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TransTec
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Government grants or loans received by TransTec plc. or its subsidiaries for use in Northern Ireland since 1991. [111582]
Mr. Ingram:
TransTec Automotive (Campsie) Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of TransTec Plc, based at Campsie in Londonderry, and now in administrative
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receivership, was paid grants directly and also benefited in leasing terms from capital grants paid to the lessors of capital equipment as shown:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| (1) From the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland | |
| Paid to the Company | |
| Capital Grant | 565,671 |
| Employment Grant | 2,901,999 |
| Total paid to the Company | 3,467,670 |
| Paid to Lombard Initial Leasing Ltd. | |
| Capital Grant | (13)3,192,196 |
| (2) From the Training and Employment Agency | |
| Investment Support for Training | 875,083 |
(13) Where assets are leased grant is paid to the leasing company with TransTec Automotive (Campsie) Ltd. benefiting by way of reduced lease rental
Prisoner Releases
Mr. MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many terrorist prisoners have successfully applied for early release under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998; and of those how many are still in prison. [111877]
Mr. Ingram: To date, 430 prisoners have successfully applied for early release under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. Of these, 115 still remain in prison. This information is taken from statistics which are current at 22 February 2000.
Mr. MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have been released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998; and what is their perceived paramilitary affiliation. [111878]
Mr. Ingram: To date there have been 315 prisoners released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. Information is held in relation to the perceived paramilitary affiliation of prisoners, where applicable, for management purposes. It should be noted, however, that, with the exception of HMP Maze, where links are more clearly defined, this information is based on a combination of factors including the offence, sympathies and associates. The table provides the breakdown by perceived affiliation and is taken from statistics which are current at 22 February 2000.
| Perceived affiliation of prisoners released on licence under the NI (Sentences) Act 1998 | Total (as at 22 February 2000) |
|---|---|
| UDA | 71 |
| No trace | 9 |
| UFF | 8 |
| PIRA | 142 |
| UVF | 53 |
| Former INLA | 7 |
| Loyalist | 5 |
| Rep Sym | 2 |
| RHC | 2 |
| Criminal | 1 |
| LVF | 6 |
| Republican | 1 |
| INLA | 8 |
| Grand total | 315 |
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Union Flag
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who authorised the removal of the Union flag from the headquarters of (a) the Department of Education and (b) the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. [112064]
Mr. Ingram: These flags were removed during the period of devolution. This is therefore a matter for the NI Legislative Assembly which is currently in suspension.
DEFENCE
Tracer/FSCS System
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what stage has been reached in the development of the Tracer/FSCS system; and if he will make a statement about its future prospects. [109860]
Dr. Moonie: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Christopher Gill, dated 29 February 2000:
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the stage that has been reached in the development of the TRACER/FSCS system; and whether he would make a statement about its future prospects. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
TRACER is a UK/US collaborative programme. Contracts for project definition studies, worth a total of some £180m. were awarded in January 1999 to two consortia: LANCER, an alliance of BAE SYSTEMS and Alvis Vehicles with United Defense and Raytheon; and SIKA, a joint venture company formed by BAE SYSTEMS and Lockheed Martin. The consortia are competing for a single demonstration phase contract although neither nation is formally committed beyond the current phase, and any decision to proceed to future project phases will be the subject of further national approvals.
The current phase of the programme is of 42 months duration, completing in July 2002. The key aims of this phase of the programme are to reduce progressively areas of programme risk and to secure firm price proposals for the demonstration and initial manufacture phases. The programme is proceeding to schedule and both participating governments are pleased with progress to date. In parallel, studies are being conducted to examine the potential use of unmanned air vehicles. The outcome of these studies will be used to inform the UK decision on the optimum mix of platforms, technologies and sensors, and the role that TRACER will play in the Army's future battlefield information gathering system.
A feature of defence procurement is the high cost of the sophisticated systems being brought into service. Conflicting demands on the available resources inevitably lead to priorities being under systematic review. The current budgetary review process in the US, which could have implications for the TRACER programme, is being closely monitored; and we are in regular contact with the US DoD.
Container Ships
Ms Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to procure four new roll-on roll-off container ships. [109391]
Dr. Moonie
[holding answer 14 February 2000]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
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Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Ms Rachel Squire, dated 29 February 2000:
Mr. Key:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the medium range Trigat project. [110494]
Dr. Moonie:
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Robert Key, dated 29 February 2000:
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft types fully meet the European Staff Requirement for a Future Transport Aircraft. [111340]
Dr. Moonie:
Within the four nation Future Transport Aircraft competition, bids are being assessed on merit against a baseline derived from the European Staff Requirement (ESR). We have made clear to bidders that strict compliance with the ESR will not necessarily be a deciding factor and is but one factor in the assessment by which nations judge the solution offering the best value for money. This assessment includes analysis of operational performance, investment appraisal, risks and commercial and industrial considerations. It would be inappropriate for me to disclose, at this stage in the competition, any aspect of our assessment of the comparative merits of the proposals which we have received.
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I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the Ministry of Defence's plans to procure four new roll on roll off container ships. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
The Strategic Defence Review confirmed the requirement for four ships in addition to two then in service. The Department is currently conducting a competition for this expanded sealift capability. As this is defined as a non-warlike requirement, the competition is being conducted under European and World Trade Organisation public procurement rules. As stated in the Department's press statement of 13 December 1999, a copy of which is enclosed, we plan to announce a single preferred bidder in late spring and to place a contract in July 2000.
I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the Medium Range (MR) TRIGAT Anti-Tank Guided Weapon Programme. This matter falls to me for answer within my responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
Germany, France and UK, as the major participants in the programme, have signed the MR TRIGAT Industrialisation and Production Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The Netherlands and Belgium have still to sign and we expect decisions to be made by both nations by Spring 2000, once their Governmental and Parliamentary procedures are complete.
The Industrialisation and Production contract has now been initialled by the Prime Contractor Aerospatiale but is awaiting completion of the MOU signatory process before it is formally notified (and placed) by France, acting as the contracting authority on behalf of the participating nations. Despite the delay in signing the MOU by the Netherlands and Belgium, contract placement by Spring 2000 would, on current plans, maintain the programme on schedule to meet the UK's in-service date.
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