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Nuclear Weapons
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the conditions under which Her Majesty's Government have determined it would be legally permissible under (a) treaty obligations and (b) United Nations Security Council resolutions to use United Kingdom nuclear weapons. [47662]
Mr. Hoon: The United Kingdom would, in the right conditions, in extreme circumstances of self-defence, be prepared to use nuclear weapons. We would not use our weapons, whether conventional or nuclear, contrary to international law.
Housing
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the Independent Housing Survey in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [46439]
Dr. Moonie: Yes, copies will be placed today.
MOD Personnel
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 167W, if he will list the numbers of MOD personnel located at the same sites. [48224]
Mr. Ingram: As at 28 February 2002 the number of Ministry of Defence personnel located at the same sites totalled 6,623 as detailed in the table.
| Site | MOD numbers at each site |
|---|---|
| RAF Alconbury/Molesworth/Upwood | 286 |
| RAF Croughton/Barford St. John | 191 |
| RAF Daws Hill/West Ruislip/Eastcote/USN London | 63 |
| RAF Digby | 792 |
| RAF Fairford/Welford | 239 |
| RAF Feltwell | 7 |
| RAF Fylingdales | 178 |
| RAF Hythe | 13 |
| RAF Lakenheath | 612 |
| RAF Menwith Hill | 372 |
| RAF Mildenhall | 593 |
| Northwood | 2,060 |
| RAF Oakhanger | 248 |
| RAF St. Mawgan | 969 |
BUTEC and Rona Ranges
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2002, Official Report, column 446W, what his policy is on the
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inclusion of the BUTEC and Rona ranges within the future provision of the range of test and evaluation facilities; and if he will make a statement. [48225]
Dr. Moonie: The BUTEC and Rona ranges are included in the arrangements currently under negotiation with QinetiQ for the delivery of a long-term test and evaluation capability to the Ministry of Defence.
Land Mines
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if she will make a statement on the findings of the report "Explosive Remnants of War" published by Landmine Action. [47040]
Mr. Ingram: We welcome this report as a broadly useful statement of existing knowledge about the effects of explosive remnants of war. It effectively details the impact of unexploded ordnance on post-conflict communities. We will continue to work positively on new measures that address these humanitarian issues, while also taking into account the need to maintain essential military capability for our forces.
Pensions
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recipients of Army pensions received the pensions through weekly order books (a) in each of the last five years and (b) at the latest available date. [47819]
Dr. Moonie: The number of Army pensioners paid via weekly payable order book in each of the last five years was as follows:
| As at March of year | Number of Army pensioners |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 12,000 |
| 1998 | 10,000 |
| 1999 | 8,950 |
| 2000 | 8,050 |
| 2001 | 7,200 |
As at August 2001, the date of the most recently held statistical data, 6,887 Army pensioners were paid via weekly payable order book. Based on current estimates, this number has reduced further to some 6,050.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation took place before his Department decided to cease to pay pensioners through weekly order books; how many people were affected; and if he will make a statement. [47820]
Dr. Moonie: No formal consultation process took place before taking the decision to cease paying armed forces pensioners via weekly payable order books. The decision affects some 6,700 people (2 per cent. of the total number
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of armed forces pensioners) who, from April 2002, can opt to have their pension credited to a bank or building society account, or by a voucher sent to their home address encashable through a bank or building society. Under both options, the pensioners will retain the right to receive payment on a weekly basis, and many continue to cash their money at post offices subject to having an account with certain banks.
Strategic Lift Transport Ships
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the dates are for (a) lay-down, (b) launch and (c) delivery of each of the strategic lift transport ships. [40316]
Dr. Moonie [holding answer 4 March 2002]: Pursuant to the answer I gave on 6 March 2002, Official Report, columns 325–26W, I regret to inform the hon Gentleman that there was an error in the information given. The keel laying date for the sixth vessel, 'Beachy Head', should have read 11 November 2002 and not 31 January 2003 as stated.
Public Funds
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last four years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. [39115]
Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is consulted by other Government Departments on the implementation of various European directives (for example those concerning employment and workers' rights) but is not generally the lead Department dealing with implementation.
The information is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
The lead Department concerned with implementation would be required to produce a regulatory impact assessment for proposals, including those originating in European legislation, describing whether they have significant cost implications for business, charities or voluntary organisations. Copies of these assessments are placed in the Library of the House.
Redundancies
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department's press office have received (a) termination and (b) redundancy payments in each of the last four years. [41080]
Dr. Moonie: One civilian employee in the central Ministry of Defence press office received termination or redundancy payments in 1998.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Terrorism
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many terrorist-related murders have taken place in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 10 April 1998 for which no person has been convicted; and if he will list each of them. [44327]
Jane Kennedy: The information cannot be provided in the format requested. The table provides statistics on the number of terrorist murders in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 10 April 1998.
| Attribution | Number of murders | Number where persons were charged | Number where persons were not charged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loyalist | 841 | 421 | 420 |
| Republican | 1,761 | 517 | 1,244 |
| Total | 2,602 | 938 | 1,664 |
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many terrorist-related incidents have taken place in Northern Ireland since 1 January. [44321]
Jane Kennedy: The information is unable to be provided in the format requested. The table lists shootings and bombing incidents and paramilitary style attacks since 1 January but these cannot be linked to any subsequent charge or conviction.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Deaths due to the security situation | 3 |
| Shooting incidents | 66 |
| Bombing incidents | 31 |
| Paramilitary-style assaults | 13 |
| Paramilitary-style shootings | 50 |
(2) 2002 statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment
The following types of shooting incidents are included:
- Shots fired by terrorists
Shots fired by the security forces
Paramilitary-style attacks involving shootings
Shots heard (and later confirmed)
Other violent incidents where shots are fired (e.g. armed robbery).
Bombing incidents
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