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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 20 January 1989
TRANSPORT
Security (Heathrow)
Mr. Prescott : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on airport security at Heathrow.
Mr. Channon : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 16 January at column 23.
Britannia Bridge
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost of reconstruction of the Britannia bridge, on the Commercial road (A13) at Limehouse ; what are the likely dates of commencement and termination of the works ; what is the estimated period when three traffic lanes will be in operation ; and what are the estimated additional costs of providing (a) four traffic lanes throughout the period, and (b) tidal flow facilities for the three-lane time span.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The estimated cost is £510,000. The works should start in February 1989 and take about eight months. A fourth lane will be provided in the summer.
Site restrictions and the need to maintain safety make it impracticable either to provide a fourth lane for the whole works period or to operate tidal flow facilities.
Civil Airports
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report the names and addresses of the companies or individuals who own each of the civil airports in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : There is no comprehensive list. The names of those owning most United Kingdom civil airports of any significance are shown in the Aerodrome Owners Association handbook 1988. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library.
East London River Crossing
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has yet received a response from the consultants for the east London river crossing to his request for a redesign of the cable-stayed bridge over the Thames ; and when he now expects work on the scheme to be started.
Mr. Channon : The consultants report on the review of the design of the bridge is due by the end of this month. The start of works will depend on the outcome of the review.
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about Greenwich
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London borough council's application to the High Court to quash the orders in respect of the east London river crossing.Mr. Channon : The London borough of Greenwich application to the High Court was heard on 19 December 1988. The decision, given on 20 December, was not in its favour.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Teacher Vacancies
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by region and number of vacancies currently existing in secondary schools for (a) mathematics teachers and (b) science teachers.
Mr. Butcher : In January 1988 (the latest date for which figures are available) the numbers of vacancies in maintained secondary schools for full-time mathematics and science teachers were :
Region |Mathematics|<1>Science
-------------------------------------------------------------
North |4 |4
Yorkshire and Humberside |14 |18
North West |21 |33
East Midlands |10 |15
West Midlands |11 |20
East Anglia |3 |4
Greater London |71 |90
Other South East |56 |63
South West |15 |16
England |205 |263
<1> Science includes chemistry, physics, biology, other
specific sciences, and combined, integrated or general
science.
Local Pay Additions
Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of staff in his Department, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south east economic planning region ; what are the different amounts paid to staff, by grade ; whether this figure varies due to location ; what qualifying period of scale- related criteria is used ; and whether this varies by location.
Mrs. Rumbold : No DES staff outside the London and south-east are in receipt of local pay additions. Inside London and the south-east additions are as follows :
£300 : AOs and AAs on entry to the grade
£400 : AOs and AAs after completing one year in the grade £500 : AOs and AAs after completing two years in the grade £300 : typing and secretarial staff in Inner London in addition to the previous £400 special allowance
£450 : typing staff in Croydon and Isleworth
Records of Achievement
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he intends to proceed with the report on the national steering committee on records of achievement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I are jointly publishing the records of achievement national steering committee report today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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We have asked the School Examinations and Assessment Council to consider next steps in the context of its wider remit to advise on assessment and reporting in support of the national curriculum. The test of the letter is as follows :P. Halsey Esq. CB LVO
Chairman & Chief Executive
School Examinations and
Assessment Council
Newcombe House
45 Notting Hill Gate
London W11 3JB
RECORDS OF ACHIEVEMENT
In my letter to you of 28 September last I invited SEAC to advise the Secretary of State for Wales and me on the arrangements for the provision of information on the assessment of pupils under Section 22 of the Education Reform Act 1988, taking account of the report of the Records of Achievement National Steering Committee (RANSC) once available ; and to advise us more generally on the development, implementation and operation of the National Curriculum assessment system.
2. RANSC have now reported : I enclose a copy of their Report. I write on behalf of the Secretary of State for Wales and myself to indicate our initial reactions to the Report ; and to invite SEAC to consult on its recommendations and, in the light of those consultations, to advise on the next steps in the context of my letter of 28 September. I would be grateful for the Council's advice by the end of June.
3. RANSC's remit was to report on the experience gained in developing Records of Achievement on the ground and on the implications for introducing such records for all pupils in secondary education in England and Wales ; and to prepare draft national guidelines for such records and recording systems. Since the Committee embarked on their work, the context has changed considerably. With the passage of the Education Reform Act, we now have in prospect the introduction of a National Curriculum with its associated assessment and reporting arrangements. Meanwhile, Records of Achievement have been developed in a variety of forms across secondary schools in the majority of LEAs. The Committee have sought to relate that development work to the new context afforded by the National Curriculum.
4. I would be grateful if SEAC would now take forward this work. In doing so, the Council should bear the following considerations in mind.
5. RANSC offer guidelines on the form and content of documents to be given to pupils at 16-plus. They also advocate the production of similar documents through the earlier years of secondary education. The Committee's remit did not extend to primary schools. Subject to your advice, I envisage that there will need to be a consistent basis for the presentation of national assessment results for pupils at each of the key ages of 7, 11, 14 and 16 ; and that annual if not more frequent reports to parents should include information about pupils' progress in a form to be prescribed in Regulations under Section 22. I look to the Council for advice on whether : (
(a) we should use the Regulations under Section 22 to prescribe the format of a document summarising each individual pupil's achievements at the age of 16 ;
(b) such Regulations should cover the reporting of subjects and activities beyond the National Curriculum ; and
(c) the form and content of reports for (i) primary and (ii) secondary age pupils prior to the age of 16 should be similarly prescribed.
6. RANSC also offer advice on the process leading to the preparation of such documents. Much of what they recommend is accepted good practice by teachers. I would see it as for each LEA and for each school to determine its own procedures to underpin the preparation of Records of Achievement.
7. RANSC recommend the establishment of accreditation machinery for Records of Achievement. Bearing in mind the
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cost and complexity involved, it is not clear to me that any accreditation machinery separate from the support structure needed for the national assessment system is justified.8. RANSC recommend 1990 as the date by which secondary schools should have schemes which comply with national guidelines ; and 1995 as that by which all pupils at 16-plus should receive summary documents complying with the guidelines. I confirm that it is the Government's intention to see early progress on Records of Achievement in all secondary schools. I look to the Council for advice on what should be the precise timetable for the implementation of national requirements, taking account of the need to develop appropriate arrangements for primary schools, and of the timetable for the introduction of National Curriculum assessments.
9. There are issues on which I would expect that SEAC will wish to consult the NCC and CCW. I am therefore sending copies of this letter to Duncan Graham and Hywel Evans.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Solicitors
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Attorney-General what action the Government are proposing to ensure that the Law Society implements the recommendations made in the 13th annual report of the lay observer 1987 that solicitors should account to their clients for interest on moneys held on behalf of their clients.
The Attorney-General : The 13th report of the lay observer was published and laid before Parliament on 28 July 1988. Since then the Law Society has made new deposit interest rules. The rules set out a specific timetable for the minimum time certain sums of money may be held before payment of interest need be made. The rules also include an obligation on a solicitor to account for any sum of money exceeding £10,000 held for less than one week, if it is fair and reasonable in all the circumstances that such interest should be paid. The rules do not extend to solicitors acting as stakeholders, or to money held by solicitors as trustees, since the relevant primary legislation does not permit this.
Infant Life Preservation Act 1929
Mr. Cash : To ask the Attorney-General when was the last prosecution under the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929.
The Attorney-General : The last prosecution conducted by the Director of Public Prosecutions under the Infant Life Preservation Act 1929 was in 1987. I regret that in my written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Batley and Spen (Mrs. Peacock) on 15 December 1988 at column 600 I erroneously stated that the last prosecution conducted by the director under the Act was in 1980.
PRIME MINISTER
Human Rights
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Prime Minister if she will say what further improvements in human rights performance in the Soviet Union will satisfy the criteria of Her Majesty's Government for attending a human rights conference in Moscow in 1991.
The Prime Minister : We have agreed in principle to a Moscow human rights conference in 1991, provided that
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recent progress in the Soviet human rights performance is maintained and consolidated, but obviously much remains to be done. If we are to attend such a conference the promised changes in Soviet criminal legislation must have been implemented, including the abolition or amendment of the political and religious articles ; there must be effective guarantees of free speech, freedom of religion and freedom to emigrate, as well as of genuine judicial independence ; there must be no political or religious prisoners and no long-term refuseniks ; the Moscow conference must be held under exactly the same conditions as the CSCE meetings in the West ; there must be no going back on the improvements which have already taken place and which made it possible for us to agree in principle to a Moscow conference.All this assumes that nothing has happened in the meantime seriously to undermine the greatly improved state of East-West relations.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. French : To ask the Prime Minister how any oral parliamentary questions she has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time for the most recent year for which figures are available.
The Prime Minister : According to the available records I gave 179 such replies in 1988.
Buildings (Cleaning Grants)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Prime Minister whether she will initiate and co-ordinate a programme of Government grants or tax relief to enable the outsides of buildings to be regularly kept clean ; and if she will make a statement.
Cabinet Office (Staff)
Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Prime Minister what is the number of staff in the Cabinet Office, by grade, in receipt of local pay additions outside London and the south-east economic planning region ; what are the different amounts paid to staff, by grade ; whether this figure varies due to location ; what qualifying period of scale-related criteria is used ; and whether this varies by location.
Irish Citizens
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list those benefits available to Irish citizens in terms of financial, educational, migrational and other services available through local or central Government agencies which are not available to other European Economic Community nationals ; which of these benefits are not reciprocally available to United Kingdom citizens within the Republic of Ireland ; and if she will publish an estimate of the numbers and costs of British citizens receiving these benefits in the Republic of Ireland and Irish citizens receiving these benefits in the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 13 January 1989] : I cannot answer for arrangements made by individual local authorities. As far as central Government is concerned, there are no benefits available to Irish citizens which are not available to the citizens of other EC member states.
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Irish nationals, but not other EC nationals, are permitted to vote in elections in the United Kingdom. This provision is now reciprocal. There are no available statistics about the numbers involved. Citizenship is not a condition for the payment of social security benefits. Contributory benefits are awarded on the basis of the claimant's contribution record, and other benefits are available to those who meet the conditions of eligibility provided that they are legally present in the United Kingdom.TRADE AND INDUSTRY
EC (Consumer Policy)
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if there have been any further EEC Commission reports on the integration of consumer policy in the other common policies since the submission to the EEC Council of COM(87)616 final ; on what occasions since December 1987 the EEC Council has discussed this topic ; what conclusions were reached ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : At its last meeting, on 7 June 1988, the Consumer Council considered the Commission's first report (COM(87)616 final) on progress towards im-plementation of the 1986 resolution on taking the consumer interest into account in other policy areas. The council agreed conclusions which called on the Commission to step up its efforts and to report further to the council by June 1989.
Japanese-owned Businesses
Mr. Amos : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Japanese-owned businesses which have located in the United Kingdom during the most recent 10-year period for which figures are available have located (a) in green field sites ; (b) on derelict land ; (c) within inner city areas and (d) other.
Mr. Forth [holding answer 19 January 1989] : Comprehensive statisics on foreign-owned businesses are not available, but the numbers of Japanese-owned manufacturing companies which have set up in the United Kingdom between January 1979 and December 1988, in the stated types of locations, are as follows :
|Number
-------------------------------------------
(a) in greenfield sites: |39
(b) on derelict land: |0
(c) within inner city areas: |4
(d) other: |38
Some Japanese manufacturers have more than one production site.
Mr. Amos : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much central Government assistance has been spent to encourage Japanese-owned businesses to local in (a) the south-east, (b) the north-east, (c) the north-west, (d) the south-west, (e) Scotland and (f) south Wales for the most recent 10-year period for which figures are available.
Mr. Forth [holding answer 19 January 1989] : Information in respect of the regional development grant
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schemes spent to encourage Japanese-owned manufacturing companies to locate in the United Kingdom is available only at disproportionate cost. However, the amount of regional selective assistance paid or offered to Japanese manufacturers between January 1979 and December 1988, in the stated regions, is as follows :
|Regions
---------------------------------------
(a) South East: |nil
(b) North East: |54.6
(c) North West: |0.3
(d) South West: |1.02
(e) Scotland: |18.3
(f) South Wales: |20.6
NASDIM
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much time elapsed between the recognition of NASDIM membership on 31 December 1983 as an alternative to licensing by his Department and the establishment of the system in which his Department automatically contacted NASDIM when he received new applications for licensing under the terms of the financial services legislation.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : My Department automatically contacted NASDIM over new applications for licences under the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958 from 1 January 1985. In the intervening year there was regular although not automatic contact between my Department and NASDIM concerning licence applications.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the application in 1984 by Barlow Clowes for licensing by his Department was received during that period when his Department did not as a matter of course seek to notify NASDIM of new applicants ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : The first papers concerning Barlow Clowes and Partners licence applications were received by my Department on 7 November 1984. Although at that date it was not the Department's practice automatically to consult NASDIM, the Department maintained contact with NASDIM on the progress of the application in the period following that date until licences were issued in October 1985.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement explaining why his Department (a) went for a period without contacting NASDIM as a matter of course about new applications received for licences under the financial services legislation and (b) subsequently decided to establish a system of such contacts.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : It was my Department's practice before 1 January 1985 to consult NASDIM when the circumstances of a particular case made it appear desirable to do so. On 1 January 1985, a procedure was adopted whereby NASDIM was consulted automatically. This was because NASDIM's membership and activities had expanded significantly during 1984.
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Barlow Clowes
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will call for a full report through the Securities and Investments Board from all self-regulatory organisations into the numbers and names of their members who have been suspended from membership following dealings with Barlow Clowes companies, giving the reasons for those suspensions.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : This is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulating organisations.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, at their next meeting with the Securities and Investments Board, officials of his Department will ask for a report on the scale of the business between Christine Leach, a council Member of FIMBRA, and the Barlow Clowes companies.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : This is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulating organisations.
Self-regulatory Organisations
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if at his next meeting with the Securities and Investments Board he will ask for a list of the officers and members of the governing body of that organisation and of all the self-regulatory organisations which it has authorised ; and if he will make that information available in the Official Report.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : The members of the Securities and Investments Board and its senior management were set out in the board's report, laid before Parliament under section 117(2) of the Financial Services Act on 28 July 1988. Since that date Professor Budd has left the board and Mr. D. Fellows and Mr. G. Ross Russell have been appointed to the board. The arrangements for publishing details of the members of the governing bodies of recognised self-regulating organisations and of the staff of those organisations are matters for the SIB and the organisations concerned.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has concerning the numbers of officers or council members of self-regulatory organisations who have been suspended from membership of those organisations.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : This is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulating organisations.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will call for a report from the Securities and Investments Board into the different treatment received from self- regulatory organisations by companies or individuals who did business with the Barlow Clowes companies.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : This is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulating organisations.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will take steps to prevent
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an individual partner, proprietor or director of a trading entity suspended from membership of a self-regulatory organisation from continuing to operate in the financial services industry through his position as a partner, proprietor or director of a second trading entity licensed by the same or another self-regulatory organisation ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : It is open to the Securities and Investments Board and the recognised self-regulating organisations to refuse authorisation to, or with it from, a business on the grounds of matters concerning a director, partner, controller or employee of that firm. Those matters may include the fact that such an individual has been subject to regulatory action by the same or another regulator or was connected with a firm subject to such action. In addition, the SIB has powers under section 59 of the Financial Services Act to prohibit individuals from being employed in connection with investment businesses by an authorised or exempted person. The way in which these powers are exercised is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulating organisations concerned.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what provision his Department makes to ensure that an individual who invested funds through a financial services company which has subsequently been suspended from membership of a self-regulatory organisation can continue to receive advice about that investment.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : It is open to any regulatory body operating under the Financial Services Act, when it suspends a firm regulated by it, to impose conditions concerning services provided to existing clients. Whether such conditions are imposed, and what form they take, are matters for the body concerned to judge according to the circumstances of a particular case.
Financial Services
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his Department will be represented on the new committee established under the chairmanship of Christine Leach to consider education of FIMBRA members and competence testing in the financial services industry.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : No.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his Department was consulted about the appointment of Christine Leach to the chairmanship of the joint committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute, the College for Financial Planning and the Life Assurance Association to consider education of FIMBRA members and competence testing in the financial services industry.
Mr. Newton [holding answer 16 January 1989] : No.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Armagh Girls' High School
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the royal school, Armagh, will vacate the premises of the former Armagh girls' high school ; what his plans are for the future use of these premises ; and if he will make a statement.
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Dr. Mawhinney : The anticipated date for vacating the premises of the former Armagh girls' high school is June 1990. The southern education and library board has plans to use the vacated premises to accommodate Armagh secondary school.
Foreign Language Teaching
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total number of Northern Ireland secondary schools in which foreign language teaching is available, showing the number of schools which offer French, German, Italian Spanish and Russian.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is as follows :
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