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RAF Spadeadam (Aircraft Training)
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if aircraft carrying out training at RAF Spadeadam at low level are permitted to carry out evasive manoeuvring to counter electronic threats ranged against them when outside the boundaries of (a) low flying area 13 and (b) Spadeadam area of intense aerial activity. [16816]
Mr. Soames: Aircraft are permitted to carry out evasive manoeuvres outside these areas, subject to normal flying regulations.
Training Areas (Definition)
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the current categories of training area other than army field training centres; and if he will provide a definition of each category. [16830]
Mr. Soames: The information requested is as follows:
- (a) Arms training area: used primarily to meet the specialist training requirements of a particular arms branch.
- (b) Major district training area: provides significant training facilities for use by all units, although priority is normally given to units located within the district divisional boundary.
- (c) Minor district training area: provides facilities primarily for training at sub-unit level.
- (d) Unit training area: suitable for individual and low level training and usually located within or near a unit's barracks.
Army Helicopters (Missile Firing)
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the ranges and training areas where tube-launched optically steered wire guided missile firing from Army helicopters is (a) authorised and (b) conducted. [16834]
Mr. Soames:
TOW missile firing from Army helicopters is authorised on the following UK ranges:
Benbecula
Cape Wrath
Castlemartin
Dartmoor
Holbeach
Otterburn
Salisbury Plain
Shoeburyness.
Of the above, TOW missile firing is at present conducted only at Cape Wrath, Otterburn and Salisbury plain.
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 117
Mr. Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average running cost of (a) Royal Naval Armaments Depot, Coulport and (b) Clyde Submarine Base, Faslane, in each of the past five years. [16812]
Mr. Soames:
This is a matter for the chief executive of the Naval Bases and Supply Agency. I have asked the chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 118
Letter from John Trewby to Mr. Alan Simpson, dated 24 February 1997:
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 117
I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the running costs of Royal Naval Armament Depot (RNAD) Coulport and HM Naval Base Clyde as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Naval Bases and Supply Agency.
/brev>
The information requested is as follows, expressed at 1996-97 price levels:
| £ million | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Running costs of: | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 forecast |
| RNAD Coulport | 54.119 | 58.797 | 62.010 | 59.372 | 52.005 |
| HM Naval Base Clyde | 89.322 | 107.465 | 113.219 | 121.544 | 142.745 |
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 117
I shall add that these figures reflect the impact of considerable changes over the last five years, which include the greater disaggregation of costs to Basic Level Budgets, the Defence Costs Studies which relocated Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland to HMNB Clyde, the migration of other tasks located at Rosyth to the Clyde and the reduction of the Polaris task at Coulport.
Quantock School
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pupils are being financed by the Service Children's Education agency in years 12 and 13 at Quantock school, Taunton; and how much is being paid for each child. [16909]
Mr. Soames [holding answer 20 February 1997]: There is currently one pupil whose parents are in receipt of boarding school allowance in the sixth form at Quantock school. The cost to public funds is £2,350 per term.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer of 11 February, Official Report, columns 125-6, if he will set out the basis of his estimate for the total cost of the nuclear programme; and if he will list for each year the sum in 1997 prices represented by that estimate. [17051]
Mr. Soames: The estimate given by my right hon. Friend was in response to a question about Trident rather than the defence nuclear programme at large. Pursuant to that answer, and in response to the present question, procurement of the Trident system will have absorbed less than 2½ per cent. of defence spending during the years in question. It is still too early to make a detailed assessment of the operating costs of Trident but our best estimate remains some £6 billion over the life of the system.
As to future overall costs of the nuclear programme, I have decided not to disclose these under exemption 1 to the code of practice on access to Government information, which covers information whose disclosure would harm national security or defence.
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 118
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department estimates it cost to establish each executive agency set up by his Department since the start of April 1992. [16973]
Mr. Soames:
This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel who took part in the Korean war are still waiting to be awarded a Korean war medal; and if he will make a statement. [16961]
Mr. Soames:
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who is responsible for determining, and what criteria govern, whether the United Kingdom Government renews the United States security of tenure at Menwith Hill station. [17381]
Mr. Soames:
The Secretary of State for Defence retains the Crown freehold of RAF Menwith Hill and the site has been made available to United States authorities by Her Majesty's Government under arrangements that exist for our mutual defence. Though it is not our practice to comment on the precise details of such arrangements, I can say that there are no plans, nor is there any requirement, to renew the arrangements at RAF Menwith Hill.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom bases, occupied by United States forces in the United Kingdom, are due to have their leases or security of tenure agreements renewed (a) in 1997, (b) in the next five years and (c) in the next 10 years; and if he will name them. [17424]
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the legal status of the United States security of tenure relating to the Menwith Hill station; and if he will make a statement. [17420]
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 119
Mr. Soames:
RAF Menwith Hill is made available for the use of US forces in accordance with the NATO status of forces agreement of 1951 and other administrative agreements which are confidential between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America. This includes the security of tenure arrangement which applies solely to RAF Menwith Hill.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the changes of administration at Menwith Hill station since 1967. [17439]
Mr. Soames:
There has been one change in administration at RAF Menwith Hill since 1967. Executive management of RAF Menwith Hill was assumed by the US Army on 8 August 1995.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the new radomes recently built for the United Sates Air Force at RAF Feltwell, Norfolk, cost; who paid for them; what are the US Air Force's proposals in respect of a new near-space facility within this compound; and if he will make a statement. [17425]
Mr. Soames:
The near space tracking facility at RAF Feltwell became operational on 30 September 1966. There are currently no plans for further expansion. The US authorities are responsible for funding infrastructure costs at the site and as such questions concerning the facility are a matter for them.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many security of tenure or lease agreements have been made with the United States Government relating to bases in the United Kingdom since 1967. [17419]
Mr. Soames:
None. Bases are made available to the United States authorities by Her Majesty's Government under arrangements that exist for our mutual defence.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the US Navy will withdraw from RAF Edzell; and what alternative role and function the base will assume. [17422]
Mr. Soames:
The US Navy will withdraw from RAF Edzell by summer of 1997. It is expected that the site will be offered for sale on the open market. My Department has recently appointed property agents to prepare a disposal and marketing strategy as the base has a wide range of possible alternative uses. It is therefore not known at present what alternative role and function the base will assume.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those security of tenure or lease agreements made with the United States Government relating to bases in the United Kingdom which are currently in force. [17389]
Mr. Soames:
There is one security of tenure agreement applicable solely to RAF Menwith Hill. No leases have ever been granted to the US authorities.
Mr. Madden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which US Department of Defence agency employs the base commander at Menwith Hill station. [17440]
Mr. Soames:
The base commander at RAF Menwith Hill is employed by the United States Army.
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 120
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