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Meteorological Experiments
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will open for public inspection at the Public Record Office the file with the classmark AIR 2/17902 relating to meteorological experiments. [11956]
Mr. Spellar: In line with our commitment to greater openness, arrangements are being made to review AIR 2/17902 ahead of its scheduled review date. Companion files, AIR 2/17903 and 17904, will also be examined at the same time. I will write to the hon. Member on completion of the review process and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
10 Squadron (Cargo)
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the nature of the material which was transported from RAF Brize Norton to Dover Air Force base in the United States of America by 10 Squadron on (a) 10 February, (b) 12 May and (c) 16 May; from which establishment this material originated; what was the ultimate destination of the material; and under which defence agreement this material was transferred. [11957]
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 472
Mr. Spellar:
I am withholding the information requested under exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government information relating to defence, security and international relations.
Mr. Terry Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the refurbishment of ministerial offices in his Department; and what is the estimated cost of the works and date of completion. [11871]
Mr. Spellar:
I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Royal Air Force began operating from its bases at Laarbruch and Bruggen in Germany; and what use is currently made of the bases by the Royal Air Force. [11857]
Mr. Spellar:
RAF Laarbruch commenced operations in November 1954. Currently, the station is the main operating base for Numbers 3 and 4 squadrons, equipped with Harrier GR7 aircraft, and Numbers 1 (Field) and 26 (Rapier) squadrons, RAF regiment. RAF Bruggen commenced operations in July 1953. Currently, the station is the main operating base for Numbers 9, 14, 17 and 31 squadrons, equipped with Tornado GR1 aircraft, and Number 37 squadron RAF regiment.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department received a copy of the report carried out by a United States department inspector general into breaches of security at RAF Menwith Hill in 1993. [11853]
Mr. Spellar:
The inspector general's office is an auditing body with no locus in security matters. However, there is a regular dialogue between my Department and the US authorities concerning security at RAF Menwith Hill and I am aware that an internal US review was carried out in 1993.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the review of the practice of withholding details of military assistance to other countries is expected to be completed. [11964]
Mr. Spellar:
Work on the review is continuing. I expect to make an announcement to the House soon after Parliament returns in the autumn.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the WE-177 bomb is expected to be withdrawn from service; and which types of WE-177 have been in service and on what dates. [11954]
Mr. Spellar:
The WE-177 type B bomb entered service on 1966. The type A and type C variants entered service in 1969 and 1973 respectively. The last of these weapons will be withdrawn, as previously announced, on 31 March 1998.
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Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often the newsletter at the atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston is produced; when the newsletter was first produced; and what is the current security classification. [11965]
Mr. Spellar:
An internal newsletter has been produced at the atomic weapons establishment since November 1953. It is issued six times a year and is unclassified. A recent additional innovation is an occasional magazine, "AWE Community Link", which is distributed to some 10,000 households in the locality.
Sir George Young:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the figures for military personnel employed in 1996 by local authority area. [11576]
Mr. Spellar:
This is a matter for the Defence Analytical Services Agency and I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Paul Altobell to Sir George Young, dated 31 July 1997:
Sir George Young:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each region the number of employees in defence industries for the financial year 1995-96. [11579]
Mr. Spellar:
The information requested is not available precisely in the form requested. However, table 1.12 of the 1997 edition of "UK Defence Statistics", published on 29 July, gives the provisional estimated UK regional employment directly dependent on defence equipment expenditure, that is to say those working directly for defence contractors. A copy of "UK Defence Statistics 1997" has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy in respect of the payment of salaries to British officers held as prisoners of war in future conflicts. [11723]
Mr. Spellar:
British officers who are taken prisoner of war in any future conflict will continue to receive their pay unless the Defence Council or an officer authorised by them is satisfied:
31 Jul 1997 : Column: 474
Mr. Spellar:
British officers who were taken prisoner during the Gulf conflict continued to receive their pay for the few weeks they were held captive.
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 July, Official Report, column 785, on land mines, when his officials first learnt that all British anti-personnel land mines had not been taken up following conflicts in the Falkland Islands and the Gulf.[11611]
Mr. Spellar:
Officials in my Department have been aware since the clearance of British minefields in the Falkland Islands in August 1986 that one British anti-personnel land mine could not be located.
The officials responsible for providing my right hon. Friend with advice on this subject were informed on 10 July 1997 by those responsible for laying the anti-personnel land mines in Iraq that not all have been recovered.
Mr. Davidson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving officers hold the ranks of (a) field marshal, (b) general, (c) lieutenant general and (d) major general or their equivalents in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Air Force, (iii) Navy and (iv) Royal Marines; how many and what percentage of each category attended fee-paying private schools; what steps are being taken to ensure that future officer intakes reflect the educational provision of the UK; and if he will make a statement. [12006]
Mr. Spellar:
My hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence requesting publication of "figures for military personnel employed in 1996 by local authority area" since this falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of Defence Analytical Services Agency.
This information is published annually by Defence Analytical Services Agency in our tri-service personnel series under the title "UK Regular Forces" strengths in the United Kingdom by local authority area.
The latest version covers the deployment of Armed Forces as at 1 July 1996. Copies of this return are available from the House of Commons library.
I hope you find the information useful.
(a) that they were made prisoners through their own disobedience to orders or wilful neglect of duty;
(b) that having been made prisoners they failed to take any reasonable steps available to them to rejoin Her Majesty's service;
(c) that having been made prisoners they served with, or aided, the enemy in the prosecution of hostilities or measures calculated to influence morale or in any other manner whatsoever not authorised by international usage.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy towards the payment of salary to officers from the armed forces who were held as prisoners of war during the Gulf conflict. [11722]
(d) That they were in receipt of pay advanced by the detaining power.
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