Written Answers
Earthquakes: Government Help
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will state what has been given or offered to those countries which have had major earthquakes in the last five months, including Italy and Indonesia.
Her Majesty's Government have given or offered help as follows:—1.
Italy
£100,000 was offered to the Italian authorities on 13th May 1976 to help them with the reconstruction of the Friuli disaster area. The Italian Government are deciding how best to spend this sum. Her Majesty's Government have also provided a supply of tents, camp beds and bedding and the RAF has undertaken, at Italian request, an aerial photographic survey of the area.
2. Indonesia
Her Majesty's Government made a cash grant of £10,000 to be spent on food and transport operations following the earthquake at Irian Jaya in June.
3. China
The British Embassy in Peking asked the Chinese authorities in July, following the severe earthquake in North China, whether there was any assistance which Her Majesty's Government could offer, for example, in the form of emergency and medical supplies. This offer was not taken up.
4. Philippines
Following the earthquake in the Southern Philippines on 16th August and the resulting tidal waves a Royal Air Forces Hercules was despatched to Pagadian in Mindanao from Hong Kong on 20th August with emergency supplies including drugs, vaccines, clothing, tents, blankets and water purification equipment.
Energy Research Expenditure
asked Her Majesty's Government:What amounts of public money have been expended on research into each of the main sources of energy (currently available or to be developed in future) during 1971–72 and each subsequent year for which figures are available, and what are the proposed research expenditures on each energy source for the current year and future years.
The information
| Actual | Estimated | |||
| 1973/74 | 1974/75 | 1975/76 | 1976/77 | |
| £m | £m | £m | £m | |
| Coal | 5·6 | 6·5 | 16·0 | 23·9 |
| Gas | 8·0 | 9·1 | 15·2 | 19·6 |
| Nuclear | 68·1 | 78·7 | 109·0 | 127·1 |
| Electricity* | 25·0 | 28·5 | 35·3 | 47·6 |
| Offshore oil and gas and alternative sources (such as wave power and geothermal energy | 1·9 | 4·1 | 6·8 | 11·5 |
| *This expenditure covers work on fossil fuel plant, nuclear plant, and alternative energy sources carried out by the electricity supply industry. | ||||
| The expenditures shown are for national programmes. Consolidated expenditure on a comparable basis for years before 1973/74 is not readily available. Information for the nationalised industries and UKAEA for earlier years can be obtained from their annual reports and accounts. | ||||
Cyprus
asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they have taken since 14th June 1976 to prevent the victimisation and eviction from Northern and North-Eastern Cyprus of the Greek-speaking population and what steps they have taken to prevent the importation and settlement of mainland Turks in that area.
Her Majesty's Government have repeatedly expressed to the parties concerned their concern at the reports of the movement of Greek Cypriots from their homes in Northern Cyprus, and of the inflow of immigrants from the Turkish mainland. However, Her Majesty's Government believe that the problem can only be resolved by the two communities in Cyprus.
National Trustee Museums
asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the total staff employed in the Trustee National Museums and Galleries; what is the annual wage bill; and what reductions are contemplated, at what annual saving.
available on the expenditure by the Department of Energy, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the nationalised fuel industries for which the Department of Energy is responsible is as follows:—
(Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge): On 1st April 1976, 2,071 staff were employed in the National Trustee Museums and Galleries. The wage bill for 1975–76 was £7–8 million and that for 1976–77 is estimated to be about £8·9 million. Under the conditions of grant introduced in April 1975, which now apply to all but the smallest of these institutions (the Wallace Collection), the Trustees have responsibility for the management of their resources within a single sub-head covering funds for salaries and general expenses and take their own decisions on the numbers of staff who can be accommodated. I cannot yet say what grants will be made next year, but all institutions will have to contribute to the general reduction of public expenditure.
Victoria And Albert And Science Museums Staff
asked Her Majesty's Government:The number of staff employed in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum (shown separately) on 1st April 1976 or the last date for which figures are available; the annual cost in each case, and the reductions and savings proposed up to 1st April 1978; and how these figures compare with the total numbers employed in all sections of the Department of Education and Science, their annual cost and the reductions and savings proposed in
| In post (1) 1.4.76 | Complement | Cost (2) 1976–77 (£m) | Cut to Complement by 1.4.78 | Savings on forecast expenditure 1978–79(2) (£m) | |
| DES and UGC | 2,918½ | 3,011 | 16·7 | 291 | 1·0 |
| Science Museum | 525½ | 567 | 2·7 | 63 | 0·1 |
| Victoria and Albert Museum | 697½ | 720 | 3·4 | 81 | 0·2 |
Resource Allocation Working Party
asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to receive the next report from the Resource Allocation Working Party.
The Resource Allocation Working Party's second report, Sharing Resources for Health in England, was published on 29th September. A copy is in the Library of the House. The report, the product of one and a half years' work by officers of the NHS and of the Department of Health and Social Security recommends far-reaching changes in the way in which NHS finance is allocated to Regional Health Authorities, Area Health Authorities and districts in England. Before reaching any decisions on the recommendations in the report, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is seeking the views of health authorities and other interested bodies, firstly on the methods to be adopted in making financial allocations for 1977–78, and secondly on arrangements for the longer term.
that Department over the same period.
The information is as follows:
Green Howards: Band Equipment
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are now able to respond to the Motion agreed to on 29th September concerning compensation to the Green Howards for the loss of their band instruments and equipment.
I am pleased to inform the House that Her Majesty's Government are prepared to make a purely ex gratia payment, extended solely on a "good employer" basis between the Ministry of Defence and the Regiment, towards the cost of re-equipping their band. Any ex gratia payment to the band, as well as to the individual bandsmen, must be regarded as quite exceptional.The amount is being discussed with the Regiment.House adjourned at eleven minutes before midnight.