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WALES
Fair Trade (Coffee and Tea)
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for International Development, Official Report, 5 November, column 332, if he will instruct officials in his Department to serve coffee and tea furnished by suppliers who adhere to fair trade standards. [15501]
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Mr. Win Griffiths:
I refer to the answer which the Prime Minister has given today. All procurement decisions in the Welsh Office are based on the Government's policy of value for money.
Electorate
Mr. Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the electorate of each parliamentary constituency in Scotland (a) for parliamentary elections, (b) for local government elections and (c) the referendum on establishment of a Scottish Parliament. [12698]
Mr. McLeish: The information for parliamentary elections is set out in the table. Statistics for local government elections and the referendum by parliamentary constituency are not held centrally. Inquiries are currently being made to see if this information can be obtained and I will write to the hon. Member.
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Community Care
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations contained in the second report of Session 1996-97 (HC 35) of the Scottish Affairs Committee relating to community care. [13967]
Mr. Galbraith: We welcomed the Scottish Affairs Committee report on community care and our response to the recommendations was published in July. The Government is setting up a Royal Commission on the funding of long-term care for the elderly. We are reviewing the various elements of community care funding and preparing improved guidance on procedures for assessment of older people's needs. We will consult later this year on how best to promote and improve joint working. These measures should maximise quality, choice and value for money in the delivery of community care services.
Local Authority Services
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) total outturn capital receipts generated for each service, (b) total capital receipts generated by way of long leases and (c) the net capital allocations originally granted for each service for each local authority in Scotland in 1994-95. [14932]
Mr. Chisholm [holding answer 11 November 1997]: As the information requested is rather lengthy, I have arranged for it to be placed in the House libraries. Information on notional capital receipts is not held separately in respect of the housing revenue account and non-housing revenue account capital programmes.
School Buildings (East Lothian)
Mr. Home Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to public funds of the current investigation by the Accounts Commission into
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the investment of £7 million for repairs and improvements to schools by the former East Lothian district council; and if he will make a statement. [14933]
Mr. Chisholm
[holding answer 11 November1997]: The preparation and consideration of the report by the Accounts Commission for Scotland fall within the statutory duties of the Controller of Audit and have not involved any additional expenditure. It would be inappropriate to comment on the matter under consideration as my right hon. Friend may have to consider the matter if it is referred to him by the Commission.
Military Training and Equipment
Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are used to determine which requests for military training by overseas security forces should be granted. [15198]
Dr. Reid: Requests for training are considered in the light of the Government's ethical foreign policy. Training would not be provided where we considered that it would risk contributing to human rights violations or aggression. Other criteria used to determine which requests for military training by overseas security forces should be granted include: the availability of resources to carry out the training; security considerations; and the defence and foreign policy benefits of providing the training. The defence policy benefits taken into account include in particular whether the provision of military assistance would:
- bring direct benefit to the United Kingdom by (for example by providing access to training areas);
- represent an investment to avoid later expense (for example by averting a conflict in an area where there would be a high likelihood to British forces being committed);
- help to build military interoperability with key potential partners;
- maintain existing close defence links;
- support defence sales.
Fleet Air Arm (826 Squadron)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the 826 Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm was established; what has been its role since it was established; with what aircraft it has been equipped since it was established; what is its current role and strength; and where it has been based. [15616]
Dr. Reid: Number 826 Squadron was originally to have formed at Lee-on-Solent on 1 January 1940 as a spare squadron, but instead came into existence at Ford on 15 March 1940. The role of the squadron was originally torpedo spotter reconnaissance but became strike and anti-submarine in 1951 and finally anti-submarine in 1955.
The squadron has been equipped with the following aircraft types (in chronological order):
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Firefly AS6
Gannet ASl
Wessex HASl
Wessex HAS3
Seaking HASl
Seaking HAS2/2a
Seaking HAS56
The squadron has been based at the following locations:
Ford
Bircham Newton
Eastern Mediterranean
Western Desert
Cyprus
Malta
Algeria
East Haven
Fearn
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (Royal Canadian Navy)
RNAS Culdrose, Helston, Cornwall
826 Naval Air Squadron was disbanded at Culdrose in July 1993.
Merchant Vessels
Mr. Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the importance his Department attaches to the role of British merchant vessels and merchant seafarers during (a) peacetime exercises, (b) support and re-supply operations and (c) times of crisis and war. [15434]
Dr. Reid: The Government fully recognise the importance of British merchant shipping and seafarers in the defence context. Indeed, the Department maintains one of the largest civilian fleets in Europe in the form of the specialist ships and civilian crews of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service.
We must acknowledge, however, that in today's security environment, a substantial element of any logistic shipping requirement can be satisfied through the international market, where vessels need not necessarily have to be British flagged or crewed as demonstrated during the Gulf War, and in subsequent operations and exercises. The Ministry of Defence is always eager to charter British flagged and crewed ships where they offer best value for money, but we have found that, in general, they are normally fully committed to regular trading activities. Nevertheless, so far during 1997, 24 British registered merchant ships have been on charter to the Ministry of Defence.
While we would plan in any serious crisis or war to charter shipping on the worldwide market, we are very conscious that a core of suitable British flagged or owned ships, which could be used under compulsory measures and manned by UK seafarers, is important.
My Department's future requirements for merchant shipping will, of course, follow on from the conclusions of the Strategic Defence Review.
Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the name of each merchant vessel, and its country of registration, chartered by his Department for (a) exercises and (b) military support and re-supply operations since 1 January. [15435]
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Dr. Reid:
The names of merchant vessels and their country of registration for (a) exercises (including training) and (b) military support and resupply operations since 1 January 1997 are as follows:
| Names | Country of registration |
|---|---|
| Vessels chartered for exercises (including training) | |
| Cap Afrique | France |
| Dana Maxima | Denmark |
| Danica Red | Denmark |
| Guyane | St. Vincent and Grenadines |
| Jenka | Denmark |
| King of Scandinavia | Denmark |
| Norbay | Great Britain |
| Norking | Finland |
| Norcape | Great Britain |
| Pride of Flanders | Great Britain |
| Pride of Suffolk | Great Britain |
| Prince of Scandinavia | Denmark |
| Roseanne | Switzerland |
| Vega (x 2) | Antigua |
| Villars | Switzerland |
| Vessels chartered for military support and resupply operations | |
| Afon Cefni | Great Britain |
| Arktis Carrier | Denmark |
| Ben Ellen | Great Britain |
| Ben Maye | Great Britain |
| Bergen Viking | Bahamas |
| Bostonian | Great Britain |
| Cameron | Great Britain |
| Cap Afrique (x 3) | France |
| Cardissa | Isle of Man |
| Eurogracht | Germany |
| Fleur de Lyse | Spain |
| Indomitable* | Great Britain |
| Jolly Indaco | Italy |
| Julia M | Great Britain |
| Karin Cat | Denmark |
| Katherine Lucy | Great Britain |
| Llandovery | Great Britain |
| Loyal Mediator | Great Britain |
| Marine Explorer* | Great Britain |
| Maersk Ascension* | Isle of Man |
| Maersk Bothnia | Norway |
| Maersk Gannet* | Isle of Man |
| Navigo | Sweden |
| Northella* | Great Britain |
| Oil Mariner* | Great Britain |
| Proud Seahorse* | Great Britain |
| Rundale | Liberia |
| San Vincente | Germany |
| Saint Brandan* | Great Britain |
| Sea Maid | Great Britain |
| Siren | Great Britain |
| Ulla | Cyprus |
| Vega | Antigua |
| Villars (x 2) | Switzerland |
| Virgo | Cyprus |
| Zeran | Malta |
Some vessels were chartered on more than one occasion and those indicated with an asterisk are on long term charter.
Mr. Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of United Kingdom merchant vessels available to meet defence needs; and if he will make a statement. [15433]
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Dr. Reid:
The availability of militarily useful British merchant ships which might be used for defence purposes is kept under regular review as part of our normal planning process. Current figures indicate there are generally enough militarily useful ships for perceived defence needs. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, regularly monitors the position. The hon. Member will understand that our future requirements for merchant shipping will, of course, follow on from the conclusions of the Strategic Defence Review.
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