Written Answers To Questions
Tuesday 24 January 1995
Lord Chancellor's Department
Court Accommodation
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he intends to publish his Department's court accommodation plan for the next five years.
The Lord Chancellor's Department's accommodation plan, covering the next three years, will be published by the end of March 1995.
Court Rooms
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county court rooms and Crown court rooms are currently not in (a) full-time use and (b) part-time use in England and Wales, excluding London; and what percentage of the total number of court rooms these figures represent.
There are 98 county court rooms and Crown court rooms in England and Wales, excluding London, currently being used part time. This is 17 per cent. of the total number of court rooms in England and Wales, excluding London. There are 16 county court rooms and Crown court rooms in England and Wales,
| Supreme court fees | |||||||||
| New fee | Fee number | Brief description | Pre 1992£ | 1992£ | Percentage rise pre-1992 to 1992 | 1993 | Percentage rise 1992–93 | 1994 £ | Percentage rise 1993–94 |
| Before 1992 Supreme court fees {Amendment) Order 1990 WEF 1 September 1990 | Supreme court fees (Amendment) Order 1993 WEF 11 January 1994….Fee | ||||||||
| IN EVERY DIVISION OF HIGH COURT | |||||||||
| Commencement | |||||||||
| 1 | On sealing writ of summons, originating summons, origination notice of motion, or originating petition On sealing originating summons for: | 70.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 100.0 | 42.86 | |
| 2(a) | approval of settlement | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
| 2(b) | Part 2 of Solicitors Act 1994 (taxation of costs) | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
| 2(c) | for discovery | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
| 2(d) | examination of witness abroad | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
| 3 | On presenting a petition of course | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
| 4 | Leave to apply for judicial review | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 100.00 | |
| Progress of proceedings | |||||||||
| 5A | On taking appointment before master etc. | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 100.00 | |
excluding London, currently not in use at all. This is 3 per cent. of the total number of court rooms in England and Wales.
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county court rooms and Crown court rooms in London are currently not in (a) full-time use and (b) part-time use; and what percentage of the total number of court rooms these figures represent.
There are five county court rooms and Crown court rooms in London currently being used part time. This is 3 per cent. of the total number of court rooms in London. There are no court rooms in London currently not in use at all.
Court Closures
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many county court centres, court caller offices and Crown court centres he has decided to close in (a) the last five years and (b) the next five years.
Some 35 courts and offices have been closed in the last five years. One court is scheduled for closure.
Fees (Civil Business)
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the increases in the fees for civil business introduced by his Department in the last three years and the percentage rise in the cost of civil business that each increase represents.
In the last three years—1992, 1993 and 1994—fees have been increased in the Supreme court and the county court. In the Supreme court, fees were increased once during this period, on 11 January 1994. In the county court, fees were increased twice, on 30 November 1992 and 15 August 1994. Details are given.
Supreme court fees
| |||||||||
New fee
| Fee number
| Brief description
| Pre 1992 £
| 1992 £
| Percentage rise pre-1992 to 1992
| 1993
| Percentage rise 1992–93
| 1994 £
| Percentage rise 1993–94
|
Before 1992 Supreme court fees {Amendment) Order 1990 WEF 1 September 1990
| Supreme court fees (Amendment) Order 1993 WEF 11 January 1994….Fee
| ||||||||
| 5B | On lodgings summons before judge or official referee | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 5C | On ex parte application to judge or official referee | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 5D | On lodging a motion | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 5F | On setting down for trial | 30.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 50.00 | 66.67 | |
| 5J | On obtaining allocation of cause of official referee | 30.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 50.00 | 66.67 | |
| 5K | On filing an order for hearing of a cause | 30.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 50.00 | 66.67 | |
| 6 | On setting down a cause or motion | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
| 7 | On examination of witness before trial | 5.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 10.00 | 100.00 | |
| 8(a) | On an inquiry etc. on adjourned summons | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 9 | On sealing notice of appeal | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 11A | On filing notice of appeal to High Court | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 11B | On filing a case stated for High Court | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 11C | On filing a notice of cross appeal to High Court | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
| 11D | On filing respondent's notice of appeal to High Court | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | |
Enforcement of Judgments
| |||||||||
| 12 | On sealing a writ of execution | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 100.00 | |
| 13 | Application for a garnishee order | 17.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 25.00 | 47.06 | |
| 14 | Ex parte application to examine a judgment debtor | 17.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 25.00 | 47.06 | |
| 16(a)(i) | Ex parte application to register incoming judgment | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 100.00 | |
| 16(a)(ii) | Providing certified copy of judgment for use abroad | 10.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 100.00 | |
| 16(b)(i) | Ex parte application to register an outgoing order | 2.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 10.00 | 400.00 | |
| 16(b)(ii) | Providing certified copy of judgment for use abroad | 2.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 10.00 | 400.00 | |
Miscellaneous
| |||||||||
| 21(a) | On filing document under Bills of Sale Acts | 5.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 10.00 | 100.00 | |
| 21(b) | On filing a fiat of satisfaction | 5.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 10.00 | 100.00 | |
| 22A | Certificate of search in Bills of Sale Index | 2.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 5.00 | 150.00 | |
| 22B | For continuation search if within one month | 1.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 2.00 | 100.00 | |
| 23(a) | On taking an affidavit or affirmation | 3.50 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 5.00 | 42.86 | |
| 23(b) | For each exhibit to affidavit or affirmation | 1.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 2.00 | 100.00 | |
| 24 | Per hour or part for search for bills of sale | 1.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 5.00 | 400.00 | |
| ADMIRALTY | |||||||||
| 26(a) | On lodging a warrant for arrest | 60.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 100.00 | 66.67 | |
| 26{c) | On entering a reference for hearing by registrar | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 50.00 | 233.33 | |
| COURT OF APPEAL | |||||||||
| 27(a)(i) | filing notice of appeal from county court | 75.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 100.00 | 33.33 | |
| 27(b) | On filing notice of cross appeal | 30.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 50.00 | 66.67 | |
Supreme court fees
| |||||||||
New fee
| Fee number
| Brief description
| Pre 1992£
| 1992£
| Percentage rise pre-1992 to 1992
| 1993
| Percentage rise 1992–93
| 1994 £
| Percentage rise 1993–94
|
Before 1992 Supreme court fees (Amendment) Order 1990 WEF 1 September 1990
| Supreme court fees (Amendment) Order 1993 WEF 11 January 1994….Fee
| ||||||||
| COMPANIES/INSOLVENCY | |||||||||
| 30(a) | Presenting petitions to wind up | 40.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 50.00 | 25.00 | |
| 30(b)(i) | up Presenting bankruptcy petition by debtor | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
| 30(b)(ii) | Presenting bankruptcy petition by creditor | 45.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 50.00 | 11.11 | |
| 30(d) | On hearing of a public examination | 15.00 | As previously | 0.00 | As previously | 0.00 | 20.00 | 33.33 | |
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what he estimates will be the total shortfall in fee income from civil business for (a) the current financial year and (b) the next financial year; and what the figure was for the previous financial year.
The estimated shortfall in fee income from civil business for the current financial year is £71.1 million. We plan to meet our reduced income target in full next financial year. The shortfall in the financial year 1993–94 was £53.4 million.
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the increases in the fees for civil business that he plans to introduce in the next 12 months.
| County Court fees—New fees | ||||||
| New fee number | Description | 1992 £ | 1993£ | Percentage Rise 1992–93 | 1994 £ | Percentage Rise 1993–94 |
| Before 1992 County Court Fees(Amendment) Order 1988. No new fees in 1992 | County Court fees (Amendment) Order 1992(Article 4) WEF 1 April 1993….FEE | County Court Fees(Amendment) Order 1994 WEF 15 August 1994….FEE | ||||
| SUMMONS PRODUCTION CENTRE | ||||||
| Fee 1(i)(b) | On issuing a summons at the Summons Production Centre | 10p per £ or part minimum fee £10.00 | New | |||
| maximum fee £60.00 | New | |||||
| SETTING DOWN FOR TRIAL | ||||||
| Fee 2A | (i) On a request for a date for trial | 50.00 | New | |||
| (ii) On filing a time estimate | 50.00 | New | ||||
| (iii) On fixing a date | 50.00 | New | ||||
| PARKING | ||||||
| 4A(ii) | Warrant to enforce parking penalty charge | 5.00 | New | As 1993 | 0.00 | |
Transport
Fennell Report
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress London Transport has made in implementing the recommendations of the Fennell report into the King's Cross underground fire.
London Transport has implemented, either as one-off or on-going actions, over 90 per cent. of the report's recommendations. I have therefore agreed that the latest progress report submitted by LT, a copy of which
We have no definite plans for increases yet, but we do propose to review the fee structure to introduce a daily hearing fee, and will need to revise the fee levels then.
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the new fees for civil business that his Department has introduced in the last three years; the levels at which they are currently set; and the percentage rise in the cost of civil business that these new fees represent.
During the last three years—1992, 1993 and 1994—new fees were introduced in the county court on 1 April 1993 and 15 August 1994. Details are given.has been placed in the Library of the House, should be the last one. Work on implementing the remaining recommendations is in hand and HM railway inspectorate will continue to monitor regularly the progress being made.
Fire Safety
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review fire safety arrangements in areas with (a) regional airports and (b) major chemical works; and if he will make a statement.
The responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation, including the operational safety of airports rests with the Civil Aviation Authority. Airports operate under the terms of the Air Navigation Order 1989. Detailed guidance for aerodrome licence holders are given in CAA document CAP168— "Licensing of Aerodromes".There are no plans to revise the current regulations but the authority is always willing to consider amendments to its instructions for regional airports in order to ensure the safety of aircraft operations is maintained.The arrangements for areas with major chemical works is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive.
Salvage Tugs
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps were taken by his Department to ensure that the crew and officers on the vessels Brodispas Moon and Sun chartered by his Department were proficient in the English language.
The emergency towing study team from the Coastguard agency visited and assessed tugs from each of the shortlisted companies prior to the award of the contract. During those visits, discussions were conducted with the vessels' officers and crews and their proficiency in the English language was assessed. Both tugs have British liaison masters.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what actions he took to secure British crewing of the salvage tug vessels charted by his Department prior to his decision to award the contract to Croation crews; and if he will make a statement.
Tenders for the contract were invited from a wide range of salvage and towing companies against a tight specification. In accordance with Government policy, no limitation was placed on flag or crew nationality as such, subject to vessels meeting international safety requirements. Only two of the 34 vessels offered by tenderers for this contract were both UK crewed and registered. The contract was awarded on the basis of performance against the specification and value for money, to a company with good salvage back-up facilities. The selected tugs are managed in the UK by a UK company and have been employed in the North sea working for major oil companies for the last three years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement outlining the circumstances which led to the coastguard tug, Brodospas, being stationed at Stornoway, with specific reference to its (a) sailing under a flag of convenience, (b) being registered in St. Vincent, West Indies and (c) carrying a Croatian crew; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 17 January 1995]: The Brodospas Sun is one of the two tugs currently under contract to the Coastguard agency and which are stationed at Stornoway and Dover for a trial period this winter. This meets Lord Donaldson's recommendation that there should be interim emergency towing arrangements this winter: the inquiry recommended that priority should be given to the Dover strait and north-west Scotland. Tenders were invited from a wide range of salvage and towing companies against a tight specification. In accordance with Government policy, no restriction was placed on flag or crew nationality as such, though the vessels proposed were expected to meet international safety requirements such as the safety of life at sea convention. The contract was awarded on the basis of performance against specification and value for money.
Aircraft Security
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute an inquiry into how British Airways security allowed a representative of ICL Technical Plastics to carry on a British Airways aircraft from Glasgow to London an electro-shock weapon.
From the scant details given, we are unable to trace this incident.
Double-Decker Buses
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 17 January, Official Report, column 414, what proposals are being considered by the European Commission which would prohibit the manufacture and use in the United Kingdom of double-decker buses; and what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government.
None.
Train Cancellations And Delays
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains were cancelled; how many of those cancellations were attributable to (a) train breakdowns, (b) signal failures, (c) track/points failures, (d) leaves on the line, (e) staff shortage, (f) adverse weather conditions and (g) other factors; and what percentage of timetabled trains was cancelled in each of the Network SouthEast divisions in each four-week period during (i) 1992, (ii) 1993 and (iii) 1994.
The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the causes of train delays and cancellations that are (a) recorded and (b) not recorded in British Rail's four-weekly track record on punctuality and reliability under the terms of the citizens charter.
All train delays and cancellations are recorded in British Rail's track record figures apart from those caused by circumstances outside British Rail's control. Examples of the types of delays and cancellations included and excluded from the track record figures are as follows:
a) Recorded delays and cancellations
- Delays and cancellations resulting from:
- —Derailments
- —Locomotive or train failures
- —Infrastructure failures
- —Engineering work
- —Accidents and incidents
- —Staff Shortages
- —Leaf Fall
- —Bad Weather
b) Non-recorded delays and cancellations
- Delays and cancellations resulting from:
- —Acts or threats of vandalism/terrorism
- —Suicides/Accidents to trespassers
- —Motor vehicles striking bridges or level crossings
- —Line closures at the request of police or emergency services
- —Gas leaks or fires in lineside buildings not caused by rail industry employees or agents
- —Fire or failure due to electrical failure or defect not caused by rail industry employees or agents
Mot Certificates (Fraud)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new measures he plans to introduce to reduce fraud in the issue of MOT certificates for (a) cars and (b) other vehicles.
I have no such immediate plans.
Vessel Registration
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) Spanish, (b) Dutch and (c) Danish-owned vessels registered as British there are in each of the major ports and by total.
The information available relates to ships of 100 gross registered tonnes and more. The figures are taken from Lloyd's Register of Shipping and are given in the table:
| Foreign parent owned vessels registered in British ports | |
| Port of Registry | Vessels |
| (a) Spanish | |
| Unknown | 1 |
| Brixham | 8 |
| Plymouth | 1 |
| Falmouth | 7 |
| Penzance | 2 |
| Milford Haven | 12 |
| Fleetwood | 1 |
| Ayr | 6 |
| Peterhead | 1 |
| Aberdeen | 6 |
| North Shields | 1 |
| Grimsby | 1 |
| Lowestoft | 3 |
| Total | 50 |
| (b) Dutch | |
| Southampton | 2 |
| Hull | 2 |
| London | 6 |
| Total | 10 |
| (c) Danish | |
| Newcastle | 1 |
| Lowestoft | 1 |
| London | 1 |
| Total | 3 |
Source:
Lloyd's Register of Shipping.
M65-M6 Link
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the daily increase in the number of vehicles leaving the M65 at Colne following the completion of the M65-M6 link.
We expect an extra 2,000 vehicles per day eastbound on the M65 to junction 7 when the link to M6 is completed. There are no forecast of how much of this additional traffic would continue along the motorway to leave the M65 at Colne.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost of construction of the M65-M6 link.
Some £145 million, excluding VAT.
Heavy Goods Vehicles (Accidents)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents in each of the past five years leading to the death or serious injury of (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists, (c) motor cyclists and (d) other motorists involved a heavy goods vehicle; and what proportion this represents of all road traffic accidents affecting each category.
The information requested is shown in the table.
| Number of accidents involving an HGV and a pedestrian, where the pedestrian was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93 | |||||
| Accidents/percentage | |||||
| Vehicle type | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 |
| Pedestrians | 139 | 128 | 104 | 107 | 97 |
| Percentage of all pedestrian accidents | 0.24 | 0.22 | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.21 |
| Number of accidents involving an HGV and a pedal cycle, where the cyclist was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93 | |||||
| Accidents/percentage | |||||
| Vehicle type | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 |
| Pedal cyclists | 299 | 229 | 223 | 218 | 196 |
| Percentage of all pedal cycle accidents | 1.03 | 0.86 | 0.89 | 0.87 | 0.81 |
| Number of accidents involving an HGV and a TWMV1where the TWMV user was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93 | |||||
| Accidents/percentage | |||||
| Vehicle type | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 |
| TWMV | 471 | 381 | 270 | 252 | 215 |
| Percentage of all TWMV accidents | 1.09 | 0.96 | 0.87 | 0.92 | 0.85 |
| 1 Two wheeled motor vehicle—includes scooters and mopeds. | |||||
| Number of accidents involving an HGV and an other motor vehicle1, where the other vehicle user was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93 | |||||
| Accidents/percentage | |||||
| Vehicle type | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 |
| Other Motor vehicle | 2,609 | 2,381 | 2,077 | 1,940 | 1,816 |
| Percentage of all OMV accidents | 0.99 | 0.91 | 0.86 | 0.81 | 0.77 |
| 1 Exludes HGVs. | |||||
Number of accidents involving an HGV and an pedestrian, where the pedestrian, was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93
| |||||
Accidents/percentage
| |||||
Vehicle type
| 1989
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
|
| Pedestrians | 139 | 128 | 104 | 107 | 97 |
| Per cent. of all pedestrian accidents | 0.24 | 0.22 | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.21 |
Number of accidents involving an HGV and a pedal cycle, where the cyclist was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93
| |||||
Accidents/percentage
| |||||
Vehicle type
| 1989
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
|
| Pedal cyclists | 299 | 229 | 223 | 218 | 196 |
| Percentage. of all pedal cycle accidents | 1.03 | 0.86 | 0.89 | 0.87 | 0.81 |
Number of accidents involving an HGV and a TWMV1, where the TWMV user was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93
| |||||
Accidents/percentage
| |||||
Vehicle type
| 1989
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
|
| TWMV | 471 | 381 | 270 | 252 | 215 |
| Percentage. of all TWMV accidents | 1.09 | 0.96 | 0.87 | 0.92 | 0.85 |
1 Two wheeled motor vehicle—includes scooters and mopeds. | |||||
Number of accidents involving an HGV and an other motor vehicle1, where the other vehicle user was killed or seriously injured: GB 1989–93
| |||||
Accidents/percentage
| |||||
Vehicle type
| 1989
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
|
| Other Motor vehicle | 2609 | 2381 | 2077 | 1940 | 1816 |
| Percentage of all OMV accidents | 0.99 | 0.91 | 0.86 | 0.81 | 0.77 |
1 Exludes HGVs. | |||||
Rail Privatisation
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those passenger and freight train operating companies, or other bodies, which will be responsible for providing or using motive power after full implementation of his plans for rail privatisation, showing which of them will be responsible for (a) recruitment, (b) training, (c) certifying competence, (d) route learning and passing, (e) inspection and (f) disciplining of motive power staff.
The arrangements to be made by the successor companies to the British Railways Board cannot be listed before full implementation of the privatisation plans.The Railway (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994 place a duty on employers to ensure that employees carrying out "safety critical work" are competent and fit to carry out that work. The regulations also enable the Health and Safety Executive to approve specific assessments and standards to be achieved.
Roads Programme
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to carry out an assessment of the economic impact of the roads programme.
The economic impacts of schemes in the national roads programme are assessed.The national roads programme has consistently shown good economic rates of return.
Marine Pollution
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has ratified annexe IV of the marine pollution convention; and if he will make a statement.
We have not yet ratified annexe IV of the international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships—MARPOL 73/78—but we are taking action to do so soon.
Birmingham Northern Relief Road
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment the Government have made, following the case of Colonel Owen in Cirencester, of whether devaluation is a sufficient cause for blight to be registered against a home or business when a motorway is to be constructed; and what are the implications for such a course in relation to those constructing the Birmingham northern relief road.
The full implications of the decision by the Court of Appeal in the Lt. Col. Owen case are being reviewed. An announcement about future policy on discretionary purchase of property affected by motorway and trunk road schemes will be made as soon as possible.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Highways Agency provided figures for traffic flows under the new 2011 AADT figures in relation to the Birmingham northern relief road; for what reasons they were not available earlier; and if the Government will provide compensation for objectors who may have employed professional help or been involved in expenditure of time and energy because of the delay in provision of the figures.
This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Laurie Haynes to Mr. Mike O'Brien, dated 24 January 1995:
I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Highways Agency provided figures for traffic flows under the new 2011 AADT figures in relation to the Birmingham Northern Relief Road; for what reasons they were not available earlier; and if the Government will provide compensation for objectors who may have employed professional help or been involved in expenditure of time and energy because of the delay in provision of the figures.
The revised traffic flows result from updating assessments which have only recently been completed. They will provide the current inquiry with up to date information, but are unlikely to give rise to significantly changed effects. In consequence, there is likely to be little effect on the substance of objections already placed before the inquiry.
Coventry Airport
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received about noise and nuisance at Coventry airport over the past 12 months.
A total of 14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy in respect of prosecuting all those involved with each flight of calves from Coventry airport during November and December 1994 for not having the required export permit under the Air Navigation Order 1989.
[holding answer 20 January 1995]: An urgent inquiry is being conducted by my Department into the series of livestock flights by Air Algerie aircraft from Coventry airport in November and December last year. The inquiry will seek to determine whether there was any breach of the Air Navigation Order 1989. The question of further action will be decided once the outcome of the inquiry has been considered.
Search And Rescue
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the costs of operating search and rescue services by helicopters using private contractors, relative to the cost of providing such services through the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
The three search and rescue helicopters under contract to the Coastguard agency cost approximately £7.5 million per year. Ministry of Defence helicopters which are provided primarily for military purposes are also made available for civil SAR. The Coastguard agency does not pay for civil use of Royal Air Force helicopters; it pays for the use of Royal Navy helicopters only out of working hours. The agency's estimate of using contracted helicopters to replace all the MOD SAR helicopters units is some £22.5 million. Those figures do not include the cost of SAR for incidents on land for which the Coastguard agency has no responsibilities.
Parking Enforcement, London
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which companies have been given the task of yellow line parking enforcement in each London borough following the removal of this task from the Metropolitan police traffic warden service from July 1994 under the Road Traffic Act 1991.
This is a matter for the borough councils concerned.
Railway Station, Ebbsfleet
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date Eleanor Laing, a special adviser in his Department, was briefed by representatives of Decision Makers Ltd. on Ebbsfleet either formally or informally.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: I understand from Eleanor Laing, who was a special adviser at the Department of Transport until 20 July 1994, that she was briefed formally on Ebbsfleet by Decision Makers on 29 July 1993 and 3 May 1994.
Heather Bloom (Loss Inquiry)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investigations are under way to investigate the loss of the Heather Bloom; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 20 January 1995]: An investigation is being carried out by the marine accident investigation branch; the only other known official investigation concerns an inquiry under section 61 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970 into the cause of death.
Rail Safety
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 18 January, Official Report, column 485, if he will list the year of introduction and the number of carriages currently in use on British Rail's Kent coastal services in each of the BR classes 415/1–5, 416/2 and 4, 416/3, 411, 413, 415/6–7 and any other mark I carriages; and when the last of each of these classes of carriages will have been replaced by new rolling stock.
The list of the carriages in use in December 1994 is as follows:
| Class | Units (coaches) | Date built from |
| 411 | 106(424) | 1959 |
| 414 | 5(10) | 1951 |
| 421 | 21(84) | 1964 |
| 423 | 66(264) | 1967 |
| 207 | 5(10) | 1962 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 18 January, Official Report, column 485, if he will give an undertaking that all carriages currently in use on British Rail's Kent coastal services in the BR classes 411, 413, 415, and 416 will either be strengthened immediately or replaced by new rolling stock within the time scale recommended by the Hidden report into the Clapham Junction railway accident; and how many of these mark I carriages he expects will still be in service in April 1999 given current rolling stock investment plans.
I understand that by 13 April 1995 all the mark I vehicles in classes 413, 415 and 416 will have been withdrawn and replaced by Networker class 465 and 466 trains.Because class 411 vehicles are considered to have only four years' serviceable life left, it would not be reasonably practicable to carry out structural changes to these vehicles. I understand that they will need to be withdrawn from services during 1999.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide an assurance that in respect of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill neither Ruckholt road nor Dunedin road in Leyton will be used by construction traffic; and if he will make a statement.
There will be a code of construction practice—a draft of which is being discussed with the affected local planning authorities—which will cover the use of the public highway and traffic management matters. In the meantime, I understand that Union Railways is shortly to meet the London borough of Waltham Forest to discuss the issue of road accesses in the Temple Mills area.
Ministerial Visits, Newbury
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 19 December to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South (Mrs. Currie), Official Report, columns 874–75, when making his visit to Newbury, what time he arrived and what time he left.
I arrived at Newbury at about 11.30 am and left at about 2.45 pm.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why he gave the hon. Member a holding answer on 10 January, but was able to answer on 12 January, Official Report, column 198.
Notification of this question was received while I was on an official visit to the Netherlands from 9 to 11 January inclusive.
Newbury Bypass
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what his reasons were for deciding to ask the Highways Agency to reconsider the options concerning the Newbury bypass; when he first made that decision; whom he told before his announcement of the decision; and when he first told anyone else he had made this decision;(2) when he instructed the Highways Agency to review the alternative options designed to relieve traffic congestion on the A34; and what form this instruction took.
I decided to look again at the plans for the Newbury bypass against the background of continuing public concern about the scheme and because I wanted to be sure that the proposed western bypass was the right solution. By instructions to the chief executive of the Highways Agency on the day of my public announcement, I asked him to review the options for relieving congestion in Newbury and to report back. I took the decision and shared the information only within Government shortly before making my announcement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Newbury of 3 January asking him for a meeting to discuss the Newbury bypass.
I have no record of receiving this letter.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which constituents of the hon. Member for Newbury he has met since his announcement in respect of the Newbury bypass to discuss his decision.
Among those with whom I have discussed my decision on the A34 Newbury bypass, I believe four of them may be constituents of the hon. Member for Newbury.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which hon. Members have so far made representations to him concerning his announcement in respect of the Newbury bypass; and which he has met concerning those representations.
I have received representations about my announcement on the Newbury bypass from the right hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten) and the hon. Members for Newbury (Mr. Rendel), for Hampshire, North-West (Sir D. Mitchell), for Wantage (Mr. Jackson), for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter), for Swindon (Mr. Coombs), for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin), for Havant (Mr. Willetts), for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), for Reading, East (Sir G. Vaughan), for Southampton, Test (Mr. Hill), for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) and for Winchester (Mr. Malone). I have met none of these concerning his representations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which (a) constituents of the hon. Member for Newbury and (b) other hon. Members he provided the information contained in his answer of 12 January, Official Report, column 198, before he provided the hon, Member with the answer.
I have not kept a record of conversations where I may have discussed details about who accompanied me on my visit to Newbury.
Overseas Development Administration
Absenteeism
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the absenteeism rate for the Natural Resources Institute in each year since 1991.
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Natural Resources Institute under its chief executive, Mr. Anthony Beattie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Anthony Beattie to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 24 January 1995:
Mr. Baldry has asked me to reply to your question about the absenteeism rates for the Natural Resources Institute in the years since 1991.
The figures for sick leave are being collated. I will write again when they are available.
Indian Sub-Continent (Aid)
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much overseas aid has been given to (a) Pakistan, (b) India and (c) Bangladesh in each year since 1979.
The gross United Kingdom bilateral aid given to Pakistan, India and Bangladesh since 1979 is given in the tables:
| United Kingdom bilateral gross public expenditure to Bangladesh, India and Pakistan 1979–1993–94 (£000s) | |||
| Bangladesh | India | Pakistan | |
| 1979 | 33,632 | 121,623 | 21,797 |
| 1980 | 66,190 | 86,080 | 22,245 |
| 1981 | 33,383 | 168,550 | 24,613 |
| 1982 | 23,537 | 54,204 | 18,738 |
| 1983 | 24,728 | 127.600 | 16,612 |
| 1984 | 35,656 | 146,537 | 18,016 |
| 1985 | 41,173 | 106,466 | 16,569 |
| 1986 | 38,321 | 143,481 | 20,715 |
| 1987 | 31,634 | 78,464 | 22,475 |
| 1987–88 | 31,265 | 99,097 | 22,599 |
| 1988–89 | 48,161 | 84,647 | 28,183 |
| 1989–90 | 55,827 | 87,652 | 34,894 |
| 1990–91 | 51,602 | 100,746 | 45,467 |
| 1991–92 | 59,231 | 136,386 | 41,823 |
| 1992–93 | 65,717 | 115,370 | 38,483 |
| 1993–94 | 56,258 | 103,144 | 48,202 |
Note:
British Aid Statistics was published by financial year from 1992.
Britain also provides aid to these countries through multilateral agencies.
Pakistan
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the agreements for the provision of British aid that he signed with the Pakistani Government during his recent visit to Pakistan.
On 9 January, in Islamabad, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary exchanged letters in respect of two new aid projects in Pakistan. These were:
(i) a contribution of £3.6 million over five years to the second phase of the Dir district development project, managed by the United Nations Drug Control Programme. The project is designed to improve basic infrastructure and to provide alternative sources of income for people in the main opium poppy growing area of the North West Frontier Province in parallel with enforcement action by the Pakistan authorities.
(ii) a contribution of £12 million over three years in support of the Government of Pakistan's social action programme, which the World bank and other donors are also supporting. The programme seeks to improve primary education, health and reproductive health through a combination of sectoral policy reform and incremental budgetary support.
Rwanda
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there is any threat by the Rwandan Government to the continued presence of international non-governmental organisations in Rwanda; and what representations he has been making.
In order to avoid duplication of effort, and improve co-ordination, the Government of Rwanda have introduced a policy of NGO registration, but a number of NGOs have failed to meet the registration deadline of 9 January. The registration policy has not led to NGO expulsions. We will continue to monitor the situation.
Environment
Water
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the costs of compliance in meeting water standards in upland and lowland England and Wales (a) in total and (b) by water authority in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Information is not available in the form requested. However, Ofwat has published information which shows that the compliance programme for drinking water resulted in expenditure in England and Wales of £620.5 million in 1991–92, £733.3 million in 1992–93, and £737.1 million in 1993–94.
Refrigerants
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures have been implemented with regard to the conservation and reclamation of refrigerants; and if he will make a statement.
The EC Environment Council adopted in December a new EC regulation on ozone-depleting substances. This requires refrigerants contained in commercial and industrial refrigeration equipment and air conditioning equipment to be recovered if practicable for recycling, reclamation or destruction during service and maintenance of the equipment as well as before equipment dismantling or disposal. It also requires that all precautionary measures practicable are taken to prevent the leakage of ozone-depleting refrigerant from this equipment. This regulation is directly applicable in UK law.In 1994 the refrigerant users group was set up, with Government support, by a number of refrigerant users and suppliers. The RUG was the first refrigerant bank in Europe. Its main aim is to ensure that the increasingly scarce supply of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants is conserved through recovery and efficient reuse within the UK.
Capping Limits
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list for each local authority for which he is responsible (a) the change in the capping limit in cash terms between 1993–94 and 1994–95, (b) this change in cash terms after the notional cost of pay increases at the current rate of inflation have been taken into account and (c) this change in cash terms after notional increases in pay and price increases at the current rate of inflation have been taken into account;(2) what is the cash change and percentage change in the capping limit of each local authority for which he is responsible for 1994–95 compared to 1993–94; and if he will also express the change as a figure per head of population.
I have arranged for a table showing the following for each local authority in England to be placed in the Library of the House:
Pollution
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of carbon dioxide emissions for each year since 1980; and what efforts his Department has implemented to reduce these levels.
Annual United Kingdom emissions of carbon dioxide since 1980 are as follows:
| Estimated annual United Kingdom emissions for carbon dioxide, expressed in terms of weight of carbon (million tonnes of carbon) | |
| Year | Amount |
| 1980 | 164 |
| 1981 | 157 |
| 1982 | 154 |
| 1983 | 152 |
| 1984 | 148 |
| 1985 | 154 |
| 1986 | 158 |
| 1987 | 159 |
| 1988 | 159 |
| 1989 | 156 |
| 1990 | 158 |
| 1991 | 159 |
| 1992 | 155 |
| 1993 | 1152 |
| 1latest provisional estimate. | |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his most recent figures for annual CO2 emissions for the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made of their consistency with the target set in "Climate Change: The UK Programme".
I refer the hon. Member to my oral answer of Wednesday 18 January 1995, Official Report, column 706, to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) and to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) earlier today.
London Boroughs Grants Committee
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money the London Boroughs Grants Committee has (a) received from the London borough of Barnet and (b) given to organisations based in Barnet each year since its inception.
The London Boroughs Grants Committee distributes grants to voluntary organisations in Greater London which either have a London-wide remit or cover a significant number of London boroughs. There is no direct relationship between contributions from the amounts awarded to voluntary organisations in particular boroughs. The London boroughs grants unit has supplied the following information:
| The London borough of Barnet's contribution to the committee's annual expenditure | |
| Year | Contribution £ |
| 1986–87 | 1,190,700 |
| 1987–88 | 1,179,250 |
| 1988–89 | 1,240,515 |
The London borough of Barnet's contribution to the committee's annual expenditure
| |
Year
| Contribution £
|
| 1989–90 | 1,246,000 |
| 1990–91 | 1,300,500 |
| 1991–92 | 1,265,300 |
| 1992–93 | 1,307,000 |
| 1993–94 | 1,255,700 |
| 1994–95 | 1,255,700 |
Amounts awarded to voluntary organisations based in the London borough of Barnet
| |
Year
| Amount £
|
| 1986–87 | n/a |
| 1987–88 | 62,905 |
| 1988–89 | 98,712 |
| 1989–90 | 113,688 |
| 1990–91 | 92,228 |
| 1991–92 | 114,298 |
| 1992–93 | 103,340 |
| 1993–94 | 153,871 |
| 1994–95 | 165,327 |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the London Boroughs Grants Committee has (a) received from each London borough and (b) paid to organisations based in each London borough during the last three years.
There is no direct relationship between contributions from, and amounts awarded to, voluntary organisations in particular boroughs. The London boroughs grants unit has supplied the following information:
| (a) Borough contributions received | |||
| £ thousands | |||
| 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | |
| Barking and Dagenham | 622.1 | 613.5 | 607.8 |
| Barnet | 1,307.3 | 1,255.7 | 1,255.7 |
| Bexley | 928.9 | 920.3 | 911.7 |
| Brent | 1,078.0 | 1,040.7 | 1,026.35 |
| Bromley | 1,267.2 | 1,235.6 | 1,218.45 |
| Camden | 782.7 | 748.3 | 751.15 |
| City of London | 17.2 | 17.2 | 17.2 |
| Croydon | 1,347.5 | 1,336.0 | 1,330.25 |
| Ealing | 1,238.5 | 1,181.2 | 1,178.3 |
| Enfield | 1,115.2 | 1,100.9 | 1,089.45 |
| Greenwich | 911.7 | 894.5 | 891.6 |
| Hackney | 808.5 | 774.1 | 788.4 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 630.7 | 639.3 | 647.95 |
| Haringey | 814.2 | 871.5 | 877.3 |
| Harrow | 811.3 | 854.3 | 851.45 |
| Havering | 977.6 | 974.8 | 960.4 |
| Hillingdon | 994.8 | 992.0 | 986.2 |
| Hounslow | 831.4 | 874.4 | 857.2 |
| Islington | 731.1 | 713.9 | 725.35 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 553.3 | 596.3 | 610.65 |
| Kingston | 587.7 | 576.3 | 573.4 |
| Lambeth | 980.5 | 1,052.1 | 1,075.1 |
| Lewisham | 954.7 | 994.8 | 994.8 |
| Merton | 696.7 | 719.6 | 716.75 |
| Newham | 880.1 | 914.6 | 928.9 |
| Redbridge | 992.0 | 969.0 | 963.3 |
| Richmond | 705.3 | 688.1 | 685.2 |
| Southwark | 951.8 | 937.5 | 943.2 |
| Sutton | 708.1 | 716.7 | 713.85 |
| Tower Hamlets | 705.3 | 696.7 | 699.55 |
| Waltham Forest | 900.2 | 911.7 | 905.95 |
(a) Borough contributions received
| |||
£ thousands
| |||
1992–93
| 1993–94
| 1994–95
| |
| Wandsworth | 1,080.8 | 1,089.4 | 1,103.75 |
| Westminster | 756.9 | 768.3 | 782.7 |
| Greater London Totals | 28,669.3 | 28,669.3 | 28,669.3 |
(b) Amounts paid to or approved for voluntary organisations by borough base.
| |||
£ thousands
| |||
1992–93
| 1993–94
| 1994–95
| |
| Barking and Dagenham | 44.7 | 44.6 | 47.5 |
| Barnet | 103.3 | 153.9 | 163.3 |
| Bexley | 63.8 | 65.7 | 63)7 |
| Brent | 442.3 | 341.9 | 355.3 |
| Bromley | 68.2 | 71.5 | 76.4 |
| Camden | 5,035.3 | 4,409.3 | 4,210.4 |
| City of London | 156.1 | 91.3 | 81.5 |
| Croydon | 158.9 | 198.6 | 199.9 |
| Ealing | 258.1 | 412.5 | 436.6 |
| Enfield | 132.4 | 146.6 | 144.4 |
| Greenwich | 488.3 | 479.7 | 407.0 |
| Hackney | 1,491.2 | 1,479.5 | 1,519.7 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 811.5 | 979.3 | 993.4 |
| Haringey | 880.3 | 655.8 | 699.0 |
| Harrow | 23.6 | 1.2 | — |
| Havering | 47.7 | 50.5 | 56.4 |
| Hillingdon | 172.1 | 177.1 | 161.5 |
| Hounslow | 246.4 | 255.7 | 268.0 |
| Islington | 3,391.9 | 4,703.2 | 4,728.8 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 1,399.5 | 1,302.0 | 1,296.0 |
| Kingston | 69.8 | 95.3 | 109.8 |
| Lambeth | 2,248.9 | 2,257.6 | 2,260.3 |
| Lewisham | 465.8 | 461.9 | 487.7 |
| Merton | 251.7 | 265.3 | 259.2 |
| Newham | 368.2 | 386.7 | 413.4 |
| Redbridge | 86.3 | 60.1 | 67.1 |
| Richmond | 79.0 | 76.8 | 95.0 |
| Southwark | 2,314.8 | 2,558.1 | 2,425.2 |
| Sutton | 104.8 | 75.2 | 72.7 |
| Tower Hamlets | 1,961.7 | 1,934.7 | 1,832.9 |
| Waltham Forest | 73.1 | 181.4 | 148.9 |
| Wandsworth | 322.4 | 327.3 | 367.2 |
| Westminster | 3,128.4 | 2,939.4 | 3,055.7 |
| Outside London | 61.4 | 70.2 | 70.4 |
| Totals | 26,952.5 | 27,709.9 | 27,574.3 |
Energy Efficiency
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation requiring the provision of (a) adequate heating systems and (b) insulation in domestic buildings.
Part L of the Building Regulations 1991 in England and Wales requires reasonable provision, including insulation and heating controls, to be made for the conservation of fuel and power in new buildings and extensions to existing ones. Revised regulations which come into force on 1 July this year strengthen the provisions of part L and in addition require all new and converted dwellings to be provided with an energy rating based on the standard assessment procedure. The Boiler Efficiency Regulations 1993 require that, when they are placed on the market, gas and oil-fired boilers achieve specified levels of efficiency, These regulations came into force on 1 January last year.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current combined heat and power capacity in the United Kingdom; and what is his target for 2000.
The Secretary of State for the Environment has set a target of 5,000 MW installed combined heat and power capacity by the year 2000. It is estimated that approximately 3,000 MW CHP is now in operation in the United Kingdom on around 1,100 sites.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made toward reaching his target for increased efficiency of domestic appliances by 2000; and what assessment he has made as to the consistency of such progress with reaching that target.
The Government have not set specific targets to improve the energy efficiency of domestic appliances but are committed to achieve overall carbon dioxide targets by a variety of approaches including improving appliances. Joint voluntary initiatives with industry, the Energy Saving Trust and my Department's energy efficiency office have resulted in good progress in some sectors and I believe they can be emulated elsewhere. The Government are presently engaged in studies to assess the impact of energy labelling and other policies in each sector.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many grants have been made under the home energy efficiency scheme and of what average value in each year since its formation by local authority area.
The information is not available in the form requested. The total numbers of grants under the home energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain and their average values, for each financial year since the scheme began, are as follows:
| £ | ||
| 1990–91 (from January 1) | 7,582 | 154 |
| 1991–92 | 167,849 | 137 |
| 1992–93 | 204,130 | 150 |
| 1993–94 | 270,148 | 153 |
| 1994–95 (until December 31) | 330,751 | 168 |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he carried out into the effectiveness of the advertising campaigns he has run in order to encourage greater energy efficiency in the home.
Two advertising campaigns have been run by my Department to promote energy efficiency in the home. The first of these campaigns, "Helping the Earth Begins at Home", now completed, was monitored through a series of interview surveys to track changes in public knowledge, attitudes and energy saving behaviour, over the course of the campaign. The second campaign. "Wasting Energy Costs the Earth", is currently under way and is subject to a similar programme of monitoring research.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in tightening building regulations since the publishing of "Climate Change: The UK Programme"; what assessment he has made as to achieving the energy-saving target set out in the document; and if he will make a statement.
Revised building regulations for the conservation of fuel and power were laid before Parliament last year. They come into force on 1 July. It is estimated that the improved provisions will save about 250,000 tonnes of carbon per year by the turn of the century, with significantly greater savings in the longer term.
Uranium
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the source of the uranium recently found in Northamptonshire; and if he will make a statement.
The scrap metal containing uranium found on land at Poplar farm, Caldecott, Northamptonshire, is of unknown origin. Investigations are continuing to trace the source of the material.
Greenpeace
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has that the misuse of equipment, as referred to in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's reply to Greenpeace's complaint regarding a perceived breach of paragraph 2 of the Drigg authorisation, was the sole cause of the high-surface activity levels recorded by the Greenpeace investigators.
Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution sought the advice of the National Radiological Protection Board regarding the environmental monitoring carried out by Greenpeace and depicted in its video of the Drigg site. The NRPB advised that an item which fully complies with the requirements of the Drigg disposal authorisation could give rise to the results determined by Greenpeace. This is because the instrument used by Greenpeace was not appropriate for use in the mixed radiation fields associated with the low-level wastes disposed of at Drigg. It is possible that there was no surface contamination present at all on the items monitored, and that the spurious surface contamination really was due to radiation emissions from radioactive material contained within the disposed items.HMIP thoroughly investigated Greenpeace's complaint and concluded that there had been no breach of the Drigg site authorisation. A reply to this effect was sent by HMIP to Greenpeace on 16 December 1994.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what attempt has been made to locate and monitor the package reported to him by Greenpeace as containing intermediate-level waste in its complaint regarding arrangements for the disposal of low-level waste at Drigg.
Greenpeace entered Drigg illegally, in July 1994, but did not bring its complaint to the attention of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution until October 1994. In the intervening period, the item in question has been completely covered by material disposed of in the trench. Direct monitoring of the item would have been possible if Greenpeace had bothered to notify HMIP immediately of its concerns. An item, which from the Greenpeace video and report could have been mistaken for a glovebox that might have been thought to contain intermediate-level waste, has been identified from photographs provided by British Nuclear Fuels plc of the tipping face at about the same time that Greenpeace entered Drigg. The disposal records and history of the item indicate that the disposal was carried out in full compliance with the requirements of the Drigg authorisation.
Sprinkler Systems
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to make the introduction of a sprinkler system a mandatory requirement in single-storey buildings; and if he will make a statement.
The provision of sprinklers in new buildings is a matter for building regulations. Whether such sprinklers should be required in large single storey buildings is under consideration at present and I hope to be able to make a statement within a few months.
Fire Engineers
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to require the compulsory registration of qualified fire engineers; and if he will make a statement.
We have no plans at present to require the compulsory registration of qualified fire engineers but will keep the situation under review.
Civil Airports
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers are available to local authorities to control noise and nuisance at civil airports.
Local authorities' powers to control noise at civil airports are those available under planning legislation, through which conditions may be attached, if appropriate, to planning permission. In addition, at all but the smallest airports, operators are required to consult nearby local authorities about matters concerning management and administration which may have a bearing on noise and nuisance.
Leasehold
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consideration he has given to the funding of the leasehold enfranchisement advisory scheme beyond its initial two years; and if he will make a statement on the expected longer-term demand for the scheme and the necessary resources to ensure that it is able to respond appropriately;(2) what proposals he has for further publicity to increase leaseholders' awareness of their rights under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993;(3) what assessment he has made of the interim report of the leasehold enfranchisement advisory service; and if he will make a statement.
I have carefully studied the interim report of the leasehold enfranchisement advisory service and taken note of its conclusions about the way the new rights for leasehold enfranchisement and lease extension introduced by the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 have been exercised.I have been impressed with the start that the service has made and consequently I am able to announce that the Department has decided to make available, from its special grants programme, a grant of £78,711 to LEAS for 1995–96. This is an increase of 8 per cent. on the initial grant given to the service in 1994–95. The primary reason for the increase is to allow the service to increase its programme of publicity designed to make leaseholders and freeholders more aware of the new rights to enfranchisement and lease extension. At the same time, the Department will continue to make its booklets on enfranchisement freely available on demand. So far, over 145,000 copies have been issued.The intention has been to provide funds from the SGP to the service over a three-year period. This means that, subject to a review of the service's performance, planned for later this year, further funding will be made available to the service in 1996–97.
Energy Saving Trust
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current level of funding for the Energy Saving Trust which is raised from gas customers; and what this level is expected to be in each of the next three years.
The finances of the Energy Saving Trust are properly a matter for the trust, which is an independent company. However, I understand that in the financial year 1994–95 the gas industry will pay the trust a total of £2.5 million, raised from gas customers by the so-called "E-factor" levy. Figures for future years are not available, as the Director General of Gas Supply has yet to reach a decision on proposals to finance, from the E-factor, trust schemes which were submitted to her by British Gas in July 1994.
Noise Pollution
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to bring forward proposals to address the problems of noise pollution and noise nuisance.
Local authorities have a range of powers to prevent or abate noise nuisance from premises and from vehicles, machinery and equipment in the street. An inter-departmental working party was set up in October last year to review the current controls over neighbour noise and to investigate options for swifter remedies. The working party expects to complete its review shortly and I intend to consult fully on its conclusions and recommendations.
West Yorkshire Fire Service
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had in respect of the West Yorkshire fire service's budget deficit for 1995–96.
We have received two written representations from the West Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority about the proposed local government finance settlement 1995–96. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration met a delegation from the authority on 10 January 1995. We will be considering these representations, together with those we have received from other authorities, in finalising the settlement for 1995–96.
Consultants
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list (a) the consultants, (b) the tasks for which they were employed and (c) the payments made to them from the budget of his Department in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) 1993–94.
The information requested is not held centrally by my Department and is obtainable only at disproportionate cost.
Erin Void, Derbyshire
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he can report on the application by Derbyshire county council to his minerals division for funding under the Moynihan agreement in relation to the reclamation of the Erin void at Poolsbrook, Staveley, Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement.
The Moynihan agreement relates to deep mines in England started before 1 July 1948 which closed within four years commencing 1 April 1990. Under the agreement, British Coal undertook responsibility for the restoration of those closed colliery sites to a soft end use. An application for funding by my Department would not be appropriate nor has such an application been received.However, Derbyshire county council has made representations to my Department about a dispute with British Coal as to whether the Erin void falls within the terms of the agreement. My understanding is that the Erin void is a former opencast coal site which is already subject to conditions requiring its infilling and restoration to a condition suitable for agriculture. As such, it would not appear to fall within the agreement.
Green Belts
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government will publish revised planning policy guidance on green belts in England.
We have today published a revision of planning policy guidance note 2 on "Green Belts". This reaffirms our commitment to green belt policy, and makes limited changes to strengthen it to meet the challenges of the next century.Following research which we published in 1993, we issued a draft revision of PPG2 for public consultation last year. We are grateful to the almost 700 organisations and individuals who responded. We have carefully considered their views in finalising the document, and made adjustments to take account of views expressed. The thrust of the revised PPG2 is similar to the consultation draft, which was broadly welcomed.Compared with the present published PPG2, the, revision incorporates six main amendments, within a framework of continuity.
These modifications will reinforce the position of green belts as a cornerstone of the town and country planning system in England as we enter the 21st century.
A summary of responses to the consultation exercise has been deposited in the Libraries of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Department of the Environment. Copies of all the responses have been placed in the DOE library.
Buying Agency
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what performance targets he has set the Buying Agency for 1995.
To support the objectives set out in the agency's corporate plan 1995–1997, and business plan 1995, we have set financial, productivity, customer satisfaction, environmental, and internal quality targets.The financial targets are:
- —to increase sales by 10 per cent. or to £157 million whichever is the higher,
- —to achieve an overall surplus after interest of 1.5 per cent. on total sale.
The productivity targets are:
- —to increase sales/staff ratio from £1.27 million per employee projected for 1994 to £1.42 million in 1995,
- —to reduce the cost of £ of sales from 2.9p projected in 1994 to 2.6p in 1995.
The customer satisfaction targets are:
- —to ensure 90 per cent. of direct orders are delivered by the due date,
- — to resolve 90 per cent. of complaints within one month, the balance within three months.
The environmental target is:
- —to ensure that all new or revised catalogue entries contain information relating to the environmental impact of the product and, where appropriate, its production and disposal.
These targets require the agency to build on improvements in sales, efficiency, and customer service, made in 1994.
In addition, the agency is proposing new pay and grading arrangements and management delayering, and other measures in line with the White Paper "The Civil Service—Continuity and Change".
Pennine Bridleway
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his decision on the proposed Pennine bridleway.
Following further consultations with the local authorities through whose areas the route passes, the Secretary of State has today signified that he has decided to approve the Countryside Commission's report in respect of the Pennine bridleway, with the modifications to the route as submitted by the commission.
National Heritage
Television
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps are open to areas where television reception is (a) poor and (b) non-existent; and if he will make a statement.
The first step is for such communities to notify the engineering department of the BBC or Independent Television Commission so that these bodies are aware of the situation. They jointly build about 25 new television relay transmitters each year. It is also open to communities to install their own television relay system at their own expense under the self-help television system.
Buckingham Palace
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the cost of repairing the damage to the gates of Buckingham palace; what insurance covers the gates; and who will incur the bill for repair.
Investigations are taking place to assess the extent of the damage to the gates of Buckingham palace. Until these are completed, it is not possible to estimate the cost of the repairs. In line with general Government policy, the gates of Buckingham palace were not insured. It is hoped that the car driver's insurance company will meet the cost of the repairs. If not, the repairs will be funded from the royal household's current grant in aid provision.
National Jazz Centre
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representation his Department has received concerning the creation of a national jazz centre.
My Department has received no such representations.
Double Funding
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to report on the allegations of double-funding of money from the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority S4C, and the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts via Pengwyn Pinc cyf to the Welsh Rock and Folk Music Council; and if he will make a statement.
I have received a report from the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts on the circumstances of an award to the Welsh Rock and Folk Music Council under the business sponsorship incentive scheme. My consideration of that report will be informed by the findings of an internal inquiry which is currently being undertaken by S4C.
House Of Commons
Members' Dining Room
To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee when the stools for waiters and waitresses by their stations were first introduced into the Members' Dining Room; how many complaints there have been about their use; what considerations underlay their removal before Christmas; and what proposals there are to return them.
[holding answer 20 January 1995]: This is a matter for the Director of Catering Services. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member.
Duchy Of Lancaster
Card Systems
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will consider setting up a committee to consider the developing technology of card systems and the potential demand for such systems from Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.
Cabinet Committee GEN34, which is chaired by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, already exists to consider the developing technology of card systems and the potential demand for such systems from Government Departments.
Recruitment
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what opportunities exist in the civil service for the recruitment of individuals with outside experience.
Many, varied and at all levels.
Worldwide Web Server
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to present to the House during the current Session of Parliament a report on the progress and future plans for development of the government worldwide web server "open.gov.UK".
I have asked CCTA, the Government Centre for Information Systems, to prepare a report on the progress and future plans for development of the government worldwide web server "open.gov.UK", in three months' time, and quarterly thereafter. This report will be placed in the Library of the House, and it will, of course, be available over the Internet via the CCTA Government information service.The CCTA Government information service was launched in November 1994 as a pilot service to make Government information available over the Internet, and to provide a means for Departments to develop expertise in this sector. It has proved a tremendous success. Over 14 Departments and agencies have already made information available, and most others have plans to do so. On average, there are over 35,000 requests for information each week. This month we have added two additional pilot services, "G-NET" and "GMAIL", and further improvements are planned for the coming months.
Disabled People
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion and number of non-industrial civil servants are currently (a) registered disabled and (b) disabled as defined by the Cabinet Office document "Focus on Ability".
On 1 July 1994, the number of registered disabled people in the non-industrial civil service was 8,142, representing 1.67 per cent. of the total. Figures for the number and proportion of all disabled people employed in the civil service are not available, although surveys conducted by some individual Departments suggest that there may be at least as many non-registered disabled people in the civil service as there are registered.
Prime Minister
Engagements
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 24 January.
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 24 January.
This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Hugh Colver
To ask the Prime Minister during which years Mr. Hugh Colver was employed by Her Majesty's Government in (a) the Ministry of Defence, (b) other Departments and (c) No. 10 Downing street.
Mr. Hugh Colver was employed as an information officer in the Ministry of Defence from December 1975 to July 1981 and again from September 1985 to June 1987 as deputy chief of public relations and from then until July 1992 as chief information officer. He was a press officer at: No. 10 from July 1981 to July 1982; at the Department of Education from July 1982 to January 1984; and at the Metropolitan police from January 1984 to September 1985. He is no longer employed by a Government Department.
Card Systems
To ask the Prime Minister if he will consider setting up a committee to consider the developing technology of card systems, and the potential demand for such systems from Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science today.
Scott Inquiry
To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers and former Ministers have given evidence to the Scott inquiry.
Ministers and former Ministers who the Government are aware have given evidence to Sir Richard Scott's inquiry are:
Ministers who have given written and oral evidence:
- In addition to myself,
- The Right hon. Kenneth Clarke QC
- The Right hon. Michael Heseltine RD
- The Right hon. Douglas Hurd CH
- The Right hon. Peter Lilley
- The Right hon. Sir Nicholas Lyell QC
- The Right hon. Sir Patrick Mayhew QC
- The Right hon. Malcolm Rifkind QC
- The Right hon. the hon. William Waldergrave
Former Ministers who have given written and oral evidence:
- The Right hon. Kenneth Baker CH
- The Right hon. Sir Adam Butler
- The Right hon. Paul Channon
- The Right hon. Alan Clark
- The Right hon. Tristan Garel-Jones
- The Right hon. The Lord Howe QC
- The Right hon. Sir Richard Luce
- The Right hon. David Mellor QC
- The Right hon. Timothy Renton
- The Right hon. The Baroness Thatcher OM FRS
- The Right hon. Lord Trefgarne
Ministers who have given written evidence only:
- The Right hon. Jonathan Aitken
- The Right hon. Douglas Hogg QC
Former Ministers who have given written evidence only:
- The Lord Glenarthur
- The Right hon. the hon. Sir Archie Hamilton
- Neil Hamilton
- The Right hon. the hon. Sir Timothy Sainsbury
Science Promotion
To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken since 1993 to promote science and its applications.
In May 1993, we published the White Paper "Realising our Potential"—Cm 2550—which sets out the Government's policy for science, engineering and technology. It announced a number of new initiatives such as technology foresight and the restructuring of the research councils to carry forward the Governments strategy. That strategy is to improve the nation's competitiveness and quality of life by maintaining the excellence of science, engineering and technology in the United Kingdom.In a speech to the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee in February 1994, I underlined the importance of the White Paper and my commitment to the policy it sets out.The White Paper recognised the important benefits of international collaboration. In September I visited South Africa and met President Mandela. I exchanged letters of intent with him, committing the United Kingdom and South Africa to continuing discussions with a view to concluding in due course a bilateral science, engineering and technology agreement.In September I also met members of the Council for Science and Technology which the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster chairs on my behalf. We discussed the vital contribution of science, engineering and technology to the nation's prosperity and quality of life. I emphasised our determination to create a culture of partnership, where excellence in science and the development of new applications go hand in hand.
Women Workers
To ask the Prime Minister what practical measures he has introduced to help (a) employers in the private sector and (b) employers in the public sector to increase the quality and quantity of women's participation in the work force, since the launch of Opportunity 2000 in 1991.
I have been asked to reply.Opportunity 2000 is an employer-led campaign which the Government have supported since its launch in 1991.The Employment Department helps private and public sector employers increase the quality and quantity of women's employment by promoting a competitive, efficient and flexible labour market. Details of the ED's initiatives introduced since the launch of Opportunity 2000 are contained in the ED's annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library, and include, the out-of-school child care grant, new horizons for women, and fair play for women.
Treasury
Corporate Assets (Individual Investments)
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the proportion of corporate assets which represent investments financed by individual investment through unit trusts life, endowment insurance and pension contributions.
It is not possible to attribute particular corporate assets to particular sources of funds. However, it can be estimated that about 45 per cent. of company securities are financed by personal sector investments in unit and life assurance and pension funds.
| 1989–90 | 1990–91 | 1991–92 | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | |
| Cabinet Office—OPSS | ||||||
| "Red Book" | 892 | 977 | 1,044 | 1,108 | 1,241 | 1,320 |
| at 1993 prices | 1,097 | 1,113 | 1,119 | 1,142 | 1,241 | 1,294 |
| Real increases | 1 | 16 | 6 | 23 | 99 | 53 |
| Cabinet Office—other, etc. | ||||||
| "Red Book" | 274 | 313 | 363 | 1,123 | 1,233 | 1,200 |
| at 1993 prices | 337 | 357 | 389 | 1,157 | 1,233 | 1,176 |
| Real increases | 1 | 20 | 32 | 768 | 76 | -57 |
| Direct funding at 1993 prices | ||||||
| House of Commons | 96 | 98 | 105 | 156 | 163 | 175 |
| House of Lords | 18 | 19 | 20 | 33 | 33 | 41 |
Mortgage Tax Relief
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost of mortgage tax relief in Scotland in each year since 1982–83; what is the estimated cost for 1994–95 and 1995–96; and what would have been the costs in 1994–95 and 1995–96 if relief had been available at 25 per cent. for both years.
[holding answer 16 January 1995]: Estimates for the years in question are given in the table.
This estimate is based on information which can be found in tables 5.2D and 9.1E, G, H, I and J of the January edition of "Financial Statistics".
International Monetary Fund
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current policy towards Russia within the IMF.
Discussions are continuing on an IMF standby agreement linked to a strong programme of economic reform. I look forward to a successful outcome.
Government Spending
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the (a) actual and (b) budgeted Cabinet Office and other spending, as classified in the 1995–96 Red Book, in each year from 1979 to 1994, at 1993 prices; what were the reasons for any material increase in real expenditures in this area; and what was the estimated annual actual expenditure on (a) direct funding to the Cabinet Office, (b) direct funding to the House of Commons and (c) direct funding of the House of Lords for each year from 1979 to 1994 at 1993 prices.
I have been asked to reply.It is not possible to provide budget figures on the same basis as the actuals which are shown in the 1995–96 Red Book. Expenditure by the Cabinet Office and other spending as classified in the 1995–96 Red Book were as follows:
| Cost of mortgage interest relief in Scotland | |
| £ million | |
| 1982–83 | 140 |
| 1983–84 | 190 |
| 1984–85 | 260 |
| 1985–86 | 350 |
| 1986–87 | 300 |
| 1987–88 | 310 |
| 1988–89 | 370 |
| 1989–90 | 470 |
Cost of mortgage interest relief in Scotland
| |
£ million
| |
| 1990–91 | 530 |
| 1991–92 | 420 |
| 1992–93 | 340 |
| 1993–94 | 280 |
| 1994–951 | 2300 |
| 1995–961 | 3240 |
1Assumes, by convention, no changes from current interest rates. | |
2Relief at 20 per cent. | |
3Relief at 15 per cent. | |
The estimates for 1994–95 and 1995–96 are approximate and are based on the regional distribution of mortgages shown by the 1993 family expenditure survey applied to the United Kingdom total estimates for these years.
The corresponding costs in 1994–95 and 1995–96 for relief at 25 per cent. are estimated to be £380 million and £410 million respectively.
Trade And Industry
Departmental Expenditure
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the total departmental expenditures and planned expenditure on trade and industry by his Department and its predecessors for each year from 1979 to 1998 in 1993 prices; showing also expenditures on research and development and expenditure data for industrial support.
Total expenditure figures in cash terms for the DTI and its predecessors from 1979–80 are available as follows:
"The Government's Expenditure Plans", published in January of each year by Her Majesty's Treasury for the period to 1990–91:
Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Energy Departmental Reports, published in February/March of each year, for the period from 1991–92 to 1992–93:
Figures for 1993–94 and forward year plans to 1997–98 will be included in the next edition of the Department of Trade and Industry's departmental report, due to be published in late February or early March this year.These publications also include details of spending on industrial support. Details of spending on research and development, also in cash terms, are provided in the "Annual Review of Government-funded R and D" published each year from 1983 to 1992 and subsequently replaced by the annual "Forward Look of Government-funded Science, Engineering and Technology". Plans for 1997–98 are not yet available, but will be included in the 1995 edition, due to be published in early summer 1995.The cash terms figures may be adjusted to reflect 1993–94 prices by means of the GDP deflators which are shown in table 6A.1 on page 131 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995–96". Copies of documents referred to above which have already been published are available in the Library of the House. The remainder will be placed in the Library upon publication.Department of Trade and Industry Departmental Reports published from 1993–94 onwards which reflect the merger in 1992 with the former Department of Energy.
Iraq (Sanctions)
To ask the President of the Board of Trade which countries were listed as likely diversionary routes for the avoidance of sanctions against Iraq in the letter from his Department to various British exporting companies dated September 1990; and why those countries were selected for mention.
The letter sent to a large number of British companies in September 1990 concerning UN sanctions against Iraq did not include a list of countries.
Training Courses
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.
The information in respect of civil servants in my Department and its agencies for the calendar year 1994 is as follows:
| Description and cost | |
| Title | Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme |
| Objectives | To help senior managers to develop their strategic leadership skills. Allowing them to apply these skills in the workplace. |
| Organisation | Templeton college, Oxford |
| Total cost | £10,575 |
| Number of attendees | 2 |
| Responsibilities of attendees | Senior Managers in the Government Office for the South East |
| Evaluation | Verbal feedback and written course appraisal from trainees on specific forms. Follow-up forms sent to trainees and line managers eight weeks after the course to assess how effective it had been. |
Biological And Chemical Weapons
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West, (Mr. Flynn) Official Report, 20 December 1994, column 1045, on the import of biological and chemical warfare weapons materials and their precursors, what are the reasons for the unavailability of the information requested.
The United Kingdom classification of commodities for overseas trade is based on the harmonised commodity description and coding system, an internationally agreed system of classification which incorporates the headings of the combined nomenclature of the European Communities. This classification does not specifically identify the materials in question. As a consequence, the official trade statistics of the United Kingdom cannot distinguish between the materials in question and related commodities. An analysis of import licences issued by this Department would not provide the required information because it is unlikely that an individual import licence would be required for many of the commodities concerned.
Nuclear Materials Trafficking
To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer of 20 December to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central, (Mr. Cousins) Official Report, columns 1043–44, what additional funds Her Majesty's Government have offered the International Atomic Energy Agency to meet its intensified activities to combat nuclear materials trafficking.
As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 20 December 1994, Official Report, columns 1043–44, the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency will resume its discussions on the director general's report on illicit trafficking at its meeting in March. Any detailed consideration of funding issues would be premature in advance of this meeting, which will establish the nature of IAEA involvement.
Departmental Employees
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many employees for which his Department is responsible were women (a) in 1991, (b) in 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994; and, of these, how many were (i) at grade 7 level, (ii) at grade 3 level, (iii) at executive officer level, (iv) at administrative officer level and (v) at administrative assistant level.
| Appointment | |||
| Commenced | Ended | ||
| R.J. Dent Esq. | Baring Brothers | 1 August 1980 | 1985 |
| J.N. Scott Esq. | The General Electric Co. | 1 August 1980 | 1986 |
| Sir Jeffrey Benson | National Westminster Bank | 1 September 1981 | 1987 |
| W.J.A. Dacombe Esq. | Rea Brothers plc | 1 August 1982 | 1986 |
| M.D. McWilliam Esq. | Standard Chartered Bank | 1 August 1982 | 1987 |
| W. Hogbin Esq. CBE | Taylor Woodrow International Ltd | 1 August 1983 | 1988 |
| W.G. Barrett Esq. | Midland Bank | 1 August 1983 | 1986 |
| R.H. George Esq. CB | Celluware Group | 1 June 1984 | 1991 |
| E.L. Brooks Esq | Rothmans International plc | 1 November 1984 | 1991 |
| P.W. Bulfield Esq | J. Henry Schroder Wagg and Co. | 1 October 1985 | 1988 |
| T.W.B. Sallitt Esq. CBE | Hawker Siddeley Group | 1 April 1986 | 1990 |
| Sir Peter Leslie | Barclays Bank plc | 1 September 1986 | 1992 |
| A.G. Gormly Esq. CBE | Trafalgar House plc | 1 February 1988 | 1994 |
| Hon. D. Douglas-Home CBE | Morgan Grenfell and Co. | 1 March 1988 | 1993 |
| S.M.F. Harris Esq. | Guardian Royal Exchange | 1 March 1988 | 1991 |
| Prof. K. Scholes | Sheffield Business School | 1 April 1988 | 1991 |
| D.G. Eustace Esq. | British Aerospace plc | 1 August 1988 | 1992 |
| F.M.P. Riding Esq. | Lloyds Bank plc | 1 August 1988 | 1991 |
| R.T. Fox Esq. CBE | Kleinwort Benson Group | 1 July 1991 | — |
| Sir Derek Thomas KCMG | N M Rothschild and Son Ltd. | 1 October 1991 | — |
| C. Smallwood Esq. | TSB Group plc | 1 October 1991 | 1994 |
| Sir Robert Davidson | Balfour Beatty Ltd. | 1 October 1991 | — |
| Viscount Weir | The Weir Group plc | 1 November 1991 | — |
The information requested is set out in the following table:
| Headcount of women in the Department of Trade and Industry by grade level at 1 April 1991–1994 | ||||
| Grade level | 19911 | 19921 | 1993 | 1994 |
| G3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| G7 | 117 | 129 | 162 | 176 |
| EO | 1,061 | 1,067 | 1,113 | 1,054 |
| AO | 1,964 | 1,944 | 2,020 | 1,886 |
| AA | 1,815 | 1,756 | 1,636 | 1,395 |
| Total number of women employed in Department | 5,617 | 5,592 | 5,700 | 5,309 |
| 1The Department of Energy joined DTI in 1992. The figures for 1991 and 1992 therefore exclude former Department of Energy staff. | ||||
Grenade Launcher Exports
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of grenade launcher exports in each of the last five years.
The published information is not sufficiently detailed to identify the value of exports of specific weapons. The information available for harmonised system commodity code 9301 0000—"military weapons (other than revolvers, pistols, swords, cutlasses, bayonets, lances, etc.)"—is published in Central Statistical Office business monitors MM20 and MQ20, "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all of the members of the Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee, with their corporate or other affiliation for each year since 1985.
The information requested is as follows:
| Appointment | |||
| Commenced | Ended | ||
| J.W. Melbourn Esq. | National Westminster Bank | 1 November 1991 | — |
| G.W. Lynch Esq. | Hiscox Syndicates Ltd. | 1 July 1993 | — |
| B.P. Dewe Mathews Esq. | J. Henry Schroder Wagg and Co. | 1 July 1993 | — |
| T.M. Evans Esq. CBE | Foster Wheeler Ltd. | 1 August 1993 | — |
| Sir Frank Lampl | Bovis Construction Group | 1 August 1993 | — |
| D.B. Newlands Esq | The General Electric Co. | 1 August 1993 | — |
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what remuneration the members of the Export Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee receive.
Members of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council receive no remuneration for their services.
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what selection criteria there are governing appointments to the Exports Credits Guarantee Advisory Committee.
Members of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council are appointed by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and are drawn from senior levels of the banking, commercial and industrial sectors. Members are chosen for their expertise in their particular field and their experience of export credit business.
Land Mines
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the occasions when the Export Credits Guarantee Department has advanced credits to cover the export of land mines over the last five years.
None.
Gas Market (Competition)
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for consultation on the choice of areas for the extension of competition in the gas market which he has proposed would be introduced from 1996 to 1998.
I have today published a consultation document jointly with the Director General of Gas Supply, Clare Spottiswoode, on the choice of the initial areas for the phased extension of competition into the gas market between 1996 and 1998.Subject to enactment of the proposed Bill by Parliament, we propose a first phase starting in April 1996 which would introduce competitive gas supply to a geographic area of Great Britain containing up to 500,000 premises which consume less than 2,500 therms of gas a year. A second phase starting from a date in 1997 would extend competition to an area or areas containing a total of 2 million such premises. Finally, from a date in 1998, it is intended that the entire gas market in Great Britain, some 18 million premises, should be open to competitive supply.We intend to announce the prospective areas chosen as soon as possible, so that, subject to parliamentary consideration of the Bill, all may plan accordingly. Once we have considered the responses to the document, my aim is to make an announcement early in March.
The initial phases are important steps in the proposed move to full competition at the national level in 1998. They will provide an opportunity to ensure the satisfactory operation of the new management and computer systems necessary to ensure the accurate measurement, balancing and allocation of gas. Systems will also be needed to ensure the orderly handover of responsibility where a consumer decides to change supplier. The phased introduction of competition will allow those responsible for these systems time to ensure their fully satisfactory operation.
It will be convenient if the area chosen is geographically well delineated and coincides with existing administrative boundaries and clearly demarcated part of the gas pipeline network. We should like the area chosen to contain examples of the full cross section of types of premises and customer and include both urban and rural environments. The area chosen should provide a good test of the arrangements for measuring gas and so on, and handling changes of customer.
Subject to these other factors, we consider it would also be reasonable, in choosing the initial area to benefit from competition, to take into account the pattern of regional transportation charge differentials which were introduced in October 1994. The independent suppliers have said that they expect to offer average savings of some 10 per cent. on current BG prices. Within that pattern, they may—or may not—choose to pass on the differential transportation charges, which amount to around plus/minus 2 per cent. of final prices. I have noted in this context the recommendation of the Trade and Industry Select Committee that
"areas likely to be disadvantaged by cost reflective charges should be included amongst those selected".
In the consultation document, we are seeking views on the choice of the initial area in 1996. We are also seeking views as to whether the area for the second phase in 1997 should be:
There may be some technical arguments in favour of the first alternative. On the other hand, the second alternative would enable more than one area to gain experience of competition.
In order to gain as much information as possible from the initial phases of competition, the Director General of Gas Supply may invite consumers and appropriate representative groups and persons to supply information to help her monitor the development of competition. It will therefore be helpful if representative organisations in the area concerned are prepared to assist in this process. Parliament will have an opportunity to debate the issues related to the initial phases of competition during the passage of the forthcoming Gas Bill.
The consultation document has been sent to all local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales as well as to all Members of Parliament, consumer groups and the gas industry. Copies have also been placed in the Printed Paper Office in the House of Lords. The deadline for responses is 24 February.
Further copies of the document can be obtained from the Library of the Office of Gas Supply, 16 Palace street, London SW1E 5JD, telephone 0171 932 1602/3/4.
British Coal
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the land and property in the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency which currently remains in the ownership of British Coal Property.
| ECGD experience on defence business—(£ million) for specific markets requested | ||||||||||||||
| 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89 | 1989–91 | 1990–91 | 1991–92 | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | |
| Bahrain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brunei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Egypt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 111 | 70 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| India | 0 | 7 | 0 | 219 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indonesia | 0 | 54 | 24 | 0 | 109 | 83 | 51 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 442 | 6 |
| Jordan | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 202 | 91 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Kenya | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kuwait | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 580 |
| Malaysia | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 187 | 272 | 377 | 19 |
| Nigeria | 0 | 39 | 278 | 3 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oman | 305 | 62 | 61 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 350 | 0 | 44 | 344 |
| Pakistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Philippines | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Qatar | 0 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 129 | 218 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 450 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 225 | 750 |
| Sri Lanka | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thailand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Turkey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 8 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| UAE | 0 | 0 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 188 | 0 | 0 | 356 | 0 |
| ECGD total capital goods and project business experience—(£ million) for specific markets requested | ||||||||||||||
| 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89 | 1989–90 | 1990–91 | 1991–92 | 1992–93 | 1991–94 | |
| Bahrain | 17 | 64 | 4 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 32 |
| Brunei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Egypt | 25 | 58 | 77 | 41 | 157 | 35 | 202 | 118 | 5 | 111 | 21 | 59 | 12 | 0 |
| India | 52 | 42 | 627 | 224 | 75 | 36 | 86 | 83 | 5 | 80 | 70 | 13 | 102 | 209 |
| Indonesia | 9 | 150 | 566 | 301 | 249 | 140 | 73 | 48 | 67 | 52 | 150 | 124 | 450 | 100 |
| Jordan | 188 | 42 | 1 | 26 | 18 | 0 | 240 | 103 | 152 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Kenya | 5 | 4 | 48 | 14 | 126 | 3 | 50 | 23 | 45 | 1 | 128 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kuwait | 0 | 18 | 12 | 73 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 614 |
| Malaysia | 0 | 43 | 32 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 226 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 256 | 697 | 377 | 19 |
| Nigeria | 272 | 246 | 1,041 | 471 | 121 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oman | 305 | 66 | 415 | 306 | 41 | 77 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 350 | 0 | 45 | 413 |
| Pakistan | 16 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 37 | 12 |
| Philippines | 37 | 52 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 29 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Qatar | 0 | 85 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 129 | 218 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0 | 19 | 58 | 12 | 27 | 52 | 0 | 15 | 450 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 225 | 751 |
| Sri Lanka | 0 | 12 | 39 | 32 | 54 | 0 | 80 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 63 | 0 |
| Thailand | 4 | 34 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 6 |
| Turkey | 16 | 4 | 0 | 75 | 8 | 165 | 38 | 49 | 125 | 55 | 51 | 175 | 130 | 112 |
| UAE | 0 | 0 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 188 | 0 | 0 | 356 | 0 |
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the average political risk premium for Export Credits Guarantee Department cover for exports to Saudi Arabia for each six-month period since January 1991.
[holding answer 19 January 1995]: The land and property owned by British Coal are matters for the corporation and I will draw the hon. Member's interest to the attention of the chairman.
Export Credits
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what value of export credits for capital goods and projects were advanced (i) in total and (ii) in respect of defence exports for each year since 1980 and for (a) Pakistan, (b) India, (c) Nigeria, (d) Indonesia, (e) Jordan, (f) Kenya, (g) Sri Lanka, (h) the Philippines, (i) Saudi Arabia, (j) Malaysia, (k) Turkey, (i) Qatar, (m) Thailand, (n) Kuwait, (o) the United Arab Emirates, (p) Bharain, (q) Oman, (r) Brunei and (s) Egypt.
[holding answer 20 January 1995]: The values requested are set out in the following tables:
[holding answer 20 January 1995]: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, the ECGD does not make public premium rates for individual countries.
Railway Station, Stratford
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions in the last six months civil servants in his Department met persons representative of interests in Stratford, London, to discuss matters relating to proposals for a new Stratford station.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: There have been no meetings between civil servants in this Department and persons representative of interests in Stratford in the last six months, although officials here have been kept well apprised of Stratford's interests in the proposals for a new station.
To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions and on what date he, Ministers or former Ministers in his Department met persons in Stratford, London, to discuss matters relating to the implications of a new railway station at Stratford.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: On 13 January 1994, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Sir T. Sainsbury) when Minister for Trade, met the Stratford promoters group; and on 28 April 1994 I visited Stratford and was briefed by local representatives on the implications of a new railway station.
Sunday Trading
To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if the Sunday Fairs Act 1448 (27 Hen VI c 5) is in force; and if he will make a statement;(2) if the Statute of Northampton 1328 (2 Edward III c 15) is in force; and if he will make a statement;(3) if the Statute (1331) 5 Edward III (5 Edward III c 5) is in force; and if he will make a statement;
| The proportion of pensioners with income from occupational pensions with the mean and median amounts for those in receipt | |||
| Percentage with occupational pension | Mean amount (£ per week) | Median amount (£ per week) | |
| All pensioners | 60 | 71.70 | 37.80 |
| Single male pensioners under 75 | 55 | 67.90 | 31.20 |
| Single female pensioners under 75 | 60 | 52.90 | 31.60 |
| Single pensioners under 75 | 59 | 53.90 | 31.50 |
| Pensioner couples under 75 | 73 | 97.10 | 54.80 |
| Single male pensioners aged 75 and over | 51 | 56.50 | 23.50 |
| Single female pensioners aged 75 and over | 47 | 50.10 | 24.30 |
| Single pensioners aged 75 and over | 48 | 51.70 | 24.10 |
| Pensioner couples aged 75 and over | 68 | 78.20 | 41.50 |
Notes:
1. Percentages are rounded to the nearest 1 per cent., amounts rounded to the nearest 10p.
2. Estimates are drawn from the 1992 family expenditure survey and the GAD 1991 occupational pension schemes survey, at July 1992 prices.
3. Single pensioners are defined as those over state pension age, couples are those where the husband is over state pension age.
4. Couples aged under 75 are defined by the age of the husband.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples who have total gross weekly incomes of £0 to £50, £51 to £100, £101 to £150, £151 to £200, £201 to £250, £251 to £300, £301 to £350, £351 to £400, £401 to £450, £451 to £500 and £500 and above.
The available information is in the table. Owing to difficulties with sample sizes, it has been (4) if the Sale of Horses Act 1555 (2 and 3 Phil and Mar c 7) and the Sale of Horses Act 1588 (31 Eliz I c 12) are still in force; and if he will make a statement;(5) if the Fairs Act 1871 (34 and 35 Vict c 78) and the Fairs Act 1873 (36 and 37 Vict c 37) are still in force; and if he will make a statement.
I have been asked to reply.With the exception of the Fairs Act of 1871 and 1873, all of the statutes mentioned have been repealed. The Fairs Acts of 1871 and 1873 empower my right hon. and learned Friend to make an order either abolishing certain types of fair or changing the day or days on which such fairs are held.
Social Security
Pensioner Incomes
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the proportion of pensioners receiving income from an occupational pension identified as (a) all pensioners, (b) single male pensioners aged under 75 years, (c) single female pensioners aged under 75 years, (d) single pensioners aged under 75 years, (e) pensioner couples aged under 75 years, (f) single male pensioners aged 75 years and over, (g) single female pensioners aged 75 years and over, (h) single pensioners aged 75 years and over and (i) pensioner couples where at least one partner is aged 75 years and over; and if he will provide figures for the mean and the median amount received for the latest year in which figures are available.
The information is in the table.necessary to amalgamate some income bands in order to provide reliable estimates.
| Weekly gross income distribution— pensioner units 1992 pensioners couples | |||||
| Up to £150 | Up to £200 | Up to £250 | Up to £350 | Over £350 | |
| Number (000s) | 900 | 600 | 300 | 400 | 400 |
| Percentage | 36 | 22 | 12 | 16 | 14 |
Single pensioners
| ||||
Up to £100
| Up to £150
| Up to £250
| Over £250
| |
| Numbers (000s) | 2,700 | 900 | 500 | 400 |
| Percentage | 60 | 21 | 11 | 8 |
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred thousand. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole per cent. and may not sum to 100.
2. Estimates are drawn from the 1992 family expenditure survey.
3. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age and couples in which the husband is over state pension age.
Bronchitis And Emphysema
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants for benefit under the chronic bronchitis and emphysema regulations were turned down because the X-ray did not show category 1 pneumoconiosis; and of these in how many a post mortem examination revealed evidence of pneumoconiosis.
By 30 November 1994, 14,600 out of 44,594 claims for benefit had been disallowed because an X-ray did not show at least category 1 pneumoconiosis. The information requested in respect of post mortem examinations is not available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants for benefit under the chronic bronchitis and emphysema regulations had to obtain fresh X-rays because of over-exposure of previous X-rays.
Any necessary X-rays are obtained by the Benefits Agency. Information on the number of any new X-rays required because of over-exposure of previous X-rays is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants for benefit under the chronic bronchitis and emphysema regulations received new X-rays before examination.
The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Family Incomes
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average net incomes before and after housing costs, after tax and benefits of (a) a lone mother of two children working 20 hours per week paying an average council rent and (b) a married man with two children and a dependent non-working wife working 40 hours per week paying an average council rent; and if he will give details of the calculation of each benefit to which they may be entitled on the basis of hourly pay rates of (i) £3.50, (ii) £4 and (iii) £5.
The information requested can be found in the Government Statistical Service publications "Tax Benefit Model Tables, April 1994" published on 21 July 1994, and "Additional Tax Benefit Model Tables, October 1994", published on 20 October 1994. Copies of both publications are in the Library.
Benefits
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide figures for his Department's expenditure on income support, attendance allowance and disability living allowance for claimants with preserved rights between 31 March 1993 and 31 March 1994.
Estimated quarterly expenditure on claimants who were receiving either income supply only or income support and attendance allowance/disability living allowance is as follows:
| £ million | |
| May 1993 | 736 |
| August 1993 | 696 |
| November 1993 | 653 |
| February 1994 | 612 |
Source:
Income support quarterly inquiries.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people had preserved rights to the higher level of income support between 31 March 1993 and 31 March 1994.
Information on income support for people in residential care and nursing homes is contained in the quarterly statistical inquiry based on sample data. The number with preserved rights are:
| Number | |
| May 1993 | 284,000 |
| August 1993 | 267,000 |
| November 1993 | 249,000 |
| February 1994 | 233,000 |
Source:
Income support quarterly inquiries.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent by his Department on income support and attendance allowance or disability living allowance for new claimants in independent care homes since 31 March 1993.
Information is not available in the form requested. Estimated total expenditure on claimants who were receiving either income support only or income support and attendance allowance/disability living allowance for the 12 months from May 1993 is £73 million.Separate data are not collected on attendance allowance or disability living allowance for people in residential care and nursing homes who are not also in receipt of income support.
Source:
Income support quarterly inquiries
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claiming residential allowance were placed in (a) residential care homes and (b) nursing homes during each month from April 1993 to March 1994.
Information is not available in the form requested. The total numbers in receipt of residential allowance based on sample data are:
| Number | |
| May 1993 | 2,000 |
| August 1993 | 17,000 |
| November 1993 | 30,000 |
| February 1994 | 44,000 |
Source:
Income support quarterly inquiries.
Information is not available split between residential care and nursing homes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of residential allowance were in independent residences or nursing homes on 31 March 1993.
| Table 1: Disability living allowance claims and awards | |||
| March-October 1993 | November 1993-March 1994 | April-October 1994 | |
| Claims received | 298,000 | 174,000 | 294,000 |
| Awards made | 155,000 | 84,000 | 136,000 |
Source:
100 per cent. Count.
Table 2: First awards of disability living allowance by type of disability
| |||
March-November 1993
| December 1993-February 1994
| March-November 1994
| |
| Physical | 162,000 | 48,000 | 171,000 |
| Mental | 32,000 | 9,000 | 32,000 |
Source:
5 per cent sample.
Analytical services division.
Notes:
Incapacity Benefit
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount of benefit is payable to a recipient with no children at school and a wife under 60 years under the new incapacity benefit scheme.
The basic rate of incapacity benefit will be payable where there is no entitlement to a child dependency increase, or the person cannot be treated as entitled, and the spouse is under age 60.For the first 28 weeks of sickness the basic rate is £44.40, from week 29 to week 52 it is £52.50, and from week 53 it is £58.85.People with a terminal illness, or who are receiving the highest rate of the care component of disability living allowance, will be able to get the long-term rate of £58.85 from week 29.An age addition may be payable at one or two rates depending on the age of the person when his incapacity for work began. If his incapacity began before age 35, the age addition is £12.40. Where the incapacity began when aged 35 to 44, the age addition is £6.20. No age addition
Residential allowance was introduced on 1 April 1993. Most people who were in residential care and nursing homes on 31 March 1993 have preserved rights to the higher levels of income support and would not be entitled to residential allowance. Information is not available for those who subsequently claimed residential allowance because they do not have preserved rights to the higher levels of income support.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for disability living allowance were (a) received and (b) approved between (i) March to October 1993, (ii) November 1993 to March 1994 and (iii) April 1994 to October 1994; and how many in each case were from people whose principal disability was (1) physical and (2) mental illness.
The information is not available in the format requested. The information available is in the tables.is payable if the person is aged 45 or over when the incapacity began.
Note:
The rates given are subject to parliamentary approval.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to uprate annually all benefits that claimants of the incapacity benefit may be entitled to; and if he will make a statement.
Section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State to review annually the rates of incapacity benefit.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the difference in the payments made to claimants under the invalidity benefit and the new incapacity benefits scheme for a person aged 30, 40 or 50 years where there is (a) and adult dependant under 60 years and (b) a dependant over 60 years.
The information is in the table. Some further assumptions have been made to support the examples, as explained in the notes.
Age 30 £
| Age 40 £
| Age 50 £
| |
| Invalidity benefit | 106.50 | 101.90 | 98.00 |
| Long-term incapacity benefit | |||
| Spouse under 60 | 71.25 | 65.05 | 58.85 |
| Spouse 60 + | 106.50 | 100.30 | 94.10 |
Notes:
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Training Courses
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.
The information in respect of both the diplomatic and aid wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is given in a list of six pages that is being deposited in the House Library. My agencies bought no training with a total cost in excess of £5,000.
French Foreign Policy
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the French Government in regard to the proliferation consequences of the sale of nuclear technology by France to the People's Republic of China.
We are not aware of any sales of nuclear technology by France to China which could contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Council Of Europe
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will support the formal adoption of recommendation 1235 (1994) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe relating to psychiatry and human rights by the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe; and if he will make a statement.
The United Kingdom and the other member states of the Council of Europe are studying recommendation 1235 of the Parliamentary Assembly. We will decide in due course whether we are able to support its adoption by the Committee of Ministers.
Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Russian Federation over the potential proliferation consequences of the decision of the Russian Government to rebuild the damaged nuclear power plant at Bushehr in Iran.
We have expressed our concern to the Russians that their decision to rebuild the damaged nuclear power station at Bushehr could have proliferation consequences.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what stipulations were set by the non-nuclear weapon state members of the European Union upon France, as President-in-office of the EU, in representing EU political opinion at the final preparatory committee meeting of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference in New York on 23 to 27 January.
France, as current President of the EU, has been co-ordinating an EU statement on NPT extension for use at the NPT extension conference's fourth preparatory committee on 23 to 27 January. As with other intergovernmental exchanges of this kind, comments on EU draft statements are circulated in confidence. The final text will have to be acceptable to all EU member states.
Harjit Singh
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he has made to the Indian Government regarding the case of Harjit Singh.
We have raised the case of Harjit Singh with the Indian Government on several occasions. We understand that a case of habeas corpus brought by Harjit Singh's father is still before the courts, although the proceedings are moving very slowly.
Departmental Employees
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees for which his Department is responsible were women (a) in 1991, (b) in 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994; and, of these, how many were (i) at grade 7 level, (ii) at grade 3 level, (iii) at executive officer level, (iv) at administrative officer level and (v) at administrative assistant level.
The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | |
| Total Women | 3,048 (98 PAT) | 3,061 (115 P/T) | 3,081 (154 P/T) | 3,029 (152 P/T) |
| Grade 3 level | Figures not available | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Grade 7 level | Figures not available | 113 (2 P/T) | 127 (7 P/T) | 135 (11 P/T) |
| Executive Officer level | Figures not available | 791 (14 P/T) | 772 (30 P/T) | 794 (37 P/T) |
| Administrative Officer level | Figures not available | 1,302 (28 P/T) | 1,293 (53 P/T) | 1,245 (53 P/T) |
| Administrative Assistant level | Figures not available | 218 | 207 (20 P/T) | 172 (6 P/T) |
Notes:
Trident
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding his Department's assessment of the perception of overseas Governments of the recent deployment by Britain of the Trident nuclear system.
Our NATO allies fully accept the United Kingdom's deployment of Trident as part of our and NATO's strategy of war prevention. It is not for us to comment on the perceptions of others.
Pakistan
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Pakistan's anti-narcotics legislation, with particular reference to the law providing for the death sentence and forfeiture of property for those involved in drug trafficking.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 20 January, Official Report, column 746.
Peace Talks, Nairobi
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Government of Sudan that it should recognise and co-operate with the UN observer of the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development peace talks in Nairobi.
It is for the IGADD states to decide whether they want the appointment of a UN observer to the peace process. Discussions between them and the Sudanese Government are continuing.
Croatia
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Croatia in respect of Krajina and the future deployment of UNPROFOR in the region; and if he will make a statement.
I discussed the Croatian Government's position on the extension of UNPROFOR's mandate with Mr. Sanader, the Croatian deputy Foreign Minister, on 11 January. I made clear our deep concern and regret over this development, which puts at risk the prospect of finding a peaceful solution to the problems in the United Nations protected areas in Croatia. Along with our EU partners, we have called upon the Croatian Government to reconsider their decision.
Drug Liaison Officers
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the contribution drug liaison officers on attachment to British diplomatic posts overseas make to his Department's efforts to develop international co-operation against the illicit drug trade.
British drug liaison officers, who are attached to diplomatic posts in a number of countries, play an important role in developing international co-operation in the fight against the global menace of the illicit drug trade. They are fully integrated into the work of the posts concerned, and carry out their duties in close co-operation with local law enforcement agencies.In their work, these officers fully observe Home Office guidelines. These state that no police officer or public informant should counsel, incite or procure the commission of a crime and make it clear that an informant should be instructed that he must not act as agent provocateur.
Foreign Affairs Council
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Councils in November and December 1994.
I attended the Foreign Affairs Councils in November and December.The Council of 28 to 29 November covered the following subjects:
On the White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment, Mr. Delors introduced the main themes for the Essen European Council. He said that there would be two discussions, one focusing
on White Paper themes generally, and the second on employment questions.
Ministers agreed to release a first tranche of 15 mecu of the 35 mecu of EU macro-financial assistance to Albania. The release of the second tranche, 20 mecu, will depend on a favourable Commission report on progress in economic and political reform in Albania and a subsequent Council decision.
Foreign Ministers held discussions with Mr. Perez and Mr. Arafat and issued a statement which reaffirmed their determination to continue their support for the middle east peace process, both politically and economically.
Ministers reviewed preparations for the CSCE summit in Budapest—5 to 6 December.
The Commission introduced a support package of some 200 to 300 mecu for Northern Ireland.
The Council agreed to put forward for consideration at Essen the interim report of the Consultative Commission on Racism and Xenophoria.
Ministers discussed preparations for the interim conference on the EU's stability pact initiative to be held in the margins of the CSCE summit in Budapest.
A partnership and co-operation agreement between the EU and Moldova was signed on 28 November.
The Council approved a negotiating mandate for Europe agreements with Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Ministers discussed the presidency's draft pre-accession strategy for the associated countries of central and eastern Europe. The text was agreed, apart from a passage on cumulation of rules of origin.
The Council discussed the Commission's communication on a strategy for strengthening the EU's political and economic links with the Mediterranean countries, in preparation for a further discussion at the Essen European Council.
Ministers reviewed prospects for the Association Council with Turkey on 19 December. The presidency underlined the importance of concluding negotiations on customs union at the Council.
The presidency reported on progress in the negotiations with Israel, Morocco and Tunisia. The agreement with Israel was close to conclusions, but the agreements with Morocco and Tunisia were delayed by unresolved questions on access for agricultural products to EU markets.
The Council approved a draft report, to be issued by the Essen European Council, on measures to tackle illicit trade in nuclear materials.
Ministers discussed a Commission proposal to provide balance of payments assistance to Ukraine.
The Council discussed the EU position for the ministerial conference on the mid-term review of the Lome convention, to be held in Brussels on 30 November and 1 December. Agreement was reached on a package of measures to be put to the ACP countries on the programming of aid.
The Council discussed progress in implementing the Uruguay round agreements. It reaffirmed the determination of the Community and the member states to ratify the agreements before I January 1995.
Discussion of the Commission proposal for the Council to approve the OECD agreement on shipbuilding subsidies was postponed until 19 December.
On Rwanda, the Council called for the UN to give high priority to actions to stabilise the region. Ministers supported a regional refugee conference, and endorsed an immediate rehabilitation programme to the value of 67 mecu, agreed by the development council.
In a brief discussion of trade and the environment, the Commission confirmed it was preparing a Green Paper on the subject, and expected this to issue next year.
On relations with the European Parliament the Council noted progress on comitology and temporary committees of inquiry. There was a brief discussion over lunch about some member states' difficulties with the draft implementing provisions for the right to
vote and stand in municipal elections of other member states—Article 8B1.
At the Council of 19 to 20 December 1994, the following subjects were discussed:
The presidency listed items for action during the remainder of its tenure. M. Juppe highlighted five French presidency priorities.
On relations with the European Parliament, the Council agreed texts on comitology, temporary committees of inquiry and consolidation of existing Community legislation. Denmark voted against the decision on TCIs. These texts were then adopted by the Commission and the EP at an inter—institutional conference on 20 December.
The Council unanimously adopted a directive which implements the right of EU citizens to vote and stand in municipal elections in member states of which they are not nationals.
An association Council with Turkey was held in the margins. It was agreed that a further association council should be held early in the French presidency.
The EEA Council on 20 December reaffirmed its wish to strengthen the political dialogue on foreign policy with a view to developing closer relations in spheres of mutual interest. The Norwegians are now preparing proposals for a framework for political dialogue under the EEA which they will present to the French presidency.
There was a discussion on ways in which the peace process in the former Yugoslavia could be taken forward.
The Council agreed to discuss Russia during the French presidency on the basis of an options paper.
The Council agreed a new Community generalised system of preferences, to come into force on 1 January 1995. There were two votes. On the creation of a new scheme for industrial products the United Kingdom abstained, and set out its reasons in six statements for the minutes. The scheme passed by qualified majority. Renewal of the scheme for agricultural products was agreed unanimously; this scheme will be reviewed during 1995.
Agreement in principle was reached on the EU/Israel agreement. The agreement is now expected to be signed at the January FAC. There was no progress on the EU/Morocco and EU/Tunisia negotiations. Morocco has rejected the Commission's offer on access for tomatoes and courgettes. The question of Tunisian olive oil quotas remains unresolved.
The Council agreed to endorse the results of the Uruguay round, comprising the Marrakesh final act, the agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation, the ministerial declarations and decisions attached to it, the understanding on commitments in financial services, plurilateral agreements on bovine meat, dairy products, civil aircraft and Government procurement, and the bilateral EC agreements with Australia on coal and with Uruguay on bovine meat. The Council also agreed an accompanying package of EC implementing legislation. All the above texts were formally adopted by the Council of Ministers on 22 December. All the necessary processes have thus been completed to allow the Community to ratify the agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation: the instruments of ratification of the Community and the member states are expected to be deposited in Geneva on 30 December.
The Council received a progress report from the presidency on the three EU/United States working groups established at the July 1994 EU/United States summit. The groups' work covers central and eastern Europe, drugs and international crime, and the mechanisms for EU/United States political co-operation.
The Council confirmed its negotiating directives, originally adopted in December 1991, for the Commission to negotiate a co-operation agreement between Euratom and the United States. The new agreement is to replace the existing United States/Euratom agreements of 1958 and 1960, the second of which expires on 31 December 1995.
The Council approved the OECD agreement on shipbuilding subsidies and authorised the Commission to sign the agreement. Signature took place in Paris on 21 December. The Council adopted a Commission proposal that the Commission and Council should make a joint declaration at the signing ceremony to the effect that
they would monitor the implementation and respect of the agreement by all parties.
The Council agreed the adjustments necessary to the EFTAn accession treaty following the non-accession of Norway.
The chairman of the Consultative Commission on Racism and Xenophobia gave an oral report a progress. This was a follow-up to the interim report of the Consultative Commission, which was presented to the Essen European Council. The consultative commission will submit its final report to the Cannes European Council, in June.
The Council approved concluding decisions allowing the entry into force of the Europe (association) agreements with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria and the free trade agreements with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Ministers approved in parallel implementing regulations governing the operation of the four Europe agreements.
Northern Ireland
Shipbuilding
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the size of the shipbuilding industry in Northern Ireland in 1979; and what it is now.
In 1979, Harland and Wolff had a recorded turnover of £67.3 million. The company was privatised in 1989 and turnover in 1993 was £103 million.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the total number of persons serving in the RUC in the ranks of (a) constable, (b) sergeant, (c) inspector, (d) chief inspector, (e) superintendent and (f) chief superintendent as at 31 December 1994.
The information requested is as follows:
| Rank | Number |
| Constable | 6,264 |
| Sergeant | 1,410 |
| Inspector | 490 |
| Chief Inspector | 163 |
| Superintendent | 122 |
| Chief Superintendent | 35 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of members of each rank of the RUC broken down by (a) perceived religious affiliation and (b) gender.
The information requested is as given in the table:
| Community background | Gender | ||||
| CB11 | CB22 | CB33 | Male | Female | |
| Constable | 5,597 | 454 | 213 | 5,512 | 752 |
| Sergeant | 1,269 | 115 | 26 | 1,336 | 74 |
| Inspector | 429 | 45 | 16 | 468 | 22 |
| Chief Inspector | 139 | 23 | 1 | 158 | 5 |
| Superintendent | 102 | 18 | 2 | 121 | 1 |
| Chief Superintendent | 30 | 5 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Notes: | |||||
| 1Perceived Protestant community. | |||||
| 2Perceived Roman Catholic community. | |||||
| 3Other. | |||||
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the normal consultative arrangements which exist between the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the Police Authority for Northern Ireland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
The Chief Constable and other senior officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary attend frequent and regular meetings both with the Secretary of State and with the chairman and members of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland. My officials are in frequent contact with both the RUC and the authority, and there is a wide variety of groups comprising the Northern Ireland Office and the Police Authority for Northern Ireland and the Royal Ulster Constabulary, dealing with matters of common concern.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what aspects of the situation relating to promotions to the rank of assistant chief constable in the Royal Ulster Constabulary are currently under consideration; when this process commenced; what are the difficulties; when the issue is likely to be resolved; and if he will list all the stages in the promotion process for the rank of assistant chief constable in the Royal Ulster Constabulary, including selection for the senior command course, when the Chief Constable makes a specific input to that process.
Appointments to the rank of ACC are made under the provision of section 7(1) of the Police Act (Northern Ireland) 1970. The process is currently the subject of proceedings by way of judicial review; it is not appropriate to comment further pending the outcome of those proceedings.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what comments Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary's 1994 report makes on the need for corporate policy decision making within the senior command of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and what has been the Chief Constable's response to this.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to paragraph 6 of appendix A on page 40 of the report of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary on the Royal Ulster Constabulary 1994, a copy of which is in the Library.The Chief Constable, who is responsible for the direction and control of the RUC, has carefully considered HMI's concerns but believes, given the size and complexity of the RUC, that the systems in place are fully sufficient for corporate decision making. These systems include twice weekly meetings with those assistant chief constables with operational roles and, pending the appointment of a Deputy Chief Constable (Support Services), fortnightly meetings with the assistant chief constables with support service responsibilities; a monthly meeting attended by all chief officers; and a force policy executive, comprising the Chief Constable and his two deputies, which takes all major policy decisions.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the salary of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; how long the present Chief Constable has been in post; whether his family residence is in Northern Ireland; to what amount of housing allowance he is entitled; on how many nights during 1994 he was present in Northern Ireland; and if he will list those periods of longer than four nights' duration when the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary was out of Northern Ireland during 1994.
The salary of the Chief Constable is £85,350 per annum and he has been in post since 1 June 1989.The Chief Constable resides in Northern Ireland with his wife at RUC headquarters and has done so since 1 June 1989. He does not receive housing allowance but to provide some respite from the domestically undesirable nature of his accommodation, above force headquarters, he receives a non-pensionable allowance of £4,355.04 per annum.The Chief Constable was in Northern Ireland on 242 nights in 1994. The Chief Constable was outside Northern Ireland on eight occasions for periods of more than four nights; four of those occasions were on official business. When outside Northern Ireland, whether on leave or business, he is always contactable and has been so contacted when appropriate.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost to the policing budget of travel, and all associated expenses by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary during 1994.
The cost of the Chief Constable's travel in the course of his duties in Northern Ireland cannot be disaggregated. Travel outside Northern Ireland on police duties cost £20,505.33 during 1994; associated expenses totalled £1,931.28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary was informed by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland of its intention to conduct a public survey on the future of policing in Northern Ireland.
The chairman of the Police Authority for Northern Ireland wrote to consult the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary about the arrangements that the authority intended to make for obtaining the views of people about matters concerning policing, on 18 November 1994. At that stage the date on which the authority was to announce its initiative had not been decided. The secretary of the authority informed
| Greenmount College of Agriculture and Horticulture | Loughry College of Agriculture and Food Tecchonology | ||||
| Enniskillen College of Agriculture | Agriculture | Horticulture | Agriculture | Food Technology | |
| 1990–91 | 47 | 218 | 26 | 46 | 165 |
| 1991–92 | 40 | 217 | 30 | 45 | 206 |
| 1992–93 | 47 | 221 | 28 | 39 | 228 |
| 1993–94 | 32 | 242 | 27 | 61 | 223 |
| 1994–95 | 51 | 276 | 39 | 39 | 240 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account he has taken of the article published on 1 January written by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary on the establishment of a commission for policing in Northern Ireland; and if it is the Government's intention to implement this suggestion; and to what extent the suggestion was derived from general consultation with his senior command colleagues or the staff associations.
I have noted with interest the Chief Constable's article on policing published in The Sunday Times on 1 January 1995 in response to an open letter from the hon. Member for Newry and Armagh (Mr. Mallon) published on 11 December 1994, which contained a suggestion that a Northern Ireland commission on policing be established. I understand that the Chief Constable had consulted a number of senior colleagues and that such a commission is the method preferred by the Police Federation of Northern Ireland which represents some 97 per cent. of the RUC. My right hon. and learned Friend does not, at this stage, intend to establish a commission and I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Mr. Brandreth) on 15 December, Official Report, columns 739–40.
Agricultural Colleges
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time students attended (a) Greenmount college, (b) Enniskillen agricultural college and (c) Loughry college in each of the past five years; if there were sufficient places for the number of applicants each year; and if he will make a statement on the futures of these three agricultural colleges.
[holding answer 20 January 1995]: The number of full-time students enrolled at the three colleges run by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland for 1990–91 to 1994–95 was as follows:Enniskillen colleges, leaving Loughry college to concentrate its resources and facilities on furthering its aim of being a centre of excellence and a focus for food industry development within Northern Ireland.
Home Department
Data Protection Act 1984
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number of complaints alleging breaches of the Data Protection Act 1984 received in each of the latest available three years for (a) each county in Wales, (b) for Wales as a whole and (c) for the United Kingdom; how many prosecutions were brought; and if he will make a statement.
The Data Protection Registrar is responsible for administering the Data Protection Act 1984. I understand that statistical information about complaints is not kept on a geographical or county basis. The latest available information relating to complaints and prosecutions—including details, in the case of the latter, of the court concerned—can be found in the 10th report of the Data Protection Registrar, laid before Parliament on 5 July 1994.
Probation Service
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he makes for rurality in determining the formula for funding the probation service in England and Wales.
The formula takes into account the differing staff costs of providing probation services in different parts of the country. A recent review of the formula by the Home Office, the Central Probation Council and the Association of Chief Officers of Probation concluded that an additional allowance based directly on rurality would not be justified.
Riot Shields
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether United Kingdom policing authorities or his Department are testing or have tested electro-shock riot shields or weapons in the last 12 months.
No such tests have been conducted by my Department. I have no details of any such tests that may been conducted by police authorities in respect of equipment used to protect officers against ferocious dogs.
Mr Gerry Hall
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mr. Gerry Hall has ever applied to his Department for a section 5 permit for the building of militarily sensitive equipment, including electro-shock equipment.
No.
Ethnic Minorities
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the announcement will be made on the distribution of section 11 funding to local authorities, with special reference to Bradford.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 17 January, Official Report, column 382.
Hypnotists
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been of hypnotists in connection with their trade in each of the last five years.
Information held centrally shows one prosecution from 1989 to 1993. This occurred in 1991 and resulted in a conviction.The 1994 data will not be available until the autumn.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the activities of hypnotists in each of the last two years for which figures are available.
In 1993, we received three letters about stage hypnotism from hon. Members or members of the public. In 1994, we received 39 such letters, and five parliamentary questions about the subject were asked. In addition, the Adjournment debate on stage hypnotism on 12 December 1994, Official Report, columns 745–52, was initiated by the hon. Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Pickthall) and my hon. Friends the Members for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) and for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) participated.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to (a) regulate the activities of hypnotists and (b) require the registration of hypnotists.
In an Adjournment debate on stage hypnotism on 12 December 1994, I announced that there was to be a review of the workings of the Hypnotism Act 1952 which regulates public performances of stage hypnotism. The review is now in hand.
Woodcock Inquiry
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the estimates, both in capital and running cost terms, for the implementation of Sir John Woodcock's recommendations.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of implementing in full the proposals contained in the report of Sir John Woodcock's inquiry in respect of England and Wales as forecast for each financial year for which figures are available; and if he will break down the costs by recommendation.
Detailed costs of implementing the recommendations contained in Sir John Woodcock's report on Whitemoor are currently being assessed by the Prison Service.
Wheel Clamping
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when proposals will be forthcoming following his Department's consultation paper "Wheel Clamping on Private Land".
We are considering what action it might be appropriate to take. We will make an announcement when our proposals are ready.
Private Clegg
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the imprisonment of Private Clegg in Her Majesty's Prison, Wakefield.
Private Clegg is at present imprisoned at HMP Wakefield, on temporary transfer from Northern Ireland, following the dismissal by the House of Lords last Thursday of his appeal against conviction for murder.
As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made clear, decisions on Private Clegg's release are a matter for him.
In giving judgment, the House of Lords expressed concern about certain aspects of the law of murder. I can confirm that, together with colleagues, I am reviewing the law in the light of the concern expressed by the House of Lords.
Card Systems
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider setting up a committee to consider the developing technology of card systems, and the potential demand for such systems from Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science.
Life Prisoners
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women currently serving a life prison sentence in a prison in England or Wales have been informed they will never be released from prison; and if he will make a statement.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 16 January 1995, Official Report, column 333. The 15 prisoners mentioned in that answer comprise 14 men and one woman.
Private Detectives
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of private detectives by Government Departments on public agencies; if he will issue guidelines about their use; what representations he has received on the civil liberty implications of such use; and if he will make a statement.
This information is not held centrally. We have not received any representations on the civil liberty implications of the use by Government of private detectives nor have we any plans to introduce guidelines in this area. But we are looking again at policies on the whole of the private security industry and we await with interest the outcome of the Home Affairs Select Committee's current inquiry into the industry.
National Lottery
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require the organisers of the national lottery to conduct a survey of public opinion before determining the disbursement of funds to charities.
Disbursement of lottery proceeds for charitable expenditure is the responsibility of the National Lottery Charities Board. It is a principle of the lottery that the operator, Camelot, has no role to play in the disbursement of proceeds. I shall be issuing the board with directions as to the matters which it must take into account in making grants, but within that framework it will be responsible for deciding its own policies, practices and procedures. The current draft directions include the need to make grants to small, local organisations and those without immediate popular appeal as well as to large, national high-profile bodies. It is for the board to determine what factors to take into account before determining its policies. I understand that the board will be undertaking detailed consultation with the charitable and voluntary sectors before reaching decisions on these matters.
Police (Traffic)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in respect of his decision not to include enforcement of road traffic regulations in the list of core functions for police authorities.
There is no list of core functions for police authorities. My right hon. and learned Friend announced last October the key objectives for policing for 1995–96. Following consultation with ministerial colleagues and others he decided that it would not be right to include a traffic objective, but this does not mean that road traffic regulations will not be enforced. In promulgating the key objectives, my right hon. and learned Friend made plain the importance the Government attach to road safety, and the reduction of road traffic accident casualties.It is open to police authorities to include traffic objectives as they consider fit in the local objectives which they will be expected to set each year.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were dedicated to traffic enforcement for each of the last five years for which figures are available by police authority.
Information for the years 1989 to 1993 is set out in the table. Figures for 1994 are not yet available. The collection of data for the Metropolitan police began only in 1994.
| Officers dedicated to traffic enforcement by police authority (1989–1993) | |||||
| Police Authority | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 |
| Avon and Somerset | 253 | 259 | 268 | 266 | 208 |
| Bedfordshire | 94 | 99 | 101 | 80 | 73 |
| Cambridgeshire | 125 | 120 | 125 | 126 | 107 |
| Cheshire | 235 | 203 | 201 | 206 | 206 |
| City of London | 37 | 33 | 37 | 34 | 33 |
| Cleveland | 96 | 97 | 93 | 94 | 87 |
| Cumbria | 132 | 131 | 133 | 132 | 128 |
| Derbyshire | 157 | 154 | 153 | 146 | 155 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 241 | 241 | 239 | 238 | 227 |
| Dorset | 108 | 112 | 111 | 95 | 97 |
| Durham | 130 | 135 | 134 | 113 | 115 |
| Dyfed-Powys | 104 | 106 | 101 | 94 | 105 |
| Essex | 259 | 262 | 274 | 272 | 293 |
| Gloucestershire | 82 | 84 | 83 | 83 | 82 |
| Greater Manchester | 455 | 474 | 467 | 462 | 425 |
| Gwent | 105 | 103 | 100 | 95 | 90 |
| Hampshire | 263 | 263 | 261 | 343 | 269 |
| Hertfordshire | 159 | 156 | 155 | 157 | 159 |
| Humberside | 164 | 161 | 161 | 161 | 160 |
| Kent | 156 | 172 | 208 | 234 | 230 |
| Lancashire | 305 | 292 | 287 | 282 | 276 |
| Leicestershire | 78 | 76 | 84 | 122 | 111 |
| Lincolnshire | 85 | 86 | 103 | 99 | 94 |
| Merseyside | 329 | 367 | 359 | 338 | 349 |
| Norfolk | 118 | 127 | 114 | 116 | 119 |
| North Wales | 134 | 134 | 137 | 136 | 125 |
| North Yorkshire | 156 | 161 | 147 | 139 | 132 |
Officers dedicated to traffic enforcement by police authority (1989–1993)
| |||||
Police Authority
| 1989
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
|
| Northamptonshire | 89 | 100 | 98 | 102 | 99 |
| Northumbria | 251 | 253 | 253 | 244 | 249 |
| Nottinghamshire | 182 | 189 | 187 | 163 | 160 |
| South Wales | 266 | 256 | 248 | 247 | 231 |
| South Yorkshire | 206 | 208 | 213 | 219 | 202 |
| Staffordshire | 233 | 234 | 240 | 233 | 226 |
| Suffolk | 94 | 97 | 87 | 85 | 83 |
| Surrey | 225 | 202 | 203 | 213 | 209 |
| Sussex | 245 | 239 | 238 | 247 | 243 |
| Thames Valley | 326 | 341 | 354 | 344 | 345 |
| Warwickshire | 104 | 127 | 126 | 126 | 126 |
| West Mercia | 119 | 142 | 132 | 127 | 120 |
| West Midlands | 449 | 446 | 462 | 441 | 428 |
| West Yorkshire | 384 | 392 | 391 | 384 | 357 |
| Wiltshire | 101 | 96 | 103 | 104 | 115 |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police authority the budget allocated for road traffic enforcement (a) as a total and (b) as a percentage of overall expenditure for each of the last five years for which figures are available.
The information requested is not held centrally
Police National Computer
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from senior police officers about the proposed privatisation of the running of the police national computer; and if he will make a statement.
One formal representation was made by the then president of the Association of Chief Police Officers to my predecessor, which supported the principle of market testing the hendon data centre but expressed concern about the timing of the exercise. Representatives of the association have been consulted on the same matter more recently, and have expressed similar views. I will shortly be announcing our conclusions with respect to the future management of the Hendon data centre.
Police Stations
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the 1995–96 police grant allocation on the number of police stations, and their hours of opening in the North Wales police force area.
The draft report "The Police Grant Report (England and Wales) 1995–96" sets out the principles on which proposed allocations of resources have been made for 1995–96. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.It is for the police authority and the chief constable to decide what their priorities are and on what they spend their allocation of police grant.
Police (Abnormal Operations)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which constabularies' applications for special payments for a one-off abnormal operation have been successful during the past five years; and what percentage of their annual budget the cost of that operation represented.
One application for a special payment of grant has been successful during the past five years, from Northumbria police authority. The estimated additional expenditure incurred represented 6.4 per cent. of budget.
Police, Shoreham Harbour
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost of the police operation at Shoreham harbour; and what percentage of the annual budget for Sussex constabulary this operation will represent.
I understand that the total estimated cost of the police operation at Shoreham harbour at 19 January was £2.2 million. This represents about 1.7 per cent. of the force budget for 1994–95.
Weapons Scanners
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the use of scanners to detect offensive weapons in places of public entertainment.
This operation is not collected centrally.
North Wales Police
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the 1995–96 police grant allocation on recruitment of police, special constables and graduate recruits for North Wales police.
The responsibility for the recruitment of police officers, special constables and graduate recruits to the police lies solely with the chief officer of the police force concerned. No assessment of the impact of the 1995–96 grant allocation on recruitment for North Wales police has been undertaken centrally.
Martin Fenton
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to release on licence Martin Fenton, currently serving a life sentence for murder.
Mr. Fenton's case has been reviewed twice by the parole board—most recently in October 1992—but the board has not yet recommended that Mr. Fenton is safe to release. My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to release a mandatory life sentence prisoner without a positive parole board recommendation.The next review of Mr Fenton's case by the parole board will begin in July 1995.
Frederick West
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is (a) the total cost of the Frederick West operation to the Gloucestershire constabulary to date and (b) the estimated cost of the entire inquiry; and what percentage of the annual budget these sums represent.
As at 19 January, the estimated total cost to date was £1.4 million. This represents 2.6 per cent. of the force budget for 1994–95. The additional cost to the force is some £670,000 or 1.2 per cent. of budget.The chief constable is not able at present to make a firm estimate of the total costs expected to be incurred.
Prisoners (Release On Licence)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women who were released on licence were recalled to prison during 1994.
Provisional data for 1994 show that there were 291 men and four women recalled from parole licences under section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and under earlier legislation and 20 men and no women recalled from life licences. The latest available data for those recalled under sections 38, 65 and 40 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and for 1993 when there were 33 men and no women recalled for breach under sections 38 and 65 and 22 men and no women recalled for reoffending under section 40.
Vehicle Crime
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what were (a) the costs of vehicle crime in England and Wales for 1993 and (b) his Department's expenditure on related research that year; and what is the planned expenditure for 1994 and 1995.
Our estimate of the total cost of vehicle crime during 1993 was £2.7 billion. This figure includes estimated property loss, and insurance costs, damage, security expenditure, inconvenience costs and criminal justice/police costs.Home Office expenditure on vehicle-related research totalled approximately £70,000 in 1993 and £72,000 in 1994. Planned expenditure for 1995 is approximately £90,000.
Identity Cards
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest policy on identity cards; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. and learned Friend announced last October that the Government plan to publish a Green Paper on identity cards in the spring of this year.The Green Paper will set out options for a national identity card scheme. We will consider the possibility of introducing an identity card scheme in the light of the responses received to this consultation document.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the private companies that have been consulted by his Department over the possible introduction of identity cards.
The Home Office has not entered into formal consultations with any private companies about the possible introduction of identity cards. The forthcoming Green Paper on identity cards will provide an opportunity for private companies to make their views known.
Electric Shock Equipment
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which British police forces have electric shock anti-riot equipment; in what quantities; and for what purpose;(2) who authorised the supply of electric shock riot shields to police forces in England and Wales for test purposes; how many were purchased then; and to which forces they were supplied.
Chief officers of police are responsible for deciding what equipment to obtain for their forces, either for testing or introduction. In the case of the Metropolitan police, the Commissioner requires my right hon. and learned Friend's agreement to defensive equipment. I understand that no force has obtained any form of electric shock equipment for use against people, or for testing for this purpose, although a number of forces have small numbers of electric shock shields and prods for use against ferocious dogs. Details of the numbers or distribution of such equipment are not available centrally.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many section 5 certificates have been granted in the last two years which relate specifically to electric shock weapons and to which companies.
Electric shock weapons are prohibited by section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968 and cannot be possessed without the authority of the Secretary of State. No company has been granted authority specifically to possess electric shock weapons in the last two years.
Training Courses
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.
No part of my Department, including its agencies, has purchased any training, tuition or course, over the past 12 months, costing more than £5,000 for a single member of staff. The immigration and nationality department purchased five courses for 73 middle and senior operational managers at a total cost of £33,000. These were provided by a mix of in-house training staff and external consultants. Evaluation is by discussion between course members and their line managers. My Department has also made considerable investment in information technology training. A total of 19 courses for 127 members of staff on information technology and computer hardware costing more than £5,000 each have been purchased by the immigration and nationality department, the police national computer data centre and the Home Office's research and planning unit. Total costs were, respectively, £26,000, £36,250 and £74,000. The overall costs are a consequence of the number of information technology staff requiring training in implementing and using new systems and software.
Wales
Defective Buildings, Flint
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action (1) he has taken following the copy letter dated 6 April 1994 from Clwyd county council chief fire officer to the National House Building Council regarding properties at Palace close, Flint and Balmoral close, Flint; and what is his opinion of the conformity to building regulations;(2) what request he has received to use his default powers under the Building Act 1984 with regard to Royal Gardens, Flint; what action he has taken; and if he will request a formal opinion of the nature and extent of the defects reported to him.
My right hon. Friend has received a request from Mr. C. Gavin of 15 Palace close to use his default powers under section 116 of the Building Act 1984. However, the Secretary of State uses these powers only in cases where there appears to be a manifest failure by a local authority to carry out a specific function under the Act.My right hon. Friend has no statutory basis on which he can express an opinion on conformity with the building regulations in this case. It was for NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. to consider what action might be necessary following the chief fire officer's letter to it.
Blood
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future chain of command of the blood transfusion services in north Wales; what consultations he has hade with the Secretary of State for Health, the National Blood Authority, in England, and the National Blood Transfusion Service, in Wales, on this issue; and what representations he has received concerning his policies.
Management of the blood transfusion service in north Wales is the responsibility of the National Blood Authority and representations about the future of this service are for the Secretary of State for Health. My officials were kept informed of progress on the review of services in England and these discussions are continuing. I will shortly be consulting on the future management of the Welsh blood service.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority and the management of National Blood Transfusion Services—Wales regarding the screening of donors and recipients for hepatitis C.
The Welsh Health Common Services Authority and National Blood Transfusion Services —Wales are being kept fully informed about the "look-back" exercise for hepatitis C.
Internet
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the percentage of Welsh businesses connected to the Internet system.
It has been estimated that in the United Kingdom as a whole some 30 per cent. of businesses are connected to the Internet. I am not aware of any reliable estimate of the comparable figure for Wales.
Ambulance Personnel (Early Retirement)
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce the same early retirement settlement for ambulance personnel in Wales as is proposed for England.
In view of the level of provision made in 1993–94, there are no plans to introduce a further early retirement scheme for ambulance personnel in Wales in the current financial year.
Tourist Rail Links (Vat)
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment his Department has made of the effect on tourist facilities in Wales of the imposition of value added tax on tourist rail links; and if he will make a statement.
The application of VAT is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer who announced on 29 November that services relating to entertainment or recreational activities and car parking at airports, which include passenger transport, will become wholly standard-rated. The measure will affect a limited range of businesses in Wales.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Wales tourist board on the imposition of value added tax on tourist rail links and its likely effects; and if he will make a statement.
The chief executive of the board has written to me about this matter.
Strategic Development Scheme Expenditure
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total strategic development scheme expenditure to be allowed in Wales in 1995–96; what proportion of this will be spent in Gwynedd, and of this figure, how much in the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on any difficulties arising with regard to securing sufficient suitable projects for Gwynedd.
The strategic development scheme's total budget for 1995–96 is £57 million, of which £5,900,000–10.4 per cent.—has been allocated to local authorities in Gwynedd. Some £464,645 will be spent on voluntary sector projects in Gwynedd. Before submitting bids, authorities are asked to consult widely within their local communities, with development agencies, the voluntary sector and other appropriate interested bodies. The selection and priority of the bids are a matter for those local authorities.
Home Renovation Grants
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in (a) Wales and (b) Alyn and Deeside are waiting for home renovation grants; and what steps he is taking to provide funds for the delivery of these grants.
The figures requested are not held centrally. Since the grant system was introduced in 1990, more than £1.04 billion has been made available for renovation in Wales, with Alyn and Deeside receiving some £14.9 million. For 1995–96, we have increased the money available for renovation to £198.5 million.
Animal Diseases
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of equine infectious anaemia there have been in each year since 1985.
No cases of equine infectious anaemia have occurred in Wales since 1985.
Housing
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning the requirement for adapting council houses for those suffering disability.
It is for local councils to determine the priority they attach to adaptations for individuals with disabilities. A council may carry out adaptations or tenants may apply for disabled facilities grants.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of the number of dwellings provided by housing assoiciations for each district council and for Wales as a whole, for each of the last three years.
Information on the number of dwellings provided by housing associations in each district and in Wales as a whole is published annually in table 5.2 of Welsh housing statistics. Additionally, the numbers of dwellings provided during 1992–93 under the acquisition initiative were published in appendix 3 of Welsh housing statistics No. 13 1993. Copies of the publication are in the Library of the House.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the starting date applicable to the Tai Cymru policy framework for assisted ownership; and if he will make a statement.
The relevant regulation—statutory instrument No. 2895 of 1994—came into force on 8 December 1994. I expect the first sales of properties to take place during the financial year 1995–96.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of the amount invested in housing provision in Wales from (a) grants from Tai Cymru, (b) transfers from local authorities and (c) private investment from banks and building societies, in each of the last three years.
The information sought will be covered in the "Government's Expenditure Plans 1995–96 to 1997–98: Departmental Report by the Welsh Office and the Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in Wales" which is due to be published on 9 March 1995.
Health Authorities (Financial Allocations)
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to inform health authorities of their financial allocation for 1995–96.
My right hon. Friend will he announcing the financial allocations for 1995–96 to health authorities shortly.
Houses In Multiple Occupation
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the specific different circumstances in Wales which led him not to publish the consultation paper inviting views on the desirability of introducing a licencing system for homes in multiple occupation in England and Wales on which the Department of the Environment is consulting in England.
The Department of the Environment document covers England only. My right hon. Friend has written to the hon. Gentleman, other Welsh Members of Parliament, local authorities and interested organisations seeking their views on this issue.
Grant-Maintained Schools
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the identifiable costs of administration within his office for grant-maintained schools; and what estimate he has made of costs which cannot be readily separated from general educational expenditure.
I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.
Health Bodies
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consult the chairmen of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority and the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning potential savings from rationalising accommodation and other management running costs expenditure; and if he will make a statement.
Such matters are kept under constant review.
National Curriculum Assessment
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the results from the 1994 national curriculum assessment in Wales.
A summary of the results submitted is shown in the following table. The results represent 8.2 per cent. of pupils eligible for assessment at the end of key stage 1 and 11.4 per cent. of pupils eligible for assessment at the end of key stage 3. This low level of response means that no statistically valid conclusions can be drawn from the data as regards the whole of Wales.
| Table 1: The percentage of pupils achieving level 2 and above at the end of Key Stage 1 (7-year-olds). A typical 7-year-old is expected to be at level 2. | ||
| Tests Per cent. | Teacher Assessments Per cent. | |
| English | 1— | 76 |
| Speaking and Listening | 1ߞ | 82 |
| Reading | 78 | 77 |
| Writing | 66 | 69 |
| Spelling | 69 | 70 |
| Handwriting | 81 | 81 |
| Mathematics | 1ߞ | 77 |
| Using and applying mathematics | 1— | 76 |
| Number | 79 | 81 |
| Algebra | 1— | 77 |
| Shape and space | 1— | 73 |
| Handling data | 1— | 75 |
Table 1: The percentage of pupils achieving level 2 and above at the end of Key Stage 1 (7-year-olds). A typical 7-year-old is expected to be at level 2.
| ||
Tests Per cent.
| Teacher Assessments Per cent.
| |
Science
| 1— | 84 |
| Scientific investigation | 1— | 80 |
| Life and living process | 1— | 86 |
| Materials and their properties | 1— | 84 |
| Physical processes | 1— | 81 |
Welsh: Insufficient data submitted | ||
1 Not subject to National Curriculum tests. | ||
Table 2: The percentage of pupils achieving level or above at the end of key stage 3—14-year-olds. A typical 14-year-old is expected to achieve level 5/6
| ||
Tests Per cent.
| Teacher assessments Per cent.
| |
English
| 48 | 52 |
Mathematics
| 53 | 59 |
Science
| 59 | 66 |
Welsh: No data submitted | — | — |
Scotland
Scottish Homes Board
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the remuneration and emoluments and expenses paid to each member of the Scottish Homes board in each year since it was established.
I have asked the chairman of Scottish Homes, Sir James Mellon, to write to the hon. Member with the relevant information.
General Practitioners
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish his consultation document on an accountability framework for fundholding general practitioners; and who will be included on the list of those to be consulted on this framework.
The proposed consultation document on an accountability framework for GP fundholders is due to be issued for consultation within the NHS in Scotland in the near future. Bodies which will be consulted will include GP fundholders, the Scottish general medical services committee of the British Medical Association, Royal College of General Practitioners, health boards, NHS trusts and local health councils.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioner fundholders in Scotland (a) are to participate and (b) have expressed an interest in participating in pilot studies under the primary care purchasing initiative for the purchase of all health care services; where these fundholders are located; and when the pilot studies will begin.
The following information relates to the proposed pilot studies to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of GP fundholding practices which purchase all health care services on behalf of their patients in collaboration with their health board.To date approximately 30 GP fundholding practices in the following health board areas have expressed interest in participating.
- Ayrshire and Arran
- Forth Valley
- Grampian
- Greater Glasgow
- Highland
- Lanarkshire
- Lothian
- Tayside
Some further expressions of interest from fundholding practices are expected.
It is intended to mount up to six pilot studies in a range of areas but no final decisions have been reached about those practices which will participate. The pilot projects are expected to commence during 1995–96.
Asthma Medication Costs
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the expenditure on general practitioner prescribed anti-asthma medication and preparations in each health board in Scotland in terms of (a) net ingredient cost and (b) net ingredient cost per capita for the last two years for which figures are available.
The information by health board and Scotland for the financial years 1992–93 and 1993–94 is set out in the table. The costs shown are based on the value of the ingredients before the deduction of any discount and relate only to inhaled and oral adrenoceptor stimulants, inhaled steroids, inhaled antimuscarinic bronchodilators and theophylline preparations.
| Cost of medication £ million | Cost per patient on GP lists (£) | |||
| Health Board | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1992–93 | 1993–94 |
| Argyll and Clyde | 2.751 | 3.202 | 6.11 | 7.17 |
| Ayrshire and Arran | 3.019 | 3.465 | 7.72 | 8.85 |
| Borders | 0.771 | 0.879 | 7.22 | 8.20 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 0.963 | 1.076 | 6.30 | 7.02 |
| Fife | 2.105 | 2.373 | 6.00 | 6.76 |
| Forth Valley | 1.723 | 2.001 | 5.95 | 6.90 |
| Grampian | 3.098 | 3.541 | 5.88 | 6.64 |
| Greater Glasgow | 6.135 | 7.187 | 6.02 | 7.12 |
| Highland | 1.067 | 1.247 | 5.02 | 5.87 |
| Lanarkshire | 3.775 | 4.442 | 6.46 | 7.61 |
| Lothian | 4.620 | 5.230 | 5.78 | 6.51 |
| Orkney | 0.097 | 0.109 | 4.84 | 5.45 |
| Shetland | 0.077 | 0.100 | 3.38 | 3.35 |
| Tayside | 2.943 | 3.430 | 7.20 | 8.36 |
| Western Isles | 0.117 | 0.142 | 3.89 | 4.73 |
| Unallocated prescriptions | 0.058 | 0.054 | — | — |
| All Scotland | 33.319 | 38.478 | 6.21 | 7.17 |
Elderly People
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from Highland regional council about attacks on vulnerable elderly people in their homes; and if he will make a statement.
No such representations have been received from Highland regional council.
Arts Courses
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many school leavers, in the last year for which figures are available, entered courses run by colleges of (a) music, (b) art, (c) drama, (d) dance and (e) other arts.
This information is not held centrally.
Low Moss Prison
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are to use the area of the resettlement unit at Bishopbriggs to extend facilities at Low Moss prison; and if he will make a statement.
The suitability of this area for prison service facilities is one of a number of possible options currently being examined. No decisions have been taken; and any proposals for the use of this area would require to be the subject of an application for outline planning consent.
Objective 1 Funding
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the eligibility for financial assistance under highlands and islands objective 1 status allow for applications for maintenance of rail services regionally; and if he will make a statement.
Under the highlands and islands objective 1 programme, assistance from the European regional development fund can be provided towards rail infrastructure projects. EC funds cannot be used to provide a revenue subsidy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the incidence of, and extent to which, highlands and islands objective 1 European funding has resulted in corresponding reductions in his Department's financial allocations and expenditure within the area; and if he will make a statement.
European Community spending, including that in the highlands and islands under objective 1, is dealt with in the public expenditure survey as an integral part of the expenditure programmes for which I have responsibility. EC rules on additionality preclude the use of objective 1 funds to substitute for other forms of public expenditure.
Electro-Shock Weapons
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date his Department gave ICL Technical Plastics a licence to produce electro-shock weapons in the United Kingdom.
Electric shock weapons are considered to be prohibited under the provisions of the Firearms Acts. Their manufacture, possession and sale, therefore, require the specific authority of my right hon. Friend. No such authority has been granted to ICL Technical Plastics.
Ferry Transport
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of (a) cars, (b) commercial vehicles and (c) passengers and the volume and value of freight originating from or destined to Scotland which was transported to or from mainland Europe by ferry via English ferry ports in the most recent five years for which figures are available.
I have been asked to reply.This information is available only at disproportionate cost.
Hip Replacements
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his letter of 31 October to the hon. Member of Linlithgow, what progress his officials have made in monitoring the use of Kyocera titanium fibres in relation to hip replacements.
[holding answer 19 January 1995]: As explained by my noble Friend the Minister of State in his letter to the hon. Gentleman of 31 October, although Kyocera included the possible use of titanium fibres in hip replacement implants in its patent application it is not yet developing the material into a marketable product for use in hip replacement applications. The Medical Devices Agency is taking the lead in monitoring developments in this area and will keep the other United Kingdom Health Departments informed.
Ambulance Service
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations took place to ascertain the most suitable specification for the new communications system in the Scottish ambulance service control room in Aberdeen; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 20 January 1995]: The Scottish ambulance service consulted within the service to establish its communications requirements and agreed the specification in consultation with the Scottish Office directorate of telecommunications which provided appropriate technical advice.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an analysis of the response to the consultation on trust status for the Scottish ambulance service; what consideration he has given to this analysis; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 10 January 1995]: An analysis of the responses is as follows:
| Body/individual | 1Number consulted | Supporting the application | No clear view expressed | Not Supporting the application |
| Health boards | 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| NHS Trust and DMUs | 51 | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| Local health councils | 19 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| Regional and District councils | 65 | 3 | 15 | 15 |
| MPs and Euro MPs | 80 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| Trades Unions/Trade councils | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Emergency services | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Universities | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Body/individual
| 1 Number consulted
| Supporting the application
| No clear view expressed
| Not Supporting the application
|
| Health related organizations | 20 | 4 | 11 | 5 |
| Community councils | 1,000 | 5 | 19 | 38 |
| Political parties/organizations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| GPs, pharmacists, members of the public | 2,000 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Total | 3,290 | 39 | 71 | 91 |
Note:
| ||||
1 Number of the Application Documents issued for consultation. | ||||
Copies of all comments received in response to the public consultation have been retained by the Common Services Agency and are available for inspection. A copy is available for inspection in the Library of the Scottish Office, St. Andrew's house, Edinburgh.
Following an extensive consultation exercise including 34 public meetings held throughout Scotland, 201 responses were received. Only 91 of these specifically indicated opposition to the application. Consideration was given to all the comments made and to the report and recommendations made by the Common Services Agency. The application was considered against the published criteria of benefits for patients, management competence, involvement of clinicians and other health care professionals in management and financial viability. My right hon. Friend announced on 25 November that he had given his approval to the application after appraisal against the criteria.
Human Fertilisation And Embryology Authority
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the letter of the hon. Member for Edinburgh West (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton) to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 2 August 1994, what evidence he has had from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority about the use of ovarian tissue in research; and what action he proposes to take.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: No such evidence has been received. I understand that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has not received any application for the use of ovarian tissue for research purposes in the period since I wrote to the hon. Member on 2 August 1994.
Lorries
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he is making of the impact of 40-tonne lorries on secondary roads and bridges in Scotland.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: Regional and islands councils, as local roads authorities, are responsible for assessing the impact of 40-tonne lorries on secondary roads and bridges in Scotland. Bridges which form part of the trunk road network are being assessed, and strengthened where appropriate, by the Scottish Office.
Bridges
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of increased help for new unitary local authorities for the strengthening of bridges.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: Bridge assessment and strengthening is one of the Government's special objectives in determining local authority capital allocations for roads and transport in Scotland. Full consideration is given, within the resources available, to the proposals contained in local authorities' transport policies and programmes documents and financial plans for bridge assessment and strengthening. There will continue to be arrangements to ensure that adequate financial resources are available to cover necessary work when the new unitary local authorities assume their responsibilities.
Unitary Authorities
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is his policy in respect of the future management and disposition of common good funds by the new unitary authorities in Scotland after April 1996;(2) if he will require new unitary authorities to restrict decisions on the disposition and management of common good funds to the new councillors representing the area for which the common good fund was established;(3) if he will ensure that the new unitary authorities are unable to apply common good resources to any subject which can be financed by normal local authority funds.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: Subject to complying with the current statutory requirements, local authorities have complete discretion as to the management and disposition of common good funds. Authorities must have regard to the interests of the inhabitants of their area and, with common good property, must have regard to the interests of the inhabitants of the area to which the common good related prior to 16 May 1975. The existing arrangements will continue to apply after April 1996.Management and disposition of common good funds may be addressed in the decentralisation schemes which will be drawn up by the new councils. Community councils will be formally consulted on the draft schemes, which will also be subject to public consultation.
Retail Development
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the new national planning policy guideline on retail development; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: I expect to issue a draft national planning policy guideline on retailing for public consultation very shortly.
Churches
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances churches are classed as business users for water rates; and, if he has any plan to reclassify charitable bodies, including churches.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: All occupiers of premises connected to the public water supply may be liable to pay water charges. Churches are liable to pay either the non-domestic water rate, at the reduced levy applicable to such premises, or metered water charges.We have no plans to change this prior to restructuring of Scotland's water and sewerage services. At that point, it will be for the new water and sewerage authorities to determine future methods of charging for their services.
Aberdeen Royal Hospitals
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list operations cancelled by Aberdeen Royal Hospitals in each month since June 1994.
[holding answer 23 January 1995]: This information is not collected centrally. The chairman of the Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS trust has been asked to provide the information to the hon. Member.
Education
City Of Westminster Bill
12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received relating to the City of Westminster Bill [Lords]; and what was her response.
There has been correspondence with Westminster city council about the need for clause 9 of the Bill which would relieve the local education authority of its duty under section 12 of the Education Act 1980 to build a new school at Moxon Street. No other correspondence about this aspect of the Bill has been received.
Annual Capital Guidelines
13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations she has received from local education authorities regarding the 1995–96 annual capital guideline figures since their announcement.
To date, some 14 LEAs have written to officials, identified concerns on the telephone, or made a request to bring a delegation to see me.
Schools (Capital Spending)
16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much central Government support for capital spending in schools has changed in real terms between 1986–87 and 1993–94.
Between 1986–87 and 1993–94, there was a 57 per cent. real terms increase in central Government capital support for schools. That covers spending on local authority and voluntary schools and, since 1989, grant-maintained schools.
Standard Spending Assessment
17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the education standard spending assessment of Hereford and Worcester county council.
The increase in Hereford and Worcester's education standard spending assessment for 1995–96 is higher than the national average. Allowing for the reform of inter-authority recoupment, the authority's provisional education SSA will be 2.3 per cent. higher than in 1994–95.
Office For Standards In Education
18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made with regard to the progress of Ofsted.
Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, the head of Ofsted, is responsible for the new school inspection arrangements. The Secretary of State shares with him the objective of ensuring that all publicly funded schools are independently inspected on a four-year cycle. The new arrangements have got off to a good start. By the end of this academic year, roughly half of all secondary schools, and a significant minority of primary schools, will have been independently inspected and a copy of the report sent to every parent.
Nursery Schools
19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the progress of the working party established to consider the provision of nursery and pre-school education.
24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress she is making in achieving a nursery place for all children over three years of age.
The task force, established by my right hon. Friend, is consulting widely and is considering a range of options to achieve the Prime Minister's commitment to provide a pre-school place for all four-year-olds whose parents wish them to take it up. As the expansion is achieved, we want to ensure that it will add to the choice parents have among a range of provision—public, private and voluntary. My right hon. Friend will be making an announcement about progress in due course.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much Government funding was given during 1994 for the provision of nursery school education within the Greater London area.
For the purpose of determining standard spending assessments, the education component of standard spending, net of specific grants, is divided into five sub-blocks—under-fives, primary, secondary, 16-plus, and other education. There is no SSA for nursery school education as the under-fives sub-block notionally includes spending on rising fives in primary schools as well as pupils in nursery schools and classes. The total of the under-fives SSA sub-block for London local education authorities in 1994–95 is £189.87 million.
Schools, Shropshire
20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the adequacy of current class sizes and academic achievement in local education authority schools in Shropshire.
Average class sizes in Shropshire are lower than average class sizes nationally. In 1994, 46.2 per cent. of 15-year-olds in Shropshire maintained schools obtained five or more GCSE grades A*-C, compared with 38.2 per cent. for LEA-maintained schools nationally.
Research Links
21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement about the development of research links between universities and industry.
There are many examples of universities and industry working together for their mutual benefit. We have asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to take into account in its funding for research the policies set out in the White Paper "Realising our Potential: A Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology". This includes developing the method for rewarding universities and colleges which collaborate in generic research with industry.
Three-Tier Schools System
22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many education authorities have a three-tier system in their schools.
In January 1994, 32 local education authorities were operating a three-year system in all or in part of their area.
Higher Education
23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education when she last had a meeting with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals regarding the impact of Government policy on higher education.
My right hon. Friend last met the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals on 2 December 1994, and discussed a range of matters, including matters relevant to the impact of Government policy on higher education.
Disabled Students
25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many disabled pupils in Britain who were in mainstream primary schools have been denied mainstream secondary places in 1994.
This information is not available centrally. The special educational needs code stresses the need for careful planning for transfer between phases: if parents remain dissatisfied with a local education authority's decision about their child's special educational needs they can appeal as appropriate to the SEN tribunal or an independent appeal committee established by the relevant admissions authority.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in Britain in 1994 have had adaptations to allow full access for disabled students.
This information is not held centrally. From May this year, we will be conducting a survey of the accessibility of all schools. This survey will be completed biennially and comparing these results with those produced in future years' surveys will provide an indication of the amount of adaptation undertaken during that period.
School Budgets, Derbyshire
26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on school budgets in Derbyshire for 1995–96.
It will be up to Derbyshire county council to decide what to spend on the various services for which it is responsible, including schools. Derbyshire's education standard spending assessment will increase by 0.7 per cent. in 1995–96.
Ministerial Visits
27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will visit the Makerfield constituency to discuss the funding of local education authority schools.
My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.
Student Poverty
28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to address the issue of student poverty.
There is no evidence of widespread student poverty. For those eligible for mandatory awards and student loans, the total support available has risen slightly in real terms since 1990 when loans were first introduced. It will increase by 2.5 per cent for the 1995–96 academic year. Other students can apply to local education authorities for discretionary awards. The access funds can provide additional assistance to full-time students in particular need.
Assisted Places Scheme
29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils on the assisted places scheme receive a free place.
Over 40 per cent. of assisted place holders received a free place in the academic year 1993–94.
Class Sizes
30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research her Department has undertaken into the relationship between class size and educational standards.
The Department has not undertaken such research itself, but monitors work generally in this field.
Special Needs
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what additional funding and resources she proposes for children with special needs in the next financial year.
Education standard spending assessments will rise on average by 1.2 per cent. in 1995–96 and the special educational needs code of practice will encourage schools to make most effective use of their budgets for special educational needs pupils. In addition, grants for education support and training from the Department for Education to local education authorities in support of special educational needs will increase by some 15 per cent.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to make provision, in the entire education service from nursery to higher education, for children identified as being affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The responsibility for making provision for school children with special educational needs, including, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, rests with schools and local education authorities. The code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs, issued by the Secretary of State under the Education Act 1993, gives guidance to schools and LEAs on their responsibilities towards all pupils with special educational needs of all kinds. District health authorities and NHS trusts must inform the parents and the appropriate LEA when they form the opinion that a child under the age of five may have special educational needs.The Further Education Funding Council and LEAs are statutorily required to take account of the needs of students in further education with all kinds of learning difficulties. In higher education, the Secretary of State's initial letter of guidance to the Higher Education Funding Council for England asked it to consider how it could best meet the needs of students with learning difficulties. Universities are able to make the provision they consider appropriate for students with learning difficulties.
Teachers' Morale
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she had made of the proposed system of league tables on the morale of the teaching profession.
School and college performance tables are now well established, not least because they help ensure that the achievements of individual schools and colleges are fully recognised. The views of the representatives of the teaching profession are sought each year on the format and content of the tables.
Religious Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the future of religious education and the daily act of worship in schools.
The Government have no plans to change the law requiring religious education and daily collective worship to be provided for all registered pupils at maintained schools. These activities make an important contribution to pupils' moral and spiritual development.
Student Loans Company
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will investigate the circumstances surrounding the extension of the employment contract of the chief executive of the Student Loans Company; who took the decision, if she approved the extension; and what considerations led to the contract being extended.
The decision to offer Mr. Harrison an extension of his contract as chief executive was taken in November 1993 by the board of the Student Loans Company, with the agreement of my right hon. Friend's predecessor and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Departmental Employees
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many employees for which her Department is responsible were women (a) in 1991, (b) in 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994; and, of these, how many were (i) at grade 7 level, (ii) at grade 3 level, (iii) at executive officer level, (iv) at administrative officer level and (v) at administrative assistant level.
The number of women employed by the Department at the specified grades over the past four years is as follows:
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | |
| Grade 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grade 7 | 31 | 44 | 39 | 45 |
| EO | 208 | 218 | 269 | 280 |
| AO | 403 | 410 | 446 | 416 |
| AA | 265 | 287 | 224 | 208 |
| Overall | 1,096 | 1,150 | 1,186 | 1,233 |
Private Finance Initiative
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans her Department has for encouraging the use of the private finance initiative in education.
In December last, we issued the booklet "Education Means Business" which sets out opportunities for private investment in education. This was sent to all higher and further education institutions, grant-maintained schools and all other secondary schools, maintained special schools, local education authorities, diocesan bodies and teachers' organisations together with banks, solicitors and accountancy firms and other businesses that have expressed an interest in PFI and education. Copies were placed in the Library of the House.The Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Further Education Funding Council and the Funding Agency for Schools maintained registers of businesses and education providers who are interested in pursuing privately financed projects and put interested parties in touch with each other.The Department—working together with the higher education funding councils and the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals—is organising a conference for universities and the private sector to encouraged further private investment in higher education. It is to be held on 23 March at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. We arc considering whether it would be beneficial to organise similar conferences for the further education and schools sectors.The Department's PFI unit is arranging a number of visits to schools and LEAs with the objective of promoting PFI.As announced at the time of the last Budget, we are making changes from 1 April 1995 to the allocation of capital and recurrent grants to both higher and further education funding councils. This will enable them to give higher and further education institutions more flexibility to decide how to finance capital projects and, in particular, more scope to use private sector finance. In addition, further education institutions will have the same ability as the higher education institutions to use Exchequer-funded assets as security for loans.
Next Steps Agencies
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will set out for each of the next steps agencies in her Department, whether they have acquired their own headquarters buildings and, if so, at what purchase cost or annual rental; how many support staff they have acquired which were not required when their operations were within her Department; how many of them publish periodical journals and at what annual cost; how many have fleets of executive cars or single executive cars and at what annual cost; how many have spoecifially designed logos and at what cost; how many have corporate clothing and at what cost; and what is the cost of specially designed and printed corporate stationery.
The Department has only one next steps agency, the Teachers Pensions Agency. The operational and managerial matters of the Teachers Pensions Agency are the responsibility of its chief executive, Mrs. Denyse Metcalfe. I have asked her to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Denyse Metcalf to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 23 January 1995:
As Chief Executive of the Teachers' Pensions Agency, I have been asked to let you have information about the Agency as requested in your Question to the Secretary of State for Education about the operation of the Department's Next Steps Agencies.
The TPA was launched as an Agency in April 1992 and has continued to occupy premises in Darlington on a site shared with the Department. It has no separate headquarters building. As well as sharing a site with the Department the Agency also obtains most of its support services from the Department under a Service Level Agreement, although it has its own Personnel and Training Section of 5 staff of whom 2 were additional posts in support of delegated freedoms stemming from the Agency's Framework Document.
The TPA produces an information sheet which it sends to the employers (approximately 3,500) of the Teachers' Superannuation Scheme members each term. The cost of this publication is £6,000 annually.
The Agency has one 'pool' car which is owned by the Agency and used by the Chief Executive and other staff for seminars and visits to employers. The annual cost of the car in 93/94 was £1,900.
The Agency has a logo which was produced as a result of an 'in house' competition for which a token amount of £150 was paid to the member of staff who produced it. The Agency has not corporate clothing and the use of a logo on stationery does not result in any increased costs.
National Curriculum
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list for (a) English, (b) mathematics and (c) history the publications, guidance and teaching material which has been sent to schools concerning the national curriculum since 1988; and if she will give the cost for each subject.
The table shows the information requested in the case of the statutory documents setting out study requirements for the current national curriculum in English, mathematics and history.For the revised national curriculum which comes into effect in August 1995, however, the statutory documents for the 11 subjects and the two supporting compilations were produced as a single project. It is not possible therefore to disaggregate the production and distribution costs of the individual subjects, but the production cost and the estimated distribution cost of the entire revised national curriculum are shown, along with the names of the relevant documents. Distribution is currently under way.The table also lists publications since 1988 relating to non-statutory curriculum guidance and the assessment of pupils in English, mathematics and history, although in some cases the documents cover all three core subjects—English, mathematics and science. I will write to the hon. Member with cost details as soon as possible.
| 1. Statutory documents containing attainment targets and programmes of study for the current National Curriculum | ||
| Production costs £ | Distribution costs £ | |
| English in the National Curriculum | 840,000 | 242,000 |
| English in the National Curriculum (1991) | 1757,000 | 1198,000 |
| Mathematics in the National Curriculum | 231,000 | 74,000 |
| Mathematics in the National Curriculum (1991) | 736,000 | 153,000 |
| History in the National Curriculum | ||
| 1These figures are estimates. | ||
Statutory documents containing Attainment Targets and Programmes of study for the revised National Curriculum coming into effect in August 1995
- English in the National Curriculum
- Mathematics in the National Curriculum
- History in the National Curriculum
- The National Curriculum
- Key Stages 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum
- Production cost—entire National Curriculum—£1,167,000
- Estimated distribution costs—entire National Curriculum—£255,000
3. Non-statutory curriculum guidance, and publications related to assessment of pupils
a. Curriculum guidance
English
- 1989 Non-Statutory Guidance (Key Stage 1)
- 1990 Non-Statutory Guidance (Key Stages 1–4)
- 1990 Aspects of English
Mathematics
- 1989 Non-Statutory Guidance
- 1991 Non-Statutory Guidance
- 1990 Using and Applying Mathematics (Book A)
- 1990 Using and Applying Mathematics (Book B)
- 1991 Mathematics Programmes of Study:
- INSET for Key Stages 3 and 4
- 1993 Mathematics Programmes of Study:
- INSET for Key Stages 1 and 2
History
- 1991 Non-Statutory Guidance
- 1992 History at Key Stage 2: an introduction to the non-European study units.
- 1993 Teaching History at Key Stage 3
- 1993 Teaching History at Key Stage 1
- 1993 Teaching History at Key Stage 2
b. Assessment of pupils
- The core subjects—English, mathematics and science combined
Key Stage 1
- 1991 Children's Work Assessed
- 1992 School Assessment Folder
- 1992 Core Subjects Reference Notes
- 1992 Core Tasks
- 1993 School Assessment Folder
- 1993 Children's Work Assessed
- 1993 Core Tasks
- 1994 School Assessment Folder
- 1994 Core Tasks
- 1995 Assessment Arrangements
Key Stage 2
- 1994 School Assessment Folder
- 1994 Children's Work Assessed
- 1995 Assessment Arrangements
- 1995 Special Arrangements
Key Stage 3
- 1991 Teacher Assessment at KS3
- 1991 Teacher Assessment in Practice
- 1992 School Assessment Folder
- 1993 School Assessment Folder
- 1993 Materials to Support the End of Key Stage Tests
- 1993 Guidance on Special Arrangements
- 1993 Test Timetable
- 1993 Test Guidance Notes
- 1994 End of Key Stage Assessment Arrangements
- 1994 Test Timetable
- 1994 Guidance on Special Arrangements
- 1994 Test Guidance Notes
- 1994 Reporting and Recording Leaflet
- 1995 School Assessment Folder (booklet 1)
- 1995 School Assessment Folder (Booklet 2)
- 1995 Test Timetable
- 1995 Special Arrangements Timetable
English
Key Stage 1
- 1991 En 1 Speaking and Listening
- 1992 Children's Work Assessed
- 1992 Reading and Spelling
- 1993 Reading and Spelling Tasks
- 1994 Reading and Spelling Tasks
- 1995 Tasks
Key Stage 2
- 1993 Pilot Tests
- 1994 Pilot Tests
- 1995 Tasks
Key Stage 3
- 1992 Pupils' Work Assessed
- 1993 Assessing En 1
- Information on the 1993 Tests
- 1993 English Anthology
- 1993 Sample Test Questions
- 1994 Level 1–3 Tasks
- 1994 Test Guidance Notes
- 1995 Levels 1–3 Tasks
Mathematics
Key Stage 1
- 1992 Optional Tasks (mathematics and science combined)
- 1994 Optional Mathematics Pack
- 1995 Mathematics Tasks
Key Stage 2
- 1993 Pilot Tests
- 1994 Pilot Tests
1990–91
| 1991–92
| 1992–93
| 1993–94
| 1994–95
| |
£ million
| outturn
| estimate
| |||
| Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges1 | 3.021 | 3.498 | 3.848 | 4.051 | 4.184 |
| Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research | 0.535 | 0.652 | 0.949 | 0.857 | 0.832 |
| National Council for Educational Technology | 4.660 | 4.961 | 5.658 | 5.506 | 5.391 |
| Further Education Unit2 | 3.871 | 3.129 | 3.545 | — | — |
| National Youth Bureau3 | 0.571 | — | — | — | — |
| National Youth Agency4 | — | 1.840 | 1.495 | 1.344 | 1.394 |
| Education Assets Board | 0.552 | 0.500 | 0.858 | 0.784 | 1.401 |
| School Examinations and Assessment Council5 | 7.730 | 10.532 | 12.383 | 4.139 | — |
| National Curriculum Council5 | 7.340 | 7.698 | 8.135 | 3.091 | — |
| School Curriculum and Assessment Authority6 | — | — | — | 21.998 | 34.000 |
| Teaching as a Career Unit | 1.487 | 1.402 | 1.407 | 1.064 | 1.194 |
| Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council7 | 1,104.255 | 993.158 | 1,034.601 | — | — |
- 1995 Tasks
Key Stage 3
- 1991 Teacher Assessment at KS3
- 1992 Pupils' Work Assessed
- 1992 Materials to support the Assessment of MA 1
- 1993 Sample Test Questions
- 1993 Assessing Ma 1
- 1993 Pupils' Work Assessed
- 1994 Level 1&2 Tasks
- 1995 Level 1&2 Tasks
History
Key Stage 1
- 1993 Children's Work Assessed (history and geography combined)
Key Stage 3
- 1992 Teacher Assessment at KS3
- 1993 Pupils' Work Assessed
University Students
To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action she is taking to help university students living below the poverty line and not in receipt of social security benefit.
The student income and expenditure survey for 1992–93 conducted on behalf of the Department revealed no evidence of widespread student poverty, for those students prepared to take the concessionary student loans on offer. The total support available through the main rates of grant and loan will increase by 2.5 per cent. for the 1995–96 academic year. Income support and housing benefit continue to be available to students in certain vulnerable groups. The access funds, which will be increased by about £1 million to around £28 million for 1995–96, can provide additional assistance to full-time students in particular need.
Public Bodies (Grants)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the grants given to non-governmental organisations by her Department in each year since 1990.
The grants given to the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department are listed in the table. Those made to the research councils and to the Sports Council, formerly sponsored by the then Department of Education and Science and now by the Office of Public service and Science and the Department of National Heritage respectively, are published in the appropriation accounts, copies of which are in the Library.
1990–91
| 1991–92
| 1992–93
| 1993–94
| 1994–95
| |
£ million
| outturn
| estimate
| |||
| Universities Funding Council7 | 1,836.708 | 1,782.142 | 1,806.426 | — | — |
| Higher Education Funding Council for England8 | — | — | 0.500 | 2,810.626 | 3,436.076 |
| Further Education Funding Council8 | — | — | 24.417 | 2,706.066 | 2,847.058 |
| Funding Agency for Schools9 | — | — | — | 0.674 | 237.026 |
| Teacher Training Agency10 | — | — | — | — | 1.932 |
| Special Educational Needs Tribunal11 | — | — | — | — | 0.220 |
1Merged with British Council December 1993. Henceforth sponsored by Foreign and Commonwealth Office. | |||||
2Subsumed in Further Education Funding Council grant from 1993–94. | |||||
3Wound up in 1991 and replaced by the National Youth Agency. | |||||
4Established April 1991 incorporating National Youth Bureau and Council for Education and Training in Community Work. | |||||
5Wound up in 1993. | |||||
6Established October 1993 incorporating School Examinations and Assessment Council and National Curriculum Council. | |||||
7Wound up March 1993. | |||||
8Established April 1993. Preparatory costs in 1992–93. | |||||
9Established April 1994. Preparatory costs in 1993–94. 1994–95 estimate net of annual maintenance grants, which are recouped in full from local education authorities, and loan repayments. | |||||
10Established September 1994. Preparatory costs only. | |||||
11Established September 1994. Programme costs only. | |||||
Health
Cancer
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to assist cancer sufferers to live at home with the appropriate and necessary level of support.
Health authorities are required to contract for specialist palliative care services to meet the assessed health needs of their populations. We have increased the amount of funding made available to health authorities for specialist palliative care from £8 million in 1990–91 to nearly £48 million this financial year. This financial commitment has helped to ensure that palliative care is increasingly available in all settings, including in the patient's own home. The development of the right services to enable people to live in their own homes wherever this is possible and sensible is a key objective of the new community care arrangements. The expert advisory group on cancer also recommended that treatment should be provided as close to the patient's home as is compatible with high-quality, safe and effective treatment.
Energy Efficiency
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health trusts have set energy saving targets comparable to those set by health authorities given in "Climate Change: The UK Programme".
Some 387 national health service trusts have established energy targets for the period to March 1996 and beyond.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by each health authority in the United Kingdom towards the energy saving target given in "Climate Change: The UK Programme".
The national health service energy savings programme commenced in April 1991 with a target set to reduce national energy consumption by 15 per cent. over the five years to 1995–96. The broad total savings achieved in England to date amount to 7.9 per cent.
It is not possible to give totals for each health authority or national health service trust.
Additional energy savings have been projected from April 1994 to March 1996 amounting to 8.3 per cent.
Special Transitional Grant
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each local authority in England the special transitional grant for 1994–95; and if she will indicate for each local authority the funding that would have been received by that authority if the distribution formula had been the same as that used for 1993–94, and indicate the difference between the two.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 9 March 1994, Official Report, column 308.
Long-Term Care
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what national criteria she has stipulated against which she will judge whether the definitions of access to long-term health care which the district health authorities will be negotiating with their local authorities next year are reasonable and equitable;(2) what financial recompense she will require to be made to local authorities required to provide a substantial part of long-term care which is elsewhere available under the NHS.
We shall shortly be issuing guidance to health authorities on their responsibilities for continuing health care. Under this guidance, all health authorities will be required to review their current arrangements and to ensure they are securing an adequate level of continuing health care to meet the needs of their population.
Nhs Uniformity
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring mechanism she has requested the National Health Service Executive put in place to ensure that there is consistency of definitions between authorities.
The National Health Service Executive in consultation with the NHS, has commissioned national standards for the data items, including definitions, which all NHS authorities have agreed to collect regularly, both for local NHS management and returns to the centre. The regulation of these standards is governed by the joint Department of Health-National Health Service Committee for Regulating Information Requirements.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanism is in place to ensure equity between different areas of the country as regards the availability of different forms of treatment on the NHS.
Our policy objective is to secure, through resource allocation, over time, equal opportunity of access to health care for people at equal risk. A weighted capitation formula is used as the basis for allocating hospital and community health services revenue to regional health authorities. The formula weights their population for age, need, and for geographical variation in the cost of providing services. It is for health authorities to determine, taking full account of national priorities, set out in the annual priorities and planning guidance, how best to use the resources available to them to meet local needs.
Stress-Related Diseases
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of deaths among (a) men and (b) women in each of the last five years were a consequence of stress-related diseases.
Information on death certificates about causes of death is given in terms of diagnosis. Stress may be a contributory factor in deaths from a number of diseases, but is not a separate diagnostic category. It is therefore not possible to say what proportion of deaths from any disease are stress related.
Children's Homes
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the study being prepared by the social services inspectorate into unregistrable children's homes will be (a) completed and (b) published.
I expect the report to be submitted within the next few months. A decision on publication will be made thereafter.
Children (Placement)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are currently placed with non-relatives under the arrangements for the Placement of Children (General) Regulations 1991; and in what percentage of these placements a taxable fee is being paid directly to the non-relative or to an agency.
Information collected centrally relates only to children looked after by local authorities. At 31 March 1993 approximately 43,000 children looked after by local authorities were placed in foster care with non-relatives or in residential accommodation, and would have been subject to these regulations. Of these, 27,000 were in foster care. The total includes about 2,000 children with agreements for a series of short-term placements, who will not all have been so placed on that date.Where placements are with a foster family, the percentage of foster carers that receive a taxable fee—reward payments—is very small.
In all cases where placements are with an agency, the fee, less expenses accepted by the Inland Revenue, would be regarded as taxable income.
Conception
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys she has conducted to establish which scientists argue that conception in human reproduction occurs days later than fertilisation; and if she will make a statement.
The accepted scientific view is that pregnancy does not occur until the fertilised ovum implants in the womb, which is usually around six days after fertilisation.
Laparoscopic Operations
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the recently issued guidelines, by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, on the subject of laparoscopic operations; and if she will make a statement.
No representations have been received about these guidelines, which were contained in a report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists working party on training in gynaecological endoscopic surgery, the publication of which we welcome.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will require the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to introduce an accreditation procedure for surgeons wishing to perform laparoscopic operations.
We welcome the recent decision by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to introduce compulsory training in endoscopic surgery, including issuing certificates of competence to those who have had satisfactory reports.
Ambulance Response Times, Bolton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what are the target ambulance response times for Bolton;(2) on how many occasions, numerically and as a percentage over the last two years, target ambulance response times for Bolton have not been met.
Health authorities are responsible for setting and monitoring performance standards for the emergency and urgent ambulance services in the district(s) they cover, which must as a minimum accord with national standards. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Wigan and Bolton district health authority, for details of the services in Bolton.
Mrs Elizabeth Bailey
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to receive the report of the inquiry into the part played in the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Bailey of Bolton by (a) hospital bed availability and (b) ambulance response time.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is aware of the sad circumstances of Mrs. Bailey's death. My right hon. Friend does not expect to receive further reports. It is for the local health authorities to consider any lessons to be learned for the operation of the health services in Bolton.
Specialty Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give for each financial year since 1989–90 the numbers of (a) hospital spells and (b) finished consultant episodes in NHS hospitals in England recorded in the NHS Executive's fast-track monitoring returns for (i) acute specialties, (ii) geriatrics, (iii) mental illness, (iv) mental handicap, (v) maternity, (vi) well babies and (vii) all specialties.
[holding answer 16 January 1995]: The numbers of finished consultant episodes for ordinary and day case admissions in national health service hospitals in England are published in "Ordinary and day case admissions for England: Financial Year 1993–94, copies of which are available in the Library. These are the definitive figures which supersede the provisional forecasts from the National Health Service Executive's fast-track monitoring returns. Information on hospital spells is not collected within the fast-track system.
Family Health Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give for each year since 1974–75 total spending on family health services for each NHS region and for the special health authorities (a) in cash terms, (b) adjusted using the GDP deflator and (c) adjusted using the NHS pay and prices index.
[holding answer 16 January 1995]: A regional breakdown of all family health services expenditure from 1992–93 will be placed in the Library. Regional figures for earlier years are not readily available on a comparable basis but national totals of FHS expenditure from 1974–75 will also be placed in the Library. Figures have been adjusted to 1993–94 prices using the GDP deflator. The only available FHS inflation index is based on costs in the non-cash-limited part of the FHS and is not applicable to these figures which incorporate both cash-limited and non-cash-limited FHS expenditure. Special health authorities do not incur expenditure on family health services.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give for each financial year since 1989–90 the numbers of day case admissions to NHS hospitals in England recorded in (a) the hospital episode system and (b) the NHS Executive's fast-track monitoring returns for (i) acute specialties, (ii) geriatrics, (iii) mental illness, (iv) mental handicap, (v) maternity, (vi) well babies and (vii) all specialties.
[holding answer 16 January 1995]: The number of day case admissions for each speciality group from the hospital episode statistics system for each financial year 1988–89 to 1992–93 is given in the annual publication "Hospital Episode Statistics, England", copies of which are available in the Library.The National Health Service Executive's fast-track monitoring returns are used to produce provisional forecasts which are not routinely published. The final definitive figures of day case admission in NHS hospitals are published in "Ordinary and Day Case Admissions for England: Financial Year 1993–94", and copies are available in the Library.
Employment
Factory Inspectors
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the annual cost of employing a factory inspector.
The average annual cost at 1994–95 prices to the Health and Safety Executive of employing a factory inspector 1B, the main grade deployed on inspection work, is £45,387.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in how many cases relatives of (a) existing factory inspectors and (b) administrative staff have been recruited in (i) area offices, (ii) HQ Bootle or (iii) London in the administrative executive and clerical grades; if he will issue instructions to prevent this practice; and if he will take appropriate disciplinary action.
No statistics are kept of relatives employed in Health and Safety Executive offices.The recruitment of all staff in the HSE meets the civil service Order in Council rules dealing with fair and open recruitment. The existing rules about recruitment of relatives are sufficiently clear and stringent and no disciplinary action is needed.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors are due to be recruited in 1995; and when the recruitment will take place.
A current recruitment competition aims to recruit approximately 60 factory inspectors.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many premises were inspected by the factory inspectorate (a) in 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94.
Information about the number of premises inspected is not readily available since some premises received more than one visit. The number of planned inspection visits carried out by the field operations division's factory, agriculture and quarries inspectors is shown in the following table:
| Year | Number of inspections |
| 1992–93 | 157,426 |
| 1993–94 | 152,014 |
Health And Safety Executive
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the names and full costs of all consultants currently used by the Health and Safety Executive and those used in 1993–94.
Available information for 1993–94 is given in the following table. A similar list for the current year is not yet available.
Names and costs of consultants—1993–94
| |
Consultant
| Cost (£)
|
| P. A. Consulting Group | 22,424.72 |
| MaST Western Ltd. | 1,796.20 |
| Dr. Fitzgerald | 141.00 |
| Elintech | 64,918.75 |
| Easesystems Ltd. | 13,236.94 |
| R. M. Consultants | 2,806.75 |
| Dr. P. Knight | 194.95 |
| W. L. Pugh Mining Engineer | 1,044.00 |
| Strata Control Technology Pty Ltd. | 13,612.89 |
| Mr. Essery | 10,000.00 |
| Mr. Sibson | 10,000.00 |
| Mr. Hiles | 15,928.00 |
| Miss Caws QC | 2,931.25 |
| Mr. Burgess | 238.60 |
| Disc Europe | 60,000.00 |
| Compel plc | 1,890.00 |
| Retix UK Ltd. | 700.00 |
| Amtec Consulting | 870.00 |
| Level 7 Ltd. | 16,218.65 |
| Admiral Software Ltd. | 1,000.20 |
| Uden Computer Consultants | 33,929.37 |
| Mica Computing Services | 772.40 |
| Sensory Systems | 125.00 |
| Yale Consulting | 38,315.00 |
| E2E Systems | 8,510.64 |
| SiSL | 34,042.55 |
| Hoskyns Group | 13,846.74 |
| Cognos Ltd. | 29,594.31 |
| Triad Special Systems | 490.95 |
| Comtex (UK) Ltd. | 4,815.00 |
| Kinesis Computing Ltd. | 149,398.12 |
| Professor Sir William Wade QC | 5,581.25 |
| Patrick Thomas | 455.49 |
| Keisley Harris | 7,167.50 |
| Capita | 42,881.00 |
| Denham-Nash Ltd. | 18,926.80 |
| W. S. Atkins | 42,955.66 |
| Ernst and Young | 15,000.00 |
| Allan H. Webb | 5,922.01 |
| Hunterskill | 31,114.05 |
| Turner Williams | 28,107.34 |
| ROSPA | 19,470.58 |
| University of Nottingham | 4,200.00 |
| John Enderby | 502.26 |
| Shreeveport | 2,440.00 |
| KPMG | 27,672.14 |
| Ian Sharland Ltd. | 7,680.00 |
| Institute of Occupational Medicine Ltd. | 125.00 |
| BMRB International | 3,466.00 |
| TQM International Ltd. | 34,771.46 |
| Pointing Consulting Services Ltd. | 15,537.47 |
| Business Planning and Research International | 13,899.74 |
| Taylor Nelson AGB plc | 18,623.75 |
| Dr. P. Buley | 4,857.69 |
| Mr. A. B. Martin | 16,817.62 |
| Mr. A. J. Linehan | 6,511.36 |
| Dr. J. Patrick | 1,552.17 |
| Mr. J. Hannaford | 3,074.82 |
| Dr. D. Hicks | 2,044.61 |
| Sir Alan Cottrell | 10,000.00 |
| Professor E. Smith | 13,747.50 |
| Mr. G. L. Potts | 21,072.00 |
| Dr. R. E. Long | 11,944.97 |
| Mr. D. Stallard | 4,999.62 |
| Total | 996,914.84 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the Health and Safety Executive will open the files held in area offices on individual firms' inspection history to members of the public on demand without payment of any fees.
Under the code of practice on access to government information and the Environmental Information Regulations 1992, the Health and Safety Executive will make available, on request information about inspections it has carried out at particular premises, subject to the exempted categories of information in the code and the regulations.Where the HSE uses significant resources to make information available, it will make reasonable charges for such information as it is entitled to do under both the code and the regulations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many premises liable to inspection by the Health and Safety Executive have not had a full basic inspection by the Health and Safety Executive in the last (a) five, (b) seven, (c) nine, (d) 11 and (e) more years; and what will be the inspection backlog for 1994–95.
Information about the elapsed years since full basic inspections were carried out by the Health and Safety Executive to premises for which the HSE has inspection responsibilities, can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Although elapsed years is one consideration in determining inspection priorities, more account is taken of the degree of hazard and risk posed to employees and the public. Inspection programmes are selected each year to match the resources available, and there is no inspection backlog.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the target number of basic field inspections for 1995–96 in the field operations division of the Health and Safety Executive; and how many premises in total the Health and Safety Executive is now responsible for inspecting.
The 1995–96 plan of work for the field operations division of the Health and Safety Executive is still in preparation and the target number of inspections is not yet known. HSE inspectors are responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation in over 650,000 establishments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the Health and Safety Executive is alleviating the problem of work-related stress among its staff.
The Health and Safety Executive's safety policy is clear in establishing divisional management responsibilities for dealing with issues such as stress at work. Guidance to divisional line managers is currently provided in the Employment Department group personnel handbook. This guidance augments the high level of awareness within the HSE's divisions of the risks associated with work-induced stress. While recognising the difficulties posed by non-work stresses, it sets out a practical approach to identifying and combating workplace stress. The HSE's 1995 staff attitudes survey will provide monitoring of its effectiveness in managing this issue.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what changes in the complement of principal inspectors of factories is being planned for the Health and Safety Executive area offices; and if he will make a statement.
The complement of principal inspectors—factory, agriculture and quarries—in area offices is being reduced for 1995–96 by approximately 34, as part of the process of restructuring some parts of the Health ad Safety Executive in order to allow the executive to recruit more inspectors for front-line activities. The HSE has agreed to the recruitment of some 60 of the latter during 1995–96.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the ratio of managers to managed grades in the Health and Safety Executive.
The Health and Safety Executive has many staff whose work involves a mixture of supervisory and personal work. The ratio of those staff whose work is entirely or mainly managerial to other staff at 1 January 1995 was 1:18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what personnel policies the Health and Safety Executive has to deal with husbands and wives working in the same office of the Health and Safety Executive; and what consideration he has given to making a formal statement banning such arrangements.
The Employment Department group policy on partners working with each other is set out in the ED group personnel handbook. This broadly ensures that partners should not have line management responsibilities, should not have a disciplinary role and should not act directly over the other in financial matters.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff were made redundant following market testing in the Health and Safety Executive in 1993–94.
None.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to reduce the Health and Safety Executive front-line services; and what is the consequence for 1995–96 and 1996–97 of the recent public expenditure round for the Health and Safety Executive front-line services in area offices.
Following the reduction in its financial provision, I have asked the Health and Safety Commission to safeguard the front-line work of the executive, including inspection, guidance, advice and enforcement, by building on the executive's record of continuing efficiency improvements.The commission will be announcing details of its planned deployment of resources in its plan of work for 1995–96, due to be published in the early summer.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the employees of the Health and Safety Executive have had their child care costs met by the executive; what is the grade of staff involved; and on what basis this assistance is made available.
No Health and Safety Executive staff have their child care costs full met by the executive. Currently, a total of 25 people have a place at one of HSE's two workplace nurseries on Merseyside at a subsidy of £45 per week—pro rata for part-time use—which is around 50 per cent. of the full weekly cost.The grades involved are two grade 7s, two senior information officers, one inspector, two higher executive officers, one scientific officer, five executive officers, 11 administrative officers and one administrative assistant. Additionally, there are currently 14 holiday play schemes at various locations throughout the country which assist parents with child care during school holidays. The numbers of staff assisted, their grades and the degree to which they are financially assisted varies from scheme to scheme but, in the main, the HSE's contribution is in the form of some basis set-up and running costs depending on the scheme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the Health and Safety Executive has been seeking volunteers for early retirement from factory inspectors; and if he will make a statement.
The Health and Safety Executive has been seeking volunteers for early retirement from a wide range of senior staff within the HSE, including at principal inspector level and above. This exercise, which is resulting in the early retirement of 85 staff in March 1995, was caused by the need to restructure some parts of the HSE in order to allow the HSE to recruit more inspectors for front-line inspection.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what resources were available to the field consultant group of the Health and Safety Executive, (a) in 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.
The following staffing resources were available to the field consultant groups of the Health and Safety Executive in 1993–94 and 1994–95.
| As at 31 March 1994 | As at 1 November 1994 | |
| Specialist inspector grades | 99.50 | 96.75 |
| Scientific grades | 28.50 | 29.50 |
| Total | 128.00 | 126.25 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors in the area offices of the Health and Safety Executive are suffering from work-related stress; and whether the Health and Safety Executive has a contingency budget for legal claims against the executive for any of its staff suffering work-related stress.
It is not possible to say how many factory inspectors are under stress currently, or whether that is causing them suffering. It is also very difficult to separate work-related stress from non-work-related stress or to measure it accurately because stress-related illness can manifest itself in a variety of ways. There is no Health and Safety Executive budget for claims of this kind.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the cost of the regional tier of field management in the field operations division of the Health and Safety Executive in 1995–96.
The regional tier of field management in the field operations division of the Health and Safety Executive in 1995–96 is expected to be unchanged from that in the current year. The 1995–96 payroll cost of the regional directors, their support managers and secretarial services is £496,000.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many relatives of existing employed staff have been recruited at Health and Safety Executive headquarters, Bootle; and whether such recruitments are within civil service personnel rules.
No statistics are kept on the recruitment of relatives within Health and Safety Executive headquarters, Bootle. All recruitment meet civil service Order in Council regulations about fair and open recruitment.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current hourly rate of security and messengerial staff at the Health and Safety Executive headquarters at Bootle, Merseyside.
The security staff at the Health and Safety Executive headquarters at Bootle are employed by a private contractor, and I am unaware of their wage rates.The current hourly rate for messengerial staff employed at HSE HQ at Bootle is £4.71 per hour.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further contracted-out operations the Health and Safety Executive plans in 1994–95.
The Health and Safety Executive has no further contracted out operations planned for the financial year 1994–95.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what legal provisions allow the Health and Safety Executive to exclude premises from its future inspection programmes; what classes of premises are being excluded; and what procedures are in place to allow challenges to this practice.
There are no legal provisions concerning the exclusion by the Health and Safety Executive of premises from its future inspection programmes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what steps his Department intends to take to inform speakers of Bengali, Gujerati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu of the availability of the Health and Safety Executive leaflet "Your Health and Safety-a guide for workers";(2) what steps his Department intends to lake to publicise the availability of the Health and Safety Executive leaflet "Your Health and Safety—a guide for workers".
This leaflet was published in English and five Asian languages in November 1994. The Health and Safety Executive initially distributed a package including an advertising poster and copies of the leaflet in each language to around 3,000 organisations including community centres, citizens advice bureaux, legal advice centres and ethnic minority libraries. Copies of the leaflet were sent, with a press release, to the ethnic minority press and all local radio stations broadcasting in ethnic minority languages. The leaflets are available free of charge from HSE books. Demand so far has been high: over 180,000 copies of the leaflet have now been distributed.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what commercial involvement Ernst and Young has with the information technology division of the Health and Safety Executive; and what steps have been taken by him or by the commission to avoid conflicts of interest in the case of commissioners who have other dealings with Ernst and Young.
Ernst and Young is nearing the end of an assignment to assist the in-house bid for the market test of the Health and Safety Executive's information technology services. Their appointment followed a competitive tendering exercise in which four consultancy firms submitted tenders and were interviewed by a panel. To avoid any conflicts of interest, tenderers were required to provide CVs of staff who would be involved in the work. The decision to use Ernst and Young was taken by the executive in accordance with civil service rules. The commission was not involved in the decision.
Construction Regulations
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the Construction (Designed Management) Regulations and approved code of practice will be approved; when they were submitted to him; and what factors were responsible for the length of the interval.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 were signed on 19 December 1994 and consent given to the code of practice, which was approved by the Health and Safety Commission on 3 January 1995. Both were submitted to the then Minister of State on 18 March 1994 and passed to me following the Cabinet changes on 20 July 1994.Making new regulations is an important ministerial responsibility. It was necessary to be absolutely certain that this complex package of regulations was as fair and reasonable as possible and this inevitably took time.
Job Advertisements (European Commission)
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about advertisements for United Kingdom-based European Commission jobs, with particular reference to any restrictions on the nationality of applicants.
The wording of advertisements for jobs with the European Commission is a matter for the Commission.
Offshore Safety Division
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which trade union representatives the contracted-out administrative support at the offshore safety division office at Norwich; and what is the average hourly wage rate (a) at the offshore safety division office at Norwich and (b) other area Health and Safety Executive offices.
The administrative support staff at the offshore safety division office in Norwich are employed by Manpower plc, and I am unaware of either their wage rates or trade union representation.The average hourly rate for administrative staff employed at Health and Safety Executive offices is £4.47 per hour—excluding additional allowances paid to staff working in the London area.
Health And Safety Commission
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the meetings of the Health and Safety Commission and its industrial advisory committees will be open to the press and public under the open government initiative.
Under the code of practice on access to government information and the Environmental Information Regulations 1992 the Health and Safety Commission and its advisory committees will normally release information about the decisions it has taken and the facts and analyses behind those decisions, subject to the exempted categories of information in the code and regulations. The commission believes that to open its meetings to the press and public would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion, as is recognised in the code and the regulations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many copies of "Fraud, Theft and Impropriety" have been issued; and if all members of the Health and Safety Commission have received a copy.
The leaflet "Fraud, Theft and Impropriety" was issued on a ratio of one copy for each member of the Health and Safety Executive's staff. The members of the Health and Safety Commission were not issued with this leaflet.
Social Charter
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in chronological order, all regulations and directives arising from article 118A of the amended treaty of Rome, stating in each case the title and objective, the number as published in the Official Journal of the European Community and the relevant United Kingdom Act and regulation, where applicable; and if each instrument is part of the work programme envisaged by the social charter, adopted by some member states in 1989.
As the information is contained in a number of tables, I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.
Fishermen (Redundancies)
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many fishermen have been made redundant as a result of the existing decommissioning scheme offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
The information is not available.
Departmental Employees
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees for which his Department is responsible were women (a) in 1991, (b) in 1992, (c) in 1993 and (d) in 1994; and of these, how many were (i) at grade 7 level, (ii) at grade 3 level, (iii) at executive officer level, (iv) at administrative officer level and (v) at administrative assistant level.
The information is given in the following table:
| Women in the Employment Department group | ||||
| Grade level | April 1991 | April 1992 | April 1993 | April 1994 |
| Grade 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Grade 7 | 128 | 160 | 182 | 197 |
| EO | 9,756 | 11,711 | 11,792 | 10,322 |
| AO | 20,401 | 23,718 | 23,925 | 23,424 |
| AA | 2,241 | 2,422 | 2,366 | 1,902 |
| Total women in ED group | 36,879 | 42,344 | 42,340 | 38,786 |
Labour Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were (a) the hours worked per week, (b) the number of full-time workers and (c) the number of part-time workers in each year since 1979.
The available information from the labour force survey is given in the following table. There are no comparable figures before 1983.
| Total actual weekly hours of work, and full and part-time classification of all employees and self-employed Great Britain | |||
| Quarter | Total actual hours worked per week (millions) | Number in full time employment (thousands) | Number in part time employment (thousands) |
| Not seasonally adjusted | |||
| Spring 1983 | 787 | 18,253 | 4,336 |
| Spring 1984 | 777 | 18,244 | 4,828 |
| Spring 1985 | 802 | 18,401 | 4,943 |
| Spring 1986 | 805 | 18,398 | 5,036 |
| Spring 1987 | 810 | 18,529 | 5,230 |
| Spring 1988 | 857 | 19,163 | 5,402 |
| Spring 1989 | 885 | 19,936 | 5,546 |
| Spring 1990 | 885 | 20,114 | 5,612 |
| Spring 1991 | 866 | 19,561 | 5,633 |
| Seasonally adjusted (quarterly survey introduced) | |||
| Spring 1992 | 808 | 18,917 | 5,689 |
| Spring 1993 | 807 | 18,556 | 5,807 |
| Spring 1994 | 816 | 18,529 | 5,990 |
| Autumn 1994 | —1 | 18,722 | 6,004 |
| Note: | |||
| 1 Not yet available. | |||
Source:
Labour force survey.
Social Fund
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many schemes have been approved and at what total value in pound sterling for each of the member states of the European Union and for Wales and Scotland under objective 4 of the European social fund since its inception; and if he will make a statement.
The current objective 4 of the European social fund was created by the structural fund regulations passed in July 1993. Plans for implementing it in eight member states were provisionally approved by the Commission in November 1994. It is not possible to say how many schemes other member states have approved.As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, no schemes have been approved under objective 4. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by the then Minister of State on 25 January 1994,
Official Report, column 223.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Diary Farmers
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the approximate average net profits for dairy farmers were in each year since 1985.
Information on incomes of full-time dairy farms and other farm types is collected in the farm business survey and published each year in "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom". The latest edition, "Farm Incomes in United Kingdom 1992–93", shows estimates of several different measures of income for dairy farms in 1991–92 and 1992–93. Definitions of these income measures are contained in appendix 2.To illustrate longer-term trends in incomes, index series are also given for net farm income, occupier's net income and cash income back to 1986–87—table 1.1 and appendix 1, tables 1 and 2—the earliest year for which data are available on a consistent basis."Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom 1993–94" will be published in spring.
Integrated Administration And Control System
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what are the requirements for IACS applications in England and Wales in 1995.
I have consulted closely with the industry on the detail and the timing of the IACS arrangements for 1995 to ensure that they are kept as straightforward as possible.I am pleased to be able to announce that, as a result of pressing strongly for a UK deadline later than 31 March 1995 to meet farmers' needs, we will be applying the latest possible date of 15 May.The IACS explanatory booklet and forms will be issued in March. The documentation is designed to be as helpful and as easy to follow as possible given the complex nature of the rules.I recognise that farmers will want to do as much as they can in advance to prepare for IACS. The mapping and field data requirements set out in the 1994 guidance note on mapping and field data requirements will continue to apply in 1995.No maps will be required where applications relate only to forage area. Nor will they be required for arable area, provided the land was registered as eligible for future arable payments in 1993 or 1994 and has not changed significantly since then. Applicants will need to supply a single national grid reference number for each field and the Ordnance Survey map sheet reference in order to comply with the basic requirements of the IACS rules. Fields which have been permanently amalgamated, divided or which are on more than one map sheet must have a single field number for 1995.Fields which are on more than one map sheet must, from 1995, be allocated a new number based on the centre point of the whole field. If farmers obtained new numbers on a different basis in 1994, they do not need to provide another number this year. Estimates of area will continue to be accepted, but if areas are found to be over-declared, we have no option but to apply the strict penalties set out in the rules.I strongly urge farmers to obtain any necessary maps, field numbers and area measurements from the Ordnance Survey or other professional advisers as soon as possible and not leave this to the last minute, otherwise they risk missing the application deadline.
Melatonin
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are in place to monitor and control the use of melatonin in the breeding of lambs.
One marketing authorisation has been issued for the use of melatonin in the breeding of lambs.
This product is available on prescription only and must be used under the direction of a veterinary surgeon. Any suspected adverse reactions to the use of medicinal products should be reported to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The state veterinary service is responsible for the enforcement of legislation which protects the welfare of the lambs and their mothers.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what survey his Department has conducted into external research; and what research his Department has conducted into (a) the administering of melatonin to ewes, (b) the breeding cycles of ewes artificially induced and (c) the risks to humans of consumption of sheep meat from flocks in which melatonin is used to control artificially the breeding cycles of ewes.
No research is currently being funded by MAFF into the use of melatonin in the breeding of lambs. However, a three-year project investigating the use of melatonin and light treatment as a new method of producing autumn lambs, was funded in 1986. Before any veterinary medicinal product is authorised to be placed on the market in the United Kingdom, it is carefully assessed by the licensing authority, which consults independent scientists, against the statutory criteria of safety—including to the animal, the operator and the consumer of meat and meat products—quality and efficacy. This applies to medicinal products containing melatonin.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions have been pursued against sheep breeders for the conditions under which they have reared winter lambs born as a result of the administering of melatonin to their mothers in each of the past three years.
The information requested is not available.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what statistics his Department compiles on the use of melatonin in the breeding of lambs.
The use of a medicinal product, once authorised, is a matter for the marketplace to determine and not for the licensing authority. My Department therefore compiles no statistics on the use of melatonin in the breeding of lambs.
Lambs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are in place to monitor and control the conditions under which winter lambs are reared.
The Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress to any livestock on agricultural land. Subordinate legislation and the associated welfare code lay down more detailed requirements for the welfare of sheep. The state veterinary service is responsible for the enforcement of these provisions.
Agricultural Council
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome: of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 23 January.
As I had signalled beforehand, I took the opportunity of this Council to explain the public concern about the transport of farm animals and the conditions in which calves are reared for veal in some member states. I stressed my determination to see that the law requiring freedom of trade is upheld. But I also emphasised the urgent need for the Community as a whole to recognise these concerns, which are being expressed widely, not just in the United Kingdom, and to take effective measures as soon as possible to improve the standards for the welfare of farm animals.I am glad to say that a considerable number of Council members agreed with British concerns. Five Ministers pointed out that, like the UK, they had already banned the use of veal crates. There was wide support for, and no dissent from, my proposal that the review of the directive, planned for 1997, that allows the use of this method should be brought forward, the Agriculture Commissioner, Mr. Fischler, undertook to produce a report as soon as possible. All also agreed to make a determined effort to adopt rules on transport: this will be on the Council's agenda at its next meeting.The only other substantive debate was on the Commission's proposals for adjusting the support system for sugar. I regretted that the Commission had not seized the opportunity to propose more radical changes. I urged that, in so far as sugar quotas might have to be cut to keep within the general agreement on tariffs and trade limits on subsidised exports, these cuts should be targeted on the surplus-producing member states. I also underlined the need to guarantee adequate supplies of raw sugar for the refining industry. The Council will return to these proposals at its next meeting.I welcomed the appearance of the Commission's proposal creating a link between set-aside and arable land taken out of production for environmental and forestry purposes, and urged its speedy adoption.
Defence
Training Courses
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each training and tuition course with a total cost exceeding £5,000 paid for by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies during the last 12 months, showing the title and objectives of each course, the name of the organisations engaged, the total cost of each course, a summary of the responsibilities of staff members taking part and the process for course evaluation by the Department or agency.
Information is not held in the form requested and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
Discipline (Armed Forces)
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the circumstances in which a service man may find himself liable to disciplinary action when refusing drugs or vaccine in a theatre of war.
In operational circumstances where it is regarded as reasonable to issue an order for service personnel to receive drugs or vaccines to protect them against the threat of biological or chemical warfare agents, refusal of such a lawful order might render members of the armed forces liable to disciplinary action. The lawfulness of the order could be raised as an issue in the disciplinary proceedings, and the individual's rights would be taken into account. Any such case would turn on its own merits, including the fact that such vaccines and drugs could be life saving in operational circumstances.
Operation Granby
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration was given to monitoring for health effects after administration of the drugs and vaccines administered to service men, either during or after Operation Granby, with particular reference to compounds that were unlicensed at the time of administration.
All aspects of the health of service personnel are monitored, in peace and war, as a matter of routine. During the Gulf war, routine monitoring did not detect any adverse effects to health which would warrant special additional monitoring either during, or after, Operation Granby.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration was given to administering toxicology and virology tests to all those suffering from illness related to Operation Granby; and what was the reason for not doing so.
Individuals who believe that they are suffering from unexplained illnesses as a result of service in Operation Granby are offered a medical examination through my Department's Gulf assessment programme. The special tests employed on this programme are tailored to the particular requirements of each patient after considering the medical and occupational history, the reported symptoms and clinical signs found on examination. If indicated, these special tests can include toxicological and virology tests.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), of 20 December 1994, Official Report, column 1179, if he will set out the reasons why the specific counter-measures adopted against potential biological warfare by British forces in Operation Granby in the Gulf war are classified.
Information relating to the specific counter-measures adopted against potential biological warfare by British forces in the Gulf war could be useful to terrorists and potentially hostile intelligence services. Its continued classification is to protect British troops who may face a biological warfare threat in the future.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration was given to compiling a list of all recipients of the drugs or vaccines administered during Operation Granby, with particular reference to prescription-only medicines, with a view to recording them on the recipient's medical records; and what were the reasons for not doing so.
Standard peacetime procedures involve records of vaccines and prescribed medication being kept on every individual's service medical documents. Under operational conditions, individual service medical records are not held locally for logistic reasons, and a field medical documentation system is invoked. During Operation Granby, vaccinations or prescribed medications are entered on a nominal roll for later transfer to individual records. Given the repaid repatriation and demobilisation of personnel at the end of the conflict, it is likely that some individual medical records were not fully annotated. As a result, no reliable comprehensive list of recipients could be now compiled.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from whom and by what means plague vaccine, batch No. 10H03A, was obtained.
Details of specific medical counter-measures employed by British forces against potential biological warfare threat during Operation Granby remain classified.
Nerve Agent Immobilised Enzyme Alarm Detector
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether NAIAD can be triggered by the toxic compound given off from jet engines.
Nerve agent immobilised enzyme alarm and detector is designed to be used in conditions where it would not normally be in close proximity to jet engines. Nevertheless, NAIAD was extensively evaluated against a wide range of aircraft engine effluent during acceptance tests for military use. Out of the 18 aircraft type evaluated, in only one case was alarm condition attained. It follows that, although NAIAD is not commonly triggered by compounds emitted from jet engines, circumstances might arise in which this could happen.
Electro-Shock Batons
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the inclusion of electro shock-batons which formed part of the Al-Yamamah defence deal was known to Ministers or civil servants.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 17 January 1995, Official Report, column 452.
Defence Housing Executive
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the salary and length of contract of the new chief executive of the defence housing executive; and what is the estimated cost of establishing the defence housing executive.
Arrangements for the appointment of the chief executive have yet to be finalised. It is not possible to apportion costs between the establishment of the defence housing executive and the work undertaken previously to establish a housing trust.
Married Quarters Estate
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the individuals and companies who have been employed as paid consultants by his Department to advise on the management of the married quarters estate during the last three years.
Since January 1992, the following consultants have provided my Department with advice on the future arrangements for the services' married quarters estate:
| Firm | Subject |
| Ashurst Morris Crisp | Legal |
| Trowers and Hamlins (and Counsel) | |
| Allen and Overy | |
| Government Property Lawyers | |
| Macklay Murray and Spens | Legal (Scotland) |
| Henderson Boyd and Jackson | |
| Shepherd and Wedderburn | |
| Robson Mclean | |
| Coopers and Lybrand | Business and Finance |
| Price Waterhouse | |
| NatWest Markets | |
| UBS | |
| Chapman Hendy | Housing |
| Alistair McIntosh | |
| Cluttons | Surveys and Valuation |
| Chestertons | |
| DTZ Debenham Thorpe | |
| Knight, Frank and Rutley Savills | |
| Valuation Office Agency | |
| Recruitment and Assessment Service | Recruitment |
| Government Actuary's Department | Pensions |
| Major General J.F.J. Johnston CB CBE (Retd) | Chairman designate of Housing Trust |
Crown Housing Trust
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 January, Official Report, column 451, if the chief executive of the Crown housing trust has or will be, receiving the £20,000 bonus which is linked to performance.
The bonus is payable in April this year on the anniversary of the chief executive designate's appointment. The final amount will, however, depend on performance over the year.
Royal Navy Armaments Depot, Trecwn
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to announce the successful tenderer for RNAD Trecwn.
It is too early to say when a successful tenderer will be announced.
Tremoram
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to release documents on work on the chemical tremoram; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer Tuesday 17 January 1995]: These records will be reviewed in accordance with the terms of the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967. If release does not prejudice the Government's undertaking not to aid the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, they will be released in due course.
Documents
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will release the reference numbers and title of all documents relating to works at Nancekuke that are more than 30 years old but have not been released for public inspection; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer Tuesday 17 January 1995]: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out his reasons for not releasing the document reference 195/155956, which refers to work undertaken more than 30 years ago.
[holding answer Tuesday 17 January 1995]: There is no document with this reference. W0195/15956, however, is closed for reasons of continuing sensitivity. The release of the report would enable others to acquire details of weapons technology that would be contrary to our commitment of non-proliferation.
Vacant Dwellings
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of vacant dwellings currently owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement.
[holding answer Tuesday 17 January 1995]: As at 31 December, my Department owned 12,408 vacant dwellings in the following categories:
| Number | |
| Service married quarters | 9,992 |
| Former married quarters in the process of sale | 2,160 |
| MOD civilian houses | 218 |
| Former civilian houses in the process of sale | 38 |