asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether an aid settlement has yet been agreed for St. Helena.

I am pleased to advise that I have this month approved a £26 million development commitment to St. Helena covering the next three years. This significant allocation, which represents an increase over previous plans, is linked to an agreement between the St. Helena Government and HMG on a three year Country Policy Plan (CPP). This provides a detailed framework for the reform and development of the island's economy. It illustrates the Government's continuing commitment to ensuring economic development and proper governance of the UK dependent territories as a whole.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the statement issued in the course of the NATO meeting in December that NATO had "no intention, no plan and no reason" to deploy nuclear weapons in new member states (first Written Answer by Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 22 January

The statement to which the noble Lord refers was agreed by NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers and is a firm political declaration on deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of any new member state. It is compatible with our obligations under Article 5 of the Washington treaty.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps NATO is taking to ensure that the governments of central and eastern European countries which have applied to join NATO are not being subjected to misleading commercial or other pressures to purchase weapon systems, whether used or new, which could result in arms races if and when their applications to join NATO are not accepted by the governments or parliaments of NATO's existing members.

NATO has not set equipment requirements in the context of enlargement. It is for the countries concerned to decide what equipment their armed forces need.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will state the meaning of the word "atonement" in the recent letter on the subject of Iraq to the

"To atone" could otherwise be expressed as "to make amends for". The relevant Security Council resolutions require Iraq to compensate the victims of its occupation of Kuwait, to return stolen property, and to account for the whereabouts of those missing since the occupation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements they now have in place to ensure that their overseas programme is never directly or indirectly related to arms deals.

Consistent with the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980, the primary purpose of all development assistance budget spending is developmental. All projects must pass the usual tests of developmental soundness. Arms deals never have any connection, direct or indirect, with the provision of British development assistance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they are taking with fellow members of the UN Security Council to restore the credibility of the international genocide tribunal and trials in Rwanda following the report by UN Inspector-General, Karl Paschke.

We are ready to assist the UN in reforming the International Criminal Tribunal. We welcome Secretary-General Annan's announcement that he will pursue this urgently, in the light of the report by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, and we expect rapid follow-up action.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What specific initiatives they have taken to advance a regional political settlement in the Great Lakes area of Africa.

We fully support the UN/OAU Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region, Mohamed Sahnoun, in his efforts, co-ordinated with regional leaders, to prepare for and convene an international conference under UN/OAU auspices. We therefore welcome UN Security Council Resolution 1097, adopted on 18 February, endorsing Mr. Sahnoun's five-point peace plan, which includes the convening of an international conference.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are yet able to respond to Lord Lloyd of Berwick's recommendations in the report of his inquiry into legislation against terrorism.

The noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd of Berwick, has produced a thoughtful and comprehensive set of recommendations for new, permanent counter-terrorism legislation covering the whole of the United Kingdom in the event of a lasting peace being established in Northern Ireland. My right honourable friend and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland are grateful for this work; but in the continuing absence of a lasting peace they believe that it is too early to reach a firm view on possible fundamental legislative change. They hope that there will soon be a permanent cessation of violence which would enable us to look again at the possibility of providing a new legislative framework for combatting terrorism.The Government do however intend to bring forward in due course proposals to strengthen existing controls on terrorist finances, along the lines of Lord Lloyd's very helpful analysis. These proposals will include extending existing controls more widely to international terrorism.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will accept the recommendation of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee that the basking shark should be included in the list of protected species under Schedule 5 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and, if so, whether the European Union's agreement with Norway under which Norwegian fishermen are able to fish for basking sharks in European Union waters will be amended or replaced.

A formal public consultation on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's recommendation, part of their third Quinquennial Review of Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, began on 29 January 1997 and is due to end on 1 April 1997. It will not be possible to make a final decision about the recommendation until full consideration of responses to the consultation exercise has taken place. However, should the basking shark be listed, it is understood there will be no need to amend or replace the EU/Norway agreement. The arrangement applies to member state waters outside territorial waters, whilst the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 only applies to those territorial waters.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on the financial, management and policy review of English Nature.

The financial management and policy review of English Nature has been completed. The intention of the review was to see whether English Nature's systems of internal control over both administrative and programme expenditure were reliable and effective. Today the report was presented to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and to the chairman of English Nature, and I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.The review by my department has made more than 50 recommendations. As a result of the review there will be a major change in the relationship between the department and English Nature which will include the introduction of single running cost control, a revised financial memorandum, and a management statement.Single running cost control is an annual cash limit for a non-departmental public body running costs which replaces more detailed item by item scrutiny. It enables a non-departmental public body to manage its own administration expenditure within that limit, subject to such overall constraints as government policy on pay. The establishment of single running cost control emphasises that primary responsibility for both financial control and value for money rests with the non-departmental public body's own management.For a non-departmental public body to be able to follow such an approach requires the support, encouragement and co-operation of its sponsoring department. English Nature and the department will work together to achieve this aim.I consider that all of the recommendations are important. Together, they constitute a package which will enable English Nature to continue to ensure that it is operating in an efficient and effective manner.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information they have on the current location of the Sevso treasure of Roman silverware, whether it was exported legally from this country, and whether it was legally exported to Britain from its country of origin.

I have no information about the current location of the Roman silverware known as the Sevso Hoard, or about the terms of its import and export from the UK. The Government retain their copies of export licences for a period of five years from the date of issue; the hoard came to this country and was subsequently exported more than five years ago. Other records are insufficient to confirm whether or not any export licence or licences have been issued for the silver. However, it was normal practice then, as it is now, to issue export licences for any goods imported into the UK within 50 years of the date of application. I cannot comment on whether or not the silver was legally exported from its country of origin, as its country of origin is unknown although it did not come from this country. Claims by the Lebanon, Hungary and Croatia were rejected by a New York court.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many successful prosecutions there have been for the unlawful supply of gas cookers in a manner contrary to the provisions of Regulation 3 of the Gas Cooking Appliances (Safety) Regulations [S.I. 1989/149] in each of the last five years.

The following successful prosecutions under the Gas Cooking Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1989 have been notified by local authorities to the Office of Fair Trading's Convictions Registrar:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 17 February.

My noble friend the Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office, represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 17 February.The main business of the Council was to consider the Commission's proposed regulations establishing a system of identification and registration of cattle, together with a linked proposal on the labelling of beef and beef products. The importance to the United Kingdom of early progress on the setting up of an EU-wide animal identification and registration system was emphasised in the Council discussion, subject to the proposal being technically sound and workable. However my noble friend expressed reservations about the practicability of the proposed labelling system for beef, as well as concern over proposed funding arrangements. The Presidency informed the Council that further work would continue urgently on these proposals with a view to the Council being in a position to reach agreement if possible at its March meeting.Prompted by discussion papers tabled by the Italian and United Kingdom Governments, the Council held a wide-ranging debate on the future of the common market organisation in milk and milk products, in particular the future of the EU milk quota regime. The United Kingdom pressed for early progress on reforming the milk regime in view of WTO and budgetary constraints, as well as the prospect of future EU enlargement. In the light of the Council discussion, the European Commission undertook to bring forward shortly a detailed analysis of the milk sector and ideas for possible changes to the milk quota regime.The Council held a brief discussion on the situation in the beef and veal sector in particular on the early marketing and calf processing schemes. My noble friend took the opportunity to press for a reduction in the rates of payment under the calf processing scheme which, at their present levels, risked creating distortions in the market.The Agriculture Commissioner presented reports to the Council on options for reform of the EU market regimes for tobacco and olive oil. Legislative proposals will be made to the Council in the near future on changes to the tobacco regime. The Council will consider in detail the options for reforming the olive oil regime at its forthcoming meetings.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made in implementing the Challenge for Agriculture programme in the English Objective 5b areas as designated under EU structural funds.

Six areas in England are designated for support under Objective 5b of the EC structural funds. They are:The South West-Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Devon and Somerset;The Marches-most of Shropshire and parts of Hereford and Worcester;

asked Her Majesty's Government:What have been the costs so far to the British taxpayer of the operation which is known in the west as Provide Comfort and to the Turks as Poised Hammer;Whether the RAF is alone in patrolling the "northern no-fly zone" of Iraq, as implied by Mr. Soames in the House of Commons on 6 February 1997, column 1163, and if not what other air forces share the task;Whether, as has been stated by Mr. Temel Karamollaoglu [SWB EE/2804B/5 30 December 1996], a senior Turkish parliamentarian on the government side, (a) Tornadoes patrolling the fly no-fly zone of Iraq are "equipped with weapons and bombs for these flights; and (b) whether "the US pulled approximately 10,000 of its agents out of the region" and whether any of the 10,000 were taken to Guam in US planes fuelled from Diego Garcia;Why it is necessary to use Tornadoes and VC10 tankers to patrol the northern no-fly zone of Iraq; andWhether personnel from the base countries, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, are always present on flights to patrol the northern no-fly zone of Iraq.

The UK has participated in Operation Warden (known in the US first as Operation Provide Comfort and now as Operation Northern Watch) since September 1991. The operation, based in southern Turkey, established a no-fly zone over northern Iraq in support of Security Council Resolution 688 calling on the Iraqi Government to cease repression of its civilian population.Until 31 December 1996 the operation involved US, UK and French aircraft. However, since the French decision to withdraw from the operation at the end of last year, UK Tornado aircraft have undertaken the reconnaissance tasks previously shared with the French, for which it is well suited. RAF aircraft are appropriately armed to allow them to accomplish their mission and to take action in self defence. They are usually supported by one VC10 tanker, and occasionally by two, which provide air-to-air refuelling; the tankers do not operate in Iraqi airspace. Turkish personnel do not fly over Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch, but do contribute to the operation within Turkey and Turkish airspace. The Saudis play no part in the northern operation.The additional costs to the defence budget of the operation for 1996–97 are forecast at some £2.6 million. The total additional cost since the commencement of the operation is some £35 million.Following Iraq's attack on Irbil last September, the US in October evacuated about 600 members of the Iraqi opposition from northern Iraq and during December about 3,800 workers associated with US and US funded NGOs and their families. None of the aircraft transporting them was fuelled from Diego Garcia.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to announce the results of their consideration of Sir Michael Bett's independent review on the Armed Forces' manpower, career and remuneration structures.

It is clearly essential that the Armed Forces have pay structures, allowances, and other terms and conditions of service that attract and retain people of the calibre and exceptional qualities that we need.Our personnel policy must recognise and reflect the unique demands of service life, while at the same time taking account of the terms and conditions of service applicable to relevant civilian groups. We need to recruit and retain substantial numbers of high quality men and women to ensure that the Armed Forces continue to be able to fulfil their operational commitments. We must also offer careers which are satisfying and rewarding. We can achieve those aims only if terms and conditions of service are right. We must also take account of modern practices in management and career planning. Since the independent review was published in April 1995, we have undertaken much further work on our policies.Our plans are set out in an information document, entitled

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for defence agency status for the Armed Forces' personnel administration and pay organisations.

The Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA) will be launched on 1 April 1997. The aim of AFPAA is the cost-effective provision, on a tri-service basis, of data and systems for the payment of military personnel, and to support the personnel management function, in peace (including crisis), transition to war and war. The agency will be formed from the Directorate of Naval Personnel Services and the Directorate of Naval Pay and Pensions at Gosport; the Directorate of Administrative Information Systems (Army) at Worthy Down, near Winchester; and the Directorate of Administrative Information Systems (RAF) and the RAF Pensions Branch at Innsworth, near Gloucester. In addition, a small agency headquarters office will be created at Innsworth in the first instance. On formation, the agency will employ some 1,000 civilian and 200 military staff. It is also the intention, at a later date, that pay, pensions and personnel administrative elements of the recently formed Army Personnel Centre (APC) in Glasgow should come within the agency.The agency proposal followed a feasibility study which concluded that personnel administration offered scope for significant harmonisation and, eventually, the development of an integrated tri-service computer system. Arrangements are in hand to contract a private sector partner under the Government's private finance initiative to deliver most of the services required of the agency. The partner would also be responsible for developing and operating new computer systems to improve efficiency, while at the same time shouldering much of the business risk involved.AFPAA has developed a comprehensive set of performance indicators, including measures to monitor the quality, timeliness and efficiency of its outputs. The chief executive has been set the following targets for the agency's first full year:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the conclusion of the study commissioned in co-operation with the US and Canadian governments into the feasibility of epidemiological research to examine a possible linkage between noise from low-flying military aircraft and adverse health effects.

The study, commissioned with the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research of the University of Southampton, as prime contractor, supported by the National Physical Laboratory and the Medical Research Council, was completed in December 1996. Because of the wide dispersion of military low flying, and the infrequency of exposure to noise from this source by the average person, the study concluded that it would not be practicable to carry out a meaningful epidemiological study of the effects of noise from low flying military aircraft on the health of overflown populations. Statistical calculations suggested that an initial sample of at least 20,000 people would need to be included in any study population; however, in order to allow for confounding factors and uncertainties in the pattern of exposure, the size of the study population would have to be increased by a factor of between five and 10.A comprehensive field validation study carried out in the Vale of Evesham found that the daily noise exposure in the most heavily over flown areas did not exceed that experienced by over a quarter of the population of England and Wales from general ambient noise. No individual aircraft event exceeded 120db(A)

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to adapt the readiness of the Army to changing strategic circumstances.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, we can assume that we would have longer warning of any re-emerging threat to the UK or western Europe by conventional forces. On the other hand, recent events have underlined that it is important that we should be able to despatch forces rapidly to deal with crises elsewhere.In response, we have decided to shift the balance of investment in the Army further towards those units required to be at higher operational readiness. The changes build on the "one army concept" by taking account of the synergy between regular and reserve units.For the two parachute battalions in the JRDF, the present enhancement of some 105 Gurkhas will finish in 2000. The strengths of each battalion will then be increased by some 60 posts. With effect from 1 April this year, arrangements will be made to provide dedicated manpower and equipment for the 'Pathfinders'—5 Airborne Brigade's reconnaissance platoon.We have also decided to increase the manning levels of two of our three Multiple-Launch Rocket System (MLRS) regiments by some 100 posts each to ensure they are fully ready to deploy without the need for reinforcement from elsewhere in the Army. The third regiment will not be required for short-notice operations. We have therefore decided that it should be transferred to the Territorial Army, in place of one of their two FH 70 (155mm howitzer) artillery regiments. Consequently, the TA will be equipped with one of the Army's most modern and powerful equipments.At the same time, we now assess that the majority of the TA will not be required for short-notice operations as formed units. Those units can therefore be moved to more extended readiness. That will not, however, reduce the scope for TA personnel to take part as individuals, or in small teams, in a wide range of operations. That is demonstrated by their significant and invaluable contribution in Bosnia. Furthermore, opportunities for individuals will be significantly improved by the Reserve Forces Act 1996. There will be no change to the establishment levels of the TA, nor to the TA's vital role in deploying as formed units in a major crisis. We shall, however, be able to reduce the numbers required to be fully trained, while protecting training and activity levels across the whole range from individual to formation training. Certain specialist units will remain at higher readiness.Some adjustments will also be made to the manning and equipment of the 12 regular light-roled national defence battalions to bring them in line with current requirements.