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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 30 October 1989
EMPLOYMENT
Businesses
Mr. Knapman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new businesses are being created every week ; and what was the position in the same period 10 years ago.
Mr. Tim Eggar : In 1988, the latest year for which figures have been published, the net increase in the number of VAT-registered businesses was 64,000, an average of just over 1,200 per week. In 1980, the net increase was 16,000, an average of 300 per week.
Employment Training
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for Great Britain and each standard Training Agency region, how many individual child care allowances are being received by lone parent employment training participants ; and how many were granted or refused for each of the latest available three months.
Mr. Nicholls : The estimated proportions of trainees receiving child care allowances at the end of June, the latest date for which information is available, are given in the table. The latest in training figures, at 13 October 1989, has been provided for each region. Information is not available on the number of child care allowances granted or refused for each of the latest available three months.
Employment Training Trainees in receipt of Child Care Allowances
Region |Per cent.<1>|Number<2>
-----------------------------------------------------------------
South East |3 |14,900
London |4 |20,500
South West |3 |12,100
West Midlands |2 |23,500
East Midlands and Eastern |2 |16,900
Yorkshire and Humberside |2 |25,200
North West |2 |28,800
Northern |1 |24,300
Wales |1 |16,600
Scotland |2 |25,300
Great Britain |2 |209,000
<1> Proportion receiving child care allowances 30 June 1989.
<2> Numbers in training 13 October 1989.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for Great Britain and each standard Training Agency region, what are the monthly statistics for each month since January showing the results of new client adviser interviews with people who want to register as unemployed showing (a) the number of claims not pursued at the reception stage, (b) the number of clients who do not attend for interviews, (c) the number of claims not pursued at the interview broken down into the following categories : (i) those entering employment, (ii) those not available for work and not intending to claim an
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alternative benefit, (iii) those appropriate to alternative benefits and (iv) other, and (d) the number of submissions to vacancies, (e) the number of referrals to employment training, (f) the number of availability referrals, (g) the number of referrals to specialists, namely DRO, CA, (h) the number of referrals to job clubs and (i) the number of referrals to EAS.Mr. Eggar : As the information requested is contained in a large number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member, and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
Special Employment Measures (Swindon)
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of people benefiting from special employment measures at the latest available date in the Swindon constituency ; and what is the average cost per person supported under each measure.
Mr. Eggar : The following programmes help to increase the opportunities available to unemployed people either to take up work or to start their own business. The figures indicate the number of people supported in the Gloucester and Wiltshire area, which includes Swindon, during August/September :
|Number
------------------------------------------
Enterprise allowance scheme |1,242
Job start |34
Job release scheme |80
The average cost per person on job start is £382. Average costs per person are not available for either the enterprise allowance scheme or the job release scheme. Job release pays people either £79.25 or £65.25 a week, depending on their circumstances, up to age 65. The net cost to the Exchequer of the enterprise allowance scheme is £1,846 per person taken off the unemployment count.
There are a number of other programmes available in Swindon which help unemployed people. These include the job club programme which provides training and support to help long-term unemployed with their job search activity. In September, 294 people were in a job club in the Gloucester and Wiltshire area.
Job Clubs
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how long a claimant must be out of work before being eligible to join a job club.
Mr. Eggar : Claimants should normally be out of work for six months before being eligible to join a job club. There are relaxations to the six month rule for people with disabilities, ex-offenders and people leaving YTS or employment training without a job to go to.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what facilities are available at his Department's job clubs to assist unemployed people trying to secure work.
Mr. Eggar : Every job club has telephones, paper, pens, typewriter or word processors, envelopes, stamps, photocopiers, newspapers and directories which members can use free of charge. A trained job club leader helps members draw up a curriculum vitae and shows them the
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best way to look for jobs, make job applications and prepare for interviews. Fares to attend the job club are reimbursed.Job clubs continue to be very successful and provide valuable help to all those who join. Over 54,000 members have found work so far in 1989. Many others have gone on to training, self-employment or education. Overall, 69 per cent. of all job club members leave with a positive outcome.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will consider making job club facilities immediately available to unemployed people as soon as they become unemployed.
Mr. Eggar : Job club membership is generally available only to people who have been unemployed six months or longer. This is because long- term unemployed people are generally less well motivated and have greater difficulties in applying for and securing jobs than those recently unemployed.
However, there are some important exceptions to the six-month eligibility rule which are designed to help groups who do need extra help, including those with
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disabilities, ex-offenders and those leaving YTS or ET without a job. I have no plans to change the eligibility rules at present.Job Interviews (Travel Costs)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost of travel warrants for unemployed people attending job interviews in 1988.
Mr. Eggar : The cost of travel warrants is not separately available. The cost to public funds of unemployed people attending job interviews under the travel-to-interview scheme in 1988 was £980, 000.
Training Schemes
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many agreed action plans have been drawn up at employment training agents on a monthly basis (a) nationally and (b) by training agency area since May.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 23 October 1989] : The figures are provided in the table.
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Employment Training agreed action plans at training agents
May to September 1989
Area office |May 1989 |June 1989 |July 1989 |August 1989 |September 1989
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South East Region<1>
Berkshire and
Oxfordshire |270 |307 |340 |283 |339
Buckinghamshire and
Hertfordshire |412 |472 |509 |487 |538
Essex |538 |589 |761 |460 |734
Hampshire and
Isle of Wight |583 |573 |705 |463 |602
Kent |561 |550 |470 |480 |574
Surrey |154 |247 |186 |197 |248
Sussex |548 |461 |546 |549 |542
London Region
Inner London North |1,595 |1,632 |1,477 |1,545 |1,510
Inner London South |420 |684 |648 |618 |748
London East |743 |721 |695 |820 |787
London North |726 |749 |584 |700 |962
London South |406 |479 |426 |346 |561
London West |365 |428 |388 |417 |431
South West Region
Avon |432 |440 |342 |378 |764
Devon and Cornwall |861 |1,003 |918 |877 |1,238
Dorset and Somerset |307 |344 |231 |226 |296
Gloucester and
Wiltshire |442 |402 |285 |333 |468
West Midlands Region
Birmingham and
Solihull |1,177 |1,506 |1,424 |1,363 |1,988
Coventry and
Warwickshire |524 |559 |598 |418 |701
Dudley and Sandwell |631 |684 |688 |619 |755
Staffordshire |594 |628 |541 |494 |603
The Marches,
Hereford/Worcester |577 |555 |550 |580 |716
Wolverhampton and
Walsall |463 |587 |715 |466 |532
East Midlands and
Eastern Region
Bedfordshire and
Cambridgeshire |317 |289 |260 |249 |396
Derbyshire |531 |571 |444 |430 |512
Leicestershire and
Northamptonshire |598 |714 |571 |733 |960
Lincolnshire |240 |282 |271 |334 |196
Norfolk and Suffolk |530 |466 |526 |393 |540
Nottinghamshire |786 |1,122 |1,062 |929 |964
Yorkshire and
Humberside Region
Bradford, Calderdale
and Kirklees |914 |981 |930 |905 |1,002
Humberside |727 |884 |737 |802 |1,088
North Yorkshire and
Leeds |1,245 |993 |1,012 |1,052 |1,137
Sheffield and
Rotherham |994 |959 |888 |802 |1,308
Wakefield, Doncaster
and Barnsley |1,144 |1,019 |1,083 |1,019 |1,741
North West Region
Cheshire |574 |854 |679 |519 |689
Cumbria |182 |181 |287 |190 |259
Lancashire |899 |937 |907 |936 |1,130
Central Manchester |639 |791 |768 |655 |785
Greater Manchester
North |685 |856 |839 |849 |700
Greater Manchester
East |644 |675 |652 |688 |774
Merseyside |1,671 |2,067 |1,837 |1,767 |2,213
Northern Region
Cleveland |1,222 |1,352 |893 |1,170 |1,356
County Durham |917 |944 |959 |877 |1,139
Northumberland,
North Tyneside and
Newcastle |1,006 |1,195 |1,011 |987 |1,307
Sunderland, South
Tyneside and
Gateshead |1,182 |1,318 |959 |846 |1,270
Wales
Dyfed and West
Glamorgan |855 |912 |774 |556 |889
Gwent |516 |409 |479 |443 |640
Gwynned, Clwyd and
Powys |486 |397 |329 |332 |685
Mid and South
Glamorgan |893 |1,001 |755 |883 |1,027
Scotland
Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway |675 |889 |627 |801 |1,122
Central and Fife |567 |693 |388 |644 |887
Glasgow City |1,186 |1,601 |1,159 |1,492 |1,697
Grampian and Tayside |748 |1,055 |685 |799 |1,091
Highlands and Islands |190 |238 |240 |230 |262
Lanarkshire |567 |840 |727 |821 |781
Lothian and Borders |645 |804 |574 |589 |792
Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll |714 |987 |779 |1,066 |997
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Great Britain Total |39,018 |43,876 |39,117 |38,907 |48,973
<1> South East figures have been revised since this same information was given in a previous answer.
Accidents (Radiation)
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what comprehensive plans have been made, and what programmes for implementation of procedures, for the fire service to deal with accidents on railway or road involving external emissions of gamma radiation, and for police officers and other workers immediately affected ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. John Patten : I have been asked to reply, and will write to the hon. Member.
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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Today" Newspaper Story
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Attorney-General, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South, of 3 July, Official Report, column 14, what action he has now taken with regard to the Today newspaper for its front page story on 11 May headed, "Maggie IRA Bomb Squad Seized", concerning the arrest of three Irishmen who were later released without charge.
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The Attorney-General : I have considered the matter, but have concluded that there is no realistic prospect that any prosecution would result in a conviction. Accordingly, I do not propose to take any further action.
Serious Fraud Office
Mr Shersby : To ask the Attorney-General whether he proposes any changes to the serious fraud offices cash and running cost limits for 1989- 90.
The Attorney-General : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit on class XI, vote 12 will be increased by £250,000 from £5,514,000 to £5,764,000. Within this total the running costs limit will remain at £5,372,000. This change is to enable the serious fraud office to meet the costs of capital works relating to its new accommodation at Elm house, some of which although initially provided for in 1988-89 have, due to unexpected delays in completion of the work, now slipped into 1989-90. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.
PRIME MINISTER
Environmental Protection
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if she will set out the details of the policy options for global co-operation on environmental protection and environmental improvement she presented to the Inter- Parliamentary Union meeting on 6 September in London.
The Prime Minister : My speech to the Inter-Parliamentary Union last month set out the principles which I believe should govern our efforts to improve the environment. There are four : first, that proper protection for the environment is not possible without adequate growth ; secondly, that we need a sound scientific base to enable us to adopt policies and remedies which will be effective ; thirdly, that the demand for a better environment means accepting the costs involved and that action must work with the grain of the market and of human nature ; and fourthly, that many of the key environmental problems cannot be addressed by one nation alone--they need international co-operation. The Government have followed these principles in the detailed actions it has taken to improve the environment domestically and to take the lead in international co-operation, notably in the London ozone layer conference earlier this year and in the proposal we have made in the United Nations for an international framework convention on global climate change.
Poverty
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Prime Minister if she will now consider convening an inter-departmental ministerial committee to consider the problem of poverty in Great Britain.
The Prime Minister : I have no plans to do so. The Government will continue to take account in all their policies of those with particular needs. The recent statement on benefits by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security has directed further
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substantial help to the less well-off pensioners, the lower income families with children and the long-term sick and disabled.Sir Alan Walters
Ms. Abbott : To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether Sir Alan Walters has signed the Official Secrets Act ;
(2) whether Sir Alan Walters is subject to the same conditions of service as other special advisers ; and if she will make a statement ;
(3) whether Sir Alan Walters is subject to the same conditions of service as civil servants at a comparable grade ; and if she will make a statement ;
(4) whether Sir Alan Walters is subject to the same rules of conduct as civil servants at a comparable grade ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : Sir Alan Walters was employed as a fee-paid consultant. His conditions of service were based on those of a special adviser which differ slightly from those of permanent civil servants. He is subject to the provisions of the Official Secrets Acts.
Council of Europe
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Prime Minister what changes have been made in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the consultative assembly of the Council of Europe.
The Prime Minister : I have appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Poole (Mr. Ward) as a substitute member in place of my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale), and I have appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) as a substitute member in place of my hon. Friend the Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart).
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Knapman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in 1989-90 cash limits for expenditure by the Overseas Development Administration.
Mrs. Chalker : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit on the overseas aid vote (class II vote 5) will be increased by £74,613,000 to £1,365,579,000. The increase reflects adjustments to the aid programme during the year, including significant new commitments for Nigeria of £49,600, 000-- Official Report 6 December 1988 column 90 --and for the Commonwealth Development Corporation of £20,000,000-- Official Report, 21 May 1989, column 38. The increase also includes £2,500,000 for the estimated costs in 1989-90 of training and advice under the know-how fund for Poland- - Official Report 18 October 1989, column 149 --originally to be incurred on class II vote 2, "Other External Relations". Pending approval of the supplementary estimate, urgent expenditure of £1,500,000 for this new service will be met by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund. The running costs cash limit for the ODA has also been increased by £300,000, from £43,831, 000 to £44,131,000. The net effect of these changes has been charged to the reserve, and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.
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EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Correspondence
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of letters from hon. Members to his Department received a reply (a) in under four weeks, (b) within four to six weeks, (c) within six to eight weeks and (d) over eight weeks, in each of the last three years.
Mrs. Rumbold : The information is not readily available in the form requested. The Department received 11,157 letters for ministerial reply between January and September this year ; 4,798 were replied to within four weeks. Approximately two thirds of this correspondence was from hon. Members.
Teachers' Pay
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide figures to support the statement made by the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold) on 15 September, that teachers' pay has increased over the past three years by 40 per cent.
Mrs. Rumbold : Teachers have received the following pay increases since March 1986 :
Date of settlement |Increase Per cent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 31 March 1986 |1.6 1 April 1986 |5.7 1 January 1987 and 1 October 1987 |<1>16.4 1 April 1988 |4.75 1 April 1989 |6.3 <1> Paid in two instalments of 8.2 per cent.
The cumulative effect has been a rise in teachers' pay of some 40 per cent.
Mr. Raison : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the figures for average teachers' earnings for each year from 1981 to the latest year for which figures are available at 1985 prices.
Mrs. Rumbold : The information requested is as follows :
Average teachers<1> salaries 1981-89 Year (April) |Average salaries (Cash) |Average salaries real terms<2> (1985 prices) [NL] |£ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1981 |8,031 |10,275 1982 |8,618 |10,087 1983 |9,119 |10,255 1984 |9,652 |10,327 1985 |10,391 |10,391 1986 |11,216 |10,883 1987 |13,100 |12,200 1988 |13,670 |12,249 1989 |14,762 |12,244 <1>Teachers in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales. <2>Using the Retail Prices Index.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the referral of the interim pay award for teachers to the teachers' interim advisory committee ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mrs Rumbold : My right hon. Friend has received a substantial number of letters commenting on the remit given last month to the interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions.
GCSE
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide details of what examination fees can be recovered by schools and colleges from pupils who fail to complete the course work requirements of the GCSE examination.
Mrs. Rumbold : If a pupil fails without good reason to complete the requirements, including coursework, for any public examination for which the LEA or school has paid an entry fee, it is open to the LEA under section 108 of the Education Reform Act 1988 to recover the fee from the parent or guardian.
Crack
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has distributed fact sheets on crack to teachers in Warrington.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Bulk copies of a fact sheet on crack were issued by the Department on 29 August to all drugs education co-ordinators in England. It is for each co-ordinator to decide how the fact sheet should be distributed locally.
National Curriculum (Special Needs)
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has made any estimate of the extra resources needed to enable children with special needs to participate fully in the national curriculum.
Mrs. Rumbold : The cost of implementing the national curriculum will be met from the redirection of existing resources. However, the Government are making specific grants available to local education authorities to support the introduction of the national curriculum. In this financial year, there will be support for over £100 million expenditure. It is for authorities to decide how much to spend within this total in order to enable children with special educational needs to participate fully in the national curriculum, where appropriate.
Local Authorities' Cash Plans
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes), Official Report, 24 April, column 421, why information on local education authorities' cash plans is not available for the years 1981 to 1984 ; and what relevant information is held by his Department.
Mr. MacGregor : Cash plans were not requested in the period 1981-84 and information comparable with that provided for later years could not be made available without disproportionate expense. For the period in question the Department sought estimates from local education authorities of the cost of certain elements of their capital programme, but not in respect of new places to meet basic need for areas of population growth. Where numbers were expected to increase pupil projections were converted to allocations by means of standard cost multipliers per pupil place.
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Infertility Research
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give current Government funding into infertility research.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 26 October 1989] : The Medical Research Council is the main agency through which the Government support medical research. The council spent £2.3 million on research specifically into infertility in the financial year 1988-89 and also supports a range of basic research which may be of relevance to infertility.
Additionally, research on infertility may be pursued by university departments and medical schools with support from UFC block grants, and by health authorities ; information on this is not collected centrally.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list establishments where research into infertility is currently being carried out.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 26 October 1989] : The Medical Research Council funds research into infertility at the following establishments :
I. MRC Establishments
1. Clinical Research Centre, Clinical Sciences Division, Harrow Project Title
(i) Ultrasound and hormonal analysis of ovarian follicular growth in infertile women.
(ii) A population survey of ovarian morphology.
(iii) Urine Steroid profiling in patients with ovulatory dysfunction.
2. Clinical Research Centre, Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Harrow
Project Title
Study of efficacy of antimicrobial therapy in male infertility. 3. MRC Human Genetics Unit, Edinburgh
Project Title
Cytogenetic and physiological aspects of meiosis in man and other mammals : male infertility ; Spontaneous and mutagen--induced aneuploidy.
4. MRC Experimental Embryology and Teratology Unit, London Project Title
Factors affecting in-vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer in laboratory animals and man.
5. MRC Mammalian Development Unit, London
Project Title
Genetic, molecular and hormonal factors affecting gonadal differentiation in the mouse.
6. MRC Reproductive Biology Unit, Edinburgh
Project Title
(i) Role of neuropeptides, inhibin and gonadal steroids in the differential secretion of pituitary gonadogtrophins.
(ii) Lactational amenorrhoea in women. Implications for contraception and family planning.
(iii) Neural mechanisms governing the secretion of LHRH and functionally- related peptides.
(iv) Application of neuropeptide analogues and steroid antagonists in the regulation of the pituitary gland.
(v) Molecular analysis of sperm function in normal and infertile men. Effect of oral contraceptives and putative therapeutic agents. (
(vi) Identification and characterisation of gamete specific antigens. Immunological infertility and contraceptive vaccines. (
(vii) Endocrine, paracrine and autocrine regulation of the ovary, with reference to physiology of the follicle and corpus luteum. (
(viii) Prostaglandins in human semen. Role in sperm physiology and immunosuppression.
(ix) Endrocrine, paracrine and autocrine regulation of the testis. Application of chemotoxins in the study of hormone kinetics and gametogenesis.
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