| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Internet
Mr. Rowe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37243]
Mr. Norris: My Department is discussing the matter with our main publisher, Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Coastguard Service
Mr. Charles Wardle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the findings of the independent investigation into the Coastguard actions in the Lyme bay canoeing tragedy; and if he will make a statement. [38519]
Mr. Norris: In March 1993, four teenagers were tragically drowned in a sea canoeing accident in the Lyme bay area. Mr. John Reeder QC was appointed to conduct a review, the terms of reference of which were:
"In the light of the COASTGUARD's internal inquiry, the evidence presented to the Lyme Bay trial and the judge's comments in his summing up--
(i) to review all of the actions, both internal and external, taken by the COASTGUARD during and subsequent to the tragedy.
(ii) to consider how far this action was appropriate and whether any further action was necessary, and
(iii) to make recommendations.
Consideration under item (ii) should cover the suggestion by Sir James Spicer MP that harbourmasters should be given a more formal role in COASTGUARD's emergency procedures."
Mr. Reeder has produced a thorough and well-researched report of the Coastguard involvement in this tragedy. He reported that no lives had been lost as a result of the Coastguard's actions and that the lessons of the incident had been fully learned. He has endorsed the action taken by the Coastguard agency and other parts of my Department to make sure that all lessons were fully learned. He recommends that no further disciplinary action should be taken.
It is right that all concerned should do all that can be done to prevent similar incidents form happening in the future. We have made regulations to seek to improve the safety of activity centres. Thanks to Mr. Reeder's report, we can now be confident that the Coastguard agency has responded fully to the tragedy, and that all necessary steps have been taken to safeguard against similar incidents in the future.
Following the incident, the Coastguard agency carried out their own investigation and took appropriate action. Portland Coastguard has since been reorganised and all of the officers involved have been retrained.
Mr. Reeder made recommendations on the radio coverage of the area, on the relationship between Coastguard and harbourmasters, and on the Coastguard agency and British Canoe Union's advice on sea
17 Jul 1996 : Column: 532
canoeing. All his recommendations either have been implemented by the Coastguard agency, or are being urgently addressed.
Mrs. Currie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many outline research proposals were received for the epidemiology programme to be initiated by the Medical Research Council at the request of his Department; what proposals in other fields besides epidemiology have been received by the MRC; if there is a deadline; how much of his Department's funding will be made available for these studies; and if he will make a statement. [37430]
Mr. Soames:
Work on establishing the detailed programme of research into Gulf health issues, which I announced on 30 January, Official Report, columns 607-608, is progressing well. As I announced at that time, the work is being overseen by the Medical Research Council, whose independent supervision of the research programme will ensure an objective, impartial and scientific approach and compliance with the highest professional standards.
Following a period of assessment of the most appropriate areas for research, the MRC issued its call for research proposals in scientific and medical journals at the end of May. I understand that it has already received 37 outline proposals for research in a variety of fields. Those have been submitted in confidence, and I am therefore not able to detail the precise areas which they cover. All the proposals are now being thoroughly evaluated by a scientific advisory committee, appointed by the MRC, which includes some of the most eminent medical experts in the relevant fields. The MRC will then invite the most promising applicants to submit substantive proposals by the end of August.
The final research programme is expected to include both epidemiological studies to compare the prevalence of illness among Gulf war veterans and similar control groups, including the relative incidence of birth defects among their children, and studies to investigate other aspects of Gulf health-related issues such as any possible interaction between the vaccinations administered to personnel serving in the Gulf and the nerve agent pre-treatment sets, with which they were issued.
Final decisions on the research projects to be funded will be made in November. My Department will meet the full costs of those research projects recommended by the MRC as being the most appropriate.
We are keeping in close touch with US plans for research in similar fields to ensure that work is not duplicated, and that our respective programmes cover all aspects of this important issue. The US authorities have recently announced their plans for 12 major research studies, one of which is to be undertaken by Dr. Simon Wessely of King's college school of medicine. We will continue to liaise with the US authorities as this work progresses.
17 Jul 1996 : Column: 533
In parallel with the research programmes I have described, we continue to offer assessment and counselling services under the medical assessment programme established in 1993 to all serving and ex-service personnel who may be concerned about their health. Six hundred and thirty-five individual veterans have now been examined on the programme. Additional resources have been made available both to support the clinical programme itself and to develop the comprehensive database necessary for a full analysis of the programme's overall results to date. Group Captain Coker, the principal consultant on the programme, expects to publish a report on his findings to date later this year.
On the basis of the examination of veterans undertaken so far, there is no evidence that there is any unique syndrome or illness associated specifically with Gulf service. The Government, nevertheless, retain an open mind. The painstaking, detailed approach I have outlined, which will of necessity take time, is soundly and scientifically based, and illustrates our total commitment to the health of our service personnel.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 July, Official Report, column 184, how much of the remaining expenditure on the Trident programme will be spent in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the United States of America. [37426]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
The estimated £1.61 billion of remaining expenditure on the Trident acquisition programme is planned to be spent as follows:
| UK | USA | |
|---|---|---|
| Submarine | 475 | 12 |
| Strategic weapons system | 21 | 495 |
| Tactical weapons system(3) | 68 | 1 |
| Building works | 11 | -- |
| Dockyards | 266 | -- |
| Warhead/miscellaneous: | ||
| Unallocated contingency(3) | 206 | 55 |
| Total | 1,047 | 563 |
(3) The apparent variation from the answer given to the hon. Member on 10 July 1996, Official Report, column 184, results from rounding of figures.
RAF Burtonwood
Mr. Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of installing new telecommunications equipment at RAF Burtonwood; and if he will make a statement. [37639]
Mr. Soames: The cost of installing new telecommunications equipment on the RAF Burtonwood site is a matter for the tenants. No extra costs have been incurred by my Department.
Mr. Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new telephone lines have been installed at RAF Burtonwood this year; and if he will make a statement. [37640]
17 Jul 1996 : Column: 534
Mr. Soames: Tenants at Burtonwood deal directly with suppliers regarding the installation of any additional telephone lines they may require. My Department does not hold a record of such new installations.
Defence Police Salaries
Ms Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the salaries of the chief constable, Ministry of Defence police, and his deputy will be determined; what performance indicators will be used to determine the level of performance-related elements; and what is the minimum and maximum possible salary in the financial year 1996-97. [37352]
Mr. Soames: With effect from 1 April 1996, the salaries of the chief constable and deputy chief constable, Ministry of Defence police, including any elements relating to performance will be determined in line with the provisions applying to the senior civil service.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |