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European Institutions
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the running costs in the last year for which figures are available of (a) the North Atlantic Assembly, (b) the WEU Parliamentary Assembly and (c) the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; and what was the United Kingdom's contribution in each case. [116650]
Mr. Vaz: These are the figures for 1999 budgets and estimated costs for 2000:
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Mr. Chaytor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of the UK delegations to (a) the North Atlantic Assembly, (b) the WEU Parliamentary Assembly and (c) the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, in the last year for which figures are available. [116651]
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Mr. Vaz:
Authorities for the House of Commons and House of Lords are responsible for the financing of delegates' attendance at the Assemblies. Costs are borne on the votes of the House of Commons and House of Lords.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has received from (a) the US authorities, (b) the EU authorities and (c) NATO member states, concerning the internal US Defense Department report into the leaking of NATO military information during the Kosovo conflict; [116349]
(3) when his Department was first informed of the US report into alleged espionage at NATO during the Kosovo conflict; [116350]
(4) what representations he has made to NATO countries about the US internal report on alleged espionage at NATO during the Kosovo conflict. [116352]
Mr. Vaz:
NATO and Pentagon spokesmen have made it clear they have no evidence of Serbian espionage at NATO during the Kosovo conflict. In the light of initial media reports, there were contacts with US and NATO officials to establish whether there was any substance to the allegations. But there were no representations made to, or received from, EU partners or NATO Allies.
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British Ambassador in Washington concerning invitations to Scottish politicians to attend the Tartan Day Reception in the UK Ambassador's residence in Washington. [116574]
Mr. Battle:
The Secretary of State has had no discussions with the British Ambassador concerning invitations to the Tartan Day Receptions in Washington.
Mr. Salmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) rules relating to political impartiality and (b) disciplinary procedures apply to ambassadors. [116575]
Mr. Hain:
All members of the Diplomatic Service, regardless of grade or position, are subject to the Diplomatic Service Code of Ethics and to Diplomatic Service Regulations, which include Regulations on required standards of conduct. The Code of Ethics requires officers to maintain political impartiality at all times. Any member of staff found to have contravened Diplomatic Service Regulations is subject to the disciplinary procedures set out in the Regulations.
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Mr. Corbett:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement on 22 March 2000, Official Report, columns 981-84, what is the proportion of national income that is estimated will be spent on health by the end of 2003-04. [116869]
The Prime Minister:
As announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 21 March, provision has been made available for the UK which will allow the average real-terms increase for the UK health service over the next four years to be 6.1 per cent. So health service spending will rise from last year's £45.1 billion, and this year's £49.3 billion, to: next year, £54.2 billion; the year after, £58.6 billion; then £63.5 billion; and then from April 2003, £68.7 billion.
As a result, on current forecasts, UK health spending as a proportion of GDP will increase to around 7.6 per cent. by 2003-04. It is expected that spending within the private health care sector will remain at around 1 per cent. of GDP and the overall rise to 7.6 per cent. is almost solely accounted for by the real terms increase in NHS spending.
The 8 per cent. EU average, as calculated by the OECD, is based on total health care spending. It is therefore directly comparable to the 7.6 per cent. figure.
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if the Committee will establish a booking system for taxis to be available to hon. Members after late-night sittings. [116041]
Mrs. Roe:
I do not consider such a system to be necessary, as there are adequate facilities available already. In addition to the taxi light and bell at the Members' Entrance in New Palace Yard, there is an auto-dial telephone programmed with two numbers to the Millbank taxi rank. Hon. Members have absolute priority at all times in summoning taxis at the Members' Entrance, and prior booking arrangements with taxi firms should remain the responsibility of individual hon. Members.
(2) what assessment he has made of the United States Defense Department report into alleged espionage at NATO during the Kosovo conflict; and if he will make a statement on it; [116351]
(Political Impartiality and Discipline)
Wembley Stadium
Mr. Faber: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the basis for the reference in his Department's news release no. 49/2000 of 2 March to a 20 ft high, 10 acre concrete platform at the new Wembley National Stadium. [115228]
Kate Hoey:
The reference to the 20 ft high proposed platform was based on fact. The reference to a size of 10 acres was an unfortunate error, picked up from descriptions given at earlier meetings; the reference should have been to a size of about 5 acres. The proposed
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platform remains poor value for money and an inappropriate solution to the need for an international athletics facility.
BNFL
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 28 February 2000, Official Report, columns 51-52W, on the visit of British nuclear officials to Japan, for what reason details of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate report on irregularities and safety of MOX production at Sellafield were released to the Japanese authorities prior to their official release in the United Kingdom; and which bodies in Japan received the NII reports and under what conditions of confidentiality. [114141]
Mrs. Liddell: The Health and Safety Executive's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations visited the Japanese nuclear regulator, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), on 7 February 2000 when he made a detailed presentation of his findings into the falsification of pellet diameter quality assurance data in the MOX Demonstration Facility at Sellafield. He also handed over to MITI a pre-publication copy of the report prepared by HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), "An investigation of pellet diameter data in the MOX demonstration facility at the BNFL Sellafield site and the effect of this on the safety of MOX fuel in use". He did this as part of the on-going dialogue between HSE/NII and MITI, as the relevant safety regulators, in view of the importance to Japan of the issues in the report and to allow the Japanese authorities sufficient time to prepare for any inquiries they might receive. The Japanese authorities agreed to make no public comment about the report or HM Chief Inspector's discussions with them before its publication.
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance Ltd. as verification agents of British Nuclear Fuels environmental, health and safety policies and practices at Sellafield. [114823]
Mrs. Liddell [holding answer 23 March 2000]: Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) Ltd. is a commercial organisation accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service for the certification of quality and environmental management systems (ISO 9000 and 14000). They are contracted by BNFL for this purpose. BNFL's decision to use LRQA is a matter for BNFL.
Dr. Jack Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the normal period of service for a non-executive director of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. [115994]
Mrs. Liddell
[holding answer 27 March 2000]: The length of service of non-executive directors of BNFL varies according to the needs of the company. Subject to this, a non-executive director can normally expect to be appointed for a period of up to three years and, assuming satisfactory performance, can expect a re-appointment for a second term of a similar duration. Further
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re-appointments are sometimes made, taking account of the Code and Guidance of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
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