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Interception of Information
Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the present arrangements between the British Government and other European Governments to allow the RAF to intercept electronic telecommunications from Europe; [20634]
- (2) what procedures govern the sharing by the RAF of trade, commercial and other kinds of intercepted information with the United States National Security Agency. [20635]
Mr. Soames: It is not our practice to comment on such matters.
Mrs. Mahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Morwenstowe interception station at Bude, in Cornwall, is classified as having RAF status. [20636]
Armed Services Budget
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of gross domestic product is budgeted for the three armed services in the current financial year in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) France. [21050]
Mr. Soames: In calendar year 1995, the most recent period for which information is available, both the UK and France spent approximately 3.1 per cent. of gross domestic product on the armed services.
18 Mar 1996 : Column: 66
Nuclear Capability Budget
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current budget for Britain's nuclear capability; and if he will make a statement. [20855]
Mr. Arbuthnot: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox) on 6 March 1996, Official Report, column 232.
Franco-German-British Armaments Agency
Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what measures he will take to ensure that the commercial interests of the British defence equipment industry are protected in programmes managed by the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency in Bonn; [21203]
- (2) how many personnel of the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency in Bonn will be drawn from (a) the European Commission, (b) the Western European Union, (c) the French Government and armed forces, (d) the German Government and armed forces and (e) NATO; [21207]
(3) how many personnel from the Procurement Executive of his Department will be transferred to Bonn to work for the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency; and on what date their transfer will be effective; [21211]
(4) what proportion of the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency's budget in its first year of operation will be derived from (a) the British Government, (b) the French Government, (c) the German Government, (d) the European Union, (e) the Western European Union and (f) NATO; [21205]
(5) what is the name, rank, nationality and style of the first head of the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency in Bonn; [21204]
(6) what measures he will take to ensure the maximum export potential for tri-national defence equipment programmes managed by the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency in Bonn; [21202]
(7) if he will require the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency in Bonn to submit annual financial accounts to the British Parliament; [21206]
(8) what local overseas allowance personnel from his Department serving on the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency in Bonn will be eligible for; and what will be the total annual cost of this allowance. [21210]
Mr. Arbuthnot: As I announced on 13 March 1996, Official Report, columns 648-49, discussions with France and Germany on participation in the Franco-German Armaments Agency will commence following completion of work on the tender documents for the armoured utility vehicle. The agency's policy, staffing, and operating procedures remain to be determined in these discussions, as do the detailed management arrangements for any collaborative projects involved.
Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the multi-role armoured vehicle programme for the British Army will be managed by the Franco-German-British Armaments Agency in Bonn. [21209]
18 Mar 1996 : Column: 67
Mr. Arbuthnot: It is not yet possible to determine in detail how the collaborative multi-role armoured vehicle programme will be managed under the auspices of the armaments co-operative structure.
Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the British industrial work loads and contract values of a multi-role armoured vehicle (a) procured solely from British manufacturers and (b) procured on a Franco-German-British basis. [21208]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The implications for British industry were taken into account in our decision to join the current competition which is planned to lead to a collaborative programme for a multi-role armoured utility vehicle. Industries of all three countries will take part on an equal basis, providing British industry with an opportunity to carry out a share of a substantial programme to meet the requirements of France, Germany and the UK for armoured vehicles. A competition to meet only the British requirement would not have been restricted to British manufacturers alone. The value of any contracts will depend on the outcome of competition.
Ship Maintenance and Refitting Costs
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the total (a) maintenance costs and (b) refitting costs for (i) HMS Fearless and (ii) HMS Intrepid since the ships were last removed from operational capability. [21065]
Mr. Arbuthnot: HMS Fearless was last at sea operationally in June 1995. The cost of her recent maintenance period was some £32 million. HMS Intrepid has been maintained in a state of extended readiness since 1989; by the end of her ongoing maintenance period maintenance costs during this time will total some £33 million.
Contracts (Transfer)
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts were transferred from MGC Technical Services Ltd. to (a) Ridgewood Industries Ltd., (b) Ridgewood Engineering Ltd., (c) Ridgewood Electronics Ltd. and (d) Ridgewood Holdings Ltd.; on what date they occurred; and what was the value of these contracts. [21179]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The central records of contracts held by the Ministry of Defence Procurement Executive do not show any contracts placed on the Ridgewood Engineering, Electronics or Holdings companies during the past five years. While this Department had numerous contracts with both MGC Technical Services Ltd. and Ridgewood Industries Ltd. up to 1992, MOD can trace no record of any transfer of prime contracts from MGC Technical Services Ltd. to Ridgewood Industries Ltd. Research of earlier records could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what representations his Department received from hon. Members about the transfer of contracts from Ridgewood Industries Ltd. to Avocet Ltd.; and on what date they were received; [21178]
18 Mar 1996 : Column: 68
- (2) what contracts were transferred from Ridgewood Industries Ltd. to Avocet Ltd.; on what date they occurred; and what was the value of these contracts. [21180]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The central records held by the Ministry of Defence Procurement Executive do not indicate that there has been any request to transfer any contracts from Ridgewood Industries Ltd. to Avocet Ltd. during the last five years and consequently no record of any representations has been traced. Research of earlier records could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.
There is no record of any prime contracts between this Ministry and Avocet Ltd. in the past five years.
Mr. Jamieson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations his Department received from hon. Members about the transfer of contracts from MGC Technical Services Ltd. to (a) Ridgewood Industries Ltd. (b) Ridgewood Engineering Ltd. (c) Ridgewood Electronics Ltd. and (d) Ridgewood Holdings Ltd.; and on what date they were received. [21181]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
I am not aware of any recent such representations from hon. Members. A search of records of earlier years could not be completed except at disproportionate cost.
Dr. David Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 January, Official Report, columns 739-40, if he will list the dates and types of aircraft his Department has lost through crashes since 11 January; and what were the causes of these accidents.[21021]
Mr. Soames:
The information requested is given in the table.
| Date | Aircraft type | Cause |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | ||
| 23 January | Jaguar GR1B | Under investigation by board of inquiry |
| 13 February | Hawk T1 | Under investigation by board of inquiry |
| 13 February | Sea Harrier FA2 | Under investigation by board of inquiry |
| 19 February | Harrier GR7 | Under investigation by board of inquiry |
| 23 February | Harrier T4N | Under investigation by board of inquiry |
| 26 February | Tornado GR1 | Under investigation by board of inquiry |
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