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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 4 March 1996
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Fundamental Expenditure Review
Miss Lestor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government intend to implement the recommendation in the ODA's fundamental expenditure review, paragraph 13.37, that the ODA should reduce further contributions to UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme; and what account was taken of UNICEF's management review. [18339]
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Mr. Hanley: In autumn 1996 we shall be reviewing progress on reform in UN development agencies, including UNDP and UNICEF. This review will take account of evaluations such as UNICEF's management review.
Meanwhile, we have just announced that our 1996 contributions to UNDP and UNICEF will be maintained at last year's levels.
Land Mines
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has given to other countries who have suffered from military conflict in the clearance of land mines; and if he will make a statement. [18262]
Mr. Hanley: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Blanau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 19 February 1996 Official Report, column 24, as amended. A copy of the list of commitments has been placed in the Library of the House.
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| Country | Project | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Halo: Mine clearance and mine awareness in the Shomali Valley | 416,131 | 223,087 | 275,000
|
| Afghanistan | UNOCHA: Minefield surveying, planning and management; mine awareness; clearance and clearance Training | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 750,000
|
| Angola | MAG: Minefield survey and marking (4 months) Luena, Moxico province, Phase I (£223,243) and Phase II (£498,825) | -- | 722,068 | 300,000
|
| Angola | Halo: Recce, surveying and demining (5 months) Benguela/Kuito corridor Phase I (£259,243) and Phase II (£640,430 + £103,570) | -- | 899,430 | 303,570
|
| Angola | Central Mines Action Office within UCAH: two staff posts for one year + equipment and office support costs | -- | 226,029 | --
|
| Cambodia | Halo: Mine clearance in Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap | 277,142 | 376,549 | 198,350
|
| Cambodia | MAG: Mine clearance in Battambang | 50,625 | 316,876 | 271,388
|
| Cambodia | Support of Cambodian Mine Action Centre (through UNDP) | 1,133,333 | 1,000,000 | --
|
| Northern Iraq | MAG: Training and mine clearance in Halabja | 200,439 | -- | 444,750
|
| Laos | MAG: Mine eradication and community education programme in Xieng Khouang Province | -- | -- | 454,386
|
| Laos | UNDP: 6 months x Programme Management Adviser (PMA) to support Lao national mine clearance programme + 12 months x UN Volunteer to support PMA | -- | -- | 89,000
|
| Mozambique | Halo: Demining of roads in Zambezia Province (Phases I and II) | 574,586 | 414,832 | 561,000
|
| Rwanda | Support to UN training and equipment of Rwanda mine clearance teams: 20 x Schiebel 19/2 detectors | -- | 30,000 | --
|
| Somalia NW | Rimfire: Mine clearance training; clearance management; mine awareness in and around Hargeisa | -- | -- | --
|
| Yemen | Support to UN appeal | -- | 100,000 | --
| Global | Defence Research Agency: 6 months research into mine detection | -- | 104,928 | --
|
| Global | Contribution to UNDHA's Voluntary Trust Fund for Mine Clearance | -- | 500,000 | --
|
| Total | -- | 3,152,256 | 5,913,799 | 3,647,444
|
| Total of ODA's Bilateral mine clearance/awareness actions since April 1993 | 12,713,499
| | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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DEFENCE
Construction Skills Certification Scheme
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action his Department is taking to ensure that personnel on its construction sites have construction skills certification scheme accreditation. [17436]
Mr. Arbuthnot: MOD-appointed contractors have specific health and safety responsibilities and are expected to comply with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994.
The competence of principal contractors is verified by a planning supervisor, a commercial appointment acting for the MOD. Verification of the accreditation of sub-contractors appointed by the principal contractor is the responsibility of the principal contractor concerned.
Fire Safety (Wheelchairs)
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the relative risk to (a) employees confirmed to wheelchairs and (b) other employees in the event of a fire within a Ministry of Defence building following implementation of his Department's new regulations for placing employees confined to wheelchairs in protected areas. [18048]
Mr. Arbuthnot: My Department's arrangements for employees confined to wheelchairs follow building regulations and British standards which apply alike to Government Departments and the private sector. No departmental assessment was therefore necessary.
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to introduce rooms specified for employees confined to wheelchairs in the event of a fire. [18044]
Mr. Arbuthnot: MOD complies with building regulations and British standards which apply equally to other Government Departments and the private sector. The Ministry is satisfied that as they stand these deal adequately with fireproof areas for the protection of all staff, including disabled people, and has no plans to introduce further measures.
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the organisations (a) of disabled people and (b) representing disabled people his Department consulted before formulating its proposed regulations for evacuating disabled employees from Ministry of Defence buildings in the event of fire. [18043]
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Mr. Arbuthnot: The Ministry's arrangements follow the regulations which apply alike to Government Departments and the private sector. The Ministry of Defence neither has, nor proposes to have, its own regulations for evacuating people from buildings in the event of fire.
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of introducing fireproof rooms for employees confined to wheelchairs within his Department; and if the rooms will be introduced throughout his Department only in response to the number and distribution of employees already in employment that are confined to wheelchairs. [18045]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The need to protect all staff, including disabled people, in the event of fire is a fundamental part of building design embodied in the building regulations and British standards which apply to all MOD buildings. It cannot be presented as a separate cost. Specific local contingency plans are maintained to take account of the number and distribution of employees in wheelchairs.
NAAFI
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to announce his implementation plan following the conclusion of the Dart report into the NAAFI; and if he will consult interested parties. [18511]
Mr. Soames: It is not the Government's intention to publish an implementation plan in regard to taking forward the recommendations of the Dart report into NAAFI. The plan, if it is to be successful, must be wholly owned and implemented by NAAFI's board of management.
The steering group set up to advise Mr. Dart has accepted an implementation plan which will now need to be considered by the NAAFI Council. The NAAFI main board has been consulted in the development of the plan and accepted it in principle at their board meeting on 23 February 1996.
As detailed work on the plan progresses consultations will be held with all relevant organisations.
Mr. Viggers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the homosexuality policy assessment team has completed its assessment; and if he will make a statement. [19206]
Mr. Soames:
The homosexuality policy assessment team has, following an exhaustive and wide ranging consultation exercise involving personnel from all three
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services, together with staffs from overseas defence forces, now produced its report, copies which have today been placed in the Library of the House. The team's assessment is that any relaxation of the existing policy is likely to have a detrimental effect on operational effectiveness. For that reason, the Government will continue to support the existing policy of excluding homosexuals from the armed forces.
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