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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 24 October 1989
HOME DEPARTMENT
Police (Initiation Rites)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many policemen have been dismissed because of their involvement with initiation rites ;
(2) how many policemen have had disciplinary action taken against them because of their involvement with initiation rites.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is collected by his Department regarding the prevalence of initiation rites in the police forces.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No such information is being collected. It is the responsibility of chief officers of police to maintain discipline within their forces, and to investigate and deal with, severely if necessary, allegations of misconduct by their officers.
Electronic Tagging
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to ensure that private firms will be publicly answerable for their role in the penal system in relation to electronic tagging ; what controls are envisaged with respect to subcontracting by Government contractors ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. John Patten : Contracts have been awarded to two companies to operate experimental trials of electronic monitoring in three areas. The companies are accountable to the Home Office for their performance of those contracts, which permit the use of subcontractors only with the Home Office's prior approval.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers, by grades, employed by his Department on 30 September who were (a) permanent staff, part-time counting as one, (b) permanent part-time staff and (c) casual staff.
Mr. Hurd : The total number of non-industrial staff in post on 23 October 1989 was 41,130, of whom 1,813 were part-time. I shall write to the hon. Member with a breakdown of this total by grade. Information for 30 September 1989 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on the numbers of casual staff recruited by the Department is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Pistons (Imports)
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his estimate is during the last three years of the level of imports in money and volume terms of pistons and piston rings for diesel engines ; and what percentage of the United Kingdom market is covered by such imports.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Figures for imports are shown in the table. However, figures for the United Kingdom market for these products are not available.
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e
United Kingdom imports of pistons and piston rings for diesel engines
Pistons suitable for use solely or principally with compression-ignition internal combustion piston
engines (ie diesel or semi-diesel engines)
(Code no. 84069910 (1986,87), 840999001 (1988,89))
|1986 |1987 |1988 |1988 |1989
|January-July|January-July
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom Imports
Volume (tonnes) |814.6 |1,370.5 |2,088.4 |1,272.1 |2,126.9
Value (£ million) |5.5 |6.7 |9.2 |5.6 |6.7
e
Piston rings suitable for use solely or principally with compression-ignition internal combustion
piston engines (ie diesel or semi-diesel engines)
(Code no. 84069920 (1986,87) 84099903 (1988,89))
|1986 |1987 |1988 |1988 |1989
|January-July|January-July
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom Imports
Volume (tonnes) |269.9 |371.3 |459.7 |266.5 |244.4
Value (£ million) |3.1 |3.8 |4.7 |2.9 |2.2
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.
Consumers' Rights
Mr. David Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to introduce legislation giving a legal right to customers who have purchased an article which cannot be satisfactorily repaired to have a refund or replacement from the supplier.
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Mr. Forth : The Sale of Goods Act 1979 already provides adequate protection in these circumstances : if the consumer acts within a reasonable time, he can reject goods which are not of merchantable quality ; after acceptance, the consumer is still entitled to claim damages. The Government intend to implement changes recommended by the Law Commissions (Cm. 137) which will clarify consumers' rights, in particular by replacing the present requirement of "merchantable quality" with a more up-to-date definition.
Shipbuilding
Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) to which shipbuilding yards in the United Kingdom his Department would recommend a ship owner or broker to direct an inquiry for a series of 25,000 tonnes bulk carriers ;
(2) to which shipbuilding yards in the United Kingdom his Department would recommend a ship owner or broker to direct an inquiry for a series of 15,000 tonnes mixed cargo vessels.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : If any such inquiry were to be received by my Department, the inquirer would be advised of a number of yards who could build the relevant ships. The placing of orders would of course be a commercial matter for the ship owner or broker and the shipbuilder.
Refrigerators
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to ensure that refrigerators are sold with accurate thermometers and that the refrigerators are set to adequate temperatures to ensure proper storage of food ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The Government have no plans at present to introduce legislation requiring the manufacture of domestic refrigerators with thermometers. All domestic refrigerators currently on the market with BEAB approval can meet the temperatures required to ensure the proper storage of food. The position regarding commercial refrigeration is being considered in the context of the revision food hygiene regulations and is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend, the Secretary of State for Health.
Industry Council
Mr. Baldry : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Industry Council held on 26 September.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, discussed a Commission proposal on the restructuring of the Italian steel industry and the present EC/US steel negotiations. A statement was also made by the Commission on the current state of the steel market. A draft resolution, setting out a programme for improving conditions for sub-contractors in the Community, was agreed by the Council. Discussion also took place on the Community's handicraft industry and there was a Commission presentation on the current proposal to extend the life of pharmaceutical patents.
German Democratic Republic (Imports)
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list those goods and products from the German Democratic Republic which are allowed to be imported into (a) the European Economic Community and (b) the Federal Republic of Germany free from tariff.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 23 October 1989] : The European Community's common external tariff applies to
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all goods from the German Democratic Republic (GDR). There are special arrangements for trade between the GDR and the Federal Republic under which authorised imports originating in the GDR are permitted duty-free entry into the Federal Republic. Goods on a list comprising most industrial categories may be traded between the GDR and the Federal Republic free of import duty and other restrictions. Re- exported goods are not automatically subject to import duties in other member states. Under the EC treaty's protocol on inner German trade, member states are able to take safeguard action against GDR goods entering their territory via the Federal Republic. If there are specific complaints about the entry of GDR goods into the United Kingdom by this route they should be made known to the DTI and FCO who regularly review this question with the Ministry of Economics in Bonn.WALES
Health Service
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new hospitals have been opened in each year since 1970 in Wales.
Mr. Grist : Ten new hospitals have been opened in Wales since 1970. Their names and years of opening are shown in the table : 1970--Bryn-y- Neuadd
1971--University Hospital of Wales
1978--Prince Charles Hospital
--Withybush Hospital
1980--Ysbyty Glan Clwyd
1984--Ysbyty Gwynedd
--Mold Community Hospital
1985--Princess of Wales Hospital
1986--Ystradgynlais Community Hospital
1987--Prestatyn Community Hospital
Note : New hospitals includes replacement buildings but excludes hospitals which reopened following a period of closure.
In addition there were two major developments of existing hospitals at Wrexham Maelor hospital and Morriston hospital, which were completed in 1985.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each Welsh health district the cost of the 10 most commonly performed operations in the National Health Service for the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Grist : The information requested is not available centrally.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide the following information for the latest year for which statistics are available together with figures for 1979 and the period 1974 to 1979 : (a) the number of general practitioners, (b) general practitioners' list sizes, (c) the number of nurses, (d) the number of junior hospital doctors, (e) the number of consultants, (f) the number of in-patients treated, (g) the number of out-patients treated and (h) the total spending on the National Health Service.
Mr. Grist : The information is shown in the table :
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|1974 |1975 |1976 |1977 |1978 |1979 |1988
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General medical practitioners<1> |1,291 |1,290 |1,286 |1,304 |1,323 |1,339 |1,599
General medical practitioners-average list
size<2> |2,189 |2,193 |2,199 |2,175 |2,148 |2,133 |<7>1,851
Nursing and midwifery staff<3> |20,282 |21,255 |21,804 |21,860 |22,386 |23,031 |27,920
Junior hospital doctors<4> |906 |976 |989 |1,047 |1,091 |1,172 |1,375
Consultants<5> |534 |553 |588 |601 |614 |614 |771
In-patient cases |328,973 |320,042 |338,908 |342,967 |349,628 |349,695 |456,378
Out-patient total attendances |1,742,748|1,646,720|1,727,870|1,739,806|1,761,693|1,803,313|2,294,927
|1974-75 |1975-76 |1976-77 |1977-78 |1978-79 |1979-80 |1988-89
NHS expenditure (gross)<6> |209.9 |281.8 |316.8 |358.6 |411.2 |481.6 |1,270.5
<1>Unrestricted principals as at 1 October.
<2>As at 1 October.
<3>Whole-time equivalents as at 30 September. The figures have not been adjusted to take account of the change in hours,
in 1980, from 40 to 37.5.
<4>Whole-time equivalents as at 30 September. Includes house officers, senior house officers, registrars, senior
registrars, associate specialists and senior hospital medical officers. Excludes dentists.
<5>Whole-time equivalents as at 30 September. Excludes dentists.
<6>£ million outturn prices.
<7>Provisional.
Roads
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of the cost of constructing the M4 link at Baglan ; what is the length of time that the
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actual construction would take ; and what is the latest date at which a decision could be taken to start the construction in April 1991.Mr. Wyn Roberts [holding answer 23 October 1989] : Construction of the M4 Baglan-Lonlas section of the M4 is planned as three separate schemes as follows :
|Contract period (months)|Roads in Wales timeband |Estimated cost at
|for start |November 1988
|prices (Roads in Wales)
|£ million
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earlswood-Lonlas |36 |Before April 1990 |33
|Between 1 April
|1991 and 31 March
Briton Ferry-Earlswood |36 |1994 |48
|Between 1 April
|1991 and 31 March
Baglan-Briton Ferry |30 |1994 |35
Tenders have been invited for the Earlswood-Lonlas contract with a view to letting before the end of this financial year. Preparation work on the remaining schemes is proceeding in accordance with the Roads in Wales programme. The Briton Ferry-Earlswood and Baglan-Briton Ferry contracts will be let six months apart to achieve simultaneous completion. The decision to proceed will depend on the availability of finance. The time required for tendering procedures, including EC journal notification and for advance earthworks is around 12 months.
ENERGY
Nuclear Accident, Kyshtym
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when Her Majesty's Government received from the International Atomic Energy Agency a copy of the IAEA report, drafted by the Soviet Union, on the accident in 1957 at the nuclear facility at Kyshtym ; what new information relevant to the United Kingdom is included in the report ; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The IAEA's report on a radiological accident in the southern Urals on 29 September 1957, provided by the State Committee on the
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Utilisation of Atomic Energy, was issued on 28 July 1989. It contains interesting information on radiation exposure and monitoring, but nothing which requires changes to present United Kingdom monitoring arrangements. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.Oil Companies (Ministerial Meetings)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many ministerial meetings have been held with oil companies in the past 12 months.
Mr. Peter Morrison : My right hon. Friend and I maintain close contact with oil companies active in the United Kingdom and meet them frequently.
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the correspondence he or officials of his Department have had with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament since 1 July, in the context of the involvement of his Department and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament at the Hinkley C inquiry.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament wrote to my Department on 10 July with a number of questions arising from earlier correspondence on plutonium accounting. A reply was sent on 4
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September. In addition, a letter was sent to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament on 18 July about the preparation of the annual plutonium statistics.Oldbury
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the outcome of the International Atomic Energy Agency operational safety review team's visit to the Oldbury nuclear power plant ; and what access to operational data in regard to plutonium production and dispatch was afforded to the Soviet inspector on the visit.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The principal conclusion of the International Atomic Energy Agency's operational safety review team (OSART) team was that the Oldbury nuclear power station is being operated at a high level of safety. The team also drew attention to a large number of other praiseworthy features, including the high degree of professionalism of station management and staff. They also considered that the plant was well prepared to respond to emergencies. When the IAEA has finalised its report on the mission, I shall arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House. Data on the plutonium content of irradiated fuel is held at each station and is published annually by my Department. The Soviet member of the OSART team would have been allowed access to such data but in the event he did not ask to see it.
Plutonium
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy of 28 July, Official Report, column 978, on plutonium, he is now in a position to make a decision on the format for future publication of civil plutonium data.
Mr. Michael Spicer : I have nothing to add to the reply of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member. The plutonium data for 1988-89 will be published shortly.
Magnox Power Stations
Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current best estimate for (a) reprocessing costs and (b) decommissioning costs for Magnox nuclear power stations ; and what estimate he has received from National Power and when.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West on 28 July, Official Report, column 981, if he will now state the total cost of (a) decommissioning, (b) dismantling and (c) guarding Magnox reactors during the next 10 decades.
Mr. Wakeham : The CEGB will be finalising its estimates of Magnox liabilities for publication in its report and accounts for 1988-89.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the written answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West on 28 July, Official Report, column 981, when he was informed of the likely final total cost of decommissioning, dismantling and guarding Magnox nuclear reactors during the next 10 decades.
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Mr. Michael Spicer : I refer the hon. Member to the statement that my right hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Parkinson) made on 24 July, at column 744.
Colliery Closures
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many collieries where the Union of Democratic Mineworkers is the main or sole union, have closed since 1985 ; how many are under threat of closure ; and if he will list them in chronological order.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Colliery closures are a matter for the British Coal Corporation. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.
Oil and Pipelines Agency
Mr. Hanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his responsibility for the Oil and Pipelines Agency.
Mr. Wakeham : Following the Government's decision to cease taking royalty in kind from 31 December 1988, the work of the Oil and Pipelines Agency has been progressively wound up and its only remaining role is that of managing agent for the Government pipeline and storage system (GPSS). In accordance with the decision announced by my predecessor in October last year responsibility for the GPSS was transferred from the Department of Energy to the Ministry of Defence on 1 April 1989. The Ministry of Defence has decided to retain the Oil and Pipelines Agency as managing agent for the GPSS and responsibility for the agency is therefore being transferred today with the approval of my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Nicaragua
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the aid provided to Nicaragua in 1988 and the current year to the most recent practicable date and state the amount allocated to each project.
Mrs. Chalker : In 1988 we provided £180,000 for disaster relief, following Hurricane Joan. In 1989 we have provided £80,000 for this purpose. Our share of European Community aid in 1988 was approximately £3.3 million. This included food aid, technical assistance for agricultural reform and emergency aid. No figures are available for 1989.
Details of amounts provided for projects jointly funded with British voluntary agencies are available for the financial year 1988-89 but not for calendar years 1988 and 1989. They are :
|£
------------------------------------------------------
Agricultural development programme |867
Installation of potable water supplies |5,961
Traditional medicine programme |4,546
Bee-keeping |2,500
Esteli herbs |20,257
Las Segovias mother and child programme |4,650
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Rail Link (Belfast to Dundonald)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for the provision of a rail link from (a) Belfast to Dundonald and (b) Dundonald to Comber ; what proposals there are for selling the former tracks of the Dundonald to Comber railway line ; and if he will make a statement on the improvement of transport connections between Belfast and Comber.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company is about to commission Queen's university and the University of Ulster to undertake a "Comprehensive Appraisal of Alternative Urban Transport Technologies for Belfast". This will include an investigation into the application of light rapid transit to Belfast and surrounding areas. There are no proposals to improve transport connections between Dundonald and Comber. Part of the track between Ballyloughran and Ballyrainey is currently on offer for sale.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are employed by the Northern Ireland Assembly at Parliament Buildings, Stormont ; what is the annual expenditure of the Northern Ireland Assembly ; and if he will make a statement about the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Mr. Cope : Eleven, including one part-time. The Northern Ireland Assembly cost £318,000 last year and £341,000 has been allocated for 1989-90. This figure includes £97,000 granted for deficiency contributions to pension funds of the Assembly and former House of Commons. The salary of the Clerk is (under section 24(6) of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973) charged to the Consolidated Fund.
It continues to be the Government's policy to encourage progress towards devolution. Pending the resumption of such a role by elected representatives, staff of the Northern Ireland Assembly, which was dissolved on 23 June 1986, continue to perform residual functions.
Ulster Defence Regiment
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment were arrested on Sunday 8 October ; how many members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary were involved in this operation ; what is the estimated cost of the Royal Ulster Constabulary participation in this operation ; if the authorities in the Republic of Ireland were given advance notice of this operation ; how many of the arrested Ulster Defence Regiment men were subsequently charged with offences ; how many of the arrested Ulster Defence Regiment men were remanded in custody ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 17 October 1989] : All police operations in the Province are the responsibility of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and he has informed me that 28 members of the UDR were arrested on Sunday 8 October. The police operation involved 334 RUC officers and cost an estimated £45,000.
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Six UDR soldiers have been charged with criminal offences and all were initially remanded in custody ; four have now been released on bail by the High Court. No advance notice was given of the operation to the authorities in the Republic of Ireland.ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Republic of Ireland (Extradition)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Attorney-General how many applications to the Republic of Ireland for the extradition of persons in connection with alleged terrorist crimes have been successful since 15 November 1985.
The Attorney-General : A total of three persons whose return was sought in connection with alleged terrorist crimes have been returned to the United Kingdom since 15 November 1985.
Father Patrick Ryan
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Attorney-General when the initial application for the extradition of Father Patrick Ryan was lodged with the authorities in the Republic of Ireland ; if he can report progress ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to a private notice question from the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) on 14 December 1988. The decision of the Irish
Attorney-General on 12 December 1988 effectively precludes any further attempt to seek an order for Patrick Ryan's return from the Republic of Ireland.
Croydon Court Centre
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Attorney-General what steps are being taken to improve the procedure for taxing bills at the Croydon combined court centre.
The Attorney-General : Arrears in the taxation of solicitors' bills in civil proceedings were identified in July 1989. Immediate steps were taken to rectify the position, including the provision of some additional registrar time and overtime for court staff. The arrears have now been substantially cleared.
County Courts (Midland and Oxford Circuit)
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Attorney-General what, at each of the county courts on the Midland and Oxford circuit by name is the (a) shortest and (b) longest time currently being taken to obtain a hearing for possession of land actions ; and what was the position one and two years earlier.
The Attorney-General [holding answer 20 October 1989] : The tables show the current position for possession hearings at each county court on the Midland and Oxford circuit. Apart from Birmingham county court, the present position is much as it was one and two years ago. At Birmingham the city council has substantially increased the number of possession actions in respect of rent arrears in recent months. Consideration is being given to ways of reducing the time taken to obtain a hearing at Birmingham county court.
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Shortest and longest time taken to obtain a hearing for possession of land actions at county courts by court administrator group Birmingham Group Court |Shortest (weeks)|Longest (weeks) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Banbury County |8 |8 Birmingham County |7 |22 Corby County |7 |7 Huntingdon County |5 |6 Kettering County |7 |7 Nuneaton County |4 |8 Rugby County |8 |8 Stratford County |4 |7 Wellingborough County |7 |7 Coventry combined |6 |6 Northampton combined |7 |7 Oxford combined |7 |7 Peterborough combined |5 |9 Warwick combined |6 |6
Shortest and longest time taken to obtain a hearing for possession of land actions at county courts by court administrator group Nottingham Group Court |Shortest (weeks)|Longest (weeks) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alfreton County |7 |8 Boston County |4 |11 Buxton County |7 |10 Chesterfield County |6 |6 Derby County |5 |9 Gainsborough County |4 |8 Grantham County |6 |9 Grimsby County |7 |9 Ilkeston County |6 |14 Leicester County |8 |9 Lincoln County |6 |12 Loughborough County |4 |8 Mansfield County |5 |6 Matlock County |6 |6 Melton Mowbray County |4 |13 Newark County |5 |7 Nottingham combined |6 |7 Scunthorpe County |7 |7 Skegness County |5 |8 Sleaford County |7 |8 Spalding County |4 |8 Worksop County |5 |7
Shortest and longest time taken to obtain a hearing for possession of land actions at county courts by court administrator group Stafford Group Court |Shortest (weeks)|Longest (weeks) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Burton on Trent |6 |6 Dudley |5 |6 Evesham |9 |9 Great Malvern |5 |8 Hereford |6 |8 Kidderminster |5" |7" Lichfield |4 |4 Ludlow |6 |8 Market Drayton |5 |5 Oswestry |7 |10 Redditch |6 |9 Shrewsbury |7 |9 Stafford |4 |8 Stoke on Trent |6 |6 Stourbridge |6 |8 Tamworth |6 |7 Telford |4 |9 Walsall |7 |8 West Bromwich |4 |4 Wolverhampton |6 |10 Worcester |4 |7
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PRIME MINISTER
Energy Conservation
Q7. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding energy conservation.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a number of representations regarding energy conservation and energy efficiency. Over the last four years for which figures are available the United Kingdom's ratio of energy use to GDP has increased at twice the EC average.
East Germany
Q19. Mr. Leigh : To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations regarding human rights in East Germany.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received a number of representations. There is widespread and justified concern in this country about human rights abuses in the German Democratic Republic.
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