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Oil Spillage (Milford Haven)

Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the spillage of oil from the ship El Omar in the port of Milford Haven on Saturday 3 December including the cause of the spillage and the action taken to deal with it.

Mr. Portillo : The spillage occurred when the vessel was discharging its cargo at an oil terminal within the port of Milford Haven. The port authority has initiated proceedings against the master of the ship and it would be wrong for me to speculate on the cause of the spillage before any court proceedings that might ensue. As soon as the spillage was observed, the discharge of cargo was stopped ; the port authority activated the Haven anti-oil pollution plan for which it is responsible ; and it, together with the terminal operator and local authorities, initiated appropriate containment and clean-up action. This was hampered by strong winds.

When the Department's marine pollution control unit was made aware of the size of the spillage, clean-up advice and assistance were offered to both the port authority and local authorities. Although this was not required the unit satisfied itself that all parties were working together effectively to deal with the situation.

Yachts and Pleasure Boats

Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to impose light dues on yachts and pleasure boats ; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price) on 7 November at columns 71-72 ; and to my reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 14 November at column 467.

Traffic Examiners

Mr. Brandon-Bravo : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the level of enforcement activity by his Department's traffic examiners.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : Substantial increases in the level of enforcement activity are being achieved by improved productivity and a targeting of resources on key priorities.

There has been a steep increase in the number of lorries weighed. During the six months April to September 1988 the traffic examiners weighed about 60,000 lorries. This is nearly 80 per cent. above the 1987 level and 125 per cent. above 1986. The corresponding increases in the number of tachograph charts checked were nearly 40 per cent. and 70 per cent.


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More rigorous and effective enforcement of the law on overloading and drivers' hours will improve safety and reduce road damage.

London Regional Transport

Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce his proposals for the levy on London's ratepayers in support of his grant to London Regional Transport for 1988-89 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Channon : I have today laid before Parliament a draft levy order under section 13 of the London Regional Transport Act which provides for a levy of 9.06p in the pound for 1989-90. This is estimated to raise £188 million, which is equivalent to 65.63 per cent. of my estimated expenditure of £286.6 million in grants to LRT in 1989-90. The balance of £98.6 million will be found from the Exchequer. The order is subject to affirmative resolution.

Highway Authority Expenditure

Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much local highway authority expenditure he intends to accept for transport supplementary grant in 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Channon : I have decided to accept £408 million of local authority highway expenditure for transport supplementary grant in 1989-90. Grant will be paid on this expenditure at 50 per cent. The total of £204 million TSG is nearly 7 per cent. higher than for 1988-89.

A total of 61 new major (over £1 million) schemes will be supported through TSG for the first time. Among these are the Maidstone spine road ; the west central route, Newcastle ; the Bexleyheath southern relief road ; the St. Helens to M62 link road ; further stages of the middle ring road in Birmingham ; and other important improvements in both urban and rural areas. A total of 17 of these schemes will directly assist inner city areas.

Some 300 other major schemes will continue to receive TSG support. Many of these schemes are already under construction or are due to start in the current financial year. Local authorities have reported completion of 58 TSG-supported schemes costing £227 million in 1987-88 and a start of works on 57 such schemes costing £262 million. During 1988-89, they plan to complete a further 67 schemes costing £267 million and start 95 costing £518 million.

In deciding the distribution of transport supplementary grant for 1989-90, I have considered carefully the transport policies and programme document submitted by each local highway authority, and have looked at the extent to which authorities' programmes relate to roads of more than local importance. Many local authority roads--such as major urban roads and roads on the primary route network--carry significant amounts of through traffic, and thus complement the trunk road network. Improvements to such roads are important locally because they save lives, reduce congestion and relieve communities from the effects of through traffic. They are also of national benefit by aiding the efficient flow of goods, people and services. TSG reflects the national taxpayer's interest in helping local authorities to improve these roads.

Many smaller schemes on these heavily trafficked roads produce very significant accident savings and other


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benefits. I have therefore also taken into account £56 million of expenditure on minor (under £1 million) schemes for grant in 1989-90.

The amount of expenditure accepted for TSG and the amount of grant for each local highway authority is set out in the table. Councils are being informed individually today of their own figures.


The distribution of Transport Supplementary Grant for 1989-90                                            

£ million                                                                                                

Authority                     |Expenditure accepted for|Grant                                            

                              |TSG                                                                       

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Avon                          |8.392                   |4.196                                            

Bedfordshire                  |8.206                   |4.103                                            

Berkshire                     |2.390                   |1.195                                            

Buckinghamshire               |2.458                   |1.229                                            

Cambridgeshire                |4.596                   |2.298                                            

Cheshire                      |5.552                   |2.776                                            

Cleveland                     |8.984                   |4.492                                            

Cornwall                      |3.486                   |1.743                                            

Cumbria                       |1.280                   |0.640                                            

Derbyshire                    |3.030                   |1.515                                            

Devon                         |3.486                   |1.743                                            

Dorset                        |6.204                   |3.102                                            

Durham                        |3.830                   |1.915                                            

East Sussex                   |4.964                   |2.482                                            

Essex                         |10.148                  |5.074                                            

Gloucestershire               |3.126                   |1.563                                            

Hampshire                     |9.664                   |4.832                                            

Hereford and Worcester        |0.692                   |0.346                                            

Hertfordshire                 |6.100                   |3.050                                            

Humberside                    |10.442                  |5.221                                            

Isle of Wight                 |1.050                   |0.525                                            

Kent                          |22.512                  |11.256                                           

Lancashire                    |12.070                  |6.035                                            

Leicestershire                |7.942                   |3.971                                            

Lincolnshire                  |2.378                   |1.189                                            

Norfolk                       |2.832                   |1.416                                            

Northamptonshire              |8.250                   |4.125                                            

Northumberland                |0.726                   |0.363                                            

North Yorkshire               |5.306                   |2.653                                            

Nottinghamshire               |4.108                   |2.054                                            

Oxfordshire                   |0.046                   |0.023                                            

Shropshire                    |3.358                   |1.679                                            

Somerset                      |7.570                   |3.785                                            

Staffordshire                 |5.984                   |2.992                                            

Suffolk                       |3.870                   |1.935                                            

Surrey                        |9.368                   |4.684                                            

Warwickshire                  |6.418                   |3.209                                            

West Sussex                   |3.052                   |1.526                                            

Wiltshire                     |0.218                   |0.109                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total Shire Counties          |214.088                 |107.044                                          

                                                                                                         

Bolton                        |0.086                   |0.043                                            

Bury                          |3.396                   |1.698                                            

Manchester                    |2.656                   |1.328                                            

Oldham                        |2.194                   |1.097                                            

Rochdale                      |0.526                   |0.263                                            

Salford                       |5.582                   |2.791                                            

Stockport                     |0.036                   |0.018                                            

Tameside                      |1.132                   |0.566                                            

Trafford                      |3.530                   |1.765                                            

Wigan                         |1.996                   |0.998                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total Greater Manchester                                                                                 

   Districts                  |21.134                  |10.567                                           

                                                                                                         

Knowsley                      |0.546                   |0.273                                            

Liverpool                     |3.524                   |1.762                                            

St. Helens                    |4.608                   |2.304                                            

Sefton                        |0.654                   |0.327                                            

Wirral                        |1.418                   |0.709                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total Merseyside Districts    |10.750                  |5.375                                            

                                                                                                         

Barnsley                      |1.090                   |0.545                                            

Doncaster                     |1.322                   |0.661                                            

Rotherham                     |1.376                   |0.688                                            

Sheffield                     |1.170                   |0.585                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total South Yorkshire                                                                                    

   Districts                  |4.958                   |2.479                                            

                                                                                                         

Gateshead                     |4.100                   |2.050                                            

Newcastle upon Tyne           |5.526                   |2.763                                            

North Tyneside                |0.620                   |0.310                                            

South Tyneside                |0.430                   |0.215                                            

Sunderland                    |1.930                   |0.965                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total Tyne and Wear                                                                                      

   Districts                  |12.606                  |6.303                                            

Birmingham                    |7.908                   |3.954                                            

Coventry                      |6.106                   |3.053                                            

Dudley                        |0.736                   |0.368                                            

Sandwell                      |1.886                   |0.943                                            

Solihull                      |1.052                   |0.526                                            

Walsall                       |2.144                   |1.072                                            

Wolverhampton                 |3.096                   |1.548                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total West Midlands Districts |22.928                  |11.464                                           

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

                                                                                                         

Bradford                      |5.856                   |2.928                                            

Calderdale                    |0.168                   |0.084                                            

Kirklees                      |1.000                   |0.500                                            

Leeds                         |3.082                   |1.541                                            

Wakefield                     |0.616                   |0.308                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total West Yorkshire                                                                                     

   Districts                  |10.722                  |5.361                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

                                                                                                         

Total Metropolitan Districts  |83.098                  |41.549                                           

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

                                                                                                         

City of London                |0.388                   |0.194                                            

Barking and Dagenham          |3.790                   |1.895                                            

Barnet                        |0.582                   |0.291                                            

Bexley                        |2.236                   |1.118                                            

Brent                         |0.900                   |0.450                                            

Bromley                       |7.666                   |3.833                                            

Camden                        |0.172                   |0.086                                            

Croydon                       |0.588                   |0.294                                            

Ealing                        |5.640                   |2.820                                            

Enfield                       |23.916                  |11.958                                           

Greenwich                     |0.046                   |0.023                                            

Hackney                       |0.820                   |0.410                                            

Hammersmith and Fulham        |0.284                   |0.142                                            

Haringey                      |11.624                  |5.812                                            

Harrow                        |6.100                   |3.050                                            

Havering                      |0.414                   |0.207                                            

Hillingdon                    |9.060                   |4.530                                            

Hounslow                      |1.428                   |0.714                                            

Islington                     |0.296                   |0.148                                            

Kensington and Chelsea        |1.266                   |0.633                                            

Kingston upon Thames          |3.322                   |1.661                                            

Lambeth                       |0.364                   |0.182                                            

Lewisham                      |10.628                  |5.314                                            

Merton                        |8.560                   |4.280                                            

Newham                        |0.994                   |0.497                                            

Redbridge                     |0.678                   |0.339                                            

Richmond upon Thames          |0.326                   |0.163                                            

Southwark                     |3.904                   |1.952                                            

Sutton                        |1.364                   |0.682                                            

Tower Hamlets                 |0.140                   |0.070                                            

Waltham Forest                |0.952                   |0.476                                            

Wandsworth                    |0.866                   |0.433                                            

Westminster                   |1.500                   |0.750                                            

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total London                  |110.814                 |55.407                                           

                              |-------                 |-------                                          

Total England                 |408.000                 |204.000                                          

Table file CW881219.013 not available

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Thornaby and Middleton St. George Bypasses

Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is yet in a position to announce the commencement of the Thornaby bypass and A67 Middleton St. George bypass.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : Both these proposals are local authority schemes featured in their transport policies and programme. Starting dates will depend upon the priority afforded to them by the respective local authorities.

Manchester Airport (Accident)

Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the report about the British Airways Boeing 737 accident at Manchester airport in 1985.

Mr. Peter Bottomley : A copy of the report was submitted to the Secretary of State on 15 December. Copies have also been sent to those persons whose reputation might be adversely affected by the report, in accordance with the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations 1983.

A period of 28 days is being allowed for affected persons to request a review board. Provided that no review is requested, the report should be published in March 1989.

British Rail

Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to seek to limit the exemptions from statutory obligations laid on other transport undertakings currently applying to British Rail.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 12 December 1988] : Perhaps my hon. Friend could let me know which exemptions and which transport undertakings he has in mind.

Docklands Light Railway

Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will have an urgent meeting with the acting chairman of London Regional Transport to discuss the technical efficiency and operating competence of the Docklands light railway ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 16 December 1988] : London Regional Transport is keeping my Department informed of the action being taken to secure a satisfactory performance of the railway during the major upgrading work currently taking place.

Hunts

Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those hunts which have a right to cross railway lines in pursuit of their quarry ; what steps


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are taken to ensure that the exercise of such rights is consistent with the need to guarantee the safety of those travelling by train ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 14 December 1988] : The information requested in the first part of the question is not readily available. Safety is the statutory duty of the British Railways board.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Grants (West Midlands)

Mr. Roger King : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the grants available from his Department, and the criteria by which they are awarded, for manufacturing companies resident in the west midlands.

Mr. Atkins : Independent firms or groups with a payroll of fewer than 500 can benefit from the enterprise initiative, which offers financial support for between five and 15 man-days' specialist consultancy in a number of key management functions such as marketing, design, quality, manufacturing systems, business planning and financial and information systems. In the west midlands assisted area (the travel-to-work-areas of Birmingham, Coventry and Hinckley, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and Sandwell, Telford and Bridgnorth and Kidderminster) the DTI will pay two- thirds of the cost of the consultancy projects, whereas elsewhere in the west midlands the Department will pay half. In addition, selective assistance is available for investment projects undertaken by firms of all sizes in the assisted area for projects that are commercially viable, create or safeguard employment, demonstrate a need for assistance, and offer a distinct regional and national benefit.

Grants of up to half the agreed costs can be made available to firms for collaborative research programmes conducted jointly by more than one organisation, such as industrial and commercial firms, universities and polytechnics, research and technology organisations and Government research laboratories.

All firms in the west midlands are also eligible for assistance under the various export services, some of which can provide financial assistance.

Investment

Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the level of investment in 1985 prices in (a) new plant and equipment, and (b) new buildings for the manufacturing, construction, distribution and financial industries in each year since 1978, distinguishing between leased assets and purchased assets.

Mr. Maude : The required information is given in the following tables :


Column 15


Investment in the manufacturing industries<1>                                                                                                                   

£ million at 1985 prices                                                                                                                                        

                     Direct Expenditure                                          Leased Assets<2>                                                               

Year                |New building work  |Plant and machinery|Vehicles           |New building work  |Plant and machinery|Vehicles                               

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1978                |1,386              |7,387              |874                |<3>-               |492                |446                                    

1979                |1,417              |7,713              |889                |<3>-               |665                |349                                    

1980                |1,143              |6,886              |654                |<3>-               |899                |262                                    

1981                |835                |5,164              |528                |<3>-               |1,013              |152                                    

1982                |714                |5,063              |560                |51                 |989                |194                                    

1983                |635                |5,237              |592                |20                 |866                |192                                    

1984                |929                |6,232              |649                |27                 |916                |168                                    

1985                |1,110              |7,020              |596                |56                 |1,257              |221                                    

1986                |1,007              |6,910              |562                |88                 |824                |186                                    

1987                |1,213              |7,289              |585                |22                 |776                |165                                    

<1> Divisions 2, 3 and 4 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980).                                                                              

<2> Assets leased from owners in the financial industries.                                                                                                      

<3> Negligible.                                                                                                                                                 


Investment in the construction, distribution and financial industries<1>                            

(excluding assets leased to manufacturers)                                                          

£ million at 1985 prices                                                                            

Year                |New building work  |Plant and machinery|Vehicles                               

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1978                |2,995              |3,304              |2,684                                  

1979                |3,333              |3,970              |3,229                                  

1980                |3,309              |4,272              |2,436                                  

1981                |3,292              |4,360              |2,335                                  

1982                |3,626              |4,811              |2,518                                  

1983                |3,739              |5,213              |2,259                                  

1984                |3,985              |6,367              |2,784                                  

1985                |4,084              |7,332              |3,382                                  

1986                |4,429              |7,701              |2,991                                  

1987                |5,106              |9,091              |3,357                                  

<1> Divisions 5, 6 and 8 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980).                  

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the level of expenditure in standard 1985 prices on mergers and company acquisitions in the United Kingdom since 1978, distinguishing where possible between expenditure by British and non-British companies.

Mr. Maude : The information that is available is published in "Business Monitor" MQ7 "Acquisitions and mergers by industrial and commercial companies", together with articles on acquisitions within the United Kingdom and cross-border acquisitions published in "British Business" magazine on 11 November and 9 December respectively. These publications are available in the Library. The published statistics are at current prices : no appropriate price deflator is available to provide estimates at constant 1985 prices.

Eggs

Mr. Holt : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment has been made of the effect of reduced egg sales on the balance of payments.

Mr. Alan Clark : Information on trade in eggs for the 10 months to October 1988 suggest there has been no effect on the balance of payments.

Waste Recycling

Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what initiatives he plans to take at European Community level, to ensure that European Community regulations on the transport of wastes do not have the effect of discouraging recycling.


Column 18

Mr. Forth : The United Kingdom Government will take every opportunity to advocate that necessary controls on the international movement of wastes do not have the effect of discouraging recycling.

Scrap Metal Recycling

Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what initiatives he plans to take to encourage the recycling of scrap metals.

Mr. Forth : We shall continue our present initiatives of sector conferences, promotion of awareness in industry of the benefits of recycling and the provision of technical advice through our Warren Spring laboratory. Where appropriate, further initiatives will be introduced.

National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux

Mr. David Porter : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to revise the conditions attaching to grant in aid to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth : I have no such plans at present, although the conditions are kept under review.

Mr. David Porter : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received concerning the political impartiality of advice given by the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and local citizens advice bureaux offices.

Mr. Forth : The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux does not give advice direct to members of the public. So far as local citizens advice bureaux are concerned, I have not received any representations about the political impartiality of their advice to clients.

Mr. David Porter : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which union has negotiating rights for staff of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth : I understand from the national association, which is the employer, that the relevant trade union is Manufacturing Science and Finance (MSF).

Art Auctions (Buyer's Premium)

Mr. Marlow : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will refer to the Office of Fair Trading the practice of the art auction houses of charging a buyer's premium ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth : Under United Kingdom competition legislation the Director General of Fair Trading has the


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primary responsibility for keeping commercial activities under review and he has discretionary powers to investigate practices which may prevent, restrict or distort competition in the supply of goods and services in the United Kingdom. If my hon. Friend has evidence that the practice which he refers to is anti-competitive he should bring it to the attention of the director general.

North Peckham Task Force

Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what evaluation of the achievements of the north Peckham task force has been carried out in terms of (a) persons trained, who have subsequently found paid employment and of (b) the cost, per job created both directly and indirectly.

Mr. Forth : The task force monitors all projects to check the numbers of people being trained, their names and addresses, and details of jobs obtained. The task force does not seek to create jobs but to give local people the skills to compete effectively in the buoyant London labour market.

Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of the total number of people training through programmes financed by the north Peckham task force ; and of those trained, how many were through (a) Brook Street bureaux and (b) South-East Adult Training.

Mr. Forth : About 1,200 people have been on training schemes for which the north Peckham task force has provided funds, of which 461 have attended programmes run by South-East Adult Training and 41 attended courses sponsored by Brook Street.

Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the projects financed by the north Peckham task force were funded under each of the four criteria defined on page 2 of the task force local link pamphlet.

Mr. Forth : There are no projects financed under the employment criteria. Those under the other three criteria are as follows :


Enterprise          |Employability      |Environment                            

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gloucester shop     |Technobus          |North Peckham                          

   shop                                 |lighting upgrading                     

Winchcombe court    |Womens New         |Committee Against                      

                    |Technology Fair    |Drug Abuse                             

Black Business      |Teenage Information|North Peckham                          

   Training         |Network            |Baptist Church                         

Southwark           |South East Adult   |Colegrove road                         

   Environment      |Training           |allotments                             

   Trust I                                                                      

Artichoke mews      |Rusjon             |London Wildlife                        

                    |apprenticeship     |Trust                                  

Headstart in        |Southwark AEI                                              

   Business                                                                     

Vietnamese          |Peckham Industrial                                         

   Headstart        |Association                                                

SCDA Translation    |Ethnic Minority                                            

                    |Database                                                   

SCDA SCO-OP         |Southwark Fair                                             

   Technology                                                                   

SCDA Exhibition     |Southwark Sports                                           

Peckham Trading Association

MARI I

Industrial Society--Training for Voluntary Groups

Fairbridge Drake Society


Column 20

Southwark College

Sight and Sound I

London Community Cricket Association

Home Safety Scheme

Vietnamese Refugee Community

North Peckham Sewing Workshop

Practical Action

ILEA

South East Adult Training II

Brook St Phase II

Skills Survey

Newpin

Spotlight in Music

Warwick Park School

JETS Fair

Jobs in the City

MARI II

Afro-Caribbean Radio

Family Welfare Association

Princes Youth Business Trust PATH

Task Force Business Caribbean Teachers Association Development Fund

LENTA

Hotel and Catering Training

Board (HCTB) I

Apex Employment Resource

Centre

Video Unit

Southwark Chamber of Work and Schools Project

Commerce

City Technology Centre BBC/Project Fullemploy

URBED (Vietnamese BEP) Church and Community Project Southwark College Business Sojourner Trust Youth

Video

Association

Peckham Enterprise Centre Careers Service Newsletter GLEB

Industrial Society Management

Course

SLBI-Fashion South Ideal Homes Apprenticeships Southwark Environment Trust Brook St. Phase I

Forest of London

Computer Literacy on Outreach basis I

Children of the Inner City

Deptford Skills Centre

HCTB II

Walworth World of Work

London Fire and Civil Defence Authority

Find a Job Fortnight

Gloucester Grove Tenants Association Unemployed Project Project Fullemploy

Interactive Video

Vietnamese Refugee Community--Summer Skills

(Pan African Society)

Computer Literacy

Outreach II

Turkish Education Group

Southwark Architects Feasibility Study

Publicity Trailer

Sight and Sound II

Caribbean Teachers Association--(Computer Literacy Outreach III) NACRO Print Workshop


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