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Victoria Square

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total tonnage of demolition and excavation waste removed from the Victoria Square development in Belfast is; and where the demolition and excavation waste was removed to. [38592]

Angela E. Smith: Businesses are not obliged to submit records to the Department of the Environment but under Duty of Care legislation must retain documents relating to the waste produced.

Contractors are also obliged under Duty of Care legislation to ensure that all waste is disposed of to an authorised facility.

As the Department does not hold this information, the collation of such could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Water Service

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much and what percentage of the regional rate has been made up of the costs of (a) water supply to (i) domestic customers and (ii) other water supply customers and (b) sewage treatment in each of the last five years. [38561]

Angela E. Smith: The regional rate is an un-hypothecated tax, and the amount raised in any year is not linked to, or determined by, the underlying cost of any particular service.

Work Force Statistics

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the composition of the monitored full-time work force (11+) was in (a) 1994 and (b) 2004, broken down by religious designation; and if he will publish this information. [37884]

Angela E. Smith: The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has provided the following information in relation to the composition of the monitored Northern Ireland full-time work force:
Table 1: Composition of the monitored Northern Ireland full-time work force by sex—1994

	Protestant		Roman Catholic		Non-determined		Total
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
Male	131,207	62.4	69,739	33.1	9,486	4.5	210,432	54.3
		(65.3)		(34.7)
Female	101,460	57.2	68,563	38.7	7,312	4.1	177,335	45.7
		(59.7)		(40.3)
Total	232,667	60.0	138,302	35.7	16,798	4.3	387,767	100
		(62.7)		(37.3)

Note:
Includes the public and private sector full-time work forces combined.
Source:
Fair Employment Commission (1995). Monitoring Report No. 5: A profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce, 1994.





 
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Table 2: Composition of the monitored Northern Ireland full-time work force by sex—2004

	Protestant		Roman Catholic		Non-determined		Total
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
Male	125,427	57.6	80,171	36.8	12,168	5.6	217,766	52.6
		(61.0)		(39.0)
Female	104,534	53.3	82,064	41.9	9,445	4.8	196,043	47.4
		(56.0)		(44.0)
Total	229,961	55.6	162,235	39.2	21,613	5.2	413,809	100.0
		(58.6)		(41.4)

Note:
Includes the public and private sector full-time work forces combined.
Source:
Equality Commission (2005). Monitoring Report No. 15: A profile of the Northern Ireland Workforce, 2004.
Notes:
1.Tables 1 and 2 are directly comparable.
2.In both years, the data refer to the combined public and private sector work forces.
3.The data include all public bodies and those private concerns with 11 or more employees.
4.Copies of both publications, from which these tables were extracted, will be placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

0870 Numbers

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 96W, on 0870 numbers, (1) what contractual arrangements his Department has for the provision of 0870 lines; [37641]

(2) what contractual arrangements his Department has for the provision of the non-profit making 0870 lines. [38746]

Mr. Touhig: The Ministry of Defence has no policy on, or central contractual arrangements for, the provision of 0870 numbers. The use of 0870 numbers in MOD is determined at local level in accordance with individual business requirements and ordered directly from the supplier.

Administrative Savings

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what administrative savings have been made by his Department in each of the last eight years. [34947]

Mr. Ingram: The Ministry of Defence budget does not include a formal administrative costs control, although the Department's long-standing efficiency programme bears down on overhead costs. Performance against previous efficiency targets has been published in the Department's Performance Reports and, from 2002–03, the Annual Report and Accounts, which are available on Department's website. Further detail on MOD's Spending Review 2004 efficiency programme is described in its efficiency technical note, which is also published on the website.

Afghanistan (Narcotics)

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which NATO armed forces will be responsible for the counter-narcotic operations in Helmand Province in Afghanistan after May 2006. [38258]

 
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Mr. Ingram: Counter-narcotics (CN) operations are the responsibility of the Government of Afghanistan. NATO forces belonging to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have a supporting role in CN operations, as set out in NATO's operational plan for the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.

Broadcasting (Illegal Jamming)

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) any defence communications systems were obstructed and (b) the operational effectiveness of such systems was (i) diminished and (ii)impaired as a consequence of the jamming from within Libya of the Telstar 12 and Hotbird communication satellites at any time over the last 12months; and if he will make a statement. [34918]

Mr. Ingram: No.

Canberra PR9

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF squadrons are equipped with the Canberra PR9 aircraft; how many serviceable aircraft of this type the RAF has in its inventory; when the RAF last deployed the PR9 to Afghanistan; for what purpose; and when the next deployment is scheduled to commence. [38226]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 19 December 2005]: The RAF has one squadron equipped with the Canberra PR9 aircraft: No 39 (1PRU) Squadron. There are three Canberra PR9 aircraft in RAF service. The Canberra PR9 reconnaissance aircraft will continue to provide a niche capability within our overall Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance capability until it retires from service. It is not normal practice to comment publicly on deployments of this asset.

Co-operative Engagement Capability

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the main gate approval for cooperative
 
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engagement capability was originally scheduled; what the current timetable is; and if he will make a statement. [38181]

Mr. Ingram: Main gate approval for the cooperative engagement capability programme was originally planned for 2005. We are currently reviewing the United Kingdom's capability requirement and acquisition strategy with the aim of re-focusing the programme in a joint, rather than solely maritime, context. Main gate will be re-scheduled but the revised timing and other details of the re-worked strategy have not yet been finalised.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the original planned capability of (a) combat systems risks provision, (b) whole life support and (c) incremental acquisitions programme for the Type-45 destroyers; what the current proposals are; and if he will make a statement. [38182]

Mr. Ingram: As is usual on large and complex projects, changes have been made to internal budgetary assumptions during the life of the Type 45 project to achieve the optimum balance between cost and capability. The planned reductions made in funding for the risk provision associated with the ship's combat system and funding for setting up initial support arrangements, which were listed in the 2005 major projects report, do not materially change the ship's capability. The reduction in funding of the incremental acquisition plan listed in the 2004 and 2005 major projects reports means that a number of capabilities over and above those originally planned for the first of class ship are not currently expected to be fitted to the class. These included enhanced electronic warfare capabilities. However, the Type-45 has been designed to enable its capability to be upgraded through life, and these capabilities may be added at a later stage.

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