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Torrejon Satellite Centre

Sir Dudley Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the United Kingdom has to explore possible links between the Western European Union satellite centre in Torrejon and the Pentagon before the end of its presidency of the Western European Union. [31748]

Mr. Soames: The UK has no plans to explore such links.

Exports Licensing

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact on the current defence exports licensing policy of the recent agreement to join the Franco-German Arms Agency. [31986]

Mr. Arbuthnot: Exports licensing policy is the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry. However, there are no plans to change UK export licensing policy in the context of participation in the Franco-German armaments structure.

Trident D5 Missiles

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he expects to place an order for further Trident D5 missiles from the United States of America before the summer adjournment. [32052]

Mr. Arbuthnot: Orders for Trident D5 missiles are placed on behalf of my Department by the United States Department of Defence. The next tranche of orders will not be placed before the start of the US fiscal year 1997, which commences on 1 October this year.

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons HMS Victorious is deployed with less than its full complement of Trident D5 missiles. [32054]

Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement gave to the hon. Member for the Western Isles (Mr. Macdonald) on 18 January 1994, Official Report, column 505.

10 Jun 1996 : Column: 46

Bett Review

Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to make a statement on the outcome of Sir Michael Bett's review of conditions of service, including pension arrangements, in the armed forces. [32090]

Mr. Soames: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Selby (Mr. Alison) on 20 February 1996, Official Report, columns 96-97.

Menwith Hill Station

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he received a document entitled "Outbrief-Environmental Compliance Status Survey, Menwith Hill Station"; what action he took upon receipt of this document; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [31954]

Mr. Soames: The document referred to is an internal US report dating from 1992. Remedial action has been taken by the station in accordance with its recommendations and a rolling programme of improvements is underway. The document is for US official use only and as such will not be made available for public dissemination.

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are maintained concerning the disposal of hazardous waste from RAF Menwith Hill; how and where such hazardous waste from RAF Menwith Hill; how and where such hazardous waste is disposed of; and if he will make a statement. [31958]

Mr. Soames: Records concerning the disposal of hazardous waste are maintained in accordance with US and UK legislative requirements. Hazardous waste is disposed of by licensed specialist contractors.

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to ensure that the containment dykes for above-ground storage tanks at RAF Menwith Hill are sufficiently secure to ensure that no spilt material can escape; and what action is being taken to improve the health and safety standards in the storage and labelling of hazardous material, with particular reference to chlorofluorocarbons at RAF Menwith Hill. [31956]

Mr. Soames: The station continues to pay close attention to the containment facilities which are regularly inspected in order to verify their integrity and avoid spillages. The handling of hazardous materials at RAF Menwith Hill has improved and a project is under way to build a permanent segregated compound for the storage of these materials. A control of substances hazardous to health assessment of all chemicals is undertaken when materials arrive on site in order to ensure that proper labelling and user instructions exists. A staff hazard education programme has also been implemented. Significant progress has been made in the last four years limiting the use of CFCS and other class 1 substances in accordance with the requirements of the Montreal protocol and management of these substances now conforms to agreed international standards.

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what systems are in place to monitor levels of radiation at RAF Menwith Hill; who is responsible for

10 Jun 1996 : Column: 47

such monitoring; if their reports are made available to the public; and what precautions and preventative measures are being taken to protect the health and safety of the base population, the local community and local environment from the effects of radiation emitted by operations at RAF Menwith Hill. [31953]

Mr. Soames: No monitoring systems are required since there are no ionising radiation emissions from any facility at RAF Menwith Hill. Radio frequency signals similar to those used in FM radio broadcasting are relayed through the station, but these signals have a very low energy level and do not cause molecular changes or "ionisation". Hence there is no risk to the base population, the local community or the local environment from emissions of this type of radiation.

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions and arrangements are taking place concerning the renewal of the security of tenure in May 1977 at National Security Agency, Menwith Hill station between the US army and the British Government; and if the renewal arrangements will be brought before the House. [31957]

Mr. Soames: None. The site at Menwith Hill has been made available to United States authorities by Her Majesty's Government under arrangements that exist for our mutual defence. The precise nature of these arrangements are confidential.

Suicides

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, columns 559-60, how many people who served in the Gulf war have committed suicide since 1991.[31789]

Mr. Soames: Since January 1991, the total number of personnel who served in the Gulf war and subsequently committed suicide, while still serving in the armed forces, is 10.

Exercise Purple Star

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 559, what was (a) the nationality of owners, (b) the nationality of crew and (c) the age of vessel of each of the merchant ships chartered by his Department for Exercise Purple Star. [31787]

Mr. Soames: The information requested is as follows:

Name of vessel and age	Head owners nationality	Disponent owners nationality	Crew nationality
Kidira (20 years)	Bermudan	British	Russian
Kapitan Mezentsyev (17 years)	Ukrainian	--	Ukrainian
Chodziez (8 years)	Polish	--	Polish
Arcade Eagle (16 years)	Norwegian	Spanish	Croatian
Arcade Falcon (16 years)	Norwegian	Spanish	Croatian
Norcliff (1 year)	Not Declared	Swedish	Polish
Sochi (new)	Russian	Swedish	Russian
Dana Hafnia (17 years)	Danish	--	Danish
Prince of Scandinavia (20 years)	Danish	--	Danish
Condock V (12 years)	German	--	Kiribati
Condock III (13 years)	German	--	Kiribati

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Armed Services (Land)

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hectares of land have been occupied by each of the armed services in each of the past five years. [32095]

Mr. Soames: The information requested is published annually in table 3.5 in "UK Defence Statistics", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Units (London)

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the average time a patient in an accident and emergency unit has to wait before treatment in London hospitals, by local authority. [31324]

Mr. Horam: The information is not available centrally.

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis need is assessed in accident and emergency units in London; and what system of prioritisation is employed. [31325]

Mr. Horam: Under the patients charter, all patients attending an accident and emergency department should be assessed by a nurse or doctor within five minutes. Patients are then treated according to their clinical priority.

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