---

Departmental Properties

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answers of 11 December 1995, Official Report, columns 482-84 and 1 April, Official Report, columns 38-41, what factors led to information on the number of properties owned by his Department in each parliamentary constituency being currently unavailable. [24922]

Mr. Soames: The Defence housing executive took over the management of the family quarters estate from the services on 1 April 1996. The estate is managed by area managers who report to regional controllers and details of all the properties are now held centrally by address and postal code. Cross referencing to parliamentary constituencies can presently be done only at

16 Apr 1996 : Column: 455

disproportionate cost. Copies of a map showing the regions and areas will be placed in the Library when they are available.

Defence Spending

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amount (a) in total and (b) as a proportion of gross national product was spent on defence in the last year for which figures are available by (i) each NATO country, (ii) Japan, (iii) Switzerland, (iv) Finland and (v) Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [25008]

Mr. Soames: Details of defence expenditure by NATO countries in 1994 are contained in page 82 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. According to The Military Balance 1995/96, compiled by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, comparable information for Japan, Switzerland, Finland and Ireland is as follows:

	Defence expenditure 1994 $ million	As percentage of GDP
Japan	45,800	1.0
Switzerland	4,300	1.6
Finland	1,970	2.0
Ireland	622	1.2

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for each European member of NATO, defence expenditure expressed (a) by proportion of gross national product and (b) on a per capita basis. [25398]

Mr. Soames: This information is contained in page 82 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Low Flying

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the fast jet types which are authorised to conduct night low flying in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [25010]

Mr. Soames: The fast jet types normally authorised to operate in the United Kingdom night low flying system are: Canberra, F15, Harrier, Jaguar and Tornado.

Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low flying movements were recorded over Wales in 1995; and if he will make a statement. [25157]

Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) gave him on 16 February 1994, Official Report, column 818.

Atomic Weapons Establishment, Llanishen

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 April, Official Report, column 95, when he expects to have an estimate of the decommissioning costs of Atomic Weapons Establishment, Llanishen, Cardiff, and for how long the site will require sterilisation before any after-use. [25193]

16 Apr 1996 : Column: 456

Mr. Arbuthnot: An estimate of the decommissioning costs of the atomic weapons establishment, Llanishen, Cardiff was made in 1994. It was taken into account in reaching the decision to close the factory. A period of sterilisation will not be required once the work of decontaminating the site has been completed in accordance with the requirements of the local authority.

Armed Forces (Roles)

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what roles and functions are carried out by Her Majesty's armed forces that are not carried out by other European members of NATO. [25397]

Mr. Soames: The roles and tasks of Her Majesty's armed forces are set out in annex A of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. The main functions they carry out which are not mirrored by other European members of NATO's integrated military structure include the provision of nuclear forces, the defence of our dependent territories and military aid to the civil power in Northern Ireland.

Asbestos, Broughton Moor

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will authorise a full land and building contamination survey for asbestos by the Royal Ordnance Environmental Services Group on the former Royal Navy armaments depot--RNAD--site at Broughton moor, Cumbria. [25261]

Mr. Soames: Royal Ordnance Environmental Services Group was among the unsuccessful bidders for a term contract to carry out land quality assessments of MOD sites. A site assessment of the former RNAD Broughton moor, of which asbestos contamination is one element, has now been completed.

Torbay Submarine

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the recent failure in the steering system of the atomic-powered submarine Torbay in Plymouth sound. [25395]

Mr. Soames: HMS Torbay's electrical primary steering gear failed as the submarine was leaving Devonport naval base on 12 March. Torbay was brought to a controlled stop under her primary hydraulic steering gear, which was activated automatically. She then moved to a mooring buoy and, following successful checks and repairs, proceeded to sea. She remained under control at all times and was throughout accompanied by two tugs, as is standard practice for nuclear submarines in Plymouth sound, although a third tug was made available as a precaution. This was a minor incident with no nuclear or other safety implications.

Legal Costs

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on legal costs in defending personnel in military and civilian courts in each of the last five years; and what is his estimate for the current year. [24831]

16 Apr 1996 : Column: 457

Mr. Soames: Service legal aid is available to accused service personnel who are to be tried by courts martial, or wish to appeal to the courts martial appeal court, or are to be tried by a civilian criminal court outside the UK in respect of an offence committed while off duty, or are to be tried before standing civilian courts. Records of the total costs of this aid are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Bulford Barracks

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his policy to reduce overcrowding at barracks in Bulford; and what assessment he has made of the number involved. [24873]

Mr. Soames: It is our policy that soldiers should, wherever possible, live in appropriately scaled accommodation. To this end, an assessment was made of the barracks at Bulford which showed that the single soldier accommodation was significantly overcrowded and in need of refurbishment. The move from Bulford of 249 Signal Squadron and the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (Land) Combat Service support battalion will ease the overcrowding problem and allow the existing accommodation to be refurbished. It will also enable more efficient use to be made of the barracks at Colerne and Hullavington to which these units will relocate.

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will replace the 350 service personnel due to vacate Bulford barracks in 1997 and 1998 with a like number; and if he will make a statement. [24874]

Mr. Soames: There are currently no plans to make any significant increases in the number of Army personnel based at Bulford. The deployment of Army units and the use of the defence estate are, however, kept under review to ensure that defence resources are employed cost effectively while maximising operational capabilities.

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when 249 Signal Squadron will vacate Bulford barracks; [24918]

(2) when Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (Land) Combat Service support battalion will vacate Bulford barracks. [24919]

Mr. Soames: We expect both of these moves to occur during 1998, but the precise timings have yet to be decided.

Accommodation

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of units (a) single accommodation and (b) married quarters at (1) Craigiehall, Edinburgh (2) Glencorse, Peniciuk, (3) Benbecula and (4) King's barracks, Kirkudbright. [25188]

Mr. Soames: The information requested is given below:

	Single accommodation	Family accommodation
Craigiehall, Edinburgh	221	110
Glencorse, Penicuik	792	51
Benbecula	692	212
King's barracks, Kirkcudbright(19)	--	--

(19) Temporary hard lying accommodation available for training purposes only. A development programme on Kirkcudbright will provide 480 units of single accommodation by 2001.

16 Apr 1996 : Column: 458

---