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RN Base Faslane
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 1999, Official Report, column 460-61, on RN Base Faslane, on what occasions radiation supervisors have been required to carry out the work of radiation monitors in each of the last five years; and on how many occasions all duty supervisors were carrying out such work. [69086]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
There are no prescribed occasions when a Supervisor has to carry out the work of a monitor, however, supervisors can enter radiological areas as part of their duties. The number of occasions when duty supervisors carried out the work of a monitor cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost.
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 614
However, the number of times supervisors have entered radiological areas in each of the last five years is as follows:
1994: 257
1995: 219
1996: 264
1997: 184
1998: 38.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 28 January 1999, Official Report, column 331, on replies to parliamentary questions, how many times Exemption 2 in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information was used by his Department in replying to questions on the subject of the Territorial Army, to justify withholding information in the last 12 months. [69397]
Civil Servants (Misconduct)
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. [70784]
Mr. Doug Henderson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him yesterday by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office.
RAF Innsworth
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with personnel at RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire, about plans to reduce the level of policing of the MOD area at Innsworth; and if he will make a statement. [70892]
Mr. Doug Henderson: None. However, policing arrangements at RAF Innsworth have been reviewed recently. On present plans, the present complement will be retained for the next two years. Any proposals for subsequent changes will be subject to consultation in the usual way.
RAF Brize Norton
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the implications are for (a) staffing and (b) resources at RAF Brize Norton of (i) replacing the fleet of VC-10s and Tristars and (ii) the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme; and if he will make a statement; [71576]
- (2) what proposals he has under consideration for the transfer of staff and resources from RAF Brize Norton to Boscombe Down as a result of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme. [71578]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The MOD is in only the initial stages of discussions with a wide range of organisations interested in bidding PFI solutions to meet the requirement for the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 615
(FSTA). We have yet to receive any proposals. It is, accordingly, far too soon to speculate on implications for any particular location.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to set targets for the Defence Estate Organisation for 1999-2000. [71905]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
We expect to be able to announce the key 1999-2000 performance targets for Defence Estate Organisation at the end of next month.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the Army Cadet Force detachment at Chorley will be accommodated in the future. [72142]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
I am pleased to announce that, following consultation with the territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Association, I have decided to reprovide the facilities currently afforded to the Army cadet Force detachment at Chorley, within the curtilage of the Territorial Army centre in which they are currently based. This will provide the cadets with up to date facilities and minimise disruption over the period of change. The remainder of the site will be disposed of, as originally announced, once the facilities for the cadets have been provided. We will, of course, liaise with the local authorities on this matter.
Long-stay Patients
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many long-stay patients there are in medical wards in (a) Antrim Hospital and (b) Whiteabbey Hospital. [70200]
Mr. McFall: There were 10 patients in medical wards in Antrim Hospital and 6 patients in medical wards in Whiteabbey Hospital who, on 9 February 1999, had been in-patients for more than 4 weeks.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how long the longest-stay patient has been in a medical ward in (a) Antrim and (b) Whiteabbey hospitals. [70202]
Mr. McFall: The patient with the longest stay in a medical ward in Antrim Hospital was admitted on 16 November 1998. The patient with the longest stay in a medical ward in Whiteabbey hospital was admitted on 1 July 1996.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many long-stay patients assessed as being ready for discharge to nursing home care are in medical wards in (a) Antrim Hospital and (b) Whiteabbey Hospital. [70207]
Mr. McFall:
There were 4 patients in medical wards in Antrim and 2 patients in medical wards in Whiteabbey who, at 9 February 1999, were assessed as ready for discharge to nursing or residential home care.
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 616
Mr. Beggs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average weekly cost of providing nursing care in (a) private sector accommodation and (b) a hospital in Northern Ireland. [70201]
Mr. McFall:
The information is not available in the form requested.
No separate assessment has been made centrally of the cost of providing nursing care in private sector accommodation.
Costing information on providing "nursing care" in a hospital is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will publish her Department's collation and assessment of responses to all the Government's public consultations. [69767]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
The Service First Unit in Northern Ireland proposes to publish a Northern Ireland version of the guide, "How to conduct written consultation exercises" for Departments and Agencies in late March 1999. The guide will include a provision that, where circumstances permit, a summary of views and information collected from a consultation exercise will be made available, unless the respondents have requested confidentiality for their comments.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions have been made in relation to illegal pro-Orange Order demonstrations in Portadown since July 1998. [70212]
Mr. Ingram:
There have been 135 arrests and 33 persons convicted during the period July 1998 to January 1999 in connection with illegal parades in Portadown.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been (a) arrested and (b) charged in connection with the destruction of Catholic-owned businesses in Portadown since July 1998. [70209]
Mr. Ingram:
There have been no persons arrested or charged to date in connection with the destruction of Catholic-owned businesses in Portadown, where the religion of the owner is known, since July 1998.
Mr. McDonnell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many arrests have been made in connection with the intimidation of Catholic families in the Craigwell area of Portadown by pro-Orange Order demonstrators. [70301]
Mr. Ingram:
One person has been arrested for incitement to hatred at Craigwell Avenue. Three persons were arrested at Corcrain Bridge, close to Craigwell Avenue, for Public Order offences. Twenty one persons were arrested resulting from a riot situation at Corcrain Bridge/Charles Street.
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 617
Mr. MacKay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if paramilitary beatings are included in the factors which she has to take into account in determining whether a paramilitary organisation has ended violence permanently. [70144]
Mr. Ingram:
Yes. Parliamentary beatings are a relevant consideration, among others, in coming to the judgment the Secretary of State makes under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.
Mr. MacKay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the factors which she will take into account in determining whether to invoke her powers to review the list of organisations under section 3(10) of the Act in respect of an organisation not specified under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 which is involved in paramilitary beatings, mutilations and shootings. [70135]
Mr. Ingram:
The Secretary of State is under a duty from time to time to review the list of organisations which are specified organisations. In forming her belief whether the criteria in section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 are satisfied in relation to an organisation not yet specified, she takes into account the factors set out in section 3(9) of that Act and other factors relevant in the circumstances.
Mr. MacKay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports she has received from the RUC on the involvement of members of paramilitary organisations not specified by order under section 3 (8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 in paramilitary beating, mutilations and shootings in Northern Ireland; and what assessment she has made of these reports. [70139]
Mr. Ingram:
Reports are frequently received from the Royal Ulster Constabulary on these attacks. The Secretary of State takes them into account in assessing the state of ceasefires under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.
Mr. MacKay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what factors she will take into account in determining whether paramilitary beatings carried out by organisations not specified by order under section 3(8) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 constitute a breach of the ceasefires; [70136]
Mr. Ingram:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State takes into account the factors set out in section 3(9) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 and such other factors as are relevant in the circumstances to the judgment she makes, for the purposes of section 3(8) of that Act, as to whether a ceasefire has been established, and is being maintained, which is complete and unequivocal.
(2) what factors she takes into account in reaching the judgment that a paramilitary ceasefire is complete and unequivocal. [70145]
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