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Written Answers
Thursday, 28th November 1996.
Scottish Natural Heritage: "Natural Priorities"
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will respond to the recommendations of the joint study group report which examined Scottish Natural Heritage.
The Earl of Lindsay: The report of the joint study group which examined Scottish Natural Heritage made a number of recommendations relating to its remit and operation. The most significant of these was that a revised statement of aims and objectives should be prepared for SNH and this statement, Natural Priorities, has been published today. Copies are available in the Library of the House. A number of other recommendations were also made and have been considered. These recommendations concerned with SNH's expenditure commitments and priorities will be taken into account during the Government's annual public expenditure survey. The recommendation that the joint study report should be the starting point for Part 2 of the quinquennial review of SNH in 1997 will be addressed nearer the time of the quinquennial review itself. The remainder of the recommendations have been addressed, either in Natural Priorities itself or within SNH's own recently completed review of decision-making processes and organisational structures.
Beaufort's Dyke: Survey's Findings
Lord Glentoran asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the outcome of the most recent survey work at Beaufort's Dyke, following the publication in January 1996 of last year's survey results.
The Earl of Lindsay: Copies of the final survey report produced by the Scottish Office Marine Laboratory at Aberdeen have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses today. The report confirms that there is no evidence of munitions having an adverse effect on the quality of the marine environment, or the living resources that it supports. It also confirms the results of the earlier survey which found that concentrations of munitions had been deposited outwith the Beaufort's Dyke munitions disposal area. The main results of the survey are as follows.
The levels of heavy metals throughout the survey area were within the ranges reported in seabed sediments from other Scottish coastal areas, and similar to the levels previously reported in sediments from the Irish Sea.
There was no evidence of the chemical warfare agents phosgene or mustard gas. Analysis for munition-related
determinands confirmed that the samples did not contain nitroglycerine, 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene, RDX or tetryl.Analysis of the edible flesh of commercially exploited fish and shellfish samples confirmed that the levels of heavy metals were within prescribed public health standards.
Analysis of the edible flesh of commercially exploited fish and shellfish species collected from the northern end of the Beaufort's Dyke trench confirmed that the samples did not contain nitroglycerine, 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene, RDX or tetryl.
Side-scan sonar, underwater television and pulse induction surveys confirmed that the centre of distribution of dumped munitions and munitions-related materials is located within, and immediately adjacent to, the northeast sector of the Beaufort's Dyke explosives disposal site.
Low to high densities of dumped munitions, munitions-related materials and unidentified man-made debris were found in areas outside the charted explosives disposal ground.
The presence of low to high densities of dumped munitions, munitions-related materials and unidentified man-made debris in an area crossed by the submarine gas pipeline installed between the Rhins of Galloway and Northern Ireland was confirmed.
The presence of low to medium densities of dumped munitions, munitions-related materials and unidentified man-made debris, at a number of discrete points in the area crossed by the proposed routing corridor for submarine electricity cables linking Scotland and Northern Ireland, was confirmed.
Dumped munitions and munitions-related materials were not found in the area crossed by the submarine gas pipeline installed between Wigtown Bay and the Republic of Ireland.
The Hydrographer of the Navy will arrange for the relevant Admiralty charts to be updated as appropriate. Government departments with regulatory responsibilities for marine engineering works will take full account of the survey's findings.
Russian Federation-UK: Security and Intelligence
Lord Bethell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they generally favour the idea of co-operating with the security and intelligence services of the Russian Federation as part of the battle against nuclear proliferation, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, world terrorism, drug dealing and other serious crime.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey): The Government, along with its G7 partners, works with the Russian Federation on such issues. The United
Kingdom's security and intelligence services co-operate with the security and intelligence agencies of a large number of countries with whom we share such common interests and problems. It is the Government's policy not to comment further on such co-operation by these services.Gibraltar: Spanish Frontier
Lord Bethell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are satisfied with the current arrangements made by the Spanish authorities to control the frontier between Gibraltar and Spain and, if not, what representations they have made to the Spanish Government on this point.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: The delays have improved recently but traffic is still not flowing freely. There are at times extended delays. This is unacceptable. We have taken this up vigorously with the Spanish authorities to remind them of their obligations. We will continue to do so.
Foreign Countries: Human Rights Monitoring
Lord Bethell asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to promote British parliamentary scrutiny of the human rights records of foreign countries.
Baroness Chalker of Wallasey: We welcome and encourage parliamentary interest in the human rights practices of foreign countries. FCO departments and posts overseas regularly brief MPs involved in human rights fact finding visits abroad. Extensive material from the United Nations human rights treaty monitoring bodies is also placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
Mental Incapacity: Consultation Paper
Lord Rix asked Her Majesty's Government:
- When they will be consulting about the recent report by the Mental Health Foundation on mental incapacity.
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern): No date has yet been set for the publication of the Government's consultation paper on mental incapacity. This is a complex and sensitive subject which requires thorough and careful consideration. The Government do not wish questions of timing to affect its ability to produce a paper which deals fully with all the issues.
Abortions
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many unborn children have been aborted since the passing of the Abortion Act 1967; what is the current annual total of abortions performed and how many abortions are expected to be performed between now and the end of the century.
The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish): The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. He has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter to Lord Stoddart of Swindon from the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics, Mr. Tim Holt, dated 28th November 1996.
I have been asked to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on the number of abortions that have been performed.
The total number of legal abortions performed under the Abortion Act 1967 in England, Wales and Scotland on residents and non-residents from 1968 to 1995 was 4,217,978*.
For the latest year for which data are available there were 174,781* legal abortions performed in 1995 on residents and non-residents of England, Wales and Scotland.
*The figures for the number of legal abortions performed in Scotland in 1995 are provisional.
No estimates are prepared on the projected number of abortions performed in Great Britain.
Category A and B Prisoners: Escapees
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many of the category B prisoners who have escaped in the last five years are still at large, and whether they will give in respect of each such prisoner who is at large the date of escape, the location of escape and the offence for which the prisoner was in custody.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter to Lord Marlesford from the Director of Security Programmes, Mr. A. J. Pearson, dated 28th November 1996.
Lady Blatch has asked me, in the absence of the director general from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking how many of the category B prisoners
who have escaped in the last five years are still at large, the date and location of escape and the offence for which the prisoner was in custody.Two prisoners who were categorised B at the time of their escape remain at large. The details are given in the table.
| Date of escape | Number | Establishment | Category | Offence | Location |
| 10.2.94 | MM2169 | Wandsworth | B | Murder | Escort Vehicle |
| 23.3.94 | RO7125 | Nottingham | B | Murder | Outside Hospital |
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