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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 30 November 1999
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Parliamentary Estate
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee (1) if he will estimate construction expenditure on the Parliamentary Estate in each of the past five years; [100032]
- (2) how much the refurbishment of the Parliamentary Estate has cost in each of the past five years; [100034]
(3) if he will estimate expenditure on Portcullis House (a) during the next year and (b) before the next comprehensive spending review; [100025]
(4) if he will provide a breakdown of expenditure on Portcullis House; [100024]
(5) if he will list the intended expenditure on the refurbishment of the Parliamentary Estate (a) during the next year and (b) before the next comprehensive spending review. [100026]
Sir Sydney Chapman: These are matters for the Director of Parliamentary Works; I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
PRIME MINISTER
EU Fundamental Rights Charter
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister if he has appointed a representative to serve on the body to draft a European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights, as agreed at the European Council in Tampere; and what guidance he plans to issue to that person. [99444]
The Prime Minister: Lord Goldsmith will be my representative on the Charter drafting body. The Government's view is that the charter should make the fundamental rights which already exist, and which are applicable at Union level, more visible to the Union's citizens. It should take the form of a political statement, rather than a legal text to be incorporated into the Treaties.
Kosovo
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with (a) France and (b) Russia on the operations of KFOR designed to protect the remaining Serb populations in Kosovo. [99436]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 24 November 1999]: NATO Allies and Russia discuss all aspects of KFOR operations on a regular basis and Kosovo was discussed at the Ministerial Anglo/French Summit on 25 November.
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Protection of the Kosovo Serbs and other minorities is one of KFOR's top priorities, with around half of KFOR manpower currently involved in minority protection duties. Security for all communities remains our central objective.
Mental Incapacitants
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the review of the information available on the chemical warfare mental incapacitants known as Agent 15. [100910]
Mr. Spellar: In accordance with the undertakings given by the then Secretary of State for Defence on 9 February 1998 and by my predecessor on 22 April 1998, a review of the research on glycollates (of which Agent 15 is an example) and related compounds carried out at CBD Porton Down has been completed. A copy of the unclassified summary of this review has been placed in the Library of the House. The report explains that Agent 15 has been used in animal studies at Porton Down, but not in any work involving humans. Research on related compounds (glycollates and benzilates) involving human volunteers found that all the observed effects of the compounds were resolved within four days.
A more extensive research programme involving human volunteers was undertaken at the time of the CBD research in the United States. Follow-up studies in 1980 led to the conclusion that subjects exposed to anticholinergic agents (glycollates) reported no differences in their current health status compared to control groups. However, the methods and the group sizes used were such that only large effects were likely to be uncovered.
There is no evidence that UK troops were exposed to Agent 15, nor that Iraq used Agent 15. There are therefore no plans for further research into this agent at this time.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed on Project Capital. [100286]
Mr. Spellar:
Following roll-out and proving of the Departmental Financial Management System, Project Capital was formally closed in October 1999. Accounting, in-year management and Planning and budgeting--using the Capital systems--are now largely integrated with teams working on cash management systems.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made as a result of the management review of the Clyde Base. [100287]
Mr. Spellar:
Following a scoping study at the Clyde Base in 1997, Ministers decided to retain work in-house through a joint Management/Trades Union proposal to establish Neptune Services Direct, which is successfully delivering hotel and related services increasingly efficiently. In addition, a rationalisation programme was set in hand to optimise the use of resources and skills in the Engineering and Facilities Support departments.
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These changes are still being implemented but, in producing a more effective and efficient organisation, some 161 service and 182 MOD civilian posts have been lost. Through a policy of employing casual staff and fixed term appointees, the civilianisation of some service posts, and the fact that a number of posts had been held vacant, the changes are being achieved without redundancies.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to ensure that his Department's land is not used by the US Government for purposes which breach international treaties signed by that Government. [99884]
Mr. Spellar:
Her Majesty's Government retains legal possession of and control over all sites made available for use by the United States Visiting Forces. The interpretation of an international treaty is a matter for the parties to that treaty.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what tests were applied to clear each target engaged by British forces according to international law during the Kosovo conflict from March to June. [98563]
Mr. Hoon:
UK air operations were conducted in strict compliance with the requirements of international law, including the UK's obligations under international humanitarian law, and targeting decisions took the legal considerations fully into account.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total replacement value of the ordnance expended by British forces during the Kosovo crisis to the end of August. [98566]
Mr. Hoon:
The indicative cost of ordnance consumed during the period of offensive operations in Kosovo is some £45 million. This is an estimate, based on a set of average historical prices for the ordnance in question, and does not represent actual expenditure. Final decisions on the replenishment of ordnance consumed during the campaign have yet to be taken.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date DRA Boscombe Down carried out electron- magnetic interference testing during the airworthiness proving trials on Chinook HC2; and if recommendations were made as a result of that testing. [100144]
Mr. Spellar:
A full electron-magnetic interference assessment of the Chinook Mk2 was completed by Boscombe Down in January 1994. Recommendations were made concerning the introduction and use in flight of UHF on-board transmitters and walk-on equipment, and High Intensity Radio Transmission Avoidance Areas (HIRTA) within the UK.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent MOD police officers were employed at AWE Aldermaston in each month from November 1998 to November 1999. [100682]
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Mr. Spellar:
I am withholding this information in accordance with exemption 1 (a) (national security) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance he has issued to the MOD police in respect of overtime worked by officers at AWE Aldermaston. [100686]
Mr. Spellar:
No specific guidance has been issued to the MOD police at AWE Aldermaston in respect of overtime. It is force policy to minimise the use of overtime commensurate with meeting the operational requirement. All overtime working is voluntary.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average number of days sickness leave taken among MOD police officers at AWE Aldermaston in each month from November 1998 to November 1999. [100685]
Mr. Spellar:
The information requested is not collected in days, but rather in hours. The table records the average number of hours of sickness, per officer, per month at AWE Aldermaston.
| Month | Average number of sickness hours, per officer, per day |
|---|---|
| November 1998 | 10.2 |
| December 1998 | 9.6 |
| January 1999 | 13.6 |
| February 1999 | 10.4 |
| March 1999 | 11.5 |
| April 1999 | 10.4 |
| May 1999 | 11.9 |
| June 1999 | 12.5 |
| July 1999 | 10.0 |
| August 1999 | 10.5 |
| September 1999 | 9.1 |
| October 1999 | 11.6 |
Note:
The figures for November 1999 are not available at this time
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average amount of overtime worked by MOD police officers at AWE Aldermaston in each month from November 1998 to November 1999. [100683]
Mr. Spellar: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Month | Overtime hours per officer/month |
|---|---|
| November 1998 | 38.0 |
| December 1998 | 30.2 |
| January 1999 | 31.7 |
| February 1999 | 32.4 |
| March 1999 | 40.4 |
| April 1999 | 39.4 |
| May 1999 | 38.0 |
| June 1999 | 42.4 |
| July 1999 | 38.9 |
| August 1999 | 39.4 |
| September 1999 | 42.9 |
| October 1999 | 31.7 |
Note:
The figures for November 1999 are not available at this time
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