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ENERGY
Nuclear Electric
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the Government's plans to provide assurance in respect of the financial position of Nuclear Electric.
Mr. Wakeham : I have today laid before the House a minute informing the House of an assurance I propose to give to Nuclear Electric in respect of its financial position. Copies of the minute have been placed in the Library of the House.
WALES
Pre-school Playgroups
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to set up a fund from which money can be handed over to pre-school playgroups so that they can pay the proposed fees for inspection of playgroups alluded to in the new Children Act ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : There are no plans to set up a fund from which the costs of registration and annual inspection of pre-school playgroups may be met.
We have received a number of representations on this issue. The Government do not propose to use the powers contained in the Children Act, to charge playgroups high registration or inspection fees. It is proposed that the charge will either be a nominal one or it may be possible for playgroups to be exempt from the fees regulations. This is to be considered in more detail during the process of consultation on new guidance and regulations which will lead to the introduction of the Act.
Water Pollution
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the health implications for people eating substantial amounts of fish from Lake Trawsfynydd ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : Annual assessments are made of the maximum dose of radioactivity received by people eating
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fish from Lake Trawsfynydd. The latest information shows that only 7 per cent. of the internationally recommended dose limit of 1 milliSievert was received in 1988 by the most exposed groups.Legionnaire's Disease
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of Legionnaire's disease have occurred in the Mid Glamorgan health district in the past two years.
Mr. Grist : As cases of Legionnaire's disease are not notifiable, the information is not available centrally.
Park and Ride
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has had any recent discussions with the chairman of British Rail concerning park and ride facilities in south Wales.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : No. This is a matter for British Rail in consultation with the local authorities.
Skomer, Dyfed
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will announce his decision regarding the designation of Skomer, Dyfed, as a marine nature reserve.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend expects to publish the requisite notice and draft order this month, with a statutory period of not less than 28 days within which representations on the draft order may be made. If at the end of that period there are no objections the order designating the area as a marine nature reserve may be made with or without modifications. If there are objections there is a statutory requirement either to hold a local inquiry or appoint a person to hear the objections before the order, with or without modifications, can be made.
Roads (Tolls)
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the building of roads and the imposition of tolls by private companies.
Mr. Wyn Roberts : The Government wish to encourage greater private sector involvment in the provision of roads. The Green Paper "New Roads by New Means--Bringing in Private Finance" published in May 1989 set out our ideas. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will be publishing our response to the consultation shortly. Tolling is envisaged as the principal source of revenue for privately financed roads but in general road users will continue to have a choice between tolled privately financed roads and other roads. Where there is a monopoly, such as an estuarial crossing, the Goverment will impose some form of control on the level of the toll to be charged.
Cancer Screening
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to detect cervical cancer at an early stage ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Grist : All district health authorities in Wales operate cervical screening services for women aged 20 to
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64 based on computerised call and recall, which are designed to detect both pre-cancerous changes and the early stages of cervical cancer. Their efforts have been supported by a total of £1.3 million of recurring Welsh Office funds and, in addition, a further £390,000 has recently been allocated for the purchase of additional equipment. Welsh Office officials are continuing to work with health authority managers and clinicians to ensure maximum effectiveness of the programme.Integrated Development Operation
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement as to the allocation of funds originally intended for the integrated development operation for Powys, Gwynedd and Dyfed.
Mr. Peter Walker : In 1988 the European Commission allocated £108 million of European regional development fund grant to Dyfed, Gwynedd, Powys, and £30.5 million has already been committed to projects in the area. The Commission has not yet taken a decision on the allocation of additional funds from the European social and agricultural guidance funds which will convert the original programme into an integrated development operation.
Businesses
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many (a) small businesses, (b) medium-sized businesses and (c) large businesses are registered as employers in Wales ;
(2) what is the definition in terms of members employed of (a) a small business, (b) a medium-sized business and (c) a large business registered in Wales.
Mr. Peter Walker : There is no single, accepted definition of small, medium or large businesses in terms of their employment. However, a breakdown of census of employment data units in Wales over a wide range of employment size bands is as follows :
Numbers of Census of Employment Data Units with employees in Wales: September 1987 Size of units |Number of (Number of |units<1> employees) |(thousands) ------------------------------------------ 1 to 10 |36.2 11 to 24 |7.7 25 to 49 |2.9 50 to 99 |1.4 100 to 199 |0.8 200 to 499 |0.4 500 to 999 |0.2 1,000 or more |0.1 All sizes |49.7 <1>The figures relate only to data units with employees. Sole proprietors and Her Majesty's Forces are excluded. Also excluded are agriculture and horticulture holdings. Some worksites may comprise several data units because of the way the information is collected eg because of different pay arrangements for weekly and monthly paid staff. Source: 1987 Census of Employment.
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many small businesses in Wales have taken advantage of the services offered by the business improvement scheme and the enterprise initiative with respect to preparations for the single market in 1992.
Mr. Peter Walker : A total of 2,362 Welsh companies have applied for assistance under the enterprise initiative
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consultancy schemes, of which 2,208 have benefited from the initial business review. Since June 1989, the business review has automatically included specific questions and guidance on the implications of the single European market.The enterprise initiative consultancy schemes are only one part of the Government's efforts to ensure that small businesses are aware of the importance of the single market. My Department's exports branch staff regularly raises such issues in its contacts with business while the single market unit provides guidance on all aspects of the single market. Since January 1989, the Welsh Office has provided speakers at seminars or conferences on 89 occasions, including a series of 14 Welsh Office seminars currently under way.
In total, some 3,425 grants, totalling £10 million, were offered under the business improvement services scheme, which operated from December 1984 to March 1989. It is not possible to provide information on how many of these were relevant to single market issues.
Eye Tests
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the total number of eye tests carried out in Wales annually from 1985 to 1989 inclusive.
Mr. Grist : The number of eye tests carried out in Wales which were paid for by the family practitioner committees for each financial year were as follows :
|Number
------------------------
1985-86 |600,714
1986-87 |626,644
1987-88 |697,280
1988-89 |733,469
Most of the sight tests since April 1989 will have been private transactions and statistical information on these is not available centrally. The Government have commissioned a survey of sight tests to cover the period from Christmas 1989 to 31 March 1990. The report on the survey results will be placed in the Library of the House of Commons, some time in early summer.
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Dental Treatment
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the total numbers of individual appointments kept at dentists' surgeries in the Principality annually from 1985 to 1989 inclusive.
Mr. Grist : This information is not available.
Colliery Waste
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take measures to bring together the relevant authorities to prepare for the immediate removal of the Albion colliery waste tip above the village of Cilfynydd in Mid Glamorgan.
Mr. Grist : The relevant authorities, the Mid Glamorgan county council, as owners of the land, and the Welsh Development Agency, which would provide funding, are already discussing the best course of action for dealing with the remains of the Albion tip.
Flooding
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take measures to bring together the relevant authorities in Mid Glamorgan to undertake the remedial work needed to ensure that there will be no repeat of the flooding suffered by householders and owners of commercial premises in Pontypridd and Telapod in 1990.
Mr. Grist : This is a matter for the relevant authorities to resolve, but I understand that they have met to discuss how a solution may be best achieved.
Water Pollution
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for (a) Langland bay and (b) Limeslade bay (i) the dates in 1989 when total coliforms and E. Coli samples were taken, (ii) the corresponding total coliforms and E. Coli results for each date and (iii) the EEC Bathing Waters Directive (76/160/EEC) conforming level for both total coliforms and E. Coli.
Mr. Grist : The information is as follows :
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Langland Bay Limeslade Bay
Date of Sample 1989 |Total Coliforms |E. Coli |Total Coliforms |E. Coli
|per 100 ml |per 100 ml |per 100 ml |per 100 ml
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 May |1,300 |760 |2,400 |1,000
9 May |2,800 |640 |2,500 |2,000
16 May |1,100 |400 |700 |200
22 May |1,800 |540 |2,300 |800
31 May |7,200 |2,200 |15,000 |2,000
5 June |200 |110 |2,100 |200
13 June |840 |190 |800 |500
20 June |5,000 |470 |6,000 |3,000
27 June |300 |100 |100 |100
4 July |1,400 |580 |2,900 |2,000
10 July |200 |100 |10,000 |6,000
18 July |700 |680 |1,600 |300
25 July |100 |100 |700 |300
31 July |600 |100 |500 |100
8 August |100 |100 |400 |400
14 August |600 |50 |500 |400
22 August |400 |100 |1,400 |900
31 August |4,000 |280 |200 |100
5 September |110 |70 |7,000 |540
11 September |800 |340 |3,200 |450
19 September |13,000 |10,000 |2,200 |2,000
26 September |2,000 |100 |3,000 |650
A bathing water conforms with the bacteriological standards of the EC bathing water directive if 95 per cent. of samples taken do not exceed 10,000 total coliforms per 100 ml and 2,000 E.Coli per 100 ml.
Steel
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list with dates meetings at ministerial or senior official level between the Welsh Office and British Steel since privatisation ; (2) if he will list with dates the meetings he has had with the chairman of British Steel since privatisation ;
(3) if he, any of his Ministers, or senior officials had discussions with British Steel about its current capital investment programme before that programme was finalised.
Mr. Peter Walker : There have been no formal discussions between myself, my ministerial colleagues or senior officials at the Welsh Office and the chairman or other senior officials of British Steel since privatisation, although public life in Wales provides frequent opportunities for informal meetings and discussions on a range of issues. British Steel's capital investment programme is a matter for the commercial judgment of the company.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Waste Disposal
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will examine the effectiveness of current legislation relating to dumping, tipping, and land infilling ; and if he will consider bringing forward fresh proposals about (i) the unsightly desecration of the countryside, (ii) destruction of wildlife habitats and (iii) the problems of recycling.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The existing legislation in Northern Ireland on waste management is at present under review. I intend to consult district councils later this year with proposals for improved powers to control waste disposal.
The powers will include measures to minimise any detrimental effects of landfill on the amenity of the countryside and to ensure site restoration after disposal operations cease. Proposals will be put forward for more recycling of waste.
Fisheries Research
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish (a) the draught and tonnage of the fisheries research vessel Lough Foyle, (b) the type of fish covered by research carried out by the vessel since it came into the possession of the Northern Ireland authorities, (c) the number of full-time crew employed on the vessel, (d) the number of scientists employed on the vessel, (e) the number of other staff
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employed on the vessel, (f) the number of staff employed at the shore establishment and which directly support the vessel, (g) the port at which the vessel is based, (h) the sea area which is covered by research cruises on behalf of the Northern Ireland authorities, (i) the number of days spent at sea in each year since the vessel came into the possession of the Northern Ireland authorities and (j) the costs attributed to the vessel in each such year, or as much of such information as is available to him.Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 27 February 1990] : The information is as follows :
(a) RV Lough Foyle :
--draught : 4.09 m
--gross tonnage : 547 tonnes
(b) Cod, whiting, herring, haddock, plaice, hake, scallops, nephrops.
(c) 13.
(d) None employed full-time on the vessel. Two permanent scientific staff and four permanent technical staff have taken part in research cruises. Additional scientific and technical staff are currently being recruited.
(e) Three administrative officers have participated in research vessel duties. Additional staff are currently being recruited. (f) Staff at (d) and (e) above plus part of the time of management at the Fisheries Research Laboratory.
(g) Belfast.
(h) North coastal waters, the Irish sea and the Celtic sea. (i) Since the maiden cruise of the RV Lough Foyle on 31 October 1988 until 23 February 1990 the vessel has spent 37 and 140 days at sea in 1988-89 and 1989-90 respectively.
(j) The operational costs of the vessel were £290,000 in 1988-89. The estimated cost in 1989-90 is £504,600.
Arts
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total expenditure by the Government on the arts in Northern Ireland ; and in what specific areas the sums are expended.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 27 February 1990] : Total expenditure for the 1988-89 financial year was £4,660,310. Within this total expenditure, the specific areas in which sums were expended are as follows :
1. Arts Council Expenditure
|£
--------------------------------------------
Visual arts and film |342,798
Drama and dance |567,137
Grand Opera House |515,000
Music and opera |275,603
Ulster Orchestra |788,000
Literature |100,404
Traditional arts |58,428
Education |101,695
Community arts |129,709
Regional projects |70,878
Belfast Festival at Queen's |80,500
Further information is published in the Arts Council's 1989 annual report.
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2. Capital Programme for the ArtsUnder this programme the Department of Education paid the following grants :
|£
---------------------------------------
Down Arts Centre |236,865
Derry Civic Theatre |412
Coleraine, Flowerfield |18,129
Newry Arts Centre |560
Grand Opera House |117,918
Lyric Theatre |160,000
Arts Theatre |53,000
Old Museum Building |61,226
Crescent Arts Centre |50,000
3. Business sponsorship incentive scheme for the Arts Under this scheme the Department of Education made the following awards :
|£
-----------------------------------------------
Bardic Theatre Group |7,834
Garvagh Historical Society |1,000
NI Association of Youth Clubs |3,000
Newtownabbey Drama Festival |5,000
Royal Ulster Academy |500
Orion String Quartet |500
Newry and Mourne Arts Centre |650
Ulster Folk and Transport Museum |8,334
Opera NI |9,334
Tinderbox |1,000
Broken Nails Production Co |2,500
Belfast Festival at Queen's |13,700
Riverside Theatre |500
Ulster Museum |11,386
ACNI Youth Drama Group |834
Ulster Orchestra Society Ltd. |20,000
Orchard Gallery/Art Insight |2,817
St. George's Singers |500
QUB Choir and Orchestra |667
Portavogie Harbour
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why access to Portavogie harbour was blocked in the evenings of Friday 16 and Saturday 17 February ; how many fishing boats had to anchor outside the harbour entrance and how many were within the harbour ; whether Portavogie harbour was occupied to its full capacity that weekend ; and how many fishing boats were damaged that weekend.
Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 1 March 1990] : One fishing vessel is known to have suffered damage during that weekend when she broke her moorings in the early hours of Monday morning. The mooring basins were occupied substantially in excess of their design capacity. Two vessels had to berth at the eastern breakwater in the outer harbour and approximately 80 vessels were berthed within the mooring basins or alongside the north pier. No fishing vessels had to anchor outside the harbour. During the evenings of Friday 16 and Saturday 17 February, the entrance to Portavogie harbour was not blocked although access to the mooring basins was not possible as the area was fully utilised.
Equal Opportunities
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many councillors there are in Northern Ireland ; and how many of these are women.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 5 March 1990] : Of the 564 councillors currently in office, 64 are women. Two council seats are vacant.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Biological Warfare
128. Mr. Watts : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of biological warfare proliferation amongst developing countries.
129. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of biological warfare proliferation amongst developing countries.
Mr. Waldegrave : We are concerned about the possible development of biological weapons in several developing countries. We believe this is taking place, despite the 1972 biological weapons convention, which bans the production and possession of biological and toxin weapons, and to which over 100 states are party. It is not, however, our practice to comment on the detailed information available to the Government on such matters.
Somalia
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether talks have been instigated between Her Majesty's Government and the new Somali Government with a view to encouraging the conditions under which Britain might be able to restore aid to Somalia.
Mr. Waldegrave : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs had a useful discussion with the new Somali Foreign Minister, Mr. Ahmed Jama Abdulle, on 23 February during which he encouraged the new Somali Government to persevere in pursuing the goals that they have set themselves of improved human rights observance, achievement of national reconciliation, liberalisation of the constitution, and economic reform.
Ethiopia
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much famine relief has now been sent to Ethiopia by Her Majesty's Government ; and what percentage has arrived in Ethiopia so far.
Mr. Waldegrave : Since mid-1989 we have made bilateral commitments via British NGOs of food aid totalling 44,250 tonnes, at a cost of some £10 million, together with other bilateral emergency aid commitments totalling £4 million. A total of 15,850 tonnes of food have already arrived, a further 14,700 tonnes are due for delivery before the end of April and the balance thereafter. Of non-food commitments our expectation was that about half would be delivered by the end of April but this is subject to the port of Massawa returning to normal functioning.
Arms Reduction
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to attend the next six- monthly meeting arranged by his
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Department with non-governmental organisations to discuss arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation matters.Mr. Waldegrave : No. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs sees no reason to change the customary practice whereby these meetings are chaired by the responsible Minister of State.
Hungary
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his meeting with Hungarian Ministers in Budapest on 27 February to 1 March, he raised (a) the forthcoming nuclear non-proliferation treaty fourth review conference, (b) energy and environmental protection technological assistance for Hungary and (c) joint ventures between Hungary and the United Kingdom on the environmental clean- up in Hungary.
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his visit to Spain on 26 February, he raised the matter of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty with the Spanish Government.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his recent visit to the United Nations in New York, he raised the issue of the forthcoming fourth review conference of the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty with (a) the Secretary- General, (b) officials of the United Nations, (c) the United Kingdom permanent representative or (d) any of his counterparts.
Mr. Waldegrave : This issue was not raised during my right hon. Friend's visit.
United Nations Disarmament Handbook
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy in regard to the distribution in the United Kingdom and dependent territories of the United Nations annual disarmament handbook and periodical disarmament review.
Mr. Waldegrave : We have no arrangements for public distribution of these publications.
Diplomats
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by year since 1979 the names of officials in his Department employed on diplomatic duties who have been (a) suspended from duty or (b) dismissed from the service ; what offence they committed ; and of those listed, if he will show in his answer, those who were fully reinstated to diplomatic duties.
Mr. Sainsbury : As a general principle, Government Departments do not disclose to third parties personal information relating to their employees, without the consent of the employee concerned.
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Mr. Andrew Balfour
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 24 January, Official Report, column 686, if he is yet in a position to make a statement on Mr. Andrew Balfour's future in the diplomatic service.
Mr. Sainsbury : Mr. Balfour has been informed as recently as 23 February that his future is still under consideration and that we will be in touch with him shortly regarding the outcome.
Daphne Parish
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what negotiations his Department has had with the Iraqi authorities over the forthcoming trial of British citizen Daphne Parish charged with spying ; and what assistance will be given by his Department for her defence.
Mr. Waldegrave : We have made almost 50 representations to the Iraqi authorities on Mrs. Parish's behalf since the arrest last September, and have been in close contact with her family throughout.
In response the Iraqi authorities have assured us that Mrs. Parish's lawyer will be given proper access to her and her case file before the trial takes place, and that a representative from the embassy will be able to attend the trial. We look to the Iraqi Government to ensure that the trial is a fair one and that Mrs. Parish has the opportunity to present a full defence.
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