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Cluster Bombs

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the targets against which cluster bombs were deployed by the Royal Air Force during Operation Allied Force were selected by (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) by NATO multilateral targeting arrangements. [121668]

Mr. Spellar: During Operation Allied Force, Royal Air Force Harrier GR7s released cluster weapons (RBL755s) against fixed targets and Yugoslav/Serbian fielded forces. The selection and allocation of fixed targets, and the nomination of aircraft to specific tasks, was the responsibility of NATO's Combined Air Operations Centre at Vicenza in Italy. This selection and tasking process was conducted in close coordination with the UK's air commander in theatre who scrutinised all targets and tasks against national Rules of Engagement and targeting constraints, where appropriate consulting the UK national chain of command.

On the other hand, attacks against fielded forces were normally conducted in response to targets which had been located, identified and allocated by an Airborne Forward Air Control aircraft. In these highly responsive circumstances, the Harrier GR7 pilot was responsible for locating, positively identifying and assessing the validity of the target against clearly defined Rules of Engagement; the pilot was also responsible for selecting the most appropriate number and type of weapon to be released. UK armed forces will always use the weapons judged most appropriate against a given target, taking into account weapon effectiveness and the need to minimise collateral damage.

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many BL755 cluster bombs were used in the Falklands Islands by Her Majesty's Armed Forces; how many submunitions from these weapons have been cleared; and what estimates have been made of the number of submunitions remaining. [121667]

Mr. Spellar: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

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RAF Fylingdales

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for the use of RAF Fylingdales for the National Missile Defense system. [121998]

Mr. Hoon: We have not received a request from the US regarding the use of RAF Fylingdales as part of the NMD system, and nor would we expect any until after a US decision on whether or not to proceed towards deployment of such a system.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many American (a) civilian and (b) military personnel are based at RAF Fylingdales. [121999]

Mr. Spellar: There are nine US civilian contractor employees and one US military officer at RAF Fylingdales.

RAF Feltwell

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the operational purpose of RAF Feltwell; and how many (a) UK and (b) US personnel are stationed there. [121997]

Mr. Spellar: RAF Feltwell is a passive deep space tracking station and part of a worldwide network of sensors tracking man-made objects in deep space. As at 10 May 2000, there were 124 US personnel stationed there in support of this role, and no UK personnel. Feltwell also provides a support function for RAF Lakenheath.

Menwith Hill

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) US military, (b) US civilian, (c) UK military and (d) UK civilian personnel work at Menwith Hill Station. [121780]

Mr. Spellar: As at 26 April 2000, at RAF Menwith Hill there were 415 US military, 989 US civilian, five UK military and 392 UK civilian personnel (excluding GCHQ staff). I am withholding the numbers of GCHQ staff under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the planned numbers of US military personnel at Menwith Hill Station will be in (a) 2000, (b) 2003 and (c) 2005. [121783]

Mr. Spellar: As at 26 April 2000, there were 415 US military personnel at RAF Menwith Hill. This number is not expected to change significantly in the foreseeable future.

Joint Operations

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what joint operations or exercises have taken place outside the United Kingdom since 1 March 1999 between British forces and members of the armed forces of states that are not parties to the Ottawa Convention. [122033]

Mr. Spellar: Since 1 March 1999, UK forces have participated in 10 joint operations and 13 joint exercises outside of the UK with armed forces from states that are not parties to the Ottawa Convention. These states are: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, China, Egypt, Estonia, Finland,

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Georgia, India, Kuwait, Kyrgyztan, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Turkey, UAE and USA.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Sheep Dip

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 17 April 2000, Official Report, columns 333-34W, (1) what proportion of the sum attributed to the introduction of a single charge for authorisation for the disposal of used sheep dip will accrue to (a) sheep farmers, (b) other farmers and (c) non-farmers; [120638]

(2) which years the four-year period for the introduction of a single charge for the disposal of sheep dip applies to. [120637]

Mr. Mullin [holding answer 3 May 2000]: I have been asked to reply.

The single charge shall apply to the first four years of an initial groundwater authorisation falling in the Environment Agency's "Reduced Application Charge" band, whenever such an authorisation might commence. The Environment Agency's existing records show that some 73 per cent. of the sum attributed to the introduction of this single charge will accrue to sheep farmers, 26 per cent. to other farmers, and 1 per cent. to non-farmers.

TREASURY

Mobile Phone Licences

Dr. Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the receipts from the auction of Third Generation mobile phone licences is in the form of an initial payment in the current financial year. [121028]

Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry expects to receive all of the receipts from the auction of Wireless Telegraphy Act licences for Third Generation mobile communications in the current financial year.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Landmines Act

Mr. Hope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibility his Department has in respect of the Landmines Act 1998. [122344]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Following discussions between the Departments concerned, the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Home Office, (Mr. Boateng), on 20 May 1999, Official Report, column 443W, requires expansion. The Home Secretary has general ministerial responsibility for enforcement action under the Landmines Act 1998 taken by the police in England and Wales, with parallel responsibilities being

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exercised in Northern Ireland by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and in Scotland by the Scottish Ministers. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise also have enforcement responsibilities under the Act. In addition, the Foreign Secretary has responsibility for policy on the Ottawa Convention and for co-ordinating any amendments to the Landmines Act which may arise from amendments to the Ottawa Convention. Action may be taken under other provisions of the Act by the Secretaries of State for the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Trade and Industry, the Attorney-General and the Attorney-General for Northern Ireland.

Immigration

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons married to United Kingdom citizens have been (a) served with deportation orders and (b) deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years. [121742]

Mrs. Roche: The central deportation records do not separately identify spouses of United Kingdom citizens and the information requested could, therefore, be obtained only at disproportionate cost through the examination of individual case files.

Youth Custody Orders

Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many youth custody orders have been used since their introduction; and how many are in use. [121786]

Mr. Boateng: The detention and training order under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 was implemented on 1 April 2000. It is the new main custodial sentence for juveniles aged 12 to 17 and replaced the secure training order and detention in a young offender institution for that age group. Because the minimum term of a detention and training order is four months, all the orders which have been made since 1 April remain in force. Information from the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales indicates that on 10 May, 483 detention and training orders were being served.

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