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Kent Rail Link
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last discussed railway services between
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London and Dover with the Chairman of British Rail ; and what plans have been proposed or approved by his Department to improve the service.Mr. Portillo : My right hon. Friend and I frequently meet the chairman of British Rail, and we discuss a wide range of issues. I have no proposals currently before me which relate to the Dover service.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial effect the proposed new rail link in Kent will have on revenue and capital expenditures and the external financing limits of British Rail in each year between 1990 and 2000.
Mr. Portillo : It is too early to say. The likely cost and timing of any new rail link have still to be determined.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are currently envisaged as the basis for British Rail to pay the operating company for using the new Kent rail link ; and what amounts are expected to be paid in each of the 20 years following completion.
Mr. Portillo : British Rail has invited private sector companies to show that they are competent to bid to become involved in a new high-speed Channel tunnel rail link. The invitation does not expire until the end of this month. It is too soon to foretell what precise financial arrangements may emerge.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies were carried out by his Department and British Rail into the feasibility and financial viability of upgrading and extending to Ashford and Folkestone (Cheriton) the existing
Dover--Canterbury--London rail link as an alternative to the proposed new Kent rail link ; and if he will publish those studies.
Mr. Portillo : The procedure by which British Rail identified its possible route corridors for a new rail link to the Channel tunnel was explained in the report which it published in July 1988. Copies were sent to hon. Members and placed in the Library of the House. My Department has not carried out any studies of possible routes ; that is British Rail's responsibility. On the face of it, improvements to the route via Canterbury and Dover would appear to be a rather circuitous way of improving access to Ashford and Folkestone.
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory provision British Rail has to finance the whole or part of the cost of a high speed rail link to carry international passengers between London and the Channel tunnel.
Mr. Portillo : The financing of a high-speed rail link between London and the Channel tunnel would come within British Rail's general powers to provide railway services and to make appropriate financial arrangements in connection with the provision of railway services. British Rail will, however, require specific parliamentary authorisation for construction and operation of any new rail link.
Road Repairs
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to implement the proposals of the Horne committee on road repairs ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Batiste) on 19 January at column 292.
Local Pay Additions
Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The Department is not at present paying local pay additions to any staff outside London and the south east economic planning region.
London Transport (Resignation Agreement)
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Dr. Ridley, former chairman of London Transport, has complied with the terms of the resignation agreement as placed in the Library.
Mr. Portillo : Dr. Ridley ceased to hold office as a member of London Regional Transport under his terms of appointment (as placed in the Library) on 10 November 1988, the date on which my right hon. Friend accepted his resignation.
Rail Electrification
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now received any proposals from British Rail to electrify the London- Midland railway line.
Hazardous Substances (Carriage by Air)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in the light of the Pan Am jumbo jet crash in Scotland, he will initiate a full review of the present safety standards for the carriage of (a) commercial nuclear materials and (b) non radioactive hazardous substances by aircraft operating from United Kingdom airports.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The regulations governing the transport of radioactive materials are kept under continuous review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency is currently reviewing the safety requirements for transporting plutonium by air. The United Kingdom regulations for the movement by air of non-radioactive dangerous goods are kept under review by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Construction Work (VAT)
Mr. Heddle : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessments he has made with the BAA, the British Railways Board and other bodies within his Department's responsibility about the effect of the imposition of value added tax on non-domestic construction work following the decision of the European Court on 21 June 1988, in particular on partnership schemes in the private sector involving urban regeneration where the schemes were commercially committed prior to the relevant date but not protected by the transitional arrangements proposed by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
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Mr. Portillo : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 25 January by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury. I have no reason to believe that different considerations would apply to construction schemes involving transport bodies from the generality of such schemes.
Mr. Heddle : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the BAA, the British Railways Board and other bodies within his Department's responsibility about the effect of value added tax on non-domestic construction work following the decision of the European Court on 21 June 1988, in particular on partnership schemes with the private sector.
Mr. Portillo : The chairman of British Rail has written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State pointing out the possible effect on a number of British Rail development schemes of the imposition of value added tax in non-domestic construction work. My right hon. Friend has received no other representations from bodies sponsored by his Department.
Licence Applications (Manchester-United States)
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make a further statement on the progress of the talks with the United States Government on the licence applications for new Manchester routes by United States airlines.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockport (Mr. Favell) on 16 January at column 97.
British Rail (Investment)
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received any proposals from British Rail concerning investment in the London South Wales mainline and the Crewe-Holyhead line ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : I have received no such proposals.
King's Cross Station (Fire Calls)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the London fire brigade has been called out to King's Cross station since 18 November 1987.
Mr. Portillo : I understand from London Underground Ltd. that the London fire brigade has been called out to King's Cross station on 53 occasions since 18 November 1987. In eight cases the fire brigade dealt with a fire or smoke incident, 28 incidents were dealt with by London Underground staff before the fire brigade arrived and in the remainder the fire brigade found no trace of fire or smoke.
Capital Allocations (London)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the capital allocations for transport and the accepted expenditure for TSG purposes in each case excluding any allowance for the traffic control systems unit, for each London borough for the years 1986- 87, 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley : The accepted expenditure figures for TSG purposes and the initial transport capital allocations excluding any allowance for the traffic control systems unit for each London borough for 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90 are as follows :
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TSG and capital allocation for the London boroughs (excluding allocations for TCSU)
(£000's)
1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90
Borough |TSG |CAP |TSG |CAP |TSG |CAP |TSG |CAP
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barking |109 |1,111 |1,505 |2,459 |5,590 |5,991 |4,480 |4,441
Barnet |151 |1,523 |760 |1,028 |631 |815 |355 |504
Bexley |3,292 |4,870 |763 |1,328 |2,076 |2,587 |2,373 |2,573
Brent |861 |1,749 |460 |895 |730 |102 |710 |950
Bromley |335 |1,423 |668 |1,448 |7,601 |8,600 |7,445 |8,301
Camden |0 |1,894 |101 |904 |162 |225 |35 |87
Croydon |0 |1,010 |201 |899 |291 |594 |350 |809
Ealing |3,059 |4,629 |3,918 |4,815 |4,352 |6,142 |6,220 |7,172
Enfield |7,120 |7,744 |14,659 |14,868 |22,363 |22,654 |23,718 |23,960
Greenwich |1,435 |2,971 |280 |1,214 |2,111 |3,229 |1,434 |2,386
Hackney |349 |2,189 |3,822 |4,969 |750 |1,562 |681 |1,375
Hammersmith |231 |711 |140 |227 |46 |169 |172 |269
Haringey |2,000 |3,682 |2,828 |3,223 |7,915 |8,175 |11,678 |11,696
Harrow |2,365 |2,881 |3,590 |3,953 |7,344 |9,441 |7,600 |8,791
Havering |3,524 |4,658 |2,415 |3,299 |507 |1,204 |237 |737
Hillingdon |10,059 |11,663 |6,494 |7,046 |8,335 |10,288 |15,087 |10,122
Hounslow |939 |1,683 |1,120 |1,786 |1,408 |1,606 |1,433 |1,447
Islington |0 |302 |101 |655 |51 |286 |171 |372
Kensington |700 |1,118 |434 |589 |712 |1,018 |1,464 |1,441
Kingston |7,065 |9,021 |9,389 |9,652 |5,338 |5,531 |3,922 |3,744
Lambeth |115 |855 |421 |925 |358 |599 |182 |380
Lewisham |0 |1,562 |450 |1,536 |1,811 |2,238 |10,455 |10,812
Merton |2,245 |3,803 |5,334 |7,636 |4,967 |6,628 |9,287 |9,245
Newham |2,400 |4,176 |2,195 |3,246 |1,972 |2,498 |1,891 |2,227
Redbridge |400 |766 |1,951 |2,600 |679 |1,742 |508 |686
Richmond |353 |1,105 |308 |778 |282 |580 |205 |457
Southwark |2,700 |3,772 |2,330 |2,780 |3,474 |4,090 |5,193 |5,407
Sutton |900 |1,900 |1,578 |2,030 |1,462 |2,455 |1,788 |2,171
Tower Hamlets |0 |914 |246 |722 |51 |447 |26 |276
Waltham Forest |1,600 |2,672 |2,045 |2,381 |1,268 |1,510 |941 |1,047
Wandsworth |4,465 |6,047 |5,220 |6,605 |1,165 |2,230 |1,624 |2,448
Westminster |908 |4,092 |650 |2,200 |972 |1,360 |1,669 |1,855
City |847 |2,497 |955 |1,316 |180 |646 |385 |625
Note:
The 1986-87 settlement did not specify a separate capital allocation for TCSU apart
from that which went with the TCSU element of the TSG minor works accepted
expenditure.
I am sending the hon. Member a simple guide to TSG, copies of which are available in the Library.
Lockerbie Disaster
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider including in the inquiry into the Lockerbie disaster the question of the delay between the identification of the body of a victim and the passing of this information on to the next of kin.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The purpose of the investigation being carried out by my air accidents investigation branch is to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident. The question raised by the hon. Member falls outside the scope of this investigation. I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that he has been assured by the chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway that, when a body was reliably identified, every effort was made to notify the next of kin, whether in this country or abroad, as soon as possible. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and will notify my right hon. and learned Friend, he will gladly make further inquiries.
London Regional Transport (Rate Precept)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the likely level of the rate
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precept for London Regional Transport for the forthcoming year ; what percentage increase this represents over the current year ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 19 December at column 12. The proposed levy for 1989-90 would represent an increase of 50 per cent. over the 1988-89 levy.
Transport (London)
Mr. Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve transport in London.
Mr. Channon : I am today publishing a booklet entitled "Transport in London" setting out the Government's policy aims for transport in London and the steps being taken to achieve them. This is supported by a fuller, more technical statement on transport in London which I am sending to the London local authorities and other interested bodies.
Much is already being done and planned to improve the quality of London's transport systems and to increase their capacity. Earlier this week I announced the east London rail study which is examining the best options for improving rail access from central London to docklands
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and east Thames-side. Today I am publishing the report of the central London rail study jointly with the chairman of London Regional Transort and British Rail.I welcome the central London rail study report as a major contribution to the debate on how best to improve services and provide for forecast demand on the rail networks serving central London.
The number of passengers using the rail networks serving central London is currently at record levels. The study concludes that peak demand may grow by up to a further 20 per cent. by the end of the century. To meet this demand and improve the quality of services a twofold strategy is proposed :
(i) A major upgrading programme costing some £1.5 billion to make the best use of the existing infrastructure. This programme would allow more and higher capacity trains to be run ; increase the capacity of Underground stations ; and include service restructuring and other measures to ease bottlenecks and secure better operating performance. It would provide an early response to some of the most pressing problems but would not by itself be enough to cater for the forecast increases in demand and provide acceptable standards of, service. Provision has already been made for some of this programme in present plans.
(ii) A package of new line construction. The study proposes alternative packages each consisting of two new lines in tunnels under London.
Some work is required before decisions can be taken. This will be carried out in parallel with the east London rail study and will include work on how such investments might be financed. The Government believe that if there is to be new investment of benefit to passengers, it is they who should pay for it, rather than taxpayers from other parts of the country. Contributions should be forthcoming from property owners and developers where they also stand to benefit. Where these two sources of finance are not enough to make a project commercially viable, grants can be available provided that economic benefits, for example in the relief of road congestion, justify them.
I am now inviting interested parties to give their views on the proposals. In the light of these and the further work that remains to be done, I hope to be in a position to take decisions on the way ahead later this year.
I am placing copies of "Transport in London", the technical document supporting it, and the report of the central London rail study in the Library.
EMPLOYMENT
London Docklands
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an update of the activity and individual projects being carried out by the docklands liaison group set up by the employment service and the Training Agency.
Mr. Nicholls : Since its inception in June 1987 the docklands liason group has continued to work towards improving the extent and co-ordination of the Department's programmes provided by the employment service and the Training Agency.
Specific projects which have been initiated or progressed include the development of construction training under Employment Training in each docklands borough ; training projects to help English as a second language (ESL) students gain access to construction
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training ; a new enterprise package which includes low-cost business rents, advice on business start-up, finance and training ; the development of two office and commercial training centres ; and the development of a mobile jobcentre service.Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which are the employer-led groups referred to in "Employment for the 1990s" invited to set up TECs in the London borough of Newham.
Mr. Cope : We will publish a prospectus shortly. This will invite employer-led groups throughout England and Wales to offer to form TECs.
Departmental Staff (Child Care)
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of employees ; what child care provision, for school holiday or after-school care, is provided for employees' children aged five and over ; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years ; and how these are to be funded.
Mr. Cope : I refer to the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 20 April 1988 at column 475.
In addition to the child care provision mentioned in that reply, the Employment Department group now operates a further care parent scheme for staff with children under five years old in the employment service and Training Agency headquarters in Sheffield.
The group has also contributed to the initial funding of the Westminster holiday playscheme which is being co-ordinated by the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service for staff working in central London. We are considering other facilities both departmentally and jointly with the office of the Minister of the Civil Service.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for Scotland, Wales, England and Great Britain as a whole (a) the number of employees employed in (i) manufacturing and (ii) service industries in (1) 1979 and (2) 1988 and (b) the changes in the numbers employed in percentage terms.
Mr. Lee : The information is as follows :
Employees in employment in Great Britain
|Net change between
|September
Employees in 1979 and
employment September
|September |September<1> |1988
|1979 |1988 |Per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland
Manufacturing |602 |387 |-36
Service industries |1,228 |1,287 |5
Wales
Manufacturing |317 |218 |-31
Service industries |572 |566 |-1
England
Manufacturing |6,204 |4,421 |-29
Service industries |11,493 |13,064 |14
Great Britain
Manufacturing |7,123 |5,025 |-29
Service industries |13,293 |14,918 |12
<1> The latest date for which information is available.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate for each year since 1979
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and for each country and region of the United Kingdom (a) the number of female employees in employment, (b) the number of females in full-time employment, (c) the number of females in part-time employment ; and if he will express (c) as a percentage of (a) .Mr. Lee : Table A shows all female employees in employment for each region and country of the United Kingdom. Tables B and C show female full- time and female part-time employees in employment for each region and country of the United Kingdom except Northern Ireland. Estimates of full and part-time employment are not collected for Northern Ireland. Table D shows female part-time employees in employment as a percentage of all female employees in employment.
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Table D Female employees in part-time employment as a percentage of all female employees in employment Per cent. September: |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |<1>1988 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South East |39.3 |39.8 |40.1 |40.0 |40.0 |39.7 |39.7 |40.2 |40.2 |40.1 East Anglia |41.8 |43.1 |43.3 |45.2 |43.3 |43.4 |45.1 |46.2 |46.3 |45.8 South West |43.1 |44.4 |46.3 |46.8 |46.7 |45.8 |45.9 |45.0 |44.7 |44.5 West Midlands |40.7 |41.3 |41.6 |41.3 |41.9 |41.6 |42.6 |43.7 |44.2 |44.3 East Midlands |41.3 |41.7 |41.8 |42.2 |42.7 |42.8 |43.3 |44.4 |43.9 |44.8 Yorkshire and Humberside |43.8 |44.5 |45.4 |46.4 |46.6 |47.0 |47.6 |48.5 |48.4 |48.1 North West |40.8 |41.9 |42.1 |42.5 |43.1 |43.5 |44.5 |45.4 |46.3 |46.4 North |41.0 |41.8 |42.8 |42.8 |43.9 |45.0 |45.4 |46.7 |47.5 |47.6 England |40.8 |41.5 |42.0 |42.2 |42.4 |42.3 |42.8 |43.4 |43.5 |43.6 Scotland |36.7 |37.2 |38.7 |40.1 |40.1 |40.7 |41.8 |42.3 |43.7 |43.6 Wales |39.6 |39.9 |40.7 |41.2 |42.1 |42.6 |44.3 |46.3 |46.2 |47.3 Northern Ireland |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- <1> The latest date for which figures are available. <2> Unavailable.
Table D Female employees in part-time employment as a percentage of all female employees in employment Per cent. September: |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |<1>1988 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South East |39.3 |39.8 |40.1 |40.0 |40.0 |39.7 |39.7 |40.2 |40.2 |40.1 East Anglia |41.8 |43.1 |43.3 |45.2 |43.3 |43.4 |45.1 |46.2 |46.3 |45.8 South West |43.1 |44.4 |46.3 |46.8 |46.7 |45.8 |45.9 |45.0 |44.7 |44.5 West Midlands |40.7 |41.3 |41.6 |41.3 |41.9 |41.6 |42.6 |43.7 |44.2 |44.3 East Midlands |41.3 |41.7 |41.8 |42.2 |42.7 |42.8 |43.3 |44.4 |43.9 |44.8 Yorkshire and Humberside |43.8 |44.5 |45.4 |46.4 |46.6 |47.0 |47.6 |48.5 |48.4 |48.1 North West |40.8 |41.9 |42.1 |42.5 |43.1 |43.5 |44.5 |45.4 |46.3 |46.4 North |41.0 |41.8 |42.8 |42.8 |43.9 |45.0 |45.4 |46.7 |47.5 |47.6 England |40.8 |41.5 |42.0 |42.2 |42.4 |42.3 |42.8 |43.4 |43.5 |43.6 Scotland |36.7 |37.2 |38.7 |40.1 |40.1 |40.7 |41.8 |42.3 |43.7 |43.6 Wales |39.6 |39.9 |40.7 |41.2 |42.1 |42.6 |44.3 |46.3 |46.2 |47.3 Northern Ireland |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- <1> The latest date for which figures are available. <2> Unavailable.
Table D Female employees in part-time employment as a percentage of all female employees in employment Per cent. September: |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |<1>1988 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South East |39.3 |39.8 |40.1 |40.0 |40.0 |39.7 |39.7 |40.2 |40.2 |40.1 East Anglia |41.8 |43.1 |43.3 |45.2 |43.3 |43.4 |45.1 |46.2 |46.3 |45.8 South West |43.1 |44.4 |46.3 |46.8 |46.7 |45.8 |45.9 |45.0 |44.7 |44.5 West Midlands |40.7 |41.3 |41.6 |41.3 |41.9 |41.6 |42.6 |43.7 |44.2 |44.3 East Midlands |41.3 |41.7 |41.8 |42.2 |42.7 |42.8 |43.3 |44.4 |43.9 |44.8 Yorkshire and Humberside |43.8 |44.5 |45.4 |46.4 |46.6 |47.0 |47.6 |48.5 |48.4 |48.1 North West |40.8 |41.9 |42.1 |42.5 |43.1 |43.5 |44.5 |45.4 |46.3 |46.4 North |41.0 |41.8 |42.8 |42.8 |43.9 |45.0 |45.4 |46.7 |47.5 |47.6 England |40.8 |41.5 |42.0 |42.2 |42.4 |42.3 |42.8 |43.4 |43.5 |43.6 Scotland |36.7 |37.2 |38.7 |40.1 |40.1 |40.7 |41.8 |42.3 |43.7 |43.6 Wales |39.6 |39.9 |40.7 |41.2 |42.1 |42.6 |44.3 |46.3 |46.2 |47.3 Northern Ireland |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- <1> The latest date for which figures are available. <2> Unavailable.
Table D Female employees in part-time employment as a percentage of all female employees in employment Per cent. September: |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |<1>1988 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South East |39.3 |39.8 |40.1 |40.0 |40.0 |39.7 |39.7 |40.2 |40.2 |40.1 East Anglia |41.8 |43.1 |43.3 |45.2 |43.3 |43.4 |45.1 |46.2 |46.3 |45.8 South West |43.1 |44.4 |46.3 |46.8 |46.7 |45.8 |45.9 |45.0 |44.7 |44.5 West Midlands |40.7 |41.3 |41.6 |41.3 |41.9 |41.6 |42.6 |43.7 |44.2 |44.3 East Midlands |41.3 |41.7 |41.8 |42.2 |42.7 |42.8 |43.3 |44.4 |43.9 |44.8 Yorkshire and Humberside |43.8 |44.5 |45.4 |46.4 |46.6 |47.0 |47.6 |48.5 |48.4 |48.1 North West |40.8 |41.9 |42.1 |42.5 |43.1 |43.5 |44.5 |45.4 |46.3 |46.4 North |41.0 |41.8 |42.8 |42.8 |43.9 |45.0 |45.4 |46.7 |47.5 |47.6 England |40.8 |41.5 |42.0 |42.2 |42.4 |42.3 |42.8 |43.4 |43.5 |43.6 Scotland |36.7 |37.2 |38.7 |40.1 |40.1 |40.7 |41.8 |42.3 |43.7 |43.6 Wales |39.6 |39.9 |40.7 |41.2 |42.1 |42.6 |44.3 |46.3 |46.2 |47.3 Northern Ireland |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- |<2>- <1> The latest date for which figures are available. <2> Unavailable.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each country and region of the United Kingdom the numbers of (a) employees in employment and (b) self-employed people and (c) the change in the number of unemployed persons, for each year since 1979 and for each month in 1987 and 1988.
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Mr. Lee : Table A shows estimates of the numbers of employees in employment by region and country ; these figures are not adjusted for the effects of seasonal variations.
Table B shows estimates of the numbers of self-employed people by region and country.
Table C shows levels of seasonally adjusted unemployment consistent with the current coverage for each region and country of the United Kingdom at each December from 1979 and each quarter month in 1987 and 1988, together with the changes over the relevant period.
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Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
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Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Scotland Northern Ireland
|Level |Change over quarter|Level |Change over quarter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1987 |336.0 |-3.4 |123.3 |-1.7
June 1987 |326.6 |-9.4 |123.0 |-0.3
September 1987 |313.6 |-13.0 |121.2 |-1.8
December 1987 |302.3 |-11.3 |117.6 |-3.6
March 1988 |293.3 |-9.0 |114.7 |-2.9
June 1988 |279.7 |-13.6 |114.0 |-0.7
September 1988 |272.3 |-7.4 |111.6 |-2.4
December 1988 |260.3 |-12.0 |108.9 |-2.7
Benefit Office (Closures)
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the estimated annual savings incurred by the closure of the employment benefit offices at (a) Lanchester, County Durham and (b) Willington, County Durham ;
(2) what are the staffing implications arising from the decision to close the employment benefit offices at (a) Lanchester, County Durham and (b) Willington, County Durham.
Mr. Lee : The estimated annual savings incurred by the closure of Lanchester and Willington part-time employment benefit outhouses will be approximately £1,100 per annum and £900 per annum respectively. Closure of these offices will allow existing staff resources to be used more productively on linked work in the full-time unemployment benefit offices.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements will be made to cover the transport costs of claimants affected by the proposed closure of the employment benefit offices at (a) Lanchester, County Durham and (b) Willington, County Durham.
Column 750
Mr. Lee : Claimants who live six miles or more from their nearest local office and disabled persons or those with significant travel difficulties will no longer be required to attend for their fortnightly claims but will be able to make these by post. In most cases, claimants who currently attend the Lanchester and Willington part-time offices should be able to attend the nearest local offices at Stanley or Crook respectively. These offices have bus services from Lanchester and Willington and the fares are reasonable for claimants to meet from their own resources.
Unemployment Registration
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people register as unemployed at the Willington, County Durham office (a) weekly and (b) monthly.
Mr. Lee : There are 300 people registered as unemployed at Willington unemployment benefit outhouse, all of whom attend fortnightly.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people register as unemployed at the Lanchester, County Durham office (a) weekly and (b) monthly.
Mr. Lee : There are 161 people registered as unemployed at Lanchester unemployment benefit outhouse, of whom 133 attend fortnightly and 28 attend quarterly.
Industrial Tribunals (Costs)
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions in each of the last three years for which records are available warnings as to costs were issued by industrial tribunals ; and in how many such cases costs ultimately were awarded.
Mr. Nicholls : The details are as follows :
|Costs warnings issued |Costs awarded following
|warning
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 months ended 31 March 1986 |672 |46
12 months ended 31 March 1987 |517 |30
12 months ended 31 March 1988 |344 |16
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions in each of the last three years for which records are available costs were awarded by industrial tribunals in cases where no warning had previously been made.
Mr. Nicholls : The details are as follows :
|Number
--------------------------------------------
12 months ended 31 March 1986 |9
12 months ended 31 March 1987 |1
12 months ended 31 March 1988 |8
Column 751
Tourism (South Africa)
Mr. Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether in the light of Her Majesty's Government's policy on the promotion of tourism to South Africa, he will seek to dissuade the Association of British Travel Agents from holding its convention in South Africa.
Mr. Lee : It is understood that the Association of British Travel Agents has no plans to hold its convention in South Africa.
Factories Act 1961
Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in setting up a non-statutory scheme to replace section 119A of the Factories Act 1961.
Mr. Cope : A consultation paper containing proposals for a new scheme to ensure that young people with disabilities are not placed in unsuitable employment or training has been circulated for comment to a wide range of interested organisations. Copies of the paper are available in the Library. A final decision on the details of
Column 752
the scheme will be taken in the light of comments received, and the new arrangements will be implemented as soon as possible.Benefits and Income Support
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide details of the numbers of those aged under 18 years in receipt of benefit/income support by standard economic region, by month, for the period June to December 1988, inclusive.
Mr. Lee [holding answer 25 January 1989] : The table shows the available analysis of under 18-year-olds claiming
unemployment-related benefits, that is unemployment benefit, income support or national insurance credits.
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.
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