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Conspiracy
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made for the review of the conspiracy provisions in the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998. [21429]
Mr. Blunkett: I am please to say that Lord Carlile of Berriew QC has accepted my invitation to carry out the annual review of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998.
Written observations about the operation of the Act should be submitted to Lord Carlile c/o room 324, 3rd Floor, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1H 9AT by 31 April 2002.
Missile Technology
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the next scheduled meeting of MTCR members will be at which the draft International Code of Conduct for its members will be discussed. [20506]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
Members of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) agreed at their plenary meeting in Ottawa in September 2001 to separate the draft International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (ICOC) from the regime. The UK has been active in the development of the ICOC and hope that it will become a universally accepted international agreement establishing global standards of practice in an area where currently
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there are none. France has offered to host the first international negotiation session in February 2002. The next meeting of the MTCR will be in March 2002.
Breakfast Clubs
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the pilot breakfast clubs set up by the Government are going to be extended. [18213]
Ms Blears: I have been asked to reply.
The Department has funded the piloting of over 250 breakfast clubs across England as part of an evaluation of their effectiveness. In addition, many breakfast clubs have been funded from a variety of different sources. The piloting is now complete and we will be considering the results of the evaluation and assessing the implications for future breakfast club provision in the context of our wider food in schools programme.
Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define nuclear weapon as it is used in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill, clauses 47 to 49. [19875]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
This subject was discussed in another place on 3 December during discussion of this Part of the Anti- terrorism, Crime and Security Bill. I refer my hon. Friend to 3 December 2001, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 643–44.
DEFENCE
Donald Rumsfeld
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings he has had with Mr. Donald Rumsfeld since 11 September. [17206]
Mr. Hoon: I have had one meeting with Donald Rumsfeld since 11 September and have spoken to him many times by telephone.
Nuclear Accidents
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information has been provided to (a) local authorities and (b) emergency services on dealing with an accident involving defence nuclear materials. [17938]
Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence publishes the Local Authority and Emergency Services Information (LAESI) document to provide information to assist local authorities and emergency services in planning their response in the very unlikely event of an accident during the transportation of defence nuclear materials. The most recent version of the LAESI document (Third Edition) was published on the MOD Internet site in October 2001.
In addition, MOD nuclear sites and defence-related nuclear licensed sites have nuclear accident response contingency plans that are developed in conjunction with local authorities and emergency services.
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Depleted Uranium
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armour piercing and hard target penetrating warheads containing depleted uranium have been tested in (a) Scotland and (b) Dumfries and Galloway in each of the last 10 years. [18233]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 26 November 2001]: The number of depleted uranium projectiles fired in Scotland in each of the last 10 years is listed. These tests have all taken place at the Kirkcudbright training area in Dumfries and Galloway.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 666 |
| 1992 | 781 |
| 1993 | 682 |
| 1994 | 4,555 |
| 1995 | 280 |
| 1996 | 147 |
| 1997 | 749 |
| 1998 | 134 |
| 1999 | 111 |
| 2000 | 272 |
| 2001 | (26)109 |
(26) To date
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) items of equipment, (b) munitions and (c) all other property of his Department (i) which contain depleted uranium and (ii) in which depleted uranium has been used in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [18819]
Dr. Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 October 2001, Official Report, column 519W, and the answer on 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 523W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith) which indicate the uses to which depleted uranium is put by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in munitions and in other ways which mirror the widespread use of this material in the United Kingdom. No central record exists of where DU is or has been used or held over the past 10 years—in view of the nature of its use in MOD, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I can say that DU in munitions will at various times have been found in ammunitions depots at Kineton, Longtown and Dean Hill, on ships fitted with Phalanx weapons systems, at the ranges at Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright, and at locations involved in nuclear weapons programmes. DU used for other purposes has been present in a number of the aircraft listed in the earlier answer that are the property of MOD, at RAF Stafford, at the research establishment at Fort Halstead, at sites involved in the naval propulsion programme, and at the Royal hospital, Haslar.
Gulf War (Immunisation)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what drugs were combined in the vaccine used in the immunisation programme for armed forces personnel in the Gulf War; how many personnel were immunised with the vaccine; whether there were any advance tests done of the effects of combining the drugs into one vaccine; and if he will make a statement. [19765]
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Dr. Moonie: The immunisation programme for armed forces personnel in the Gulf conflict involved a number of vaccinations. These can be divided into three categories: those which were part of the anti-biological warfare (BW) immunisation programme; routine service health immunisations and third, travel and specific immunisations against the risks associated with individuals' particular employment.
Details of the anti-BW immunisation programme, including datasheets on the vaccines used, were published in the Ministry of Defence paper: "Background to the Use of Medical Countermeasures to Protect British Forces during the Gulf War (Operation GRANBY)" in October 1997. A further paper entitled: "Implementation of the Immunisation Programme against Biological Warfare Agents for UK Forces during the Gulf Conflict 1990–91" dated January 2000 provides details on how the anti-BW immunisation programme was implemented, including estimates of the numbers immunised. Detailed information on the numbers of routine service, travel and employment specific immunisations administered is not available. Copies of both documents are available in the Library of the House and on the MOD's website at: www.gulfwar.mod.uk.
As the January 2000 paper makes clear, some individuals would have received a typhoid and tetanus vaccination which is routinely given as one combined immunisation referred to as TABT (typhoid, paratyphoid strains A and B plus tetanus). All of the other immunisations were administered singly. No tests were carried out in advance of the effects of combining a number of drugs into a vaccine because no such combination was intended. Details of such tests as were carried out in advance are set out in the October 1997 paper; some of these are being replicated in MOD's vaccines interactions research programme which is studying whether the vaccines used to protect UK personnel during the Gulf conflict can give rise to adverse health effects. This work is due to complete in 2003. The findings will be published in scientific literature.
Afghanistan
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answers of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 668, on Afghanistan, if he will provide details of (a) the number of British armed force casualties suffered to date, (b) where, and under what circumstances, the casualties were caused, (c) when the injured personnel were evacuated back to the United Kingdom and (d) what injuries were suffered; and how many (i) injuries and (ii) deaths have been caused to allied forces operating in Afghanistan. [19877]
Mr. Hoon: I can confirm that four British military personnel were wounded on operations in Afghanistan, one seriously. They are all now back in the UK receiving treatment. An additional member of the armed forces has also had to return to the UK for a medical assessment. I am withholding further details of the circumstances and the injuries in accordance with Exemptions 1 and 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
It would not be appropriate for me to provide information about casualties sustained by other coalition members.
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Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to clear unexploded (a) cluster bombs, (b) land mines and (c) other ordnance from Afghanistan. [20004]
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the steps that will be taken to clear unexploded cluster bombs after the end of the military action in Afghanistan. [20418]
Mr. Ingram: There is a large amount of unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, a legacy of years of conflict. The international community will provide assistance in clearing it. Detailed plans have yet to be developed, though humanitarian agencies specialising in mine clearance are already present in Afghanistan.
The UK forces at Bagram include a number of Royal Engineers, who have some explosive ordnance disposal capability.
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