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Visiting Forces Act
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British citizens have been (a) detained, (b) arrested, (c) charged, (d) acquitted and (e) prosecuted by those acting under the Visiting Forces Act 1951 in each year since 1966 to date. [34310]
Mr. Soames [holding answer 25 June 1996]: The service courts and service authorities of a country to which section 2 of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 applies may exercise over persons subject to their jurisdiction all the powers conferred on them by the law of that country. Citizens of the United Kingdom can be prosecuted or tried under this provision only if they are members of a force of the country concerned. My Department is not aware of any such cases.
Surplus Equipment
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the total receipts for the sale of surplus
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equipment in each of the three services in each of the past five years. [35024]
Mr. Arbuthnot: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Disposal Sales Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
1 Jul 1996 : Column: 348
Letter from Keith Ellenden to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 1 July 1996:
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1 Jul 1996 : Column: 347
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about receipts from the sale of surplus equipment as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Disposal Sales Agency.
Total receipts from the sale of surplus equipment in each of the three services in each of the past five years are shown below.
1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 1995-96 1996-97
Navy 11.842 25.307 42.403 36.202 45.706 161.460
Army 16.077 16.173 16.607 26.460 24.098 99.415
RAF 2.964 4.965 6.430 8.937 6.366 29.662
PE 1.644 1.296 1.231 1.504 1.488 7.163
Total 32.527 47.741 66.671 73.103 77.658 297.700
Naval Manning Agency
Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about Defence Agency status for the organisation of the naval secretary and director general of naval manpower. [35349]
Mr. Soames: I am delighted to announce that today the organisation of the naval secretary and director general of naval manpower is to be established as a Defence agency of the Ministry of Defence. It will be entitled the Naval Manning Agency, NMA.
The NMA's owner will be the Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, with whom the chief executive's headquarters will be collocated within HM naval base, Portsmouth.
The NMA is to ensure that sufficient manpower is available on the trained strength and effectively deployed in peace, crisis, major crisis and war.
As the first chief executive, the naval secretary, Rear Admiral F.M. Malbon, will be offered new opportunities to build on the current organisation's professional expertise and high performance standards. In maintaining the NMA's vital contribution to front line capability, the naval secretary, through the greater delegations and authority afforded by agency status, will actively seek to improve the efficiency and value for money of his organisation.
The naval secretary has been set the following key targets for the first year of operation:
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Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that investments in quiet aircraft by United Kingdom airlines are protected against the incursion of fifth freedom airlines. [33852]
Mr. Norris:
All civil flights, including fifth freedom flights, operated from the UK must comply with the provisions of the EU directive and UK regulations governing the phasing out of noisier, "Chapter 2" jet aircraft. Scheduled fifth freedom services are agreed by negotiation with our bilateral partners, following consultation with UK airlines. On 19 June my noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping announced new measures aimed at tightening controls on fifth freedom charter services operated from the UK by foreign airlines. Except where flights are permitted under EC legislation, the Government's policy is to allow passenger charters to be operated by fifth freedom carriers only where no UK airline can offer a suitable aircraft.
Mr. Galbraith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to make the wearing of cycle helmets compulsory; and if he will make a statement. [34825]
Mr. Norris:
The Government actively promote the benefits of cycle helmet wearing, but we have no plans to make them compulsory.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to his answer of 17 June, Official Report, column 340, if he will list the aircraft type, registration number, flight destination and flight number of the Air Operation flight where the certificate of airworthiness was withdrawn; [34803]
Mr. Norris
[further to his answer, 17 June 1996, Official Report, c. 340]: The certificate of airworthiness for this aircraft was withdrawn after problems were found
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during routine maintenance and the aircraft was therefore not allocated to any particular flight at the time. Details concerning aircraft and the air operator certificates of airlines are held by the relevant regulatory organisations--in this case the Swedish civil aviation authority.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what inspections the Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken on the DC10 operated by Excalibur Airways. [34807]
Mr. Norris:
The Civil Aviation Authority carried out 12 inspections on the operation of the DC10 by Excalibur Airways in order to be satisfied that the operator was competent to operate the type for public transport in accordance with the company's air operator certificate. Since approval was given for such operations, a further two inspections have been carried out. The CAA advises me that this is a representative inspection profile.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many complaints were received by the Air Transport Users Council in each of the last five years; and how many of them in each year related to airline or aircraft safety; [34805]
Mr. Norris:
The hon. Member should seek this information from the Air Transport Users Council at 103 Kingsway, London WC2B 6QX.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the permits issued to Ghana Airways to fly into and out of the United Kingdom. [34804]
Mr. Norris:
Ghana Airways operates scheduled passenger services between Ghana and the United Kingdom and applies for winter and summer seasonal permits to operate services. The current permit for summer 1996 allows the airline to operate four services per week between London and Accra and vice versa, in accordance with the air services arrangements agreed between our two countries.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 21 June, Official Report, column 645, how many complaints had been received regarding the safety of aircraft registered in Bulgaria; and if he will list the airlines involved. [34810]
Mr. Norris:
Since 1991, the Department has received 36 passenger complaints alleging various problems or deficiencies with flights using aircraft registered in Bulgaria. The Department asked the UK Civil Aviation Authority to conduct an independent assessment in Bulgaria to ensure that International Civil Aviation Organisation standards were being applied. This assessment was carried out in February 1996.
Two Bulgarian airlines operate passenger flights to the UK. They are Balkan Airlines and Air Via.
(1) Greater than 93 per cent. of officer billets to be filled.
(2) Greater than 93.5 per cent. of naval rating/royal marines other ranks billets to be filled.
(3) Total strength of naval personnel to be within 1 per cent. of the set requirement.
(4) Greater than 60 per cent. of officers to receive more than four months' notice for change of appointment.
(5) Greater than 98 per cent. of ratings/other ranks to receive more than the specified notice for change of employment.
(6) The number of occurrences where minimum time ashore criteria are not met to be fewer than 150 per year.
(7) To achieve a progressive annual 10 per cent. reduction in the number of manpower gaps.
(8) To conduct two benchmarking exercises with comparable personnel management organisations per year.
(2) if he will place in the Library copies of air operation certificates issued to Air Operations Europe. [34808]
(2) if he will list the number and nature of complaints received by the Air Transport Users Council relating to services operated by Air Operations Europe for each of the last three years. [34806]
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