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Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will discuss with medical practitioners in Wales and with their representative bodies the case for establishing a medical practices committee for Wales, similar to that which exists in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : Under current legislation, the medical practices committee's remit covers Wales and England. There are at present no plans to establish a separate organisation for Wales.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now set up a north Wales industrial valleys initiative with adequate additional financial resources to meet the employment, social and cultural requirements of such areas.
Mr. Peter Walker : A formal valleys initiative for north Wales is unnecessary as existing financing, planning and management mechanisms are adequate to allow continued improvement in the area. The development of the A55 presents major opportunities for growth and development. I shall continue to do everything I can to encourage a positive approach among local authorities, public agencies and others to ensure those opportunities are grasped.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions he has attended European Community Council of Ministers meetings since June 1987.
Mr. Peter Walker : It has not been the normal practice of Welsh Office Ministers to attend meetings of the European Council of Ministers since or before June 1987. I have of course met members of the European Commission since that date to discuss issues of importance to Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on existing powers available to local authorities to enable low-cost starter homes to be constructed in their area ; and whether he has any plans to provide local authorities with further powers to enable such properties to be constructed.
Mr. Grist : Within their general housing powers local authorities have adequate powers to carry out a wide range of low-cost home ownership schemes. We have no plans to extend these powers, but Welsh Office officials are to have discussions with local authorities and others during the forthcoming months about options for the provision of such accommodation.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioners in Wales are (a) female and (b) male ; how many females are principals of practices ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : As at 1 October 1987 (the latest date for which information is available) there were 1,450 male and
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320 female general medical practitioners in Wales (including unrestricted and restricted principals, trainees and assistants). Of these 252 were female unrestricted principals.Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings he has had with south Wales National Union of Mineworkers since June 1987.
Mr. Peter Walker : I met representatives of the south Wales NUM in November 1987 and other members of the south Wales NUM on 13 January 1989.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings he has had with the National Farmers Union, Wales since June 1987.
Mr. Peter Walker : I have met representatives of the National Farmers Union, Wales on nine occasions since June 1987.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to appoint leaders of industry to help shape National Health Service policy in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : As stated in the Government White Paper "Working for Patients" (Cm 555), the NHS in Wales works under the strategic direction of the Health Policy Board, which is chaired by the Secretary of State. These arrangements, which were introduced following the NHS management inquiry of 1983 have proved their worth and will continue.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the health unions in Wales to discuss the proposed National Health Service changes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : My right hon. Friend and I met representatives of the health union in Wales at a meeting with the joint staff consultative council for the Welsh Health Service on 15 May to discuss the NHS review White Paper.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the leaders of the British Medical Association in Wales to discuss proposed changes in the National Health Service.
Mr. Grist : My right hon. Friend and I met the secretary of the BMA Welsh Council at a meeting with the joint staff consultative council for the Welsh Health Service on 15 May to discuss the NHS review White Paper.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the Royal College of Nursing Wales to discuss the proposed changes in the National Health Service.
Mr. Grist : My right hon. Friend and I met a representative of the Royal College of Nursing Wales at a meeting with the joint staff consultative council for the Welsh Health Service on 15 May to discuss the NHS review White Paper.
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Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will meet the Welsh Counties Association to discuss the Green Paper, "New Roads by New Means" ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what plans he has to meet the South Wales standing conference on regional policy to discuss the implications for Wales of the Green Paper, "New Roads by New Means" ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Walker : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 25 May.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to build new toll roads in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now ask the chairman of the Gwynedd health authority to convene a full meeting of the authority to consider on the basis of the most recent information available to it, whether or not it still wishes to proceed with proposals to close the cottage hospital, Caernarfon.
Mr. Grist : My right hon. Friend will consider all appeals made to him, including those providing updated information, before reaching his decision on Gwynedd health authority's proposals for the cottage hospital, Caernarfon. Appeals will be copied as appropriate to officers of the health authority for their comments so that they can be taken into account by the Secretary of State. The decision whether to convene a full meeting in the light of any appeal relating to recent information would be for the health authority.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to ensure that funds available to the Wales tourist board from the European Community for the purposes of developing projects associated with the European tourism year 1990, are not restricted by the Government's non- additionality rule, but will represent a genuine additional level of funding which can facilitate new projects which could not otherwise take place.
Mr. Peter Walker : In taking public expenditure decisions the Government take into account the expected level of European Community receipts. Resource provision for the Wales tourist board will be considered as part of the public expenditure survey in the normal way.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance is being given during 1989-90 by his Department to the Wales Epilepsy Association ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : It was not possible to offer financial support to the association for 1989-90. The claims for financial support from voluntary organisations greatly exceeded the resources available and other claims were considered stronger.
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Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans for the privatisation of all or part of the Welsh Development Agency's functions in the county of Dyfed.
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for primary schools in Dyfed, what are the latest figures for (a) the number of children on school rolls, (b) the number of temporary and permanent school places, (c) the number of surplus places, (d) the target number of primary school places in 1992 and (e) the number of primary schools which would need to be closed to achieve the 1992 targets for surplus places.
Mr. Peter Walker : Dyfed education authority figures as at January 1989 are :
(a) 31,332 ;
(b) 4,742 temporary and 36,268 permanent places ;
(c) 9,678.
These figures will be the subject of further discussions with the authority. But the 1992 targets implied by Welsh Office circular 20/88 would involve a reduction in the number of surplus places to about 5,500. It is for the authority to decide how to effect reductions.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many acres of land are in the ownership of the Welsh water authority, and of those (a) how many have planning permission and (b) for how many the Welsh water authority is currently seeking planning permission.
Mr. Grist : This is a matter for the Welsh water authority. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Gentleman.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the value of the land now in the ownership of the Welsh water authority ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : The net assets value of the land and buildings is shown in the published annual accounts. A separate figure for land is not available.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list these rivers and watercourses in Wales which are polluted ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ian Grist : A summary of information concerning the quality of rivers and canals in Wales is contained within the 1985 river quality survey, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House. I will ask the chairman of Welsh Water to write to the hon. Gentleman with a list of rivers and canals which are polluted to the extent that they fall within classes 3 and 4.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the amount of cash being spent by the Welsh water authority in its promotional campaign concerning privatisation ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Grist : This is a matter for the Welsh water authority. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman writes to the chairman of the authority direct.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to tackle the issue of holiday homes in rural Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : It will always be to the advantage of rural Wales that the interests of all who wish to have homes there should be recognised. I have made it clear that appropriate ways of assisting those in housing need in these areas should be developed wherever practicable, and there will be discussions soon with the relevant local authorities.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to open the Northop bypass ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Walker : Construction of Northop bypass is nearing completion ahead of the August contract date and it is hoped that remaining work can be finished to allow for opening to traffic towards the end of June.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of each type of (a) owner occupier and (b) local council owned PRC houses have been repaired in each of the financial years since the Housing Defects Act came into operation ; at what cost ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : The information is not held centrally in the form requested, however, based on returns made to the Department by local authorities the details of completed reinstatement grants made to eligible home owners is given in the following table :
|Number of dwellings|Value of grant |£000s -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1985-86 |2 |22 1986-87 |35 |436 1987-88 |213 |2,686 1988-89<1> |164 |2,409 <1> Provisional.
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how, where and by whom, patients with immunological deficiencies, other than HIV positive, are treated in Wales ; if home therapy is available for these patients ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 25 July 1988 at column 13.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on the safeguarding of animal and human health in relation to bracken, in the light of current research into its carcinogenic properties.
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Mr. Peter Walker [holding answer 18 May 1989] : Carcinogenic dangers for animals in relation to bracken are kept under review by the state veterinary service and appropriate advice is available where required. An advisory leaflet is available from ADAS. The possibility of a link between bracken and cancer in humans has been considered by the Department of Health's committee on the carcinogenicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment. Their conclusion was that while the possibility of a health hazard exists, available evidence does not permit the risk to be defined with any precision. In view of COC's recommendation for long-term research, investigations have recently begun into the possible entry of toxins from bracken into the food chain. The results will not be available for some time. The COC has advised the Health and Safety Executive to issue safety advice to operators regularly cutting bracken, in view of their occupational exposure, as a precautionary measure.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission if he will list the members of the Public Accounts Commission showing the dates when they were appointed.
Sir Peter Hordern : The current membership of the Public Accounts Commission is :
Mr. Roy Beggs (appointed<1> 5 November 1987)
Sir Peter Blaker (appointed 4 November 1987)
Sir Barney Hayhoe (appointed 4 November 1987)
Mr. Terence L. Higgins (appointed 22 December 1983)
Sir Peter Hordern (appointed 22 December 1983)
Mr. Robert Sheldon (ex officio, as Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts)
Mr. Peter Shore (appointed 4 November 1987)
Mr. John Wakeham (ex officio, as Leader of the House)
Mr. David Young (appointed 22 December 1983)
<1>(First appointed 22 December 1983, but ceased to be a Member on acceptance of the Chiltern Hundreds in December 1985).
Mr. Coleman : To ask the Lord President of the Council how much Short money was paid to each political party in each of the calendar years 1987 and 1988.
Mr. Wakeham : The following is the information requested :
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|1987 |1988 |£ |£ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Labour Party |436,669.42 |883,135.75 The Liberal Party |75,238.45 |30,786.94 Plaid Cymru |6,101.22 |6,034.40 Scottish Nationalist Party |8,756.20 |21,812.30 Ulster Democratic Unionist Party |5,872.27 |6,796.20 Social Democratic Labour Party |3,178.00 |2,270.00 Ulster Unionist Party |17,432.00 |39,887.89 Social Democratic Party |44,493.71 |72,633.62 Social and Liberal Democratic Party<1> |- |139,965.87 |------ |------ |597,741.27 |1,203,322.97 Note: Under the terms of the Resolution of the House of 21 June 1988, the amounts of financial assistance payable were increased with effect from 11 June 1987. The amounts paid in 1988 include arrears due in 1987. <1>Amalgamation of the Liberal Party and a section of the Social Democratic Party with effect from 1 January 1988.
Mr. Heddle : To ask the Attorney-General when a deposit number will be issued at Her Majesty's Land Registry, Hull in respect of 31 Hardie avenue, Rugeley, in the names of London and Suffolk Properties Ltd. and Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Goring ; and when the registration procedures will be completed on official reference No. C.31. SF 260448 TP 242.
The Attorney-General : A deposit number in respect of the charge certificate of title number SF232076 (which included 31 Hardie avenue, Rugeley) was issued on 22 May 1989. The registration of title number SF260448 was also completed on that day.
Mr. Ken Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a table setting out the pay of locally entered teachers employed on British bases in Germany and United Kingdom- based main scale teachers pay for each year from 1982 to the latest available date.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 22 May 1989] : I will write to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Ken Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many locally entered teachers employed on British bases in Germany were (a) scale 1, (b) scale 2, (c) scale 3, and (d) scale 4 teachers each year since 1982 to the latest available date.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 22 May 1989] :
1. The numbers were as follows :
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Scale 1 Scale 2 Scale 3 Scale 4 Effective date |<1>F/T |<2>P/T |Total |<1>F/T |<2>P/T |Total |<1>F/T |<2>P/T |Total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 September 1982 |278 |40 |318 |45 |1 |46 |6 |Nil |6 |Nil 1 September 1983 |261 |64 |325 |48 |Nil |48 |7 |Nil |7 |Nil 1 September 1984 |225 |48 |273 |54 |Nil |54 |4 |Nil |4 |Nil 1 September 1985 |200 |53 |253 |40 |Nil |40 |7 |Nil |7 |Nil 1 September 1986 |209 |71 |280 |48 |Nil |48 |6 |Nil |6 |Nil 1 September 1987 |219 |67 |286 |54 |Nil |54 |2 |Nil |2 |Nil
2. Numbers employed following the 1988 restructuring of scales 1 to 3 into a single main scale were :
|<1>F/T|<2>P/T ------------------------------------------------ 1 September 1988<3> |275 |58 |333 1 April 1989<3><4> |286 |91 |377 <1> Full-time. <2> Part-time. <3> Includes teachers in receipt of incentive allowances. <4> Latest available date.
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Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the numbers of full-time workers in the coal, steel, shipbuilding, engineering and building industries in 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Lee : Comparable estimates of full-time employment are not available for all of the industries and dates specified. The available information is as follows :
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Great Britain employees in employment Thousands December 1979 |All |All males |All females |Of which full time |females ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coal extraction and solid fuels (111)<2> |299.2 |287.8 |11.4 |8.7 Iron and steel (2210) |186.1 |170.1 |15.9 |13.3 Shipbuilding and repairing (3610) |129.2 |120.0 |9.2 |6.5 Engineering (32, 33, 34, 37) |1,990.6 |1485.7 |504.9 |401.8 Construction (5) |1,207.9 |1101.5 |106.5 |63.5
December 1988<1> |All |All males |Of which full time males|All females |Of which full time |females ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coal extraction and solid fuels (111)<2> |127.3 |123.8 |123.7 |3.5 |2.4 Iron and steel (2210) |72.2 |66.4 |n/a |5.8 |5.1 Shipbuilding and repairing (3610) |66.8 |60.6 |n/a |6.2 |4.6 Engineering (32, 33, 34, 37) |1,485.4 |1,123.4 |1,115.4 |362.0 |307.8 Construction (5) |1,019.5 |898.8 |884.6 |120.7 |67.5 <1> The latest date for which comparable figures are available. <2> Figures in brackets denote divisions, groups, classes, and activity headings of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980. n/a Not available. The estimates are unadjusted for the effects of seasonal variations. Estimates for iron and steel and shipbuilding and repairing are subject to severe potential estimation error due to the relatively small number of employees in the industries.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of people employed who were receiving training in the appropriate survey period from the labour force survey and as a
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percentage of all employees, by age group, for each of the standard regions and Wales, in each of the years 1983 to 1988.Mr. Lee [holding answer 19 May 1989] : Available estimates from labour force surveys are as shown in the table :
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Employees of working age<1> receiving job-related training by age and region Spring estimates, Thousands and per cent. 1984 1985 1986 1987 <3>1988 |Employees receiving job|As percentage of all |Employees receiving job|As percentage of all |Employees receiving job|As percentage of all |Employees receiving job|As percentage of all |Employees receiving job|As percentage of all |related training<2> |employees |related training<2> |employees |related training<2> |employees |related training<2> |employees |related training<2> |employees |(000's) |(per cent.) |(000's) |(per cent.) |(000's) |(per cent.) |(000's) |(per cent.) |(000's) |(per cent.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Northern region 16 to 19 |20 |24.6 |23 |31.1 |21 |27.5 |24 |30.3 |22 |28.1 20 to 24 |16 |11.5 |21 |14.3 |25 |17.6 |29 |19.9 |28 |17.6 25 to 34 |26 |10.1 |26 |10.3 |32 |12.4 |32 |12.1 |29 |10.9 35 to 49 |27 |7.5 |20 |5.6 |33 |8.6 |43 |10.8 |42 |10.7 50 to 64 |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |14 |6.9 Yorkshire and Humberside region 16 to 19 |34 |23.9 |37 |26.3 |34 |24.5 |29 |21.8 |34 |24.5 20 to 24 |27 |11.2 |32 |13.4 |42 |17.1 |38 |16.4 |36 |15.3 25 to 34 |46 |11.4 |35 |8.8 |43 |10.2 |53 |12.4 |65 |14.4 35 to 49 |36 |6.0 |46 |7.3 |46 |7.5 |58 |9.3 |71 |10.9 50 to 64 |10 |2.8 |15 |4.3 |13 |3.9 |16 |4.8 |18 |5.6 East Midlands region 16 to 19 |22 |18.4 |28 |23.9 |32 |26.1 |26 |22.0 |26 |22.0 20 to 24 |30 |14.6 |31 |15.2 |28 |13.4 |31 |14.7 |41 |18.8 25 to 34 |39 |11.6 |38 |11.5 |50 |14.2 |46 |12.7 |47 |12.6 35 to 49 |36 |7.0 |45 |8.3 |48 |8.9 |42 |8.0 |62 |11.3 50 to 64 |12 |3.8 |11 |3.9 |12 |4.3 |11 |4.3 |<4>- |<4>- East Anglia region 16 to 19 |14 |23.6 |15 |23.8 |12 |18.6 |11 |17.5 |17 |23.1 20 to 24 |<4>- |<4>- |19 |17.1 |20 |19.2 |16 |14.3 |23 |19.5 25 to 34 |17 |10.4 |24 |14.5 |30 |17.0 |25 |14.3 |28 |14.9 35 to 49 |16 |6.5 |21 |8.8 |27 |10.3 |29 |11.1 |32 |12.1 50 to 64 |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- South East region 16 to 19 |118 |20.8 |132 |22.6 |126 |21.4 |129 |21.2 |140 |22.3 20 to 24 |149 |16.2 |179 |18.2 |172 |17.7 |195 |19.8 |212 |21.8 25 to 34 |192 |12.6 |225 |14.5 |228 |14.4 |261 |15.8 |293 |17.2 35 to 49 |185 |8.4 |201 |9.0 |212 |9.6 |239 |10.9 |288 |12.6 50 to 64 |54 |3.9 |57 |4.2 |61 |4.6 |64 |5.0 |89 |6.6 -of which Greater London 16 to 19 |41 |22.1 |46 |23.7 |38 |19.5 |38 |18.6 |46 |32.0 20 to 24 |63 |16.9 |76 |18.9 |69 |18.3 |85 |21.9 |86 |22.5 25 to 34 |86 |13.5 |101 |15.6 |93 |14.8 |115 |17.2 |122 |13.2 35 to 49 |75 |9.1 |72 |8.6 |73 |8.8 |77 |9.6 |101 |11.9 50 to 64 |25 |4.4 |18 |3.3 |24 |4.5 |23 |4.7 |28 |5.6 South West region 16 to 19 |36 |25.5 |37 |25.0 |31 |22.3 |31 |20.5 |29 |19.9 20 to 24 |29 |14.1 |42 |18.1 |28 |12.6 |43 |18.3 |43 |18.3 25 to 34 |40 |11.5 |49 |13.7 |53 |14.4 |57 |14.8 |62 |15.1 35 to 49 |43 |8.4 |46 |8.6 |47 |8.5 |60 |10.5 |75 |13.1 50 to 64 |12 |3.8 |17 |5.1 |12 |4.0 |13 |4.2 |19 |6.1 West Midlands region 16 to 19 |26 |18.7 |29 |21.8 |31 |23.0 |29 |21.1 |34 |22.2 20 to 24 |32 |13.3 |35 |13.8 |46 |17.3 |42 |15.6 |48 |17.1 25 to 34 |40 |9.2 |45 |10.5 |47 |10.6 |67 |15.0 |74 |15.3 35 to 49 |37 |5.7 |49 |7.4 |60 |8.7 |69 |10.1 |73 |10.6 50 to 64 |12 |3.1 |12 |3.1 |17 |4.4 |17 |4.4 |18 |4.7 North West region 16 to 19 |33 |19.0 |45 |26.7 |34 |20.2 |35 |22.0 |43 |24.8 20 to 24 |37 |12.2 |50 |15.9 |47 |15.4 |46 |14.5 |62 |19.4 25 to 35 |40 |8.0 |51 |9.6 |59 |11.1 |83 |14.8 |88 |15.0 35 to 49 |51 |6.7 |63 |8.1 |63 |8.0 |84 |10.5 |104 |12.5 50 to 64 |12 |2.7 |15 |3.2 |13 |2.9 |21 |4.9 |23 |5.6 Wales 16 to 19 |12 |18.3 |16 |24.9 |15 |23.4 |12 |21.1 |18 |25.7 20 to 24 |16 |12.7 |16 |12.1 |22 |17.4 |19 |14.6 |18 |13.6 25 to 34 |16 |7.6 |18 |8.3 |24 |11.6 |23 |10.8 |30 |12.5 35 to 49 |18 |6.0 |21 |6.5 |24 |7.5 |26 |7.9 |40 |12.0 50 to 64 |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- |<4>- <1> Men aged 16 to 64, women aged 16 to 59. Only employees in this age group receiving job-related training are identified. <2> Those who, in the four weeks prior to interview, had taken part in any education or training connected with their job, or a job they may be able to do in the future. <3> Preliminary results (1988 only). <4> Sample size too small for a reliable estimate. Source: Labour Force Surveys.
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Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the time scale for implementation of the agreement on Gibraltar airport.
Mrs. Chalker : There is no set time scale for the implementation of the 1987 airport agreement. The agreement cannot come into effect without the concurrence of the Gibraltar House of Assembly. For our part, we continue to believe the agreement is a good one for Gibraltar.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the exchange of notes with the Liberian Government, through its embassy in London, concerning the appointment of Lorrain Esme Osman as counsellor and ambassador at large to countries within the European Community, the Liberian Government gave notification of the appointment of Mr. Osman as a member of the permanent mission of the Liberian Republic to London.
Mr. Waldegrave : As indicated in the answer given to the hon. and learned Gentleman's question of 18 May by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, it is for the courts to decide whether Mr. Osman has any diplomatic immunity. Since proceedings on this matter are still continuing, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on any aspect of this matter.
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