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Mr. Jackson : The way in which the disabled students' and other supplementary allowances will be handled in the years after 1990-91 when the main mandatory grant rates are to be frozen will be considered in the light of all the circumstances, including the availability of resources, prevailing at the time.
Special Educational Needs
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the most recent figure for the number of pupils and students with statements of special educational needs in England.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The provisional total number of pupils with statements of special educational needs in England was 138,173 on 21 January 1989, with one authority's return outstanding.
ENERGY
Nuclear Safeguards
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what proportion of the costs allocated under (a) in annex B of his Department's memorandum to the Energy Committee on fast reactors published in HC 613, page 6, to reprocessing operations, fissure materials, and technical support for the Dounreay plants, in 1989-90, was spent on nuclear safeguards activities ;
(2) what proportion of the costs allocated under (b) in annex B of his Department's memorandum to the Energy Committee on fast reactors, published in HC 613, page 6, to reprocessing services in support of European collaboration, materials, design and component proving and for engineering in the research and development programme in 1989-90 was spent on nuclear safeguards activities.
Mr. Baldry : The AEA recovers the cost of its nuclear safeguards work as an overhead from its various nuclear activities. In 1989-90, this cost represents some 0.2 per cent. of costs allocated under item (a) Dounreay plants, and some 0.1 per cent. of expenditure allocated under item (b) research and development in annex B of the Department's memorandum to the Energy Committee on fast reactors.
Plutonium
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes), 8 January, Official Report, column 474, when the discussions to which he makes reference began ; how many meetings have been held to
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date, and where ; which states have participated ; and when he expects an agreement on safeguarding wastes containing civil material will be concluded.Mr. Baldry : Discussions with the IAEA on the safeguards to be applied to waste containing civil nuclear material began in 1988. Three consultants' meetings have been held in Vienna. These were held on 12 to 16 September 1988, 12 to 16 June 1989 and 9 to 13 October 1989. Representatives from the United Kingdom, United States of America, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Sweden, Canada, and Euratom attended the meetings. The IAEA is currently considering the consultants' recommendations.
WALES
Landslips
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, between 1979 and 1989, how many local authorities in south and west Wales have applied for Welsh Office financial assistance for villages threatened by landslides and landslips which have not been directly caused by mining ; how much money has been granted per annum by his office on such schemes, and if he will list them.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : The Department has no powers to give financial assistance for villages threatened by landslides and landslips, but it can advise local authorities on financing necessary works.
Coastal Erosion
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales have applied for central Government assistance since 1979 to tackle coastal land erosion problems ; how much money per annum has been allocated by central Government in this period ; and which schemes have been supported.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : Fourteen maritime district councils in Wales have applied since 1979 for central Government assistance for schemes, approved by the Department under section 5 of the Coast Protection Act 1949, to tackle coastal erosion problems.
The schemes supported under the Act and the actual amount of grant paid during each financial year are listed in the tables :
Financial |Grant Paid
Year
---------------------------------
1979-80 |984,331
1980-81 |980,659
1981-82 |1,553,313
1982-83 |2,048,111
1983-84 |749,718
1984-85 |1,080,983
1985-86 |431,933
1986-87 |1,106,116
1987-88 |1,436,051
1988-89 |727,376
|----------
Total |11,117,890
The provision for the financial year 1989-90 is £2.9 million. Note : Some of the grant paid in earlier years will relate to schemes approved before 1979 and not included in the list of schemes in the table.
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Grant aided schemes from 1 January 1979 to 31 March 1989
Authority |Scheme
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberconwy Borough Council |Aberconwy Stage 1
Aberconwy Borough Council |Aberconwy Stage 2, 3, 4
Aberconwy Borough Council |Happy Valley, Llandudno
Aberconwy Borough Council |Penrhyn Bay Breakwaters
Aberconwy Borough Council |Penmaenmawr Emergency Works
Carmarthen District Council |Pendine Sea Wall
Carmarthen District Council |Ferryside Phase I, II and III
Ceredigion District Council |Pen-yr-Eryyd Peninsula
Ceredigion District Council |Cae Bach
Ceredigion District Council |Victoria Terrace, Aberystwyth Beach Nourisement
Ceredigion District Council |Abearaeron Harbour South Pier
Ceredigion District Council |Victoria Terrace Stage I
Ceredigion District Council |Victoria Terrace Stage II
Ceredigion District Council |Traeth-y-Duffryn Beach, Aberporth
Ceredigion District Council |Village Frontage, Borth
Ceredigion District Council |Llanina Point, Newquay
Colwyn Borough Council |Storm Damage Phase 4
Colwyn Borough Council |Rhos-on-Sea
Colwyn Borough Council |Rhos-on-Sea Phase 3
Colwyn Borough Council |Sea Wall Rhos-on-Sea
Colwyn Borough Council |Llandulas Beach, Armourflex
Colwyn Borough Council |Emergency Works Sea Wall 1987
Colwyn Borough Council |Llandulas Tip
Colwyn Borough Council |Llandulas Beach
Colwyn Borough Council |West Promenade Wall and Groynes
Dwyfor Borough Council |Abersoch
Dwyfor Borough Council |Carreg Samson
Dwyfor Borough Council |Nefyn Beach
Dwyfor Borough Council |Pwllheli Golf Links
Dwyfor Borough Council |East Cliff, Aberdaron
Dwyfor Borough Council |Pwllheli Harbour Walls
Dwyfor Borough Council |Abersoch Port Fawr
Dwyfor Borough Council |Cliff Opposite Castle Street, Criccieth
Llanelli Borough Council |Llanelli Beach
Llanelli Borough Council |Salters Reclamation PI and PII and PIII
Llanelli Borough Council |Reinstatement of CP works at Llanelli Beach
Meirionnydd District Council |Ynysbrawd Phase 2
Meirionnydd District Council |Aberamffra
Meirionnydd District Council |Barmouth Drifting Sands
Meirionnydd District Council |Grouting Harbour Wall
Meirionnydd District Council |Abrasion of Stepped Apron
Meirionnydd District Council |Tywyn Road to Bryn-y-Mor
Ogwr Borough Council |Porthcawl Breakwater
Ogwr Borough Council |Porthcawl Seawall and Promenade
Port Talbot Borough Council |Aberavon Sea Wall
Preseli District Council |Cwm-yr-Egllys
Preseli District Council |Newport Sands
Preseli District Council |Whitesands
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Rhyl and Prestatyn Storm Damage
|November 1977
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Barkby Beach Phase 4
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Ffrith Beach Phase 1
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Lengthening Groynes Prestatyn
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Sand Dunes, Ffrith Beach
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Prestatyn Beach Nourisement
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Barkby Beach-Splash Point Phase 3
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Barkby Beach-Emergency Works
Rhuddlan Borough Council |Ffrith Beach Phase 2
South Pembrokeshire District Council |Front Street, Pembroke Dock
South Pembrokeshire District Council |North Cliff, Tenby Stage II
South Pembrokeshire District Council |Wisemans Bridge Phase I
South Pembrokeshire District Council |Laston House, Tenby
South Pembrokeshire District Council |Saundersfoot Harbour South Wall
South Pembrokeshire District Council |Iron Bar Sands, Tenby
South Pembrokeshire District Council |Paragon and Sluice Tenby
South Pembrokeshire District Council |Castle Beach Slipway, Tenby
Vale of Glamorgan District Council |Cliff Walk, Penarth, Phase I
Vale of Glamorgan District Council |Cliff Walk, Penarth, Phase II
Vale of Glamorgan District Council |Groynes at Penarth Head
Vale of Glamorgan District Council |Penarth Promenade
Ynys Mon-Isle of Anglesey District Council |Sea Wall Holy Island
Ynys Mon-Isle of Anglesey District Council |Trearddior Bay Sea Wall
Ynys Mon-Isle of Anglesey District Council |Beaumaris Sea Wall
Ynys Mon-Isle of Anglesey District Council |Gallowspoint Beaumaris
Ynys Mon-Isle of Anglesey District Council |Lleiniog, Penmaen
The Arts
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which matters of art in Wales fall under his responsibilities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : Primary responsibility for arts matters in Wales rests with the Welsh Arts Council. However my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has responsibility for aspects of the visual arts and general museums matters, together with sponsorship responsibility for the National Museum of Wales.
Japanese Investment
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are being made to strengthen Wales's chances of obtaining Japanese investment.
Mr. Peter Walker : Wales continues to be extremely successful in obtaining inward investment from Japan and has secured 19 projects promising over 2,000 jobs in the last two years. A number of measures have been introduced to further improve this excellent performance, including the setting up of a board of experienced business people to advise Welsh Development International ; provision of additional staff for Welsh Development International, including two new deputy directors ; and strengthening of their Tokyo office. I have myself undertaken two inward investment missions to Japan, the last in September 1989, and I regularly meet executives from Japanese companies. I was also pleased to officially open the new Centre for Japanese Studies, in Cardiff, in November 1989. There are good prospects for further investment from Japan.
Gross National Product
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to maintain gross national product figures for Wales.
Mr. Peter Walker : GDP for Wales and other areas of the United Kingdom is estimated annually. To calculate GNP would necessitate the estimation of net property income from outside Wales which would involve income from external (to Wales) investment and income generated in Wales by non-residents. Little information is available on these elements.
Hill Livestock Allowances
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total value to farmers within less-favoured areas in Wales of the hill livestock compensatory allowance.
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Mr. Peter Walker : Farmers in the less-favoured areas in Wales received £30.9 million in hill livestock compensatory allowances in 1988-89.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on the future levels of hill livestock compensatory allowance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Walker : I have received representations about HLCA rates from both the National Farmers Union and the Farmers Union of Wales. This matter has also been raised with me by several hon. Members in correspondence and questions in the House.
General Practitioners
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of general practitioner practices in Wales ; and what proportion of those practices have a computer.
Mr. Grist : The total number of general practitioner practices in Wales is 548 ; approximately 25 per cent. of those practices have a computer system.
Milk
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any liquid milk is being imported into Wales from Ireland for either liquid consumption or manufacturing purposes.
Mr. Peter Walker : No liquid milk is currently being imported into Wales from Ireland.
Doctors and Pharmacists
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the steps by which consideration is given to an application to dispense by (a) doctors or (b) pharmacists in respect of rural areas in Wales, including all the available appeal stages ; what changes he plans to make to that procedure for the future ; and who will be responsible for each stage in the new procedure.
Mr. Grist : The controls on dispensing in rural areas are governed by the National Health Service (General Medical and Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1974 (as amended). There are two sets of controls under these regulations for doctors and pharmacists. They are as follows :
Doctors--A doctor may make application to the responsible family practitioner committee (FPC). The FPC refers the matter to the rural dispensing committee (RDC) for determination. The regulations provide for an appeal to the Secretary of State against the decision of the RDC.
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Pharmacists--Pharmacists may make an application to the responsible FPC. The FPC refers the matter to the RDC for determination. There is provision for appeal to the Secretary of State. Additionally, following a successful outcome the pharmacist would have to secure admission to the FPC's pharmaceutical list, decisions on which are taken by the pharmacy practices sub-committee (PPSC) of the FPC. Appeals against decisions of a PPSC are considered by an appeal panel appointed by the FPC from a list of people drawn up by the Secretary of State.So far as arrangements for the future are concerned I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 23 January 1990.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy with regard to the creation of a consolidated body to deal with appeals on professional matters in respect of doctors and pharmacists ; and whether it is his intention for Welsh appeals to be dealt with through such an England and Wales body.
Mr. Grist : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 23 January 1990.
Community Health Councils
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many community health councils in Wales are (a) in favour and (b) against his proposed restructuring of community health councils in Wales.
Mr. Grist : The consultation period on the proposals for restructuring community health councils in Wales runs until the end of February 1990. Virtually all the councils are yet to respond.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish the responses of each community health council in Wales to his proposals for changing the number and structure of community health councils in Wales.
Mr. Grist : Any council is free to publish its response.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which community health councils in Wales have indicated (a) approval and (b) disapproval for the National Health Service and Community Care Bill's provisions and the way they will affect Wales.
Mr. Grist : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on Friday 8 December.
Trunk Roads
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to upgrade any trunk roads in Wales during the next five years to dual carriageway standard ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : Our plans for upgrading trunk roads in Wales to dual carriageway standard in the period to March 1994 are set out in "Roads in Wales--Progress and Plans for the 1990s".
Central European Time
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's policy towards the imposition of central European time in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Peter Walker : A Government Green Paper that considered the options open to the United Kingdom with regard to summer time arrangements, including harmonisation with central European time, was published in June 1989. I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department will be announcing the results in the near future.
Road, Rail and Air Links
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to improve Wales's road, rail and air links with Europe prior to 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : Improvements to the road network, including east- west links to Europe, are set out in "Roads in Wales--Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Improvements to rail and air links are commercial matters for the operators concerned.
Community Charge
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales further to his statement of 18 December 1989, if he will now provide further information on the operation of his scheme for community charge transitional relief in Wales.
Mr. Peter Walker : I am today placing in the Library revised calculations showing the effects of the scheme in Wales in 1990-91. Further calculations will be required for future years.
The calculations show that personal chargepayers in 320 Welsh communities will receive relief in 1990-91. I expect 750,000 chargepayers, more than one in three of all personal chargepayers, to benefit from the scheme. Chargepayers in most valleys communities, and in many rural communities, can expect to see reductions in their charges.
I will be laying regulations implementing the scheme shortly.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Recycling
122. Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to encourage the use of products manufactured from recycled materials.
Mr. Forth : I have established, under the aegis of my Department's business and the environment unit, an advisory group of more than 40 recycling experts to provide recommendations to Government on how to improve the United Kingdom's recycling performance. Smaller working groups have recently been convened to examine specific materials, and the means of increasing demand for recycled products is one of the critical issues which each group is addressing.
EC Framework Programme
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the EEC framework research programme and Her Majesty's Government's participation.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : The 1987-1991 EC framework programme for research and development has funding of 5.4 billion ecus (£3.6 billion). At the Research Council of Ministers on 15 December 1989 where I represented Her Majesty's Government the Council reached unanimous agreement on a new framework programme for 1990-1994 with funding of 5.7 billion ecus (£4.2 billion) (I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 17 January, Official Report, column 318. ). There is, therefore, a two-year overlap between the two programmes. The United Kingdom currently contributes 19 per cent. to Community research and development expenditure.United Kingdom scientists, research establishments, universities and companies participate in all the specific programmes under the framework programme. Individual projects require participation by organisations from more than one member state and the United Kingdom is typically involved in 50 to 80 per cent. of projects and receives 20 to 25 per cent. of the funding available.
Ferranti
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what study his Department has made of the Coopers and Lybrand report on the Ferranti fraud ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : As I said in reply to the hon.Member's questions about Ferranti in December 1989, the Serious Fraud Office is investigating allegations of fraud concerning the company. It is for the Serious Fraud Office to assess the relevance to its investigation of the Coopers and Lybrand report.
Steel Imports
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report the total tonnage of steel imported into the United Kingdom by British Steel plc during the last year, and any assessment made of the likely tonnage to be imported into the United Kingdom during the current year by British Steel plc.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information requested is not available.
Steel Demand (Ravenscraig)
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of whether existing steel demand within a 250 mile radius of the Ravenscraig steelworks is sufficient fully to load the plant throughout the year.
Alcohol
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in light of the merger of Bass and Irish Distillers, what plans he has to ensure that the trade in alcoholic beverages does not become a monopoly and to provide safeguards for the interests of consumers.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 22 January 1990] : In the event of such a merger situation qualifying for investigation under the merger control provisions of the Fair Trading Act it would be examined in the normal way
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by the Director General of Fair Trading who would advise my right hon. Friend on the competition issues raised and on the question of reference to the MMC. Following the MMC report on the supply of beer, a number of steps have been taken to promote greater competition in the on-licensed trade throughout the United Kingdom. If the hon. Member has any particular concerns about competition in the market for alcoholic beverages he should bring them to the attention of the director general.Civil Aviation Authority
Mr. Haselhurst : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement about the extent of the efficiency scrutiny of the Civil Aviation Authority which he announced on 12 December.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 23 January 1990] : The Monopolies and Mergers Commission has been asked to investigate the efficiency and costs of, and service provided by, the Civil Aviation Authority in supplying navigation and air traffic control services. The full extent of the investigation is contained in the reference made on 12 December 1989, a copy of which is in the Library.
1992 and Jobs
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the EEC Commission consulted Her Majesty's Government on its plans to consult political leaders from areas of the United Kingdom at a conference in Brussels on 25 January for the purpose of studying the implications of the report of 1992 and jobs in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 22 January 1990] : Her Majesty's Government were not consulted by the Commission about the meeting on 25 January. We understand that this will not be a conference, but a meeting between Commissioner Millan and several representatives of RETI, an organisation representing traditional industrial areas within the Community. It is not yet known who the representatives will be, or from which member states. We understand that the meeting is at RETI's request, but that it is not specifically to discuss the Commission-Louvain university report. It is not customary for the Commission to consult member states about meetings of this kind.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the EEC Commission decided to initiate an inquiry through the Catholic university of Louvain, Belgium, to study the impact of the 1992 measures on jobs in the United Kingdom and elsewhere ; if Her Majesty's Government were consulted ; and if he will take steps to inquire about the cost to the Commission of this exercise.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 22 January 1990] : We understand that the Commission decided to initiate this study, commissioned by it from the Catholic university of Louvain, towards the end of 1988. Her Majesty's Government were not consulted. The Commission may undertake its own studies of this kind without consulting member states, and does so regularly. However, proposals for legislative decisions flowing from such studies are of course a matter for member states in the Council of Ministers. No information is available on the cost of this exercise at present.
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Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has been provided with a copy of the inquiry into 1992 and jobs by the EEC Commission ; what were the conclusions of the report ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Redwood [holding answer 22 January 1990] : The Commission has not formally made available copies of this report, which is not yet ready for publication. The report was obtained by the press without the Commission's consent. The report still has the status of a Commission internal document. The Commission has however made a full copy of the report available to Her Majesty's Government informally. The report is not specifically about the impact of the single market on jobs, but analyses a wide range of socio-economic issues related to the single market in six individual regions--Strathclyde, South Yorkshire, Pays Basque, Wallonia, Nord Pas de Calais and Nord Rhein Westphalen. Its conclusions are complex, and we are still studying them. We shall deposit a copy of the report in the Library of the House as soon as possible.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which areas of Europe were identified in the EEC report on 1992 and jobs as being likely to suffer most.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 22 January 1990] : The full Commission-Louvain university report on the impact of the single market on certain regions was received in the Department only this week. We are still studying its conclusions.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Statutory Sick Pay
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the legislative and administrative changes, and proposals for change to the statutory sick pay scheme since its introduction.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The following legislative and administrative changes have been made to statutory sick pay (SSP) since it was introduced in April 1983 :--
April 1984 :
Uprating of SSP rates.
March 1985 :
Restriction on which days can be treated as qualifying days for SSP.
April 1985 :
Uprating of SSP rates ;
Introduction of compensation for national insurance contributions employers pay on SSP.
April 1986 :
Uprating of SSP rates ;
Entitlement to SSP increased from 8 weeks in a tax year to 28 weeks in a period of incapacity for work ;
The linking period between two periods of incapacity for work increased from 2 to 8 weeks ;
Certain periods of entitlement to SSP with a previous employer to be taken into account by new employer when determining maximum SSP entitlement ;
Introduction of Leaver's Statement ;
Amendment of SSP Exclusion and Transfer Forms ;
Days of entitlement to SSP deemed as days of entitlement to sickness benefit for invalidity benefit purposes ;
SSP treated as earnings for Attachment of Earnings Act.
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April 1987 :Uprating of SSP rates ;
Abolition of middle rate of SSP ;
Liability for payment of SSP transferred to Secretary of State where employer bankrupt or defaults ;
Minor procedural changes to take account of introduction of Statutory Maternity Pay ;
April 1988 :
Uprating of SSP rates.
April 1989 :
Uprating of SSP rates ;
Simplification/Amalgamation of SSP Forms.
The following changes are proposed from April 1990 :
Uprating of SSP rates, including earnings band between rates : Introduction of self-certificate form for optional use by employees and employers.
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