| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Peter Walker : The Welsh committee for postgraduate pharmaceutical education receives funding from my Department and from other sources. It is therefore not possible to provide a figure for total expenditure. However, my Department in the financial year 1988-89, provided funds for (a) the maintenance of the office of the director, his staff, and for some limited courses for hospital pharmacists in the sum of £71,938 ; and (b) a further £15,000 was expended on providing courses for community pharmacists.
Of the sum at (a) above, 80.77 per cent. was expended on administration in general, and 3.39 per cent. on members' allowances for attending meetings. There was no expenditure on the hosting of meetings, and since the committee has no nominees, there was no further expenditure under this heading.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure of the Welsh committee on drug misuse during the last year where figures are available ; and what proportion of expenditure was allocated to (a) administration in general, (b) hosting of meetings and conferences, (c) allowances for attending meetings and (d) general allowances given to nominees on the committee.
Column 279
Mr. Peter Walker : The Welsh committee on drug misuse is an advisory committee and as such does not have an operational budget. The only expenditure associated with it is as follows :(a) Secretariat and administrative support is provided by staff of my Department as part of their wider duties.
(b) £4,601.18 (1988-89).
(c) Travel and subsistence claims are where possible met by employing authorities or organisations. Where this is not possible they are met centrally. The amount for 1988-89 was £2,198.06. (
(d) Appointments are unpaid although a financial loss allowance is available to eligible members. The amount for 1988-89 was £206.25. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure of the Welsh Development Agency during the last year where figures are available ; and what proportion of expenditure was allocated to (a) administration in general, (b) hosting of meetings and conferences, (c) allowances for attending meetings and (d) general allowances given to nominees on the committee.
Mr. Peter Walker : The information requested is contained within the agency's latest annual report and accounts, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, with the exception of expenditure incurred in hosting meetings and conferences. This information is not separately recorded.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure of the Welsh health common services authority during the last year where figures are available ; and what proportion of expenditure was allocated to (a) administration in general, (b) hosting of meetings and conferences, (c) allowances for attending meetings and (d) general allowances given to nominees on the committee.
Mr. Peter Walker : During the last financial year, the Welsh health common services authority spent a total of £26,431,669. The further information requested by the hon. Gentleman is not available centrally.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure of the Welsh industrial development advisory board during the last year where figures are available ; and what proportion of expenditure was allocated to (a) administration in general, (b) hosting of meetings and conferences, (c) allowances for attending meetings and (d) general allowances given to nominees on the committee.
Mr. Peter Walker : In the 1988-89 financial year, expenditure in respect of the Welsh industrial development advisory board totalled £3,783 , of which £2,353 were travel and subsistence expenses for board members, and £1,430 was for hospitality at board meetings. No fees or general allowances are payable to board members.
Excluding Welsh office administration costs, which are published annually in "Public Bodies".
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure of the Welsh language board during the last year where figures are available ; and what proportion of expenditure was allocated to (a) administration in general, (b) hosting of meetings and conferences, (c) allowances for attending meetings and (d) general allowances given to nominees on the committee.
Column 280
Mr. Peter Walker : The total expenditure on administration of the Welsh language board during the financial year 1988-89 was £90,807, of which the amount spent on meetings and conferences was £654. Expenses paid for attending meetings of the board and its working groups totalled £6,833. Members of the board do not receive a fee for their work.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the current appointments made solely or jointly by him to the agricultural training board are held by women.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the current appointments made solely or jointly by him to the teamcare valleys steering group are held by women.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the attendance record at meetings (a) since their appointment and (b) during 1989 of the current members of the agricultural training board appointed solely or jointly by him or his predecessor.
Mr. Peter Walker : The attendance record is :
|(a) Since |(b) During
|appointed |1989
------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. J. E. Smith (Chairman) |5 out of 5 |4 out of 4
Mr. M. J. Curtis
(Deputy Chairman) |5 out of 5 |4 out of 4
Prof Kathleen Anderson |4 out of 5 |3 out of 4
Mr. G. J. Baird |5 out of 5 |4 out of 4
Mr. J. Burnett |5 out of 5 |4 out of 4
Mr. A. H. Fooks |5 out of 5 |4 out of 4
Mr. J. A. Kilgour |41 out of 46|5 out of 6
Mr. N. J. Mallett |5 out of 5 |4 out of 4
Mr. I. Monkton |5 out of 5 |4 out of 4
Mr. M. D. Pollard |27 out of 27|6 out of 6
Mr. D. H. Roberts |26 out of 27|6 out of 6
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the attendance record at meetings (a) since the appointment and (b) during 1989 of current members of the court and council of the University of Wales, Bangor appointed solely or jointly by him or his predecessors.
Mr. Peter Walker : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Gentleman may wish to write to the registrar at the college.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the attendance record at meetings (a) since their appointment and (b) during 1989 of the current members of the teamcare valleys steering group appointed solely or jointly by him or his predecessors.
Mr. Peter Walker : There were only two meetings during 1989 of the teamcare valleys steering group, which was established on 1 June 1989.
Current membership and attendance record of the group is listed in the table :
Column 281
|Attendance since
|appointed in
|1989
|Per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------
Chairman-Dr. P. Elwood |100
Professor N. Stott |100
Professor T. Hayes |50
Professor B. Davies |100
Mr. J. P. Williams |100
Mr. J. Butcher |100
Mrs. E. M. Lovell |100
Dr. G. Graham |50
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure of the teamcare valleys steering group during the last year where figures are available ; and what proportion of expenditure was allocated to (a) administration in general, (b) hosting of meetings and conferences, (c) allowances for attending meetings and (d) general allowances given to nominees on the committee.
Mr. Peter Walker : The teamcare valleys steering group is an advisory body, established on 1 June 1989, and does not have an operational budget. The only expenditure of the group is as follows :
(a) Secretariat and administrative support is provided by staff of my Department as part of their wider duties ;
(b) Nil to date ;
(c) Travel and subsistence claims are, where possible, met by members' nominating authorities or organisations. No claims have been received to date ;
(d) Appointments are unpaid although a financial loss allowance is available to eligible members. No claims have been received to date.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the current appointments made by him to the council of University College, Lampeter, are held by women.
Mr. Peter Walker : None.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the current appointments made solely or jointly by him to the court and council of the University of Wales, Bangor, are held by women.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the current appointments made solely or jointly by him to the court and council of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, are held by women.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the current appointments made solely or jointly by him to the court of University College, Swansea, are held by women.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the attendance record at meetings (a) since their appointment and (b) during 1989 of the current members of the council of University College, Lampeter, appointed solely or jointly by him or his predecessor ;
(2) what is the attendance record at meetings (a) since their appointment and (b) during 1989 of the current
Column 282
members of the court and council of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, appointed solely or jointly by him or his predecessor ;(3) what is the attendance record at meetings (a) since their appointment and (b) during 1989 of the current members of the court of University College, Swansea, appointed solely or jointly by him or his predecessor.
Mr. Peter Walker : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Gentleman may wish to write to the registrars at the colleges.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Rain Forest
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for the international convention on rain forest problems, as outlined in the Kew lecture on 6 February by the Prince of Wales.
Mrs. Chalker : The Government intend to pursue the proposal for an international convention on the world's forests, including tropical forests, in the context of negotiations on a climate convention and related protocols.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Doctors and Nurses
Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will identify the number of doctors and nurses employed in Northern Ireland (a) now and (b) in June 1979.
Mr. Needham : The information, which is available for September of each year, is as follows :
Year |Doctors |Nurses
|(including GPs)
----------------------------------------------------------------
September 1979 |2,931 |18,711
September 1989 |3,459 |20,780
Industrial Development Board
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the destination by parliamentary constituency of jobs created by the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland from inward investment into Northern Ireland in 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1988-89 ;
(2) what was the destination, by parliamentary constituency, of the jobs created by the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland in 1986- 87, 1987-88 and 1988-89.
Mr. Needham : Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. The table details jobs promoted in each parliamentary constituency during the years 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1988-89 :
Column 283
1986-87 1987-88 1988-89
Inward Home Inward Home Inward Home
Parliamentary constituency |Foreign |GB |NI |Total |Foreign |GB |NI |Total |Foreign |GB |NI |Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast, East |8 |8
Belfast, North |40 |38 |78
Belfast, South |103 |103 |15 |20 |35 |243 |60 |303
Belfast, West |93 |5 |98 |44 |44
East Antrim |15 |22 |37 |44 |136 |50 |230 |87 |124 |389 |600
East Londonderry |44 |65 |109 |20 |245 |160 |425 |7 |190 |73 |270
Fermanagh and South Tyrone 10 127 137 180 6 459 645 34 192 178 404
Foyle |99 |111 |17 |227 |89 |304 |393 |354 |88 |36 |478
Lagan Valley |108 |147 |255 |93 |30 |123 |939 |66 |44 |1,049
Mid Ulster |28 |190 |4 |222 |50 |280 |330 |16 |16
Newry and Armagh |30 |107 |137 |123 |311 |434 |74 |103 |177
North Antrim |72 |23 |95 |165 |4 |63 |232 |16 |90 |106
North Down |168 |75 |243 |73 |136 |209 |14 |14
South Antrim |124 |1,268 |263 |1,655 |212 |374 |306 |892 |793 |440 |153 |1,386
South Down |82 |28 |110 |63 |108 |171 |171 |261 |432
Strangford |26 |221 |247 |144 |177 |321 |18 |78 |153 |249
Upper Bann |72 |200 |162 |434 |281 |40 |487 |808 |91 |12 |66 |169
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |662 |2,193 |1,332 |4,187 |1,258 |1,243 |2,799 |5,300 |2,568 |1,449 |1,636 |5,653
Factory Space
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount of factory space available for letting from the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland and the Local Enterprise Development Unit at 30 September 1989 analysed by parliamentary constituency.
Mr. Needham : Information on the amount of factory space available from the Industrial Development Board is set out at table A. While the Local Enterprise Development Unit does not normally provide factory space for letting, it assists local enterprise agencies to provide workspace accommodation for small firms. In addition, its private developers scheme encourages the private sector to provide industrial property for letting to small businesses. Figures are not available by parliamentary constituency for LEDU-related property and are therefore provided by district council area in table B.
Table A
Industrial Development Board
Parliamentary constituency |Factories |Small |Total
|square |units
|metres |square
|metres
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Belfast |- |1,020 |1,020
East Antrim |1,580 |200 |1,780
East Londonderry |3,070 |300 |3,370
Fermanagh and South Tyrone |1,508 |- |1,508
Foyle |7,853 |- |7,853
Lagan Valley |- |- |-
Mid Ulster |3,799 |944 |4,743
Newry and Armagh |1,500 |401 |1,901
North Antrim |4,990 |- |4,990
North Down |3,842 |- |3,842
South Armagh |700 |307 |1,007
South Down |1,580 |- |1,580
Strangford |- |483 |483
Upper Bann |3,000 |- |3,000
|------- |------- |-------
Total |33,422 |3,655 |37,077
Supplementary Note-Table A
1. The figures shown are an aggregate of factory space and include small units held primarily for LEDU clients (under 700 sq metres).
2. The analysis includes factories and small units which are ready for immediate occupation, together with those which require some
refurbishment, and those which are surplus to requirements, pending disposal on the open market.
Table B
Local enterprise development unit
Factory space available for letting at 30 September 1989
District council area |Lettable factory
|space
|(square meters)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armagh District Council |202
Ballymena District Council |108
Belfast City Council |4,407
Carrickfergus Borough Council |740
Coleraine Borough Council |645
Craigavon Borough Council |63
Derry City Council |1,189
Down District Council |753
Dungannon District Council |1,035
Fermanagh District Council |334
Larne Borough Council |257
Magherafelt District Council |550
Newry & Mourne District Council |2,120
North Down Borough Council |198
Omagh District Council |1,484
Strabane District Council |100
|-------
Total |14,184
Notes:
1. LEDU's local enterprise programme assists local community based groups
to play an active role in economic regeneration and local industrial
development by providing assistance to these groups to establish local
enterprise agencies. These agencies provide workspace accommodation for
small businesses in addition to business advisory services and
administrative support.
2. The private developers scheme is aimed at encouraging private sector
developers to provide new industrial premises for letting to small
businesses. A shortfall grant, representing the difference between the
local cost of providing the premises and their commercial value on
completion, is available to developers from LEDU.
3. In one particular case in County Fermanagh, LEDU has purchased an
industrial estate which is let directly to small businesses. This unique
situation arose in order to ensure that eleven LEDU client companies could
continue operating at the Necarne estate which had been in danger of
closure. LEDU is currently negotiating the sale of the property.
Column 285
Working for Patients"
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the future of the Association of District Committees for the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland in the light of "Working for Patients".
Mr. Needham : The Association of District Committees will cease to exist if district committees are stood down following the prepared replacement by four area councils under the forthcoming Order in Council. The need for a central association of the proposed area councils will be for those bodies to determine.
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on arrangements for ensuring a voice for the consumer in the Health Service in Northern Ireland after implementation of the proposals contained in "Working for Patients" ; what will be the arrangements for ensuring that the role of monitoring and visiting will be carried out ; and how many places on area councils and boards will be set aside for representatives of patients.
Mr. Needham : The Department of Health and Social Services has consulted on the advisory and consultative arrangements for health and social services boards and is considering the representations received. An announcement will be made soon. Subject to the necessary legislation being made, boards will no longer have places set aside for representatives. All members will have an interest in securing the best possible services for their board's resident population and non-executive members will be appointed solely on the basis of the contribution they can make.
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the current categories of membership of each health and social services board, together with a table showing the categories of membership of each proposed board giving their method of appointment under the present system, and that proposed in "Working for Patients".
Mr. Needham : The chairman and vice-chairman of each board are appointed by the Department of Health and Social Services. Board members are appointed by the Department in proportions as follows : about 30 per cent. with a minimum of one member per council on the nomination of district councils ;
about 30 per cent. after consultation with professional bodies ; the balance after consultation with the universities and other interested bodies including the trade unions, employers organisations and voluntary bodies.
Subject to the necessary legislation being made it is proposed that boards will consist of a chairman and non-executive members appointed by the Department, prescribed officers of the board including the general manager, and a number of officers of the board appointed by the chairman, non- executive members and the general manager. The number of officer members will not exceed the number of non-executive members.
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the current categories of membership of each district committee in Northern Ireland together with
Column 286
a table showing the categories of membership of the proposed area councils along with the method of appointment under the present system and that under the proposals contained in "Working for Patients".Mr. Needham : District committees in Northern Ireland comprise 16 to 24 members and are appointed by the relevant health and social services boards on the basis of nominations drawn from voluntary and community organisations (at least one third of the membership but not more than one half), district councils (at least one quarter with a minimum of one member per council) with the balance drawn from trade unions, employers organisations and Churches.
The Department of Health and Social Services has consulted on the membership and method of appointment of the proposed area councils and is considering the representations it has received.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Agriculture Council
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Brussels Agriculture Council held on 12 and 13 February.
Mr. Gummer : I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting together with my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), the Parliamentary Secretary in my Department.
The Council considered in detail some of the Commission's proposals for the 1990 price fixing. I explained the United Kingdom position which I also outlined to the House recently. In particular I made it clear that the devaluation proposed for the green pound was insufficient.
The Council will resume consideration of the price proposals at its next meeting on 5 and 6 March.
Biotechnology and Seed Companies
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has made an assessment of the implications for British farmers and British agriculture of the purchase of biotechnology companies and seed companies by agrochemical companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : Because of the long-term nature of plant breeding and the heavy investment involved in biotechnological and seed research, larger companies already involved in the agricultural industry and which have the necessary financial resources and research facilities are particularly well placed. Provided there is adequate competition between them and between the United Kingdom companies and their international competitors in the United Kingdom market and that there is room for innovative small companies to identify market opportunities, I see no cause for concern.
Animal Feedingstuffs
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline the controls which exist to regulate the use of therapeutic medicants in animal feedingstuffs.
Column 287
Mr. Maclean : Therapeutic medicines may be used in animal feedingstuffs only if they are licensed for incorporation under the Medicines Act 1968. Where appropriate, a veterinarian's written direction is required before incorporation of a medicine or sale of a medicated feedingstuff.Veterinary Medicines (Withdrawal Periods)
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what checks have been carried out to ensure animals treated against warble fly have not been sent for slaughter before the withdrawal period recommended by the manufacturers has expired ; and if he will publish the results ;
(2) which checks have been carried out to ensure sheep dipped in an organophosphorous solution have not been sent for slaughter before the withdrawal period recommended by the manufacturers ; and if he will publish the results.
Mr. Maclean : Withdrawal periods for licensed veterinary medicines, where stipulated, are designed to ensure that any residues in products from the treated animal are at safe levels. Residue levels are checked by my Department through its extensive programme of monitoring at slaughterhouses and on farms. For maximum effectiveness monitoring is carried out on a carefully randomised basis, not on target groups, but the results to date have not given any evidence of problems which could be attributed to warble fly treatment or sheep dipping.
Antibiotics (Milk)
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what checks he has carried out to establish the presence or otherwise of antibiotics in milk destined for human consumption ; what the results show ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : All antibiotic products must be licensed under the Medicines Act. One of the licence conditions is that the product label must include details of the withholding period to be observed before milk can be taken for human consumption. The working party on veterinary residues in animal products keeps the position under review and, in addition, the Milk Marketing Board operates a strict testing regime for antibiotics in milk and applies severe penalties if consignments fail.
Food Labelling
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to extend food labelling requirements relating to contents to wine and beer.
Mr. Maclean : I expect the Commission of the European Communities to discharge its commitment in this area and to make proposals to the Council shortly for ingredient listing on the labels of all alcoholic drinks.
Safety Tests
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department conducts into the safety of commercially marketable products to check on industrially sponsored safety tests.
Column 288
Mr. Maclean : The Department commissions and draws upon a wide range of research to fulfil its responsibilities for the safety and standard of food products, pesticides and veterinary medicines.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food over what period he expects to have results from his recently announced research programme on bovine spongiform encephalopathy ; whether he intends to publish it ; whether the research covers milk as well as meat ; and whether animals other than cattle, pigs and chickens will be tested.
Mr. Curry : The results of the research programme on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) initiated by the Department in 1987, will become available at intervals over the next 10 years. We shall follow our general policy of publishing the results of the research that we fund. Already since 1987, major papers have been published announcing the discovery, the transmission of the agent, the structure of the protein associated with infectivity and the results of epidemiological studies.
The Department will be funding research into the infectivity of a wide range of organs, tissues and secretions, including milk, from BSE-affected cattle.
Experiments are in progress or planned to determine the transmissibility of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to a range of host species including goats, hamsters, marmosets, mice, mink and sheep, in addition to cattle, chickens and pigs.
Sheepmeat Premium
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's procedures to ensure that the European Community sheepmeat premium is paid only in respect of eligible sheep.
Mr. Curry : The Department carefully checks every claim for sheep annual premium to verify that the scheme rules have been complied with, and that payments are made only in respect of eligible animals.
Turkeys (Feed Compounds)
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what on-the-spot checks by his officials have been made in the last 12 months at turkey-rearing units owned by companies that mix their own feed compounds, to ascertain what kind of antibiotics have been added.
Mr. Maclean : Under the terms of the Medicines Act 1968 and regulations made under it, all businesses that manufacture medicated feedingstuffs are required to register with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and are subject to regular inspection by the society to ensure compliance with the requirements of medicines legislation.
Meat Processing
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what controls there are on the use of processing aids to allow meats to absorb water.
Column 289
Mr. Maclean : Products containing water retention agents are subject to the provisions of the Food Act 1984, the Food Labelling Regulations 1984, the Meat Products and Spreadable Fish Products Regulations 1984 and the Miscellaneous Additives in Food Regulations 1980. There are also Community regulations controlling the water content of frozen chickens. Any ingredient used to increase the water content of meat would have to be declared in the list of ingredients. Where added water comprises more than 5 per cent. of the finished product it must also be declared in the list of ingredients. There are special labelling rules covering the declaration of added water in cured meats.NATIONAL FINANCE
Payroll Tax
121. Mr. Watts : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has made any estimate of the additional costs to industry of a payroll tax of 0.5 per cent. of total payroll.
| Next Section
| Home Page |