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Column 617
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 22 February 1989
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Iraq
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Minister of State during his recent visit to Baghdad raised with the Iraqi Foreign Minister the reported use of chemical weapons by Iraqi forces and the reported repression of the Kurdish population ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 February to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson). I also discussed the position of the Kurdish population of Iraq and human rights in the country during my visit.
CSCE
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the forthcoming CSCE forum on information in London, including the membership of the British delegation.
Mr. Waldegrave : The Information Forum is part of the Helsinki process and will deal with flows of information between East and West. Lord Rees-Mogg will lead the British delegation. We are currently considering the composition of the remainder of the delegation.
Council of Ministers (Voting)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list, by meeting, date, and policy issue those occasions where the European Community Council of Ministers has reached a decision binding on all by qualified majority vote ; and if he will break down the votes cast for and against by member state on each occasion.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 19 October 1988.
German Reunification
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have ever discussed at an official level with the Federal Republic of Germany, the implications of their declaration on the application of the European Community treaties to Berlin, Cmnd. 455, for German reunification.
Mrs. Chalker : Discussions between the Three Allied Powers (the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and France) and the Federal Republic of Germany relating to the application of the European Community Treaties to Berlin take place from time to time in the context of Allied rights and responsibilities relating to Berlin and to Germany as a whole.
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EC Treaties (Protocols)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions on which the United Kingdom has been responsible as principal originator for the addition of protocols to the treaties upon which the European Community is founded, with reasons given for the action.
Mrs. Chalker : There have been none.
Mr. Sillars To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have, at any time in the past 10 years, discussed at an official level with the Federal Republic of Germany alone, or together with other states, the issue of German reunification.
Mrs. Chalker : We have made clear, in contacts with the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, our view that real and permanent stability in Europe will be difficult to achieve so long as the German nation is divided against its will.
German Reunification
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government policy towards the reunification of Germany.
Mrs. Chalker : As my right hon. and learned Friend told my hon. Friend, the Member for Bedfordshire, South-West (Mr. Madel), on 8 February, successive British Governments have taken it as axiomatic that real and permanent stability in Europe will be difficult to achieve so long as the German nation is divided against its will.
EC (Nationality Discrimination)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rules on the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of nationality have been adopted by the Council to give effect to article 7 of the treaty establishing the European Economic Community.
Mrs. Chalker : The Treaty provisions on non-discrimination have been embodied in many Community instruments since 1957. Detailed information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
EC Economic and Social Committee
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the current names, age and categories of United Kingdom members of the European Community Economic and Social Committee.
Mrs. Chalker : Following is the information requested :
Group 1 (Employers) :
Mr. Ian Campbell CVO (66),
Miss E. G. Dodd (63),
Mr. K. J. Gardner FRSC (65),
Mr. C. A. Hancock (53),
Mr. J. A. de Normann (66),
Mr. W. G. Poeton (62),
Mr. K. M. Tamlin (60),
Mr. F. G. Whitworth (63) ;
Group 2 (Employees) :
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Mr. J. R. Boddy MBE (66),Mr. Campbell Christie (52),
Mr. E. A. B. Hammond OBE (59),
Mr. T. Jenkins (42),
Miss A. Maddocks (61),
Mr. A. R. Smith (59),
Mr. L. J. Smith OBE (65) ;
Group 3 (Various Interests) :
Mr. W. Aspinall (46),
Professor W. Black (62),
Mrs S. Flather JP (55),
Mr. R. J. Moreland (47),
Dr. A. Robinson (52),
Mr. G. Spiers (59),
Dr. P Storie-Pugh CBE, MC, TD, DL (69),
Mr. M. P. Strauss (60),
Mrs A. Williams MBE (60).
EC (Enlargement)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the further enlargement of the European Community.
Mrs. Chalker : We share in the consensus amongst member states that at least until 1992 the priority for the Community must be consolidation-- in particular the completion of the single market and the full absorption of Spain and Portugal--not enlargement.
EC (Membership)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many states have formaly indicated a wish to enter into dialogue with the European Community with a view to ultimately becoming members.
Mrs. Chalker : Only one country, Turkey, has a formal application to join the European Community on the table. Morocco applied to join the Community in 1987, but the Council of Ministers took the view that this application should not be pursued. Norway completed accession negotiations in 1972, but did not in the event join the Community.
EC Treaties
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who may submit new protocols to the treaties upon which the European Community has its legal foundation ; and what is the procedure for their assessment and final acceptance.
Mrs. Chalker : The procedure for amendments to the Treaty of Rome is laid down in article 236 of that Treaty. Similar provisions appear in article 204 of the Treaty establishing the EAEC and in article 96 of the Treaty establishing the ECSC.
Kampuchea
Mr. Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government, as a member of the United Nations Security Council, will press for an international peace settlement on Kampuchea.
Mr. Eggar : We are already working for a peaceful settlement in Cambodia. We welcome current developments towards that goal.
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Bangladesh
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Bangladesh on human rights issues.
Mr. Eggar : We have made clear to the Bangladesh Government the concern felt in this country about human rights issues. They were discussed most recently during the visit of President Ershad. Some hon. Members had the opportunity to raise these issues with President Ershad on 15 February.
Foreign Affairs Council
Mr. Cyril D. Townsend : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 20 February.
Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary and I attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 20 February. Much of the day was taken up with discussion in the framework of political co-operation of relations with Iran in the light of the threats against Mr. Salman Rushdie. My right hon. and learned Friend has already reported to the House on this. The Council again discussed the dispute with the United States over the EC directive banning imports of meat from animals treated with hormones. The Commission reported agreement with the United States Administration of the establishment of a high-level group to find ways of resolving the dispute within 75 days. To the extent that United States suppliers send hormone-free meat to the EC, United States retaliatory measures would meanwhile be reduced. In view of this progress the Council took no decision to implement counter-retaliation. The Council adopted a regulation requiring national controls on the export of eight key chemical weapons precursors. This followed agreement at the EPC ministerial meeting on 14 February on the case for such a regulation. Though we already have strict controls on these and other CW precursors, the Government welcome this action.
The Presidency reported on the outcome of the first substantive EC/ACP ministerial negotiating meeting on the renewal of the Lome convention, which was held in Brazzaville on 16/17 February, and attended by my hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development. The Council adopted negotiating mandates for trade and co-operation agreements with Poland and Bulgaria, discussed the Community's relations with Eastern Europe ; and agreed a Community position for the San Jose V meeting on 27/28 February with the Central American states in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
The Council discussed proposals introduced by the Netherlands Foreign Minister for improving co-ordination between the Community and the Council of Europe. This will be further discussed at the March Foreign Affairs Council.
An EC/Tunisia Cooperation Council was held in the margins of the Council.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Meat and Bone Meal
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there have been any recent changes in the amount of meat and bone meal exported from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Viggers : I have no evidence of any changes in such exports.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there have been any recent changes in the amount of meat and bone meal imported into Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. Viggers : I have no evidence of any changes in such imports.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show the amounts of meat and bone meal imported into and exported from Northern Ireland, with the countries of origin and destination, in each of the last 12 months or as much of such information as is available to him.
Mr. Viggers : The information available from Customs and Excise records relates only to trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and is as follows :
|c|Imports and exports of meat and bone meal|c|
1988 |To Northern Ireland |From Northern Ireland
|Tonnes |Tonnes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January |2,252 |149
February |2,373 |250
March |2,757 |391
April |2,118 |142
May |1,966 |233
June |2,272 |174
July |1,776 |153
August |2,668 |102
September |5,227 |87
October |2,160 |278
November |1,263 |272
December |1,285 |323
Industrial Development Board
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any persons convicted of fraud have been employed (1) directly or (2) as consultants by the Industrial Development Board.
Mr. Viggers : I am not aware of any consultant or person directly employed by IDB who was convicted of fraud.
School Meals
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the expenditure on school meals for each year between 1978-79 and the latest date available, in current and constant prices.
Dr. Mawhinney : Net expenditure on school meals and milk is as follows :
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Financial year |Cash £000 |At 1987-88 prices £000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1978-79 |17,031 |34,761 1979-80 |19,670 |34,537 1980-81 |18,088 |26,813 1981-82 |17,381 |23,455 1982-83 |19,152 |24,121 1983-84 |21,572 |25,986 1984-85 |22,417 |25,704 1985-86 |24,739 |26,913 1986-87 |25,580 |26,929 1987-88 |23,950 |23,950 Note: Expenditure figures for school meals and milk are not recorded separately.
Emergency Provisions
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects Lord Colville's report on the operation of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts of 1978 and 1987 to be available.
Mr. Tom King : I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.
WALES
Water Industry
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has had any indication of the European Commission's view of the Government's proposal to restrict any one shareholding in the privatised water industry in Wales to 15 per cent.
Mr. Grist : I refer the hon. Lady to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 20 February at column 456 .
Trunk Road Schemes
Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those trunk road schemes in Wales on which he anticipates public inquiries being held during the current year with, where known, the likely date of the inquiry.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : The information is as follows :
|c|Schemes in respect of which an Inquiry date has been fixed:-|c|
Scheme |Date
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A5 Ty-Nant to Dinmael Improvement (Clwyd) |24-27 January
A55 Rhuallt Hill Improvement (Clwyd) |7-17 February
M4/A4042 Brynglas Tunnels/Malpas Road |Commenced
Relief Scheme (Gwent) |14 February
A458/A453 Welshpool Relief Roads (Powys) |Commencing
|4 April
|c|Schemes in respect of which Inquiries are anticipated but no dates|c|
|c|yet fixed:|c|
Scheme
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A465 |Aberdulais to Glynneath Improvement (West
| Glamorgan)
A487 |Caernarfon to South of Port Dinorwic Improvement
| (Gwynedd)
A4042 |Penperlleni Bypass (Gwent)
A487 |Pont Seiont to Bontnewydd Improvement (Gwynedd)
A494 |Mold Bypass (Clwyd)
A4060 |Pentrebach to Mountain Hare Improvement (Mid
| Glamorgan)
A470 |Llanbynmair Improvement (Powys)
Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the present levels of gross domestic fixed capital formation in Wales ; and what is the percentage change over (a) 1988 and (b) the period 1978-79 in both cash and real terms, and expressed in real terms as a percentage of gross domestic product on equivalent industries.
Mr. Peter Walker : The latest figure for gross domestic fixed capital formation for selected industry groups in Wales is £1,505 million in 1986. Comparable figures are not available for 1978-79. Note :
The selected industry groups making up the total are : Agriculture ; Forestry and Fishing ; Energy and Water Supply ; Manufacturing ; Transport and Communications and Dwellings.
Gross Domestic Product
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average gross domestic product per head in Wales in each year since 1979, in real terms.
Mr. Peter Walker : The information is as follows :
|c|GDP/Head at 1987 Prices<1>|c| Year |£ -------------------- 1979 |4,440 1980 |4,234 1981 |4,115 1982 |4,305 1983 |4,467 1984 |4,325 1985 |4,719 1986 |4,893 <2>1987 |4,991 Source: Central Statistical Office. <1> These figures have been deflated to 1987 prices using United Kingdom deflators as these are not available on a regional basis. <2> Provisional data.
Wages
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average weekly wage of (a) full-time and (b) part-time workers for Wales for (i) males and (ii) females.
Mr. Peter Walker : In April 1988 the average gross weekly earnings of full-time adult males and females on adult rates of pay in Wales were £217.80 and £150.30 respectively. The figure for part-time females was £58.70. Data for part-time males is not available.
Income Statistics
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of people in each income quintile in Wales ; and how many (a) families with children, (b) single-parent families, (c) pensioners and (d) disabled people are in each income quintile.
Mr. Peter Walker : Information by income quintile is not available.
School Meals
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the expenditure on school meals for each year between 1978-79 and the latest date available, in current and constant prices.
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Mr. Wyn Roberts : Expenditure on school meals and milk for the period requested is given in the following table :
|c|School meals and milk-net current expenditure|c| Year |Cash (£000) |1986-87 prices (£000) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1978-79 |24,673 |48,089 1979-80 |26,066 |43,472 1980-81 |23,455 |33,026 1981-82 |24,303 |31,152 1982-83 |27,008 |32,311 1983-84 |27,772 |31,778 1984-85 |29,745 |32,396 1985-86 |28,535 |29,487 1986-87 |29,601 |29,601 <1>1987-88 |30,219 |28,704 <1> Data is provisional. Note.-Net current expenditure is defined as current expenditure net of non-grant income (eg sales, fees and charges).
Home Improvement Grant
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for each Welsh district council for each of the past 10 years (a) the number of home improvement grant applications, (b) the number approved, (c) the total value of the grants applied for, (d) the total value of the grants approved, (e) the percentage that (d) represents of (c) and (f) the total allocation to each authority in each year ; and if he will make a statement regarding the likely effect of the proposed charges in the Local Government and Housing Bill on home improvement grants.
Mr. Grist : I shall write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.
Rating Reform
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what a typical ward sister would pay in each Welsh district (a) in rates, (b) in community charge and (c) in a system of capital value rates plus local income tax paid in the proportions of 80-20, respectively, if she lived in a typical house paying at present average rates for the district.
Mr. Grist : Illustrative community charge figures and average domestic rates for each Welsh district were published in the Official Report on 29 July 1988 at column 656-58. I have made no detailed estimates of the impact of a system of capital value rates and local income tax in Wales.
Cash Limits
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if there is to be any change to the cash limit for class XVII vote 2 for the current financial year.
Mr. Peter Walker : Yes. The cash limit on class XVII vote 2 is to be reduced from £76,700,000 to £76,525,000 by a reduction of £175,000 in the grant-in-aid provision for the Development Board for Rural Wales. This will enable me to make a corresponding sum available from spare housing subsidy provision in the demand-led class XVII vote 3 to pay a grant to the DBRW under section 11 of the
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Development of Rural Wales Act 1976 towards the cost of making an immediate start on a programme of housing maintenance at Newtown in Powys.
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