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Small Arms Ammunition
24. Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on defence procurement policy in respect of small arms ammunition. [371]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The procurement of small arms ammunition is designed to meet the armed forces' requirements in a cost-effective manner. In seeking best value for money, competition remains the cornerstone of our policy.
Defence Spending
25. Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on defence in (a) 1986 and (b) 1990; and what is the estimated amount for the current year. [372]
Mr. Soames: Defence spending was £18.4 billion in 1986-87 and £21.7 billion in 1990-91. The planned spending for the current financial year is £21.4 billion.
Recruitment (Ethnic Minorities)
26. Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the United Kingdom armed forces is currently recruited from ethnic minorities. [374]
Mr. Soames: Approximately 1 per cent. of armed forces personnel are from ethnic minorities.
Army Training Regiment
28. Mr. Fabricant:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the present and future role of the Army training regiment. [377]
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Mr. Soames:
No changes are planned in respect of the role or location of the Army training regiment at Lichfield, or any of the other four ATRs, Bassingbourn, Pirbright, Winchester and Glencorse.
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons a military aircraft passed very low over Doncaster at 7.46 pm on 11 September. [446]
Mr. Soames:
Since Doncaster is listed for avoidance by low flying military aircraft, the RAF police have been tasked to make inquiries into the alleged overflight. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member when these inquiries are complete.
Mr. Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of purchase of the US designed scatterable mine system due to enter service in 1999; and what on-going maintenance and testing costs will be associated with this system. [395]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
The procurement cost of the vehicle launched scatterable anti-tank mine system due to enter service in 1999 is some £90 million. The costs of maintenance and support for its planned 20-year life is estimated at £55 million.
Mr. Spellar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on guidelines for partnership in Ministry of Defence procurement. [199]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Following discussions between my Department and the Confederation of British Industry, a joint guidance note has been published on "Partnering between MOD and its Suppliers". A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the size of the reduction in the armed forces between 1 April 1990 and 1 April 1999 under his Department's current plans; and if he will make a statement. [503]
Mr. Soames:
The total service strength of the regular armed forces at 1 April 1990 was 314,700. The estimated strength at 1 April 1999 under current plans is 213,500, representing a reduction of 32 per cent. Both figures include Gurkha strengths. The former excludes, however, the then Ulster Defence Regiment and the latter excludes the Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) force. The figures include an element for personnel undergoing training.
Mr. Pickthall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what purchases of Argentinian beef have been made by the British Army to feed Her Majesty's forces in the last year. [788]
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Mr. Arbuthnot:
The procurement of food for the armed forces is contracted to the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. My Department does not specify the source of origin from which NAAFI should obtain beef--or any other meat--but expects it to seek the best market price for the product. The majority of our requirements are for frozen beef which is not readily available from the British market and I understand that on cost grounds the majority of beef joints have been sourced from South America, predominantly Brazil and Uruguay. NAAFI indicates that in the last year approximately 12 tonnes of frozen beef was sourced from Argentina; this represents less than 1 per cent. of the annual frozen meat requirements for the armed forces. Additionally, a range of beef products including sirloin, foreribs, minced and diced beef are normally procured in the UK along with other meat and poultry produce.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards removing the radioactive material form the nuclear submarines currently docked at the Rosyth naval base; and if he will make a statement. [858]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Of the seven decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines stored afloat at Rosyth, four have completed their defuel, de-equip and lay-up preparation--DDLP--process, one is nearing completion, and two have yet to commence. The DDLP process includes the removal of the spent fuel.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to store decommissioned nuclear submarines in the Holy loch on the Clyde; and if he will make a statement. [859]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
We have no plans to store decommissioned nuclear submarines in the Holy loch.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has for the out of service nuclear submarines currently docked at the Rosyth naval base; and if he will make a statement; [860]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
The Government consider that it is appropriate for decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines to be stored safely afloat at the location where they are decommissioned, pending disposal. Decommissioned nuclear submarines are currently stored at Rosyth and Devonport.
Mr. Harry Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of British forces' contribution to peacekeeping operations worldwide. [979]
Mr. Soames:
Our continuing contributions to peacekeeping operations around the world represent a substantial commitment, fully consistent with our position as a permanent Security Council member. Over 9,000 ground troops are serving with the NATO implementation force in Bosnia, supported by about 500 air and maritime
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personnel offshore and in Italy. Over 400 personnel are engaged in operations under UN command, and some 400 more in support of Security Council resolutions over Iraq.
Dr. David Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the advantages of the leasing of tanks; and if he will make a statement. [1060]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
No consideration has been given to the leasing of tanks under the private finance initiative. However, it is our policy that, subject to considerations of operational effectiveness and value for money, there are no "no go" areas for PFI in the MOD. PFI projects can reach close to the front line and impact directly on operational capability.
Mr. Pawsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is the current total for the national schools budget; [4]
(3) what is the average amount currently deducted from the national schools budget by local education authorities; [6]
(4) what action she will take to reduce the amount of local education authority holdback. [5]
Mr. Robin Squire:
The total amount of the general schools budget as recorded in the local management of schools budget statements produced by the local education authorities in England for 1996-97 is £15,383.6 million, exclusive of capital expenditure and capital financing costs. The proportion of this figure delegated to schools through the aggregated schools budget is 79 per cent. The 21 per cent. retained centrally by LEAs amounts to £3,226.4 million, an average of £27.1 million per LEA.
The Government's plans for requiring a further reduction in "LEA holdback" are set out in chapter 2 of the White Paper "Self-Government for Schools", Cm 3315.
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people formerly in receipt of incapacity benefit who have signed on as unemployed during the year April 1995 to April 1996 have (a) been referred to placing, assessment and counselling teams, (b) taken up a place on a job club, (c) taken up a job interview guarantee, (d) taken up a place on a job plan workshop and (e) received assistance from the access to work scheme. [412]
Mr. Forth:
Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
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(2) what assessment he has made of the sites in the United Kingdom which are appropriate for the storage of decommissioned nuclear submarines; and if he will make a statement. [857]
(2) what proportion of the national schools budget is currently transmitted to schools; [7]
| Ex-incapacity benefit claims | National cumulative |
|---|---|
| Number of ex-IB making a claim for period ending 29 March | 40,257 |
| Number starting on: | |
| Jobplan | 350 |
| Jobclub | 497 |
| JIG | 358 |
| PWDs(1) assessments | 9,380 |
| PWDs(1) Numbers starting on specialist programmes(2) | 455 |
(1) People with disabilities.
(2) Includes Supported Employment, Rehabilitation starts, Access to Work, Job Introduction.
| Ex-incapacity benefit clients | National cumulative |
|---|---|
| Number of ex-IB making a claim for period ending 26 April 1996 | 4,059 |
| Number starting on: | |
| Jobplan | 44 |
| Jobclub | 107 |
| Other programmes(3) | 67 |
| PWDs(4)--referrals | 1,316 |
| PWDs(4)--assessments | 1,149 |
| PWDs(4)--starting on specialist programmes(5) | 100 |
(3) Other programmes--BSS, Restart, Workwise, Jobsearch Plus, Job Search Seminar, Job Review Workshop, Job Interview Guarantee.
(4) People with disabilities.
(5) Includes Supported Employment, Rehabilitation starts, Access to Work, Job Introduction.
29 Oct 1996 : Column: 80
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