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Kalahari Bushmen
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received in respect of plans by the Botswanan authorities to move Kalahari bushmen out of the central Kalahari game reserve; and if he will make a statement. [9920]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: The Botswana Government have outlined plans for the bushmen who live on and off the central Kalahari game reserve. They have assured us that no one would be evicted from the reserve. Our high commissioner visited the central Kalahari area earlier this month and found no evidence that bushmen had been forced away from the reserve. He is consulting the Minister of Local Government in Botswana with responsibility for the bushmen, to ensure that plans for managing the move of those bushmen who have elected to leave are adequate.
Hungary
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies have been made of the practical problems that arise from Hungary's accession to NATO; what discussions have been undertaken with non-NATO countries in the region to establish (a) a land or air corridor and (b) a pipe transit; and if he will make a statement. [9624]
Dr. Reid: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Geographical location was one of the factors addressed in the NATO studies which preceded the decision to invite Hungary, with Poland and the Czech Republic, to begin accession talks. The process of preparing for their accession will include continuing work within NATO on the military implications of enlargement. This work will reflect the Alliance's intention of carrying out its collective defence and other missions by ensuring the necessary levels of interoperability, integration and capability for reinforcement. I am not aware that any formal discussions have so far taken place with non-NATO countries on these issues.
DEFENCE
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in which scientific journals and other open publications and on what dates staff from the sea systems
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sector site of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency at Alverstoke have published papers since January 1993. [9470]
Mr. Spellar:
This is a matter for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 23 July 1997:
I am replying to your letter to the Secretary of State for Defence about open publications by staff from the Sea Systems Sector at Alverstoke as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.
Since January 1993 staff from Diving and Life Support Systems and the Submarine Group based at Alverstoke have published papers in the following scientific journals and other open publications.
| 1993 | |
| June | Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Supplement |
| November | Proceedings Subtech '93, Society for Underwater Technology, Volume 31, Aberdeen |
| 1994 | |
| June 22-26 | Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Denver, Colorado |
| July | Proceedings Undersea Defence Technology 1994, London |
| 1995 | |
| Journal of the Society for Underwater Technology Volume 20, No. 4 | |
| Journal of the Society for Underwater Technology Volume 21, No. 1 | |
| July | Proceedings Undersea Defence Technology 1995, Cannes, France |
| November | Journal of Naval Science Volume 21, No. 4 |
| 1996 | |
| February | Review article, Eureka magazine |
| March | Proceedings of the Occupational Health Offshore conference, Health and Safety Executive, Aberdeen |
| May | Review article, Opto and Laser Europe |
| May | Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Annual Scientific meeting, Anchorage, Alaska |
| May | Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Supplement |
| July | Proceedings Undersea Defence Technology 1996, London |
| October | Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics, Eds Y Shapiro, D.S. Moran, Y. Epstein, Jerusalem, Israel |
| December | British Medical Ultrasound Society Proceedings |
| 1997 | |
| April | Journal of Defence Science, Volume 2 (2) |
| June | Underwater optics II conference, Aberdeen University |
| June | Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Supplement |
I hope this information is helpful.
Equipment
Mr. Keith Simpson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those weapons and terms of defence equipment costing in excess of £100 million which have been delivered on time and within the original budget since 1990. [8131]
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Mr. Spellar:
Information on the largest defence equipment projects, including comparisons between original and present estimates of costs and time scales, is given annually to Parliament in the Comptroller and Auditor General's reports on the Ministry of Defence "Major Projects Report", known before 1993 as the "Major Projects Statement". Copies of these are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the design of the software for the Eurofighter. [8654]
Mr. Spellar:
The software element in the Eurofighter is fully assessed at key stages in its development and during integration to ensure that performance and flight safety requirements are met. The development programme is proceeding satisfactorily.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the advantages of the proposals for a replacement royal yacht wholly financed by the private sector; and if this would include maintenance, staffing and other running costs. [9089]
Dr. Reid:
The Government are currently considering the requirement for a replacement royal yacht and will announce their decision in due course.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Sea Harrier replacement study; and when he expects the study to be completed. [9419]
Mr. Spellar:
Work is under way to consider whether and how to replace the capability currently provided by the Sea Harrier when these aircraft reach the end of their service lives early next century. As part of this work, we are participating in the four-year concept demonstration phase of the US joint strike fighter programme which began last November and is aimed at developing a family of advanced combat aircraft in approximately the right time scale. This phase is expected to be completed around the turn of the century. We are also investigating other possible options.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled, (a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10194]
Dr. Reid
[holding answer 22 July 1997]: The purpose of the Strategic Defence Review is to reassess our essential security interests and defence needs, to ensure that the United Kingdom's defence capabilities are matched to the changed strategic setting. Work on the review is envisaged to be completed around the turn of the year.
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Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met commercial lobbyists to discuss matters relating to the business of his Department; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings; [8075]
Mr. Chris Smith:
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 2 June 1997, Official Report, column 99, Ministers and officials in the Department receive deputations from many groups who are concerned to press their own interests or those of their clients, which Ministers and officials take due care to consider within the wider public interest and Government policy. As it is not practicable to distinguish particular groups as lobbyists, the Department cannot keep a register of such meetings.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will ensure that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department refuse requests from hon. Members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8074]
Mr. Chris Smith:
The first report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life--Cm 2850--recognised the value of enabling Members to retain interests outside the House, provided these were properly declared, both in the Register of Members' Interests and on other occasions. Subject to these requirements, and to the rules of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, Members are free to seek meetings with Ministers and officials, who will consider such requests alongside the many other approaches from individuals and organisations concerned to press their own interests or those of others.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have refused to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings with hon. Members to discuss matters relating to interests registered by those Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8077]
Mr. Smith:
The first report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life--Cm 2850--made it clear that, when Members are meeting Ministers or others on topics in which they have na interest, the onus is on the Member to declare that interest not the Minister to know--paragraph 63 of Cm 2850. It is not practicable for Ministers and officials, amongst their other duties, to vet requests for meetings against the Register of Members' Interests. Should evidence of non-declaration emerge, or
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contravention of the resolution of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, the matter would be brought to the attention of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
(2) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have attended meetings with organisations representing (i) commercial and (ii) non-commercial interests organised by commercial lobbying firms; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings. [8076]
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