverhampton, South-East (Mr. Turner), on 9 January 1996, Official Report, column 93.
Procurement Decisions (Impact)
17. Mr. Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department makes of the industrial impact of procurement decisions. [12043]
Mr. Arbuthnot: Industrial implications is one of the many factors which are taken into account when procurement decisions are being made.
Former Yugoslavia
18. Mr. Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attacks there have been on British military personnel in former Yugoslavia since 1991; if he will indicate from which sources these attacks came; and how many British casualties resulted. [12044]
Mr. Soames:
Regrettably, 11 British military personnel have been killed and a further 17 have sustained serious injuries as a result of the activities of the former warring factions.
6 Feb 1996 : Column: 166
21. Dr. Twinn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by NATO's peace implementation force in former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement. [12047]
Mr. Soames:
IFOR is making good progress and is continuing to work closely with the parties in implementing the military aspects of the peace agreement. It has recently verified compliance with the latest deadline to evacuate forces from those areas which are to be transferred to other parties. We expect the implementation process to continue with the compliance of the parties.
19. Mr. Hargreaves:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on jobs in the defence industry of reducing United Kingdom defence spending to the European average. [12045]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
A reduction in UK defence expenditure to the current NATO European average would result in cuts of over £4.5 billion per year. This would have a drastic effect on the capability of our armed forces and the future equipment programme. The implications for jobs in the defence industry would be severe.
27. Mr. John Marshall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British jobs are sustained by the defence industry; and if he will make a statement. [12054]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Estimates of UK employment dependent on my Department's expenditure and on defence exports appear in table 1.10 of "UK Defence Statistics 1995", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
20. Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average cost of recruitment and training for each new recruit to the Royal Air Force in 1993-94 and 1994-95. [12046]
Mr. Soames:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 9 January 1996, Official Report, column 102, and to the letter sent to him by my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence on 13 December 1995, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.
22. Mr. Wilkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the annual cost of Royal Air Force personnel and facilities in Germany. [12048]
Mr. Soames:
Our current estimate of the costs for the financial year 1995-96 of RAF units stationed in Germany is approximately £227 million. Roughly half this figure represents personnel costs.
23. Mr. David Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given by the defence planning staff to the implications for UK defence policy of changes in the Russian hierarchy and defence doctrines. [12050]
6 Feb 1996 : Column: 167
Mr. Soames:
As explained in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995", the progress of reform in Russia remains an important factor in the determination of our security and defence policies.
25. Lady Olga Maitland:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the UK's nuclear deterrent. [12052]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
The United Kingdom's independent minimum nuclear deterrent continues to provide the ultimate safeguard of this country's security and to make an important contribution to NATO's strategy of war prevention. The introduction into service of Trident will ensure that the United Kingdom retains a credible and effective minimum deterrent into the next century.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the value of nuclear weapons to Britain's defence. [12031]
Mr. Portillo:
Nuclear weapons continue to make an essential contribution to the security of the United Kingdom.
26. Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what aims the Government have for their presidency of the WEU. [12053]
Mr. Soames:
We intend to concentrate our efforts during the UK presidency on enhancing the WEU's operational capability. In particular, we are taking forward work on establishing a situation centre and intelligence section, seeking to strengthen links with NATO, and developing a coherent and progressive WEU exercise policy.
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