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Defence Aviation Repair Agency
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress made with setting up the Defence Aviation Repair Agency. [87830]
Mr. Spellar: The Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) came into being on 1 April this year and I had the pleasure of attending the Agency's Launch Day on 7 April 1999 at St. Athan. DARA has been formed by merging the former Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation with elements of the RAF's Maintenance Group Defence Agency and provides MOD's deep maintenance (third line) capability for fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The Ministerial Advisory Board, which I chair, has approved the DARA's Corporate Plan which is now being implemented. This includes moving to Trading Fund status in due course.
Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to renegotiate the RAF repair, overhaul modification and upgrade contracts held by private companies once responsibility for such contracts is transferred to the new Defence Aviation Repair Agency; which RAF repair, overhaul, modification and upgrade contracts are currently under review; and if he will make a statement. [87832]
Mr. Spellar: My Department has no plans to renegotiate or review these contracts as a result of the launch of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) and no responsibility for the administration of such contracts is being passed to the Agency.
TA Deployment
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army are currently deployed on operations in (a) Kosovo, (b) Bosnia and (c) Germany. [88128]
Mr. Doug Henderson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) on 21 June 1999, Official Report, column 300. There are currently no members of the Territorial Army deployed to Germany.
Depleted Uranium
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 June 1999, Official Report, column 148, if he will place in the Library the
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March 1999 paper produced by his Department's Gulf Veterans' Illness Unit in respect of testing for the presence of depleted uranium. [87834]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Copies of the detailed paper entitled "Testing for the Presence of Depleted Uranium in UK Veterans of the Gulf Conflict: The Current Position" were placed in the Library of the House when it was published on 19 March 1999.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 June 1999, Official Report, column 146, on depleted uranium, by what means service personnel can identify a vehicle damaged by depleted uranium ammunition; and if he will make a statement. [87835]
Mr. George Robertson:
If Service personnel must, for operational reasons, approach damaged vehicles, they will visually examine the vehicle to identify if the damage is consistent with depleted uranium calibre ammunition. However, Service personnel are instructed not to approach any damaged vehicles unless operationally necessary, due to the wide variety of dangers they present.
Gwrych Castle
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the condition of Gwrych Castle; and if he will make a statement. [87987]
Mr. Michael: Since June 1997 I have received letters on six occasions (from three sources) expressing concern about the deteriorating condition of Gwrych Castle. It is privately owned but the ownership is presently subject to legal dispute. When this has been resolved, Cadw:Welsh Historic monuments would be willing to consider grant assistance towards a project to repair the fabric of this Grade 1 listed building.
Following the transfer of functions, CADW will be responsible to the National Assembly.
Education Budgets
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the education budgets for each county in Wales for (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000, indicating the additional allocations of ring-fenced education funding from central Government. [87985]
Mr. Hain: The information requested is given in the following table.
(4) Net of all education specific grants and excluding all continuing education and payments to the Further and Higher Education Funding Councils
Source:
Local authority revenue account returns
This will be a matter for the National Assembly for Wales from 1 July 1999.
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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Law Reform
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the timetable for the implementation of outstanding Law Commission recommendations for law reform. [87781]
Mr. Vaz: The Government will assess the priority for legislation implementing Law Commission recommendations in the context of the legislative programme as a whole.
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has for legislation to implement outstanding Law Commission reports on law reform. [87780]
Mr. Vaz: The Government are considering carefully a number of Law Commission reports. Legislation implementing those Law Commission recommendations, which the Government accept, will be introduced when Parliamentary time allows.
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the savings in costs to public and private funds of the implementation of outstanding Law Commission recommendations over the last four years. [87782]
Mr. Vaz: No such assessment has been made to date. However, under the Better Regulation provisions we will in future be required to make an assessment of the risks, costs and benefits whenever new legislation is published.
Treasury Counsel (Common Law)
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what (a) representations he
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made, (b) correspondence he had and (c) meetings he held about (i) the creation of the vacancy for Treasury Counsel (Common Law) in May 1997 and (ii) the filling of the vacancy. [88019]
Government Consultation Papers
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make publicly available on a monthly basis a list of Government consultation papers, indicating the title, summary of the proposals, the issue date and the deadline for submissions. [87867]
Mr. Kilfoyle: I have no plans to publish a monthly list of Government consultation papers. Each Government department and agency is responsible for publishing its own consultation papers, including a summary of proposals and a deadline for submissions. Last year, the Cabinet Office published a guide on conducting written consultation exercises. This states that departments should publicise the existence of consultation documents (for example through an approximately targeted press release), and wherever possible the internet should be used to publish and receive replies.
Ministerial Visits
Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Ministers have visited the north- west region since May 1997; and which constituencies they visited. [88389]
Mr. Kilfoyle: This information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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