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Air-to-air Missile
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning his Department's plans for the future medium range air-to-air missile. [21285]
Mr. Arbuthnot: No final decision has yet been reached but work is continuing to enable an announcement to be made on the way forward as soon as practicable.
Domestic Rabbits
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances domestic rabbits are used in Royal Marines training; and if he will make a statement.[21100]
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Mr. Soames:
The only use made of rabbits is that some 200 per annum, which are not domestic but bought from sources which breed them commercially for meat, are killed in the course of teaching necessary military survival techniques to personnel training at the commando training centre Royal Marines, Lympstone.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list those countries where loan service personnel were deployed in 1991. [20174]
Mr. Soames:
According to available records, in 1991, British loan service personnel were deployed in the following countries:
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The full records of exercises involving British service personnel in 1991 are not available. According to available records, British service personnel exercised in, or with, forces from the following countries and dependent territories in 1991.
Antigua
Australia
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Brunei
Colombia
Dominica
Fiji
Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Hong Kong
Jordan
Kenya
Lesotho
Malaysia
Mauritius
Namibia
New Zealand
Nigeria
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
St. Lucia
St. Vincent
Swaziland
Turks and Caicos Islands
United Arab Emirates
Zimbabwe.
In addition, UK forces exercised with the states of the regional security system and the West Indies guardship, as part of her routine deployment, would have exercised with many of the Caribbean countries and dependent territories.
Botswana
Brunei
Canada
Colombia
Cyprus
Denmark
Dominica
Falkland Islands
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Hawaii
Hong Kong
Italy
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Kuwait
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Namibia
United Kingdom
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Portugal
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
turkey
UAE
United States.
Operational Information Systems
Mr. Mans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the armed forces future operational information systems; and if he will make a statement.[21664]
Mr. Arbuthnot:
Accurate and timely information is crucial to the success of the armed forces in a wide range of operations, from humanitarian aid missions to major conflict. The BOWMAN combat radio system will
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provide a significant increase in the capability of all three services to exchange operational information. The airborne stand-off radar system--ASTOR--will provide a substantial enhancement of capability by supplying commanders with near real-time surveillance information.
Competitive contracts for project definition of BOWMAN were placed in 1993 with two consortia, Crossbow, led by ITT UK Ltd., and Yeoman, led by Siemens Plessey Systems and Racal. PD work is now largely complete and equipment is being tested in field trials, which are due to end in April 1997. Following an evaluation of BOWMAN procurement options, we have decided to issue a request for proposals for initial production and support to Archer, a joint venture company which is being formed by the leaders of Crossbow and Yeoman. This approach will enable us to procure a highly capable system combining the most cost-effective elements of the Crossbow and Yeoman solutions. It will also offer the most timely way of meeting the BOWMAN requirement. Subject to receipt of an acceptable tender from the company and agreement of suitable contractual conditions, we would aim to let a contract by 1999, in order to meet the in-service date of 2002. It is expected that the contract will be worth in excess of £1 billion.
ASTOR will use highly capable new radar systems installed on fixed wing aircraft to provide both a wide area of coverage and a high degree of resolution. Following successful completion in August last year of a competitive project definition phase, proposals were received from consortia led by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon E-Systems, and including UK sub-contractors. Following a thorough assessment of these proposals and a detailed analysis of a number of other options, we have decided to invite the two consortia to submit best and final offers for the full development, production and in-service support of ASTOR. We aim to place a contract with the winning consortium in 1998. It is estimated that the contract will be worth in the region of £750 million.
ASTOR and BOWMAN will provide key enhancements to the capability of our armed forces and will provide UK industry with valuable, high technology work.
Mr. Hendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total number of students in Derbyshire passing two or more A-levels for each year since 1979. [18212]
Mrs. Gillan
[holding answer 27 February 1997]: The information is not readily available in the precise form requested. However, the following figures show the numbers of pupils who achieved two or more GCE A-levels in maintained schools in Derbyshire for each year since 1979. The figures for 1979 to 1991 relate to school leavers of any age in maintained schools and those
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from 1992 onwards related to pupils in maintained schools aged 17 at the start of the academic year.
| Year | Number of school leavers of any age achieving two or more GCE A-levels (Thousands) | As percentage of school leavers aged 17 and over | Number of 17 year old pupils in maintained schools achieving two or more GCE A-levels (Thousands) | As a percentage of 17 year old pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 1.4 | 76 | -- | -- |
| 1980 | 1.1 | 69 | -- | -- |
| 1981 | 1.2 | 71 | -- | -- |
| 1982 | 1.4 | 70 | -- | -- |
| 1983 | 1.6 | 69 | -- | -- |
| 1984 | 1.3 | 64 | -- | -- |
| 1985 | 1.4 | 65 | -- | -- |
| 1986 | 1.2 | 63 | -- | -- |
| 1987 | 1.3 | 70 | -- | -- |
| 1988 | 1.3 | 70 | -- | -- |
| 1989 | 1.3 | 73 | -- | -- |
| 1990 | 1.7 | 79 | -- | -- |
| 1991 | 0.9 | 73 | -- | -- |
| 1992 | -- | -- | 1.5 | 75 |
| 1993 | -- | -- | 1.6 | 73 |
| 1994 | -- | -- | 1.6 | 71 |
| 1995 | -- | -- | 1.6 | 75 |
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Free School Meals
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will commission research into the relationship between the proportion of children in schools eligible for free school meals and the academic achievement of schools. [20486]
Mr. Robin Squire: No. There is sufficient analysis of pupil attainment categorised by proportionate eligibility for free school meals, as exemplified by the information published in Her Majesty's Chief Inspector's annual report for 1995-96.
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department which are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens' charter. [20945]
Mr. Robin Squire
[holding answer 19 March 1997]: The information requested is shown in the following table.
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| Name of body | Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration | Audit Commission | National Audit Office | Open Government | Performance Indicators | Citizen's Charter(74) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Construction Industry Training Board | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Education Assets Board | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Engineering Construction Industry Training Board | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Equal Opportunities Commission | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Funding Agency for Schools | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Further Education Funding Council for England | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Higher Education Funding Council for England | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Investors in People UK | (75)No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| National Council for Educational Technology | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| National Council for Vocational Qualifications | (75)No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remploy Ltd. | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| School Curriculum and Assessment Authority | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Student Loans Company | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher Training Agency | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
(74) Whilst none of the Department's NDPBs is required to apply for a Charter Mark, the Department does encourage all executive NDPBs which provide a public service to operate according to Citizen's Charter principles.
(75) In previous responses to this question on 22 February 1996 and 25 April 1995, the Department stated that both NCVQ and IIP UK were subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. The Commissioner's Office has taken the view, in particular cases in the past, that these bodies could be considered to be acting "on behalf of" the Department which is subject to investigation by the Commissioner and that therefore under section 5 of the 1967 Parliamentary Commissioner Act those actions were subject to investigation by the Commissioner. However, the formal mechanism for bringing bodies within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner is by Order in Council amending schedule 2 to the Act. No such order has been made in respect of NCVQ or IIP UK, so as bodies themselves, they are not formally subject to investigation by the Commissioner. The Government have, however, made a commitment formally to bring all executive NDPBs within the Ombudsman's jurisdiction, unless there are valid reasons, specific to the particular circumstances of the body, for excluding it.
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Dr. Wright:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of
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meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and ifthis is in each case (i) under a statutory requirement, or (ii) voluntary. [20902]
Mr. Squire
[holding answer 19 March 1997]: The information requested is shown in the following table.
(76) Available for inspection at the NDPB's offices.
(77) Statutory.
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