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West German Chancellor (Discussions)
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Prime Minister when she next plans to meet the Chancellor of West Germany ; and what she proposes to discuss with him.
The Prime Minister : I shall meet Chancellor Kohl for talks in London on 30 March to discuss matters of mutual interest, including the external aspects of German unification.
NHS Review
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Newham, South of 5 March, Official Report, column 404, concerning funding for preparation for the implementation of the National Health Service review proposals, under what vote of the House of Commons ministerial authorisation of such expenditure has been made ; and what are the planned principal heads of expenditure.
The Prime Minister : The expenditure referred to in my reply of 5 March to the hon. Member falls mainly on expenditure class XIV, vote 1 with a small amount of class XIV vote 3. Main areas in which this funding will be spent include costs of the first medical audit systems, the resource management initiative, strengthening of the finance and personnel functions in health authorities and the development of asset registers.
Cyprus
Mr. Cox : To ask the Prime Minister if she has received the report from the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the breakdown of talks on Cyprus ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The United Nations Secretary-General gave the Security Council a full report on these talks in informal consultations on 8 March.
We strongly support his efforts to promote a settlement to the Cyprus dispute, within the framework of one state, two communities. In consultation with fellow council members, we are giving urgent and sympathetic consideration to his request for a reaffirmation of his Cyprus mandate.
Public Relations
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, in the press and public relations office of the Cabinet Office ; and what is the proposed complement for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : Seven staff are presently employed on press and public relations activities in the Cabinet Office ; there are no vacancies and no increase in complement for 1990-91 is proposed.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed,
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and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, in the press and public relations office of her office ; and what is the proposed complement for 1990-91.The Prime Minister : Including support staff, eight people are presently employed in 10 Downing street on press and public relations activities. There are no vacancies at present. The proposed complement for 1990-91 is eight.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure by her office on press and public relations in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is her latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : Expenditure by my office on press and public relations was not recorded separately before 1987-88. The total expenditure for each year since then and the budget for 1990-91 are as follows :
|£
---------------------------------
1987-88 |377,987
1988-89 |419,326
1989-90 |<1>361,520
1990-91 |<2>480,695
<1>Estimate.
<2>Budget.
The figure for 1990-91 includes notional superannuation costs, which are not included in the figures for earlier years.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure by the Cabinet Office on press and public relations in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is her latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : Expenditure on press and public relations by the Cabinet Office was :
|£
------------------------
1984-85 |247,495
1985-86 |232,980
1986-87 |224,813
1987-88 |215,925
1988-89 |201,837
The latest estimate for 1989-90 is £205,650 and the budget for 1990-91 is £199,560. Similar information is not available for the years prior to 1984-85.
Statistical Divisions
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in her office ; if she will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts ; and if she will give the staffing complements by grade, and differentiated between statistical and administrative posts, proposed for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : There is no statistical division within my office ; there are no statisticians in post or on the staff complement ; and there are no plans for the creation of such posts.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed,
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and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in the Cabinet Office ; if she will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts ; and if she will give the staffing complements by grade, and differentiated between statistical and administrative posts, proposed for 1990-91.The Prime Minister : Since 31 July 1989, when the Central Statistical Office became a separate department, the Cabinet Office has had no statistical divisions.
Advertising Expenditure
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what were the figures for the spending by her office on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is her latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : My office has incurred no expenditure on advertising or promotional material, and there are no plans for any such expenditure in the remainder of this financial year or in 1990-91.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what were the figures for the spending by the Cabinet Office on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is her latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : The Cabinet Office has not incurred and does not expect to incur any expenditure on promotional advertising on television, radio or in newspapers in the years 1979 to 1991. Information on other promotional material is not available for the years 1979 to 1987. Expenditure on such material in 1987-88 was £19, 306 ; in 1988-89, £9,500 and the estimate for 1989-90 is £15,000 ; the budget for 1990-91 is £4,000.
Management Consultants
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what were the total fees paid out by the Cabinet Office to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is her latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : The expenditure by the Cabinet Office (including from its creation on 1 October 1987, the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service) on management and computer consultancies in the financial years from 1983-84 is as follows :
|£
------------------------
1983-84 |152,000
1984-85 |423,818
1985-86 |329,334
1986-87 |505,092
1987-88 |417,778
The figures for each year since then, which exclude the cost of computer consultancies, are as follows :
|£
------------------------------
1988-89 |70,608
1989-90 |<1>51,500
1990-91 |<2>79,000
<1> Estimate.
<2> Budget.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what were the total fees paid out by her office to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is her latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990- 91.
The Prime Minister : There has been no expenditure by my office on fees to management consultants since 1979-80 and none is planned for the remainder of this financial year, nor for 1990-91.
Privatisation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total sum paid out in fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by the Cabinet Office in 1979-80 and in each subsequent year ; and what is her estimate for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : There has been no expenditure on fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by the Cabinet Office and no expenditure is planned for 1990-91.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total sum paid out in fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by her office in 1979-80 and in each subsequent year ; and what is her estimate for 1990-91.
The Prime Minister : There has been no expenditure by my office on fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation and none is planned for the remainder of 1989-90 or for 1990-91.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Company Accounts
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts to direct all large companies to disclose exit values of their assets.
Mr. Redwood : I assume that the hon. Member is referring to disclosure of net realisable values. I am not persuaded that the burdens that such a general requirement would impose on companies would be justified.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts to place upon company auditors the same duties for reporting fraud which are conferred upon auditors auditing businesses covered by the Financial Services Act.
Mr. Redwood : No. The Financial Services Act does not impose a duty upon auditors to report suspected fraud. It removes any obstacles there may be to an auditor reporting relevant matters to the regulatory authorities. This provision goes substantially beyond fraud and reflects the special features of the regulatory regime. In the case of companies in general, whether or not an auditor should report suspected fraud to management, the members of the company, or to third parties depends on the circumstances, as is explained in the newly published auditing guideline on the auditor's responsibility in relation to fraud, other irregularities and errors.
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Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to require auditors of all large companies to examine the chairman's report.Mr. Redwood : No. Auditing guidelines already recommend auditors to review financial information in the chairman's report where it is published as part of, or in conjunction with, the annual report.
Accountancy Bodies
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce measures to increase the accountability to the public of accountancy bodies set up by royal charter.
Sound Diffusion plc
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will be in a position to publish his inspectors' report into Sound Diffusion plc.
Mr. Redwood : I cannot say. The inspectors' report has not yet been submitted.
Protection of Investors
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 6 March, Official Report, column 586, what action he is taking to safeguard the interests of investors who placed moneys with companies owned or managed by Mr. Adrian Ward.
Mr. Redwood : This is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.
Animal Experiments
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many experiments were carried out on animals in respect of cosmetics testing in (a) 1989, (b) 1988, (c) 1987, (d) 1986, (e) 1985, (f) 1980 and (g) 1975 ; if he has any figures readily available giving a breakdown in respect of species of animals involved ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The latest information is available in the Home Office report on the statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain, 1988. Scientific procedures on animals to ensure the safety of cosmetics comprise only 0.5 per cent. of the total number of scientific procedures on animals.
National Engineering Laboratory
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff were employed within each of the designated categories at the National Engineering Laboratory in each of the last 10 years ; and how many are budgeted to be employed at the end of the current financial year.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The number of staff employed at the National Engineering Laboratory for each of the last 10 years broken down by category is as follows :
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As at 1 April |Non |Industrial |Total Staff
|Industrial |Staff
|Staff
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |523.0 |267.0 |790.0
1981 |495.0 |246.0 |741.0
1982 |468.5 |237.5 |706.0
1983 |456.5 |226.5 |683.0
1984 |458.5 |193.0 |651.5
1985 |461.0 |185.0 |646.0
1986 |448.0 |186.0 |634.0
1987 |463.0 |168.0 |631.0
1988 |472.0 |156.0 |628.0
1989 |431.0 |145.0 |576.0
The budget for the current financial year (1989-90) makes provision for a total of 550 staff as at 31 March 1990.
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if a decision has been taken on the appointment for the new director of the National Engineering Laboratory ; and if he will make a statement on the appointment.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The post of director of the National Engineering Laboratory will be replaced by that of a chief executive in preparation for the laboratory becoming a next steps agency. No decision has yet been taken on the appointment of a chief executive. The Secretary of State has no statement about the appointment at this time.
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Minister responsible for the National Engineering Laboratory last visited the establishment ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : As Minister for Industry I visited the National Engineering Laboratory on 15 February 1990. Neither the Secretary of State nor I have a statement to make about the National Engineering Laboratory at this time.
Single European Market
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been and will be taken to ensure that inner cities benefit from the single European market of 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Inner-city firms, like all other companies in the United Kingdom, benefit from the "European Open for Business" campaign, and from help available through the enterprise initiative. In addition, city action teams (CATs) and inner-city task forces are sponsoring projects linked to preparations for the single European market. These include "Skills Upgrade for 1992", a Doncaster task force project which informs small inner-city firms about EC regulations, funding and contacts, and a Tyne and Wear CAT project, single market training for small and medium- sized businesses in Tyne and Wear, Durham and Northumberland.
Inner-City Programmes
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which are the inner-city programmes his Department is carrying out ; what non-Government organisations are taking part in such programmes ; where each of these programmes is operating ; and on what date each one was started.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : The only programme carried out by my Department that is specifically targeted on inner cities is the inner-city task force initiative. A wide range of private and voluntary sector organisations, and local authorities, work with the task forces. A list of the dates on which the existing task forces were announced is as follows :
|Date
----------------------------------------------------------------
Leeds (Chapeltown/Harehills) |February 1986
Manchester (Moss Side and Hulme) |February 1986
Bristol |February 1986
Middlesbrough |February 1986
North Kensington |February 1986
North Peckham |February 1986
Coventry (Folkshill and Hillfields) |April 1987
Doncaster<1> |April 1987
Hartlepool |April 1987
Nottingham |April 1987
Rochdale<1> |April 1987
Spitalfields |April 1987
East Birmingham |June 1988
Deptford |March 1989
Liverpool (Granby/Toxteth) |March 1989
Bradford |March 1989
Derby<2> |February 1990
Wirral<2> |February 1990
<1> Task Forces to be closed in the autumn.
<2> Task Forces announced, but yet to be opened.
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Company Sizes
Mr. Gill : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the comparable figures for the number of small, medium and large companies in the United Kingdom, Japan and West Germany.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 19 February 1990] : Although some information is published by the individual countries' statistical services there are few sources in which international data are compiled in a comparable form. The most reliable surveys available have been carried out by the Statistical Office of the European Communities (SOEC) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Both studies include businesses which are not incorporated as well as companies and define size in terms of number of people employed. The available comparative data relate to manufacturing industry only. Inclusion of the service sector would be likely to raise the proportions employed in smaller companies still further in each country.
An SOEC report entitled "Structure and activity of industry : data by size of enterprises 1983" contains the following comparison between the United Kingdom and West Germany :
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Distribution of persons employed by size of enterprise in manfacturing industry
Number of persons employed
|1 to 29 |30 to 99 |100 to 499|500 and |Percentage
|over |total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom 20.3 13.4 66.3 100
Japan 1983<1> |27.8 |19.3 |19.6 |33.3 |100
<1> Wage earners and salaried employees only.
The "OECD Employment Outlook", published in September 1985, provides a source of comparative data for the United Kingdom and Japan. Enterprises are defined in terms of company groups, so that the concentration of
industry cannot be directly compared with the SOEC report. The OECD study presents size distributions by employment numbers but not by numbers of enterprises, and the absolute numbers are not stated.
Distribution of persons employed by size of enterprise in manfacturing industry
Number of persons employed
|1 to 29 |30 to 99 |100 to 499|500 and |Percentage
|over |total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom 20.3 13.4 66.3 100
Japan 1983<1> |27.8 |19.3 |19.6 |33.3 |100
<1> Wage earners and salaried employees only.
In the early '70s only 17.5 per cent. of Japanese employees in manufacturing worked for companies employing more than 1,000 people. However this proportion is based on individual places of business and not company groups and is therefore not directly comparable with figures shown in the table relating to the OECD study.
Column 46
Cot Mattresses (Chemical Hazard)
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department has taken to alert cot manufacturers to the possible dangers to young babies from chemicals used in fire retardant mattresses and any link with cot death syndrome.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I have been asked to reply.
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I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 9 March at column 901.Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the results of the scientific assessment of the relationship between chemicals used in fire retardant mattresses and cot death syndrome to be available.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I have been asked to reply.
The group of independent experts has been asked by the chief medical officer to report as soon as possible.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Public Relations and Statistics
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the figures for (a) staff employed and (b) expenditure on (i) press and publicity and(ii) statistical work in his Department.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : There are no Duchy of Lancaster staff employed in, nor has there been expenditure on, press and publicity or statistical work.
Hospitality
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much has been spent by his office on official hospitality in the financial years 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90 to date.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : There has been nil expenditure on official hospitality by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's office during the period in question.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Office Statistics
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts in the press and public relations office of the Privy Council Office ; and what is the proposed complement for 1990-91 ;
(2) what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in the Privy Council Office ; if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts ; and if he will give the staffing complements by grade, and differentiated between statistical and administrative posts, proposed for 1990-91 ;
(3) what was the total expenditure by the Privy Council Office on press and public relations in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91 ;
(4) what were the figures for the spending by the Privy Council Office on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91 ;
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(5) what were the total fees paid out by the Privy Council Office to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.Sir Geoffrey Howe : The Privy Council Office has no staff, current expenditure or projected budgets specifically allocated to press and public relations or statistical work, and no expenditure is currently being incurred, or is proposed, in respect of advertising or the services of management consultants. Annual expenditure in the region of £3,000 is incurred in respect of the publication of Gazette notices.
DEFENCE
Footpath 43, Menwith with Darley
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he closed footpath 43 in the parish of Menwith with Darley ; under what powers he acted ; with which local authorities and bodies representing users of the footpath he consulted prior to acting ; and what opportunity members of the public had to make representations.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Footpath 43 in the parish of Menwith with Darley was stopped up and reprovided in accordance with sections 16 and 17 of the Defence Act 1842 on 1 October 1985, after consultation with North Yorkshire county council. There is no provision in the Act for representations from members of the public.
HMS Endurance
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how old is HMS Endurance ; what plans there are for its replacement ; and what is the latest year planned for ordering a replacement.
Mr. Neubert : The hull of HMS Endurance is now 33 years old. She was converted to an ice patrol ship in 1967-68 and accepted into the Royal Navy in 1968. Her 1986 refit extended her life until at least the mid-1990s. A decision on her replacement is therefore not urgent.
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether HMS Endurance's services have been offered to the Natural Environment Research Council's programme for researching global warming.
Mr. Neubert : HMS Endurance contributes logistic support on an ad hoc basis to the programmes of the British Antarctic Survey, some of which are related to the Natural Environment Research Council's work on global climate change.
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are any plans to include HMS Endurance's facilities in the meteorological study on global warming.
Mr. Neubert : HMS Endurance, like all Royal Navy vessels, carries equipment and personnel capable of performing meteorological observations. Results of these observations are sent to the Meteorological Office and the use of them contributes to the marine climatological database.
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Service Personnel (HIV Infection)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service men and women were identified as being HIV positive for each of the forces in 1989 ; what action was followed after diagnosis ; whether any representations have subsequently been received concerning the military authorities' actions in these cases ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is not the practice to discuss individual medical cases. However, one member of the services was identified as HIV positive in 1989. There were no representations concerning this case.
Property Services Agency
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on putting out to tender the maintenance and minor works services currently carried out by the Property Services Agency for the armed services in Northern Ireland following the privatisation of the Property Services Agency in 1992.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : From 1 April 1990, the MOD will be "untied" from the PSA. Untying gives the MOD a number of new responsibilities, including choosing who should supply its works services. From that date, the MOD will be mounting a number of competitions for design and project management for major new works. We will also be testing the market, in a variety of locations, for the provision of property management services covering minor new works and certain maintenance tasks.
The first phases of market testing of property management cover sites in Great Britain ; it is not currently planned to extend this early market testing to Northern Ireland.
The Government are reviewing whether any aspects of the current arrangements for works services in Northern Ireland are unsuitable for execution by the private sector and, if necessary, alternative arrangements will be made.
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