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DEFENCE
Army Technical Support Agency
Mr. Couchman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the planned collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency. [848]
Mr. Soames: I have decided, in the light of the Government's determination to exploit fully the potential offered by the private finance initiative, that the collocation of the Army Technical Support Agency should be taken forward as a PFI project.
On 4 June, Official Report, column 388, I described the further work to be undertaken following the responses to the earlier consultation document. This has included a further investment appraisal--including the Andover, Ludgershall and Chilwell options--and the production of a new business case.
The work has shown that Andover is the preferred location for ATSA because of its proximity to the agency's main customers, principally the Director General Equipment Support (Army) and his staff who are already based at Andover. I am arranging for copies of the investment appraisal and business case to be placed in the Library of the House.
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Andover will therefore be the public comparator in the PFI exercise and the Andover north site will be available to bidders if required. Bidders will be able to put forward alternative options, including existing ATSA sites, so long as these satisfy ATSA's business needs and the PFI requirements for risk transfer and value for money. We shall shortly be seeking expressions of interest and I would expect to be in a position to decide on the preferred option by the middle of 1998, allowing collocation to be achieved around the end of 1999.
A formal period of consultation is not required until either a PFI solution is identified or we decide to follow a conventional public sector delivery route. I should, nevertheless, be very pleased to receive any further representations from hon. Members, ATSA staff and other interested parties at this stage.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Research Council on 7 October. [872]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
The Council had a first exchange of views on priorities for the fifth framework programme for research and technological development, in responses to the European Commission's initial strategy document "Inventing tomorrow". The UK stressed the need for the fifth programme to address the medium-term needs of EU industry and to support EU policies more broadly, including those designed to bring about improvements in the quality of life. It considered that the programme needed to be more sharply targeted than hitherto on clear objectives responding to user priorities and to give the users of research a stronger voice.
The Council had a short discussion on EU-funded research into bovine spongiform encephalopathy and related diseases. It approved conclusions calling for enhanced co-operation among EU members states in research into BSE and related diseases and for strengthened support for such research in the fourth framework programme. The conclusions also invite the Commission to report again to the Council in December, following the report of the group of experts chaired by Professor Charles Weismann.
The Council considered the question of supplementary funding for the fourth framework programme. It took note of the Commission's intention to clarify the funding available within category 3 of the current financial perspectives, and agreed to return to the matter at its next meeting in December.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the prior options review of the Institute of Food Research sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. [873]
Mr. Ian Tayor:
The Government announced on 29 September 1995 that all public sector research establishments would be subject to prior options reviews.
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I announced on 24 November 1995 reviews of BBSRC-sponsored institutes concerned with agriculture and plant sciences, and on 22 February 1996 reviews of BBSRC-sponsored institutes concerned with animal sciences.
A review has now begun of the BBSRC's arrangements for sponsoring the Institute of Food Research. The review was advertised in the September issue of Government Opportunities. This review is taking place alongside those of establishments parented or sponsored by other Government Departments which are carrying out work in similar or related fields and will build on any relevant recent studies.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to monitor and assess the United Kingdom's progress towards the information society relative to other countries. [870]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
The Department of Trade and Industry commissioned Spectrum Strategy Consultants, as part of the information society initiative, to undertake a pilot exercise to determine how to measure the UK's progress towards the information society. The aims of the study were to examine a range of possible indicators, to determine their significance and provisionally to measure the performance of nine countries--UK, Germany, France, Sweden, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and Singapore. A report, "The Development of the Information Society: an International Analysis", was published on 28 August 1996 by HMSO, ISBN 0-11-515424-8. An executive summary was also produced and is available on the Internet (http//:www.isi.gov.uk/dotis/index.htm/) or by ringing the ISI info line (0345 15 2000), or by e-mail (info@isi.gov.uk).
I have placed copies of the report and the executive summary in the Library of the House.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Telecommunications Council on 27 September 1996. [875]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
I represented the UK at the Telecommunications Council held in Brussels on 27 September.
The Council reached political agreement on a common position on a directive on licensing in telecommunications. Greece announced its intention of voting against the common position. In addition, the Council reached unanimous political agreement on a common position on a decision for EU action on the introduction of satellite personal communications services.
Following an informal lunchtime discussion on a draft directive on postal services, it was agreed that this proposal should be referred back to the Committee of Permanent Representatives for further discussion with a view to reaching political agreement on a common position at the 28 November Telecommunications Council.
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Following a debate on measures to combat the dissemination of paedophile images and information via networks of the Internet type, the Council agreed unanimous conclusions on the creation of a working party to present proposals to combat illegal use of the Internet or similar networks--taking account of UK measures in this area--in time for the 28 November Telecommunications Council.
There was also a Commission presentation on a directive on the application of open network provision to voice telephony in a competitive environment.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU industry council on 8 October. [874]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
The UK deputy permanent representative to the European Union represented the UK at the Industry Council held in Luxembourg on 8 October.
The Council reached unanimous political agreement on a resolution on new political priorities for the information society. The Council also reached unanimous political agreement on a decision to promote linguistic diversity in the information society.
The Commission made presentations on recent Commission communications in the information society field--"The Information Society: From Corfu to Dublin/The new emerging priorities", "The implication of the Information Society for European Union policies: Preparing the next steps", "Standardisation and the global information society: The European approach" and "Living
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and working in the information society: People first"--and on a proposal for a directive concerning regulatory transparency in the field of information society services.
As part of the arrangements for a structured dialogue with applicants for membership of the EU, representatives of the 10 associate member countries of central and eastern Europe were invited to participate in an exchange of views of the information society.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the international convention on nuclear safety will enter into force. [871]
Mr. Page:
The convention on nuclear safety entered into force yesterday, 24 October, just over two years after being opened for signature at the International Atomic Energy Agency general conference in September 1994. The principal objective of the convention is to encourage best practice in the safe regulation, design and operation of civil nuclear power plants. States party to the convention will submit national reports, for discussion at periodic review meetings, on how they meet safety obligations established in the convention.