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WE177 Bombs
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what volumes of radioactive waste were generated in the research, manufacture, storage, maintenance and deployment of the WE177 nuclear bombs; what quantities of radioactive waste will be created in their decommissioning; what environmental measures are to be applied to their decommissioning; and where the residual radioactive waste and plutonium will be stored. [40778]
Dr. Reid: The WE177 free fall bomb programme started over 30 years go. Details of radioactive waste arising from the different phase of the programme were not recorded separately, and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
Decommissioning of WE177 is being undertaken in accordance with all relevant environmental legislation and in line with the requirements of the appropriate regulatory bodies, principally the Environment Agency and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.
Any radioactive waste arising from this work will be disposed of via normal approved routes where these are available, and in accordance with certificates of authorisation issued by the Environment Agency; for example, suitable low level waste will be sent to BNFL Drigg. Other waste for which no disposal route is currently available will be stored safely and securely at AWE Aldermaston. Any plutonium will also be safely and securely held, though I must withhold details under Exemption 1 of the code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating to Defence, Security and International Relations.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which establishments WE177 bombs were taken for servicing; what the nature of such servicing entails; and how regularly this servicing was conducted. [40814]
Dr. Reid:
Servicing was carried out by the Atomic Weapons Establishment as necessary to ensure the continued safety and reliability of WE177 whilst in service. I am withholding details as to the regularity and nature of servicing under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating to Defence, Security, and Internal Relations.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 March 1998, Official Report, column 489, what proportion of the total cost of the infra-red system at RAF Menwith Hill has been met by his Department. [42073]
1 Jun 1998 : Column: 97
Dr. Reid:
As I told the hon. Gentleman in my reply of 2 March 1998, Official Report, column 489, the Space Based Infra-Red System (SBIRS) is a programme funded by the United States Government. As such, we do not have details of the total programme costs and therefore I am unable to specify what proportion of these costs associated with the SBIRS programme at RAF Menwith Hill is being borne by my department.
Mr. Tyrie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all visitors to HMS Cornwall in the period during which President Kabbah was aboard and in the preceding and following weeks; and if he will give their job titles, their reasons for being there and the dates when they were aboard. [41957]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 14 May 1998]: President Kabbah visited HMS Cornwall in Freetown on 19 March for a lunch jointly hosted by the British High Commissioner and the Commanding Officer of HMS Cornwall to mark the successful completion of the ship's humanitarian mission prior to her sailing the following day. The following visited the ship while President Kabbah was on board:
In the evening, the Commanding officer and the British High Commissioner jointly hosted a reception, also to mark the completion of Cornwall's mission. The following attended:
1 Jun 1998 : Column: 98
The following visited the ship on 19 March as Wardroom guests:
The following visited the ship in the week preceding 19 March as representatives of their organisations:
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A comprehensive list of job titles is not available. The ship sailed from Freetown on 20 March.
Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place a copy of the captain's log of HMS 'Cornwall' for the last 12 months in the Library; [42407]
Mr. George Robertson:
There is no such document as a Captain's log. HMS Cornwall's ships logs for the last year are either onboard the vessel, which is currently off Southern Africa, in the post to the UK, or in storage. The logs are not therefore readily available. However, as I told the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) in my reply of 18 May 1998, Official Report, column 257, the logs for the period 1 January 1998 to 1 April 1998 are being collected and I will then consider their possible release. They cover the period that HMS Cornwall was off West Africa.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Royal Navy vessels which have (a) carried out and (b) attempted to carry out shore operations in Sierra Leone since May 1997; if he will make a statement on the operations concerned; and what involvement there was of private companies. [42709]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 20 May 1998]: Since May 1997, with the exception of HMS Cornwall which, between 1 and 20 March 1998, provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Sierra Leone, supported our diplomatic efforts there and assisted in the return of the British High Commissioner, no Royal Navy vessels have carried out shore operations in Sierra Leone.
As far as involvement with private companies is concerned, the ECOMOG air operations centre, run by Sandline personnel, regularly briefed HMS Cornwall during her deployment to Sierra Leone on the security situation and the possible threat posed by rebels. This information was essential to ensure that HMS Cornwall's helicopter could safely carry out its humanitarian relief flights within the country. In addition, on 6 March, HMS Cornwall personnel spent two hours ashore repairing a Sandline helicopter, operating in support of ECOMOG, that had landed at a heli-port alongside the ship following a bird strike. While the helicopter was being repaired, the Sandline pilot and two others accompanying him were invited on-board. On 13 March, HMS Cornwall assisted Sandline personnel with some minor maintenance of the helicopter when it was at the same heli-port. On 19 March, the pilot and 11 others employed by, or connected with Sandline, were invited into the Wardroom for drinks.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what authorisation assistance was rendered to a Sandline helicopter by HMS Cornwall; what ship stores
1 Jun 1998 : Column: 100
and spares were used during this operation; and under what head of charge these items were accounted for by the supply officer, HMS Cornwall. [42309]
Mr. George Robertson:
The decision to assist with the repair of the helicopter operating in support of ECOMOG was, quite properly, taken locally by HMS Cornwall. No ship's stores or spares were used, apart from five litres of degreasant and 40 rivets. Both these items were routine consumables which were accounted for when they were issued to the ship's Flight by RNAS Culdrose prior to the Flight's embarkation in February 1998.
Mr. Sayeed:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 May 1998, Official Report, column 258, to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key), what payment was made for the assistance provided for Sandline International's helicopter by the crew of HMS Cornwall; if prior approval was sought and obtained from his Department by the Captain of HMS Cornwall; if Ministers were informed; and what other assistance was given by British military personnel to Sandline, and when. [43293]
Mr. George Robertson:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb). No other assistance was provided to Sandline in addition to that detailed in my answer to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 18 May 1998, Official Report, column 258. This was properly a matter for the local commander; ministers were not informed of, nor were charges raised for, the assistance provided.
Mr. Wilshire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those visitors to HMS Cornwall since 1 January 1996 who were employees of or connected with Sandline International indicating (a) the names of the visitors, (b) the dates of the visits, (c) the names of the persons met, (d) the purpose of the visits and (e) the location of the ship at the time of the visits. [41817]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 14 May 1998]: Information on visitors going back to January 1996 is not available. While HMS Cornwall was providing humanitarian assistance in Sierra Leone there were two occasions on which the ship was visited by identified Sandline personnel. On 6 March the pilot of the helicopter operated on behalf of ECOMOG, Mr. Juba Jubert, and two others accompanying him, identified as Mr. Farr and Mr. Ashworth, were invited on board while the helicopter was being repaired at the heliport alongside HMS Cornwall after a bird strike. On 19 March, twelve persons employed by, or connected with Sandline, were invited into the Wardroom for drinks. The group comprised Mr. Jubert, Mr. Farr, Mr. Ashworth, Mr. Bowen, and eight others for whom full names were not given.
Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if HMS 'Monmouth' provided support to ECOMOG in discharging UNSCR 1132; and if he will make a statement. [42559]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 18 May 1998]: HMS Monmouth did not provide any support to ECOMOG in discharging UNSCR 1132.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date notice was given to the crew of HMS Nottingham to report for duty to prepare to depart
1 Jun 1998 : Column: 101
for Sierra Leone; and on what date preparations were begun to load that vessel with humanitarian aid for that country. [42711]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 20 May 1998]: No such notice was given to the crew of HMS Nottingham; nor was Nottingham loaded with humanitarian aid for that country.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of HMS Monmouth in Sierra Leone since May 1997; what requests were received from that vessel with respect to acquiring additional (i) personnel and (ii) equipment for land operations; and if representatives from Sandline International were in contact with that ship. [42710]
Mr. George Robertson
[holding answer 20 May 1998]: The instructions to HMS Monmouth (and later HMS Cornwall) were to deploy to the vicinity of Sierra Leone to be prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the people of Sierra Leone, to support our diplomatic efforts there, and to assist in the return of the British High Commissioner, should the democratically elected Government be restored.
No requests were made by HMS Monmouth to acquire additional personnel or equipment for land operations. As far as we can ascertain at no time, nor in any way, did representatives from Sandline International have any contact with the ship.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Sandline started running the ECOMOG Air Operations Centre. [43460]
Mr. George Robertson:
This is not a matter for my Department.
Vice President Demby
Dr. James Jonah--(then Ambassador to the UN, now Minister of Finance)
Colonel Max Khobe--(ECOMOG Task Force Commander, Sierra Leone)
Mr. C. Margai--(senior political figure, now Minister of Internal Affairs)
Mr. A. Bangura--(Sierra Leone Radio)
Mr. Peter Penfold--(British High Commissioner)
Mr. Colin Glass--(Deputy High Commissioner).
Momodu Koroma--then Kabbah Task Force (now Minister for Presidential Affairs)
Dr. Soyei--Cottage Hospital
Tejan Kella--AFRICARE (organisation involved in humanitarian work)
Dr. Philip Almeida--Cottage Hospital
Mr. V. Collier--Head of Civil Service
Mr. Gael--Action Against Hunger (organisation involved in humanitarian work)
Mr. A. R. Wurie--Head of Protocol
Mr. P. Lamsona--CARE (Organisation involved in humanitarian work)
Dr. Julius Spencer--then Kabbah supporter (now Minister of Information)
Mr. H. Charels--CAUSE Canada (organisation involved in humanitarian work)
Martin Katta
Mr. Koroma--Council of Churches, Sierra Leone (organisation involved in humanitarian work)
Dr. Joe Lappia
Mr. A. Cox--Concern Universal (organisation involved in humanitarian work)
Kanga Sessay--Kabbah Task Force
Ms K. Richardson--Catholic Relief Society
Desmond Luke--then Presidential Adviser (now Attorney General)
Mr. J. Metzker--International Committee of Red Cross
Mrs. S. Gbujama--then Foreign Minister (now Minister for Social Welfare)
Mr. A. Eddo--International Committee of Red Cross
Mr. S. Berewa--then Attorney General
Jean Clement--Medecins sans Frontieres
Martha Carey--Medecins sans Frontieres
Rick Fitzpatrick--World Vision
Col. Musa--ECOMOG
Siko Pyker--OXFAM
Lt. Col. Shoboiki--ECOMOG Freetown Commander
Jost Vandenakker--OXFAM
Mr. E. Perez Porras--European Union Resident Representative to Sierra Leone
Clive Dawson--UK businessman
Tony Todd--Crown Agents Emergency Logistics Management Team Consultant
Mr. Hailey--Sierra Leone Police
Mr. Lathbry--Cable and Wireless
Mr. S. Lebby--British High Commission
Mr. Clarke--Cable and Wireless
Lt. Col. Ted Glover--Defence Attache, Accra
Mr. H. Kamara
Mrs. Gloria Thomas--British Council
Dr. Frank Nyama--New England Clinic
Elizabeth Decker--Nurse
Mrs. D. Fraser
John BB Ganda--Head of Children's Clinic.
Mr. Juba Jubert--Sandline or assoicate
Mr. John Farr--Sandline or associate
Mr. Mike Ashworth--Sandline or associate
Mr. Rupert Bowen--Sandline or associate
8 others for whom full names were not given--Sandline or associate.
18 March
Francis Okello--United Nations
Martin Booth--United Nations
Representative of Cable and Wireless
17 March
Lt. Col. Ted Glover--UK MOD
Representative of Australian World Vision
Representative of Filipino World Vision
Representative of Cable and Wireless
13 March
Kristen Richardson--Catholic Relief Society
Mr. Lathby--Cable and Wireless
Mr. Clarke--Cable and Wireless
Mr. Hailey--Sierra Leone Police
12 March
Francis Okello--United Nations
Colonel Andrew Gale--United Nations
Mike Booth--United Nations
Dr. Jonah--Kabbah Task Force
Mike Downham--Medical Doctor
Clive Dawson--UK businessman
Peter Penfold--British High Commissioner
Mr. Albrecht--ICRC Driver
Mr. Mustaffa--CARE Driver.
(2) if he will place a copy of the ship's log of HMS 'Cornwall' for the last 12 months in the Library. [42418]
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