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29 Apr 2003 : Column 317W—continued
Ship Procurement
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answers of 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 328W, on marine pollution, and 6 March 2003, Official Report, column 1170W, on naval hulls, why a compliance date of 2010 has been adopted by his Department; what planning has been carried out to meet that deadline; when he intends to invite tenders for new vessels; and how many vessels he intends to procure. [103699]
Mr. Ingram: MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 and the Protocol of 1978) provides for the phased introduction of Double-hulled tankers. Whilst the convention does not apply to vessels owned or operated by a state and used only on Government non-commercial service, as is the case for the fleet of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Oilers, it continues to be Ministry of Defence policy that, where practicable, we comply with Shipping Acts and associated Regulations. 2010 was selected as the target date for the earliest practicable Ministry of Defence compliance based on the Department's current plans for the progressive withdrawal of non-compliant, single-hulled vessels over the rest of this decade and their replacement with compliant equivalents. The first such compliant vessels, the Auxiliary Oilers RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler, are due to enter service this spring.
So far as future procurement is concerned, the Ministry of Defence established the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) project in July 2002 to consider, among other things, the Royal Navy's future requirement for oil resupply. The capability provided by this will be fully compliant with any environmental legislation in force at the time of entry into service but it is premature to decide exactly how this requirement will be met or when industry will be invited to bid.
PRIME MINISTER
Civil Defence
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Prime Minister which department is specifically responsible for the UK's (a) civil and (b) military biodefence programme. [109302]
The Prime Minister: The Department of Health has responsibility for the UK's public health emergency planning programme. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for the measures taken to protect the Armed Forces against biological hazards. Appropriate measures are continually reviewed and strengthened.
Work in this area is taken forward under the cross-Governmental Civil Contingency machinery for which the Home Secretary has overall responsibility. This arrangement ensures that direct responsibility for responding to the whole range of threats rests with the relevant department whilst also providing effective co-ordination across Government for all related activities.
Homeland Security
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Prime Minister what procedures are in place to ensure co-ordination between
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the Department of Health, the Home Office and the government agencies for homeland security, with particular reference to the effects of the establishment of the Health Protection Agency. [109301]
The Prime Minister: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has overall charge in this area. He chairs the Civil Contingencies Committee which meets in times of crisis to manage the response and is attended by representatives of the relevant emergency services and agencies. He also chairs DOP(IT)(T), which oversees the work on protective and preventative security; and DOP(IT)(R) which works to build the UK's resilience and ability to manage the consequences of major emergencies. The Department of Health and the Home Office are represented on all of these committees. There are robust, established mechanisms for co-ordination which are overseen by the Home Secretary, who is supported by a senior official, the Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator. Sir David Omand is the Permanent Secretary who brings together the work of the intelligence agencies and civil departments to ensure a co-ordinated approach to counter-terrorism.
The Home Secretary is driving forward a comprehensive programme of work to enhance and improve our capacity to respond to a range of threats. For further details on this, I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement that the Home Secretary made on Civil Contingency Planning and the role of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat on 3 March, Official Report, columns 72–78WS.
The Health Protection Agency is an important part of these arrangements. It aims to improve health emergency planning and the NHS response by providing a dedicated field service and an integrated approach to protecting the public against infectious diseases and chemical and radiological hazards.
Iraq
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had on the need for a donors' conference to solicit funds from other bodies for the reconstruction needs of Iraq following the conflict. [110022]
The Prime Minister: The UN issued a flash appeal for $2.2 billion for immediate relief and recovery on 28 March to which the UK has committed $100 million (£65 million).
At the Spring Meetings on 12–13 April it was agreed that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund would begin assessing Iraq's economic and social needs. A conference to discuss funding for long term reconstruction will be arranged at the appropriate time.
Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had regarding the long-term plans with respect to the reintegration of Iraqi soldiers into civilian life in Iraq following the conflict. [110042]
The Prime Minister: The reintegration of Iraqi soldiers into civilian life will be a matter for a new Iraqi government, drawing on the experience of the international community and organisations including the UN.
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Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had on demilitarizing and eliminating the Iraqi special forces and intelligence and security apparatus in Iraq following the conflict. [110044]
The Prime Minister: The reform of Iraq's security infrastructure, to make it representative, transparent and accountable, will be a matter for a new Iraqi government, drawing on the experience of the international community and organisations including the UN.
WALES
Agricultural Production
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much Wales contributed to the overall UK production of (a) lamb less than one year, (b) fowls for table, (c) fowls in laying flock, (d) cattle and calves, (e) pigs, (f) oats, (g) dairy herd, (h) barley, (i) wheat, (j) potatoes-earlies and (k) potatoes-main crop in the last year for which figures are available. [107533]
Peter Hain [holding answer 7 April 2003]: The data requested by the hon. Member is not available from National Assembly sources as a contribution to overall UK production against the commodities he has identified. However, the percentage contributions from Wales to the UK totals in terms of hectarage or animal numbers are available. All of the data provided relate to June 2002.
| Commodity | Percentage of UK totals |
|---|---|
| Lambs less than one year | 27 |
| Table chicken | 4 |
| Fowls in laying flock | 3 |
| Cattle and Calves | 12 |
| Pigs | 1 |
| Oats | 3 |
| Dairy breeding herd | 12 |
| Barley | 2 |
| Wheat | 1 |
| Potatoes (total = earlies + main) | 1.5 |
| Potatoes—earlies(1) | 8 |
| Potatoes—main crop(1) | 1 |
(1) Denotes percentage of England, Wales and Scotland totals.
Departmental Creche Facilities
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what crèche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. [104299]
Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave him on 26 March 2002, Official Report, column 894W.
Government Financial Support
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total level of UK Government financial support for Wales was in each of the last five years. [107312]
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Peter Hain: Chapter 8 of the "Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2002–03", published by HM Treasury in May 2002 as Cm 5401, shows total identifiable public expenditure in Wales to have been:
| £ billion | |
|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 13.678 |
| 19979–98 | 13.838 |
| 1998–99 | 14.410 |
| 1999–2000 | 14.877 |
| 2000–01 | 15.622 |
Government of Wales Act
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the implementation of section 41 of the Government of Wales Act 1998, with particular reference to agreements achieved under it. [103366]
Peter Hain: Section 41 is working satisfactorily. It has primarily been used to allow Assembly staff to support Wales Office Ministers on Bill work, including:
- the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill
the Local Government Bill
the Health (Wales) Bill
the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill
Children's Commissioner for Wales Act 2001
In addition there are a number of Service Level Agreements in existence or in preparation under which Assembly staff provide support and professional services to the Wales Office.
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