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Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 19 April 2000

DEFENCE

Defence Evaluation and Research Agency

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received regarding co-operation between the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and the NXT. [117844]

Dr. Moonie: No representations regarding co-operation between the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) and NXT have been addressed to DERA and I am not aware that any representations have been received elsewhere in the Department.

Aircraft Carriers

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will estimate the sums to be spent each year on the new carriers until they enter service; [118265]

(2) if he will estimate the annual operating costs of each of the new carriers. [118268]

Mr. Hoon: 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 Robert Walmsley to Mr. Robert Key, dated 19 April 2000:

I am replying to your questions to the Secretary of State for Defence asking for estimates of the sums to be spent each year on the new carriers until they enter service and their annual operating costs. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
Our estimates of annual procurement costs for the new carriers are projections of equipment costs for internal planning purposes and furthermore their disclosure could damage the competitive process. I am therefore withholding the information requested under exemptions 2 and 7a of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. As to operating costs, annual estimates for the support of the carriers have still to be established.
I am able to confirm, however, that the estimated total procurement cost of the future carriers is broadly £2Bn with operating and support costs of around £3.5Bn over the life of the programme. Both these figures are at 1999 prices.

Roll-on/Roll-off Ferries

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the basis was for his Department's statements concerning the inability of UK yards to design and build roll-on roll-off ferries to meet his Department's known requirements. [118899]

Mr. Hoon: The statement in the press on 28 March attributed to an MOD spokesman was taken out of context. The Ministry of Defence press office issued a

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statement that day making it clear that it did not represent my view, nor that of the Ministry of Defence and that there was no reason why British shipyards should not be able to bid competitively for roll-on roll-off ferry work either in the UK or abroad.

The Government have encouraged consortiums bidding for the MOD sealift contract to look to UK shipyards. Bids are still being considered and we expect a decision to be taken in the late spring.

Western European Union

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the President of the Western European Union; and what issues were discussed. [119589]

Mr. Hoon: The "Presidency" of the Western European Union is currently held by Portugal, who also currently hold the Presidency of the European Union. I have met my Portuguese counterpart in his EU capacity where we discussed future arrangements for European Defence--but we have not met in his WEU capacity.

The senior appointment in the WEU, that of the Secretary General, is held by Javier Solana, who is also currently the High Representative for the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy. I have met with Snr. Solana in his EU capacity where we discussed future arrangements for European Defence--but have not met him in his purely WEU capacity.

I have not yet met the President of the Western European Union Assembly, Klaus Buhler.

Defence Analytical Services Agency

Ms Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Defence Analytical Services Agency for 2000-01. [120180]

Mr. Spellar: Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency for the financial year 2000-01. The targets build on the progress already made by the Agency since it was formed in 1992 and are as follows:

Delivery of Customer Service
The majority of the Agency's business is covered by Service Level Agreements with customers, which set out the targets for timeliness and quality of work. For those parts of the business where Service Level Agreements are not appropriate, project agreements are in place. The Agency is committed to continuous improvement in the range and quality of the services it provides to customers. Key targets are:
a. To meet at least 95 per cent. of the timeliness and quality targets set in Service Level Agreements and project agreements.
b. To have at least 90 per cent. of customers saying they are at least satisfied with the timeliness, quality of work and helpfulness of staff in the annual Customer Satisfaction Survey.
c. To have at least 25 per cent. of customers who received DASA services in 1999-2000 and 2000-01 report an improvement in services provided in the annual Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Efficiency and Quality
The Agency plans to make efficiency savings in 2000-01 as well as continuing to meet the additional demands placed upon it by new Departmental studies and initiatives. DASA is part of the Government Statistical Service and will play its part in

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implementing "National Statistics"--the Government's policy on improving the integrity, quality and freedom from political interference of official statistics. Key targets are:
a. To make all of DASA's unclassified National Statistics publications available on the MOD Intranet and the DASA internet websites.
b. To conduct a review of the production and publication of armed forces and MOD civilian personnel statistics against National Statistics quality standards.
c. To deliver efficiency savings with a value of 2.2 per cent. of the initial running cost allocation.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

EU Agriculture Council

Mr. Hood: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 17 to 18 April; and if he will make a statement. [119918]

Ms Quin: I represented the UK at the Agriculture Council meeting in Luxembourg on 17 April.

The Council reached political agreement by qualified majority (only Denmark expressing dissent) on a Community wide system of rules for the compulsory labelling of beef. The first stage of the scheme--providing for most beef sold to consumers to show the member state where it was slaughtered and cut/deboned and the approval numbers of the relevant establishments--should come into effect on 1 September 2000. The second stage, coming into effect on 1 January 2002, will additionally require labelling by reference to country of origin. I welcomed this agreement which will ensure British consumers can look forward to clearer, more informative labelling on beef. The agreement will now be put to the European Parliament for its consideration with a view to adoption of a Regulation before 1 September.

Commissioner Franz Fischler reported the latest developments in the WTO agriculture negotiations in Geneva. Along with many other Ministers, I welcomed the start of negotiations and encouraged the Commission to continue its efforts to facilitate the launch of a new Round of comprehensive trade negotiations and to continue pursuing a constructive line in the agriculture negotiations in accordance with the Council mandate agreed last autumn.

Under Other Business, I raised concerns about the impact on British millers of the operation of a WTO concession permitting the import of maize from third countries into Spain and Portugal at reduced duty rates. Originally intended to cover maize for animal feed, an increasing proportion was being imported as flint maize which is used for processing into breakfast cereals. This was distorting the single market to the detriment of millers in the UK and other northern member states. Commissioner Fischler undertook to try to resolve this problem with the main exporting countries in time for the next marketing year.

Organic Food

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research assistance his Department gives to the (a) organic and (b) biotechnology sectors to help them establish the safety of their products. [118582]

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Ms Stuart: I have been asked to reply, as responsibility for food safety and standards matters has now passed to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which reports to Parliament through Health Ministers.

The FSA funds extensive independent research programmes to support and further its aim of protecting public health from risks which could arise from the consumption of food. The results of these are made widely available to all sectors of the food industry via scientific literature, and from the agency on request, to assist them in ensuring that the food that they are supplying does not pose an unacceptable risk to health. The availability of the results is also publicised in the Agency's Food Safety Information Bulletin when the work has been completed.

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