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Enriched Uranium
Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place for the enrichment of uranium for defence purposes. [29459]
Mr. Spellar
[holding answer 17 February 1998]: The United Kingdom has sufficient enriched uranium for current defence purposes and enrichment will not again be required for some time.
18 Feb 1998 : Column: 663
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a regional breakdown of his Department's expenditure on (a) hospitality, (b) stationery and (c) travel in the last year for which figures are available. [30072]
Dr. Reid:
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list expenditure on (a) defence procurement, (b) research and development, (c) running costs and (d) service wages and costs for (i) London, (ii) the South East of England, (iii) England, (iv) Scotland, (v) Wales and (vi) Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available. [30131]
Dr. Reid:
My Department collects only a limited amount of information about spending in the various regions of the UK. Table 1.9 of Defence Statistics 1997, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, provides a breakdown, by region, of total expenditure by the MOD on defence equipment. No similar breakdown of expenditure on running costs or service pay is available.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the current location in the United Kingdom of each Army regiment, the number of service and support personnel at each site, and the total wage bill for each site in the last year for which figures are available. [30128]
Dr. Reid:
Much of the information requested is not held centrally but I am investigating what may be gathered. I will write to the hon. Member once my inquiries are complete and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number and running costs of (a) Royal Naval shore stations and (b) Army core headquarters in (i) the South East of England, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland. [30127]
Dr. Reid:
I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Ms Dari Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the review of the nationality criteria for entry into the armed forces will be completed; and if he will make a statement. [30545]
Dr. Reid:
A comprehensive review of all nationality issues for employment in the Armed Forces has just been completed. It has now been agreed that, with effect from 1 April 1998, the rules relating to nationality extraction, that is the nationality of an applicant's parents, should be relaxed in line with the changes made for Civil Servants. In the majority of cases parents of applicants will no longer need to be British or Commonwealth citizens, or
18 Feb 1998 : Column: 664
Republic of Ireland nationals. In certain circumstances, where security is of paramount importance, applicants will be looked at on a case by case basis.
It has also been agreed that the residency rules should be changed. The 5 year UK residency requirement for most applicants is to be relaxed to allow those who have spent less than 5 years in the UK entry into the Armed Forces.
I believe that these rule changes will ensure that the Armed Forces become more open for potential recruits, particularly amongst the ethnic minorities.
We have concluded that the existing rules relating to an applicant's own nationality should remain extant, namely that an applicant should be a British, British Dependent Territories or Commonwealth citizen or a Republic of Ireland national.
10. Mr. Gray:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings he has had with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to discuss the future of Welsh farming. [28408]
Mr. Ron Davies:
I meet my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food frequently to discuss the issues of common interest including the future of Welsh agriculture. The last formal occasion was on Wednesday 11 February.
19. Mr. Charles Kennedy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last held talks with Welsh farming representatives; and what matters were discussed. [28417]
Mr. Ron Davies:
I met representatives of the Welsh agriculture industry on 4, 5 and 9 February. We discussed the problems currently facing the industry at the first two meetings and the long term future of Welsh agriculture at the third meeting. I also addressed the Welsh Forum of the National Farmers' Union's Annual Conference on 3 February.
11. Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings he has had with pensioners' groups in Wales to discuss cold weather payments. [28409]
12. Mr. Paterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress in setting up the Welsh assembly. [28410]
Mr. Ron Davies:
Excellent progress is being made.
13. Dr. Julian Lewis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which locations in Wales have applied to house the Welsh assembly. [28411]
18 Feb 1998 : Column: 665
28. Mrs. Lait:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from organisations based in Wales regarding the siting of the Welsh assembly. [28426]
Mr. Ron Davies:
I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley).
18. Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to broaden the background of candidates for the Welsh assembly. [28416]
Mr. Ron Davies:
The selection of candidates for the elections to the National Assembly for Wales is a matter for the political parties. I would expect the parties to ensure through their selection processes that people of ability and from the widest possible range of interests are chosen to stand in the elections.
22. Sir Sydney Chapman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the venue and estimated cost of the Welsh assembly. [28420]
Mr. Ron Davies:
I have not yet come to a decision on the venue of the National Assembly for Wales. Any decision needs to provide good value for money and be affordable within the resources available.
25. Mr. St. Aubyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from hon. Members regarding the siting of the Welsh assembly. [28423]
Mr. Ron Davies:
I have received representations both in response to my consultation paper and prior to its issue. They were both in the form of correspondence and questions in the House and came from:
14. Mr. Beith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has held about the creation of a historic chapels trust for Wales since the publication of
18 Feb 1998 : Column: 666
the Government's response to the second report of the Welsh Affairs Committee of Session 1992-93 on the preservation of historic buildings and ancient monuments. [28412]
Mr. Ron Davies:
Discussions have taken place between Cadw and the Redundant Historic Chapels Working Group, the Historic Buildings Council and the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. As a result my Department has agreed to provide a grant of £92,000 over two years to the Wales Council for Voluntary Action to fund the establishment of a Chapels Conservation Trust.
Llanelli: The right hon. Denzil Davies
Swansea West: The right hon. Alan Williams
Delyn: David Hanson
Swansea East: Donald Anderson
Clwyd West: Gareth Thomas
Cardiff North: Julie Morgan
Gower: Martin Caton
Wrexham: Dr. John Marek
Vale of Clwyd: Chris Ruane
Alyn and Deeside: Barry Jones
Cardiff West: Rhodri Morgan
Caernarfon: Dafydd Wigley
Ribble Valley: Nigel Evans
Lichfield: Michael Fabricant
Worthing East and Shoreham: Tim Loughton
Shropshire North: Owen Paterson
Ashford: Damian Green
Ruislip Northwood: John Wilkinson
New Forest East: Julian Lewis
Chipping Barnet: Sir Sydney Chapman
Cambridgeshire South: Andrew Lansley
Guildford: Nick St Aubyn
Beckenham: Jaqui Lait.
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