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(2) how many members of the Science and Engineering Research Council are professionally qualified (a) physicists, (b) biologists and (c) engineers.Mr. Jackson : The Science and Engineering Research Council currently includes the following number of professionally qualified members in the categories requested :
|Number
-------------------------
Chemists |6
Physicists |6
Biologist |1
Engineers |3
Mr. Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many members of the administrative or support staff of the Science and Engineering Research Council are professionally qualified chemists ;
(2) how many members of the administrative or support staff of the Science and Engineering Research Council are professionally qualified (a) physicists, (b) biologists and (c) engineers.
Mr. Jackson : The number of SERC staff, possessing professional qualifications (at least first degree or equivalent) in the categories requested, on 30 November 1988, was as follows :
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|Chemists |Physicists|Biologists|Engineers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administration |14 |18 |36 |6
Scientific and Engineering support |52 |439 |10 |407
|---- |---- |---- |----
Total |66 |457 |46 |413
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
1992 Hotline
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many calls have been received by his Department's 1992 hotline.
Mr. Maude : The DTI's 1992 hotline has received over 108,000 calls since it opened on 18 March.
Post Office (Industrial Relations)
Mr. Latham : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will set up an independent inquiry into the state of industrial relations in the Post Office, involving specific reference to the situation during 1988 at the main post office in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : I very much regret the unofficial industrial action which led to disruption in the Melton Mowbray sorting office in November, but responsibility for resolving difficulties of this nature must rest with the Post Office management and employees. I am informed by the Post Office chairman, Sir Bryan Nicholson, that, following the recent national strike, he has set up a high-level industrial relations review team, which will include an independent industrial relations expert from outside the Post Office. The Post Ofice unions have been invited to contribute to the review, the report of which will incorporate the findings of a separate examination of the situation at Melton Mowbray.
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British Steel
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the privatisation of British Steel.
Mr. Atkins : The privatisation of British Steel was successfully completed at the end of last year. Despite uncertain stock market conditions, the United Kingdom offer for shares was 3.3 times subscribed, with over half a million applications from private investors. The taxpayer will receive £2,500 million from the sale and the company will now be better placed, following privatisation, to meet the challenges and opportunities of the international steel market.
Cellular Phones
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancashire whether he has any plans to permit Vodafone to sell air time directly to cellular phone users ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : This is a matter for the Director General of Telecommunications, who alone has powers under the Telecommunications Act 1984 to consider modifications to the Racal-Vodafone licence which would permit this.
Singapore (Balance of Trade)
Mr. Grylls : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current balance of trade between the United Kingdom and Singapore.
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Mr. Alan Clark : The crude balance of visible trade with Singapore in the first 11 months of 1988 was (provisionally) in surplus by £47.1 million.
Fur and Fur Products
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the quantities of fur and fur products exported from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years broken down by country of destination.
Mr. Alan Clark : The table lists 18 of the largest countries of destination accounting in each year for over 90 per cent. of exports of these products :
United Kingdom exports of fur and fur products
m/tonnes
|1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987
-------------------------------------------------------------
Total exports of
which: |2,823|2,957|2,704|2,898|3,060
France |173 |233 |168 |191 |172
Belgium/Luxembourg |63 |72 |43 |46 |60
Federal Republic of
Germany |817 |734 |764 |592 |479
Italy |565 |601 |498 |581 |667
Ireland |45 |51 |40 |39 |22
Denmark |39 |59 |43 |36 |24
Greece |61 |76 |60 |65 |64
Spain |128 |161 |204 |316 |503
Finland |32 |25 |23 |27 |51
Switzerland |73 |36 |39 |35 |89
Austria |37 |42 |34 |28 |18
Israel |19 |21 |9 |11 |22
China |6 |1 |8 |2 |41
Hong Kong |236 |28 |222 |367 |268
South Korea |58 |87 |56 |98 |74
Japan |54 |76 |40 |73 |120
Canada |108 |81 |104 |87 |91
United States of America |71 |73 |115 |113 |111
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics: SITC (R2) items 212.01,
212.09, 613.0, 848.31.
Notes: Figures exclude headgear and footwear which are not
separately identified. 1987 figures are provisional.
WALES
Cancer Screening
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many family practitioners have facilities for breast screening for cancer.
Mr. Grist : In view of the specialised mammography equipment and radiological expertise required, breast screening in Wales is to be carried out by specialist units, not by individual family practitioners.
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Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many family practitioners have computerised call/recall systems for cervical cancer.
Mr. Grist : Computerised call and recall for cervical screening is carried out in Wales by all family practitioner committees on behalf of district health authorities. Information is not held centrally on any supplementary systems operated by individual family practitioners.
National Parks (Planning Applications)
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what statistics are kept by his Department concerning planning applications in Welsh national parks.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : Statistics on planning applications are provided quarterly by the national parks in Wales on the general development control returns, form WOPS1 (national park) and form WOPS2, copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Explosives (South London)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement about the discovery of arms and explosives in south London on 20-21 December ;
(2) what information he has on the source of the explosives discovered in south London on 20-21 December and the means by which they were brought into the country.
Mr. Hurd : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 10 January, at columns 487-88.
Crime Statistics
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) 17 to 20-year-olds and (b) adults, were sentenced to immediate custody for violence against the person, sexual offences, burglary, robbery, theft and handling, fraud and forgery, criminal damage, drug offences and indictment motoring, in magistrates and Crown courts, by each police force area during 1987 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 19 December 1988] : The information available is given in the following tables. Numbers sentenced for sexual offences and for robbery are very small for individual forces so that percentages based on these would be misleading.
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Table 2
Proportion of persons aged 21 and over sentenced at all courts for indictable offences given immediate custody.
England and Wales 1987
|Violence against the|Burglary |Theft and handling |Fraud and forgery |Criminal damage |Drug offences |Indictable motoring
|person
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |15.0 |36.0 |9.0 |14.9 |5.1 |10.0 |14.2
Bedfordshire |24.5 |47.0 |12.2 |23.1 |<1>14.8 |23.2 |16.1
Cambridgeshire |15.1 |45.6 |12.1 |19.7 |18.1 |30.3 |13.0
Cheshire |21.9 |49.2 |17.0 |16.0 |14.8 |23.5 |13.2
Cleveland |16.1 |35.6 |8.5 |9.6 |26.6 |6.6 |12.5
Cumbria |12.0 |47.3 |10.0 |9.8 |17.3 |7.4 |7.9
Derbyshire |25.4 |50.1 |12.7 |20.6 |12.5 |32.3 |19.9
Devon and Cornwall |20.8 |41.6 |11.7 |15.9 |21.1 |11.3 |1.5
Dorset |14.2 |31.9 |9.7 |15.5 |<1>21.3 |15.5 |10.1
Durham |17.4 |45.9 |11.3 |19.6 |<1>20.8 |25.0 |13.7
Essex |25.9 |45.6 |12.9 |15.7 |24.1 |25.3 |16.2
Gloucester |15.2 |29.3 |7.0 |13.3 |17.5 |17.5 |13.9
Greater Manchester |24.2 |43.9 |13.5 |20.0 |16.7 |26.1 |17.2
Hampshire |19.4 |34.5 |9.0 |16.4 |13.3 |20.9 |13.1
Hertfordshire |23.3 |38.2 |11.1 |14.4 |<1>22.9 |16.8 |7.8
Humberside |20.1 |38.3 |9.5 |15.3 |17.0 |38.0 |13.6
Kent |22.3 |42.4 |14.0 |18.3 |25.3 |32.9 |14.5
Lancashire |19.2 |38.6 |12.9 |14.3 |14.5 |14.1 |13.7
Leicestershire |19.2 |42.1 |10.7 |22.4 |13.6 |14.8 |9.9
Lincolnshire |12.7 |43.1 |8.1 |10.2 |<1>19.0 |<1>14.3 |10.0
City of London |16.2 |46.0 |25.0 |20.9 |<1>0.0 |<1>7.1 |<1>6.3
Merseyside |23.6 |52.1 |15.1 |19.2 |17.0 |30.9 |18.7
Metropolitan Police |23.4 |45.3 |15.7 |20.0 |17.8 |32.8 |18.9
Norfolk |20.6 |39.5 |12.9 |18.0 |18.2 |18.2 |9.6
Northamptonshire |25.0 |47.7 |12.6 |13.0 |18.1 |32.1 |7.2
Northumbria |21.3 |38.8 |10.2 |14.8 |12.7 |19.9 |16.5
North Yorkshire |16.4 |41.8 |11.9 |20.0 |12.0 |1.0 |14.4
Nottinghamshire |16.7 |41.3 |10.2 |16.0 |13.2 |26.0 |12.6
South Yorkshire |17.2 |37.2 |8.7 |20.8 |19.5 |29.0 |19.6
Staffordshire |13.0 |39.3 |9.8 |17.4 |15.4 |10.4 |10.7
Suffolk |16.3 |34.6 |10.6 |16.7 |14.1 |17.8 |7.5
Surrey |14.6 |42.3 |11.9 |12.0 |12.1 |11.3 |10.6
Sussex |19.9 |41.7 |12.2 |20.5 |19.0 |30.8 |12.1
Thames Valley |22.7 |40.7 |13.0 |18.8 |14.2 |21.7 |13.2
Warwickshire |28.3 |43.9 |13.5 |16.4 |<1>5.3 |<1>8.9 |11.5
West Mercia |17.3 |40.2 |10.8 |17.4 |21.5 |13.9 |13.5
West Midlands |27.8 |44.2 |13.5 |18.0 |24.2 |19.6 |18.6
West Yorkshire |22.0 |41.7 |11.8 |20.8 |12.0 |11.5 |18.8
Wiltshire |17.4 |38.8 |8.9 |15.3 |18.5 |7.3 |6.3
Dyfed Powys |10.4 |38.7 |6.2 |11.9 |4.2 |11.2 |5.1
Gwent |12.4 |37.3 |6.9 |7.9 |15.7 |10.3 |14.4
North Wales |14.8 |53.6 |7.9 |17.9 |8.6 |8.3 |10.7
South Wales |21.1 |30.7 |7.8 |8.9 |17.5 |13.1 |10.3
England |20.9 |42.3 |12.6 |17.9 |16.9 |25.3 |15.0
Wales |16.5 |37.6 |7.5 |10.7 |12.2 |11.6 |10.5
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England and Wales |20.6 |42.0 |12.2 |17.5 |16.5 |24.6 |14.7
<1> Based upon fewer than 50 persons sentenced.
Table 2
Proportion of persons aged 21 and over sentenced at all courts for indictable offences given immediate custody.
England and Wales 1987
|Violence against the|Burglary |Theft and handling |Fraud and forgery |Criminal damage |Drug offences |Indictable motoring
|person
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |15.0 |36.0 |9.0 |14.9 |5.1 |10.0 |14.2
Bedfordshire |24.5 |47.0 |12.2 |23.1 |<1>14.8 |23.2 |16.1
Cambridgeshire |15.1 |45.6 |12.1 |19.7 |18.1 |30.3 |13.0
Cheshire |21.9 |49.2 |17.0 |16.0 |14.8 |23.5 |13.2
Cleveland |16.1 |35.6 |8.5 |9.6 |26.6 |6.6 |12.5
Cumbria |12.0 |47.3 |10.0 |9.8 |17.3 |7.4 |7.9
Derbyshire |25.4 |50.1 |12.7 |20.6 |12.5 |32.3 |19.9
Devon and Cornwall |20.8 |41.6 |11.7 |15.9 |21.1 |11.3 |1.5
Dorset |14.2 |31.9 |9.7 |15.5 |<1>21.3 |15.5 |10.1
Durham |17.4 |45.9 |11.3 |19.6 |<1>20.8 |25.0 |13.7
Essex |25.9 |45.6 |12.9 |15.7 |24.1 |25.3 |16.2
Gloucester |15.2 |29.3 |7.0 |13.3 |17.5 |17.5 |13.9
Greater Manchester |24.2 |43.9 |13.5 |20.0 |16.7 |26.1 |17.2
Hampshire |19.4 |34.5 |9.0 |16.4 |13.3 |20.9 |13.1
Hertfordshire |23.3 |38.2 |11.1 |14.4 |<1>22.9 |16.8 |7.8
Humberside |20.1 |38.3 |9.5 |15.3 |17.0 |38.0 |13.6
Kent |22.3 |42.4 |14.0 |18.3 |25.3 |32.9 |14.5
Lancashire |19.2 |38.6 |12.9 |14.3 |14.5 |14.1 |13.7
Leicestershire |19.2 |42.1 |10.7 |22.4 |13.6 |14.8 |9.9
Lincolnshire |12.7 |43.1 |8.1 |10.2 |<1>19.0 |<1>14.3 |10.0
City of London |16.2 |46.0 |25.0 |20.9 |<1>0.0 |<1>7.1 |<1>6.3
Merseyside |23.6 |52.1 |15.1 |19.2 |17.0 |30.9 |18.7
Metropolitan Police |23.4 |45.3 |15.7 |20.0 |17.8 |32.8 |18.9
Norfolk |20.6 |39.5 |12.9 |18.0 |18.2 |18.2 |9.6
Northamptonshire |25.0 |47.7 |12.6 |13.0 |18.1 |32.1 |7.2
Northumbria |21.3 |38.8 |10.2 |14.8 |12.7 |19.9 |16.5
North Yorkshire |16.4 |41.8 |11.9 |20.0 |12.0 |1.0 |14.4
Nottinghamshire |16.7 |41.3 |10.2 |16.0 |13.2 |26.0 |12.6
South Yorkshire |17.2 |37.2 |8.7 |20.8 |19.5 |29.0 |19.6
Staffordshire |13.0 |39.3 |9.8 |17.4 |15.4 |10.4 |10.7
Suffolk |16.3 |34.6 |10.6 |16.7 |14.1 |17.8 |7.5
Surrey |14.6 |42.3 |11.9 |12.0 |12.1 |11.3 |10.6
Sussex |19.9 |41.7 |12.2 |20.5 |19.0 |30.8 |12.1
Thames Valley |22.7 |40.7 |13.0 |18.8 |14.2 |21.7 |13.2
Warwickshire |28.3 |43.9 |13.5 |16.4 |<1>5.3 |<1>8.9 |11.5
West Mercia |17.3 |40.2 |10.8 |17.4 |21.5 |13.9 |13.5
West Midlands |27.8 |44.2 |13.5 |18.0 |24.2 |19.6 |18.6
West Yorkshire |22.0 |41.7 |11.8 |20.8 |12.0 |11.5 |18.8
Wiltshire |17.4 |38.8 |8.9 |15.3 |18.5 |7.3 |6.3
Dyfed Powys |10.4 |38.7 |6.2 |11.9 |4.2 |11.2 |5.1
Gwent |12.4 |37.3 |6.9 |7.9 |15.7 |10.3 |14.4
North Wales |14.8 |53.6 |7.9 |17.9 |8.6 |8.3 |10.7
South Wales |21.1 |30.7 |7.8 |8.9 |17.5 |13.1 |10.3
England |20.9 |42.3 |12.6 |17.9 |16.9 |25.3 |15.0
Wales |16.5 |37.6 |7.5 |10.7 |12.2 |11.6 |10.5
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England and Wales |20.6 |42.0 |12.2 |17.5 |16.5 |24.6 |14.7
<1> Based upon fewer than 50 persons sentenced.
Missing Persons
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the age of 18 years who have been reported missing in the Metropolitan police district and are still missing after 28 days, have not now been found ; and what are their sex and ages and their last known whereabouts.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 19 December 1988] : The available information is given in the following table. The number of persons reported as missing in the past and still missing depends on the length of time since the report. Many people return from having been reported missing after two or three years. Hence the higher figures for 1986 and 1987 do not indicate an increase in trend.
Children aged under 18 reported missing in the Metropolitan police district and still untraced; by sex Number Year reported missing |Total |Male |Female -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1983 |4 |0 |4 1984 |20 |6 |14 1985 |30 |18 |12 1986 |60 |37 |23 1987<1> |115 |63 |52 <1> New counting procedures were introduced from the beginning of 1987: hence the figures for previous years are not comparable.
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has consulted European Economic Community countries which operate a national register for missing persons with a view to setting up such a register in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 19 December 1988] : No. A working party established by the Association of Chief Police Officers is reviewing police procedures for dealing with inquiries relating to missing persons. We will be willing to consider any matters the association may wish to put to us on completion of its review.
Racial Harassment
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been in
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each year since enactment under (a) the Public Order Act and (b) the Malicious Communications Act for offences relating to racial harassment.Mr. John Patten [holding answer 21 December 1988] : The information available centrally, which may be incomplete, shows six prosecutions in 1987 under part III of the Public Order Act 1986 relating to acts intended or likely to stir up racial hatred. No information is yet available for 1988 or on the use of the Malicious Communications Act 1988, which did not come into force until September 1988.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Treaty of Rome
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which person or body, under the terms of the treaty of Rome is the final determinant of what constitutes an internal frontier in the context of article 8A of that treaty ; and whether any such determination has been made or is under consideration.
Mrs. Chalker : The European Court of Justice is the final arbiter on questions of interpretation of the treaty of Rome. We are not aware of any determination being made in the terms suggested.
MacBride Principles
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the states in the United States of America about legislation based on the MacBride principles ; in how many of those states the legislation was subsequently enacted ; in how many is such legislation pending or being passed between one or other of the two Houses ; and if he will list the states in those categories.
Mrs. Chalker : Our representatives in the United States are in touch with state legislatures about possible legislation based on the MacBride principles. Since 1985, legislation has been passed in 10 states-- Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan,
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Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island--and defeated in six. Of the five states which enacted MacBride Bills in 1988, four passed Bills which were significantly amended in their passage through state legislatures. In no state is legislation pending or between houses.Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will state in the Official Report the representations he has made to the United States of America concerning the investment of funds in companies which do not follow the MacBride principles in Northern Ireland ; and in which cities.
Mrs. Chalker : We have consistently opposed the campaign based on the MacBride principles because it could adversely affect investment and the creation of new jobs in Northern Ireland. Our representatives in the United States have been in touch with local legislators where MacBride legislation has been in prospect. The United States Government oppose the imposition of the MacBride principles on United States companies operating in Northern Ireland.
Citizenship
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding comparisons between citizenship, nationality and rights of abode of the people of Macao and people living in Hong Kong ; and what response he has made.
Mr. Eggar : No representations have been received. No direct comparisons can be made, as historical and constitutional factors in the two cases are reflected in different national practices and legislation, as my noble Friend the Minister of State made clear at a press conference in Hong Kong yesterday.
ENERGY
British Coal (Subsidence)
Mr. Woodcock : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those recommendations from the report of the subsidence compensation review committee (Waddilove) which have now been implemented by British Coal.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Actions taken or undertakings given by British Coal to implement fully or in part recommendations made by the Waddilove committee are set out below (references in square brackets are to recommendations in the Waddilove report) :
Prediction and Prevention--
Prediction
British Coal carries out detailed geological investigation where necessary [186(i)] and require their areas to give special attention to locations that are sensitive because of the possible environmental or social consequences of surface damage [186(iii)]. British Coal will also endeavour before mining begins to produce the best predictions possible, of the likely effect of subsidence damage on drainage systems in low-lying agricultural land. These predictions will serve as the basis for discussions with the farming community and water authorities on the scope for preventive and remedial work [186(iv)].
British Coal introduced additional measures in 1984 to ensure that subsidence costs are fully and consistently assessed and are included in the costing of proposed underground workings. Areas are expected to modify layouts or take prevention measures in order to reduce the likelihood of severe damage [186(v),(vi)].
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The corporation now normally seeks discussion with planning authorities and other interested parties on the likely environmental effects of British Coal's proposals before submitting planning applications for the development of new mines [187(ix)].Preventive and Precautionary Work
British Coal assesses systematically the scope for, and costs of, preventive measures, especially for larger buildings, when considering future mining plans. The corporation is willing to explain the scope and limitations of such measures at public meetings following the publication of the annual notice about future working [188(x)].
Notification and Publicity--
Mining Intentions
British Coal now provides each planning authority in coal-mining areas with a copy of the annual press notice and a plan (revised annually) showing the areas of coal likely to be worked over the next 12 months. The corporation is willing to discuss this information with local authority associations [189(ii)].
If requested to do so by more than one interested body, British Coal will set up a technical liaison committee to discuss their plans. The corporation will also co-operate with local subsidence liaison committees established by residents [189 (iii)].
Mining Inquiries
Agreement has virtually been reached with the Law Society for a standard inquiry search form for use in England and Wales. In responding to the new form, the corporation will, once the new system is fully established, indicate whether there is a current claim outstanding and how many others were settled during the previous five years [191 (viii)]. The corporation and the Law Society of Scotland have agreed to draw up a standard inquiry form for use in Scotland. The Repair of Subsidence Damage- -
British Coal operates in accordance with the Waddilove recommendation that the board's primary duty should be to repair damages and to make payment in lieu only in exceptional circumstances [192 (i), 193 (ix)]. The corporation's commitment to provide a good standard of repair in all cases already goes a long way towards meeting the recommendation that damaged property should be restored to its pre-damaged condition so far as is practicable [192 (iii)]. It is now British Coal's practice to prepare a fully costed and itemised schedule of repairs for each case of subsidence damage for which they accept liability. Claimants are able to choose who should carry out repairs to their damaged property and land [193 (iv)]. Independent adjudication is available for straightforward disagreements over the initial schedule of works and costs. Wherever practical the completed repairs will be subject to final inspection jointly with the claimant, the claimant's agent or both [193 (v)]. Where British Coal decide to buy a property because the only realistic course of action is to demolish it, they will pay the full market value of the property as if the damage for which they had accepted liability had not occurred. After demolition of the property, the site will be kept tidy to minimise dereliction. Independent adjudication will be considered where there is a dispute over the purchase price [193 (x)].
Interim Repairs
Areas are required to make good damage with appropriate interim repairs if there are sufficient periods of stability between two mining operations, and will endeavour to ensure that property will not be left in a damaged state for long periods. Areas are required to send an explanatory letter to a claimant to whom a stop notice is issued indicating a likely timetable for final repairs [194 (xi)]. Temporary Accommodation
British Coal seeks to ensure that temporary accommodation is both suitable and acceptable to claimants who have had to leave their homes [195 (xii)] and accept responsibility for property vacated during repairs [195 (xiii)].
Assistance to Claimants
British Coal provides that any payment for specialist advice should be paid direct to claimants [196 (xv)].
Scope of Compensation Provision--
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British Coal already exercises its discretion to reimburse claimants for reasonable expenses incurred in pursuing claims. This will be made statutory [198 (1)].British Coal will continue to treat claimants with consideration so as to minimise distress [199 (ii)]. It will consider payments for loss of home amenity to the small minority of claimants who experience exceptional inconvenience and disturbance during repairs [200 (iii)].
British Coal's Brown Book spells out the criteria governing the Board's decision to purchase property. Independent adjudication on valuation is available [201 (v)].
Discussions between British Coal and the Building Societies Association have taken place on how to deal with the losses to a society which might arise from subsidence [201 (vi)].
British Coal seeks to minimise the effects of subsidence damage on small businesses by, for example, carrying out additional interim repairs or by providing temporary alternative accommodation [202 (vii)].
British Coal is prepared to compensate for diminution in the agricultural land value of the balance of a holding which has been affected by subsidence [202 (viii)].
British Coal pays a commuted sum to public authorities to meet any increased maintenance and running costs following repairs [202 (ix)].
Resolving Disputes--
When British Coal writes to claimants, it always encloses the Department of Energy's leaflet on claimant's rights and its own Brown Book, both of which refer to the possibility of local independent arbitration [203 (1)]. British Coal will recommend the use of independent arbitration in appropriate cases [204 (iv)].
Contributions to Claimant's Costs
In relatively minor cases, where an unsuccessful applicant to the Lands Tribunal has not acted unreasonably, British Coal will seek only nominal costs and may consider forgoing costs if it appeals from a decision of the Lands Tribunal to the Court of Appeal for the purpose of resolving a point of law of general importance [205 (vi)].
Framework of Control, Management and Monitoring--
The corporation has prepared a statement of its policy on repair and compensation for subsidence damage [208 (iii)]. It has also issued guidance to all areas on the circumstances in which the corporation would consider making discretionary payments [208 (iv)]. The corporation's audit committee is responsible for audit monitoring the handling by areas of subsidence claims. It is independent of the areas and reports to a corporation member [208 (v)]. British Coal has set up a computerised management information system which is beginning to build up data on trends in subsidence claims and costs. Where practicable, the corporation has incorporated historic data from the areas which will assist the corporation to monitor effectively and compare trends within the areas [209 (vii), 209 (viii)].
British Coal fully accepts the need to be as flexible as possible on the deployment of staff. It has increased staff numbers and employed numerous outside specialists [209 (ix)].
The corporation has now provided the Secretary of State with its first annual report on the administration of its repair and compensation system, and this has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses [208 (vi)].
CEGB (Land Holdings)
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what were the total land holdings of the Central Electricity Generating Board at the latest available date for each region of England and Wales.
Mr. Michael Spicer : This is an operational matter for the CEGB, and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
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ENVIRONMENT
County Structure Plans
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish a White Paper in the future of county structure plans ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : My right hon. Friend hopes to do so shortly.
Water Authorities (Chairmen)
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the criteria used in paying any annual bonuses to chairmen of the water authorities in 1987-88 ; and if he will list any bonuses paid to each of the chairmen in 1987-88.
Mr. Ridley : Bonuses in respect of the financial year 1987-88 are payable to the chairmen and executive members of those water authorities which have achieved or exceeded the performance targets set for them by the Government. The bonuses paid to date to chairmen in respect of 1987-88 have been as follows :
0 Bonus received by the chairmen as a per cent. of his annual salary Water authority |Per cent. ------------------------------------------------ Northumbrian |15 North West |6.5 Severn-Trent |9 Southern |7.5 Wessex |7 Yorkshire |13
Rating Reform
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the poll tax which will be levelled in each of the districts of Derbyshire (a) in 1990 and (b) in 1991, at current prices.
Mr. Gummer : The Government have no plans to introduce a poll tax. I refer to my reply of 19 December to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes), at column 41, regarding future community charge levels. The level of the charges will depend on authorities' decisions as to their level of spending.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update the table showing the relationship of rates and community charge to net household income on an equivalent basis as in the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker), 25 January, Official Report, columns 37-38.
Mr. Gummer [holding answer 22 December 1988] : The table updating figures F5 of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714) is as follows. The basis for adjustment to equivalent income figures is provided in paragraph F14 of the Green Paper.
These figures show that for all ranges of equivalent income, except those between £100 and £200 per week, community charges are on average less than domestic rates after allowing for rebates, and form a lower proportion of income.
Column 733
As a percentage of net income in each equivalent income band
Per cent
|Under 75|75-100 |100-150 |150-200 |200-250 |250-300 |300-350 |350-400 |400-500 |500+ |All
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Domestic Rates
Gross |9.2 |7.9 |5.6 |4.1 |3.7 |3.5 |3.2 |3.2 |3.0 |2.3 |4.6
Net |2.9 |4.1 |4.7 |4.1 |3.7 |3.5 |3.2 |3.2 |3.0 |2.3 |3.8
Community Charge
Gross |10.4 |8.5 |6.0 |4.3 |3.5 |2.9 |2.5 |2.2 |1.9 |1.2 |4.5
Net |2.7 |3.8 |4.8 |4.2 |3.5 |2.9 |2.5 |2.2 |1.8 |1.2 |3.6
As a percentage of net income in each equivalent income band
Per cent
|Under 75|75-100 |100-150 |150-200 |200-250 |250-300 |300-350 |350-400 |400-500 |500+ |All
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Domestic Rates
Gross |9.2 |7.9 |5.6 |4.1 |3.7 |3.5 |3.2 |3.2 |3.0 |2.3 |4.6
Net |2.9 |4.1 |4.7 |4.1 |3.7 |3.5 |3.2 |3.2 |3.0 |2.3 |3.8
Community Charge
Gross |10.4 |8.5 |6.0 |4.3 |3.5 |2.9 |2.5 |2.2 |1.9 |1.2 |4.5
Net |2.7 |3.8 |4.8 |4.2 |3.5 |2.9 |2.5 |2.2 |1.8 |1.2 |3.6
Football Clubs (Identity Scheme)
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking, in accordance with paragraph 1.5 of the document, "Releasing Enterprise" (Cm. 512) to obtain a compliance cost assessment in respect of his plans for control of spectators at designated football matches.
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