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DEFENCE
Departmental Inquiries
Mr. Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) internal and (b) MOD police inquiries have been carried out within his Department since 1993. [17806]
Mr. Soames: Information on the number of internal inquiries carried out within my Department since 1993 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of the numbers of MOD police inquiries are contained in the Chief Constables's annual report for 1993-94 and 1994-95, which have been placed in the Library of the House.
Nuclear Deterrent
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current annual cost of maintaining the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. [18088]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The running costs of the Polaris boats in 1994-95 was £65 million. The average annual operating cost of Trident over its life is expected to be about £200 million.
Military Equipment Exports
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes he has made to this policy relating to the release of information concerning the export of military equipment to Iraq in the last six years; and if he will make a statement. [18534]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The information is contained in the background note, "Ministerial Accountability and the Release of Information on Defence Related Exports", which was placed in the Library of the House on 26 February 1996.
Sea Water (Charted Depths)
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to revise chart datum; on how many occasions since 1 January the charted depth has been lower than the lowest astronomical tide; and by how much charted low water depths were below chart datum during the storms and spring tides of early 1996. [18608]
Mr. Arbuthnot: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Hydrographic Office. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 233
Letter from John Clarke to Mr. Barry Field, dated 6 March 1996:
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question (0528H) to the Secretary of State for Defence about chart datum as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Hydrographic Office Defence Agency.
There are no plans to revise chart datum in UK waters. Chart Datum (CD) is defined as a level so low that the tide will not frequently fall below it. In the United Kingdom this level is taken as approximately the level of Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT). LAT is defined as the lowest level which can be predicted to occur under average meteorological conditions and any combination of astronomical conditions.
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) maintains and monitors records for three permanently established tide gauges, at Plymouth (Devonport), Portsmouth and Rosyth. These records show that at all three ports the water level has fallen below CD/LAT on one occasion since 1 January 1996. In each case this occurred on 20 February 1996 when at Plymouth the recorded level was 0.18 metres below CD, at Portsmouth 0.10 meters below CD and at Rosyth 0.13 metres below CD. Tidal records for other ports are not held by the UKHO on a permanent basis.
I hope this response is of assistance.
Air Vice-Marshall Howard
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 February 1996, Official Report, column 318, what (a) reprimand or (b) penalty was issued to Air Vice-Marshall Howard for his failure to seek permission for a business appointment. [19046]
Mr. Arbuthnot: None. Air Vice-Marshal Howard retired in October 1988 and the Department did not become aware of his consultancy with Tripod Engineering Ltd. until May 1993.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Ex-service Personnel (Pension Appeal Tribunals)
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many ex-service people with attributable hearing loss were on waiting lists for hearings by the pension appeal tribunals at the latest date for which figures are available and at the same date in each of the preceeding 10 years; what action he is taking to reduce the average waiting time; and if he will make a statement. [18955]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Specific information about hearing loss cases is not available as the pensions appeal tribunals do not record appeals by the type of disability or injury which is subject to appeal.
In order to reduce waiting times in all cases, extra staff and judicial officers have been appointed which has enabled an increase in tribunal sittings and cases heard. A scheme has been introduced to give priority to appellants aged over 68 and those who are terminally ill. Administrative changes are being made to enable more hearings in the absence of the appellant and more flexible listing procedures are planned which will allow appeals to be heard at short notice.
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 234
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what considerations underlay the choice of extracts from the Scott report cited at the top half of the second page of the press release 26/96 issued by his Department on 15 February. [18553]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: They demonstrated that the allegations of deliberately misleading Parliament levelled against my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary before publication of the Scott report were not endorsed by Sir Richard Scott.
Mr. Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the memorandum submitted by his Department in appendix A in volume V of the Scott report, for what reasons he included guns in the first heading on the third page of his departmental press release 26/96 issued on 15 February. [18587]
Mr. Clarke: The items included in parentheses were chosen as good examples in general of lethal equipment.
Mrs. Golding: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make changes in the personnel of his Department following criticisms contained in the report of the Scott inquiry. [16570]
Mr. Clarke [holding answer 22 February 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 February 1996, Official Report, column 239.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he had with the Secretary to the Cabinet concerning the Government's response to the Scott inquiry; and where and when such consultations took place. [16608]
Mr. Clarke [holding answer 22 February 1996]: Successive Governments have not disclosed the nature or the specific sources of the advice that they receive from the civil service.
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the members of his Department who saw the report of the Scott inquiry before it was presented to the House; and when each saw the report. [16536]
Mr. Clarke [holding answer 22 February 1996]: A small number of civil servants in my Departments had access to the report prior to publication for the purpose of preparing the Government's response. Such access was in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Scott inquiry.
Economic and Monetary Union
Mr Marlow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer. what assessment he has made of the United Kingdom's capacity (a) to revalue and (b) to devalue sterling in a partial EMU excluding the United Kingdom. [17277]
Mrs. Angela Knight: If the UK exercises its option not to join stage 3 of EMU the Government will continue to decide what exchange rate arrangements for Sterling are in the country's best interests.
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 235
In this context, the Prime Minister secured agreement at the Madrid European Council that the ECOFIN Council, together with, in their respective fields of competence, the Commission and the European Monetary Institute, study the range of issues raised by the possibility that some countries may not initially participate in the Euro area, including issues related to monetary stability and exchange rate relations.
National Savings
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his plans for the Department for National Savings. [19740]
Mrs. Angela Knight: My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has decided that the Department for National Savings should be launched as an executive agency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 1 July 1996.
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