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Arms Exports
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the United Kingdom's share of the international arms export market in each year since 1979. [11264]
Mr. Spellar: Detailed records of the UK's share of the world defence export market have been maintained only since 1988. Defence export orders placed with British industry since then have represented the following estimated share of the world market:
- 1988: 11 per cent.
- 1989: 14 per cent.
- 1990: 14 per cent.
- 1991: 17 per cent.
- 1992: 20 per cent.
- 1993: 17 per cent.
- 1994: 16 per cent.
- 1995: 19 per cent.
- 1996: 25 per cent.
Armed Forces Pay Bill
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the real terms change in the armed forces pay bill between 1979 and 1997. [11255]
Dr. Reid: Measuring the movement in earnings in the armed forces between 1979 and 1997 by reference to real terms changes to the annual pay bill over the same period would not produce an appropriate comparison because of reductions in the strength of the armed forces. However, a comparison of the overall annual percentage increases in the total pay bill of the armed forces since 1979, with the corresponding increases in the retail prices index for 1979 to 1997, shows that in real terms the former has risen against the latter by 35.4 per cent. This takes account of staging of pay awards where they have occurred, but does not of course reflect a universally applicable figure for any given rank.
Training
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training establishments exist for initial training; at which locations; how many personnel have been trained at each in the last year; and at what cost. [10993]
Dr. Reid: The information requested is as follows. In all cases the costs quoted have been rounded to the nearest £ million.
| Training establishment and location | Numbers trained in financial year 1996-97 | Cost £ million financial year 1996-97 |
|---|---|---|
| Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth Devon (New Entry RN Officer Training) | 229 | 11 |
| HMS Raleigh Torpoint Cornwall (New Entry RN Recruit Training) | 2,077 | 21 |
1. The personnel figures are the number of new entrants who completed training successfully.
29 Jul 1997 : Column: 188
| Training establishment and location | Numbers trained in financial year 1996-97 | Cost £ million financial year 1996-97 |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Marines School of Music Gibraltar block HMS Nelson Portsmouth Hampshire (RM New Entry Musician Training) | 40 | 1 |
| Commando Training Centre Royal Marines Lympstone Near Exmouth Devon (RM Young Officer and Recruit Training) | 383 | 23 |
1. The personnel figures are the number of new entrants who completed their training successfully.
2. The costs are presented at full cost level. The costs exclude trainees' pay but account for young officers and recruits who failed to meet the standard.
3. Due to reductions in the size of the RM band service there was a temporary reduction in the requirement for trainees during 1996-97 at the Royal Marines school of music. The requirement during 1997-98 has risen to 58 trainees; 60 is the number which is normally budgeted for on an annual basis. It should be noted that the forecast requirement for 1998-99 is 75 trainees.
| Training establishment and location | Numbers trained in financial year 1996-97 | Cost £ million financial year 1996-97 |
|---|---|---|
| ATR Pirbright | 3,023 | 12 |
| ATR Glencorse | 979 | 5 |
| ATR Bassingbourne | 2,075 | 9 |
| ATR Lichfield | 1,133 | 6 |
| ATR Winchester | 1,558 | 7 |
| Army Apprentices College, Arborfield | 580 | 7 |
1. In addition, apprentices are trained at the Army school of catering, Aldershot where 148 apprentices passed out in financial year 1996-97, and the apprentices training wing, royal school of military engineering, Minley, where the numbers were 213. In both these last two cases, costs could be isolated from the general running costs of the establishments only at disproportionate cost.
2. The costs shown are those for running the whole establishment, which will include some non-training costs.
3. The costs exclude trainees' pay.
(15) The numbers of personnel quoted include recoursees.
(16) Excludes trainees' salaries.
(17) RAF regiment gunners undertake some initial specialist training during initial recruitment training.
(18) Includes recruited internally and externally.
(19) The numbers given include 15 non-RAF personnel trained on a spare capacity basis.
(20) Personnel, recruited internally and externally, to be NCO aircrew.
29 Jul 1997 : Column: 189
Defence Sales Review
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the defence sales policy review covers all countries.[10365]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: I have been asked to reply.
Yes. The new criteria, announced by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 28 July, Official Report, columns 26-29, will apply to licence applications for conventional arms to all destinations.
War Pensions
Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for the medical and scientific review of qualifications for war pensions in respect of noise-induced hearing loss (a) the expected completion date and (b) the cost of conducting the review. [8247]
Mr. Denham: I have been asked to reply.
The review will be chaired by the Government's Chief Medical Officer, Sir Kenneth Calman, and four independent experts on hearing loss. Due to availability, it will not be possible for the group to meet before September.
The findings of the review will be published in due course and it is estimated that the cost of the review will be around £2,000.
Old Coalfield Areas
9. Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a further statement about his proposals following his visits to the old coalfield areas. [9356]
Mr. Prescott:
The nation owes a debt to the coalfield areas. We are looking urgently at what is being done in these areas and what more we can do. As a start, I intend to look at the problems and opportunities in and around my hon. Friend's constituency--to see which measures work and which are less successful. I want then to broaden the discussion to bring in other coalfield communities, with a view to a national conference next spring.
29 Jul 1997 : Column: 190
10. Mr. Prior:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if Her Majesty's Government will take into account the likely cost to local authorities when setting a level for the minimum wage. [9357]
Ms Armstrong:
The independent Low Pay Commission will be asked to take into account all economic circumstances, including the likely impact on employers, before reaching a recommendation on the level at which the national minimum wage might be set.
11. Mr. Ennis:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he proposes to reduce the gap between those benefiting most and least in respect of the standard spending assessment formula-funded mechanism to determine local authorities' revenue support grant levels. [9358]
Mr. Raynsford:
This is a matter which will be discussed on 30 July when officials from my Department and local government representatives consider proposals from Barnsley metropolitan borough council and others. We shall carefully consider any views expressed on this issue.
8. Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to review the financial allocations for the unitary authorities. [9355]
Mr. Raynsford:
Under the local government reorganisation costs scheme, resources in the form of supplementary credit approvals are made available to reorganising authorities to cover transitional costs. Final bids under the scheme for 1996-97 are being evaluated and I expect to announce my decisions before the end of September.
We have invited bids for the mid-year review stage of the 1997-98 scheme, and expect to respond to these by the end of October.
15. Mr. Gerald Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from local authorities about the abolition of the advance corporation tax credit and its impact on revenue support grant levels.[9362]
Ms Armstrong:
My hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations from the Local Government Association which represents local authorities in England and Wales. I have received correspondence from Cambridgeshire county council.
21. Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the effect of recent interest rates rises on local authorities. [9368]
Mr. Raynsford:
In overall terms, the impact on local authorities will be small and will be more than offset by increased interest receipts. Changes in interest rates will be taken into account in the formula for distributing grant under the local government finance settlement for 1998-99.
29 Jul 1997 : Column: 191
23. Mr. Nicholas Winterton:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account has been taken of the effect on councils of the abolition of the advance corporation tax credit in his Department's spending plans. [9370]
Ms Armstrong:
Steps are being taken to establish the impact on local authority pension funds following the next actuarial valuation of the fund in 1998. This information will be taken into account in determining the level of local authority provision for that and subsequent years.
24. Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate his Department has made of the effect of recent interest rate rises on local authorities. [9371]
Mr. Raynsford:
In overall terms, the impact on local authorities will be small and will be more than offset by increased interest receipts. Changes in interest rates will be taken into account in the formula for distributing grant under the local government finance settlement for 1998-99.
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