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Penalty Clauses

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts entered into with private sector companies for the provision of goods or services since May 1997 where penalty clauses were triggered for non-performance; and if he will make a statement. [122017]

Dr. Moonie: Provision of such a list would require consideration of some 6,000 contracts and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Typhoon Aircraft

Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what functional modifications will be made to the Mauser 27mm cannon to be installed in the first 55 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to be delivered to the Royal Air Force. [121755]

Dr. Moonie: The 27mm Mauser Cannon fitted to Eurofighter will undergo a number of internal modifications affecting the ammunition feed arrangements and muzzle blast suppressor. No additional modifications are required if the gun is carried but not used.

18 May 2000 : Column: 206W

Defence Diversification Council

Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 22 March 2000, Official Report, column 566W, when he expects the Defence Diversification Council to be established; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay. [122233]

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will set up the Defence Diversification Council; and if he will make a statement. [122128]

Dr. Moonie: We are currently examining the implications of the DERA Public/Private Partnership proposals for the work that is now being undertaken by the Defence Diversification Agency. Once that examination has been completed, we shall announce our proposals for the future of the Agency, including the arrangements for the establishment of the Defence Diversification Council.

Hawk Trainer

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the original estimated cost of the Hawk Trainer Replacement Airframe Programme; what is the cost expected to be on completion; what is the end date for this contract; and if he will make a statement. [122374]

Dr. Moonie: Early estimates suggested that the cost of the programme would be of the order of £160 million. A contract for the work was awarded to BAE SYSTEMS in December 1998. Details of the contract are commercially sensitive, but the value was of the order of £120 million (VAT inclusive). The programme commenced in July 1999. The first aircraft was returned to service, ahead of schedule, in April of this year. The programme is due to be completed by January 2004.

Suez Canal

Mr. Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the number of servicemen who served during the Suez Canal Zone occupation from 1951 to 1954 who are still alive. [122333]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 16 May 2000]: This information is not held centrally. The work that would be required to determine whether in fact it would be possible to provide this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

AWE Llanishen

Ms Julie Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amounts of beryllium and depleted uranium are left on site at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Llanishen Cardiff; and when he expects the site will be free from contamination. [122391]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 16 May 2000]: Although traces of beryllium and depleted uranium have been found in specific locations they are of a very low level and, being contained on the site, pose no threat to health or the environment. Precise levels of contamination are currently being collated in preparation for a contract to be let for the remediation phase of site decommissioning, and will be made public shortly. The site is expected to be free from contamination by autumn of next year.

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Tomahawk Missile

Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to equip the Royal Navy with the Tactical Tomahawk missile; if this will be carried by (a) Royal Navy submarines and (b) the future Type 45 destroyer; and if he will make a statement. [122111]

Mr. Hoon [holding answer 17 May 2000]: No decision has yet been taken on whether the Royal Navy should procure tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) missiles. However, a contract has been placed, through the United States Department of Defense, to undertake a joint US/UK feasibility study to evaluate the design options for torpedo tube launch of the TACTOM missile. This enabling work will allow UK options for TACTOM procurement, if required in the future, to remain open. There are currently no plans for the type 45 destroyer to have a land attack capability.

Casualty-receiving Ship

Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to place an order for the additional primary casualty receiving ship referred to on page 25 of the Strategic Defence Review. [122112]

Dr. Moonie [holding answer 17 May 2000]: A range of procurement options are being considered to meet the requirement. Initial work suggests that we should be in a position to place a contract during 2002, and the programme to achieve this date is being developed.

BVRAAM

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make an announcement on the preferred supplier for the BVRAAM. [122145]

Mr. Hoon: I announced on 16 May the Government's intention to procure the METEOR missile, offered by a consortium led by Matra BAe Dynamics, as the Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile for the Eurofighter aircraft. Our decision will give the RAF the most advanced air-to-air missile in the world, and will ensure that Eurofighter can combat all projected air-to-air threats well into its service life.

Conservation Document

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many copies of the document entitled "Respecting the Environment Conservation on the Defence Estate and the Role of the MOD Conservation Office" were printed; how many were distributed; where they were distributed; and what the total cost was. [122708]

Dr. Moonie: 40,000 copies of the MOD booklet, "Respecting the Environment" were printed. The cost of designing and printing the document was £11,548.33 which equates to 29 pence a copy. Over 30,000 copies have been or are being distributed via the Defence Tourer exhibition and the Army Presentation Team and directly to schools, colleges, libraries and interested members of the public. This process continues. Distribution costs are not separately identified.

Civil Servants

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average percentage increase in

18 May 2000 : Column: 208W

salaries of non-industrial civil servants, excluding members of the senior civil service, in his Department for 1999-2000; and to what extent the pay awards were staged. [121652]

Dr. Moonie: For staff covered by the main departmental pay system, the headline settlement added 2.7 per cent. to the paybill. Together with funds released by staff turnover, staff in post received performance- related increases averaging 4.5 per cent. A further 0.2 per cent. represented restructuring costs associated with the move to a more efficient and flexible structure and was focused on the Department's lowest paid staff. The increase was not staged.

Heavy Lift Aircraft

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make an announcement on the preferred supplier for the short-term and long-term heavy lift aircraft. [122144]

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make a decision on his Department's participation in the A400M airbus project; and if he will make a statement. [122396]

Mr. Hoon: I announced on 16 May the Government's intention to procure 25 A400M aircraft, to be developed and produced by Airbus Military, to meet the strategic airlift needs of our Armed Forces in the medium to long term. In the interim we will meet our short term needs through lease of four C-17 aircraft from The Boeing Company. This investment in our strategic airlift capability delivers the major enhancements promised in the Strategic Defence Review and will ensure that our Armed Forces are properly equipped with the best equipment.

Cluster Bombs

Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the (a) manufacture in the United Kingdom of, (b) use by United Kingdom armed forces of and (c) export of cluster bombs; [110169]

(2) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which British armed forces use cluster bombs. [110170]

Mr. Spellar: Cluster bombs held by the Royal Air Force are manufactured in the UK by Hunting Engineering Ltd. Cluster bombs are an effective weapon both against armoured targets and area targets, such as a group of soft-skinned military vehicles. UK armed forces will always use the most appropriate weapons against a given target, acting within their Rules of Engagement, taking into account weapon effectiveness and the need to minimise collateral damage. Applications for the export of cluster bombs are considered on a case-by-case basis against criteria announced by the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997 and the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Sales.

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