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Column 357
Written Answers to Questions
Friday 21 July 1989
NORTHERN IRELAND
Harland and Wolff
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the management buy out of Harland and Wolff ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Viggers [holding answer 17 July 1989] : Over the last few weeks progress has continued on the drafting of legal documents to enable completion of the sale of the business to a new company being set up by the MEBO/Olsen team. I was encouraged that the trade unions have endorsed new terms and conditions included in offers of employment sent to members of the work force on behalf of the new company on 6 July. Subject to EC approval (expected by the beginning of August) and the satisfactory conclusion of other pre-contract conditions, the sale of the business should be complete in September.
Civil Servants (Statistics)
Mr William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for each grade in the Northern Ireland civil service the number and percentages of : (a) Roman Catholics, (b) Protestants and (c) others, showing the number and percentages of males and females in each category ; and if he will indicate the percentage of each of those groupings of working age in Northern Ireland.
Mr Cope : The information requested by the hon. Gentleman is contained within the second report of the equal opportunities unit of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. The second report was published in December 1987 and shows the make-up of the Northern Ireland Civil Service by sex, religion and disability as at 1 January 1987.
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Copies of the second report were placed in the Library on 17 December 1987.The following table shows estimated aggregated figures (1985-87) of the religious affiliation of persons of working age in Northern Ireland, derived from the continuous household survey.
|Males |Females |All
------------------------------------------------------------
|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.
Catholic |37.9 |39.6 |38.9
Protestant |57.8 |57.8 |57.8
Other or not stated |4.3 |2.6 |3.3
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General how many cases have been dismissed by the courts for the failure of the Crown Prosecution Service to (a) attend at court and (b) have the case file at court ; and how many adjournments have been given because of (a) and (b).
The Attorney-General : I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General how many lawyers have ceased to be employed by the Crown Prosecution Service during its lifetime ; and of these how many (a) resigned, (b) retired and (c) were dismissed.
The Attorney-General : Since the Crown Prosecution Service was established 334 lawyers have left its employment. Of these 304 resigned, seven retired, four were dismissed, 16 have transferred to other Government Departments and three have died.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and state how much money has been paid by each branch to agents to carry out the work of the Crown Prosecution Service for (a) 1989 to date, (b) 1988-89, (c) 1987-88 and (d) 1986-87.
The Attorney-General : The information requested is set out in the table :
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Expenditure on lawyer agents by the Crown Prosecution Service
Region and area |<2>1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1 April to 30 June 1989
|£ |£ |£ |£
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London and South East
12 Inner London<1> |871,409 |2.042,664 |2,076,722 |582,052
14 North London |608,543 |1,084,313 |1,249,981 |377,907
16 South London |332,188 |753,574 |1,001,331 |174,136
22 Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire |191,973 |531,293 |510,139 |102,068
42 Essex |62,950 |290,970 |291,529 |89,815
52 Kent |92,363 |320,268 |323,332 |83,470
Total |2,159,425 |5,023,082 |5,453,033 |1,409,448
South and West
20 Avon/Somerset |99,406 |343,084 |381,728 |84,291
34 Devon/Cornwall |74,821 |182,834 |160,449 |44,937
36 Dorset/Hampshire |186,105 |600,904 |538,483 |153,527
44 Gloucestershire/Wiltshire |67,516 |218,738 |196,144 |33,147
48 South Wales |146,684 |256,341 |96,878 |8,232
66 Sussex |123,943 |298,478 |346,318 |93,595
68 Thames Valley |91,779 |295,599 |292,773 |66,520
70 West Mercia |160,783 |525,082 |237,780 |41,084
Total |951,037 |2,721,360 |2,250,551 |525,333
Northern
26 Cheshire |42,710 |171,719 |123,944 |46,520
28 Cleveland/North Yorkshire |165,575 |282,594 |235,368 |41,943
30 Cumbria/Lancashire |214,238 |547,841 |752,081 |172,133
38 Durham/Northumbria |420,771 |548,413 |547,208 |172,412
40 North Wales |126,080 |251,626 |228,545 |57,123
46 Greater Manchester |440,514 |630,580 |597,031 |136,740
56 Merseyside |261,918 |395,883 |356,736 |69,003
62 South Yorkshire |155,071 |254,933 |349,046 |95,317
74 West Yorkshire |389,686 |595,128 |668,169 |169,894
Total |2,216,563 |3,589,816 |3,858,127 |952,085
Midlands
24 Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire |93,811 |305,722 |339,352 |66,013
32 Derbyshire |59,681 |256,853 |249,403 |38,458
50 Humberside |47,249 |90,454 |126,204 |26,166
54 Leicestershire/Northamptonshire |251,362 |702,516 |623,090 |103,409
58 Norfolk/Suffolk |159,618 |384,413 |359,915 |99,347
60 Nottinghamshire |159,572 |303,758 |287,759 |84,648
64 Staffordshire/Warwickshire |234,848 |493,952 |365,618 |106,973
72 West Midlands |713,639 |989,658 |1,089,245 |248,652
Total |1,719,780 |3,527,425 |3,440,585 |773,666
Headquarters
02 Headquarters (Legal casework) |24,231 |10,629 |7,596 |0
Total |24,231 |10,629 |7,596 |0
|------- |------- |------- |-------
National Total |7,071,037 |14,972,313 |15,009,892 |3,670,532
<1> Including Central Courts Branch.
<2> Apart from the Metropolitan counties and Durham/Northumbria, areas did not become operational as part of the CPS until 1 October 1986.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and give the number of current vacancies that exist for lawyers at (a) prosecutor, (b) senior prosecutor and (c) branch prosecutor level.
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The Attorney-General : The information requested is set out in the table.
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Breakdown of lawyer vacancies by area showing Grade/Job title as at 30 June 1989
CP SCP ABCP BCP CCP 4 3 2 1
|6 |6 |5 |5 |4 |3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HQ<1>
Director's Office |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |0
Deputy Director's Office |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |-
HQ Casework |+3 |-7 |0 |+1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |- |-
London/South East
Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire |-5.5 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Essex |-3 |-4 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Kent |-16.5|-1 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Inner London |-20.5|-7 |-3 |+3 |-3 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
Outer London North |-25.5|-10 |-3 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
Outer London South |-25.5|-4 |+0.5 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
Midland Region
Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire |-12.5|-2 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Derbyshire |-14.5|0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Humberside |-10 |-2 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Leicestershire/Northamptonshire |-14.5|-7 |- |0 |- |-1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Norfolk/Suffolk |-10 |-1 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nottingham |-10.5|+0.5 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staffordshire/Warwickshire |-15 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
West Midlands |-29.5|+2.5 |-2 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
Northern Region
Cheshire |-7.5 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Greater Manchester |-24.5|+1 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
Lancashire/Cumbria |-11.5|0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Merseyside |-13 |0 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
Northumbria/Durham |-21.5|-3.5 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
North Wales/Dyfed Powys |-8 |-1 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
North Yorkshire/Cleveland |-3.5 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
South Yorkshire |-12 |0 |0 |0 |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
West Yorkshire |-19.5|-1 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
South and West Region
Avon/Somerset |-12 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Devon/Cornwall |-5 |-0.5 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Dorset/Hampshire |-15 |-4 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Gloucestershire/Wiltshire |-4 |0 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
South Wales/Gwent |-11 |0 |0 |0 |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |-
Sussex |-4.5 |-3 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Thames Valley |-8 |-4 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
West Mercia |-0.5 |-1 |- |0 |- |0 |- |- |- |- |- |-
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--
Total |-391 |-59 |-7.5 |+4 |-3 |-1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
<1> Posts in HQ as grades 5 and 6 have been shown as CCP and BCP equivalents according to grade.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and state the numbers of current established posts for lawyers at (a) prosecutor, (b) senior prosecutor and (c) branch prosecutor level.
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The Attorney-General : The information requested is set out in the table.
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Breakdown of lawyer posts by area, showing Grade/Job title as at 30 June 1989
CP SCP ABCP BCP CCP 4 3 2 1
|6 |6 |5 |5 |4 |3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HQ<1>
Director's Office |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1
Deputy Director's Office |- |3 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |4 |1 |-
HQ Casework |1 |34 |- |14 |- |5 |- |- |- |1 |- |-
London/South East
Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire |29 |14 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Essex |20 |11 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Kent |30 |15 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Inner London |83 |43 |13 |- |5 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Outer London North |60 |29 |9 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Outer London South |57 |27 |6 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Midland Region
Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire |26 |13 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Derbyshire |21 |10 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Humberside |22 |11 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Leicestershire/Northamptonshire |30 |15 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Norfolk/Suffolk |23 |12 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nottingham |30 |15 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staffordshire/Warwickshire |29 |14 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
West Midlands |59 |28 |8 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Northern Region
Cheshire |23 |10 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Greater Manchester |82 |40 |9 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Lancashire/Cumbria |45 |21 |- |4 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Merseyside |47 |23 |6 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Northumbria/Durham |53 |26 |- |4 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
North Wales/Dyfed Powys |27 |13 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
North Yorkshire/Cleveland |34 |13 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
South Yorkshire |30 |15 |2 |1 |1 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
West Yorkshire |48 |24 |6 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
South and West Region
Avon/Somerset |30 |14 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Devon/Cornwall |25 |12 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Dorset/Hampshire |46 |20 |- |4 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Gloucestershire/Wiltshire |21 |10 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
South Wales/Gwent |55 |27 |1 |4 |1 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Sussex |29 |14 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Thames Valley |36 |18 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
West Mercia |23 |11 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--
Total |1,174|605 |80 |60 |25 |28 |9 |- |- |5 |1 |1
<1> Posts in HQ as grades 5 and 6 have been shown as CCP and BCP equivalents according to grade.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the branch areas of the Crown Prosecution Service and state the number of established posts for lawyers at (a)
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prosecutor, (b) senior prosecutor and (c) branch prosecutor level on the commencing of the Crown Prosecution Service.Column 363
The Attorney-General : The information requested is set out in the table :
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Breakdown of lawyer posts by area showing Grade/Job title as at 1 October 1989
CP SCP ABCPBCP CCP 4 3 2 1
|6 |6 |5 |5 |4 |3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HQ<1>
Director's Office |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1
Deputy Director's Office |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |1 |1 |-
HQ Casework |3 |38 |- |15 |- |8 |- |- |- |3 |1 |-
London/South East
Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire |27 |11 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Essex |18 |9 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Kent |24 |12 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Inner London |92 |43 |13 |- |5 |- |- |1 |- |- |- |-
Outer London North |50 |26 |8 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Outer London South |45 |21 |6 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Midland Region
Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire |17 |8 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Derbyshire |15 |7 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Humberside |14 |6 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Leicestershire/Northamptonshire |21 |9 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Norfolk/Suffolk |16 |7 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Nottingham |20 |9 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Staffordshire/Warwickshire |22 |10 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
West Midlands |48 |24 |8 |- |3 |- |- |1 |- |- |- |-
Northern Region
Cheshire |16 |8 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Greater Manchester |54 |26 |9 |- |3 |- |- |1 |- |- |- |-
Lancashire/Cumbria |35 |16 |- |4 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Merseyside |41 |21 |6 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Northumbria/Durham |34 |17 |- |4 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
North Wales/Dyfed Powys |21 |9 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
North Yorkshire/Cleveland |22 |11 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
South Yorkshire |23 |11 |2 |1 |1 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
West Yorkshire |40 |20 |6 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
South and West Region
Avon/Somerset |22 |10 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Devon/Cornwall |18 |9 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Dorset/Hampshire |37 |16 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Gloucestershire/Wiltshire |15 |6 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
South Wales/Gwent |41 |20 |1 |4 |1 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |-
Sussex |22 |10 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Thames Valley |28 |14 |- |3 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
West Mercia |15 |7 |- |2 |- |1 |- |- |- |- |- |-
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-- |-- |-- |-- |--
Total |916|471|59 |75 |25 |30 |6 |3 |1 |4 |2 |1
<1> Posts in HQ as grades 5 and 6 have been shown as CCP and BCP equivalents
according to grade.
TRANSPORT
Disabled Travellers
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that British Rail continues to make provision for disabled people in the event of sale into private ownership.
Mr. Portillo : No decisions have yet been taken on rail privatisation but if privatisation did proceed we would certainly wish to consider how best to safeguard the particular interests of disabled people.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that road pricing or toll schemes which are introduced will exempt disabled motorists who have to travel by road.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The Government have no proposals for road pricing. There is a variety of arrangements on existing tolled facilities. As for new
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privately financed toll roads, the Green Paper "New Roads by New Means" sought views on the extent which tolls should be controlled. We are currently assessing the comments received on the Green Paper.Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to ensure that coaches and buses are made accessible to all disabled people.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The Department of Transport has been working closely with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee to develop design guidelines to make buses easier for elderly and ambulant disabled people to use. These improvements are now being widely adopted by manufacturers, operators and local authorities. The Department is also working with other European Community countries towards changes in regulations that will require future generations of buses and coaches to be fully accessible to people with disabilities.
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Air Accidents
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of the Government's conclusions on the value of independent investigative machinery in relation to air accidents and air misses as set out in Government observations on the first report of the Transport Committee of session 1988-89 on air traffic control safety and of the CAA's proposals to transfer responsibility for the investigation of the civil air traffic control elements of air accidents from the National Air Traffic service to the Safety Regulation group, he will instruct the Safety Regulation Group to assess the report submitted by the National Air Traffic service to the Air Accidents Investigation branch on the aircraft accident involving GUESS on 8 December 1983 ; if he will instruct the Safety Regulation group to examine all references to air traffic control in the Air Accidents Investigation branch report of that accident for accuracy and compliance with air traffic control rules and procedures ; and if he will make it his policy to make available to the House any results of such assessments.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The accident to GUESS was the subject of a detailed investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation branch. During the course of this investigation the inspector considered all relevant circumstances including the ATC procedures adopted. Following publication of the accident report, there was no request for a review board and no evidence has subsequently been produced sufficient to justify reopening the investigation. It is not within the power of the Secretary of State to instruct the CAA further to examine this matter.
British Rail (Capital Projects)
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total value of capital projects undertaken by British Rail since 1979 for (a) locomotives, (b) passenger coaches, (c) signalling and telecommunications and (d) premises ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : Information is not readily available in the form requested. Since 1979 the total invested by British Rail in the railways is :
|£ million |£ million
|cash |1989-90 prices
------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |248 |518
1980 |304 |529
1981 |277 |433
1982 |243 |352
1983 |252 |347
<1>1984 |280 |368
1985-86 |399 |491
1986-87 |399 |475
1987-88 |526 |594
1988-89 |570 |601
<1> 1984-85 was a 15 month financial period. The figure
shown for 1984 is the 12 month internally reported result.
The figures include investment in Freightliners, BRML and BREL but exclude the laying of continuous welded track which BR does not now classify as investment.
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Offshore Installations
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made with his review of standby vessels associated with offshore installations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : The review of the Department's publication "Instructions to Surveyors on the Assessment of the Suitability of Standby Vessels Attending Offshore Installations" is now almost complete and a draft incorporating the latest changes will be circulated for final comment before the end of August.
Offshore Operators Association
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association ; and what matters are to be discussed.
Mr. Portillo : I have no plans to meet representatives of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association.
M12
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of building the M12 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The estimated works cost of the proposed new motorway from M25 to south of Chelmsford is £45 million, as set out in the recent White Paper "Roads for Prosperity".
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on what basis a new M12 was preferred to widening and improving the existing A12 ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what consideration was given to widening and improving the A12, before the M12 link between Chelmsford and the M25 was announced ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Consultants appointed by the Department to carry out a scheme identification study of the A12 considered a number of options including widening of the existing road. A road linking M25 with the A12 near Chelmsford was chosen because it represented the best option for relieving both routes, including the congested Brook street interchange.
A12
Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost of widening and improving the A12 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Widening the A12 on its present alignment between M25 and Chelmsford has been estimated to cost about £44.5 million.
Minibus Driver Licensing
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made in discussions with the European Commission on the treatment of minibus drivers in its proposal for a Council directive on driver licensing.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley : We have made good progress in direct discussions with the Commission about minibuses. The Commission's proposals in the second driver licensing directive would require new drivers of minibuses with more than nine seats to take a second test and meet higher fitness standards than for the ordinary car licence. There is no case, on road safety grounds, for imposing these higher standards.
Commission officials have indicated that they would be prepared to recommend modification of the draft directive so as to allow ordinary car licence holders, including the deaf, to drive minibuses with up to 17 seats, under certain fairly wide-ranging circumstances. The circumstances envisaged are when minibuses are used for charitable purposes by non-profit -making bodies. The driver should have held a full licence for at least two years, be aged 21 or over and be acting as driver on a voluntary basis. The minibus itself would be limited to a gross weight of 3.5 tonnes excluding any specialist equipment for the carriage of disabled persons. This approach would allow the continuation of our valuable present arrangements for many services provided for the elderly, the disabled, the sick, youth and religious groups and use by education establishments for all ages. The approach thus covers many categories of real need.
Community bus services provided for these or similar purposes and driven by volunteers would also be unaffected, but other Community bus services and dial-a-ride services would not be covered. The approach would also exclude use by other amenity groups, such as sports clubs, non-charitable organisations and groups of individuals.
Such groups could continue to use minibuses of up to nine seats, but for larger minibuses a driver with the higher licence category would have to be found.
We recognise that this is not wholly satisfactory. It does strike a balance between the case for Community harmonisation and the need for flexibility in transport provision.
We should welcome comments from interested organisations and in particular on the extent of the difficulties which may be caused by the types of minibus use for which a change in licensing requirements would still be required.
We will shortly be issuing a consultation letter to interested organisations, asking for comments to be sent to Department of Transport, Driver and Vehicle Licencing Centre, POLD2, Room D9, Morriston, Swansea SA6 7JL, by Friday 15 September.
I am grateful to individuals, the voluntary groups and the media in the United Kingdom and other parts of the EC for helping to make the case clear through the EC.
Rear Seat Belts
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statistical evidence is available to support the view that it should not be made compulsory for car passengers in rear seats to wear seat belts.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Studies done in recent years, at TRRL and elsewhere, have shown that wearing seat belts saves lives, and leads to less serious injuries being sustained in many types of accident. We encourage all car passengers to use seat belts at all times. Making rear seat belt wearing compulsory before a
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majority of cars are fitted with such belts could be premature. We have recently introduced legislation to ensure that new cars do have such belts fitted.Legislation has recently been passed which, from 1 September, will require children to be restrained where appropriate restraints exist.
Alcohol Abuse
Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce details of the proposed experiment on the rehabilitation of excess alcohol offenders.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : We announced proposals to carry out a major experiment in the use of rehabilitation courses designed to influence the attitudes of drunk drivers in the White Paper "The Road User and the Law" published on 7 February this year. In England and Wales, enabling powers will be required for the courts to order rehabilitation for those convicted of drink-drive offences. In Scotland, we are looking into the possibility of setting up a trial scheme employing the existing powers of the courts.
Road Traffic Law Review
Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research projects in line with the recommendations he accepted have been initiated by his Department following the publication of the road traffic law review.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : We shall be monitoring the effects of the use of technology on compliance with speed limits and traffic light offences. The transport and road research laboratory will also be assessing the experiment in rehabilitation of drink drivers and monitoring the effects of other proposals including retesting and the expanded high risk offender scheme.
Autoguide
Mr. Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has selected a promoter for the installation and operation in London of the autoguide system of electronic route guidance for vehicles ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Channon : I have decided that a licence to operate autoguide in the London area should be awarded to GEC, subject to successful negotiation on the terms of a licence and to the implementation of the Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information Systems) Bill. Last January my Department invited the private sector to submit proposals for the installation and operation of a pilot autoguide scheme in the London area, which would be capable of being upgraded to a fully commercial system to which the public could subscribe. We received proposals from GEC and from Aguide Services Limited, a joint venture company of which Plessey is the largest shareholder. I have considered very carefully both sets of proposals, with advice from my financial consultants, Price Waterhouse.
In inviting proposals, I made clear my intention to select the firm or consortium which we believed would ensure that autoguide was developed to provide effective and efficient electronic route guidance to a wide market as soon as practicable without compromising road safety or
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the environment. Both sets of proposals were of extremely high quality ; but I believe that overall those from GEC better meet my stated objectives.This decision does not in itself confer on GEC a licence to operate autoguide in London. A licence will be subject to negotiation by the Department and GEC, and to the implementation of the necessary legislation.
If a licence is awarded it would give GEC the right to install and operate a pilot autoguide system in a specified part of the London-M25 area. The pilot scheme would be closely monitored by the Department. Our primary concern would be to assess the likely effect of a large scale autoguide system on road safety and traffic management. We have previously undertaken that the results of our evaluation would be presented to Parliament.
If the results of our monitoring showed that a large scale system would not prejudice road safety or good traffic management, the operator would have a right to enter into negotiations for a second licence. This would allow him to provide a fully commercial autoguide system throughout the London/M25 area. Commercial operations could begin by the end of 1993.
I am willing to consider the issue of a licence for a pilot scheme for a further area. The ASL proposal included a pilot scheme covering an area outside London. My Department would be willing to discuss these proposals further with that group if they so wish, and will welcome proposals from other groups also. One of my criteria in assessing proposals would be the extent to which they would promote competition in the development of autoguide. It would be a licensing requirement that a second scheme should be compatible with that being operated in London. This would offer motorists the prospect of continuous route guidance over a large area of the country. I believe that autoguide has an important role to play in easing congestion and so making the best use of our roads. It is clear that private industry shares that view.
Panama Canal
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British-owned ships have used the Panama canal in each of the past two years ; and if he will give details of matters relating to use of the canal discussed in the same period with British shipping interests.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 20 July 1989] : The number of United Kingdom flag vessels using the Panama canal in each of the past two years from October 1986 to September 1988 is as follows. British-owned vessels that do not fly the United Kingdom flag cannot be identified separately and are not included in the figures. The information is obtained from the annual reports of the Panama Canal Commission.
|Number
---------------------------------------------
October 1986 to September 1987 |396
October 1987 to September 1988 |460
We continue to keep all matters relating to the canal under review, in close consultation with British shipping interests.
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EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
White Papers
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, for each of the last three White Papers issued by his Department, for which legislation has been started, he will state the time elapsed between their publication and the First Readings of any Bills connected with them ; and if he will do the same for the last three White Papers issued by his Department prior to May 1979.
Mrs. Rumbold : It is not always easy to establish a direct relationship between one set of published proposals and subsequent legislative provision. The last three White Papers published by this Department, in which legislation was proposed and has subsequently been started or completed, were :
"Special Needs in Education" published August 1980 : Education Act 1981, First reading 22 January 1981 ;
"Better Schools" published March 1985 : Education (No. 2) Act 1986, First reading 19 February 1986 ;
"Higher Education : Meeting the Challenge" published April 1987 : implemented through the Education Reform Act 1988, First reading 20 November 1987.
It is not for me to answer for the record of the last Government in this matter, but the information requested should be available in the Library of the House and the Official Report .
Teacher Recruitment
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has made an assessment of the Single European Act ; and how it will assist local education authorities in recruiting teachers from the European Community.
Mr. Butcher : Freedom of movement for the professions is a key priority in the single market programme. On 21 December 1988 the Council of Ministers of the European Communities adopted a directive which will enable a range of professionals, including teachers, to have their professional qualifications recognized for the purposes of practice in member states other than their own. The directive must be implemented by 1991. My right hon. Friend proposes to make regulations according the benefits of the directive to members of the teaching profession qualified in other member states from September this year. This should assist local education authorities in their recruitment of teachers from other member states.
Teacher Statistics
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of excess teachers in 1979 ; and what is the current number.
Mrs. Rumbold : The number of students successfully completing courses of initial teacher training in England and Wales in the summer of 1979 who were known to be still seeking a teaching post at the end of that year was 3,020, or 13 per cent. of all those qualifying whose status was known. These figures include both those unemployed and those in alternative temporary employment. In 1988 the figures were 700 newly qualified teachers known to be still seeking a teaching post at the end of the year, representing 5 per cent. of the total.
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The two sets of data are not precisely comparable because in 1979 the employment status of about a third of those qualifying was assessed somewhat before the end of the year (in October).Soviet Studies
Mr. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hamilton on Monday 10 July, Official Report,
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column 346, on Soviet studies, he will provide a breakdown of the figures based on (a) home students and (b) overseas students.Mr. Jackson : The further information requested is shown in the table.
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Students studying Russian language or Russian studies full time at British
Universities
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Undergraduates
Home |409 |393 |388 |384 |428 |479 |482 |499 |487
Overseas |23 |17 |17 |19 |25 |43 |34 |40 |37
Total |<1>432|410 |405 |403 |453 |522 |516 |539 |524
Postgraduates
Home |53 |60 |47 |50 |38 |46 |44 |57 |37
Overseas |24 |11 |8 |7 |12 |6 |6 |8 |12
Total |77 |71 |55 |57 |50 |52 |50 |65 |49
<1>This includes eight students on first diploma or certificate courses not included
in the answer given on 10 July.
Official Hospitality
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in 1988-89.
Mrs. Rumbold : The sum spent on official hospitality in 1988-89 was £33,813.30.
National Curriculum
Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what representations he has received about provision for Christian conscience relating to the elements of the national curriculum in respect of (a) the teaching of evolution, (b the teaching of sex and social education and (c) the use of computers ;
(2) what are the implications of the statement in article 2 of the first protocol to the European convention on human rights that the state shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education or teaching in conformity with their own religious convictions for the requirements of the national curriculum relating to (a) the teaching of evolution, (b) the teaching of sex and social education and (c) the use of computers where parents of some children object to such teaching or use as a matter of deeply held religious conviction.
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