3 Nov 1997 : Column: 1
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 3 November 1997
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
India (Defence Sales)
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what advice Ministers received on legal issues concerning the sale of Westland helicopters to the Indian Government within the terms of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980; what advice Ministers received concerning value for money likely to be achieved by the project; what representations were received from (i) the Government of India and (ii) non-governmental organisations about the project; when was Parliament informed of the decision to sell the helicopters; when concerns about the value of the helicopters to the Indian Government were first raised with (a) officials and (b) Ministers and by whom; and when concerns about the developmental value of the helicopters were first raised with (1) officials and (2) Ministers and by whom. [14044]
Clare Short: I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of a report I commissioned which sets out the background to this project. The report does not include information about advice given to previous Ministers on the matter. The Government does not have access to such information concerning a previous Administration.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Archway Tower
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will ask the Property Services Agency for a report on the expenditure on Archway Tower, Junction Road, London N19; and what plans they have for its future use or demolition. [13500]
Dr. David Clark: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. John Locke, to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Locke to Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, dated 31 October 1997:
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The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to reply to your question about Archway Tower. You will be aware from previous letters from Mr Borrett of the level of rental and security costs. Since your last question it has become apparent that remedial works to the cladding are required and our agents estimate that this could cost up to £0.5m.
Every effort has been made to surrender this property to the landlords for an economic cost however we have been unable to secure any agreement with them. The lease does not permit demolition.
The property continues to be marketed by our agents. We are receiving some interest now for office occupation and complete refurbishment proposals are being examined. I am afraid that this interest is still in the early stages and I am unable to predict whether it will lead to occupation.
Archway Tower has also been considered for temporary use by the homeless, but was thought to be in the wrong position and too costly to convert.
Unoccupied Government Properties
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Government-owned properties are currently unoccupied in the Reading, East constituency. [13382]
Dr. David Clark: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. John Locke, to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from John Locke to Jane Griffiths, dated 31 October 1997:
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to reply to your question about vacant Government owned properties.
There are 4 Government buildings which are currently unoccupied in the Reading East constituency:-
Abbey Hall, Kings Road
Atlas House, 1 Silver Street
Monarch House, 77-79 Caversham Road
47-57 Queens Road
The properties are held on lease from commercial landlords and have a total floor area of 8,145 square metres. PACE is responsible for the disposal of these surplus offices and is marketing them through commercial agents.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Lottery Grants
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many state primary schools have received sports lottery funds; how much each received; and what percentage of the total sports lottery funding this represents. [13016]
Mr. Fisher: Details of awards made to primary schools by the English Sports Council are as follows:
| £ | ||
|---|---|---|
| Woollescote Primary School | West Midlands | 92,696 |
| Godmanchester Primary School | Cambridgeshire | 289,000 |
| Meadgate School | Essex | 16,497 |
| Wootton Village School | Oxfordshire | 51,260 |
| Seamer and Irton Primary School | North Yorkshire | 8,400 |
| Haselor School | Warwickshire | 10,000 |
| Laughton Primary School | East Sussex | 199,605 |
| Lower Place Primary School | Lancashire | 55,422 |
| Youth Sport Trust(1) | 7,755,000 | |
| Total | 8,478,080 |
Percentage of Lottery Sports Fund awarded to Primary Schools 1.30 per cent.
(1) The award to the Youth Sport Trust will help with the costs for the provision of sports equipment to over 500 primary schools in England.
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Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to alter the Sports Council lottery regulations regarding grants to primary schools. [13015]
Mr. Fisher: There are no Lottery regulations that apply solely to primary schools. The English Sports Council (ESC), the distributing body for sport-related projects in England, makes awards to all schools and colleges through its "School Community Sports Initiative."
The ESC has developed two proposals as part of the process to help primary schools benefit further from Lottery funds. The first is through part of a new range of revenue programmes encompassing support to the development of talent identification and coaching and leadership for Young People through the World Class Start Programme. Secondly, it is anticipated that primary schools may be able to benefit more suitably through the development of the joint-distributor Community Projects programme currently under development.
In addition, the White Paper "The People's Lottery", published in July, details the Government's proposals to changes and further improve the way in which the lottery operates. One of the most important proposals is the introduction of a new cause--The New Opportunities Fund--which will provide Lottery support for initiatives in education, health and the environment. Primary schools will be eligible to apply for funding from the New Opportunities Fund for out of school hours projects. The target is for at least half of all secondary schools and a quarter of all primary schools to be undertaking such projects and activities by 2001.
Diana, Princess of Wales
Sir Richard Body: To ask the Prime Minister what advice he requested on his constitutional role in the events surrounding the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales; what precedents were taken into account; and if he will make a statement. [13899]
The Prime Minister: I took such advice as I considered necessary. There were no precise precedents.
Lockerbie
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 28 October, Official Report, columns 700-02, if he will place in the Library the terms of his letter to the Secretary General of the UN, the Arab League, and the Organisation of African Unity, requesting them to send a delegation to Scotland, to show them the Scottish judicial systems, and to discuss arrangements for a trial in Scotland with international observers. [13937]
The Prime Minister: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued the invitation on the 28 October. I have arranged for the text to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received relating to difficulties in the disclosure of evidence held by the US authorities in the event of a trial of Libyan suspects for the Lockerbie bombing in a neutral country. [13726]
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The Prime Minister:
As far as I am aware, I have not received any such representation.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 28 October, Official Report, columns 700-02, if he will take steps to gauge public opinion in Scotland as to the desirability of trying the Libyan Lockerbie suspects in a neutral country under Scots law. [13933]
The Prime Minister:
I have nothing further to add to the oral answer that I gave the honourable Member on 28 October, Official Report, column 713.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister how many complaints to the Security Services Tribunal under section 5 of the Security Service Act 1989 have been upheld in each year since the inception of the Act. [13779]
The Prime Minister:
The Security Service Tribunal has made no determination in favour of a complaint since its inception. The annual reports of the Security Service Commissioner which cover the work of the Tribunal are available in the Library.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will amend the terms of reference of the Security Services Tribunal (a) to give reasons for its failure to make a determination in favour of a particular applicant and (b) to allow an applicant the opportunity to verify and correct information under consideration. [13780]
The Prime Minister:
The Security Service Act 1989 provides that, where the tribunal does not uphold a complaint, it shall give notice to the complainant that no determination has been made in his favour, but that it shall not give the complainant any reasons for its determination. To provide reasons would risk compromising the operational effectiveness of the Security Service, to the detriment of national security. For similar reasons, it is not possible to allow individuals to have access to information held by the Service.
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