§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 848; which country and which company supplied 155 mm ammunition not provided by United Kingdom manufacturers; what was the average price per round; and what means were used for disposal of surplus or dated stock of ammunition from the stockpile in each year since 1990. [14879]
§ Mr. Arbuthnot[holding answer 12 February 1996]: Between 1990 and 1995 Eurometaal of the Netherlands and Simmel Difesa of Italy supplied the British Army with 155 mm ammunition. The prices paid remain confidential for commercial reasons. No 155 mm ammunition rounds have been sold or disposed of since 1990.
In addition, the Governments of Germany and the Netherlands provided 155 mm ammunition to the United Kingdom at the time of the Gulf conflict. Those rounds not used in the Gulf were returned.
§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 847, if he will seek the assistance of British Aerospace in obtaining Royal Ordnance sales records for his Department's 155 mm stock between 1980 and 1987. [14886]
§ Mr. Arbuthnot[holding answer 12 February 1996]: My Department will seek the assistance of British Aerospace to establish what records remain and I will write separately to the hon. Member. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 848, in which years since 1986 the Inspector General of Ordnance formally indicated his satisfaction that the United Kingdom reserve war stock of 155 mm ammunition met in full the reserve requirement; and if he will list the deficiencies reported in each year. [14871]
§ Mr. Arbuthnot[holding answer 12 February 1996]: Information about war stocks is classified.
§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 848, how many 155 mm rounds became redundant in each year following the imposition of the 10-year service life rule; and if he will list for each method of disposal of the redundant rounds his estimate of the number of rounds involved. [14872]
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§ Mr. Arbuthnot[holding answer 12 February 1996]: War reserves are regularly replenished, with new stock replacing old. Old stock is used for training purposes, so no rounds have been disposed of in recent years. Some batches of 155 mm ammunition have had their shelf life extended beyond 10 years following the satisfactory completion of life extension trials.
§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 847, what was the estimated price per round of 155 mm ammunition of which his Department's annual purchasing budget is based. [14881]
§ Mr. Arbuthnot[holding answer 12 February 1996]: The Department's annual purchasing budget is not based on an average price per round because there are a number of different types of round of 155 mm ammunition. The basic component of each round, that is the shell, charge, fuze and primer, are often bought separately. During the period from 1991 to 1995, various types of shell were bought for prices from about £100 to £1,200. The shell is generally the most expensive element of the round.
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Table showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices, between years Local authority 1991–92 £ million Change Per cent. 1992–93 £ million Change Per cent. 1993–94 £ million Change Per cent. Total England 1,068.7 15.8 1,100.6 3.0 996.515 -9.5 Total shire counties 585.243 16.4 599.670 2.5 562.611 -6.2 Total shire unitary authorities — — — — — — Total metropolitan districts 284.292 14.1 292.341 2.8 259.549 -11.2 Total inner London boroughs including City 90.391 19.3 93.920 3.9 76.443 -18.6 Total outer London boroughs 108.749 14.0 114.682 5.5 97.889 -14.6 Total London boroughs 199.140 16.3 208.602 4.8 174.332 -16.4 Isles of Scilly 0.029 60.0 0.032 8.0 0.023 -26.2 Total shire areas 585.243 16.4 599.670 2.5 562.611 -6.2 Total metropolitan areas 284.292 14.1 292.341 2.8 259.549 -11.2 Total London 199.140 16.3 208.602 4.8 174.332 -16.4 Greater London City of London 0.131 10.3 0.146 11.6 0.140 -4.5 Camden 7.785 15.9 7.705 -1.0 7.404 -3.9 Greenwich 7.658 23.2 7.751 1.2 6.470 -16.5 Hackney 6.351 9.3 6.900 8.6 5.417 -21.5 Hammersmith and Fulham 6.392 13.2 6.514 1.9 5.039 -22.6 Islington 7.693 19.2 7.820 1.7 6.011 -23.1 Kensington and Chelsea 4.431 23.3 4.729 6.7 5.191 -9.8 Lambeth 8.680 19.3 8.641 -0.4 6.711 -22.3 Lewisham 7.415 18.3 7.882 6.3 6.438 -18.3 Southwark 8.409 30.9 9.317 10.8 6.759 -27.5 Tower Hamlets 7.046 22.6 7.167 1.7 5.159 -28.0 Wandsworth 8.868 21.2 9.701 9.4 8.325 -14.2 Westminster 9.532 16.3 9.647 1.2 7.380 -23.5 Barking and Dagenham 5.391 15.1 5.870 8.9 4.561 -22.3 Barnet 6.206 12.5 6.599 6.3 6.515 -1.3 Bexley 4.510 11.5 4.368 -3.2 4.131 -5.4 Brent 5.657 8.2 6.214 9.8 5.226 -15.9 Bromley 7.268 23.7 7.236 -0.4 6.146 -15.1 Croydon 6.319 16.8 6.500 2.9 5.997 -7.7 Ealing 6.824 14.5 7.278 6.7 6.013 -17.4 Enfield 7.139 15.2 7.425 4.0 6.207 -16.4 Haringey 4.554 8.3 5.607 23.1 4.600 -17.9 Harrow 3.200 5.4 3.506 9.6 3.299 -5.9 Havering 4.609 16.3 4.800 4.1 4.087 -14.8 Hillingdon 5.674 20.4 5.688 0.2 4.586 -19.4