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Married Quarters Estate
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he is making with his proposals to transfer the married quarters estate in England and Wales to the private sector. [17719]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The preliminary information memorandum, published on 30 November 1995, has attracted strong interest from a substantial number of companies and consortia. A full information memorandum has now been issued to prequalified bidders, on a commercially confidential basis, to enable them to submit bids for the estate.
Nigeria (Arms Sales)
Mrs. Wise: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy on arms sales to Nigeria. [16967]
Mr. Arbuthnot: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 12 February, Official Report, column 447.
Services Sound and Vision Corporation (Cyprus)
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 February, Official Report, column 358, from what sources it is proposed to raise the estimated cost of encrypting and providing decoding equipment for the SSVC television service in Cyprus; and what are the estimated numbers of expatriates in Cyprus who will not be entitled to a decoding device. [15905]
Mr. Soames:
If it is decided to provide an encrypted SSVC television service in Cyprus and to supply the necessary decoders to the entitled audience, the costs will be met from the Defence budget.
26 Feb 1996 : Column: 301
I am unable to give an estimate of the number of expatriates in Cyprus who view SSVC television and would not be entitled to receive a decoding device if the television service were encrypted.
Mr. Berry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 February, Official Report, column 722, regarding the position of sub-contractors working on the new MOD building at Abbey Wood, Bristol, if he will make a statement on the disputes between the main construction contractor and his sub-contractors. [16961]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Commercial relationships between the main construction contractor and his sub-contractors are matters for the main contractor to deal with. However, the Department understands the normal process of settling final accounts for the sub-contractors who have completed their works continues.
Mr. Berry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 February, Official Report, column 722, regarding the costs of the new MOD building at Abbey Wood, Bristol, what are the estimated and budgeted costs for (a) site acquisition, (b) construction, (c) fitting out, (d) professional works management fees and (e) VAT; and if the estimated cost of construction takes account of disputed payments to the contractor. [16974]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
The estimated and budgeted costs for the Abbey Wood construction project, at 1992 prices and inclusive of VAT where appropriate, are as follows:
| Site acquisition and planning obligations | (1)24.9 |
| Construction, including fitting out | (2)212.6 |
| Works project management fees | (3)9.7 |
| Total | 247.2 |
(1) £27.3 million at 1995 prices.
(2) £235.5 million at 1995 prices.
(3) £10.5 million at 1995 prices.
Elements of the fit-out works are currently subject to procurement competitions and therefore the associated costs are commercially confidential. These figures reflect the Department's estimate of the likely outturn costs for the project.
Scott Inquiry
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to paragraph C 2.62 of the Scott report, if he will list the equipment that was sent to Iraq under temporary licences and subsequently incorporated into the Iraqi weapon producing system between 1980 and 1991. [17342]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
I am not in a position to state with certainty what equipment was incorporated into Iraqi weapons manufacture. Sir Richard Scott addresses these issues in detail in sections D2.46 to D2.51, D6.55 to D6.72 and D6.194 to D6.220 of his report and I have nothing to add to his description of what equipment was sent to Iraq under temporary licences.
26 Feb 1996 : Column: 302
Mr. Home Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to reply to parliamentary questions concerning sales of defence equipment and arms covered by the 1991 United Nations arms register. [17124]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
We intend to review the practice of successive Governments not to reveal details of the export of defence related equipment in reply to parliamentary questions.
A paper is today being placed in the Library of the House which sets out current policy and practice in informing Parliament about arms sales matters. We hope that this will be a useful document to take the discussion forward. Copies of the UK returns to the UN arms register covering the export of seven categories of conventional arms have been placed in the House Libraries, on an annual basis, since the system began in 1992.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make it his policy to permit the disclosure of information contained in section C6 of the export licence application form where the prospective export is deemed to be a dual-use militarily sensitive technology. [15969]
Mr. Lang:
I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the statement that I made on Thursday 15 February, Official Report, columns 1139-44, in relation to Sir Richard Scott's recommendations on this matter.
Pensions and Stipends
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what powers the Synod has to instruct the commissioners to (a) reduce the level of pensions already in payment and (b) reduce the level of stipends in payment. [15546]
Mr. Alison: The General Synod has no power to instruct the commissioners to reduce the level of pensions in payment. The levels are determined in accordance with the pensions regulations. Under the current arrangements, the legislation gives to the commissioners the power to increase the figures, which they customarily exercise in line with the Church's pensions policy. There is no provision for any reduction to be made in the monetary amounts payable.
Stipend levels are determined on a diocesan basis by the bishop with the concurrence of the Diocesan Board of Finance in accordance with section 5 of the Diocesan Stipends Funds Measure 1953, having regard to the advice of the commissioners as central stipends authority. The commissioners were appointed as central stipends authority by a General Synod Regulation in 1972, which was revised in 1982. The Synod has the power to amend this regulation if it so wishes by appointing another authority, but cannot directly reduce the level of stipends.
26 Feb 1996 : Column: 303
The Synod also has the power to amend the above legislation, subject to the agreement of Parliament.
Legal Aid (Maxwell Case)
Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been paid by the legal aid fund on account in respect of defendants of the Maxwell case. [15959]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: To date, £8.3 million has been paid on account from the legal aid fund to lawyers representing Kevin and Ian Maxwell--Trachtenberg, Bunn, Fuller, and Stoney. That sum includes £829,000 paid in respect of the magistrates court proceedings.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to reduce the number and length of statutory instruments. [15764]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: In respect of the areas of law for which he is responsible, the Lord Chancellor endeavours to combine and streamline regulations wherever possible and to ensure that they are as concise as is consistent with clarity and legal certainty.
Children Act
Mr. Gapes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what efforts are being made to monitor the operation of section 8 orders under the Children Act 1989. [15948]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: I have been asked to reply. The Lord Chancellor's Department is undertaking a review of the operation of the Children Act, with a particular emphasis on minimising delay. The Children Act advisory committee is also monitoring the implementation of the Act and a number of research projects are being undertaken.
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