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25 Feb 2004 : Column 422W—continued
Renewable Energy
11. Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to provide fiscal incentives to support the manufacture of renewable energy products in Wales. [155778]
Mr. Hain: The Government attaches great importance to the renewable energy industry and will continue to support the development of all forms of alternative energy producing technology as outlined in our Energy White Paper.
Prisoners
12. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh residents are in English prisons. [155780]
Mr. Touhig: Information on a prisoner's place of residence prior to sentence or remand in custody is not held centrally.
At 30 November 2003, there were 1,580 prisoners in English prisons who had been committed or sentenced by courts in Wales.
Toxic Waste
13. Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the transfer of toxic waste from Wales to England. [155781]
Mr. Touhig: I understand that the Assembly intends to consult later this year upon amendments to the existing legislation controlling the movement of hazardous wastes.
Cockle Regulation
14. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary regarding the Dee Cockle Regulation Order. [155782]
Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend has regular meetings with the First Secretary and I meet the Assembly Secretary for Environment, Planning and Countryside to discuss a variety of issues, including the Welsh cockle industry.
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Antisocial Behaviour
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Home Office on the use of legislation to tackle anti-social behaviour in Wales. [155779]
Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Ministerial colleagues about matters affecting Wales.
Last October, the Government published its "Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan", setting out priority areas for reducing anti-social behaviour over the next two or three years. Key areas for intervention include: nuisance neighbours, environmental crime and begging.
Flooding
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has held with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on flooding in Wales. [155969]
Mr. Hain: I have regular discussions with Assembly Ministers about issues affecting Wales. It is for flood and coastal defence authorities to bring forward proposals to improve flood defences where required. The Assembly offers financial assistance towards the cost of these works via grant schemes On 6 February, I visited homes in Ynysmeudwy and Pontardawe which were affected by a flash flood and saw, at first hand, the effects of flooding on families.
Recruitment Advertising
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department's expenditure on recruitment advertising was in each of the last three years, broken down by publication; and what proportion of such expenditure was (a) to advertise vacant posts and (b) in the form of other general recruitment advertising. [155519]
PRIME MINISTER
Iraq
Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister what (a) opinion polling and (b) market research projects have been carried out by the Government on the issue of military action against Iraq since 2001, broken down by financial year; what the (i) title and (ii) nature of these projects were; how much each of these projects cost; what the findings of each project were; where the findings have been published; and if he will make a statement. [153466]
Mr. Caplin: I have been asked to reply.
No opinion polling or market research projects have been centrally commissioned by the Ministry of Defence specifically on the issue of military action against Iraq.
25 Feb 2004 : Column 424W
However, we commission surveys of public perceptions of the Ministry of Defence, the armed forces and their equipment. As part of this work we monitor the impact of recent operations.
I am withholding information on the costs of these surveys under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (commercial confidences).
Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what assessment he has made of whether Iraq could launch a chemical, biological or nuclear attack against the UK mainland before publication of the September 2002 dossier; and if he will make a statement; [155975]
- (2) what assessment he has made of whether Iraq had considered using chemical or biological agents in terrorist attacks before military action was taken against Iraq; and if he will make a statement; [155976]
(3) what assessment he made before military action was taken against Iraq, of Iraq's ability to produce chemical and biological weapons while the UN inspection team was in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [155977]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Worthing West (Mr. Bottomley) in my statement on 24 September 2002, Official Report, column 23 and to my hon. Friend, the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June 2003, Official Report, columns 155–156 and in a written answer on 15 October 2003, Official Report, column 234W.
Norman Lamb: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what assessment he made of whether Iraq (a) had provided chemical and biological weapons to al-Qaeda and (b) intended to conduct chemical and biological terrorist attacks before military action was taken against Iraq; and if he will make a statement; [156006]
- (2) what assessment he made of the effect of regime collapse in Iraq on the risk of transfer of chemical and biological weapons materials to terrorists; and if he will make a statement; [156007]
(3) what assessment he made of the effect of military action against Iraq on the threat posed by al-Qaeda before taking such action; and if he will make a statement. [156008]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), on 15 October 2003, Official Report, column 234W.
DEFENCE
Iraq
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British Service personnel (a) have committed suicide in Iraq or since returning to the UK from Iraq and (b) have been returned to the UK from Iraq early because of mental stress. [153691]
25 Feb 2004 : Column 425W
Mr. Caplin [pursuant to his reply, 12 February 2004, Official Report, c.1636W]: Further information has come to my attention. The corrected answer to the question is:
During the period 10 January 2003 to 20 December 2003 no member of British service personnel committed suicide in Iraq. Among Service personnel who have since returned to the United Kingdom from Iraq; two have since died and been recorded by a coroner with a suicide or open verdict. An additional five cases have been referred to a coroner for a verdict but the inquests have not yet been heard. There is no change to part (b).
Operation Telic
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will investigate the concerns expressed by Justin Bowen, a Royal Army Medical Corps Private, and Vicky Bowen, a member of the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps, that their son, Scott, has suffered from Gulf War Syndrome symptoms after both parents served in Operation Telic in the Gulf. [153514]
Mr. Caplin: I am unable to comment on individual cases for reasons of medical confidentiality. However, the Ministry of Defence takes the health concerns of Service and former Service personnel very seriously. I therefore urge any personnel who served on Op TELIC who have concerns about health matters to consult their Service medical officer or general practitioner, who will investigate thoroughly. Service and ex-Service personnel are also entitled to be seen at the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) on referral from their doctor. The GVMAP provides as full a diagnosis as possible to veterans, assesses patients and recommends treatment.
The arrangements for dealing with individual health concerns are complemented by a comprehensive package of research into the health of those returning from Op TELIC, announced on 7 May 2003, Official Report, column 34WS. Scoping studies have been completed and, in March, a questionnaire will be issued to some 7,000 Op TELIC veterans to seek data on health status and exposures.
Recruitment Advertising
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's expenditure on recruitment advertising was in each of the last three years, broken down by publication; and what proportion of such expenditure was (a) to advertise vacant posts and (b) in the form of other general recruitment advertising. [155524]
Mr. Caplin: This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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