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Fishing
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are any prosecutions pending or in progress concerning the use of monofilament net ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Proceedings in respect of three such cases have been raised but have yet to be concluded.
YTS
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many YTS places are available for 17 and
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18-year-olds in the travel-to-work areas for Girvan, Ayr and Cumnock ; how many of them have registered for places ; how many have been placed ; and how many of those remaining without placement have had benefit withdrawn, for each of the above areas, in the last 12- month period for which figures are available.Mr. Lang : The information sought either does not exist or is unavailable in the form requested. Information on YTS places is not available by travel-to-work area; nor is it possible to count how many places are filled by young people of a particular age. Information on young people registered with the careers service cannot distinguish between those seeking work only and those seeking a YTS place; nor is it available centrally for separate areas within Ayrshire. Information on numbers of young people who have no benefit and have not been placed on YTS is not available. All 18-year-olds however are entitled to income support.
Health Service Managers
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the value of the money spent on merit awards to Health Service managers.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : This information is not held centrally.
Parliament House, Edinburgh
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of terminating the services of employees providing security services at Parliament House, Edinburgh.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : To date, no such costs have been incurred.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the annual cost of the private security service now in operation at Parliament House, Edinburgh ; and if he will indicate the contractors to whom payments are made.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : A joint contract for the provision of security services at Parliament House and Edinburgh sheriff court was awarded from 1 January 1989 for a period of three years to Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd. The annual cost of the contract is confidential for commercial reasons, but the lowest tender for the service required was accepted.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual cost of providing security services at Parliament House, Edinburgh, in 1987-88 ; and how many people were employed to provide the security services.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The cost of providing security services at Parliament House in the year ending 31 December was £137, 000. Eleven staff were employed.
Education Reform
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total spending on the preparation of the recently launched school boards video.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The cost of production was £31,000.
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Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has recently met representatives of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any representations since June 1987 from the Scottish Council of Independent Schools.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received from parents' organisations regarding opting out of the local education authority system.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Two since we published our paper "Self- Governing Schools" on 7 December.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received from teachers unions regarding opting out of the local education authority system.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities regarding opting out of the local education authority system.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received from local education authorities regarding opting out of the local education authority system.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any requests from non-maintained or independent schools to opt-in to the state sector since 22 November 1988.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has contacted the Audit Commission regarding the financial aspects of schools opting out.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No. The remit of the Audit Commission does not extend to Scotland.
Grant Maintained Trust
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if an application for financial assistance has been received from the grant maintained trust.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has met or received representations from the grant maintained trust.
Lockerbie Air Disaster
Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Government's contribution towards the Lockerbie air disaster appeal.
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Mr. Rifkind : The sum of £150,000 has been contributed to the appeal fund. Parliamentary approval for this will be sought in a supplementary Supply Estimate for the prisons, hospitals and community health services, etc., Scotland Vote (Class XVI, Vote 14). Pending that approval this expenditure has been met by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund.
Ayrshire and Arran Health Board
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what appointments or reappointments he has recently made to the Ayrshire and Arran health board ; whether each has any known political affiliation ; and what such affiliation is in each case.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 16 January 1989] : The only recent appointment (in July 1988) was that of Mrs. J. A. C. McNally of Ayr, who is a qualified nurse and was appointed to fill a vacancy left by a nurse. Members are appointed according to the individual contributions which they can bring to the board.
Teachers
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any representations regarding section 88 of the Education Act ; and how many teachers were dealt with under such provisions in each of the years 1985-86 to the most recent date for which information is available.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Following the issue to all schools and further education colleges in October 1988 of an explanatory paper about the proposed repeal of section 88 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the following bodies have responded :
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities ;
Teachers' Side of the Scottish Joint Negotiating Committee for School Education ;
Scottish Secondary Teachers Association ;
National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (Scotland) ;
Central Regional Council ;
Borders Regional Council ;
Orkney Islands Council ;
The views of two individuals have also been received.
Information on the number of cases in which education authorities have invoked section 88 of the Act is not held centrally. The main committee of inquiry, which reported in October 1986, provided details for the period from 1975 in an appendix to its report.
EMPLOYMENT
Equal Pay
12. Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has met the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission to discuss changes to equal pay legislation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls : My right hon. Friend has not discussed changes to equal pay legislation with the EOC chairman. I understand that the commission will shortly be publishing a consultative document about the legislation.
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Labour Statistics
13. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of employment in the United Kingdom.
14. Mr. Roger King : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the size of the employed labour force in December 1983, December 1986 and December 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Fowler : The work force in employment in the United Kingdom was 25,739,000 in June 1988--the highest level on record. This compares with 24,041,000 in December 1983 and 24,982,000 in December 1986. In December 1979 the work force in employment was 25,486,000--about a quarter of a million less than latest estimates.
18. Mr. Ken Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment in Lancashire.
Mr. Lee : In November 1988 the level of unemployment in Lancashire was 48,039--a fall of 14,787 over the last 12 months.
20. Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in how many parliamentary constituencies unemployment fell by 50 per cent. or more between September 1983 and September 1988.
Mr. Nicholls : Between September 1983 and September 1988 unemployment fell by 50 per cent. or more in 44 parliamentary constituencies in Great Britain.
30. Mr. Summerson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people classed as long-term unemployed were without jobs in December 1988 and December 1983 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lee : Unemployment figures are analysed by duration quarterly. In October 1988 the number of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for one year or more in the United Kingdom was 885,504 compared with 1,142,899 in October 1983--a fall of 257,395 over the period. This comparison is slightly affected by changes in the coverage of the count.
41. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those in employment in the north-west are in manufacturing industries ; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.
Mr. Lee : Estimates of the civilian work force in employment in manufacturing industries in regions are not available as the self-employed and work-related Government training programmes statistics are not analysed in this way.
In June 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, 23 per cent. of the total civilian work force in employment (which is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes) in the north-west region were employed as employees in employment in manufacturing industries. The comparable figure for June 1979 was 34 per cent.
50. Mr. David Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 to 18-year-olds were unemployed in December 1983 and December 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Cope : In November 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 5,826 people aged under 18 claiming unemployment- related benefits. The recent extension of the guaranteed offer of a YTS place to all those aged under 18 not in full-time education or employment means there is now no need for these young people to be unemployed. Consequently, only a few now remain entitled to unemployment-related benefits following the associated change from September 1988 in the benefit regulations for under 18-year-olds. In December 1983 an estimated 199,600 people under 18 were claiming unemployment-related benefits.
52. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of change in unemployment levels in the last 12 months in East Anglia.
Mr. Lee : In November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the East Anglia region was 43,500, compared with 61, 100 in November 1987, a fall of 17,600 or 28.8 per cent. over the last 12 months.
53. Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment in London.
Mr. Lee : In November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in Greater London was 259,800, a fall of 67,000 over the last 12 months.
54. Sir Marcus Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of unemployment in Yorkshire and Humberside.
Mr. Lee : In November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the Yorkshire and Humberside region was 209,800, a fall of 41,500 over the last 12 months.
65. Mr. Neil Hamilton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were self-employed in the United Kingdom in December 1988 and December 1979, respectively ; and if he will make a statement.
106. Mr. Robert B. Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently self-employed in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lee : In June 1988, the latest date for which estimates are available, there were 2,985,000 self-employed in the United Kingdom. In June 1979 there were 1,906,000. Currently 12 per cent. of the work force in employment are self-employed.
69. Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the levels of unemployment in the south-west of England.
Mr. Lee : In November of 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the south-west region was 118,700, a fall of 37,200 over the last 12 months.
70. Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the levels of unemployment in the east midlands.
Mr. Lee : In November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the east midlands region was 130,900, a fall of 31, 100 over the last 12 months.
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85. Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage change in the level of unemployment in Barnsley since 1985.
Mr. Lee : In November 1988 the number of unemployed claimants in Barnsley local authority areas was 12,649, compared with 16,739 in November 1985, a fall of 4,090, or 24.4 per cent., over the three-year period. The figures are affected by the change in the compilation of the count in March 1986 to reduce over-recording and by the change in the coverage from September 1988 due to new benefit regulations for young people aged under 18.
98. Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the unemployment figures for (a) one year ago, (b) two years ago, (c) three years ago and (d) the latest available date.
Mr. Lee : The table shows seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom for November 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.
- Unemployed claimants<1> November |Number ------------------------------ 1985 |3,052,900 1986 |3,086,700 1987 |2,604,400 1988 |2,108,800 <1> Seasonally adjusted, consistent with the current coverage.
103. Mr. Holt : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of unemployment in the northern region of England.
Mr. Lee : In November 1988 the level of seasonally adjusted unemployment in the northern region of England was 163,800, a fall of 23,300 over the last 12 months.
104. Mr. Knapman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of employment in the west midlands.
Mr. Lee : In June 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,354,000 people in the civilian work force in employment in the west midlands region. This represents an increase of 234,000, or 11 per cent. since June 1983. The civilian work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants in work-related Government training programmes.
107. Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the three industries or services in the United Kingdom which have provided the largest increase in employment over the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lee : Between June 1987 and June 1988, the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, the largest increase in employees in employment in the United Kingdom were observed in the following industries :
|Number |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------
Business Service |+93,000 |+7.3
Hotels and Catering |+49,000 |+4.4
Education |+34,000 |+2.0
110. Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which travel-to-work area had the lowest
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level of unemployment and which had the highest level of unemployment at the most recent available date ; what were their respective levels of unemployment ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Lee : In November 1988 Crawley travel-to-work area had the lowest rate of unemployment at 1.8 per cent. and Cookstown travel-to-work area had the highest rate of unemployment at 29.5 per cent.
112. Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of employment in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lee : Between March 1983 and June 1988 the work force in employment in the United Kingdom increased by 2,178,000 to 25,739,000, the highest level on record. This rising trend has now continued for more than five years. The figures have been adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. The work force in employment is the sum of employees in employment, the self-employed, Her Majesty's forces, and participants in work-related Government training programmes.
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he will do in 1989 to help reduce unemployment in north Devon in general and the Ilfracombe areas specifically.
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