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Capital Trusts (Yorkshire)
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will set out the costs in consultancy fees in (a) the Yorkshire regional health authority, (b) Leeds Western health authority and (c) Leeds Eastern health authority in relation to the establishment of capital trusts.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to approach the chairmen of the health authorities concerned.
Botulism
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work is being carried out involving botulism toxins ; for what purpose ; and whether such work has commercial applications or export potential.
Mr. Freeman : A number of establishments are known to be involved in research on botulinum toxins including the PHLS Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research at Porton Down. In the first instance, fundamental research is in progress on the structure and function of the several botulinum toxin molecules. The knowledge generated from this work is being applied in a number of areas : in the development of botulinum toxin for human therapeutic use ; the CAMR is developing bolutinum toxoid vaccines for human use and is developing sensitive rapid in vitro assays for the detection of botulinum toxins. These areas could have commercial and export potential.
The Agricultural and Food Research Council's Institute of Food Research also has a programme of research in relation to clostridium botulinum and food safety, and is carrying out work with this organism under a number of different conditions relevant to food preservation. This work is part of a programme funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on modelling microbiological growth. The institute will shortly begin work on the genetic relationships of the different botulinum toxins. This is part of a non-commercial major food safety programme.
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Perinatal Aid
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many perinatal and neo-natal deaths were recorded for each health authority in England and Wales for 1987 and 1988.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested has been placed in the Library.
FPCs (Expenditure)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for England and Wales for each year since 1979 the total family practitioner committee expenditure (a) under the ancillary staff scheme and (b) for the cost of providing premises under the rent and rate scheme ; and if he will give an indication of the costs adjusted for general price inflation.
Mr. Freeman : The information requested for England is given in the following table. Information in relation to family practitioner services in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Expenditure (England)
Total of direct reimbursements to GPs
for rents and rates costs<1>
|Cash<1> |Real terms at
|1988-89 prices<2>
|£ thousands |£ thousands
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |19,555 |36,818
1980-81 |25,385 |40,388
1981-82 |30,717 |44,511
1982-83 |37,327 |50,447
1983-84 |45,267 |58,449
1984-85 |51,309 |63,115
1985-86 |63,093 |73,655
1986-87 |71,203 |80,409
1987-88 |79,855 |85,645
1988-89 |92,570 |92,570
<1> Comprises reimbursements for rents, rates, notional rent, cost
rents and local authority economic rents.
<2> Based on FPC annual accounts prepared on an income and expenditure
basis.
<3> Real terms prices have been calculated using the gross domestic
product deflator.
Expenditure (England)
Total of direct reimbursements to GPs
for rents and rates costs<1>
|Cash<1> |Real terms at
|1988-89 prices<2>
|£ thousands |£ thousands
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |19,555 |36,818
1980-81 |25,385 |40,388
1981-82 |30,717 |44,511
1982-83 |37,327 |50,447
1983-84 |45,267 |58,449
1984-85 |51,309 |63,115
1985-86 |63,093 |73,655
1986-87 |71,203 |80,409
1987-88 |79,855 |85,645
1988-89 |92,570 |92,570
<1> Comprises reimbursements for rents, rates, notional rent, cost
rents and local authority economic rents.
<2> Based on FPC annual accounts prepared on an income and expenditure
basis.
<3> Real terms prices have been calculated using the gross domestic
product deflator.
f heading General Practice Cost Rent Scheme
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for each of the last five years and for England and Wales the total amount outstanding under the general practice cost rent scheme.
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Mr. Freeman : The cost rent scheme gives a general medical practitioner an enhanced annual rental reimbursement which reflects the value of the capital investment he or she has made in acquiring or developing purpose-built surgery premises or their equivalent. The cost rent remains in payment until it is more advantageous for a GP to opt for rent reimbursement based on an assessment of the current market rental value of his or her surgery premises. As this can vary with local circumstances, it is not possible to identify the long-term total expenditure commitment represented by cost rents in payment at any one time.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Southern Africa
74. Mr. Squire : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom will contribute to the forthcoming southern African development co-ordination conference ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : I shall represent Her Majesty's Government. I shall announce a new pledge of £10 million to add to the £60 million we have committed over the last 10 years.
83. Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will participate in the southern African development co-ordination conference with a view to co -ordinating aid from different sources.
Mrs. Chalker : Membership of the southern African development co- ordination conference is limited to countries in the region. I shall attend their annual consultation meeting with donors in Lusaka on 1 and 2 February.
85. Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister of his Department will represent Her Majesty's Government at the southern African development co-ordination conference.
Mrs. Chalker : I shall represent Her Majesty's Government.
Kenya
75. Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Kenya.
Mrs. Chalker : I last visited Kenya in my previous capacity in January 1989 and am planning a further visit early in the spring. My predecessor as Minister for Overseas Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr. Patten), visited Kenya in March 1987 and the then Secretary of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Sir G. Howe), visited in September 1988.
Rain Forests
77. Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give details of the projects to be assisted in Brazil to preserve the tropical rain forest, announced following the
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visit there by the right hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Patten) ; and whether similar assistance is being planned for Colombia.Mrs. Chalker : We are developing possible projects in Brazil related to sustainable forest management and the effects of deforestation on climate, as well as research into the genetic resources of the rain forest. Similar assistance to Colombia may be considered in the future, but for the time being we are using our resources to establish the Brazilian programme.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking as a result of the mission to Brazil of Mr. Tim Synott of his Department, in relation both to rain forest and savannah grassland problems.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer the hon. Member to the two replies I gave him on 22 January at columns 506 and 507. Savannah grassland problems were not included by the Brazilian Government among the initial priority areas for United Kingdom assistance. However, we would consider assistance in this field if, in our continuing contacts with the Brazilians, it emerged as a priority concern.
Eastern Europe (Free Markets)
78. Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on Government assistance towards creating free markets in the emerging eastern European democracies.
Mrs. Chalker : I have little to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay by the Prime Minister on 9 January in response to her question on assistance to Poland and Hungary. We will extend the know-how funds to the other countries in eastern Europe once they are fully committed to reform.
Vietnam
84. Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government now have any plans to make overseas aid available to Vietnam.
81. Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to provide aid for Vietnam.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer I gave on 16 January to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson).
Namibia
82. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for increasing aid to Namibia.
Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House last year that we would provide aid to an independent Namibia. We are planning several exploratory missions to Namibia to identify areas in which we may be able to assist. A team arrived at Namibia yesterday to assess the need for police training.
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Developing Countries (Debt)
86. Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals the Government have to reduce the debt burden of developing nations.
Mrs. Chalker : The United Kingdom has played a prominent part in the measures agreed over the last few years to assist heavily indebted countries pursuing economic reforms. The priority for these countries now is to continue with the implementation of reforms to lay the basis for long -term growth. The United Kingdom will continue to play a constructive part in discussions of the debt strategy in the relevant international forums.
Know-how Funds
87. Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums have been paid to date from the know-how funds to political movements in Poland and Hungary.
Mrs. Chalker : No sums from the know-how funds have been paid directly to political movements in Poland and Hungary, but funds are being used to finance political projects, broadly defined. We are supporting seminars for Polish Members of Parliament training in media techniques, and training directly relevant to the local government elections to be held in Poland this year.
By the end of the financial year, we expect to have spent a total of £150,000 on such projects.
El Salvador
88. Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will be reviewing their policy on aid to El Salvador in the light of recent developments in that country.
Mrs. Chalker : I have no plans to do so. We have a very small programme, the principal focus of which is the provision of training in Britain. We are also ready to provide emergency or humanitarian assistance in the appropriate circumstances.
Sri Lanka
89. Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the British Government's aid and trade relations with Sri Lanka in the light of increasing political violence and disregard for human rights.
Mrs. Chalker : We have made our concern about human rights abuses clearly known to the Sri Lankan Government, although we recognise the main threat to the democratic process and human rights remains terrorism and intimidation by extremist groups.
We have as yet made no link between human rights and our aid programme on trade relations. Much of our bilateral aid in Sri Lanka is directed towards helping the poorest people and reconstructing facilities damaged in the course of the conflict, including in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
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Somalia
90. Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the development aid needed by Somalia and the contribution that can be made by the United Kingdom towards meeting those requirements ; and what conditions regarding human rights, democratic processes and the rule of law he attaches to aid to Somalia.
Mrs. Chalker : Somalia has in general a need for a significant volume of development assistance. Britain participated with others in the provision of such help until October 1988 when concern about human rights violations led to the suspension of new British aid. More recently, deteriorating security conditions have caused a reduction in the scale of existing activity. We remain ready to consider requests from international and British voluntary agencies for humanitarian assistance for victims of the civil conflict in the north, but current conditions make it very difficult for such agencies to operate.
Aid Budgets
91. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any changes have been made in the last six months to the Government's projected aid budgets to eastern Europe, Africa and Asia.
Mrs. Chalker : In the Autumn Statement, the Government announced increases in the overseas aid programme of £75 million in 1990-91 and £105 million in 1991-92. Even allowing for new multilateral commitments, these increases mean that our aid to Asia and Africa over the period 1990-91 to 1991-92 will be higher than previously planned.
Within the last six months, the Government have also increased their assistance for eastern Europe. They have doubled their know-how fund for Poland from £25 million to £50 million, contributed $100 million to the Polish stabilisation fund, are identifying a Polish agricultural project worth up to £15 million and have introduced a £25 million know-how fund for Hungary to start from 1 April this year. This substantial package of assistance for eastern Europe is additional to and separate from the overseas aid programme for developing countries.
Furthermore, as I informed the House on 22 January at column 601, the know- how fund will be extended to cover other countries of eastern Europe once they are firmly committed to reform, and substantial additional resources will be made available to the fund for this purpose.
Cash Limits
Miss Widdecombe : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in 1989-90 cash limits for expenditure by the Overseas Development Administration.
Mrs. Chalker : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit on the overseas aid vote (class II, vote 5) will be increased by £62,710,000 from £1,365,579, 000 to £1,428,289,000. The increase includes a contribution to the currency stabilisation fund for Poland (20 December 1989, column 266), and a contribution to the UNHCR for refugees from Vietnam. Pending approval of the Supplementary
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Estimate, the payment to the stabilisation fund has been financed by a repayable advance of £61,710,000 from the contingencies fund. This amount is additional to and separate from the resources for overseas aid. The net effect of these changes will be charged to the reserve.SCOTLAND
Poisoned Birds
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Caerphilly, 13 December 1989, Official Report, column 671, on which estates or properties in the Tayside region the illegally poisoned birds were found ; and whether any prosecutions resulted.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The properties or locations where illegally poisoned birds were found in Tayside region are as follows. No prosecutions have resulted.
|Where found
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987
Crows |Eradynate estate
Rook |Monzie estate
Gulls |Monzie estate
Buzzard |Ballyorkan, near Pitlochry
1988
Rooks |Dron wood, Longforgan parish, near Dundee
Buzzard |Poloskie Scraloch, near Blairgowrie
Buzzard |Monzie estate
Gulls |Strathallan castle estate
Eagle |Caenlochan national nature reserve
1989
Crow |Scone estate
Crow |Glen Isla estate
Crow |Strathmore estate
Buzzard |Monzie estate
Electoral Registration
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to increase electoral registration in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The preparation of electoral registers is the statutory duty of electoral registration officers. The Scottish Home and Health Department supports them each year with publicity campaigns.
Remand Prisons
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many remand prisoners there were in Scottish prisons at a convenient date in each of the past 10 years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The available information is set out in the table :
Average daily remand
population in Scottish
penal establishments
1980-89
|Numbers
------------------------
1980 |705
1981 |746
1982 |844
1983 |863
1984 |942
1985 |1,092
1986 |1,017
1987 |938
1988 |844
<1>1989 |768
<1> Provisional.
Table file CW900129.019 not available
Student Allowances
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether extra allowances under the SED student allowances scheme to students with dependants will continue to be paid and uprated annually should a student loans scheme be introduced.
Mr. Lang : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 23 January to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) at column 626.
Scottish Heart Health Study
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the letter of Professor Hugh Tunstall Pedoe, director of the cardiovascular epidemiology unit in the university of Dundee, of 15 December 1989, on the Scottish heart health study ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : A copy of the reply to Professor Hugh Tunstall Pedoe's letter of 15 December has been placed in the Library. I expect to announce shortly the Government's conclusions on the review of health education in Scotland undertaken by Touche Ross management consultants and on a report by the Scottish health service advisory council's working group on the prevention of coronary heart disease. The latter report and the results of the Scottish heart health study will inform the Government's strategy on coronary heart disease prevention in Scotland.
Non-smokers
Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions are being made in all the offices and other places under his Department's control for the convenience and comfort of non-smokers ; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy for non-smokers.
Mr. Rifkind : After a full survey of staff views and extensive consultations, and with the support of staff interests my Department will in April this year introduce a policy restricting smoking in offices and other working areas. For a period of about six months thereafter, smoking will be permitted only in specially designated areas in staff restaurants and during specified periods in working rooms. Thereafter, restrictions will be further extended and smoking will be permitted only in areas specially designated for smoking. The need to allow smokers time to adjust to this policy has been recognised, and special counselling services will be arranged if there is sufficient demand for them.
Sea Fish Conservation Act 1967 (Charges)
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the judgment delivered by Sheriff Risk at Aberdeen sheriff court on 19 January
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dismissing charges under the Sea Fish Conservation Act 1967 against Mr. Ian Sutherland and 11 others ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Lang : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson) on 25 January.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will place in the Library a copy of Sheriff Risk's judgment in the case of the procurator fiscal at Aberdeen against Mr. Ian Sutherland and 11 other skippers.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Yes, arrangements are being made to place a copy in the Library.
TRANSPORT
East London River Crossing
Mr. Sedgemore : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why, and under what provisions, over 3,000 objections to the east London river crossing proposal have been invalidated ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the reason for the requirement that objections already registered to the redesigned bridge and other related changes to the east London river crossing must be repeated in writing by 22 February if they are to be considered.
Mr. Atkins : Draft orders to authorise a revised design for the east London crossing bridge and to modify the arrangements for cyclists and pedestrians were published on 17 August 1989. These attracted over 3,000 objections. Further changes to the junctions on either side of the bridge were subsequently proposed. The draft orders already published were withdrawn and new draft orders giving effect to all the changes were published on 11 January.
The Department wrote to all the objectors to the original draft orders inviting them to say if they wanted their previous objection amended or supplemented as necessary to stand in relation to the new orders.
Transport Supplementary Grant
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list those projects in the Darlington borough council area awarded transport supplementary grants since 1983 ; and whether he will estimate the proportion this represents of transport supplementary grants awarded to Durham county council area as a whole.
Mr. Atkins : No major road scheme (costing over £1 million) in Darlington borough council's area has been accepted for transport supplementary grant since the present system was introduced in 1985-86. Transport supplementary grant for minor works is not given for specified schemes but in a single block. We do not know how much Durham county council has spent on minor works in Darlington borough council's area. Before 1985-86 transport supplementary grant was paid as a single block for capital and current expenditure on roads and public transport.
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Road Surfacing (Whitehall)
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions took place between his Department and Westminister city council before the road surfacing work now taking place in Whitehall was commenced : and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : No discussions took place. Westminster city council, which is the highway authority for Whitehall, was under no obligation to notify my right hon. Friend before the resurfacing work started.
Sound of Seil (Fire)
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning the fire on board the ferry Sound of Seil in January ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is conducting an investigation into this incident to establish the cause of the fire. The investigation is not yet completed.
Non-smokers
Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions are being made in all the offices and other places under his Department's control for the convenience and comfort of non-smokers ; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy for non-smokers.
Mr. Atkins : My Department's policy for its offices is to create a non-smoking environment, with facilities for those who wish to smoke. We will arrange for non-smokers and smokers to occupy separate offices where other management considerations permit. Where all the occupants of any office agree, staff may display "no smoking" signs in that office. It is open to local management and staff to agree further measures to apply locally, on a voluntary basis.
In addition, since November 1989, a general "no smoking" policy has been applied in the waiting rooms of driving test centres throughout the country.
Driving Licence Holders (Names)
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what bodies, persons, groups, companies or other organisations the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre in Swansea has given names and addresses of licence holders ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre is required under regulation 15 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1971 to release the names and addresses of vehicle keepers, who will in most cases be motor vehicle licence holders, free of charge to the police. Local authorities are given these details free for any purpose connected with the investigation of an offence. This regulation also requires the same information to be released to any person who can show reasonable cause for having it, and on payment of the prescribed fee-- currently £3.50. "Reasonable cause" is not defined in law but is generally taken to mean an inquiry related to an incident involving the use of a vehicle.
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Scrapped Vehicles
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has regarding the number of vehicles in the United Kingdom scrapped during the last full year for which figures are available ; and what was the number reported to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre in Swansea.
Mr. Atkins : The only information available is that reported to DVLC. In 1989 there were 310,439 vehicles in Great Britain reported as being either scrapped or exported. To extract from this total the number of vehicles scrapped could be done only at disproportionate cost.
River Craft (Culverts)
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that any road works for which he is responsible which pass over a navigable waterway will include a culvert to allow river craft to pass without obstruction ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : It is my right hon. Friend's general policy to design and construct bridges over navigable waterways so as to enable river craft to pass without obstruction so far as is reasonable. When designing new bridges, our practice is to consult the navigation authority. It is sometimes reasonable not to provide for the unfettered continuation of use, for example where a navigation is little used by craft of larger sizes. Restrictions to navigation may then be imposed, either permanently or during the course of the construction. Such restrictions may range from minor restrictions on draught up to more major interference. Powers relating to the construction of bridges over navigable waters and powers relating to diversions of navigable and non-navigable water courses are contained in part VI of the Highways Act 1980.
Heathrow Airport
Mr. Franks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, at his next meeting with the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, he will discuss the proposals put forward by British Midland Airways for increasing the efficiency of London's Heathrow airport.
Mr. Parkinson : My Department has frequent contacts with the CAA, and is already in touch with the authority about British Midland Airways' proposals. The chairman and I will discuss them as necessary.
East Anglia (Links with Europe)
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the steps he is taking to improve East Anglia's road, rail and air links with Europe after 1993.
Mr. Portillo : Our latest plans to improve the motorway and trunk road network in East Anglia are set out in our White Paper "Roads for Prosperity", which recognises the challenges presented by the single European market in 1992 and the opening of the Channel tunnel in 1993. In the East Anglian counties of Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire schemes worth over £500 million have been added to the existing programme which will result in comprehensive improvement of the A1, A11, A12 and A47 trunk roads.
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It is for British Rail to plan the pattern of rail services in the United Kingdom including services through the Channel tunnel. BR's section 40 plan proposes a daily service through the Channel tunnel to Brussels and Paris on the newly electrified east coast main line. Connections to and from Ely and Norwich will be made at Peterborough. New rolling stock and locomotives capable of 140 mph speeds are currently being delivered to the line. Firm proposals in respect of freight movement by rail from East Anglia are still being developed. Journey times from stations between Cambridge and King's Lynn to London will be improved by electrification. We are negotiating hard to liberalise the provision of air services within the Community including those involving regional airports. Stansted, Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich airports should benefit from these expanding opportunities. A new rail link to Stansted is under construction.Escalators (St. John's Wood)
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will call for a report from the chairman of London Underground Ltd. as to the safety implications of the prolonged closure of one escalator and the intermittent closure of the other escalator at St. John's Wood station ; what was the cost of the repairs undertaken on these escalators over the past year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : I understand that the escalator, which has been undergoing major repair, will be back in service this week. The cost of the repairs is a matter for London Underground Ltd.
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