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Postage Costs

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on postage in the financial years 1994-95 and 1995-96; and how many items were posted during these periods. [32846]

Mr. Soames: This is a matter for the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency, DPCS under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from T. McG. Brown to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 19 June 1996:

As Chief Executive of the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt. Hon. Michael Portillo MP, regarding postal costs.
As well as those costs borne by this Agency many Individual units and establishments are responsible for their own postal expenditure. The costs in 1994/95 and 1995/96 was as follows:

19 Jun 1996 : Column: 481

£ million

	1994-95	1995-96
DPCS Agency costs	0.744	1.441
Costs in other MOD areas	7.288	6,363
Total	8.062	7.804




I am sorry but MOD does not record separately the number of items posted. Indeed in the interests of economy we try to make the maximum use of contract postal arrangements, which do not necessarily depend on the number of items posted.

I hope this information is helpful.

METOP Satellite Project

Sir Michael Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies he has evaluated in respect of his Department's involvement in the polar orbiting meteorological--METOP--satellite project; and what assessment he has made of the benefits of the project for United Kingdom industry. [33252]

Mr. Arbuthnot: My Department is evaluating reports prepared internally and by European Meteorological Satellite--EUMETSAT--and the European Space Agency--ESA--in respect of its involvement in, and requirements for, the METOP satellite project. The benefits to UK industry is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

Armed Forces

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's forecast of the total manpower strength of the United Kingdom armed forces on 1 April 1999. [33187]

Mr. Soames: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 25 March, Official Report, column 443.

Future Large Aircraft

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his German counterpart concerning the future large aircraft programme. [33188]

Mr. Arbuthnot: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has not recently discussed the future large aircraft programme with his German counterpart. However, when I met State Secretary Simon on Monday 11 March, the future large aircraft programme was among the subjects we discussed.

Nuclear Weapons (Soviet Union)

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance he has given to countries of the former Soviet Union to assist with the dismantling of their nuclear weapon stocks. [33190]

Mr. Arbuthnot: The UK has supplied the Russian Government with 250 armoured supercontainers, 20 heavy-duty vehicles and spares to assist with the safe and secure dismantlement of their surplus nuclear warheads. The cost of this programme to the UK has been approximately £35 million.

19 Jun 1996 : Column: 482

Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the estimated annual cost to his Department of providing bed-and-breakfast accommodation for service personnel and their families in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1994-95, (c) 1993-94, (d) 1992-93, (e) 1991-92 and (f) 1978-79. [33335]

Mr. Soames: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Judicial Review

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in each Session since 1991-92 legislation has been introduced into Parliament by his Department, with the purpose of (a) removing the effects of a judicial review decision or (b) implementing a judicial review decision; and if he will list the relevant legislative provisions. [33583]

Mr. Soames: None.

TRANSPORT

Runway Overshoots

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of overshoots at Gatwick and Heathrow airports for each of the last five years. [32786]

Mr. Norris: Statistics for runway overshoots for the whole of the period requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, figures are available for 1994 and 1995 and are as follows:

	Gatwick	Heathrow
1994	332	406
1995	355	446

Regional Airports (EU Funding)

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what programmes he is putting in place to ensure that all UK regional airports can benefit from EU public service obligation funding. [32804]

Mr. Norris: EC legislation allows member states to impose a public service obligation on a scheduled air service to an airport serving a peripheral or development region in its territory or on a thin route to any regional airport in its territory, where the route is considered vital for the economic development of the region and the availability of other forms of transport is limited. A subsidy may be paid where no operator is able to provide a commercial service which complies with the terms of the PSO.

In the UK, certain routes serving the western and northern islands of Scotland are regarded as lifeline routes. The operator of air services on these routes receives subsidy from the Scottish Office or local government. PSOs are progressively being imposed on the routes in line with EC legislation, and any subsidies

19 Jun 1996 : Column: 483

required will continue to be provided by the Scottish Office and the islands councils. At present, no PSOs have been imposed on mainland services.

A249

Sir Roger Moate: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected date for the opening of the A249 Iwade bypass (M2 to Kingsferry Bridge); what is the latest estimated cost of the project; and what factors underlay the delay in the completion of the scheme. [33249]

Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Roger Moate, dated 19 June 1996:

As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State about the expected opening date and the latest estimated cost for the A249 between the M2 and Iwade.
Following earlier delays, construction is now entering its final phase which should see substantial completion by September. I will let you know the exact date when it is known.
When I wrote to you on 29 November 1995 I described the reasons for the delays and I enclose a copy of the letter for you case of reference.
The tender price of the project is £35,721,035. We are unable to give an estimate of the final cost without the risk of prejudicing discussions on the costs which are taking place.

Sir Roger Moate: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the studies that have been undertaken by his Department in connection with the preparation of the draft orders for the A249 Iwade to Queensborough corner improvement scheme including the second crossing of the Swale; what is the estimated cost of consultation and planning work leading to the publication of the draft orders; and what is the latest estimated cost of the project. [33248]

Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Roger Moate, dated 19 June 1996:

As you know, John Watts, the Minister for the Railways and Roads, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the A249 Iwade-Queensborough Improvement scheme.
All the base ecological studies required for draft Order purposes have been completed. The Topographical Survey is due for completion later this month and the contract for the relevant Ground Investigation Survey will be awarded soon. Traffic surveys have also been undertaken.
The latest estimated cost of the planning work leading to the preparation of the draft Orders is £1.85m. The latest estimated cost of building the scheme is £97m (this includes works, preparation and supervision and land).

Traffic Area Offices

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by traffic area office, the constituencies within each traffic area boundary. [33296]

Mr. Norris: I have placed the information the Library of the House.

19 Jun 1996 : Column: 484

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total running costs for the traffic area co-ordination division within his Department. [33295]

Mr. Norris: The total running costs budget for 1996-97 for the traffic area co-ordination division--now the traffic area network unit--is £629,428.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of (a) heavy goods vehicles and (b) public service vehicles authorised to operate in each traffic office area. [33294]

Mr. Norris: The number of heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles authorised to operate in each traffic office area as at March 1996 is as follows:

TAO	HGVs	PSVs
NETA	64,189	13,104
NWTA	66,864	12,853
WMTA	43,454	7,203
ETA	67,621	9,831
SWTA	17,120	4,196
WTA	54,580	11,089
SEMTA	51,658	13,026
SCOTA	37,090	10,332

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