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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 19 October 1989
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Audio Cassettes
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to the reply of 15 March, Official Report, column 258-59 , what are the Government's plans to uphold the provision in the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 rejecting the principle of levies on the sale of blank audio cassettes.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Government have no intention of amending the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to introduce a levy on blank audio cassettes in the United Kingdom. They welcome and support the conclusion of the Commission of the European Communities in its Green paper "Copyright and the Challenge of Technology" that Community action to introduce or harmonise levies is not required.
DRG Company
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement concerning Pembridge Investments of Bermuda bid for the DRG Company ;
(2) if he will refer the Pembridge Investments of Bermuda bid for the DRG Company, located at Deeside industrial park and elsewhere, to the Director General of Fair Trading ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The proposed acquisition of DRG by Pembridge Investments is being considered by the Director General of Fair Trading who will advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on whether the proposed acquisition should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. It would not be appropriate to comment on the merits of the bid in advance of my right hon. Friend's decision. The Director General, in giving his advice, and the Secretary of State, in taking his decision on whether to refer, will give careful consideration to all relevant aspects of the proposal.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will visit the DRG Company at Deeside industrial park ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : Neither I nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has any plans for such a visit.
Post Offices
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will issue guidelines laying down minimum standards of accessibility for the elderly and disabled when post offices are relocated.
Mr. Forth : No. This is an operational matter for the Post Office. I understand that all new main post offices are
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designed to allow wheelchair access and access for disabled people is one of the factors taken into account where Crown offices are converted to agency or sub-offices. For existing buildings the Post Office aims to provide a level or suitably ramped approach wherever practicable.Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report information available to him on those post offices in the Border region which have had their opening hours reduced or other services curtailed in the last 10 years.
Mr. Forth : This is an operational matter for the Post Office board. I understand that the information requested is not immediately available, so I will ask the chairman of the Post Office board to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will review the consultation procedures currently adopted by Post Office counters when offices are downgraded or relocated to enable objections to be made to and heard by his Department when any such proposals for change are made.
Mr. Forth : Regrading and relocation of post offices are operational questions for the Post Office. I understand that it has agreed a code of practice on post office regrading with the Post Office Users National Council.
Knitwear and Textiles
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to be in a position to publish the findings of the current review of the knitwear and textile industry being conducted by Professor Silberston ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : Professor Silberston was asked, in the light of developments since 1984 when his first report was published, to assess the effects on the United Kingdom economy of import restraints under the multi- fibre arrangement (MFA) and barriers faced by the United Kingdom industry's exports in overseas markets and to examine the economic effects of proposals for the future developments of international trade in textiles and clothing. The Government would welcome the views of all interested parties, if possible by 17 November.
I am grateful to Professor Silberston for the work he has undertaken. His report surveys developments in world trade and production and the specific experience of the United Kingdom textile and clothing sector as well as the existing barriers to trade. He considers how far liberalisation of the MFA would be likely to lead to increased competition from imports and from what sources and examines the likely effects on the United Kingdom economy, particularly in terms of prices and employment. In this context he has looked at the effects on different sectors of the industry and the consequent regional implications. Finally, the report considers the likely effects of the single market and the terms on which gradual liberalisation of the MFA might be negotiated in the course of the current Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations. The report represents Professor Silberston's own views. It will be helpful to the Government's further consideration of textile policy, especially as the European Community enters the detailed phase of negotiations in the Uruguay round during 1990.
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In the light of Professor Silberston's findings and the comments received from industry and other parties, the Government will consider the position which the Community should adopt for the further negotiations on the future of the MFA in the Uruguay round. The Government will take full account of the effect of any proposals to phase out the present arrangements, in accordance with the Uruguay round mandate, on consumers, on employment and on the economy at large.Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.
Information Technology
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many officials in his Department at grade 3 and above have, since promotion to the level of grade 3, attended a course (a) specifically on information technology and (b) containing an element of information technology ; and what percentage each represents of all the staff in those grades in his Department.
Mr. Forth : All staff in grades 1 and 2 have attended specific training courses on information technology issues.
In financial years 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90 to date, 13 staff at grade 3 level (25 per cent. of those in grade) attended courses specifically on information technology and 9 (17 per cent.) attended courses involving an element of information technology. The information related to all staff at grade 3 level since promotion or before 1987-88, is not available without disproportionate cost to the taxpayer.
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many work stations excluding stand-alone word processors are currently installed in his Department ; and what is the ratio of such work stations to civil servants.
Mr. Forth : Excluding stand-alone word processors there are currently some 5,300 computer work stations in the Department of Trade and Industry. The ratio of work stations to civil servants is about 1 : 2.
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Minister in his Department is responsible for day-to-day management of his Department's information technology strategy ; and what proportion of his time was spent on this matter in the month up to Friday 13 October.
Mr. Forth : The day-to-day management of the Department of Trade and Industry's information technology (IT) strategy is the responsibility of officials. I am the Minister responsible for oversight of IT matters in the Department of Trade and Industry. IT is in general so integrated into the Department's business functions that to attempt to apportion specific intervals of my time to its consideration would involve a disproportionate effort.
United States-owned Companies
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all United-States-owned companies presently operating in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 17 October 1989] : Overseas companies are free to operate in the United Kingdom through a subsidiary incorporated in the United Kingdom or through a branch. A branch is not a legal
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entity separate and distinct from its holding company. All such operations are treated in exactly the same way as British-owned ones. Because there is no distinction based on ownership, no records exist within Government of either subsidiaries or branches of United States companies operating in the United Kingdom. Informal estimates put the number in excess of 2,000.Gas Industry (Safety)
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact the European Commission directives will have on the safety standards of the British gas industry.
Mr. Forth [holding answer 18 October 1989] : The proposed gas appliance directive, as drafted, will serve to reinforce the existing high standards of safety currently applied throughout the United Kingdom gas appliance industry. No other existing or proposed directives are expected to have a significant effect on the safety of gas appliances.
Industrial Investment
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is for each year since 1975 the total amount of investment in the (a) chemical, (b) electronics, (c) textile and (d) motor car industries in 1989 moneys.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 18 October 1989] : The latest annual census of production for which data are available is 1987. The figures, in the following table, have therefore been given in terms of 1987 prices.
Net Capital Expenditure in the Chemical, Electronics, Textile and
Motor Vehicles<1> Industries at constant 1987 prices
£ million
|Chemicals<2> |Electro-nics<3> |Textiles<4> |Motor Vehicles and
|parts<1><5>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Standard Industrial Classification (1968) (SIC(68))<6>
1975 |1,666 |363 |415 |512
1976 |1,669 |331 |333 |486
1977 |1,666 |360 |300 |679
1978 |2,045 |431 |354 |809
1979 |1,967 |450 |336 |1,161
Standard Industrial Classification (1980) (SIC(80))<6>
1979 |1,766 |491 |333 |1,171
1980 |1,483 |488 |209 |929
1981 |1,130 |491 |153 |640
1982 |1,032 |476 |163 |592
1983 |1,022 |566 |168 |596
1984 |1,048 |814 |221 |690
1985 |1,352 |854 |249 |721
1986 |1,384 |690 |278 |711
1987 |1,504 |652 |271 |612
Source: Annual Census of Production.
<1> Motor vehicles and parts thereof<4>. Investment information for cars cannot be separately identified.
<2> Minimum List Headings 271 to 179 of SIC(68). Class 25 of SIC(80).
<3> Minimum List Headings 338, 363, 364, 365.2, 366 and 367 of SIC(68). Class 33, Group 344 and Activity Headings
3453 and 3454 of SIC(80).
<4> Minimum List Headings 412 to 421, 423 and 429.2 of SIC(68). Class 43 of SIC(80).
<5> Minimum List Heading 381 of SIC(68). Class 35 of SIC(80).
<6> Results of the Annual Census of Production for 1978 and earlier years are availableonly for industries
defined in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1968). For 1980 and later years results are
available only for industries defined in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980).
To provide a link between the two classifications, results for 1979 are available on both bases.
TRANSPORT
Stansted Airport
Mr. Wells : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the change announced in August to the Stansted airport departure route which goes to the south and west of Bishop's Stortford will come into effect ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mcloughlin : The change to this noise preferential route which is to be achieved by altering the route from radial 170 to radial 175, from the Barkway navigation beacon, will come into effect today. This change, which moves the route further away from Bishop's Stortford, takes acount of the views expressed by the Stansted noise preferential routes working group, the response to the public consultation carried out earlier this year and representations from my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford.
Air Pollution (London)
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps he intends to take to reduce air pollution in London arising from transport.
Mr. Atkins : The Department is considering a wide range of measures to reduce traffic congestion in London. As well as increasing the efficiency of the transport system, lower congestion should also help to reduce the emission of certain types of pollutant. The Government are also committed to strict standards of vehicle emissions due to be introduced in the 1990s
British Rail
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what objectives have been set by the British Railways board for the greater use of the private sector in the provision of services ; and what progress has been made to date in achieving those objectives.
Mr. Portillo : The Government set the railways board objectives in 1983 and 1986 which included broadening the participation of the private sector in the provision of services to the railway. BR has established specific programmes to meet these objectives and has made significant progress. The former BR subsidiaries of Sealink, British Transport Advertising, Travellers Fare, BREL and the Vale of Rheidol railway have been sold to the private sector. A joint venture project has been developed with the private sector for a new Heathrow express link ; and major developments at stations involve private sector input of some £1 billion. Many ancillary services, such as trolley catering on trains, parcels deliveries and management of some car parks, are privately operated. All rolling stock is now bought from the private sector, and two thirds of the rail wagon fleet, excluding coal wagons, is privately owned. BR is exploring the opportunities for further collaboration with the private sector on Channel tunnel passenger and freight services and contracting out civil engineering and signalling work.
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Passenger Aircraft
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the safety standards of passenger aircraft in service with United Kingdom operators ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : My right hon. Friend frequently meets the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Road Construction
Mr. Cran : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by the Government on road construction since 1979.
Mr. Atkins : The amount spent by the Government on the construction and improvement of motorways and other trunk roads in England, Scotland and Wales in the period April 1979 to March 1989 was £7,120 million.
North Devon Link Road
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conditions he will require to be fulfilled in order to provide funding to dual the North Devon link road from Tiverton to Barnstaple.
Mr. Atkins : I am satisfied that the present single carriageway road will be adequate for a long time to come. Predictions prepared using the Department's recently published national road traffic forecasts indicate that it will be many years before the economic benefits of dualling, calculated using our standard 30-year assessment period, would exceed the cost of such improvement. The economic assessment takes into account reductions in accidents and the benefits of reduced congestion.
Information Technology
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials in his Department at grade 3 and above have, since promotion to the level of grade 3, attended a course (a) specifically on information technology and (b) containing an element of information technology ; and what percentage each represents of all the staff in those grades in his Department.
Mr. Atkins : Eleven officials have attended courses or training specifically on information technology since promotion to grade 3. A further five have attended courses containing an element of information technology. These represent 41 per cent. and 19 per cent. respectively of those at grade 3 and above in the Department of Transport.
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many work stations excluding stand-alone word processors are currently installed in his Department ; and what is the ratio of such stations to civil servants.
Mr. Atkins : There are some 5,130 computer work stations of all types excluding stand-alone word processors in the Department of Transport, giving a ratio of one work station to every 2.9 members of staff.
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which Minister in his Department is responsible
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for day-to-day management of his Department's information technology strategy ; and what proportion of his time was spent on this matter in the month up to Friday 13 October.Mr. Atkins : No Minister is responsible for day-to-day management of the Department's information technology strategy. This is the task of a grade 5 civil servant.
WALES
Ysgol Cwm Rhymni
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to visit Ysgol Cwm Rhymni, Bargoed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : I have made arrangements to visit Ysgol Cwm Rhymni on Friday 3 November.
DRG Company
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the DRG Company, Deeside industrial park ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Walker : I have no present plans to visit the DRG Company.
Information Technology
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Minister in his Department is responsible for day-to-day management of his Department's information technology strategy ; and what proportion of his time was spent on this matter in the month up to Friday 13 October.
Mr. Peter Walker : My Department reports directly to me on information technology matters, and I devote as much of my time to these issues as is necessary.
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many work stations excluding stand-alone word processors are currently installed in his Department ; and what is the ratio of such work stations to civil servants.
Mr. Peter Walker : There are currently 320 computer work stations in my Department, excluding stand-alone word processors. The ratio of work stations to civil servants is 1 : 7.
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many officials in his Department at grade 3 and above have, since promotion to the level of grade 3, attended a course (a) specifically on information technology and (b) containing an element of information technology ; and what percentage each represents of all the staff in those grades in his Department.
Mr. Peter Walker : Ten officers have attended a course specifically on information technology since promotion to grade 3. One other has attended a course containing an element of information technology. These represent 77 per cent. and 8 per cent. respectively of staff at grade 3 and above in the Welsh Office.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Elephants
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the Governments of Kenya and Tanzania what levels of external support they require to assist with programmes of elephant protection.
Mrs. Chalker : We are in regular and close touch with both Governments to determine priorities for the aid programme, and we are always ready to consider requests for help in conservation. In Kenya we have been providing such help for many years, and fund three expatriate staff in the Kenya wildlife department. We have also provided 19 British Army Bedford trucks for use in anti-poaching efforts, and we are helping with a review of the wildlife department's radio communications requirements.
Following a request from the Government of Tanzania we are about to appoint consultants to look at possible ways of helping with wildlife conservation.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Camelford
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the progress of the investigation of the Director of Public Prosecutions into the Camelford incident ; and when the investigation will be complete.
The Attorney-General : I understand that police inquiries have been completed and the Director is awaiting a final advice from counsel before making a decision.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Information Technology
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in his Department at grade 3 and above have, since promotion to the level of grade 3, attended a course (a) specifically on information technology and (b) containing an element of information technology ; and what percentage each represents of all the staff in those grades in his Department.
Mr. Hurd : Eleven officials at grade 3 level and above have since attaining that grade attended a course specifically on information technology. Four of those 11, plus a further four, have attended a course containing an element of information technology. These figures represent 41 per cent. and 30 per cent. respectively of staff in those grades.
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work stations excluding stand-alone word processors are currently installed in his Department ; and what is the ratio of such work stations to civil servants.
Mr. Hurd : At present there are some 3,200 computer work stations in the Department. This represents about one terminal for every 13 staff in post or, excluding the prison service (which accounts for some 3 to 4 of the
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Department's complement) one for every four staff. "Work station" is here taken to include linked terminals and stand- alone microcomputers (including those used partly for word-processing) but to exclude dedicated word-processors and other portable text processors.Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Minister in his Department is responsible for day-to-day management of his Department's information technology strategy ; and what proportion of his time was spent on this matter in the month up to Friday 13 October.
Mr. Hurd : The Home Office, because of the heterogeneous nature of its business, does not have one single IT strategy but a number of strategies geared to the needs of different businesses or areas of the office. Ministers overseeing particular areas of the office concern themselves, as part of that responsibility, with the application of IT to them. It is not practicable to apportion the part of ministerial time specifically devoted to IT aspects of the work.
Television Stations
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if under existing Government proposals for ownership of television stations, the 15 current independent television franchise areas could be owned by eight non-British companies.
Mr. Renton : In line with our Treaty of Rome obligations the present, and proposed, prohibition of foreign control of United Kingdom broadcasting services does not extend to other EC countries. Applicants for regional channel 3 franchises, whether or not other EC companies are involved, will not pass the quality threshold unless they can satisfy the ITC that they will provide regional programmes, including programmes produced in the region.
Salman Rushdie
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to cease public financial support for the protection of Salman Rushdie, his publishers and associates.
Mr. Hurd : The decision to provide protection is one for the police, who will have regard to the threat and all other relevant circumstances.
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Trusts
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of (a) charitable land trusts, (b) public benefit trusts and (c) maintenance funds presently in existence in England and Wales.
Mr. John Patten : This information is not available.
THE ARTS
Museums and Galleries Commission
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has received the annual report of the Museums and Galleries Commission ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Luce : I have read the Museum and Galleries Commission's annual report and discussed issues arising from it with the Commission's chairman, who I meet quite frequently. This most recent report featured an account of the most valuable and exciting work of the travelling exhibitions unit, which I have seen in person and support enthusiastically.
Book Storage
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement about the annual cost of storing books received under the Copyright Act.
Mr. Luce : I have responsibility for only one of the copyright libraries, the British Library. In 1987-88 the library received around 50,400 books under the legal deposit regulations, and the annual cost of storing each book was approximately £1.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Information Technology
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many officials in his Department at grade 3 and above have, since promotion to the level of grade 3, attended a course (a) specifically on information technology and (b) containing an element of information technology ; and what percentage each represents of all the staff in those grades in his Department.
Mrs. Rumbold : The figures are as follows :
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Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3
|Number |Percentage of grade|Number |Percentage of grade|Number |Percentage of grade
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information technology courses |2 |100 |5 |100 |10 |62
Courses with an information technology element |Nil |- |1 |20 |Nil |-
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many work stations excluding stand-alone word processors are currently installed in his Department ; and what is the ratio of such work stations to civil servants.
Mr. Alan Howarth : On 3 October 1989 there were 1,578 computer work stations in the Department including Her
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Majesty's inspectorate of schools. This includes portable computers and 175 personal computers used by typists for word processing. At that date the total number of staff in the Department, including Her Majesty's inspectors and all support staff, was 2,567. The ratio of computer work stations to staff was therefore 1 : 1.6.Column 185
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which Minister in his Department is responsible for day-to-day management of his Department's information technology strategy ; and what proportion of his time was spent on this matter in the month up to Friday 13 October.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The day-to-day management of the Department's information technology (IT) strategy is the responsibility of officials. I am responsible for oversight of IT matters in the Department. IT is in general so integrated into the Department's business functions that it would involve a disproportionate effort to attempt to apportion specific intervals of my time to this matter.
School Buildings
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the National Audit Office report on school buildings will become available.
Mr. Alan Howarth : This is the responsibility of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Rothera Point (Airstrip)
Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply on 21 December 1988 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk, Official Report, columns 283-85, whether the Natural Environment Research Council has yet published the final report on its comprehensive environmental evaluation of the proposed new British Antarctic Survey airstrip at Rothera Point ; and if he will make a statement.
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