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Mrs. Chalker : The information requested is as follows :
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ODA grants to NGOs 1988-89 Agency |JFS |Emergencies (Disasters|Others |Total |Refugees Food Aid) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ACAFESS (Afro Caribbean Community Organisation) |130,130 |- |- |130,130 Acord |255,500 |627,991 |274,427 |1,157,918 Action Aid |253,361 |751,066 |303,668 |1,308,095 Action Around Bethlehem |- |- |27,550 |27,550 Action on Disability and Development |97,163 |- |- |97,163 Action Water |10,000 |- |- |10,000 Afghanaid |- |1,313,580 |- |1,313,580 Africa Now |10,300 |- |- |10,300 Aga Khan Foundation |195,183 |- |1,364,857 |1,560,040 Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group (AHRTAG) |131,039 |- |337,715 |468,754 Aid for India |20,826 |- |- |20,826 African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) |182,541 |- |- |182,541 Avon Industrial Award Scheme |5,000 |- |- |5,000 Band Aid |- |169,953 |- |169,953 Boston-Jalchatra Project |- |- |12,000 |12,000 Boys Brigade |15,349 |- |- |15,349 British Airways Trust |48,500 |- |- |48,500 British Executive Services Overseas |- |- |300,006 |300,006 British Red Cross Society |16,797 |1,697,582 |- |1,714,379 British Refugee Council |- |6,000 |- |6,000 CAB International (Commonwealth Mycological Institute) |- |- |57,437 |57,437 Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD) |625,000 |3,189,990 |- |3,814,990 Care Britain |394,949 |2,752,509 |991,946 |4,139,404 Centre for Economic Policy Research |- |- |49,827 |49,827 Centre for World Development Education |- |- |135,000 |135,000 Christian Aid |1,375,000 |3,620,561 |438,000 |5,433,561 Christian Outreach |- |189,103 |- |189,103 Christians Abroad |- |- |17,000 |17,000 CIIR |49,673 |- |945,000 |994,673 Commonwealth Human Ecology Council |50,013 |- |- |50,013 Concern |39,202 |1,093,668 |4,581 |1,137,451 Council For Education in World Citizenship |- |- |6,500 |6,500 Council Of Europe North South Campaign |- |- |30,000 |30,000 Co-operation For Development |205,884 |- |338,700 |544,584 Commonwealth TUC |51,020 |- |- |51,020 Cusichaca Project |32,155 |- |- |32,155 Disasters Emergency Committee |- |2,106,700 |- |2,106,700 Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme |5,000 |- |- |5,000 Equipment for Community Hospitals Overseas |6,307 |- |- |6,307 Food and Agriculture Research Mission |12,514 |- |- |12,514 Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala |13,672 |- |- |13,672 Hand In Hand |17,636 |- |- |17,636 Health Unlimited |48,175 |- |- |48,175 Help the Aged |43,013 |156,890 |- |199,903 Homeless Trust |153,137 |- |16,100 |169,237 International Council for Bird Preservation |37,570 |- |- |37,570 International Institute for Environment and Development |- |- |55,000 |55,000 Institute of Development Studies |- |- |1,262,000 |1,262,000 Intercare |9,732 |- |- |9,732 International Bee Research Association |- |- |29,600 |29,600 International Boys Town Trust |21,621 |- |- |21,621 International Extension College |- |198,200 |- |198,200 International Medical Relief |- |14,500 |- |14,500 International Committee of the Red Cross |- |610,000 |- |610,000 Intermediate Technologies Development Group |22,562 |- |1,880,000 |1,902,562 International Voluntary Service |14,886 |- |760,000 |774,886 King Mahendra Trust |14,750 |- |- |14,750 Leonard Cheshire Foundation |57,691 |- |- |57,691 Leprosy Mission |25,030 |- |- |25,030 Lifeline |- |- |9,842 |9,842 Ludhiana British Fellowship |- |- |4,763 |4,763 Marie Stopes International |194,699 |- |- |194,699 Namibia Refugee Project |10,000 |- |- |10,000 National Children's Home |11,000 |- |- |11,000 National Council of YMCA |- |62,500 |- |62,500 Ockenden Venture |21,862 |238,874 |- |260,736 Operation Raleigh |- |- |3,530 |3,530 Order of St. John |- |- |140,000 |140,000 Overseas Development Institute |- |- |715,203 |715,203 OXFAM |2,555,000 |5,091,413 |76,385 |1,722,798 Panos Institute |- |- |79,551 |79,551 Parkes Foundation |3,000 |- |- |3,000 PLAN (Foster Parents Plan/World Family) |126,250 |- |- |126,250 Plunkett Foundation |- |- |9,000 |9,000 Population Concern |190,739 |- |- |190,739 Quaker Peace and Service |- |112,000 |13,382 |125,382 Ranfurly Library Service |- |- |77,880 |77,880 Regional Conference on International Voluntary Service |- |- |4,300 |4,300 Richmond Fellowship |13,000 |- |- |13,000 Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind |153,336 |50,000 |- |203,336 Royal Society |- |- |112,000 |112,000 Rural Development Consultancy for Christian Churches in Africa (RURCON) |25,750 |- |- |25,750 Ryder Cheshire Mission |- |23,000 |- |23,000 Salvation Army |7,000 |- |- |7,000 Sandy Gall Afghan Appeal |- |100,000 |- |100,000 Save The Children Fund |1,925,000 |2,721,444 |1,569,430 |6,215,874 Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund |107,252 |- |- |107,252 Scottish Education and Action for Development - - 6,000 6,000 The Scout Association |21,092 |- |- |21,092 Send a Cow |34,500 |- |- |34,500 SOS Sahel International |49,557 |- |- |49,557 Special Projects in Christian Missionary Areas |- |23,608 |59,831 |83,439 St. John Ambulance |8,721 |- |- |8,721 Tear Fund |64,713 |26,500 |- |91,213 Tree Trust |11,130 |- |- |11,130 Uganda Society for Disabled Children |212,386 |- |- |212,386 United Kingdom Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific |24,860 |- |- |24,860 UN Association International Service |- |- |490,000 |490,000 UNICEF |- |500,000 |50,000 |550,000 UNIPAL |- |12,500 |- |12,500 Urban Aid |20,000 |- |- |20,000 Voluntary Service Overseas |13,031 |- |8,681,533 |8,694,564 War on Want |- |290,065 |49,643 |339,708 Water Aid |447,172 |- |- |447,172 Women's Corona Society |- |- |34,000 |34,000 Women's Environmental Network |- |- |10,000 |10,000 Work Start Overseas |36,156 |- |- |36,156 World Press Centre |- |- |45,000 |45,000 World University Service |19,244 |471,218 |- |490,462 World Vision |189,776 |1,179,315 |- |1,369,091 Worldwide Fund for Nature |368,690 |52,200 |420,890 Y-Care International |77,040 |110,000 |25,000 |212,040 You and Me |27,550 |- |27,550 YWCA |- |2,300 |50,485 |52,785 Zimbabwe Trust |28,075 |- |- |28,075 Total |11,667,912 |29,540,580 |22,005,872 |63,214,364 Note: These figures exclude the United Kingdom share of grants to British NGOs through the EC.
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-governmental organisations to which he will be making grants under the joint funding scheme in 1990 and the amount of grant that will be paid to each non-governmental organisation concerned.
Mrs. Chalker : Grants under the joint funding scheme are recorded by financial year rather than calendar year. The non-governmental agencies which will receive grants under the joint funding scheme this financial year, 1989-90, and the amount of grant they have been offered are :
ODA joint funding scheme (JFS) grants to British NGOS 1989-90 Agency |1989-90 grant |£ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acord |450,000 Action Aid |399,923 Action Water |10,000 Action on Disability and Development |147,825 Africa Now |9,213 Aga Khan Foundation |278,314 Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group (AHRTAG) |140,733 Aid for India |52,215 Alternative for India Development |47,145 African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) |201,179 Anti-Slavery Society |40,945 APT Design and Development |23,650 Boys Brigade |15,000 British Red Cross Society |106,280 Busoga Trust |33,333 Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD) |1,000,000 Care Britain |847,799 Christian Aid |1,700,000 Commonwealth Human Ecology Council |28,266 Child to Child |8,000 Catholic Institute for International Relations |127,688 CONCERN |133,998 Conservation Foundation |112,537 Co-operation for Development |195,641 Commonwealth TUC |124,552 Cusichaca Project Trust |37,000 Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme |77,000 Food and Agriculture Research Mission |40,799 Feed The Minds |13,330 Foundation of Nursing Studies |48,200 Hand in Hand |16,000 Harvest Help |48,125 Health Unlimited |173,353 Help the Aged |129,978 Homeless International |39,500 International Agricultural Training Programme |47,180 International Council for Bird Preservation |82,500 Impact Foundation |10,250 India Development Group |30,000 Intercare |9,732 Intermediate Technology Development Group |188,996 International Trust for Nature Conservation |3,897 International Voluntary Service |69,103 Jalchatra Project |7,500 Joe Homan Trust |33,180 King Mahendra Trust |14,750 Leonard Cheshire Foundation |86,936 Leprosy Mission |15,000 Living Earth |61,400 Money for Madagascar |3,000 Marie Stopes International |507,754 National Children's Home |16,257 Northumbrian Energy Workshop |13,500 Opportunities for Women |58,056 OXFAM |3,100,000 Passe-Partout |33,713 Plan UK (Foster Parents Plan/World Family) |190,553 Population Concern |357,568 Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind |137,683 Reed Charities |100,000 Richmond Fellowship |13,200 Save the Children |2,400,000 Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) |75,348 Semi-Arid Lands Training Centre (SALTLIC) |28,789 Send a Cow |9,250 SOS Sahel International |76,848 St John Ambulance |53,914 Tear Fund |65,600 Traidcraft Exchange |27,267 TRAX Program Support |31,943 Uganda Society for Disabled Children |212,743 United Kingdom Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific |95,794 Urban Aid |15,000 VETAID |15,500 VSO |9,000 Water Aid |654,699 WomanAid |27,221 World University Service |14,913 World Vision |237,565 Worldwide Fund for Nature |1,000,000 Y-Care |79,707 Zimbabwe Trust |128,500
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which year his Department first paid fees to Key Training of 10 Eaton place, Reading.
Mr. Nicholls : Key Training Ltd. commenced operations in February 1985. The Training Agency has paid fees under contract continuously since then.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contracts, and for what purpose, his Department currently has with Key Training Ltd. of 10 Eaton place, Reading.
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Mr. Nicholls : Key Training Ltd. is currently in contract with 15 area offices of the Training Agency to deliver YTS training. In addition the company is in contract with three area offices to deliver employment training.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the sum total of fees by his Department in each of the last five years to Key Training Ltd. of 10 Eaton place, Reading.
Mr. Nicholls : Fees paid to Key Training Ltd., for 1987-88, 1988-89 and projected figures for 1989-90 are as follows :
|£ ------------------------------ 1989-90 |5,682,323 1988-89 |6,008,053 1987-88 |5,790,692
Aggregated figures are not available for fees paid prior to April 1987.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent by the Health and Safety Executive on publicising availability of the registers of all improvement and prohibition notices in health and safety area offices, for the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Nicholls : There has been no direct expenditure on publicising the additional registers of enforcement notices with public safety implications set up at area offices of the Health and Safety Executive under the provisions of the Environment and Safety Information Act 1988 which came into force on 1 April 1989. Athough the Act made no provision for paid publicity, the executive has dealt with large numbers of inquiries from the media and secured extensive free publicity for both the new and pre-existing registers as part of its continuing task of publicising the Health and Safety Commission's publicly declared policy of openness.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the level of funding to the Health and Safety Executive with responsibility for Wales for each year since 1975, expressed at 1975 prices.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 15 November 1989] : Funding provision for the Health and Safety Commission and Executive is not made separately for Wales.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total numbers of workplace inspections conducted by the factory inspectorate in (a) Wales and (b) the United Kingdom in each year since 1975.
Mr. Nicholls : The information is not available in the form requested for the years 1975 to 1984. The table shows the number of preventive inspection visits carried out by the factory inspectorate in Wales and Great Britain since 1 April 1985 :
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Date |Wales |Great Britain (1 April-31 March) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1985-86 |5,000 |90,081 1986-87 |4,843 |94,308 1987-88 |4,376 |100,815 1988-89 |4,618 |101,141
The Health and Safety Executive does not enforce health and safety legislation in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that a copy of the Health and Safety Executive report into the recent explosion at Allied Colloids, Low Moor, is placed in the Library ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls : I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Mr. Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all towns in (a) the north-west regions and (b) Merseyside which have full employment.
Mr. Nicholls : There is no recognised level of full employment.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what follow-up there is of an employment training trainee who leaves before three months without giving a reason.
Mr. Nicholls : All trainees leaving employment training from April this year are sent a follow-up questionnaire. This asks a number of questions including whether they have found a job or entered other training.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if a trainee who leaves an employment training scheme without having a job, other scheme or college place to go to, is eligible immediately for unemployment benefit.
Mr. Nicholls : Anyone who leaves an ET or other scheme and is entitled to unemployment benefit can start to receive it from the day after any training allowance ends. If entitlement to UB is not established, or has previously been exhausted or disallowed, income support may be payable.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many recent complaints or inquiries he has received from individuals and employees on the activities of the Economic League.
Mr. Nicholls : Over the last six months my Department has received three letters about the activities of the Economic League.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of complaints per year from employees on the closed shop, from 1979.
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Mr. Nicholls : I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will announce plans to review staffing levels in unemployment benefit offices to take account of the increased workload imposed by the actively seeking work rules that became effective from October 1989 ;
(2) if he will implement the 1988 report of unions, management and Treasury, which recommended that staffing levels in unemployment benefit offices be increased.
Mr. Nicholls : I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will announce plans to improve the quality of service given to the unemployed.
Mr. Nicholls : My Department, through the employment service, provides a comprehensive range of services aimed at helping people find jobs or increasing their chances of doing so. These are regularly reviewed and from time to time my right hon. Friend announces proposals for improving them.
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many employment training trainees are currently on placement in (a) Wimpey and (b) Sainsburys in each of the Training Agency area offices in London ;
(2) if he will estimate the level of expenditure on employment training by each of the Training Agency area offices in London in 1989-90 and 1990-91 ;
(3) what correlation there is between the level of supplementary grant and the location of schemes in urban programme areas ; (4) what is the level of supplementary grant currently paid to training managers by each area office of the Training Agency.
Mr. Nicholls : I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the various grants for which employers may apply in order to facilitate the employment of disabled people ; and if he will indicate in each case the (a) amounts allocated by his Department and (b) the amounts taken up by employers in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Eggar [pursuant to his reply, 8 November 1989, c. 655] : I regret that the information given in a table on the adaptations to premises and equipment scheme was incorrect due to an error in transposing figures. The correct information is as follows : My Department provides a variety of help to facilitate the employment of people with disabilities, including six special schemes to help overcome specific barriers to work. Two of these offer grants to employers :
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(a) The Job Introduction Scheme--grants towards an individual's wages during a trial period.(b) the Adaptations to Premises and Equipment Scheme--grants to employers to adapt their premises or equipment to enable a specific disabled employee to work more effectively and productively. The other four offer help directly to individuals. Money is allocated to the special scheme as a bloc, and expenditure on any one scheme is not constrained by estimates for that scheme ; these are based each year on previous take-up and other evidence of likely demand.
Between 1979-80 and 1988-89, total expenditure on all the special schemes for the disabled rose from £743,000 per annum to £5,669,000 per annum.
The financial information requested about the two schemes is as follows :
Job introduction scheme Year |Expenditure estimate|Actual expenditure |£ |£ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1979-80 |334,000 |297,201 1980-81 |457,000 |269,433 1981-82 |425,000 |354,588 1982-83 |531,500 |439,861 1983-84 |571,000 |567,980 1984-85 |646,000 |659,000 1985-86 |760,000 |674,000 1986-87 |837,000 |574,000 1987-88 |920,000 |619,000 1988-89 |609,000 |614,000
Adaptations to premises and equipment scheme Year |Expenditure estimate|Actual expenditure |£ |£ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1979-80 |330,000 |50,000 1980-81 |381,000 |64,233 1981-82 |150,000 |71,469 1982-83 |177,000 |107,334 1983-84 |208,000 |134,412 1984-85 |150,000 |243,649 1985-86 |250,000 |295,000 1986-87 |450,000 |256,000 1987-88 |480,000 |404,000 1988-89 |354,000 |423,000
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17-year-olds, by sex, are currently denied benefit for not taking up the offer of a place on a youth training scheme within the Seaham and Peterlee areas ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : I have been asked to reply. The information is not collected because refusal to take up the offer of a place on a youth training scheme need not, of itself, deny benefit to 16 and 17-year-olds.
The Secretary of State has the power to direct that, where unavoidable hardship would result if benefit were to be withheld, a young person will be entitled to income support even though that young person would ordinarily not be so entitled.
Each case is considered on its merits. Factors which are taken into account are the young person's health and vulnerability, including the threat of homelessness ; the availability of any income or savings ; the prospects of a speedy entry into YTS ; the availability of casual work ; whether the person has any friends or relatives who could
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put him or her up or otherwise offer assistance ; and the financial commitments of the person and the prospects of postponing such payments, for example of a hostel charge.Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his latest estimates for expansion of exploration and development of oil and gas in the Scottish sector of the North sea.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his latest estimates for expansion of exploration and development of oil and gas in the Scottish sector of the North sea.
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his latest estimates for expansion of exploration and development of oil and gas in the Scottish sector of the North sea.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sillars) on 13 November, at column 99.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the level of coal imports to Britain ; what it was 10 years ago ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Coal imports into the United Kingdom were 12.0 million tonnes last year and 2.4 million tonnes in 1978.
Over two thirds of total coal imports in 1988 were of coking coal and anthracite, both of which are now in short supply in this country.
Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what further proposals he has to improve energy efficiency in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Improving energy efficiency is primarily a matter for individual consumers. The Energy Efficiency Office will continue to provide help and guidance to consumers, and to encourage the energy efficiency industry and buildings professions.
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the present rate of North sea development.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Hayward) on 13 November, at column 99.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what consideration he will give to non-economic considerations, such as pollution and safety, when evaluating the cost-effectiveness of coal and nuclear energy in relationship to renewable energy ;
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(2) whether, in calculating the cost of nuclear and renewable sources of energy, he intends to take into account the cost of commissioning a nuclear power installation and the long-term cost-effectiveness of renewable energy.Mr. Michael Spicer : The choice of fuel for electricity generation will be for the market to decide, bearing in mind statutory requirements relating to pollution and safety and the non-fossil fuel obligation.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to make a statement on the price of nuclear energy to be paid by private electricity companies ; and when he intends to lay orders before the House.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Contracts for the sale of nuclear electricity are for negotiation between the nuclear generation company and the area boards, and will be subject to Government approval. The contracts for nuclear electricity must be signed before vesting. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State also intends to lay before the House an order under section 32 of the Electricity Act 1989 before vesting.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the management of the nuclear power stations subsequent to vesting day for the electricity supply industry ;
(2) what consultations he had had with the chairman-designate of National Power for the management subsequent to vesting day of the Sizewell B (a) construction project and (b) nuclear power station ;
(3) what consultations he has had with the chairman-designate of PowerGen regarding agency arrangements for the management of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain after vesting day under the Electricity Act ; (4) what consultations he has had with the chairman-designate of National Power about the management structure of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain as a whole after vesting day under the Electricity Act ; (5) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding agency arrangements for the management of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain as a whole subsequent to vesting day under the Electricity Act ;
(6) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the future chairmanship of the board responsible for the management of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Great Britain after vesting day under the Electricity Act ;
(7) what consultations he has had with the chief executive of the Central Electricity Generating Board regarding the future (a) ownership and (b) management of the proposed Hinkley Point C pressurised water reactor nuclear power station subsequent to vesting day under the terms of the Electricity Act ;
(8) what consultations he has had with the chairmen of (a) British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and (b) the United
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Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority regarding the future management and ownership of the nuclear power stations of (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland ;(9) what consultations he has had with the staff of the nuclear power stations about their future management after vesting day of the electricity supply industry ;
(10) what proposals he has for the future management of the Sizewell B (a) construction project and (b) power station ; (11) what proposals he has for the management of the nuclear power stations of England and Wales after vesting day in the electricity supply industry.
Mr. Michael Spicer : I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House on 9 November at column 1175. My right hon. Friend and I have held discussions on the issues with the chairmen of National Power and the Central Electricity Generating Board, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and British Nuclear Fuels Ltd, and with representatives of the staff.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the number of pressurised water reactor nuclear power stations to be constructed in England and Wales starting before the year 2000.
Mr. Michael Spicer : I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's statement to the House of 9 November at column 1175.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy at which nuclear power station sites there have been site emergency plan exercises over the past 10 years ; when these exercises took place ; what level of exercise they were designated ; whether reports of the exercises are available ; which exercises tested the concept of extendability ; which non -electricity board organisations were involved ; whether members of the public were involved in or notified of the exercises ; and which nuclear power station sites are due to have their site emergency plans exercised in the next three years.
Mr. Michael Spicer : United Kingdom nuclear power stations have exercised their site emergency plans every year since the station started operations.
These exercises are now classified at three levels : level 1, which comprises annual tests at each site of on-site emergency arrangements and emergency services ; level 2, held every two or three years at each site, which also test the off-site arrangements and involve the local authorities and emergency services, regulatory bodies and Government Departments ; or level 3, when one of the level 2 exercises is raised to national or level 3 status, and which involves full participation of local organisations, police, emergency services and central Government Departments. These exercises are witnessed by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate (HMNII) and appropriate reports are made available to relevant parties. Many of these exercises, at level 2 and 3, are based on an assumed radioactive release going significantly beyond that which could arise from the reference accident (ie the accident which although unlikely, has the greatest off-site consequences that can be reasonably predicted, given the design of plant, its protective systems and its operating limits). Generally level 2 and level 3 exercises involve the participation of external organisations which include HMNII, the National Radiological Protection Board,
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Government Departments, local authorities, health authorities, the police and emergency services. There has been some limited public participation in some of these exercises. Local community liaison councils are made aware of both the programme and the outcome of exercises. For the future, each site will hold at least a level 1 exercise annually, with higher-level exercises continuing to take place with the same frequency as at present.Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with James Capel and Co., stockbrokers, regarding the impact on public Exchequer proceeds of withdrawal of the advanced gas- cooled reactors from the sale of the generating companies under the terms of the Electricity Act.
Mr. Michael Spicer : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has had discussions from time to time with his advisers on electricity privatisation on a wide range of matters. All such discussions are confidential.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the balance sheet assets and liabilities of the Central Electricity Generating Board to be transferred to (a) National Power, (b) PowerGen, (c) the National Grid Company and (d) any further residual company owning the nuclear power stations after vesting day under the terms of the Electricity Act.
Mr. Michael Spicer : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 14 November at column 139.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the net effect to the Exchequer of the sale of the electricity supply industry.
Mr. Michael Spicer : It is too early to estimate the likely proceeds from the sale of the electricity supply industry and hence it is not possible to give an estimate of the effect on the public Exchequer.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the level to be set for the nuclear levy in each of the first three years after vesting day under the terms of the Electricity Act.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The level of the fossil fuel levy will depend upon the prices for fossil and non-fossil generated power, which are in the process of negotiation.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any proposals to improve incentives for energy conservation schemes.
Mr. Peter Morrison : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 13 November at column 17.
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Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the tonnage of coal imported into the ports of Seaham, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Teesside, by month, during 1989.
Mr. Michael Spicer : The latest information is shown in the table. Imports into Seaham are not identified separately but are recorded under the port of Sunderland. Imports into Teesside are recorded under the port of Middlesbrough.
1989 Thousand Tonnes<1> Month |Sunderland |Hartlepool |Middlesbrough ---------------------------------------------------------------------- January |23 |16 |103 February |31 |6 |276 March |38 |11 |206 April |45 |5 |430 May |23 |4 |176 June |50 |4 |72 July |10 |10 |- August |26 |2 |165 September |2 |14 |457 |--- |--- |--- Total<2> |249 |72 |1,885 <1>Figures are rounded independently and a total may therefore differ from the sum of its constituent parts. <2>January to September 1989. Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise (port of entry basis).
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the change in the level of Government spending in real terms from 1983-84 to 1988-89 on (a) draught-proofing, (b) cavity wall insulation, (c) double glazing, (d) heating controls, (e) loft insulation and (f) external wall insulation.
Mr. Peter Morrison : Government expenditure on draughtproofing homes through the Community insulation programme rose from £6.7 million in 1983-84 to £44.1 million in 1987-88 (both sums at 1987-88 prices). The figures for 1988-89 are not available.
Expenditure on loft, cold water tank and pipe insulation through the homes insulation scheme fell from £32.6 million in 1983-84 to £9.9 million (provisional) in 1988-89 (both sums at 1988-89 prices). In addition, there have been other Government-funded programmes in the housing sector which have included expenditure on insulation measures, but for which a breakdown in the form requested is not available.
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