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Post Office, Tiverton

Mr. Jamieson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from hon. Members with regard to the proposed closure of the Crown post office in Tiverton, Devon. [32936]

Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 17 June 1996]: This is an operational matter for the Post Office. I understand that the hon. Member for Tiverton has had extensive contact with the Post Office on this issue.

Trade Mission (Burma and Thailand)

Mr. Fatchett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when it was decided to withdraw financial support for the trade mission to Burma and Thailand scheduled to leave on 24 June; what factors underlay the withdrawal of support; if he will list the preparation and cancellation costs to his Department; and if he will make a statement. [33382]

Mr. Nelson [holding answer 19 June 1996]: I announced the decision to withhold DTI financial support for trade missions to Burma, including the British Electro-technical and Allied Manufacturers Association mission on 18 March 1996. I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to him of that date, Official Report, column 50. This was so that we could evaluate the results of the DTI-supported mission to Burma in February this year. There were no costs incurred by my Department resulting from the withholding of financial support for the BEAMA visit to Burma.

Oil Installations

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the international conventions currently in place covering residual liability for defunct sea-based oil installations, indicating where the United Kingdom is a party. [33886]

Mr. Eggar [holding answer 21 June 1996]: I am not aware of any international conventions covering residual liability for redundant offshore installations.

However, the International Maritime Organisation guidelines and standards for the removal of offshore installations and structures on the continental shelf of 1989, made bearing in mind article 60(3) of the UN law of the sea convention of 1982, which the UK has not yet ratified, provide that the coastal state should ensure that legal title to installations and structures which have not been entirely removed from the sea-bed is unambiguous and that responsibility for maintenance and the financial ability to assume liability for future damages are clearly established.

Innovation and Technology Start-up Schemes

Mr. Ingram: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total allocation of funds from his Department's budget for the innovation and technology start-up schemes administered by his Department in the last year for which figures are available. [34112]

Mr. Ian Taylor [holding answer 24 June 1996]: Details of my Department's innovation and technology budget are published in the DTI expenditure plans report, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

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High technology start-up companies are specifically supported under the small firms merit award for research and technology scheme, on which £10.9 million was spent in 1995-96. Technology-based start-ups may also benefit from the help and advice offered by innovation and technology counsellors in business links, on which DTI spent £1.3 million in 1995-96. This includes sign posting to business innovation centres, incubators, entrepreneurship programmes and other specialist local provision.

High technology start-ups will, also be offered support under the "Biotechnology Means Business" programme and may benefit from elements of the information society initiative.

More generally, business links provide basic advice to start-up business and access to locally available services, typically involving counselling, training and other services.

DEFENCE

Listed Buildings

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many listed buildings are included in the married quarters housing stock owned by his Department which is proposed for privatisation. [33754]

Mr. Arbuthnot: There are no listed buildings included in the portion of the estate which it is intended to transfer freehold with vacant possession on completion. The position on the stock which the Department intends initially to underlease from the purchaser is currently being established.

Mr. Gordon Foxley

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action his Department is taking to recover moneys from Mr. Gordon Foxley. [33648]

Mr. Arbuthnot: My Department has obtained a summary judgment from a Queen's Bench high court master and a ruling on the sum of money to be paid by Gordon Foxley. A statutory demand has been served on Foxley seeking payment. A decision on necessary further action will be taken in the event of non-payment within the time required by the statutory demand. We continue to investigate the Foxley case to ensure that the greatest possible recovery is made.

Falkland Islands

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to his Department of the British military forces based in the Falkland Islands in 1995. [33870]

Mr. Soames: The estimated outturn cost to my Department of the Falkland Islands garrison over the financial year 1995-96 was approximately £70 million.

Bett Review

Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 June, Official Report, column 46, when he expects to make a definitive announcement about Sir Michael Bett's independent

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review of armed forces' career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service, to which the Minister of State referred in his answer to the right hon. Member for Selby (Mr. Alison) of 20 February, Official Report, column 96. [33894]

Mr. Soames: I have nothing to add to my answer of 10 June, Official Report, column 46.

Ms Lindis Percy

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken in respect of the action of US military personnel against Ms Lindis Percy; and if he will make a statement. [34309]

Mr. Soames: None. As the US security personnel who detained Ms Percy at RAF Mildenhall on 21 August 1995 were acting in performance of their official duties, this matter falls within the jurisdiction of the US authorities in accordance with the Visiting Forces Act 1952.

Visiting Forces Act

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to amend or repeal the Visiting Forces Act 1951; and if he will make a statement. [34311]

Mr. Soames: The 1996 Armed Forces Bill includes a clause which amends the Visiting Forces Act 1952 to enable that Act's provisions to be extended to a wider range of countries than at present.

United Kingdom-Israel Defence Agreement

Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the recent United Kingdom-Israel defence agreement. [34213]

Mr. Soames: No such agreement exists.

Police

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Minister in his Department had responsibility for the Ministry of Defence police for the period 1990 to 1994. [34436]

Mr. Soames: The Ministry of Defence police is an independent police force with full constabulary powers operating under the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987. The responsibility of the Secretary of State is limited to his general superintendence of MDP, under the Act and through the mechanisms of the MOD Police Committee, delegated to the Minister responsible for defence procurement from 1990 to April 1992, and since then to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces.

Judicial Review

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many decisions by his Department were challenged by way of judicial review in each Session since 1991-92; and if he will list in how many cases (a) the Department's decision was upheld by the court, (b) the court found for the applicant, (c) the Department submitted to the judgment and (d) the Department appealed successfully against the judicial review decision. [33568]

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Mr. Soames [holding answer 19 June 1996]: This information is not held centrally, but it is known that no legislation introduced by my Department resulted from a judicial review decision.

Porton Down

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of service personnel in radiation tests at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down since 1966; over what period the tests were carried out; how many service personnel were used in the tests and if they were volunteers; what notice service personnel were given of the nature of the experiments and the risks involved; and what types of tests were carried out. [34010]

Mr. Arbuthnot [holding answer 21 June 1996]: No radiation tests have been conducted on service personnel at Porton Down. In the 1950s and early 1960s two types of studies were conducted which involved labelling materials with low-level radioactive tracers so that the behaviour of the material could be readily observed. Radio-labelling is a standard medical procedure.

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