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Camouflaged Clothing

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the amount of camouflaged clothing that has been issued to members of the Armed Forces that are on standby to go to the Gulf; and what the Government's policy is towards members of the armed forces purchasing driving licences prior to finding out if they will be driving vehicles. [98973]

Dr. Moonie: We are taking measures to ensure that our Armed Forces have all the equipment they need to do any tasks required of them. The specific information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Where a member of the Armed Forces is required to drive as part of his or her duties and does not already hold an appropriate licence, the cost of any licence or permit required will be met or reimbursed from public funds.

Depleted Uranium (Dundrennan)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of depleted uranium ammunition are due to be fired during the current testing programme at Dundrennan firing range; over what period of time this firing will take place; what calibre of ammunition the DU rounds will be; what environmental safeguards have been projected and been implemented for this kind of testing; and if he will make a statement. [97046]

Dr. Moonie: 192 CHARM 3 depleted uranium rounds (120 mm anti-tank rounds) were fired at the Dundrennan range on 3–6 February 2003. With regard to environmental safeguards, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 February 2003, Official Report, column 463W, to the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Duncan).

Fleet Readiness

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy warships (a) are and (b) are due to be placed in a state of extended readiness; and for what purpose in each case. [98232]

Mr. Ingram: HMS Bridport and RFA Sir Geraint are currently in extended readiness. HMS Triumph and HMS Glasgow are currently planned to go into extended readiness in 2004, and HMS Invincible in 2006. Decisions to place vessels in extended readiness reflect the capabilities that are required to meet current and contingent operational requirements. These plans are subject to regular review, and vessels that are in extended readiness may be reactivated periodically to cater for unforeseen contingencies and thus allow efficient maintenance of current fleet outputs.

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Procurement

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters he plans to buy in the next three years, broken down by (a) type and (b) arm of the armed forces. [98293]

Mr. Ingram: We will take delivery of the outstanding 31 Apache Helicopters for the Army Air Corps during 2003 under an existing contract. In addition, contracts for the RAF to operate four Bell 412s in Cyprus and for the Army to operate three Bell 212s in Belize will come into effect this year, on a commercially owned, military registered basis.

It is likely that a number of further helicopter acquisition programmes will be approved over the next three years, but decisions have yet to be taken on the number and type of platform to be purchased or on their delivery schedules.

Smart Weapons

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with European allies on collaboration on targeting of smart weapons. [87929]

Dr. Moonie: I assume the hon. Member is referring to the Airborne System for Target Recognition, Identification and Designation (ASTRID), the embryonic European collaborative defence programme involving the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain. In September 2002 signature was obtained on the four nation Statement of Intent, this expresses a commitment to create a common programme through the development of a Joint User Requirement Document and a Memorandum of Understanding. Working level discussions to further both these initial objectives are continuing.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Electricity

Norman Baker: To ask the Solicitor-General what changes in unit payments for electricity have resulted from the switch by her Department to purchasing renewable energy which is exempt from the Climate Change Levy. [96483]

The Solicitor-General: A holding reply was given on 11 February 2003.

None of the departments for which the Attorney General is responsible—the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers—have yet switched to purchasing renewable energy.

Service Delivery Agreement

Tony Wright: To ask the Solicitor-General when the (a) Crown Prosecution Service's, (b) Serious Fraud Office's and (c) Treasury Solicitor's Department's service delivery agreements for 2003 to 2006 will be published. [94110]

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The Solicitor-General: [holding answer 4 February 2003].

The Crown Prosecution Service will publish its Strategic Plan for the period 2003–2006, and a Business Plan for 2003–2004, before the end of March 2003. These plans set out what the CPS will be doing to deliver its Public Service Agreement

The Serious Fraud Office will publish agreed service delivery targets before the end of March 2003.

The service delivery agreement for the Treasury Solicitor's Department will be published in April 2003 alongside its Business Plan for 2003–2004. The service delivery targets and how they will be met is a key feature of that Business Plan.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Iraq

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his Answer of 10 February 2003 to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Prisk), Official Report, column 620W, on world oil prices, what estimate he has made of the effect of (a) a short conflict in Iraq and (b) a prolonged conflict in Iraq on the underlying supply and demand situation for oil. [99133]

Mr. Wilson: No decision has been taken to launch military action against Iraq. Iraqi oil production currently stands at around 2.5 million barrels per day only 3 per cent. of total world oil production and of which only around 1.5 to 2 million barrels per day is exported. There are a number of other factors such as the weather, supply from other countries, etc which affect the underlying demand and supply balance of the oil market: e.g. OPEC producers are likely to increase their production to cover any loss of Iraqi supply; seasonal oil demand is reducing; and the International Energy Agency has general arrangements in place to take international action, including release of stocks, in case of a supply disruption.

Severn Barrage

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been completed on the Severn barrage. [98287]

Mr. Wilson: Between 1978 and 1994 the Government supported a number of studies under its Tidal Energy Research and Development Programme. Specifically, an assessment of the feasibility of a Severn barrage was published in 1981 as Energy Paper 46 ¹ . Between 1983 and 1985 an Interim Study ² assessed the technical and financial viability of a Severn barrage leading to a further programme of research reported in 1989 as Energy Paper 57 ³ .

Between 1990 and 1993 further environmental and regional studies were carried out. In 2001 a study was commissioned to examine the merits for a re-appraisal

26 Feb 2003 : Column 557W

of the Severn barrage. The report was published in early 2003 and can be seen at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/renewables/severn.shtml

¹ Energy Paper 46 HMSO 1981 (ISBN 011 4109168 and 410919 2)


² Tidal Power from the Severn, STPG, 1986 (ISBN 07277 03587 and 0368 4)


³ Energy Paper 57 HMSO 1989 (ISBN 0 11 412952 5)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the impact on the environment of the working time directive in respect of carbon dioxide emissions; and if she will seek a derogation from this Directive in respect of the quarrying and construction industries. [99142]

Alan Johnson: I have made no such assessment, having received no representations on the matter, and do not intend to seek any derogations on these lines.

Credit Cards

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to ensure transparency in the credit card market. [93835]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mr. Lazarovicz), on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 366W.

Fireworks

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what areas have been targeted for the pilot scheme targeting over-18s throwing fireworks in the street; and how many fixed penalty notices have been issued. [96972]

Mr. Denham: I have been asked to reply.

Penalty notices for 11 disorder offences, including that of throwing fireworks in the street, are being piloted in four police force areas: West Midlands, including the British Transport Police; Essex; North Wales; and Croydon division of the Metropolitan Police. The pilots will be evaluated prior to a decision being made on rolling out the scheme nationally. Detailed data on the numbers of penalty notices issued will be included in this report, which will be published.

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