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Mr. Lilley : The activities of credit reference agencies are regulated by the Consumer Credit Act and the Data Protection Act. The report of the review committee on banking services law published in February 1989 considered, among many other matters, disclosure of information by banks to credit reference agencies. I will be making a statement on the Government's response to this report in due course.
Government Staff
Dr. Marek : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the numbers of staff in post for all individual Government Departments for each year from 1979 onwards.
Mr. Brooke : The numbers of staff in post for the years 1979 to 1988 are to be found in copies of the annual publication "Civil Service Statistics" which have been placed in the House of Commons Library. The numbers for 1 April 1989 by Department have not been published
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yet, but are to be found in "QSR Analysis", a copy of which has been sent to the House of Commons Library (statistical unit).Currencies
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to allow European Community currencies to be treated as legal tender in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lilley : No. However since the abolition of exchange controls British residents are free to accept payment in any currency they wish.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Food Act 1984
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions have been instigated under (a) section 1 of the Food Act 1984 and (b) section 2 of the Food Act 1984 for each year since 1984 ; how many of these prosecutions were successful ; and what was the maximum penalty levied.
Mr. Ryder : Information on prosecutions under separate sections of the Food Act 1984 is not collected centrally. However, information is available on prosecutions, convictions and the number fined the maximum penalty for offences committed under the Food Act 1984 as follows :
Offenders prosecuted and convicted under
the Food Act 1984<1>
England and Wales
|1984 |1985 |1986 |1987
-------------------------------------------
Prosecutions |844 |901 |1,050|1,078
Convictions |748 |793 |909 |930
Number fined (maximu2 £2,0-0) -1
<1>Sections 1, 2, 6, 29, 48 and 103.
Eggs
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review (a) the compensation paid to the egg industry and (b) other grants, in the light of recent concern about the quality of eggs.
Mr. Donald Thompson : No. The recent, much publicised, problems with egg quality appear to have arisen mainly because of poor stock control at certain retail outlets.
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National Fruit Collection
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, pursuant to his answer of 28 June, Official Report, column 466, he has now completed his consideration of arrangements to be made in the event that Brogdale is closed ; and what guardianship he proposes for the national fruit collection.
Mr. Ryder : We have not yet completed our consideration of the arrangements to be made for the national fruit collection in the event that Brogdale is closed, and I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 28 June.
Head Meat
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his reply to the hon. Member for South Shields of 11 July, if he will specify what tissues and organs are included in the category of head meat ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : Under the Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products Regulations 1984 "head meat" means muscle meat (ie cheek) and associated fatty tissue.
Anthrax
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the abattoirs in England which have been receiving meat from the Clwyd and Devon farms which have an outbreak of anthrax ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will list the number and type of animals infected by anthrax in Devon in the current year ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he will make a statement on the source of anthrax contamination in Devon ;
(4) what action he is taking on the farm in Devon which currently has an outbreak of anthrax ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Donald Thompson : There is no current outbreak of anthrax in Devon. A single case occurred in January involving the death of one cow. Despite thorough epidemiological investigation the source of infection was not identified. Restrictions were lifted on 10 January.
No abattoirs in England have received animals from the farm in Clwyd while movement restrictions under the Anthrax Order 1938 have been in force.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the 1938 Anthrax Order with a view to including the disposal of potentially infected slurry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Donald Thompson : No. The Anthrax Order 1938 already includes provision for the disinfection or disposal of dung likely to spread disease.
Pesticide Safety Division
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last visited the data evaluation unit of the pesticide safety division at Harpenden.
Mr. Ryder : My noble Friend, The Baroness Trumpington, who is the Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for pesticides, last visited the data evaluation unit in April 1988.
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ENERGY
Refining Capacity
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest available estimate of the United Kingdom's refining capacity for the gasoline/fuel oil gap.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The United Kingdom's refining industry is meeting increased demand for unleaded petrol without any excess production of fuel oil.
Safe Integral Reactor
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what involvement his Department has in the development of the safe integral reactor ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Approval has been given to the UKAEA to use some of its pre-contract research funds to support its role as a member of the safe integral reactor (SIR) consortium which is at present bidding for funds from the United States Department of Energy. The UKAEA has joined the consortium as a commercial venture.
Nuclear Power Stations
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department has a list of sites suitable for future nuclear power stations.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The choice of sites for nuclear power stations is in the first instance, a matter for the electricity supply industry. I am therefore asking the chairman of the CEGB to write direct to the hon. Member.
Any proposal for such a station would, of course, be subject to obtaining the necessary consents and permissions.
Electro-magnetic Fields
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which body will be responsible, after the privatisation of the electricity industry, for the current research in which the Central Electricity Generating Board is engaged on the possible health hazards associated with exposure to power frequency electro-magnetic fields from power lines and other sources.
Mr. Michael Spicer : After privatisation, the part of the CEGB responsible for the transmission system will form the National Grid Company and will continue the programme of work already started to investigate the possible effects to human health of electro-magnetic fields emanating from power cables. In addition, independent research on the subject is also undertaken at a number of universities and hospitals.
Government are kept informed of these developments via officials in the Departments of Energy and Health, the Health and Safety Executive, and the National Radiological Protection Board.
Halliburton Services
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department has commissioned any work in the last five years from any of the subsidiaries of Halliburton Services, including Gearhart Geodata
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Services Ltd., Gearharts Wireline Service Ltd., Brown and Root Ltd., Otis Engineering Corporation and Otis Pressure Control Ltd. ; and whether he will make a statement.Mr. Parkinson : A review of Departmental records indicates that the Department has had two contracts in the last five years with the Halliburton Group subsidiary Brown and Root Vickers Technology Ltd. ; in addition, the Department has had contracts with Wharton Williams Ltd., which became a subsidiary of the Halliburton Group in April 1989.
Energy Saving
16. Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what measures he is taking to ensure that by 1992 there is a substantial energy saving in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The programmes of the Energy Efficiency Office have already achieved savings of more than £0.5 billion per year. The EEO is now targeting its efforts on key areas of energy use and offering advice backed by technical support. In particular, we are emphasising the work of the regional energy efficiency officers in making direct contact with major energy users and offering the new best practice programme which will develop and disseminate well-researched information on energy use sector by sector. In addition the Secretary of State is leading a campaign to improve the efficiency of energy use in the public sector. I believe that this targeted approach will result in the work of the EEO being even more effective.
Our proposals for the electricity supply industry will also give further impetus to the promotion of energy efficiency, particularly through the responsibilities of the director general and his staff in the Office of Electricity Regulation.
In addition, amendments to the building regulations were laid before the House on 11 July. These will require improvements in insulation standards which should achieve a saving of 20 per cent. in heating requirements compared with existing regulations.
CIVIL SERVICE
Staffing (North of England)
57. Mr. Holt : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service who was the last grade 1 or grade 2 civil servant who worked in the north of England.
Mr. Luce : Many senior civil servants have had experience of working in all parts of the country, including the north. A range of posts in varying places increases the breadth of their knowledge and expertise and I value this.
Civil Service Unions
60. Mr. Favell : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what recent discussions he has had with Civil Service unions.
Mr. Luce : I met members of the Council of Civil Service Unions on 27 June to discuss the future of the Civil Service Commission.
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European Single Market
61. Mr. Knapman : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what steps the Civil Service is taking to prepare for the single market after 1992.
Mr. Luce : Government Departments have, for some time, been preparing for the single European market. My own Department has created a range of training and development opportunities to support their strategies.
Training and Management Development
Mr. Cran : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what resources have been committed for 1989-90 to training and management development within the Civil Service.
Mr. Luce : The planning of expenditure on training and development is a matter for Departments. On the basis of past trends, I would expect the total investment in training for the non-industrial Civil Service in the current year to be about £330 million. In addition, £1 million of challenge funding is being made available centrally to Departments to encourage them to undertake more management training and development at senior levels.
THE ARTS
Funding
33. Mr. Evennett : To ask the Minister for the Arts what have been the increases in funding from public and private sources for the arts since January 1986.
Mr. Luce : Central Government expenditure on the arts has increased since 1985-86 by £152 million to £439 million in 1989-90. There are no comprehensive figures for private funding of arts activities but there are many good examples of private sector support for arts activities.
34. Mr. Colvin : To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the expenditure on the arts in the south of England for the financial year 1988 -89.
Mr. Luce : In 1988-89, around £6 million of taxpayers' money was spent on the arts in the southern arts area, via the Arts Council and the Regional Arts Association. This does not include expenditure on the arts from local authorities and from the private sector.
40. Mr. Jessel : To ask the Minister for the Arts what fraction of Government expenditure is represented by spending for which he is responsible.
Mr. Luce : My Department's expenditure of £439 million in 1989- 90 represents one third of 1 per cent. of total central Government spending.
47. Mr. Wilson : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he plans to make a statement on future funding of the arts in 1990-91 and beyond.
Mr. Luce : In November 1987 I announced a new departure in arts funding with a three-year settlement for the years 1988-89 to 1990-91. In November 1988 I announced the rolling forward of this central Government programme to 1991-92. As is now customary, I would hope to be able to make a similar statement in respect of 1992-93 this autumn.
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49. Mr. Pike : To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has assessed the scale of finance likely to be available for the arts in the north-west in the year 1990-91 and beyond.
Mr. Luce : The finance available to the arts in particular regions is determined by the Arts Council. Arts Council grants to regional arts associations have more than doubled since 1984-85. The level of grant to North West Arts in 1990-91 and beyond has yet to be determined.
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the Association of Metropolitan Authorities about future levels of arts funding in 1990-91 and beyond.
Mr. Luce : I met representatives of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities in April this year to discuss questions of arts policy and funding.
Business in the Arts
35. Mr. Stevens : To ask the Minister for the Arts what progress is being made in the Business in the Arts scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Luce : This venture by the Association of Business Sponsorship of the Arts is making good progress. The pilot scheme in the west midlands has been very useful, and has demonstrated the enthusiasm of the business community to share their skills with the arts. Negotiations are now under way to open a number of regional offices.
Group Visits
36. Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received from the Arts Council on the current level of school and other organised group visits to the theatre.
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48. Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the Arts Council about the number of (a) school and (b) other community group visits to performing arts venues.
Mr. Luce : On my behalf, the Arts Council is monitoring the number of visits that schools are making to theatres and other arts organisations.
45. Mr. Haynes : To ask the Minister for Arts what discussions he has had with the Association of County Councils on the number of visits by (a) school parties and (b) other community groups to performing arts events.
Mr. Luce : None, but, with the help of the Arts Council, I am monitoring the situation carefully.
Arts Festivals
37. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Minister for the Arts how many arts festivals have been held in each of the last four years ended on 30 June.
Mr. Luce : This information is not held centrally, but the publication "Arts Festivals in Britain and Ireland" estimates that in 1985 there were 265 festivals in Great Britain with a professional input. This rose to 274 in 1986, rising again to 412 in 1987 and there was a further increase to 490 in 1988. This year it is estimated that there will be around 600 arts festivals.
Private Donations
38. Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Minister for the Arts what major donations from private sources have been made in the last 12 months.
Mr. Luce : I am extremely grateful to all benefactors of the arts. The list is as follows :
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Table showing major sponsorships of and donations to the arts in the last twelve months
Organisation |Donor |Amount |Date of announcement |Purpose
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tate Gallery |Anonymous |US $6.5 million |20 June 1988 |To set up American fund for Tate Gallery
National Gallery |Mr. Walter Annenberg, KBE |£2.85 million |22 June 1988 |Restoration of impressionist and post-
| impressionist rooms
Victoria and Albert |Mr. T. T. Tsui |£1.25 million |20 June 1988 |To creat a new gallery of Chinese art and
Museum |design
BAFTA |Shell (sponsorship) |£3 million |12 July 1988 |Various projects
British Library |The Andrew W. Mellon |US $1.5 million |20 October 1988
| Foundation of New York | (over 5 years) | microfilming
Arts Council |Anonymous |£1 million |December 1988 |Foundation of new endowment fund for
| innovation and experiment
Midland Bank Arts Card
39. Mr. Knapman : To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the implications for arts funding of the Midland bank arts card scheme.
Mr. Luce : This is another excellent example of the way in which the arts world and the private sector can work together for the benefit of each other and the public at large. The Arts Council estimates that within two years of its launch, the arts card could raise between £400,000 and £500,000 for arts organisations.
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Regional Theatres
41. Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the level of financial support for studio theatres in regional repertory theatres.
Mr. Luce : Regional repertory theatres fund their studio theatres out of their overall revenue grant. Because there is no separate earmarking, information about the funding of studio theatres is not held centrally.
Performing Arts
42. Mrs. Golding : To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he is taking to promote the performing arts in (a) schools and (b) elsewhere.
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Mr. Luce : With my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, I have commissioned a booklet which includes examples of how the performing arts can stimulate pupils' imagination and widen the boundaries of classroom learning. It will be circulated free to all maintained schools. This is one of a number of initiatives that I have taken to ensure that the performing arts reach the widest possible audience.
Training
43. Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to increase provision of training for practitioners in the arts ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Luce : The Training Agency has recently undertaken a survey of training in the arts and is organising a conference for practitioners to consider its report. Following these initiatives, my officials will be discussing with the Arts Council what further steps may need to be taken to improve training provision.
British Library
44. Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Minister for the Arts what are the costs of (a) cataloguing and (b) storing a book at the British Library.
Mr. Luce : The British Library estimates the cost of cataloguing to be approximately £37 for a book acquired by legal deposit, and approximately £18 for a purchased book. The cost of storing a book in central London is approximately £1 per year.
Expenditure (London Boroughs)
46. Miss. Hoey : To ask the Minister for the Arts what information he has on the future pattern of arts expenditure by London boroughs in 1990 -91 and beyond.
Mr. Luce : The pattern of arts expenditure by London boroughs is not determined centrally.
National Museums (Branches)
50. Mr. Stern : To ask the Minister for the Arts how many of the national museums and galleries have established branches outside London.
Mr. Luce : Of the 10 London-based national museums and galleries five have established outstations outside the capital--the British museum (natural history), and Imperial war museum, the National portrait gallery, the Science museum and the Tate gallery. The Victoria and Albert museum is considering relocating part of its Indian collection to Bradford. Since 1986, the national museums and galleries on Merseyside have been supported from the arts programme. I greatly welcome these developments which help to make our national collections more accessible to a wider public.
European Single Market
51. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Minister for the Arts what discussions he has had with the Arts Council on the impact of 1992 on the arts.
Mr. Luce : On 3 July I addressed representatives of some 26 arts bodies at a seminar entitled "Culture in
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Europe--Planning for 1992", arranged by the Office of Arts and Libraries, at which Arts Council representatives were present. The Arts Council is also holding a conference on this general theme on 14-16 March next year in Glasgow and my office is represented on the advisory committee for this event.Cultural Exchanges
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans his Department is making to mark the arrival of the open market of 1 January 1993 with cultural exchanges, exhibitions, performances or similar events.
SCOTLAND
Finance Companies (Malpractice)
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many finance companies, licensed under the Financial Services Act, have had their licence withdrawn each year since 1988 for malpractice in Scotland.
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