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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 25 January 1989
WALES
Empty Properties
Mr. Gregory : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the most recent figure for empty local authority housing ; how many of these properties have been vacant for periods over six, 12 and 24 months, respectively ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : The total number of local authority empty dwellings as at 1 April 1988 was 3,365 ; the number vacant for more than six months was 389. Information on the number vacant for 12 and 24 months is not held centrally.
Motorways (Matrix Indicators)
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those sections of motorways in Wales fitted with matrix indicators which permit written messages to be conveyed on them.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : There are no written message matrix indicators on the M4 in Wales. There are however nine variable message signs between Newport and the Severn bridge and 71 matrix indicators displaying traffic signs over the whole length.
Meetings
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has met the farmers' organisations of Wales since October 1987, giving the details of each meeting with each organisation.
Mr. Peter Walker : Since October 1987 I have met farmers' organisations 15 times. Details are as follows :
22 October 1987--Meeting with the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) to discuss the hill livestock compensatory allowances (HLCA) review. 28 October 1987-- Meeting with the National Farmers Union (NFU) Wales to discuss HLCA review.
28 October 1987--Ministerial meeting with the NFUs for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, to discuss HLCA review. 10 February 1988-- Meeting with the FUW to discuss a wide range of agricultural subjects including extensification, stabilisers and milk quotas.
30 March 1988--Meeting with the NFU to discuss a range of agricultural issues.
10 May 1988--Speech to the FUW annual general meeting about sheepmeat regime and general matters of interest to the agriculture industry.
19 July 1988--Meetings with the NFU, FUW and the Country Landowners Association (CLA) at the Royal Welsh show to discuss general subjects of current interest to the agriculture sector.
31 August 1988--Visit to mid-Wales co-operatives with
representatives of the Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society (WAOS) to discuss co-operation in the Welsh agriculture sector.
13 September 1988--Visit to West Midland Farmers Association to open its new premises at Bridgend.
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20 October 1988--Meeting with the FUW to discuss HLCA review. 25 October 1988--Visit to mid and west Wales region of the Organic Growers Association to discuss general topics of interest to organic farming.27 October 1988--Meeting with the NFU Wales to discuss HLCA review. 27 October 1988--Ministerial meeting with the NFUs for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to discuss HLCA review. 2 November 1988-- Speech to the Welsh Agricultural College : Farming Conference on the outlook for Welsh agriculture and subjects of general interest to the industry.
8 December 1988--Meeting with the NFU to discuss the Wool Board and agriculture generally.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has met consumer organisations in Wales since October 1987 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Walker : Since 1987, I have met Welsh representatives of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and the chairman of the Transport Users Consultative Committee (Wales). My hon. Friend the Minister of State has hosted a meeting with the chairman and members of the Welsh Consumer Council, and attended the annual conference of parent-teacher associations in Wales. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has met the Association of Welsh Community Health Councils. All three of us are consumers and meet other consumers every day.
Departmental Spending
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to make any changes to his Department's running costs and cash limits in the current year.
Mr. Peter Walker : Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, cash limits are being changed as follows :
The cash limit on class XVII, vote 5 is being increased by £18,789, 000 from £223,766,000 to £242,555,000. This increase covers additional provision of £18,803,000 for trunk road construction, of £261,000 for historic buildings and ancient monuments and of £100,000 for the cost of the nurses' clinical regrading, partly offset by savings of £375,000 elsewhere.
The cash limit on class XVII, vote 8 is being increased by £10 million from £777,017,000 to £787,017,000. This increase will enable health authorities in Wales to meet the estimated total costs of the nurses' clinical grading exercise which I announced on 4 November 1988.
The running costs limit for the Welsh Office is being reduced by £1,000 from £41,081,000 to £41,080,000. This decrease will be offset by a corresponding increase in the running costs limit for the office of the Minister for the Civil Service (class XX, vote 1) and reflects the transfer of costs for recruitment under the direct entry grade 7 competition 1988. There is a consequent reduction of £1,000 in the cash limit on class XVII, vote 9 from £42,526,000 to £42,525,000. The cash limit on class XVII, vote 11 is being increased by £1,000 from £2,796,000 to £2,797,000. This increase is matched by a corresponding reduction of £1,000 to the cash limit on class XVII, vote 10 from £1,014,800,000 to £1,014,799,000.
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The net increase resulting from these cash limit changes will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.Road Construction Costs
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will give (a) the amount of finance made available in the form of grant or loan by the European Economic Community towards the construction of the Welsh section of the M4 and (b) the actual and estimated costs of construction, giving all figures at current prices; (2) if he will give (a) the amount of finance made available in the form of grant or loan by the European Economic Community towards the construction of (i) the A55 Conway tunnel, (ii) the other Welsh sections of the A55 and (iii) the Welsh section of the A494 Queensferry bypass, (b) the latest estimated cost of the Conway tunnel and (c) the actual and estimated costs of the improvements to the other Welsh sections of the A55 and the A494 Queensferry bypass, giving all figures at current prices.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Somalia (Refugees)
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give consideration to the position of refugees from the northern area of Somalia, with a view to giving special assistance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chris Patten : We have already provided over £2.3 million for relief programmes to help some 400,000 refugees who have fled into Ethiopia from civil strife in northern Somalia since the middle of last year. Over £1 million of this assistance has been channelled through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and £1.3 million through British charities for water and health facilities. We shall continue to consider sympathetically further requests for assistance.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Costs and Productivity
111. Mr. Allen McKay : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when his Department intends to respond to the findings of the study carried out for the Government by PA Cambridge Consultants into geographical variations in costs and productivity.
Mr. Atkins : My Department commissioned this study to assess the extent and source of differences in industrial costs and productivity in English regions. I have seen the study and noted its findings. The study was published on 20 July 1988 and a copy has been placed in the library.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. French : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply, in connection with his duties as
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Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, because the question was not reached at Question Time, for the most recent year for which figures are available.Mr. Newton : In respect of my responsibilities for the Duchy of Lancaster, there were no such questions during 1988.
Companies Act Inquiries
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which investigations under sections 432, 466 and 442 of the Companies Act have been completed since 1 February 1988.
Mr. Maude : The following investigations under these sections have been completed since 1 February 1988 :
Company Name |Type of Inquiry ------------------------------------------------------------------ Signal Life Assurance Co. Limited |S.432 Summer International plc (formerly Sumrie Clothes plc) |S.442 and S.446 Guinness plc |S.432 and S.442 Consolidated Gold Fields plc |S.442 Bremner plc |S.442 House of Fraser Holdings plc |S.432
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the management target for the duration of inquiries under sections 432, 466 and 442 of the Companies Act.
Mr. Maude : The usual practice is to agree a provisional time scale for the investigation with the inspectors at the outset and to hold regular progress meetings thereafter.
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which inquiries under sections 432, 466 and 442 of the Companies Act are currently outstanding.
Mr. Maude : The following investigations under section 432 and 442 of the Companies Act 1985 remain outstanding. There are no outstanding investigations under section 446.
Date of Appointment |Company Name |Type of Investigations
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 November 1982 |Minet Holdings plc |S.432
8 November 1982 |WMD Underwriting Agencies
|Limited |S.432
11 March 1983 |Graylaw Holdings plc |S.432
11 March 1983 |Link Service Stations Limited |S.432
4 October 1983 |Bank Street Securities Limited|S.432
4 October 1983 |Pennine Commercial Holdings
|Limited |S.432
20 November 1987 |Animal Defence Society Limited
|(The) |S.432
10 June 1988 |James Ferguson Holdings plc |S.432
4 July 1988 |James Ferguson Holdings plc |S.442
4 July 1988 |Barlow Clowes Gilt Managers
|Limited |S.432
22 July 1988 |F. H. Lloyd Holdings plc |S.442
22 July 1988 |Francis Industries Limited |S.442
16 August 1988 |Rotaprint plc |S.432
16 August 1988 |Rotaprint plc |S.442
1 September 1988 |Aldermanbury Trust plc |S.432
20 October 1988 |Consolidated Gold Fields plc |S.442
19 December 1988 |County NatWest Limited |S.432
19 December 1988 |County NatWest Securities
|Limited |S.432
22 July 1988 James Neill Holdings plc S.442
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the average length of time for completion of inquiries under sections 432, 466 and 442 of the Companies Act begun since May 1979.
Mr. Maude : Two years three months.
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many prosecutions have resulted from inquiries under sections 432, 466 and 442 of the Companies Act since May 1979.
Mr. Maude : To date, there have been eight prosecutions following such inquiries since May 1979.
Public Appointments
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the public appointments made by his Department have been from the ethnic minorities ; and what proportion this represents of the total.
Mr. Forth : This information is not collected.
Mr. Gould : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the public appointments made by him since June 1987 have been (a) men and (b) women.
Mr. Forth : Whilst information in the form requested is not collected, details are given each year in the publication "Public Bodies" of the number of men and women holding public appointments. The latest edition, for 1988, shows that at 1 April 1988 903 men and 227 women held appointments made by my Department.
Inner City Renewal
Mr. Heddle : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had on inner city renewal and urban regeneration and the likely impact of value added tax on non-domestic construction on the viability of private sector schemes in these areas in general ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Newton : I have received a number of representations about the imposition of VAT on non-domestic construction, following last year's decision of the European court. This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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Post Office Counters Ltd
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on whether he has any plans for privatising Post Office Counters Ltd.
Mr. Forth : The Post Office has no plans to sell its subsidiary Post Office Counters Ltd. to the private sector.
Broadcasting
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much of the broadcasting spectrum will be allocated to (a) Channel 5, and (b) MVDS.
Mr. Atkins : As stated in our recent White Paper "Broadcasting in the '90s : Competition, Choice and Quality", the fifth terrestrial television service will make use of two standard 8 MHz channels, 35 and 37, in the UHF broadcasting band ; whilst decisions on the amount of choice of spectrum for MVDS will be announced by the end of April this year.
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether it is his intention to release additional frequencies to the radio authority for ancillary services, programme links and radio communications.
Mr. Atkins : My Department is currently considering how best to meet the rapidly growing needs of both existing and prospective programme-makers for additional spectrum for the range of programme-making and related activities.
Recycling
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to promote further measures to encourage the recycling of industrial materials.
Mr. Atkins : We shall continue with our present initiatives of sector conferences ; promoting awareness of the benefits of recycling to industry, schools and the general public ; and the provision of technical advice through our Warren Spring laboratory. A series of seminars will be held throughout the United Kingdom during the next few months to promote the collection of waste paper for recycling and a conference on plastics waste and recycling is planned for September.
Where appropriate, further initiatives will be introduced.
Anti-dumping Action
Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many anti-dumping actions have been initiated by the European Commission against Japanese companies over the last three years ; and what have been the results of these actions, broken down into duty imposed, price undertaking agreed, or no duty imposed.
Mr. Alan Clark : During the period in question the European Commission initiated 12 investigations into alleged dumping by Japanese companies in response to complaints from European industries. Two of these resulted in the imposition of definitive anti-dumping duties, two were terminated without an anti-dumping remedy, while the remaining eight cases are still under investigation. In one of these cases provisional anti- dumping duties have been imposed.
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Steel Industry
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when discussions began between the British Steel Corporation and Firth Brown Ltd. for the transfer of the British Steel Corporation's river Don works, press forging and drop forging divisions, Sheffield to Firth Brown Ltd.
Mr. Atkins : These discussions, which took place in the early 1970s, were primarily a matter for the British Steel Corporation and information concerning them is not readily available within the Department.
British Coal
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the investment programme of the British Coal Corporation will be published.
Mr. Maude : The report is published today.
The commission was asked to investigate the investment programme of British Coal. It took into account British Coal's achievements and looked to the future, particularly in the light of the changing environment posed by privatisation of electricity supply. The commission concluded that British Coal should take a more positive view of the opportunities which existed to influence vital aspects of its business future, for example, in its response to the threat of future imports.
The Commission found that in general investment and post-investment appraisal had worked effectively, but singled out Asfordby new mine for particular comment. It disagreed with British Coal's view that the project had ever been demonstrably viable according to British Coal's investment criteria. However, the commission accepted that the project now has sunk costs and that this, combined with agreement on six-day working, might mean that the remainder of the project could be shown to be a worthwhile investment. However the commission recommended that in future the sort of conditional approval which was given for expenditure in Asfordby, in advance of its showing a sound financial prospectus, should not be allowed, except where other factors were explicably judged to be of sufficient weight, were clearly laid out in the project appraisal, and a decision to proceed was made at board level.
Looking to the future, the commission recommended that British Coal should now commit itself firmly to
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specific quantified financial objectives for the next five years. All investment projects, and the investment programme as a whole, should be related to these targets. British Coal should also continue to examine the prospects of further simplifying its organisational structure to enable it to respond flexibly to a rapidly changing business environment. The commission commended British Coal's efforts to introduce more flexible working.The commission also recommended that British Coal should update and run its forecasting models more frequently, and should incorporate the United Kingdom coal market into its world model. It should use its models to consider the effect on the industry of a wider range of possible developments, including ESI privatisation, exchange rate movements, competition from alternative fuels and possible rapid growth in world trade in coal.
The commission made some 20 other recommendations relevant to British Coal's investment policy. It concluded that British Coal was not operating against the public interest in the areas falling within the reference.
Detailed case studies are included as appendices to the report. British Coal will be producing a preliminary response to the commission's findings within three to four months, in the light of which my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Energy will inform the House of his views.
Regional Assistance
Mr. Gordon Brown : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide figures for spending on (a) regional selective assistance and (b) regional development grant for (i) Scotland, (ii) England, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland for each year from 1978-79 to 1988-89, and estimated figures for 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92, in cash and at 1987-88 prices.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 24 January 1989] : Gross expenditure on regional development grant and regional selective assistance in England, Scotland and Wales in the financial years 1978-79 to 1987-88 is shown in the tables together with current estimates provision for 1988-89. Information about planned expenditure on regional assistance in future years will shortly be published in the public expenditure White Paper.
The RDG and RSA schemes do not operate in Northern Ireland.
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Expenditure at constant (1987-88) prices
£ million
|1978-79 |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 (estimates
|provision)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Regional selective assistance
England |121.4 |81.9 |72.0 |73.4 |86.5 |74.9 |83.6 |81.4 |105.9 |122.9 |147.8
Scotland |30.6 |31.2 |33.0 |26.6 |27.2 |34.0 |43.8 |59.8 |46.2 |46.0 |56.9
Wales |62.2 |33.0 |15.9 |12.4 |19.5 |21.9 |28.8 |30.5 |37.5 |36.7 |44.5
(b) Regional development grants
England |488.9 |368.4 |405.6 |474.8 |353.5 |269.6 |239.8 |181.2 |267.7 |139.3 |152.2
Scotland |220.3 |123.2 |167.9 |192.6 |361.8 |172.3 |125.2 |117.0 |179.2 |78.0 |56.8
Wales |146.8 |88.9 |153.3 |164.9 |153.0 |86.9 |106.3 |91.8 |93.5 |53.4 |61.8
Notes:
1. All figures in the above tables show gross expenditure, that is they exclude domestic receipts and receipts from the European Regional Development fund.
2. The RDG figures comprise expenditure under the original and revised schemes. The RSA figures incorporate expenditure under industrial and training grants, as well as assistance under the Business Improvement Services and Exchange Risk
Guarantee schemes.
3. Current price data have been converted to constant (1987-88) prices by using the Implied Market Price Gross Domestic Product Deflator (1987-88=100).
Expenditure at constant (1987-88) prices
£ million
|1978-79 |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 (estimates
|provision)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Regional selective assistance
England |121.4 |81.9 |72.0 |73.4 |86.5 |74.9 |83.6 |81.4 |105.9 |122.9 |147.8
Scotland |30.6 |31.2 |33.0 |26.6 |27.2 |34.0 |43.8 |59.8 |46.2 |46.0 |56.9
Wales |62.2 |33.0 |15.9 |12.4 |19.5 |21.9 |28.8 |30.5 |37.5 |36.7 |44.5
(b) Regional development grants
England |488.9 |368.4 |405.6 |474.8 |353.5 |269.6 |239.8 |181.2 |267.7 |139.3 |152.2
Scotland |220.3 |123.2 |167.9 |192.6 |361.8 |172.3 |125.2 |117.0 |179.2 |78.0 |56.8
Wales |146.8 |88.9 |153.3 |164.9 |153.0 |86.9 |106.3 |91.8 |93.5 |53.4 |61.8
Notes:
1. All figures in the above tables show gross expenditure, that is they exclude domestic receipts and receipts from the European Regional Development fund.
2. The RDG figures comprise expenditure under the original and revised schemes. The RSA figures incorporate expenditure under industrial and training grants, as well as assistance under the Business Improvement Services and Exchange Risk
Guarantee schemes.
3. Current price data have been converted to constant (1987-88) prices by using the Implied Market Price Gross Domestic Product Deflator (1987-88=100).
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Legal Profession (Consultation Papers)
Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Attorney-General when the Green Paper on the future of the legal profession and the two other consultation papers, which were announced to the House on 24 October 1988 will be published.
The Attorney-General : The three papers on the work and organisation of the legal profession, conveyancing by authorised practitioners and contingency fees have been laid before the House today and have been published as command papers. The Government's overall objective in publishing the Green Paper on the work and organisation of the legal profession is to see that the public has the best possible access to legal services and that those services are of the right quality for the particular needs of the clients. The Government hope that this examination of the legal profession will stimulate comment from a wide range of opinion. These are matters not only of concern to lawyers but are of great public importance. The Government will welcome comments on all three papers by 2 May 1989.
PRIME MINISTER
Magistrates Courts
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Prime Minister if she will outline the division of responsibilities for administration of magistrates courts in England and Wales between different Government Departments.
The Prime Minister : Responsibility for the magistrates courts service is shared between the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor. The balance of these responsibilities is defined in the Justices of the Peace Act 1979. Broadly, the Home Secretary has responsibility for matters relating to the staffing and administration of the courts. The Lord Chancellor is responsible for the appointment, training and conduct of magistrates.
Ozone Layer
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister what steps she plans to take to ensure the atmospheric control technology, the support refrigerant technology for catering, and the packaging material for documentation
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for the forthcoming United Kingdom-sponsored conference on the ozone layer depletion and dangers of chlorofluorocarbons, minimises the use of chlorofluorocarbons.The Prime Minister : As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for the Environment informed the House on 15 December 1988 at column 725, Government Departments have been asked to review their policies, specifications and practices with a view to promoting the objective of reducing use of chlorofluorocarbons and halons to the maximum possible extent.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Adley : To ask the Prime Minister if, at her next meeting with President Mitterrand, she will propose the establishment of a joint British -French team to co-ordinate investment, social and environmental criteria for the high-speed rail link between London and Paris, to take account of British Rail's corporate disadvantages ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I can see no advantage in the establishment of such a team. As I have already explained to my hon. Friend, there is regular contact at working level between the British and French Governments on issues related to the construction of rail links to the Channel tunnel.
VAT
Mr. Heddle : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on interdepartmental co-operation on the implementation of judgment of the European Court on value added tax on new non-domestic construction.
The Prime Minister : Any statement on this matter will be made in due course by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary.
Consumer Protection
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Prime Minister (1) what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the present division of responsibility for consumer affairs among ministries for the representation of the interest of the consumer ;
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(2) what steps she is taking to improve the co-ordination between Ministries on consumer protection to provide improved representation for consumers.The Prime Minister : I am satisfied that the present arrangements for representing consumers' interests and the present division of responsibility among Departments work satisfactorily. I have no plans to change the existing arrangements for interdepartmental consultations.
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Prime Minister if she will consider the creation of a consumer affairs Ministry embracing the activities in relation to consumers of a number of Departments ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I have no plans to do so.
TRANSPORT
Bus Services
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those English counties which, in the last 12 months, have produced (a) timetables for all bus services within their counties, (b) bus route maps, (c) timetables for supported bus services only, and (d) no publicity at all ; and if he will indicate in each case whether a charge other than mailing costs is made for the information, where available.
Mr. Portillo : This information is not held by my Department. However, information on timetables along the lines requested is available in a commercial publication and I will write to the hon. Member with details.
Brown Route
Mr. Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will inquire into the circumstances whereby callers to his Department's regional office in Manchester were informed that the line of the A6 Disley- High lane bypass is likely to be the Brown route ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : I am not aware of any callers having been advised as to the likely outcome of the A6 Disley and High lane bypass public consultation. The Department published its proposals for a bypass last January. These took the form of a single favoured route (the Brown) and rejected alternatives. There was a massive response from the public which is still being considered. It is likely to be some time yet before an announcement can be made as to whether a scheme should be added to the national trunk road programme and, if so, on the choice of route.
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