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DEFENCE

Departmental Estate

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty houses are owned by his Department in the United Kingdom; how many of them have been empty for over six months; and if he will make a statement. [118062]

Dr. Moonie: As at 29 February 2000, the Defence Housing Executive held a stock of 61,936 married quarters in England, Scotland and Wales, of which 47,385 were occupied and 3,719 were in the course of disposal. Of the balance of 10,832 empty properties, 3,507 were under offer to service families, most of which are likely to be occupied within the next two months. 1,145 were vacant awaiting further unit deployments or use as decant accommodation during refurbishment programmes. 1,652 properties were empty awaiting modernisation and 4,528 were routine voids, that is a working management margin for some 22,000 family moves each year.

Including properties identified for disposal, approximately 8,300 have been empty for more than six months.

Over 6,500 properties are planned for disposal during the next two years. Most of the MOD housing stock in England and Wales is owned by Annington Homes and is underleased by the MOD. Properties identified as having no long-term requirement to the Department are released to that company under the terms of the contract agreed in November 1996 by the previous Administration. Surplus MOD owned properties are sold by Defence Estates.

In Northern Ireland, a further 3,235 married quarters are owned by the MOD, of which 473 were empty as at 31 March 2000 and 236 had been empty for over six months.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many weapons of mass destruction are held in the United Kingdom. [118537]

Mr. Hoon: I have nothing to add to the information on our minimum nuclear deterrent set out in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review.

The UK has no biological or chemical weapons. As made clear in the 1999 Ministry of Defence publication, "Defending Against the Threat from Biological and Chemical Weapons", the UK gave up its offensive biological and chemical capabilities in the 1950s. A copy of the publication is in the Library of the House.

National Missile Defence System

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 4 April 2000,Official Report, column 400W, if, in his discussions with the US Defense Secretary or the Deputy Defense Secretary, he (a) indicated UK (i) opposition to or (ii) support for the proposed national missile defence system and (b) offered UK co-operation over the proposed system. [118317]

Mr. Hoon: The US has not asked for UK assistance in the deployment of the proposed National Missile Defence system, nor would we expect them to do so until after a US

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decision on whether or not to proceed with its deployment. In my discussions with the US Administration on the subject, I have made it clear that the UK would consider any such request carefully. I have also welcomed the fact that the US will make their deployment decision on the basis of a number of important factors, which will include taking account of the views of Allies and the status of the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Performance Targets

Mrs. Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by his Department in its strategic environmental appraisal of the Strategic Defence Review; and if he will make a statement. [119123]

Dr. Moonie: The study phase of the strategic environmental appraisal has now been completed. My Department is reviewing its recommendations and I intend to publish the report in the near future.

Serle's House

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if an economic option appraisal was conducted by his Department before making the decision to put Serle's House on the open market; and if he will make a statement. [118914]

Dr. Moonie: I can confirm that a full investment appraisal and cost-benefit analysis was conducted before the decision to dispose of Serle's House was taken.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the cost of moving the Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum from Serle's House to the Guard Room in Upper Peninsula Barracks; who will bear this cost; and if he will make a statement. [118923]

Dr. Moonie: The cost of moving the Western Headquarters of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment and the Regimental Museum of the Royal Hampshire Regiment from their current home in Serle's House to the Guard Room in Upper Peninsula Barracks has been costed at approximately £317,000, which will cover the refurbishment of the new site and the cost of removals. This cost will be borne by the Adjutant General's Top Level Budged and offset departmentally by the disposal receipt.

RAF Finningley

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much Government funding (a) was spent in the last 12 months and (b) is planned to be spent in the next 12 months on construction work at the former RAF base at Finningley; [118688]

(2) on what basis Defence Estates is procuring construction work at the former RAF base at Finningley; [118690]

(3) what work is to be carried out by Defence Estates at the former RAF base at Finningley. [118689]

Dr. Moonie: The RAF Finningley site was sold to Peel Holdings in June 1999, at which point my Department ceased to have any involvement with it. No central government funding has been spent in the last 12 months on construction work at the former RAF Finningley, nor will be spent in the next 12 months.

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Horn of Africa

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the famine in Ethiopia. [118040]

Clare Short: The situation in Ethiopia is serious. Ethiopia is a very poor country with a GDP of $110 per capita. Many Ethiopians are partially dependent on food aid in most years. This is the third year in succession when the early rains have either failed or been poor. Ethiopia has also been engaged in a war with Eritrea since May 1998. The war has disrupted Ethiopia's economic and social progress. It has also affected food security by diverting trucking capacity and increasing costs; denying access to the ports of Massawa and Assab; and denying rural households supplementary income sources in Eritrea and Tigray. As a result, eight million people now face serious food shortages. According to the information we have available, Ethiopia's initial appeal for 758,000MT of cereals is almost fully met. Britain has provided £4.5 million of food and non-food bilateral assistance this year. We have provided more bilateral food aid this year than any European donor and we will contribute 17 per cent. of the 432,000 metric tonnes which will be provided through the EC this year.

Cyclone Hudah

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effect of cyclone Hudah on (a) the flooding in Mozambique and (b) Madagascar. [118097]

Clare Short: Cyclone Hudah has not affected the previously flooded areas in southern and central Mozambique. The cyclone made landfall in Pembane in northern Mozambique late on Friday 7 April. Preliminary assessments indicate very limited damage to property and while there has been some localised flooding this has not been exceptional. Full assessments will be completed over the coming days, but it appears there are no outstanding needs at this time.

The cyclone had previously caused considerable damage while tracking across the North East of Madagascar. As a result, there are an estimated 100,000 people requiring immediate assistance. My Department has already provided some £600,000 for immediate relief to those affected by Cyclones Eline and Gloria. We will continue to monitor the situation closely in collaboration with operational agencies on the ground and the British Embassy in Antananarivo and stand ready to respond following completed assessments.

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the need for emergency aid for Madagascar after the recent hurricane. [118042]

Clare Short: My officials have maintained close contact with our Embassy in Antananarivo and operational agencies on the ground. There are an estimated 100,000 people requiring emergency assistance as a result of cyclone Hudah. Following the previous two cyclones, Gloria and Eline, effective co-ordination mechanisms were

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established and the United Nations and Red Cross have been supporting the Government of Madagascar to respond to relief needs.

My Department has already provided some £600,000 for immediate relief to those affected by cyclones Eline and Gloria. This support has been channelled through United Nations Children's Fund, for water sanitation and health activities; and the World Food Programme for food and delivery of relief items to isolated communities. However, due to the increase in the number of people requiring assistance these resources may run out quicker than planned. We stand ready to respond further, pending completion of detailed assessments.

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