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Civil Service (Terrorist Damage)

Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) claims and or (b) counter-claims each of the Northern Ireland civil service departments and agencies has commenced in the last five years in relation to damage and injury caused by individuals because of their involvement in terrorism; and if he will make a statement. [36662]

Sir John Wheeler: The Northern Ireland departments and agencies have not commenced any claims or counter claims in the last five years in relation to damage and injury caused by individuals because of their involvement in terrorism. For the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies the information is not available in the form requested. However, the total value of recoveries under the criminal injuries and criminal damage schemes in the last five years is:

Amount recovered £000
1991-92182
1992-93232
1993-94246
1994-95376
1995-96356

To identify the total number of cases would incur disproportionate cost.

22 Jul 1996 : Column: 75

Wind Farms

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the costs of the transmission lines from a wind generation farm to the Northern Ireland grid are included in the capital costs; and who is responsible for (a) erecting the line and (b) maintaining it. [38618]

Mr. Ancram: The transmission line and connection facility cost of a renewable energy scheme is treated as a capital cost element and payment for it is made in full to Northern Ireland Electricity plc, before the project commences. NIE is responsible for erecting and maintaining transmission lines.

Mr. Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the cost of the wind farm being installed at the new Causeway hospital; what is (a) the height of the tower, (b) the highest point of the blades and (c) the size of the turbine; and what were the original dimensions proposed. [38620]

Mr. Moss: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Health Estates under its chief executive, Mr. R.H. Browne. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from R. H. Browne to Mr. William Ross, dated 19 July 1996:


Mourne Conduit

Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what extra costs have been incurred as a result of the decision not to lay asbestos cement pipes in the contract for the Mourne conduit. [38813]

Mr. Moss: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Water Service under its chief executive, Mr. H. R. F. Plester. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from H. R. F. Plester to Mr. William Ross, dated 22 July 1996:

Mr. Moss has asked me to reply to your parliamentary question asking what extra costs have been incurred as a result of the decision not to lay asbestos cement pipes in the contract for the Mourne conduit.


22 Jul 1996 : Column: 76

Cattle Exports

Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what restrictions apply to the interval between export and slaughter in respect of cattle exported (a) for further fattening and (b) for breeding from Northern Ireland. [38416]

Mr. Ancram: Prior to the present ban on the export of bovines, Commission decision 94/474 permitted only the export of calves less than six months old to member states providing they were slaughtered before the age of six months. Such calves are required to remain on the premises designated on the export health certificate until moved directly to slaughter.

Animals born in Northern Ireland are not exported to member states for breeding purposes.

There are no restrictions on the interval between export and slaughter in respect of cattle exported for (a) further fattening and (b) for breeding from Northern Ireland to third countries.

DEFENCE

Tornado GR4 (Logistic Support)

Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place a contract for the logistic support of the Royal Air Force's Tornado GR4 aircraft. [38909]

Mr. Arbuthnot: My Department has negotiated a major contract with British Aerospace for the logistic support of the new equipment on the RAF's Tornado GR4 aircraft over the next five years, and will sign a contract very soon. The contract will be worth well over £100 million to BAe and its major sub-contractors, GEC-Marconi Avionics and Smiths Industries. It will help to sustain approximately 400 to 500 jobs, primarily at sites in Warton, Edinburgh, Rochester, Portsmouth and Cheltenham.

The contract will introduce a new degree of industrial support to front-line aircraft, embracing training, spares, technical publications and ground equipment. It will transfer financial risk to industry and this, with the exacting performance targets we have agreed, will provide the RAF and the taxpayer with a high-quality and cost-effective service.

Equipment Co-operation

Mr. David Martin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 13 March to the hon. Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans), Official Report, columns 648-49, what recent developments have taken place on the development of a new armoured vehicle in co-operation with France and Germany and on wider defence equipment co-operation with those two nations; and if he will make a statement. [38805]

Mr. Arbuthnot: Agreement has now been reached with France and Germany to amend tender documents to reflect the UK's requirement for a multi-role armoured vehicle. I have therefore written to my French and German colleagues confirming that we will join an international competition that is planned to lead to a

22 Jul 1996 : Column: 77

tri-lateral collaborative programme to design and produce an armoured utility vehicle. I have also informed them that the UK is pleased to join the armaments co-operation agency which the two nations decided last year to set up. We will now participate in the work necessary to establish the agency.

The new armaments structure offers the opportunity to improve the effectiveness of co-operation between our countries to meet the requirements of our armed forces. It will also provide a platform for the development of a more efficient and competitive European defence industry.

Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 July to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane), Official Report, columns 27-28, if he will make a statement on the mission and function of the Anglo-French Army Equipment Commission. [38497]

Mr. Soames: The Anglo-French Army Equipment Commission--AFAEC--is a bilateral Army-level forum chaired at major general level. It exists to identify opportunities for co-operation, with the aim of achieving standardisation and interoperability objectives agreed by the two armies. In particular, AFAEC activity seeks to promote collaboration in the areas of research and operational analysis thus promoting cost-effective, collaborative equipment programmes.

Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 July to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane), Official Report, columns 27-28, if he will make a statement on the mission and function of the Anglo-French future land systems study group. [38499]

Mr. Soames: The Anglo-French future land systems study group--AFFLSSG, or Groupe Franco Britannique d'Etude de Systemes Aeroterrestres Futurs--exists to provide a mechanism for exchanges between the UK and France in the areas of land systems operational analysis, military history, and the performance of army equipment and its cost. The group's UK activities are managed by the Directorate of Science (Land), and it reports to the Anglo-French Army Equipment Commission, AFAEC. It has an active programme of work, concentrating on exchanges of information and joint symposiums and studies.

Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 July to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) Official Report, columns 27-28, if he will make a statement on the mission and function of the European co-operative long-term initiative for defence. [38498]

Mr. Soames: The European co-operation for the long-term initiative for defence--EUCLID--programme operates under the auspices of the Western European Armaments Group. Its mission may be described as the co-ordination of joint research and exploratory development programmes, involving defence industries, in a number of common European priority areas, CEPAs. It functions by establishing a number of research and technology projects, RTPs, within each CEPA by multi-national industrial consortiums representing the participating nations led by a single lead industrial entity, SLIE. RTP participation is undertaken on the basis of equal Government cost shares and with the expectation

22 Jul 1996 : Column: 78

that additional industrial private venture contributions will be provided by the consortiums, and is subjected to competitive bidding. Full and active participation of nations with developing defence industries is encouraged, and nations that participate in an RTP have free use of the results obtained.

Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 July to the hon. Member for Rotherham, (Mr. MacShane) Official Report, columns 27-28, if he will name the 14 separate working groups under the Anglo-French defence research group; and if he will make a statement on the missions and functions of each. [38496]

Mr. Soames: I regret that the answer I gave on the 8 of July to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) was inaccurate in identifying 14 separate working groups when in fact there are only 13.

The 13 working groups which are responsible to the Anglo-French defence research group--AFDRG--are as follows:


The mission of each is to initiate, sponsor, and monitor the progress of collaborative defence in the areas stated, a co-operative activity which takes place under the auspices of the Anglo-French memorandum of understanding, MOU, on defence research of 24 October 1989.

Mr. Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 July to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane), Official Report, columns 27-28, if he will list where each of the 60 officers on exchange/liaison are based; and if he will make a statement on the roles and functions of each. [38495]

Mr. Soames: The following is a list of the UK/French exchange and liaison officer posts based in France and the UK.


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    E-3D Pilot, RAF Waddington: Capt.
    RAF Bracknell: Lt. Col.
    UK OFFICERS IN FRANCE
    Royal Navy
    Liaison Officers (LO)
    French Jt. Planning Staffs International Dept. Creil: Cdr.
    Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) Officer; Paris (2 Posts): Cdr.
    Exchange Officers
    FNS Persee: Lt.
    Ecole Navale, Brest: Lt.
    Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) at sea: Lt.
    Fighter Controller (FC) at sea: Lt.
    9e Dima, Nantes: Capt. RM
    Army
    Liaison Officers
    Army Headquarters, Metz: Col.
    SO1 Commandement de la doctrine et de l'entrainement (CBE), Metz: Lt. Col.
    SO1 Joint Service Staff College, Paris: Lt. Col.
    School of Infantry, Montpellier: Lt. Col.
    Engineer School, Angers: Lt. Col.
    Ecole de St. Cyr, Coetquidan: Lt. Col.
    Artillery School, Draguignan: Lt. Col.
    Armoured School, Saumur: Lt. Col.
    Exchange Officers
    Pilot Aviation School, Le Luc: Lt. Col./Maj.
    11 Airborne Div., Toulouse: Capt.

22 Jul 1996 : Column: 80


    Project Related Posts
    Tripartite Guided Weapon Project Office, Ruiel-Malmaison: Maj.
    Trigat Tripartite Guided Weapon: Lt. Col.
    Royal Air Force Liaison Officers
    HQ Strike Command, Tavernay: Sqn. Ldr.
    Merignac, Bordeaux: Sqn. Ldr.
    Merignac, Bordeaux: Flt. Lt.
    Exchange Officers
    Airborne Equipment Officer L'Armee de L'Air, Paris: Sqn. Ldr.
    Mirage 2000 Pilot, Nancy: Flt. Lt.
    Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI), L'Ecole de L'Air, Salon: Flt. Lt.
    Mirage 2000 Pilot, Orange: Flt. Lt.
    Alphajet Instructor, Cazaux: Flt. Lt.
    Alouette Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI), Toulouse: Flt. Lt.
    Intercept Controller, Tours: Flt. Lt.
    E-3D Pilot, Avord: Flt. Lt.

The role of a liaison officer is to act as a link between the two organisations. The role of an exchange officer is to work alongside the national officers of the host country and to perform a specific function within the host organisation.

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