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Combined Arms Tactical Trainer
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the Army's requirement for a combined arms tactical trainer. [8449]
Mr. Arbuthnot: A contract has been awarded to Lockheed-Martin Information Systems for two combined arms tactical trainers--CATT--to meet the Army's requirement for a new training simulation system. Lockheed-Martin was selected as the prime contractor following a full evaluation of the procurement options. The company has gained considerable experience of such systems through its development of the US Army's close combat tactical trainer. The contract, supported by a memorandum of understanding between my Department and the US Department of Defence, provides for substantial UK industrial involvement in high-quality work. GEC Marconi has been selected by Lockheed-Martin as its lead United Kingdom partner. It is planned that the British company will take over as prime contractor from 2003. The award of the CATT contract will initially sustain or create about 90 jobs mainly at GEC Marconi at Donnibristle, Fife. Further jobs will be created in the United Kingdom when CATT enters its production phase.
9 Dec 1996 : Column: 18
Discharged Personnel (Allergies)
Sir Cranley Onslow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been medically discharged in each of the past 10 years because of allergic reactions. [6630]
Mr. Soames: This answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Low Flying
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the United States and Canadian Governments concerning low flying; and if he will make a statement. [7591]
Mr. Soames: My right hon. Friend has not recently discussed military low flying with representatives of the United States and Canadian Governments. My officials, however, have regular discussions with their counterparts from these countries on a wide range of topics including low flying.
Proposed Force Reductions
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the scale of the proposed reduction in the size of (a) the Army, including the Gurkhas but excluding the Royal Irish Regiment, (b) the RAF and (c) the Royal Navy between (i) 1 April 1990 and 1 April 1999 and (ii) 1 April 1992 and 1 April 1999, under the Government's current plans; and if he will make a statement. [7590]
Mr. Soames: The total strength, trained and untrained, of the armed forces, including Gurkhas and other locally employed personnel, on 1 April 1990 and 1 April 1992 was:
| RN | Army | RAF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 63,500 | 161,500 | 89,700 |
| 1992 | 62,400 | 154,100 | 86,000 |
| RN | Army | RAF |
|---|---|---|
| 44,000 | 115,000 | 55,500 |
Army Strength
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total trained strength of the British Army at (a) 1 April 1990 and (b) 1 April 1992, including the Gurkhas but not including the Royal Irish Regiment.[7589]
Mr. Soames: The trained strength of the British Army including Gurkhas but excluding the Ulster Defence Regiment and locally employed personnel was 144,800 at 1 April 1990 and 140,800 at 1 April 1992.
9 Dec 1996 : Column: 19
PRIME MINISTER
IRA
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Prime Minister on what occasions, and through what arrangement he or his office has had communications with the IRA since 1 September 1994. [7199]
Council of Ministers
Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list by Department each occasion when Her Majesty's Government have entered a scrutiny reserve at Council of Minsters meetings, indicating the matter concerned. [7531]
The Prime Minister: Arrangements exist to prevent items coming forward for decision in the Council of Ministers where a member state's parliamentary scrutiny procedures have yet to be completed. The presidency may, nonetheless, occasionally place an item on a Council agenda for decision which is still subject to parliamentary scrutiny in a member state. Information on the occasions when the United Kingdom has as a consequence maintained a scrutiny reserve at the Council of Ministers is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Correspondence
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library (a) a copy of the letter recently sent to him by the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume); and (b) any documents which accompanied the letter or his reply. [7818]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 6 December 1996]: It is not my practice to reveal correspondence, either letters or accompanying documents, which are sent to me in confidence. As for my reply to the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume), I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) on 28 November, Official Report, columns 460-61.
President Mary Robinson
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Prime Minister if the present visit to Great Britain by President Mary Robinson is an official visit. [7817]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 6 December 1996]: No.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Iraq
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the oil-for-food deal between Iraq and the United Nations agreed in August to be implemented; and if he will make a statement. [7523]
9 Dec 1996 : Column: 20
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: UN Security Council resolution 986 (1995) will come into operation when the UN Secretary-General believes that conditions for its effective implementation have been met. We believe that it might be as early as this week.
West Indies Guardship
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made this year to countries in south America and the Caribbean about the anti-drug work of the West Indies guardship, its access to territorial waters and its powers to board vessels registered in these countries; and if he will make a statement. [7950]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We have made no such representations regarding the West Indies guardship--WIGS. I have, however, made representations to the Venezuelan Government, following the refusal by the Venezuelan authorities to grant permission to the Royal Fleet Auxillary Gold Rover, which operates in support of WIGS, for US law enforcement officers embarked on the RFA to board a Venezuelan flagged vessel suspected of drug trafficking. I made clear this Government's view that article 17 of the 1988 UN drugs convention, which the United Kingdom and Venezuela have ratified, provides the legal framework for maritime anti-narcotics co-operation.
French Fishermen (Minquies)
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with EU Ministers in respect of rescinding the concessions granted to French fishermen to fish in the Minquies. [7791]
Afghanistan (National Museum)
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the unauthorised sale of items formerly held by the national museum of Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [8015]
Dr. Liam Fox: We have received no such representations in recent years about the unauthorised sale of items formerly held by the national museum of Afghanistan. However, we regard the preservation of Afghanistan's cultural heritage as important.
European Union (Government Policy)
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote Government policy in support of the European Union. [6507]
Mr. David Davis: The Government are tireless in promoting their European policy in the House and in public. Their overall position was set out in a White Paper, "A Partnership of Nations", earlier this year.
9 Dec 1996 : Column: 21
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources have been allocated to clear land mines in Bosnia-Herzegovina.[6526]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The UK has contributed £428,000, including our share of EU assistance, to humanitarian mine clearance work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also seconded military personnel to assist in the establishment of the UN mine action centre in Sarajevo.
High Commission Official (Bradford Visit)
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by whom a senior official at the British high commission in Islamabad was recently invited to visit Bradford; what was the purpose of the visit; if he will list those with whom the official had meetings; and if he will make a statement. [8004]
Dr. Liam Fox: No official of the British high commission has recently visited Bradford. An official from this Department called on councillors, community centres and the Bradford racial equality council in August as part of his preparation for taking up a post in Islamabad.
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