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Mrs. Chalker : The information requested is as follows :


Column 465


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.                                                                    

Non-governmental Organisations

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                    

EMPLOYMENT

Key Training

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.

Health and Safety Executive

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.

Workplace Inspectors

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 :


Column 472


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.

Allied Colloids (Accident)

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.

Labour Statistics

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.

Trainees

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.

Economic League

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.

Closed Shop

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.


Column 473

Mr. Nicholls : I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Benefit Offices (Staffing)

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.

Unemployed Persons

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.

Training

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.

Disabled People (Quotas)

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                                  

YTS, Seaham and Peterlee

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


Column 475

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.

ENERGY

Oil and Gas (North Sea)

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.

Coal Imports

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.

Energy Efficiency

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.

North Sea Development

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.

Energy Sources

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.

Nuclear Energy (Price)

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.

Nuclear Power Stations

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.

AGRs

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.

Electricity Supply Industry

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.

Nuclear Levy

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.

Energy Conservation

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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Coal Imports, North-East

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).       

Insulation

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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