asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list the scientific papers and other research work that they or others have undertaken which justifies their statement that their decisions to grant planning permission for the extraction of peat at Duich Moss, Islay, "if undertaken with appropriate care … would not have any significant effect on the nature conservation interest of Duich Moss"; andWhat scientific justification they have for the statement that their decision to grant planning permission for the extraction of peat at Duich Moss, Islay, "if undertaken with appropriate care … would not have any significant effect on the nature conservation interest of Duich Moss", and whether they will confirm that this statement is contradicted by evidence given to the Government by the Nature Conservancy Council, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the World Wildlife Fund, the International Council of Bird Preservation, the International Waterbird Research Bureau, the Greenland White-Fronted Goose Study and the Scottish Ornithological Club.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland's decision to grant planning permission for the extraction of peat from Duich Moss was based primarily on his consideration of written submissions by the applicant, the planning authority, the Nature Conservancy Council and the Greenland White-Fronted Goose Study. The submissions by the Nature Conservancy Council and the Greenland White-Fronted Goose Study contained assertions, based on general research, to the effect that peat extraction on a substantial scale would have a damaging effect on the hydrology, and thus on the nature conservation interest, of Duich Moss. However, no evidence based on a specific survey of Duich Moss was submitted to my right honourable friend to support the proposition that works on the scale proposed would result in significant damage to the nature conservation interest of the Moss. In their representations to my right honourable friend, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the World Wildlife Fund, the International Council of Bird Preservation, the International Waterfowl Research Bureau and the Scottish Ornithologists' Club expressed the view that peat extraction would damage the nature conservation interest of the site but offered no evidence of either a general or specific nature to support this view.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they can confirm that work has now started on the access road across Duich Moss, Islay, following their decision to grant planning permission for the extraction of peat on this site, and whether they will take immediate steps to halt further work in view of:

I understand that work on the construction of the access road has now been started. The offer made by the Nature Conservancy Council is a matter for consideration by Scottish Malt Distillers Limited. When my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland took his decision in principle to grant planning permission for the proposed development he was fully aware of the international significance of Duich Moss and of the intention to designate the Moss as a site of special scientific interest. I explained the circumstances of the failure of communication on the approach from the Commission of the European Communities in my answer to the noble Lord's Question on 16th May, by which time inquiries into this matter had been completed. The considerations put forward by the noble Lord do not, therefore, provide any justification for action to be taken by Her Majesty's Government to prevent Scottish Malt Distillers Limited from continuing to implement their plans to extract peat from Duich Moss in accordance with the planning permission granted by my right honourable friend subject to detailed conditions which are designed to protect the nature conservation interest of the site.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are dependent on the Foreign Minister of Honduras for information about developments and situations of international significance in that country, or if it is part of the duties of Her Majesty's Ambassador there to investigate and report them.

We draw on a wide range of sources of information in making an assessment of events abroad. These naturally include the reporting of our ambassadors.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the market information and export intelligence received from diplomatic service Posts and provided through the British Overseas Trade Board to exporters is provided free of charge to the latter.

General advice and information about overseas markets is provided free of charge. Specific investigations, such as reports provided under the Market Prospects Service, are charged for. Export sales opportunities and intelligence are channelled to companies through the computer based Export Intelligence Service and a charge is made for the notices which are selected automatically according to the wishes of each subscriber. Charging for specific services provides a proper test of their value and ensures the cost effectiveness of public money allocated to export promotion.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What quantifiable benefits have followed the imposition of the Management Information Systems for Ministers in the Ministry of Defence.

As a management information system, MINIS is intended to improve Ministers' and senior management's knowledge of the MoD and to assist them in promoting sound, positive, efficient management throughout the department. It has provided the framework and the catalyst for change in many areas (including the 1985 reorganisation of the Ministry of Defence).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the number of ground forces available on mobilisation for home defence is still 100,000 (Cmnd. 9227, para. 413) in the light of paragraphs 204 and 418 of Command 9430, which imply that BAOR (1(BR) Corps) will in future be reinforced from the United Kingdom by 100,000 men.

Yes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:By how much income over the year April 1985—April 1986 will fall below the level recommended by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (Cmnd. 9526) on account of the staging of the award, in each of the ranks for which the review body is responsible.

The Government have implemented this year's recommendations of the AFPRB on armed forces pay in full with effect from 1st April 1985, without staging. All ranks will therefore receive the full recommended income for the year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree with the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay that there is "a growing feeling (among service men and women) of less than fair treatment over allowances and other, non-pay conditions of service" (Cmnd. 9526, para. 7); if so, what remedies they have in mind, and if not, why not.

We recognise that there is a certain amount of dissatisfaction with particular aspects of non-pay conditions of service. For example, the recent announcement of reduction in the rate of local overseas allowance payable for service in Germany caused some genuine concern among those affected. But the Government always try to ensure that, within the limits of justifiable public expenditure, our service men are given the best possible conditions of service package. In recent months, a number of improvements have been made. In particular, we have:

a. introduced the 30 per cent. discount scheme on the sale of surplus married quarters to service men and women;

b. agreed the introduction of Falkland Islands pay for certain repeat tours in the South Atlantic;

c. made a number of improvements to conditions of service in Northern Ireland.

We shall continue to pay very close attention to all non-pay conditions of service and the justification for further improvements will be considered as the need arises.