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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 27 January 1989
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Higher Education
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many 18-year-old students have progressed into higher education in each of the last three academic years, giving figures in numerical and percentage terms and for each standard planning region.
Mr. Jackson : The information is not readily available in the form requested. The figures in the tables relate to all school leavers who intended to proceed to first degree study or teacher training.
Table 2
Number of school leavers intending to proceed to first
degree study
or teacher training as a percentage of all school
leavers
Percentage
Academic years
|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87
---------------------------------------------------------
North |7.1 |7.1 |7.2
Yorkshire and Humberside |7.6 |7.3 |7.3
North West |7.9 |8.1 |8.3
East Midlands |7.3 |7.0 |7.5
West Midlands |7.2 |7.4 |7.2
East Anglia |6.1 |6.5 |6.3
Greater London |7.5 |7.9 |7.0
Other South East |9.4 |8.9 |8.9
South West |7.5 |8.0 |7.5
England |7.8 |7.8 |7.7
Table 2
Number of school leavers intending to proceed to first
degree study
or teacher training as a percentage of all school
leavers
Percentage
Academic years
|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87
---------------------------------------------------------
North |7.1 |7.1 |7.2
Yorkshire and Humberside |7.6 |7.3 |7.3
North West |7.9 |8.1 |8.3
East Midlands |7.3 |7.0 |7.5
West Midlands |7.2 |7.4 |7.2
East Anglia |6.1 |6.5 |6.3
Greater London |7.5 |7.9 |7.0
Other South East |9.4 |8.9 |8.9
South West |7.5 |8.0 |7.5
England |7.8 |7.8 |7.7
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many fifth-form pupils have moved into full-time further education, in each of the last three academic years giving the figures in numerical and percentage terms and for each standard planning region.
Mr. Jackson : The information is not available in the form requested. The figures in the tables relate to school leavers, irrespective of their year-group, who intended to proceed to a course of further or higher education.
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Table 2
Numbers of school leavers intending to proceed to a
course of further
or higher education as a percentage of all school
leavers
Percentages
|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87
---------------------------------------------------------
North |21.7 |21.4 |23.1
Yorkshire and Humberside |23.4 |23.7 |23.3
North West |28.3 |28.5 |29.8
East Midlands |26.2 |27.3 |27.9
West Midlands |27.9 |28.3 |28.4
East Anglia |28.2 |27.5 |28.0
Greater London |28.4 |30.6 |30.7
Other South East |31.9 |31.8 |32.0
South West |33.4 |35.0 |34.1
England |28.3 |28.9 |29.2
Table 2
Numbers of school leavers intending to proceed to a
course of further
or higher education as a percentage of all school
leavers
Percentages
|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87
---------------------------------------------------------
North |21.7 |21.4 |23.1
Yorkshire and Humberside |23.4 |23.7 |23.3
North West |28.3 |28.5 |29.8
East Midlands |26.2 |27.3 |27.9
West Midlands |27.9 |28.3 |28.4
East Anglia |28.2 |27.5 |28.0
Greater London |28.4 |30.6 |30.7
Other South East |31.9 |31.8 |32.0
South West |33.4 |35.0 |34.1
England |28.3 |28.9 |29.2
Teacherss
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been done to rectify the shortcomings outlined by the interim advisory committee on teachers' pay and conditions of (a) statistical information on teachers numbers, (b) the numbers required in particular sectors, (c) areas of specialism and (d) teaching group sizes.
Mrs. Rumbold : On the provision of statistical information, the Department has commissioned the management consultants Logica to carry out a study of information requirements relating to teachers. My Department's evidence to the Education, Science and Arts Committee sets out tentative projections of future teacher demand by sector and specialism. It is for local education authorities and schools to decide on appropriate group sizes.
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the elements on which the desired numbers in service are calculated, which is quoted in annex E(V) of his Department's evidence presented to the Select Committee on Education, Science and Arts are the subject of any discussions with representatives of teaching unions.
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans there are to provide guidance to local education authorities on class sizes and maximum class contact time for both primary and secondary teachers.
Mrs. Rumbold : None. These are matters for decision by schools and local education authorities themselves.
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Departmental Staff (Child Care)
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of his Department's employees ; what child care provision, for school holiday or after school care, is provided for employees' children aged five years and over ; and what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years ; and how these are to be funded.
Mrs. Rumbold : My Department has no child care provision for pre- school age children belonging to its employees or after school care provision for children aged five years and over. The Westminster holiday play scheme, supported by this and other Departments, is available during each of the school holiday periods to employees' children aged between five and 12.
The provision of cre che facilities is currently under consideration in both the central London and Darlington offices. In London a questionnaire has been sent to all members of staff and the replies are being analysed. In Darlington similar demand investigations are taking place. If there is evidence that cre che facilities would be used, they would be established on the basis that after the initial setting-up costs they should be generally self-financing.
Inspectors' Annual Report
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish the 1988 annual report by Her Majesty's inspectors on LEA provision for education and the quality of response in schools and colleges in England, 1987.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The report is to be an annual report on the education service in England from the senior chief inspector to me, based on a full year's work by HMI. The extent to which it deals with LEA provision is for the SCI to determine, on the basis of HMI findings. I understand that the report is being prepared and that it is well on the way to completion. I should, therefore, receive it from the SCI in the very near future and, when I do so, I will publish it.
TRANSPORT
Ferries (Safety)
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Pembroke on 17 January, what action is taken by his Department to ensure that masters of ferries between Ireland and Great Britain do not permit the maximum number of passengers allowed for any voyage to be exceeded.
Mr. Portillo : For passenger ferries on routes between Great Britain and both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic there is a statutory duty on owners to operate a boarding card system. The purpose of the cards is to ensure that the master has an accurate count of the total number of passengers on board for any voyage, and above all that the number does not exceed that on the passenger ship certificate. The operation of these arrangements is regularly checked on the spot by the Department's marine surveyors. It is an offence to breach the requirements of the boarding card regulations.
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Severn Bridge
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the accidents on and near the Severn bridge on 9 January and 18 January.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The prime reason for all the accidents on 18 January was that drivers were travelling too fast and too close to the vehicle in front, while paying scant regard to either the weather conditions (thick fog in the Severn valley with visibility down to 10 m) or the 30 mph advisory speed limit.
The accidents clearly demonstrate the need for better driver behaviour in such conditions.
On 19 January a car went through an emergency crossing point in the central reserve into the path of an oncoming heavy goods vehicle. The car driver was killed.
There was severe congestion on the M4 on both ways. The motorway was closed between Almondsbury and Newhouse for several hours on 18 January.
Malaysia and Singapore Air Carriers
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that the Singapore and Malaysian Governments give fair treatment to British air carriers ; (2) what steps he has taken to ensure that British air carriers do not face unfair competition from Malaysian and Singapore national air carriers ;
(3) when his Department last received a request from Singapore Airlines or Malaysian Airline System for greater access to British airports.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Requests from Singapore Airlines to operate additional frequencies to the United Kingdom were last discussed between United Kingdom and Singapore civil aviation officials at air services consultations held in London earlier this month. These consultations are expected to resume in March. Similar requests have been received from Malaysian Airline System in recent months and these requests are the subject of discussions between the airlines. In the current discussions with Singapore, and at such time as the Malaysian requests may be the subject of consultations at the Government level, I hope that it will be possible to agree on a broadly balanced expansion of the opportunities for the provision of air services by all the airlines concerned.
Seat Belts
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that the European Community directives on seat belts and seat belt anchorages make provision for seat belts in minibuses ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : We have already secured amendment of the relevant directives to require seat belt fitment on all front seats and those not directly behind another seat. Our regulations implementing this apply to all minibuses and coaches registered on or after 1 October 1988.
We are negotiating to extend the European Community directives to all other seats in minibuses and coaches with a view to this being adopted by 1992.
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We strongly advise anyone buying a new minibus to specify fitment of good easy-to-use seat belts.Dartford Tunnel Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total amount collected since the new method of coin collection was introduced for the Dartford tunnel.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : There has been no recent changes in the method of collecting tolls at the Dartford tunnel. Toll income for the financial year 1987-88 was £21.133 million.
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of the amount collected at the Dartford tunnel is attributed to administrative costs ; and what are the comparable figures for other collection arrangements.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The annual accounts for the Dartford tunnel for the financial year 1987-88 show that toll collection costs were £1.073 million (5.1 per cent. of toll income). Comparable figures for other collection arrangements are not available.
Channel Tunnel (London Terminal) Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications for the central London rail study of a decision to locate the second London terminal for the Channel tunnel in (a) Stratford and (b) King's Cross.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 16 January 1989] : The study team has taken account in its work of major developments in London, including those associated with the Channel tunnel. British Rail has also considered the possible effect of the east-west crossrail proposal on the choice between King's Cross and Stratford. Further work will be done in the detailed studies of the options that my right hon. Friend announced on 26 January.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Judicial Appointments Mr. Fraser : To ask the Attorney-General what steps are being taken by the Lord Chancellor to remedy the imbalance between the number of men and women appointed to judicial offices as disclosed in his answer to the hon. Member for Norwood, Official Report, 22 December, columns 418-19.
The Attorney-General : The Lord Chancellor would like to appoint more women to judicial office and intends to do so as the opportunity offers. However, since his overriding policy is to appoint the best candidate to all available posts, the proportion of women judges will reflect broadly the proportion of women in the legal profession in the relevant age groups. Many more women have joined the legal profession in recent years, and, as they progress, the proportion of women judges is likely to increase.
Women Barristers Ms. Harman : To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate what percentage of women who have qualified as barristers have remained in the profession for more than four years in each of the years between 1978 and 1984.
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The Attorney-General : I understand from the general council of the Bar that this information is not available.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate what percentage of those qualifying as barristers in each of the years 1978 to 1988 were women.
The Attorney-General : I understand from the general council of the Bar that the percentage of those qualifying as barristers in each of the years 1978 to 1988 who were women is as follows :
|per cent.
------------------------------
1977-78 |24
1978-79 |23
1979-80 |28
1980-81 |27
1981-82 |31
1982-83 |30
1983-84 |32
1984-85 |30
1985-86 |32
1986-87 |37
1987-88 |37
Women Solicitors
Ms. Harman : To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate what percentage of women who have qualified as solicitors have remained in the profession for more than four years in each of the years 1978 to 1984.
The Attorney-General : I regret that I am unable to provide the information that is requested. However, I understand from the Law Society that a career structure survey conducted in 1987 indicated that 56 per cent. of those women who qualified as solicitors in 1977 remained in the profession full-time ; 75 per cent. of women who qualified as solicitors in 1982 remained in the profession full-time.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate what percentage of those qualifying as solicitors in each of the years 1978 to 1988 were women.
The Attorney-General : I understand from the Law Society that the percentage of those qualifying as solicitors in each of the years 1978 to 1988 who were women is as follows :
|Per cent.
------------------------------
1978 |26
1979 |27
1980 |29
1981 |31
1982 |35
1983 |37
1984 |39
1985e app |41
1986 |44
1987 |45
1988 |45
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Curry : To ask the Attorney-General whether any changes will be made to the Crown Prosecution Service's cash limit and running costs limit for the year 1988-89.
The Attorney-General : Yes. The cash limit on class XI vote 10 (The Crown Prosecution Service : administration)
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will be reduced by £18,373,000 from £111,873,000 to £93,500,000 and the running costs limit by £16,982,000 from £107,873,000 to £90,891, 000. This is mainly due to a shortfall in the recruitment of staff.TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Export Promotion Levy
Mr. Steel : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the future of the export promotion levy, following representations from the woollen industry.
Mr. Alan Clark : I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 8 December 1988 at columns 262-63. I am still receiving representations about the future of the wool textile industry (export promotion) levy under the consultation process which is due to end on 31 January. I shall ensure that all views received will be taken carefully into account before a decision is taken on the future of this statutory levy.
Remote Sensing Systems
Mr. Warren : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to further the understanding of Her Majesty's Government of the value of space-based remote sensing systems.
Mr. Atkins : There is growing awareness within the United Kingdom (and within other European Governments) of the potential value, for a variety of public uses, of satellite-derived data. The Government are supporting the creation of the earth observation data centre at Farnborough which will play a significant role in processing such data for subsequent use in commercial and public sector applications.
Car Mileage Meters
Mr. Cox : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the number of prosecutions in each of the last three years for selling cars on which the car mileage meter has been altered.
Mr. Forth : The number of prosecutions under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 for offences involving the alteration of car odometers, as notified to the Office of Fair Trading, are as follows :
Year |Number of prosecutions --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1986 |369 1987 |401 1988 |431
Departmental Staff (Child Care)
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of the Department's employees : what child care provision, for school holiday or after-school care, is provided for employees' children aged five years and over ; and what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years ; and how these are to be funded.
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Mr. Forth : The Department of Trade and Industry is considering arrangements for workplace child care for pre-school age children. With other Departments, DTI is contributingpump-priming funds to a pilot play scheme in London for employees' children aged five to 12 years. Future provision will depend on the outcome of the London pilot scheme and on the other discussions. The expectation is that play schemes for children aged over five should become self-financing ; nursery schemes might need a continuing subsidy from departmental funds.
Renault
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the French Government's overriding of the European Commission's objections to the subsidies being given to Renault.
Mr. Atkins : The Commission is examining the issue and we shall be watching developments closely.
National Engineering Laboratory (East Kilbride)
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has received a bid from the institute of technology, Cranfield, for the national engineering laboratory at East Kilbride.
Mr. Forth : A bid for the laboratory was submitted by Cranfield institute of technology to the Department on 21 July 1988.
Security Interests
Mr. Mans : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department has received the report on security interests in property other than land commissioned from Professor Al Diamond in December 1985.
Mr. Maude : Yes. The report is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. I would like to record my Department's thanks for Professor Diamond's work.
The terms of reference given to Professor Diamond were : (
(a) to examine the need to reform the law relating to mortgages and other interests in property other than land, including those arising from hire- purchase and sale with retention of title and in Scotland securities over moveables ;
(b) to consider the case for a single scheme of registration for such interests and in particular to consider the position of the registration of charges created by companies in the context of such a scheme.
(c) to make recommendations as to the nature of any reforms required and as to how work in this area might best be carried forward.
The report covers two separate issues. In parts I and II, it proposes a radical revision of the current law affecting security interests. The recommendations are numerous and cover complex issues where change would have significant implications for the raising of business finance. They need careful consideration in the light of views from those in business whose interests would be affected. I am therefore inviting comments on the proposals detailed in part II of the report by 1 September 1989.
Part III of the report looks at the current system of registration of company charges and proposes a number of changes. Professor Diamond was able to make his
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proposals in this area available to my Department on an interim basis. The proposal in the Companies Bill relating to the registration of company charges reflect a number of his recommendations.Copies of the report have been made available in both Houses.
North Peckham Task Force
Ms. Harman : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will state the total Government expenditure required to secure the 4, 000 jobs he specified in his answer to the hon. Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) 26 October, Official Report, column 289-90 and the basis upon which the figures given were calculated ; and how many of the jobs were in the north Peckham task force area.
Mr. Forth [holding answer 26 January 1989] : The information referred to was produced by consultants from
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a survey aggregating all task force expenditure and outputs. The breakdown requested is not available except at disproportionate cost.Ministerial Advisers
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the ministerial advisers appointed in his Department for each year since 1979, the salary each person received, whether paid directly or to another employer, and the duties undertaken, whether solely in his Department or in conjunction with other Departments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth [pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1989, c. 16] : I am now able to reply to the hon. Member's question about the appointment of ministerial advisers to the Department of Trade and Industry since 1979.
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|Period of appointment|Type of employment |Duty undertaken
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. I. Young |19 May 1980 to |Part-time unpaid |Special Adviser
(now Lord Young) | 14 April 1982
J. Sterling (now Sir | 7 April 1982 to |Part-time unpaid |Special Adviser
Jeffrey Sterling) |date
S. Sherbourne |5 July 1982 to |Full-time |Political Adviser
| 15 May 1983
M. D. X. Portillo |1 July 1983 to |Full-time |Political Adviser
| 14 October 1983
M. J. Dobbs |28 October 1983 to |Part-time secondee |Political Adviser
| 3 September 1985
J. F. L. Whittingdale |15 October 1984 to |Full-time |Political Adviser
| 20 May 1987
H. James |15 June 1987 to |Full-time secondee |Political Adviser
| 25 September 1987
J. H. Hill |15 June 1987 to |Full-time |Political Adviser
| 26 July 1988
P. J. Luff |28 September 1987 to |Full-time secondee |Political Adviser
| date
C. Hendry |1 September 1988 to |Full-time |Political Advisor
| date
It is not appropriate to reveal the salaries of individual advisers as they are negotiated in relation to previous outside earnings and conditions and are therefore confidential. Duties are individually defined to provide support for DTI Ministers to carry out their policies.
Uruguay Round
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will ask the EEC Council to discuss the Cairns group proposals for agriculture in the Uruguay round negotiations ; and if he will list the main differences between these proposals and those put forward by the EEC.
Mr. Donald Thompson : I have been asked to reply.
In preparation for and during the mid-term meeting of the Uruguay round in December, the Council discussed agriculture at length, taking account of all negotiating proposals, including those of the Cairns group. Both the EC and Cairns group proposals include long and short-term measures. For the long term, the Cairns group has proposed the elimination of trade- distorting policies. For the short term, it has proposed a freeze on, followed by reductions in, overall agricultural support and protection, with specific action on administered support prices, export subsidies and import barriers. The EC has proposed for the long term a significant reduction in (but
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not elimination of) overall support and protection. For the short term is proposes a freeze and reductions, expressed in terms of an aggregate measure of support and protection, leaving Governments free to choose their own combination of policies to achieve an agreed reduction in aggregate support.NORTHERN IRELAND
Cash Limits
Mr. Cran : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the cash limits for Northern Ireland departmental services and for the Northern Ireland Office for 1988-89.
Mr. Ian Stewart : The cash limit for Northern Ireland departmental services (NIDI) is being increased by £19.6 million for £2,479.3 million to £2,498.9 million. This incorporates the increases to provision announced previously (totalling £29.1 million) in respect of the 1988 Health Service pay review body awards. The cash limit increase is partly offset by savings elsewhere of £9.5 million. This increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
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Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the 1988-89, cash limit for the Northern Ireland office--class XVIII, vote I--will be increased by £2,969,000 from £579, 199,000 to £582,168,000 to cover increased requirements for expenditure on law, order, protective and miscellaneous services. Major components of the net increase are an additional provision of £3 million for the RUC, and an increased requirement to cover criminal damage and criminal injury compensation claims. These increases are partly offset by the NIO and Northern Ireland departmental expenditures, and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.The net effect of these changes on the NI public expenditure total (including NIDI, NIO and non cash limited NI departmental services) is an increase from the reserve of £29.1 million.
DEFENCE
Territorial Army
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what checks are made upon those who subsequently join fascist organisations after enlistment to the Territorial Army ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : Whilst not wishing to generalise, any case of a volunteer admitting to membership (or being revealed as a member) of a fascist organisation would need to be investigated on its individual merits. I can assure the hon. Member that any such investigation would be carried out in the most thorough manner possible. Should it eventually be decided that the volunteer in question may continue in service, his, or her, performance will be subjected to the strictest scrutiny and supervision.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how frequently medical examinations are carried out on all Territorial Army members with access to weapons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : In addition to undergoing pre-enlistment medical examinations, all members of the Territorial Army are subjected to further examinations within eight weeks of the following birthdays : 30, 35, 40, 43, 46, 48 and 50. Those volunteers continuing in service beyond age 50 must undergo annual checks.
Armed Forces (Liability Exemption)
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his policy with regard to immunity exemption from liability in respect of any injury suffered by a member of the armed forces while on duty or on land or premises being used for the purposes of the Crown ;
(2) when he last made use of powers given to him by section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947.
Mr. Neubert : Since the repeal of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 on 15 May 1987, it has been open to a member of the armed forces or his-her dependants to pursue a claim for damages in respect of injury, illness or death arising from incidents on or after 15 May 1987 which are believed to have been caused by the negligence of other members of the armed forces whilst on duty, or of the Ministry of Defence or the Crown. Claims in respect of death, injury or illness suffered before 15 May
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1987 remain barred by section 10 and the Secretary of State has no discretion to waive these provisions. Exceptionally, however, valid claims arising in respect of incidents between the date of announcement on 8 December 1986 of the intention to repeal section 10 and the actual date of repeal, are considered on an ex- gratia basis.
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