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Stonehenge Ministerial Responsibility
Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What duties and responsibilities were assigned when in October 1994 the Secretary of State for National Heritage appointed Viscount Astor to be Minister for Stonehenge, whether any government Minister currently holds that position, and, if not, who within the government now undertakes those duties and responsibilities.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage (Lord Inglewood): My noble friend Viscount Astor was last year asked to take special responsibility for Stonehenge, in consultation with other interested departments and with English Heritage. This is an aspect of my department's work for which I now have responsibility, in support of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State.
Judicial Findings
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the Home Secretary intends to appeal against the decisions of Mr. Justice Dyson,
Mr. Justice Sedley and Mr. Justice Turner finding abuses of power and unfairness in ex parte Norney, ex parte Sun Myung Moon, and ex parte Pierson: and, if not, why not.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): My right honourable friend's appeal in ex parte Pierson has been heard and was successful. The Court of Appeal endorsed his decision in the case.
In ex parte Moon, Mr. Justice Sedley declined to find the decision to exclude Reverend Moon irrational, but held that an opportunity to make representation had not been given. The finding is of limited application in cases where exclusion is ordered on grounds that a person's
presence here is not conducive to the public good. My right honourable friend has therefore decided not to appeal.In ex parte Norney, Mr. Justice Dyson held an aspect of the practice of referring the cases of discretionary life sentence prisoners to the Parole Board to be unlawful. This practice has now been changed and my right honourable friend has accordingly decided not to appeal.
Former Yugoslavia NATO Implementation Force: Volunteer Element in UK Contingent
Lord Brougham and Vaux asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many members of the Territorial Army and Army Reserve are to be called out for service with the NATO Implementation Force in former Yugoslavia.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Earl Howe): Following further planning work, a requirement for about 460 TA and Army reservists has been identified in the UK's contribution to the NATO Implementation Force. In order to allow a margin for those who prove to be medically unfit or otherwise unsuitable for service, we have authorised the call-out of up to 550 members of the Territorial Army and Army Reserve. All are volunteers for the operation. They will report to the Infantry Training Centre Catterick for medical screening, and selection and acceptance into service. Those who deploy will undertake refresher training before joining their units.
Former Yugoslavia: NATO Implementation Force
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they can take to ensure that NATO activities in former Yugoslavia, including the activities of British forces, are not endangered by United States presidential electioneering, and that all United States forces to be deployed there will be under NATO Command and Control and that no non-NATO United States forces--formal or informal--will be active in the area.
Earl Howe: NATO planning for a peace implementation force in Bosnia provides for the force, including the US contribution, to come under the direction and political control of the North Atlantic Council through the NATO chain of command.
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether all future military action in former Yugoslavia will be under the ultimate control of the United Nations Security Council; in accordance with UNSC resolutions and with international law; and under what rules of engagement will British forces in former Yugoslavia be operating.
Earl Howe: The Dayton agreement invited the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution authorising NATO to take responsibility for establishing a peace implementation force in Bosnia. The force will operate under the political control of the North Atlantic Council. British units will operate under NATO rules of engagement. These will be consistent with the requirements of self defence and will ensure the force can carry out its mission effectively.
Former Yugoslavia: Air Attacks
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether British pilots were among those who engaged in "periodically dump[ing] bombs on a site outside Sarajevo, dubbed the 'CNN target'....to kick up smoke and dust for television cameras" during the August 1995 NATO bombings of Serbian targets in former Yugoslavia, as reported in the International Herald Tribune, 17.11.95., page 2; "The Anatomy of Nato's decision to bomb Bosnia".
Earl Howe: UK aircraft, along with those of other NATO nations, attacked a number of Bosnian Serb targets during Operation Deliberate Force, including some positions in the vicinity of Sarajevo. This was part of an operation to deter further attacks against Sarajevo and other safe areas. All targets were carefully selected by UN and NATO commanders in accordance with this objective.
Gulf Deployment 1994: Cost
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the state of the financial arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Gulf governments in the light of "downplaying" of the 1994 invasion scare by United States officials reported in Aviation Week and Space Technology of 21 August 1995.
Earl Howe: The cost of the 1994 UK deployment to the Gulf in defence of a threat to Kuwait from Iraq amounted to £10.0 million. Kuwait paid the UK £5 million of these costs and provided host nation support free of charge. Free host nation support was also provided by other Gulf countries but there were no additional financial contributions.
Nuclear War: Definition
Lord Kennet asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they consider attacks by the armed or other forces of states on nuclear power stations or other nuclear facilities would be a form of nuclear war; and if not, why not.
Earl Howe: Nuclear war would usually be considered to be a war involving nuclear weapons. The Government do not believe that any useful purpose would be served in attempting to define it further.
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