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Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made for certificates of entitlement to the right of abode ; how many certificates were issued ; how much money was collected in fees for such applications ; how many staff, and at what grades, were in post to deal with the processing of such applications in each quarter since January 1988 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No separate record is maintained of the number of applications received from persons in the United Kingdom for certificates of entitlement to the right of abode. The remainder of the information requested is as follows :
Quarter ending |Certificates |Fees
|issued<1> |collected<2>
|(£)
---------------------------------------------------------------
31 March 1988 |340 |-
30 June 1988 |464 |-
30 September 1988 |419 |-
31 December 1988 |652 |-
31 March 1989 |594 |3,816.00
30 June 1989 |502 |5,625.00
30 September 1989 |581 |6,451.00
31 December 1989 |626 |6,278.50
<1> The figures include new and renewed certificates issued.
<2> Fees were introduced on 15 December 1988 in respect of new
certificates only.
Since January 1988, the processing of certificate applications made in the United Kingdom has required a team of two executive officers, two administrative officers and two administrative assistants.
In addition, in the whole of 1988, a total of 10,200 certificates of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom including confirmations of the right of abode, were issued to persons applying at posts abroad. The other information requested is not available centrally for such cases.
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Manchester Airport (Police)
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers of the Greater Manchester police authority were stationed at Manchester international airport in each of the last five years ; and what percentage of the total strength of the Greater Manchester police authority this represented in the same period and at the last available date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is as follows :
31 December |Officers |Force |Percentage
|deployed at |strength |airport
|airport |deployment of
|force strength
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |146 |6,965 |2.1
1988 |138 |6,844 |2.0
1987 |131 |7,021 |1.9
1986 |131 |6,725 |1.9
1985 |131 |6,779 |1.9
1984 |131 |6,745 |1.9
Dr. Sinha (Police Interview)
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for a report on the result of the interview of Dr. Sinha at Forest Gate police station on 1 February.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand that following their interview with Dr. Sinha on 1 February, the Metropolitan police still have his case under consideration.
DEFENCE
Tendering
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the impact of improved tendering procedures upon the cost effectiveness of his Department's expenditure.
Mr. Alan Clark : Our increased use of competitive tendering, including announcements in the MOD contracts bulletin, continues to achieve substantial savings. It is not easy to quantify these in the absence of any specific indication of the price which would have been achieved without competition. Our more commercial approach to procurement fosters improvements in the efficiency and international competitiveness of the British defence industry.
Independent European Programme Group
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress made within the independent European programme group on the production of complementary contract bulletins by each of the 13 member countries ; and what was the outcome of the recent meeting of the independent European programme group at Gleneagles in Scotland.
Mr. Alan Clark : The Defence Ministers of the 13 independent European programme group (IEPG) nations met in Gleneagles on 21 February 1990. Nine IEPG nations have now started regular publication of bulletins
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of defence contract opportunities ; the rest should follow later this year. This marks a major step towards the opening of the European defence equipment market. Ministers also reviewed progress on other aspects of the step by step opening of the European defence equipment market, and the establishment of the EUCLID European research and technology programme. A copy of the communique issued after the meeting has been placed in the Library of the House.Radiation
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many studies on radiation exposure to the work force at the research, development and operational establishments at (a) Llanishen, (b) Aldermaston, (c) Burghfield, (d) Devonport, (e) Rosyth, (f) Chatham and (g) Vulcan at Dounreay have been conducted (i) by his Department and (ii) by independent authorities since each facility began operations ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to initiate a study into the health effects of radiation on workers and their families based at Llanishen, Burghfield, Aldermaston and the Royal Navy college at Greenwich ;
(3) if he will make it his policy to initiate a study into the health effects of radiation on the work force at the Devonport and Rosyth shipyards.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Radiation exposures to radiation workers at MOD establishments are kept under constant local review by the radiation protection advisers and local management, and are also scrutinised by the Health and Safety Executive. Such exposures are authorised solely on the basis that they are justified, that they comply with statutory limits, and that they are as low as reasonably practicable. The data is placed on the national register of radiation workers and is included in a current mortality study by the National Radiological Protection Board on the whole of the United Kingdom nuclear industry.
The committee on medical aspects of radiation in the environment has recommended a nationwide study of leukaemia in children of workers in the nuclear industry. The Department of Health is considering how this study might be carried out, and we will co-operate fully as appropriate.
The following independent studies on radiation exposure in the MOD work force have been published :
(i) Report of an Investigation into Radiological Health and Safety at the Ministry of Defence (Procurement Executive) Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston', by Sir Edward Pochin, 30 October 1978.
(ii) AWE Mortality Study', published in the British Medical Journal, No. 6651, Vol. 297 on 24 September 1988.
(iii) Radiation induced Chromosome Aberrations in Nuclear--Dockyard Workers' (a study on Rosyth Dockyard Workers), published in Nature (Evans et al, Vol. 277, p531, 1979).
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications of the Gardner report on radiation risks for the continued use of nuclear materials by his Department.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Radiation exposures continue to be authorised by the MOD only on the basis that they are justified, comply with statutory limits, and are as low as reasonably practicable. This is a continuing process and I see no reason to change current practice.
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Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what precautions against radiation exposure will be taken in the removal of the research reactor from the Royal Naval college at Greenwich.Mr. Archie Hamilton : We will comply with all relevant statutory requirements and radiation exposure will be kept as low as reasonably practicable. The reactor fuel will be transported in a container which will conform fully with the regulations governing transport of radioactive material as administered by the Department of Transport.
EMPLOYMENT
Employment Training
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment training trainees are taking part in access courses to higher education as part of their training ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls : It is not possible to identify the number of employment training (ET) trainees taking part in access courses. Access courses that satisfy normal ET criteria can help to prepare trainees for a variety of employment and training opportunities including higher education.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether claimants who are already undertaking a part-time education or training course under the 21-hour rule may have this course included in their employment training action plan, if they wish to participate in the scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls : Claimants who have undertaken a part-time education or training course under the 21-hour rule may in certain circumstances have the course included in their employment training action plan. In order to be included the course would have to be an integral part of the person's training programme under employment training ; be directly relevant to the individual's vocational goal ; and agreed as the best method of meeting individual training needs. All other employment training conditions, such as the requirement to complete 30 hours training each week, would continue to apply.
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Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether ET trainees may study for O and A-levels as part of their directed training ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholls : Yes. O-levels or A-levels may help certain trainees to make progress towards their chosen occupation. If so agreed, these qualifications would then be specified as part of directed training within the trainee's action plan.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will estimate from the 1988 labour force survey data (a) the numbers of claimants without paid jobs who wanted full-time jobs, (b) the number who wanted part-time jobs, and (c) the number who had no preference who (i) had not looked for a job in the survey reference week, (ii) had not looked for a job in the last four weeks, (iii) were not available for work within the next two weeks, (iv) (i) and (iii), and (v) (ii) and (iii) ; and if he will break the estimates down by sex and region ;
(2) if he will estimate, using 1988 labour force survey data, the number of male and female claimants without paid work not required to be capable and available for suitable work in spring 1988, and whose main reason for not seeking work in the survey reference week was (i) looking after family/home, (ii) long-term sick/disabled, (iii) believed no jobs available, (iv) retired, (v) temporarily sick, on holiday, awaiting results of job applications or waiting to start a job already obtained, (vi) did not want/need work, (vii) studying, (viii) not yet started looking, (ix) other reason/no reply/not applicable and (x) all reasons ;
(3) if he will estimate, using 1988 labour force survey data, the numbers of male and female claimants without paid work who were required to be capable and available for suitable work in spring 1988.
Mr. Nicholls : The available information is given in the following table. It is not possible to provide a reliable analysis of these figures by region. The requirement to be capable and available for suitable work does not apply to the labour force survey.
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Claimants not in employment, spring 1988: Great Britain
Thousand
|(i) Not |(ii) Not |(iii) Not |(iv) Both (i) |(v) Both (ii)
|looked for |looked for |available to |and (iii) |and (iii)
|work in refer-|work in last |start work
|ence week |four weeks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All persons
(a) Would like a full-time
job |270 |150 |60 |50 |40
(b) Would like a part-time
job |110 |70 |30 |20 |20
(c) No preference |40 |30 |10 |10 |10
Men
(a) Would like a full-time
job |210 |120 |40 |30 |20
(b) Would like a part-time
job |40 |30 |10 |10 |10
(c) No preference |30 |20 |10 |0 |0
Women
(a) Would like a full-time
job |60 |30 |20 |10 |10
(b) Would like a part-time
job |70 |40 |20 |20 |10
(c) No preference |20 |10 |10 |0 |0
Notes:
Table excludes people who said they would not like a paid job, or would like work as self-employed.
Figures are rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
Source: Derived with reference to both the claimant count and the 1988 labour force survey.
Noise and Vibration Inspectors
Mr. Flannery : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many specialist noise and vibration inspectors are required by the Health and Safety Executive ; and how many are currently in post.
Mr. Nicholls : Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive's factory, agricultural, quarries, explosives and mines inspectorate are responsible for enforcing legislative provision under which exposure to noise and vibration at work is controlled.
In addition, the Health and Safety Executive has 11 specialist inspector posts to provide technical support and advice on noise and vibration. Ten inspectors are in post and a new recruit is expected to start shortly.
Noise Control
Mr. Flannery : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what penalties, in each case, followed the eight prosecutions in the period 1981 to 1989 relating to the control of noise, referred to in his answer of 26 October 1989, Official Report , columns 598-99 .
Mr. Nicholls : The following penalties were imposed :
Health and Safety |Year |Result |Fine
Executive area |imposed
|£
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland West |1981 |Dismissed |-
West and
North Yorkshire |1983 |Guilty |50
West and
North Yorkshire |1984 |Guilty |1,000
Scotland West |1984 |Guilty<1> |-
East Anglia |1987-88 |Guilty |500
North East |1987-88 |Guilty |600
South Yorkshire and
Humberside |1988-89 |Guilty<1> |-
West and
North Yorkshire |1988-89 |Guilty |500
<1>Conditional discharge.
Skills Training Agency, Letchworth
Mr. Ian Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement about the sale of the Letchworth Skills Training Agency.
Mr. Eggar : Further to the statement that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made to the House, Official Report, 13 February 1990, column 141, about the sale of the Skills Training Agency (STA), I can announce that we have now accepted a bid from Mr. J. James, an instructor at Letchworth skill centre, for the gas safety training business presently located at one part of the skill centre. Mr. James intends to relocate the business to alternative premises by September 1990.
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SCOTLAND
Commonwealth Games
15. Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has had any discussions with the Scottish Sports Council since the conclusion of the Commonwealth games.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I met Professor Miquel, chairman of the Scottish Sports Council, informally at the Scotland v. France rugby international on Saturday 17 February at Murrayfield.
Rents into Mortgages
16. Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement on the progress of the rents into mortgages scheme.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Scottish Homes has received approximately 500 inquiries from tenants interested in purchasing their homes under the Government's rents to mortgages scheme.
Electricity Privatisation
17. Mr. Eadie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on electricity privatisation as it affects Scotland.
Mr. Lang : The new electricity companies, Scottish Power and Scottish Hydro-Electric, will begin operating at the end of next month, and their flotation will take place, subject to market conditions, in May or June next year.
Motorway Crash Barriers
18. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of motorway in Scotland are without crash barriers.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Only 80 miles are now without central reserve safety barriers. A further 33 miles of safety fencing will be installed this year at a cost of £3.5 million. This demonstrates the high priority we are giving to completing the outstanding work.
Poinding
19. Mr. Harry Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to meet Scotland's sheriff principals to discuss the poinding of goods by sheriff officers.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : There has been no request for any such meeting.
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Open Skies Policy
20. Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the economic consequences of an open skies policy ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Many of the responses to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport's consultation paper on Scottish lowland airports policy addressed in detail the possible economic effects of an open skies policy. All points have been assessed and are being taken fully into account in the review now being concluded.
35. Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the economic consequences of an open skies policy for Glasgow and Renfrewshire ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Many of the responses to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport's consultation paper on Scottish lowland airports policy addressed in detail the possible economic effects of an open skies policy. All points made have been assessed and are being taken fully into account in the review now being concluded.
Fishing Industry
21. Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Scottish fishing industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and my noble Friend the Minister of State met representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation on 7 February to discuss the management of the North sea haddock fishery in 1990.
European Regional Department Fund
22. Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total value of grants that Scotland has received from European regional development fund since its inception.
Mr. Lang : Awards totalled £857 million between 1975 and 1989. More than 90 per cent. of this came since 1979.
Toxic Waste
23. Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from local authorities and environmental groups about the disposal of toxic waste in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : A letter from Friends of the Earth (Scotland) was received recently. There have been no other representations during the past six months.
Local Enterprise Companies
24. Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many consortia bids have been received by groups wishing to run local enterprise companies in Scotland.
Mr. Lang : I have received 24 applications from consortia in Scotland wishing to form local enterprise companies.
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Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the tasks of the training standard advisory services in relation to local enterprise companies ; and to whom the former body will be accountable.
Mr. Lang : The training standards advisory service, which is at present accountable, through the Training Agency office for Scotland, to the Secretary of State for Employment, will provide advice and an independent assessment of the quality of training provision delivered by each local enterprise company. Under the terms of the Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Bill, the training standards advisory service staff in Scotland will become part of Scottish Enterprise, which will be accountable to the Secretary of State for Scotland. Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will wish to consider in due course how best to make provision for the Highlands and Islands area.
Health Services (Private Provision)
25. Mr. McAvoy : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many health boards have agreed contracts with private companies for the provision of health services to National Health Service patients.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Information about the number of contracts between health boards and other providers of health services is not kept centrally.
Revenue Support Grant
26. Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from rural areas regarding the Government's revenue support grant for 1990-91.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Six district councils in predominantly rural areas have made general representations about the overall level of their revenue support grant for 1990-91. A number of other authorities, some of them in rural areas, have as is usual raised detailed points, particularly in relation to loan charges and non-domestic rate income, on technical matters relating to the calculation of RSG.
Community Charge
27. Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the likely level of average community charge payments in Scotland in 1990-91.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Scottish local authorities were required to fix their community charges for 1990-91 by 29 January. The average charge (inclusive of the water charge) is £328, which represents an increase of 9.2 per cent. on the comparable figure for the current year.
28. Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the overall community charge due in the current year throughout Scotland has now been collected ; and what percentage of domestic rates was collected in each of the last five years at the same time.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is not held centrally but it would appear that the general flow of income from community charge payments is broadly the same as under the domestic rating system last year.
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46. Mr. Ron Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have yet to pay the poll tax in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : While no overall figure is available centrally it would appear that the proportion of people in arrears with their community charge payments is broadly the same as under the rating system last year.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the cost to local authorities of the administration and collection of the poll tax in 1989-90 ; and what was the cost to local authorities of the administration and collection of domestic rates in 1988- 89.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The overall cost of administering the community charge system in 1989-90, as estimated by local authorities, is £43.5 million. Community charge collection costs, exclusive of registration work and the operation of the rebate scheme, are estimated to account for £23.3 million of that total.
The overall cost to authorities of administering the rating system in 1988- 89 was £31 million, of which £17.3 million was in respect of rates collection. Separate figures are not available centrally for domestic and non-domestic rates.
39. Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individual pieces of communication have been sent in total by regional and island councils in Scotland to poll tax payers in Scotland since the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 came into operation.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Responsibility for the administration of the community charge is a matter for levying authorities. The number of communications sent to individuals will vary according to the circumstances of particular cases. However the main statutory communications issued by community charge registration officers and directors of finance are :
1. Inquiry form for completion by responsible person under section 17(5) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended by the Local Government Finance Act 1988.
2. Notification of entry in community charges register under section 14(2) of the 1987 Act, as amended by the 1988 Act. 3. Notification of any amendment to or deletion from the community charges register under section 14(5) of the 1987 Act as amended by the 1988 Act.
4. Demand notice in respect of a person's liability for the community charge, under Schedule 2(2) to the 1987 Act.
5. Notices in respect of unpaid community charges, under Schedule 2(4) and 2(7) to the 1987 Act.
Supplementary notices or forms may be issued if the circumstances require this. Additional communications will be sent in the case of people who have applied for community charge rebate.
Storm Damage
29. Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce any additional measures he proposes to take to help recompense for the damage caused and the problems associated with recent severe weather conditions ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir R. Johnston).
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38. Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to visit the flood-damaged areas of north Tayside.
Mr. Rifkind : I have no plans to visit north Tayside, but my noble Friend the Minister of State toured the worst affected areas on 15 February.
Scottish Homes
30. Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he takes to ensure the effective management of Scottish Homes.
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