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Accountancy Bodies
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the steps he is planning to take to promote the involvement of ethnic minorities in the administration of the accountancy bodies incorporated under royal charters.
Mr. Redwood : I have no such plans. It is for the bodies and their members to determine what steps are necessary to ensure equality of opportunity for their members and staff, including those from ethnic minorities.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many meetings he or his senior civil servants had with the accountancy bodies in 1988 and 1989 ;
(2) what meetings his Department has held with the accountancy firms criticised by inspectors ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Redwood : I and my officials have frequent contact with members of the accountancy profession to discuss a wide range of matters.
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BOM Holdings
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to give details of the business connections of the accountant inspector inquiring into BOM Holdings.
Mr. Redwood : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 21 February 1990, at columns 782-83. The accountant inspector is Mr. R. T. Turner of Messrs. Neville Russell.
DTI Inspectors
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if his Department has any plans to insert a statement showing the inspector's business connections on the first page of each report ;
(2) if his Department has any plans to insert the cost of completing an investigation on the first page of each inspector's report.
Mr. Redwood : My Department has no such plans.
Lonrho
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to take any action against Lonrho plc for its failure to comply with schedule 7, paragraph 9, of the Companies Act 1985 in its 1989 and earlier annual reports and accounts.
Mr. Redwood : In accordance with its usual practice in response to specific allegations of non-compliance with statutory disclosure requirements, my Department will look into this.
Wages
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to amend the Companies Acts to require all companies to publish the lowest annual wage rates applicable in the company.
Accidents
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to require directors of all large companies to publish the work accident rates and the steps being taken to combat them.
Mr. Nicholls : I have been asked to reply.
There are at present no plans to introduce such legislation.
Auditors
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to require the auditor's letter of engagement to be filed with the registrar of companies.
Mr. Redwood : No. The letter of engagement is a private contractual matter between the auditor and his client.
External Financial Reporting
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department is undertaking any work in developing a conceptual framework for external financial reporting.
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Mr. Redwood : No. We are, however, following with interest the debate in the profession on this subject.
Accounting and Auditing
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department will issue recommendations on the accounting treatment of good will.
Mr. Redwood : No. The Accounting Standards Committee has recently published an exposure draft of a proposed revised standard on accounting for good will, inviting comments by 30 July. My Department is considering the draft and will make any comments in due course.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why his representative on the auditing practices committee does not have a vote.
Mr. Redwood : The terms of reference set by the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies for its auditing practices committee provide that voting members shall be nominated by their professional accountancy bodies. In addition, up to seven non-voting members, including two Government representatives, may be co-opted.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to providing a statutory definition of a balance sheet.
Mr. Redwood : Section 228(2) of the Companies Act 1985 states that the balance sheet shall give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company at the end of the financial year, and schedule 4 to the Act sets out rules on the form and content of the balance sheet. These provisions are subject to amendment when part I of the Companies Act 1989 comes into force on 1 April. I do not believe that any further statutory definition is needed.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to provide a statutory definition of an asset.
Mr. Redwood : No. The definition of an asset is one of the issues which was addressed in the exposure draft ED 42 entitled "Accounting for special purpose transactions" published by the Accounting Standards Committee in March 1988. I understand that a further document will be published in the summer.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to legislate to change companies' practice of showing fixed assets in the balance sheet at original cost less depreciation.
Mr. Redwood : Under the alternative accounting rules of paragraph 31 of schedule 4 to the Companies Act 1985, fixed assets may be shown at values or costs other than original cost less depreciation. I have no plans to legislate to change current practice.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Indonesia
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of British aid to Indonesia since 1979.
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Mrs. Chalker : The figures for British aid to Indonesia from 1979 to 1988, the most recent year for which figures are available, are as follows. Further details are given in the ODA publication "British Aid Statistics", a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.Source: British Aid Statistics
South Africa
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to increase aid to black South Africans in the light of recent political developments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will today announce in South Africa a new pledge of £10 million for assistance to black South Africans.
Our aid programme there is a practical demonstration of our commitment to ease the transition to a just, democratic and non-racial society in South Africa. I welcome the recent political developments there which bring the prospect of such a society closer.
The new pledge, for expenditure over the next four years, will enable us to provide support for new projects to improve the standard of education, which is the key to enabling black people to play their full part in a post -apartheid South Africa ; and for urban and rural development projects. This increase includes an element which honours a commitment we made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kuala Lumpur last October. This was that, rather than contributing to the costs of the independent agency set up to review and report on South Africa's financial links, and of the continuing work of the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers on South Africa, we would contribute an equivalent amount for additional help for black South Africans.
DEFENCE
Indonesia
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total value of British arms contracts with Indonesia for each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Neubert : It has been the practice of successive
Administrations not to release figures for defence sales to specific countries. Statistics of United Kingdom defence sales by broad geographic regions are set out in volume 2 of the annual Statement on the Defence Estimates.
Atomic Energy
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the specific reasons for the amendments made respectively in each case since 1959 to the 1958 United Kingdom-United States mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : The amendments to the 1958 agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes and the reasons for their implementation were :
Cmnd 859 (1959)--to permit the transfer between the two countries of nuclear materials, other than submarine propulsion materials which had been agreed upon in the original agreement, for military purposes.
Cmnd 4119 (1969)--to extend the range of material transfer clauses Cmnd 4384 (1970)--to extend the duration of the material transfer clauses
Cmnd 6017 (1975)--to further extend the duration of the material transfer clauses
Cmnd 7976 (1980)--again to further extend the duration of the material transfer clauses and also to add a minor change to the wording of the contraints upon each part as applied by the conditions clauses
Cmnd 9336 (1984)--a further extension of the duration of the material transfer clauses, the provision of materials processing services, and a major change to the wording of a number of clauses to ensure the appropriate protection of US "sensitive nuclear technology information" and "controlled nuclear information"--two new classes of US information which had been created by changes in US federal law.
Rapier System
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cause of the 183.2 per cent. increase in the projected development cost of the Rapier field standard B system noted on page 23 of the minutes of evidence of the Public Accounts Committee, HC483, Session 1988-89.
Mr. Alan Clark : The Rapier field standard B programme now comprises two distinct marks of equipment, known as FSB1 and FSB2. Both are included in current estimates of development cost, whereas the original development estimate comprised only FSB1. The addition of FSB2 explains the bulk of the increase ; the remainder is due to increases in the cost of FSB1. The Public Accounts Committee also reported a decrease of almost 26 per cent. in production--where the bulk of the cost lies--for field standard B projects which means that the total cost of development and production for field standard B has increased by 38 per cent. in real terms.
European Fighter Aircraft
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current estimate of the total expenditure on (a) the European fighter aircraft, (b) the Trigat medium-range missile and (c) the Trigat long-range missile.
Mr. Alan Clark : Total United Kingdom expenditure to date (at current prices) is (a) EFA = £308 million ; (b) medium range Trigat = £23 million ; (c) long range Trigat = £52 million.
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Upholder Submarines
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the forecast in-service date for the Upholder class submarines changed from 1988 in the 1987 major project statement to 1989 in the 1988 major project statement.
Mr. Neubert : HMS Upholder's forecast in-service date was revised from 1988 to 1989 primarily as a result of an industrial dispute at the contractor's Barrow in Furness yard.
Aircraft Crash, Berwickshire
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the RAF has concluded its report into the fatal aircraft crash at Fastcastle, Berwickshire, on 13 April 1989, and when he expects to publish the inquiry report.
Mr. Neubert : It is intended to publish a military aircraft accident summary in respect of this accident in the near future.
Royal Hospital, Chelsea
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what qualifies a person to be an occupant of the Royal hospital at Chelsea.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The regulations for the Royal hospital, Chelsea, issued under royal warrant stipulate :
"There shall be eligible for admission to the In-pension establishment former soldiers of good character who are : 1. in receipt of
(a) a service pension or service invaliding pension paid by the Ministry of Defence and awarded in respect of service which included such period of service in the British Army as the Commissioners may in each case in their absolute discretion consider adequate ; or (b) a disability pension awarded by the Ministry of Defence or the Department of Social Security in respect of disability resulting from service in the British Army ; or
(c) a Victoria Cross or George Medal annuity awarded in respect of bravery while serving in the British Army and who are
2. (a) aged not less than 65 years ; or
(b) in the opinion of the Commissioners incapable of supplementing their pensions by their own exertions owing to the loss of a limb, wounds or other injuries or disabilities resulting from service in the British Army ; or
(c) in the opinion of the Commissioners incapable of supplementing their pensions by their own exertions for reasons other than under paragraph (b) next above provided they are aged not less than 55 years.
In addition, there shall be eligible for admission any former soldier of good character aged not less than 65 years drawing service retired pay awarded as a result of commissioned service in the British Army who rendered at least 12 years' full time service in the ranks of the British Army over the age of 18 years. Preference will be given to those who have borne the best character and rendered the longest service in the British Army.
The commissioners may at their discretion admit such out-pensioners of good character as may from time to time be required for the efficient administration of the hospital, irrespective of their age, length of service or earning capability."
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Kilroot Power Station
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a decision regarding the start date for the second phase of development is likely to be announced for Kilroot power station ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Timing of the Kilroot phase II project will depend on the outcome of investigations currently being made into the potential benefits of establishing an electricity interconnection with Scotland.
It is hoped to clarify the position on these matters within the next few months.
Job Market, Rathcoole
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will provide funding at an early date to provide for a job market at Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : A job market will be established in the Newtownabbey area as soon as suitable accommodation is found.
Farmers (Utilities Supply)
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to compensate farmers in rural areas in South Down in respect of the cutting off of their electricity and mains water supply during recent storms.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : With sympathy, the answer is no.
Fire Service
Rev. William McCrea : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the required statutory period within which the Northern Ireland Fire Authority was required to serve notice of appeal on interested parties in the case of Kerr v Northern Ireland Fire Authority ; and on what date notice of appeal was served.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : These were matters for the fire authority.
Deaf-Blind Children
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf-blind children have been identified in Northern Ireland in the age range (a) 0 to 2, (b) 2 to 5, (c) 6 to 11, (d) 12-15 and (e) 16 to 19 years.
Dr. Mawhinney : A number of Northern Ireland children have been identified as having both hearing and visual impairment but few are totally blind or totally deaf. The information below relates to children who in a varying degree have a multi-sensory handicap which may, in some cases, be associated with a physical or mental handicap.
Age ranges
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Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many deaf-blind children in Northern Ireland attend specialist deaf-blind units.
Dr. Mawhinney : There are no such specialist units in Northern Ireland but two pupils from Northern Ireland attend such units elsewhere.
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to issue a policy statement on the education of deaf-blind children in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Department of Education (Northern Ireland) is currently considering policy and provision for children with multi-sensory handicaps and will be taking into account the policy statement on this subject issued by the Department of Education and Science.
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made to ensure the training of teachers of deaf- blind children in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Mawhinney : There are already in Northern Ireland a number of teachers in the education sector who in addition to specific qualifications in deaf education also possess qualifications in visual impairment. Opportunities also exist through in-service and distance learning courses for teachers to extend and develop their expertise in particular spheres, including teaching children with multi-sensory handicaps.
Roads
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the capital expenditure on major capital roads provision in Down district council area in each year since 1 April 1977 until 31 March 1989.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The information is as follows :
1977-78 |Nil
1978-79 |181,000
1979-80 |299,000
1980-81 |20,000
1981-82 |29,000
1982-83 |58,000
1983-84 |17,000
1984-85 |4,000
1985-86 |Nil
1986-87 |Nil
1987-88 |Nil
1988-89 |Nil
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the expenditure on major capital roads provision in Newry and Mourne district council area in each year since 1 April 1977 until 31 March 1989.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : The information is as follows :
1977-78 |450,000
1978-79 |210,000
1979-80 |660,000
1980-81 |324,000
Agriculture
Mr. Molyneaux : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the structural weaknesses which he has identified in the agricultural industry in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 13 March 1990] : The main structural weaknesses in the beef sector are the pronounced seasonality of production allied to the marketing challenge.
GPs' Contracts
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement outlining the proposed formula for deprivation allowances in relation to general medical practitioners' contracts arrived at by the DHSS in Northern Ireland, listing those electoral wards which would qualify for the allowance under that formula and indicating the Government's conclusions regarding that proposal.
Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 14 March 1990] : It was agreed with the General Medical Services Committee (NI) that the index of social deprivation should be used as the basis for calculation of the deprivation supplement in Northern Ireland. Further work has been undertaken to refine the Northern Ireland index.
This work is nearing completion and the results will be the subject of further consultation with the profession's negotiators.
Finishing Beef Cattle
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from the Ulster Farmers Union concerning the financial implications for producers of finishing beef cattle over the recent winter ; and how he intends to respond to the Ulster Farmers Union request for special measures to help keep these producers in business.
Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 14 March 1990] : I met the Ulster Farmers Union on 17 January 1990 about the difficulties affecting beef producers in Northern Ireland. Subsequently I put the issues involved to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who has given the union an assurance that he will be seeking a substantial devaluation of the United Kingdom green pound in this year's price-fixing round. The Government have also sought to optimise beef intervention in Northern Ireland in recent months and substantial tonnages of beef have been taken off the market recently.
The special measure which the union has sought is a slaughter premium on finished cattle marketed since 1
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