Written Answers
Rural Primary Schools
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they believe that children educated in small rural primary schools suffer educational disadvantage as a result, and, if so, what number of pupils they consider are needed to ensure such disadvantage is not suffered.
Small schools, urban and rural, can present their pupils with advantages and disadvantages and the balance depends upon the circumstances of each particular school. When it falls to the Secretary of State for Education and Science to decide statutory proposals to close a small school, he examines each case on its individual merits in the light of the educational interests of the pupils concerned, local circumstances including any objections, and the expenditure factors involved. General advice on school sizes is given in paragraphs 9 to 13 of the Department of Education and Science Circular 2/81 and applies to urban and rural areas in England.
Primary And Middle Schools
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they agree that local education authorities who have first and middle schools, with pupils transferring at 8+, and some primary schools with pupils transferring at 11+, should continue to close primary schools in order to maintain the number of pupils atttending middle schools, and whether they will make a statement.
It is for local education authorities, in consultation with the governors of voluntary aided and special agreement schools, to take a view on such matters in the light of local circumstances and the preferences of parents. Where statutory proposals are required to effect changes and these fall to the Secretary of State for Education and Science to decide, he considers them on their individual merits in the light of the educational interests of the pupils concerned, local circumstances including any objections, and the expenditure factors involved.
Middle Schools: Pupil Numbers
asked Her Majesty's Government:What they consider to be the minimum number of pupils needed to make a middle school viable.
Advice on the size of middle schools is given in paragraph 11 of the Department of Education and Science's Circular 2/81, a copy of which is in the Library.
Sale Of Destroyers To The Argentine
asked Her Majesty's Government:How much the Argentine Government owes Williams and Glyn's Bank for two destroyers, sister ships of HMS "Sheffield", fitted with Exocet missiles, built by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness; and whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department of the Government will be liable to compensate the bank.
It is normal practice not to disclose details of ECGD's involvement in commercial contracts; but, in view of the publicity already attracted to this case, I can confirm that the department gave cover in respect of the sale to the Argentine Government in 1969 of two Type 42 destroyers, and that the amount yet to be paid by the buyer amounts to a little over £3.8 million including interest. In the event of this payment not being received, ECGD will be liable to compensate the United Kingdom bank concerned, subject to the terms and conditions of the cover given.
Crown Agents: Tribunal Of Inquiry Report
asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make a Statement on the Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry on the Crown Agents.
The Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry on the Crown Agents has been published today.The Crown Agents were deeply involved in the property and secondary bank failures which took place in 1974–75, with the result that large sums of public money had to be made available to enable them to meet their liabilities. Following the report of the Committee of Inquiry under the chairmanship of His Honour Judge Fay, the tribunal was set up in 1978 by the previous Government under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 to enquire into the extent to which there were lapses from accepted standards of commercial or professional conduct or of public administration in relation to the operations of the Crown Agents as financiers on own account in the years 1967–74.The tribunal has examined the issues very thoroughly and the Government would like to express their gratitude to the chairman, Mr. Justice Croom-Johnson and to his colleagues Lord Allen of Abbeydale and Sir William Slimmings for all the time and work they have put into examining these events.The tribunal's report is long and detailed. Five main issues are examined:
In looking at these issues, the tribunal has identified a number of serious shortcomings that existed at that time, not only in relation to the conduct of individuals, in respect of some of whom lapses or criticisms falling short of lapses were formally specified, but also in relation to the operation of institutions and procedures. The tribunal has drawn some general conclusions about the causes of these shortcomings. Those conclusions are based on the findings on specific issues given in the main body of the report, and need to be considered in that context.
The Government will now study the tribunal's findings in greater detail. The Government will look closely at the criticisms made, and in particular at those of the institutions and procedures examined by the tribunal, to see whether the changes that have taken place since the events of 1967–74 (including the enactment of the Crown Agents Act 1979, which now governs the current operations of the Crown Agents) are sufficient to prevent the risk of repetition, and if not what action now needs to be taken. The Government will also consider the tribunal's comments on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Tribunals of Inquiry on the procedure to be followed in inquiries carried out under the 1921 Act.
United Kingdom Fish Landings 1981
asked Her Majesty's Government:What were the total landed catches of fish in each of the designated United Kingdom fishing areas during 1981.
I regret that information is not available on catches which were taken specifically from United Kingdom waters during 1981 by other EEC countries, by non-EEC countries, or by United Kingdom vessels landing the fish abroad.Estimates of the total catches of fish caught in United Kingdom waters by British vessels in the areas shown, and landed in the United Kingdom during 1981, are as follows:
| Area defined by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea | '000 tonnes (liveweight) | |
| IIa | Norwegian Coast | 1 |
| IV | North Sea | 330 |
| VIa | West of Scotland | 225 |
| VIb | Rockall | 2 |
| VIIa | Irish Sea | 45 |
| VIId | English Channel East | 4 |
| VIIe | English Channel West | 90 |
| VIIf | Bristol Channel | 20 |
| VIIg | South East Ireland | 1 |
| VIIh | Little Sole Bank | 2 |
Poland: Aid To Voluntary And Church Agencies
asked Her Majesty's Government:What assistance they are giving to help the work of the voluntary and church agencies in providing humanitarian aid to Poland.
Her Majesty's Government have provided financial and other assistance both nationally and through the European Community to help the efforts of those voluntary and church agencies providing humanitarian aid to Poland.In his reply of 23rd February to my noble friend Lord Cork and Orrery, my noble friend the Lord Trefgarne announced the Government's decision to make available during the financial year 1981–82 a grant-in-aid of £5,000 to the Ockenden Venture to assist the co-ordination of relief work to Poland.Her Majesty's Government have now agreed to make available a further grant-in-aid of £6,500 to the Ockenden Venture during the present financial year in order to consolidate this work. Parliamentary approval is being sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Foreign and Commonwealth Services Vote 5.Her Majesty's Government have participated fully in the European Commission's current programme of £4.5 million relief to Poland and a number of British non-governmental organisations have received allocations from this proposal. We expect that a Commission proposal for a further programme of Community aid will be put forward in the near future.House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes past nine o'clock.