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United States Congress (Publications)
Mr. Amess : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to arrange for United States Congressional publications to be made available to hon. Members on the same conditions as United Nations publications ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : No. Right hon. and hon. Members may apply for United Nations publications on a green demand form because Her Majesty's Stationery Office acts as an agent for this international body. HMSO does not act as an agent for United States congressional publications, nor for any other overseas national body.
As the hon. Member will be aware, microfiche copies of the congressional record are held in the Library and printouts of selected passages from these are available on request.
Satellite Television
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) whether it is his intention to purchase a satellite dish for the Houses of Parliament to receive Sky Channel satellite television ;
(2) whether a room will be provided for hon. Members to view Sky Channel satellite television after 5 February 1989.
Mr. Wakeham : I have no such plans at present. The provision of facilities for the reception and viewing of satellite television programmes has not yet been considered by the relevant Committees of each House. Any request for such consideration should be addressed to the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee.
PRIME MINISTER
Government Ministers (Contracts)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister if she will take steps to introduce a contract of employment for Government Ministers.
H Cabinet Committee
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Prime Minister what the H Cabinet Committee has discussed and what decisions have been reached during the last 12 months ; and what decisions have been reached by the H Cabinet Committee in respect of Northern Ireland.
The Prime Minister : The proceedings of Cabinet committees are confidential.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Prime Minister if she will describe the workings of the H Cabinet Committee.
Nurses and Midwives
Mr. Butler : To ask the Prime Minister what increase there has been in the number of nurses and midwives in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom since September 1978.
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The Prime Minister : Between September 1978 and September 1987 the total number of nursing and midwifery staff in the United Kingdom has increased by 69,900 wholetime equivalents (16 per cent.).
British Coal (Legal Dispute)
Sir Geoffrey Finsberg : To ask the Prime Minister if she will instruct the relevant Ministers to use their powers to direct British Coal and the South of Scotland Electricity Board not to use public funds to fight a case in the courts and instead to impose a single arbitrator on them whose decision shall be final.
The Prime Minister : Contractual negotiations between electricity generating boards and their fuel suppliers are a matter for their commercial judgment. It would not be appropriate for Government Ministers to intervene.
Department of Social Security Benefit Offices
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister how many visits she has made to local Department of Social Security benefit offices since 1979.
The Prime Minister : I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 15 April at column 245.
Homeless People
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister if she intends to visit those who now sleep on the streets in London and other major cities and towns.
The Prime Minister : I have at present no plans to do so.
Visits
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister what considerations are taken into account in deciding whether she should make visits when no invitations as such have been made.
The Prime Minister : All relevant factors are taken into account when deciding which visits I should undertake.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions her Office has made representations to the media that no publicity should occur when she intends to make visits other than strictly personal engagements ; and if she will give details accordingly.
The Prime Minister : My Office makes arrangements for the media as appropriate.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister what is her policy on visiting those in hospital who have been injured in major accidents and tragedies ; and whether she has made representations to the broadcasting authorities and newspaper that her visits should be made in private.
The Prime Minister : I make a practice of visiting those who have been involved in major accidents and tragedies whenever my programme permits. Arrangements made for the media take into account the views of the hospital authorities and the patients.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Clinical Grading
Mr. Jim Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing, midwifery and health visting staff from each of the old grades have been assimilated to each of the new grades in the recent clinical grading structure in each Northern Ireland health board.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 10 January 1989] The information requested is set out in the following tables which show the position at 31 October 1988. While the
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numbers and grades are continually changing this is the most up to date information held centrally. The numbers shown on scale G include posts which have been identified but which may not yet have been filled by competition.Column 755
The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff-movement from old grades to new grades
Western health and social services board
Movement to new grades
Title |WTE staff in post at 31|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
|October 1988
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Assistant |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nursing Auxiliary |414.75 |405.25 |9.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital Staff (NNEB) |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Nurse |351.65 |- |- |328.55 |23.10 |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Dist Train |2.00 |- |- |- |2.00 |- |- |- |- |-
Senior Enrolled |7.43 |- |- |- |7.00 |0.43 |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |914.09 |- |- |- |179.00 |723.09 |- |12.00 |- |-
Staff Midwife |152.00 |- |- |- |16.00 |136.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |17.00 |- |- |- |- |13.00 |4.00 |- |- |-
Sister II |243.50 |- |- |- |- |1.00 |93.50 |145.00 |2.00 |2.00
Sister II Midwife |47.00 |- |- |- |- |- |13.00 |34.00 |- |-
District Nurse Sister II |98.46 |- |- |- |- |- |- |94.46 |4.00 |-
Sister I |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |- |-
Sister I Midwife |5.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |5.00 |- |-
Health Visitor |68.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |66.50 |2.00 |-
Senior Nurse 8 |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 8 Midwife |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 7 |39.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |37.00
Senior Nurse 7 Midwife |4.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |4.00
Fieldwork Teacher/Health Visitor |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Practical Work Teacher |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Post Basic Students
Enrolled |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |30.00 |- |- |- |15.00 |15.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sister II |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Others |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |2,407.38 |405.25 |9.50 |328.55 |242.10 |888.52 |110.50 |358.96 |19.00 |45.00
The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff-movement from old grades to new grades
Western health and social services board
Movement to new grades
Title |WTE staff in post at 31|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
|October 1988
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Assistant |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nursing Auxiliary |414.75 |405.25 |9.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital Staff (NNEB) |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Nurse |351.65 |- |- |328.55 |23.10 |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Dist Train |2.00 |- |- |- |2.00 |- |- |- |- |-
Senior Enrolled |7.43 |- |- |- |7.00 |0.43 |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |914.09 |- |- |- |179.00 |723.09 |- |12.00 |- |-
Staff Midwife |152.00 |- |- |- |16.00 |136.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |17.00 |- |- |- |- |13.00 |4.00 |- |- |-
Sister II |243.50 |- |- |- |- |1.00 |93.50 |145.00 |2.00 |2.00
Sister II Midwife |47.00 |- |- |- |- |- |13.00 |34.00 |- |-
District Nurse Sister II |98.46 |- |- |- |- |- |- |94.46 |4.00 |-
Sister I |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |- |-
Sister I Midwife |5.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |5.00 |- |-
Health Visitor |68.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |66.50 |2.00 |-
Senior Nurse 8 |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 8 Midwife |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 7 |39.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |37.00
Senior Nurse 7 Midwife |4.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |4.00
Fieldwork Teacher/Health Visitor |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Practical Work Teacher |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Post Basic Students
Enrolled |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |30.00 |- |- |- |15.00 |15.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sister II |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Others |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |2,407.38 |405.25 |9.50 |328.55 |242.10 |888.52 |110.50 |358.96 |19.00 |45.00
The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff-movement from old grades to new grades
Western health and social services board
Movement to new grades
Title |WTE staff in post at 31|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
|October 1988
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Assistant |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nursing Auxiliary |414.75 |405.25 |9.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital Staff (NNEB) |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Nurse |351.65 |- |- |328.55 |23.10 |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Dist Train |2.00 |- |- |- |2.00 |- |- |- |- |-
Senior Enrolled |7.43 |- |- |- |7.00 |0.43 |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |914.09 |- |- |- |179.00 |723.09 |- |12.00 |- |-
Staff Midwife |152.00 |- |- |- |16.00 |136.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |17.00 |- |- |- |- |13.00 |4.00 |- |- |-
Sister II |243.50 |- |- |- |- |1.00 |93.50 |145.00 |2.00 |2.00
Sister II Midwife |47.00 |- |- |- |- |- |13.00 |34.00 |- |-
District Nurse Sister II |98.46 |- |- |- |- |- |- |94.46 |4.00 |-
Sister I |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |- |-
Sister I Midwife |5.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |5.00 |- |-
Health Visitor |68.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |66.50 |2.00 |-
Senior Nurse 8 |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 8 Midwife |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 7 |39.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |37.00
Senior Nurse 7 Midwife |4.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |4.00
Fieldwork Teacher/Health Visitor |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Practical Work Teacher |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Post Basic Students
Enrolled |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |30.00 |- |- |- |15.00 |15.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sister II |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Others |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |2,407.38 |405.25 |9.50 |328.55 |242.10 |888.52 |110.50 |358.96 |19.00 |45.00
The new clinical grading structure for nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff-movement from old grades to new grades
Western health and social services board
Movement to new grades
Title |WTE staff in post at 31|A |B |C |D |E |F |G |H |I
|October 1988
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing Assistant |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nursing Auxiliary |414.75 |405.25 |9.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hospital Staff (NNEB) |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Nurse |351.65 |- |- |328.55 |23.10 |- |- |- |- |-
Enrolled Dist Train |2.00 |- |- |- |2.00 |- |- |- |- |-
Senior Enrolled |7.43 |- |- |- |7.00 |0.43 |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |914.09 |- |- |- |179.00 |723.09 |- |12.00 |- |-
Staff Midwife |152.00 |- |- |- |16.00 |136.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |17.00 |- |- |- |- |13.00 |4.00 |- |- |-
Sister II |243.50 |- |- |- |- |1.00 |93.50 |145.00 |2.00 |2.00
Sister II Midwife |47.00 |- |- |- |- |- |13.00 |34.00 |- |-
District Nurse Sister II |98.46 |- |- |- |- |- |- |94.46 |4.00 |-
Sister I |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |- |-
Sister I Midwife |5.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |5.00 |- |-
Health Visitor |68.50 |- |- |- |- |- |- |66.50 |2.00 |-
Senior Nurse 8 |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 8 Midwife |2.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1.00 |1.00
Senior Nurse 7 |39.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2.00 |37.00
Senior Nurse 7 Midwife |4.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |4.00
Fieldwork Teacher/Health Visitor |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Practical Work Teacher |3.00 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |3.00 |-
Post Basic Students
Enrolled |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staff Nurse |30.00 |- |- |- |15.00 |15.00 |- |- |- |-
Deputy Sister |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Sister II |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Others |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |2,407.38 |405.25 |9.50 |328.55 |242.10 |888.52 |110.50 |358.96 |19.00 |45.00
Fair Employment Agency Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions the Department of Economic Development has exercised its powers under the Fair Employment Act to require the Fair Employment Agency to supply to his Department information in the agency's possession.
Mr. Viggers [holding answer 12 January 1989] : The information cannot be provided without disproportionate cost to the Department.
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in the past 10 years, how many certificates the Secretary of State has issued under section 42 of the Fair Employment Act 1976.
Mr. Viggers [holding answer 12 January 1989] : Eighteen certificates have been issued by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1988.
Employment Statistics Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employers in Northern Ireland have currently (i) under 10 employees, (ii) between 10 and 25, (iii) between 25 and 250 and (iv) over 250 employees.
Mr. Viggers [holding answer 12 January 1989] : At September 1988 approximately 1,140 employers in Northern Ireland employed between 25 and 250 employees and 170 employed more than 250. Information on the number of employers with fewer than 25 employees is not currently available.
Teaching Qualifications Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a list of qualifications to teach which can be obtained in Northern Ireland which will be fully recognised by education authorities in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.
Mr. Butcher : I have been asked to reply.
Such qualifications are not automatically acceptable for qualified teacher status in England and Wales, individual applications from teachers trained in Northern Ireland fall to be considered by my right hon. Friend under paragraph 2 (b) of schedule 5 to the Education (Teachers) Regulations 1982. Applications are accepted where the course of initial teacher training was comparable to an approved course of initial teacher training for school teachers available in England or Wales at the same time. Qualifications leading to registration as a teacher in Scotland are those recognised by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
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Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make the necessary arrangements whereby automatic recognition of teachers qualified to teach and recognised as such in Northern Ireland will occur in England, Scotland and Wales.
Mr. Butcher : I have been asked to reply.
I expect shortly to announce details of the proposed reform of qualified teacher status which was the subject of a consultation document issued by my Department in May 1988. When implemented, teachers qualified to teach and recognised as such in Northern Ireland will be eligible for qualified teacher status in England and Wales. Eligibility to teach in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY Scottish Consumer Council (Report) Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the report made for his Department by the Scottish Consumer Council on the public consultation and decision-making processes associated with forestry development and seabed leases, upon which they consulted Scottish local authorities in 1987 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : No such report was made for my Department, although I understand that the Scottish Consumer Council has independently produced a report on how various authorities and organisations thought that communities should be consulted about changes in their local environment and the development of the seabed.
Computers (Japan) Mr. Warren : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what responsibilities have been undertaken by his Department in the agreement made with authorities in Japan concerned with the Japanese fifth generation computer project.
Mr. Forth : The Department has informed interested companies that the Institute for New Generation Computer Technology (ICOT) has agreed to accept up to two United Kingdom researchers from industry on secondment. Any secondee must be nominated by the Department and be acceptable to ICOT.
Newspapers Mr. Fisher : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many applications have been made to acquire newspapers under the terms of the Fair Trading Act 1973 since July 1977 ; and how many such applications have been refused.
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Mr. Maude : Since July 1977 decisions have been taken on 60 applications ; 58 consents have been given and, of these, two were given conditionally. Three applications are currently being considered by my Department and one other is with the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
A number of applications have also been received which have been withdrawn before any final decision has been taken. Details of these cases since 1977 are not available.
European Community Structural Funds
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in the Official Report the occasions when discussions have taken place in the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community covering the future of its structural funds, the relevant reports made by him to the House, and the likely future timetable of further discussions prior to final adoption of each legislative instrument.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 10 January 1989] : The Foreign Affairs Council discussed the future of the structural fund on the dates listed. My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs reported to the House on those meetings on the dates shown :
Council meetings |Reports to the House |Official Report column
|numbers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23 to 24 November 1987 |25 November 1987 |222-224
14 to 15 December 1987 |16 December 1987 |575
25 January 1988 |27 January 1988 |240
24 to 25 May 1988 |26 May 1988 |239-240
13 to 14 June 1988 |16 June 1988 |217-218
26 September 1988 |19 October 1988 |876-879
|25 October 1988 |158-159
24 to 25 October 1988 |27 October 1988 |411
21 to 22 November 1988 |24 November 1988 |11
19 December 1988 |21 December 1988 |274
In addition, the European Council discussed the subject on 4 to 5 December 1987 and 11 to 12 February 1988. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reported to the House on those meetings on 8 December 1987 and 15 February 1988 at columns 167-178 and 705-717. Debates on Community documents about the reform of the funds were held on 18 November 1987 and 21 December 1988 at columns 1090-1162 and 549-570. They were opened by, respectively, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and me. Five legislative instruments have now been adopted, and entered into force on 1 January 1989
Council regulation (EC) No. 2052/88 of 24 June 1988
Council regulations (EEC) (not yet numbered) adopted in December 1988 laying down provisions for implementing regulations (EEC) No. 2052/88 as regards :
coordination of the activities of the different structural funds between themselves and with the operations of the EIB and the other financial instruments,
the European regional development fund,
the European social fund,
the EAGGF guidance section.
No further general legislative instruments on the funds are in prospect, but article 10 of the new regulation on the EAGGF provides that the Council is to decide by 31 December 1989 on the forms of and conditions for the fund contribution to improve the conditions under which
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agriculture, forestry and fishing products are processed and marketed. The necessary Commission proposals for this have not yet been made.ENERGY
Neighbourhood Energy Action
Mr. Rost : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how he proposes to continue support for neighbourhood energy action ; and if he expects to reverse the recent decline in the number of local projects ;
(2) how many neighbourhood energy action projects were running in September 1988 ; how many are running now ; and what has been the impact on such energy projects as a result of the change from the community programme to the employment training scheme.
Mr. Parkinson : There were some 440 community insulation projects operating on 1 September ; on 1 December there were about 300. These numbers are, however, not directly comparable because the transition from community programme to employment training involved a number of projects merging or reforming.
Uptake of places for unemployed people on the projects has been slow under employment training. My Department is therefore in discussion with the Training Agency on initiatives to increase the number of filled places.
Energy Conservation
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what advice is given to housing authorities whose tenants have lost the benefits provided by the former Manpower Services Commission schemes on providing draught-proofing and other energy conservation measures ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Parkinson : My energy efficiency office provides a range of advice on how housing authorities can improve the energy efficiency of their dwellings.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Mr. Raoul Wallenberg
Mr. Amess : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make representations to the Soviet authorities making it a condition of the United Kingdom's support for the proposal of a human rights conference in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1989 that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics make a full statement on the fate of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to raise the case of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg at the proposed human rights conference in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1989 ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he will seek to obtain from the Government of the United States such information as is in their possession about Mr. Raoul Wallenberg ; and if he will make a statement ;
(4) what information he has of the occasions when the Government of the United States of America raised the case of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ; and if he will make a statement ;
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(5) if he proposes to raise further the case of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg at the CSCE ; and if he will make a statement ; (6) if he will make further representations to the Government of Sweden offering assistance from Her Majesty's Government in Sweden's efforts to obtain a full statement from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics about the fate of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg ; and if he will make a statement ;(7) if he will make representations to the Swedish Government to request that their official publications about Mr. Raoul Wallenberg are translated into the English language ; and if he will make a statement.
(8) if he will seek to obtain the hearings and reports from United States House of Representatives on House joint resolution 220 of the 97th Congress, session one ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : We fully share the concerns of the Member for Basildon (Mr. Amess) and the Minister of State my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave). will writing shortly.
Nerve Gas
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the capability of Libya to manufacture sarin nerve gas.
Mr. Eggar : We have firm evidence that the Rabta plant is close to achieving the capability to produce chemical weapon agents including sarin.
Chemical Weapons
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent international conference on chemical weapons in Paris.
Mr. Eggar : We played an active part in this conference to which the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave), led the United Kingdom delegation.
We particularly welcome the concluding conference declaration which was adopted by consensus by all 149 States participating. It specifically recognises the important and continuing validity of the 1925 Geneva protocol and contains an undertaking by all not to use CW. It also expresses support for the Geneva negotiations for a global ban on CW, and the role of the UN Secretary-General in investigating allegations of use.
The successful outcome of the conference represents a considerable step forward in international efforts to eliminate chemical weapons. We now have to build on this.
CIVIL SERVICE
Civil Service Pensioners Alliance
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will (a) authorise the repayment of the £35,000 immediately to the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance and (b) compensate the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance for the outlay it made between receiving the payable order and sending a cheque when asked for its repayment ; and why he originally sent this organisation a payable order for
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£35,000 in respect of funds accrued from the under-payment of Civil Service pensions due to a miscalculation in the retail prices index and then asked for the £35,000 to be refunded.Mr. Luce : My officials will authorise payment of £35,000 awarded to the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance (CPSA) from the RPI error funds as soon as Parliament approves a supplementary estimate for the funds.
My officials have written to the general secretary of the CPSA to explain and apologise for the delay. The withdrawn payable order was issued in the (mistaken) belief that funds could be authorised in advance of parliamentary approval of a supplementary estimate. I regret the disappointment and inconvenience this may have caused, but I cannot compensate the CPSA for the delay.
HEALTH
Salmonella
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what inquiries have been made to ensure that salmonella pollution has been eliminated in each country exporting food to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Freeman : Salmonella contamination is recognised as a world-wide problem and the EC Standing Veterinary Committee decided on 7 December 1988 to set up a working group to consider the problem with the European Community.
The Imported Food Regulations 1984 together with the Food Act 1984 give the responsible authorities adequate powers to prevent the importation of contaminated food into the United Kingdom.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the level of salmonella infection in current British egg production.
Mr. Freeman : I refer the hon. Member to the replies by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) and my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sir H Miller) on 20 December at columns 246 and 247 respectively.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of (a) outbreaks of salmonella attributable to poultry meat and poultry meat products, (b) people affected in each such outbreak and (c) fatal cases in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Freeman : The numbers of outbreaks of salmonella associated with poultry meat and poultry meat products formally reported to the public health laboratory service in the years 1979-88 are as follows :
England and Wales Year |Number of outbreaks ------------------------------------------------------------ 1979 |<1>55 1980 |119 1981 |84 1982 |49 1983 |45 1984 |36 1985 |21 1986 |<2>29 1987 |<2>41 1988 |<2>34 <1> laboratory reports only. <2> provisional data.
Information on the numbers of people affected in each outbreak is not readily obtainable.
Some information is available on the number of deaths from salmonella bacteraemia formally reported to the public health laboratory service as follows :
d ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Year Total Salmonella BacS Enteritidis Bacteraemiaphi/Paratyphi) [NL] |Deaths |Phage Type 4 Deaths 1983 |30 |2 |3 1984 |33 |- |3 1985 |30 |3 |2 1986 |21 |4 |1 1987 |35 |9 |6 1988 |48 |23 |3 to week 43
Early information is not readily available.
There is no direct evidence to link these deaths with the consumption of poultry, but salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 is associated almost exclusively with poultry and eggs and we must assume that some of the deaths shown in the phage type 4 column will have been associated with poultry.
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