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DEFENCE

Land Mines

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what programme of research he has commissioned into mine clearance and detection. [396]

Mr. Arbuthnot: My Department has commissioned work by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, including research into detection using hand-held equipment; location and destruction of mines for route clearance; and the remote detection of minefields. DERA's centre for post-conflict battle area clearance technologies and techniques is primarily concerned with work for military purposes, but also undertakes studies of mine clearance funded by other bodies such as the ODA and the EU.

Gulf War Syndrome

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now review all parliamentary answers given in both Houses on the subject of exposure to chemicals of British service personnel serving in the Gulf during Operation Granby since March 1991, and publish correct answers where required. [196]

Mr. Soames: When new information came to light that there had been wider use of organophosphate pesticides by British troops during the Gulf war, I wrote immediately to those Members of Parliament who had tabled questions or had inquired of my Department about pesticides to correct the pubic record. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence wrote similarly to the Countess of Mar. Copies of the letters have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Mr. Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first informed that British troops and military medical staff were exposed to organophosphate pesticides during their service in Operation Granby in the Gulf war; what action he then took; and if he will place in the Library copies of all documentation on organophosphates held by his Department. [232]

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Mr. Soames: I was first made aware last month that British troops had made wider use of organophosphate pesticides during the Gulf war than we had previously been led to believe. As soon as this information came to light, we commissioned a detailed comprehensive investigation into the use of organophosphate pesticides by British troops. When this investigation is complete, I will make a full report to the House.

St. Helena

Mr. Allason: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to utilize St. Helena for military exercises. [837]

Mr. Soames: There are currently no plans to utilise St. Helena for military exercises.

US Nuclear Weapons

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United States nuclear weapons are currently situated on the United Kingdom mainland; and if he will make a statement. [1539]

Mr. Soames: It has been the practice of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons in specific locations at specific times. All allies remain committed to the maintenance of nuclear forces in Europe as an essential political and military link between the European and North American members of the alliance. The United Kingdom continues to make available facilities for United States' nuclear forces within the UK.

Overseas Forces

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries in which there is a United Kingdom military presence. [1478]

Mr. Soames: British service personnel are currently providing a UK military presence either on operations or at permanent bases in the following countries:


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This list does not include countries where loan service personnel and training teams are based, where short-term training exercises are being conducted and where there are minor commitments involving individual service men and women.

Polaris and Trident

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total defence expenditure on (a) the Polaris and (b) the Trident programmes in 1993-94 and 1994-95. [1477]

Mr. Arbuthnot: For the years in question, expenditure, in £ million and at outturn prices was:

1993-941994-95
(a) Polaris10365
(b) Trident979723

Armed Forces (Beef)

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much British beef (a) in weight and (b) in value, was supplied to the British armed forces in each of the last three years. [1381]

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. Records for the last three years are not available, however in the financial year 1995-96 and in the first six months of the current financial year, NAAFI purchased some 690,000 kg of UK beef, including sirloin, forerib, diced mince and a range of manufactured products; these were valued at £1.3 million.

Army Technical Services Agency

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Army Technical Services Agency at Malvern. [1380]

Mr. Soames: On 25 October, Official Report, columns 14-15, I announced that the Army Technical Support Agency collocation would be taken forward as a private finance initiative project. The future of the ATSA at Malvern will depend on the outcome of the PFI solution for ATSA collocation.

PRIME MINISTER

Queen's Speech

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Vote Office copies of the consolidated press lobby briefing on the Queen's Speech. [833]

The Prime Minister: Copies of the background notes have been placed in the Library of the House.

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Data Protection

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether (i) the security services and (ii) GCHQ have registered under the Data Protection Act 1984; and if he will make a statement; [151]

The Prime Minister: No. Agencies holding personal data for the purpose of safeguarding national security are exempt from registration under section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984. The exemption is kept under review.

Engagements

Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 31 October. [996]

Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 31 October. [997]

The Prime Minister: This morning, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

HEALTH

NHS Trusts (Severance Payments)

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what severance payments were paid to (a) Ms Sue De Gilio of Plymouth Community Services NHS trust and (b) Ms Jenny Parsonage of Thameslink Healthcare Services NHS trust upon their resignations. [453]

Mr. Malone: Severance payments for trust staff are a matter for the trusts concerned, taking into account the guidance issued to trusts by the national health service executive in May 1994. The hon. Member may wish to contact Miss Louise Churchill, chairman of Plymouth Community Services NHS trust and Mr. Ron March, chairman of Thameslink Healthcare Services NHS trust for details.

Schools (Dysentery)

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many schools which have experienced outbreaks of dysentery in the last year have pupils from families whose water has been cut off. [426]

Mr. Horam: This information is not collected centrally.

Cosmetic Surgery

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the results of the study commissioned by his Department from the British Association of Plastic Surgeons on private cosmetic surgery started in July 1995. [421]

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Mr. Horam: It is for the researchers to publish the report. The information from the study indicated that there was only very small usage of NHS resources in the treatment of the problems of aesthetic surgery carried out in the private sector.

Mental Health

Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which schemes for the provision of services for psychiatric patients have been approved under the private finance initiative. [1032]

Mr. Horam: Seven schemes providing services for psychiatric patients have been approved under the private finance initiative. Four of these schemes have been completed, one is under way and two are negotiating contract signature. They are:


Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish his Green Paper on the future management of mental health services; and if he will make a statement. [1063]

Mr. Burns: Much progress has been made in developing and implementing policies for the delivery of comprehensive health and social care services to people with mental illness, but concerns are now being expressed that particular structural and organisational barriers may be impeding further progress. We are therefore examining the legal and other structural obstacles which might be inhibiting effective working between agencies and will shortly be issuing a consultation document seeking views on which options for change would be most supported by those working in the mental health field and by service users.

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