§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will estimate the quantity of non-military electrical equipment which has been installed at the British Army on the Rhine for each of the following periods (i) between the installation of BAOR and the accession of the United Kingdom to the treaty of Rome and (ii) from the aforementioned accession to date.
§ Mr. ChopeI have been asked to reply.
Records are not available to enable such estimates to be made.
§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions exist in respect of the installation of non-military electrical equipment at the British Army of the Rhine regarding (i) the nationalities of contractors carrying out such work and (ii) the electrical safety standards required to be attributable to any such equipment installed.
§ Mr. Christopher ChopeI have been asked to reply.
There are no known nationality restrictions imposed on electrical contractors operating in Germany. Contractors working on high voltage or medium voltage systems must however be registered with the local German Lander authority, and to qualify must employ one or more electricians registered with the Germany authority as Meisters.
Electrical installations must conform to German national standards or agreed equivalents, and only materials and equipment may be used which have been manufactured in accordance with the state of safety regulations valid in the European Community. The sign of an officially recognised testing office testifies that these requirements have been met. Installation contractors are however legally responsible for any failure of the completed scheme and any equipment provided. They cover this risk by insurance which again specifies the use of equipment conforming with recognised standards normally used in the trade in Germany.
§ Miss Boothroydasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will estimate the number of contracts 358W for both the supply and installation of non-military electrical equipment at the BAOR which have been awarded since accession of the United Kingdom to the treaty of Rome to British contractors; whether he will further estimate as a percentage of total contracts for both supply and installation the number of such contracts awarded to British contractors; whether he will further estimate the number of such contracts awarded to West German contractors; whether he will indicate what restrictions exist to prevent British contractors obtaining a greater number of such contracts: whether he will estimate the value in £ sterling of (i) the contracts obtained by British contractors and (ii) the contracts obtained by contractors of any other nationality; whether he will seek estimates of the number of jobs which could be created in the electrical industry by transferring such work entirely to British contractors; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ChopeI have been asked to reply.
It is not possible to provide the information required on the numbers or value of contracts awarded in the form required because records are not kept in that form. I am not aware of any restrictions which would prevent British contractors obtaining a greater number of contracts. It is PSA's policy to encourage the use of British non-military electrical equipment where possible and bulk purchases of domestic cookers, catering equipment, security equipment and incinerators, convector heaters and domestic appliances have been made in recent years.
The average value of electrical installation work tendered for in property occupied by BAOR is about DM80 million per annum. The great majority of this work is placed with German contractors, but some with Dutch and Belgian contractors for work originating in those countries. British contractors have been responsible for a number of specialised electrical installations connected with security requirements, static power provision and boiler control automation.