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Nuclear Materials
Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether test exercises involving force-on-force
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simulated attacks are conducted to evaluate the robustness of the design basis threat assessment made for nuclear materials in transit within the United Kingdom. [190697]
Mr. Ingram: Periodic exercises are undertaken to test the ability of the nuclear convoy to resist an armed attack in line with the postulated threat.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether military vehicles carrying nuclear materials are subject to the convention on the physical protection of nuclear material, INFCIRC/274/REV.1 and subsequent revisions. [190698]
Mr. Ingram: Stringent security and protection standards are applied by the Ministry of Defence whenever United Kingdom Defence Nuclear materials are used, stored and transported. These security standards are compatible with IAEA INFCIRC/274.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vehicles deployed for the movement of (a) nuclear weapons and (b) nuclear materials to and from the atomic weapons establishments at (i) Aldermaston and (ii) Burghfield or in exercises relating thereto have been involved in road traffic (A) incidents and (B) offences, since September 2003, broken down by (1) date and (2) circumstances of the incident; what risk assessment was carried out in each case; whether these assessments are made publicly available; and whether there are outstanding claims from third parties arising from such incidents. [190699]
Mr. Ingram: There have been no reported road traffic accidents or incidents in the period since September 2003 involving nuclear weapon/nuclear material convoy vehicles. There have been a number of incidents involving anti-nuclear protestor activity in the vicinity of Ministry of Defence nuclear weapon/nuclear material convoy vehicles, one of which has resulted in a protester being charged with road traffic offences by the Ministry of Defence Police. All convoy movements are assessed in advance to ensure that they are safe and secure, in line with Health and Safety guidelines. A Risk Assessment is carried out by the MDP on completion of every task and any necessary amendments published formally within MOD. This information is not made available to the public as disclosure could potentially be of assistance to terrorists or others who may wish to attack the convoy with a view to endangering security and defence interests and the lives of civilian and service personnel. One MOD claim remains outstanding against a protester. No claims are outstanding against the MOD.
RAF Operational Evaluation Unit
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on the work of the Royal Air Force's Fast Jet and Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit. [193913]
Mr. Ingram:
The Fast Jet and Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit became operational in April 2004. The unit operates out of facilities at RAF Coningsby.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Environment Agency
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with representatives of the Environment Agency for England and Wales on the establishment of a parallel agency in Northern Ireland; and what research he has undertaken on the matter. [193362]
Angela Smith: There have been no discussions on these matters with the Environment Agency whose remit is limited to England and Wales.
Prior to the establishment in 1996 of the Environment and Heritage Service as an agency within the Department of the Environment, a full study of the options for environmental protection was carried out. More recently a coalition of environmental NGOs commissioned Professor Richard Macrory to carry out a study of the options for environmental governance and his report was published in May 2004.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of establishing an environment agency in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [193363]
Angela Smith: All the various options for delivering environmental protection were considered before the Government decided to establish the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), as an executive agency within the Department of the Environment, in 1996.
I am aware that, during a public consultation carried out by a coalition of NGOs earlier this year, a majority of those who responded favoured the establishment of an environmental authority, structured as a non-departmental public body, to take over delivery of the services currently provided by EHS. The coalition has not yet presented its own recommendations on the way forward but I am due to meet its representatives on 2 November and I will, of course, consider any recommendations which they may present.
Influenza Vaccination
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to ensure all those eligible for an influenza vaccination on the NHS in Northern Ireland receive one. [193365]
Angela Smith:
On 16 September the Department was alerted to a problem involving Chiron, the manufacturer who was to provide the bulk of vaccine supply to Northern Ireland for this year's influenza immunisation programme. In view of the potential risk to public health, the Chief Medical Officer took a decision that the Department should intervene to procure alternative supplies. In liaison with the Department of Health in England and other UK Health Departments, officials have sought, therefore, to obtain vaccine supplies from manufacturers other than Chiron. As a result, by 20 October, 200,000 doses of vaccines had arrived in Northern Ireland, this in addition to 70,000 which GPs and Community Pharmacists had obtained earlier through the normal channels. A further 50,000 more than enough to cover all the at risk groups, are expected to arrive no later than 1 November.
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GPs and Community Pharmacists have been kept fully informed by the Department of the arrival details of the vaccines into the Province to allow them to plan their flu clinics.
Magilligan-Greencastle Ferry
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fare-paying passengers from (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland have used the Magilligan-Greencastle Ferry in the past 12 months. [193643]
Mr. Spellar: Between 20 October 2003 and 19 October 2004, 288,670 passengers used the Magilligan-Greencastle Ferry. A record of the place of departure of passengers was not kept during this period.
Mental Health Services
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the public spending on mental health services was per head of population in each health board area in the Province in each of the last five years. [193726]
Angela Smith: The information requested is as follows:
| Year ended March: | EHSSB | NHSSB | SHSSB | WHSSB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 61 | 56 | 56 | 81 |
| 2000 | 64 | 61 | 61 | 85 |
| 2001 | 75 | 64 | 61 | 90 |
| 2002 | 78 | 66 | 74 | 90 |
| 2003 | 86 | 75 | 77 | 92 |
Peace II
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels took to find a representative from victims wounded or left bereaved by IRA terrorists at its recent event entitled Building Peace and Reconciliation—delivering a unique EU programme. [193635]
Mr. Pearson:
The seminar on the PEACE II Programme, held in the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive, Brussels on 29 September, was jointly organised by that Office, the Department of Finance and Personnel, the Special EU Programmes Body and the Irish Regions Office in Brussels. No steps were taken to obtain a representative from victims wounded or left bereaved by IRA terrorists. This was essentially a technical seminar, designed to show to a European audience how the EU PEACE II Programme was being implemented. The seminar included a presentation on an ex-prisoners project with a cross-community dimension which had benefited from the Programme.
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The organisers regret that the platform presentations did not encompass a wider range of projects supported under the PEACE II Programme.
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels took to find a representative from the majority community in Northern Ireland at its recent event entitled Building Peace and Reconciliation—delivering a unique EU programme. [193636]
Mr. Pearson: This event was an essentially technical seminar and no attempt was made to obtain representatives from particular sections of the Northern Ireland community. The audience included people from all Northern Ireland community backgrounds and people from across Europe. Platform speakers were officials involved at various levels in the implementation of the PEACE II Programme, with the exception of (a) a spokesman for a funded project which undertakes cross-community work with ex-prisoners; and (b) a Northern Ireland Member of the Committee of the Regions, which had originated the overall programme of seminars in Brussels regional offices, of which this event was part.
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels spent in holding the event entitled Building Peace and Reconciliation—delivering a unique EU programme. [193637]
Mr. Pearson: The cost of this event to the Office of the Northern Ireland Executive, Brussels was €1257 (£867 approximately).
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding was awarded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development through PEACE II to the point to point steeplechases meeting held at Necarne Equestrian Centre, Irvinestown, County Fermanagh on 8 May; and under what measure number this money was awarded. [193575]
Mr. Pearson: Peace II funding of in total of up to £20,685 has been awarded for the point-to-point steeplechase meeting held at Necarne Equestrian Centre, Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh on 8 May 2004. This funding is spread over a three year period under the Natural Resource Rural Tourism Initiative, Measure 4.2b—Outward and Forward Looking Tourism—enhancing the region as a tourist destination.
The award will enable the promotion of a 3-year marketing campaign to increase visitor numbers to the event in an effort to ensure the long term sustainability of the point-to-point steeplechase meeting and help to increase tourism spend in the county.
Mr. Peter Robinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the application was made to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for
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PEACE II funding for the point to point steeplechases meeting held at Necarne Equestrian Centre, Irvinestown, County Fermanagh on 8 May. [193576]
Mr. Pearson: The application was made on 27 June 2003.
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