§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what information has been received by the Meteorological Office in respect of the number of days between I November 1989 and 31 January 1990 when the average daily temperature allowing for wind chill factor fell below 0 deg. C. at each recording station in Scotland;
(2) what information the Meteorological Office has received from recording stations in the United Kingdom regarding any period of seven consecutive days between 1 November 1989 and 31 January 1990, when the average daily temperature, allowing for a wind chill factor, fell below 0 deg. C.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkI refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, on 15 December 1989, Vol. 163, c.882.
The Meteorological Office does not record wind chill factors, and does not provide such calculations without a specific request stating the criteria to be applied. The work involved would have to be undertaken on repayment terms.
The incidence of temperatures sought by the hon. Member, even without any chill factor applied, could be provided here only at disproportionate cost. However, temperatures covering the same period, recorded for the purposes of regulation 2 of the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Regulations 1988, are placed weekly in the Library of the House on the instructions of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.