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Mr. Portillo : I intend to propose in any new legislation that disabled people should continue to be exempt from tolls.
Blind People
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce within the United Kingdom a provision to enable registered blind persons to take with them a non-paying companion on rail journeys ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Portillo : Local authorities in Great Britain outside London already have discretion to offer travel concessions on local public transport, including free travel, to the companion of a blind person who requires his assistance in order to travel.
A5 (Nuclear Waste)
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the transport of nuclear waste products along the A5.
Mr. Portillo : The Department does not collect information of this kind.
Shipping
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the balance of payments in shipping in each of the past 10 years.
Mr. McLoughlin : The overall balance of the sea transport account is as follows :
|£ million
------------------------------
1979 |+38
1980 |+14
1981 |-190
1982 |-437
1983 |-778
1984 |-594
1985 |-456
1986 |-471
1987 |-594
1988 |-593
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Appeals
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Attorney-General whether there are any plans to increase the number of staff at the Court of Appeal criminal division.
The Attorney-General : Yes ; there are plans to make a small increase in staff in order to take account of the projected increase in work.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Attorney-General (1) what is the average length of time that an appeal (a) against conviction and (b) against sentence currently waits to be heard by the Court of Appeal criminal division ;
(2) what is the average length of time that an expedited appeal (a) against conviction and (b) against sentence waits to be heard by the Court of Appeal criminal division.
The Attorney-General : A total of 32.3 per cent. of appeals against conviction are ready for hearing within six months of receipt of notice of appeal in the criminal appeal office and 84.3 per cent. are ready within 12 months. Thirty per cent. of appeals against sentence are ready for hearing within three months of receipt of notice of appeal and 65.2 per cent. are ready within six months. The time taken for an appeal to be heard is governed in part by the amount of preparatory work involved, and in trying to list cases with the minimum of delay the Registrar of Criminal Appeals must ensure that counsel and solicitors acting for each appellant have adequate time to prepare their cases. Where delays in listing appeals do occur they tend to be
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caused by the court's obligation to balance the conflicting needs of applicants who all wish their appeals heard as soon as possible. Directions to expedite hearings are made by the court in individual cases. Those with leave to appeal against conviction or short sentences are, wherever possible, given earlier consideration than those appealing against long sentences. Information relating to expedited appeals is not recorded separately.Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many appeals (a) against conviction and (b) against sentence are waiting to be heard by the Court of Appeal criminal division ;
(2) how many expedited appeals (a) against conviction and (b) against sentence are waiting to be heard by the Court of Appeal criminal division.
The Attorney-General : At 31 March 1990 there were 339 appeals against conviction and 724 applications for leave to appeal against conviction waiting to be heard by the Court of Appeal criminal division. There were also 471
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appeals against sentence and 969 applications for leave to appeal against sentence. Information relating to expedited appeals is not recorded separately.Social Security Commissioners
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Attorney-General how many appeals have been made to the social security commissioners in each standard planning region in each of the last 10 years ; how long on average it has taken to deal with these appeals each year ; and what has been the shortest and longest time any appellant has had to wait for a decision in each year.
The Attorney-General : This information is not available in the form and for the period requested. However, the number of appeals made in each of the calendar years from 1985 to 1989 to the commissioners in the regions of England, Wales and Scotland are given in the first part of the table. The length of time taken to deal with these appeals to final disposal is available only in respect of those disposed of in the years 1988 and 1989 and the figures are given in the second part of the table.
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Social security commissioners
Year Number of appeals Total Number of days to disposal
|England |Wales |Scotland |Average |Shortest|Longest
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |1,982 |104 |590 |2,676 |- |- |-
1986 |<1>1,860|- |406 |2,266 |- |- |-
1987 |2,878 |76 |654 |3,608 |- |- |-
1988 |4,015 |55 |779 |4,849 |250 |13 |450
1989 |4,435 |38 |716 |5,189 |404 |1 |1,493
<1> Including Wales.
Land Registry
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Attorney-General what progress is being made towards establishing Her Majesty's Land Registry as an executive agency in accordance with the recommendations of the report of the Prime Minister's efficiency unit, "Improving Management in Government : The Next Steps."
The Attorney-General : The Land Registry is to be established as an executive agency on 2 July 1990.
The Government consider the Land Registry is well suited to the executive agency form of organisation and that the resultant management flexibilities together with the possibility in the longer term of the registry operating a trading fund will provide significant overall improvement in the service provided to the registry's customers.
Consistent with the basic approach of the Government's "next steps" initiative, the Lord Chancellor has decided that the Chief Land Registrar (who will be the agency chief executive) should no longer be required by statute to be a barrister or solicitor of 10 years' standing. He wishes to be able to appoint the best possible person for this important post and considers it essential that he or she should be selected primarily on the basis of his or her management abilities. The Government therefore propose to introduce amendments to the Courts and Legal Services Bill at Committee stage for this purpose. Arrangements will be made, by regulation, to ensure that the legal functions currently performed personally by the Chief Land Registrar are reserved to an appropriately qualified senior lawyer in the Land Registry.
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Australia Constitution Act 1900
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Attorney-General when the Government will respond to representations from the Australian Government to release one of the original copies of the Australia Constitution Act 1900 on a permanent basis.
The Attorney-General : The Government have received representations from the Australian Government requesting that the original copy of the Australia Constitution Act 1900, at present on loan to Australia and on display in Parliament house in Canberra, should remain in Australia permanently. The British Government have decided that it would be right to find a way to offer the document to the Commonwealth of Australia as a gift. The copy of the Act is a public record under the terms of the Public Records Act 1958 and cannot at present be disposed of as a gift or on permanent loan. The Government will, therefore, shortly be introducing legislation relating only to this particular case designed to place this document outside the provisions of the Public Records Act and enable it to be released to the Commonwealth of Australia as a gift.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Schools (Land Sales)
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many sites within school grounds have been sold off as surplus to requirements for the period 1989-90 and so far in 1990.
Mr. Alan Howarth : This information is not held by the Department.
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Wales (Official Visits)
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the dates on which he has made an official visit to Wales since his appointment to his present post.
Mr. Jackson : My right hon. Friend's ministerial responsibilities in Wales are limited to provision of some higher education, and science. I am planning to visit the university of Wales within the next few months.
Armed Forces
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set up an inquiry into the possible ways of improving further and higher education by incorporating teaching methods and materials currently used by Her Majesty's armed forces.
Mr. Jackson : At the invitation of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, Her Majesty's
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inspectors advise on aspects of educational and training provision within the armed forces. Through exchanges of information, a route already exists for the best of good practice in either sector to be reflected in the other.Teachers (Training)
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish for each local authority area the number of teachers in each of the last three years who have undertaken INSET and other courses of professional development (a) during school hours and (b) after school, at weekends and during school holidays.
Mr. Alan Howarth [holding answer 29 March 1990] : The information obtained under the LEA training grants scheme on the volume of training taking place for which release is or is not required, expressed as training days, is set out in the table :
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1987-88 1988-89 1989-90
Training days Training days Training days
Local education |Requiring |Not |Requiring |non- |Other not |Total not |Requiring |Non- |Other not |Total not
authority | release |requiring release |contact |requiring |requiring |release |contact |requiring |requiring
|release |days |release |release |days |release |release
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |52,465 |36,847 |54,453 |38,491 |30,912 |69,403 |74,077 |55,000 |29,190 |84,190
Barking |12,835 |8,086 |<1>31,259 |<1>6,500 |<1>10,950 |<1>17,450 |26,545 |9,338 |12,300 |21,638
Barnet |21,809 |9,883 |9,735 |13,002 |5,233 |18,235 |10,665 |12,750 |20,421 |33,171
Barnsley |10,386 |8,240 |<1>7,511 |<1>9,855 |<1>4,680 |<1>14,535 |11,310 |9,000 |6,140 |15,140
Bedfordshire |46,118 |12,552 |35,883 |9,500 |8,611 |18,111 |50,807 |8,815 |3,741 |12,556
Berkshire |23,774 |25,735 |23,947 |30,325 |15,258 |45,583 |45,250 |29,120 |26,187 |55,307
Bexley |7,223 |5,523 |<1>6,540 |<1>5,250 |<1>5,238 |<1>10,488 |6,730 |11,720 |6,200 |17,920
Birmingham |64,570 |19,306 |63,346 |29,090 |45,085 |74,175 |80,797 |53,510 |37,172 |90,682
Bolton |10,887 |8,700 |9,360 |7,200 |11,675 |18,875 |16,310 |6,600 |7,100 |13,700
Bradford |59,084 |37,749 |26,234 |24,140 |31,502 |55,642 |88,877 |26,700 |9,600 |36,300
Brent |5,290 |9,250 |<1>13,978 |<1>14,500 |<1>7,200 |<1>21,700 |6,840 |8,300 |5,150 |13,450
Bromley |18,320 |6,500 |16,065 |2,340 |3,491 |5,831 |11,605 |5,000 |4,398 |9,398
Buckinghamshire |31,978 |27,728 |29,085 |14,070 |18,680 |32,750 |32,666 |16,500 |24,991 |41,491
Bury |20,223 |63,101 |20,116 |13,955 |7,678 |21,633 |48,538 |9,375 |65,496 |74,871
Calderdale |26,448 |11,300 |<1>20,333 |<1>7,272 |<1>1,506 |<1>8,778 |13,574 |6,768 |3,618 |10,386
Cambridgeshire |56,201 |11,674 |45,994 |1,545 |20,769 |37,314 |46,044 |21,528 |25,591 |47,119
Cheshire |27,020 |65,430 |31,139 |25,200 |19,222 |44,422 |51,576 |46,740 |50,275 |97,015
Cleveland |12,190 |37,348 |15,887 |26,400 |22,003 |48,403 |10,500 |38,000 |26,500 |64,500
Cornwall |19,942 |26,075 |62,708 |18,270 |10,057 |28,327 |15,110 |21,500 |37,462 |58,962
Coventry |33,798 |14,494 |12,524 |10,854 |9,175 |20,029 |14,030 |10,700 |8,000 |18,700
Croydon |11,364 |14,878 |11,939 |4,429 |21,495 |25,924 |15,492 |4,476 |42,874 |47,341
Cumbria |18,181 |19,285 |19,678 |20,210 |5,403 |25,613 |22,107 |19,475 |3,143 |22,618
Derbyshire |66,467 |56,696 |<1>47,137 |<1>45,000 |<1>27,000 |<1>72,000 |62,244 |40,500 |31,069 |71,569
Devon |28,735 |66,277 |<1>29,448 |<1>5,700 |<1>12,464 |<1>18,164 |75,608 |37,922 |61,650 |99,572
Doncaster |23,130 |4,976 |17,443 |14,415 |7,859 |22,274 |17,696 |14,259 |7,401 |21,660
Dorset |28,189 |38,198 |<1>31,579 |<1>22,880 |<1>5,800 |<1>28,680 |29,375 |22,750 |20,710 |43,460
Dudley |18,550 |4,100 |17,578 |11,708 |5,547 |17,255 |35,973 |13,190 |5,929 |19,119
Durham |16,276 |24,218 |15,635 |24,705 |20,347 |45,052 |19,300 |27,500 |44,417 |71,917
Ealing |11,247 |2,578 |<1>8,895 |<1>2,500 |<1>450 |<1>2,950 |6,500 |10,200 |300 |10,500
East Sussex |44,090 |37,009 |<1>38,820 |<1>17,916 |<1>7,811 |25,727 |30,425 |24,860 |8,759 |33,619
Enfield |25,865 |19,777 |27,035 |10,980 |4,420 |15,400 |27,297 |16,275 |22,394 |38,669
Essex |60,500 |40,500 |62,000 |37,000 |50,000 |87,000 |78,000 |35,000 |47,000 |82,000
Gateshead |5,990 |1,352 |<1>9,274 |<1>8,280 |<1>929 |<1>9,209 |7,190 |7,950 |950 |8,900
Gloucestershire |35,378 |5,756 |43,231 |20,395 |9,886 |30,281 |62,005 |20,700 |9,337 |30,037
Hampshire |81,915 |44,198 |<1>78,000 |<1>9,000 |<1>37,800 |<1>46,800 |60,260 |42,000 |28,060 |70,060
Haringey |15,620 |14,076 |<1>4,198 |<1>7,300 |<1>7,436 |<1>14,736 |8,465 |7,550 |7,612 |15,162
Harrow |6,772 |14,472 |<1>3,505 |<1>7,000 |<1>8,510 |<1>15,510 |8,000 |7,150 |13,698 |20,848
Havering |24,550 |8,500 |5,750 |6,525 |53,224 |59,749 |5,000 |10,000 |48,200 |58,200
Hereford and
Worcester |36,238 |7,612 |32,373 |20,000 |9,128 |29,128 |76,020 |20,520 |10,640 |31,160
Hertfordshire |44,800 |26,247 |46,235 |1,089 |34,206 |35,295 |55,339 |17,200 |22,833 |40,033
Hillingdon |8,106 |9,633 |<1>3,782 |<1>8,500 |<1>17,489 |<1>25,989 |4,600 |8,960 |16,357 |25,317
Hounslow |13,235 |11,439 |10,639 |10,020 |9,943 |19,963 |8,636 |10,025 |8,320 |18,345
Humberside |30,358 |32,836 |30,547 |21,519 |23,510 |45,029 |27,699 |35,580 |46,540 |82,120
Inner London |114,883 |168,124 |<1>117,500 |<1>85,000 |<1>77,600 |<1>162,600 |<1>60,600 |48,000 |143,860 |191,860
Isle of Wight |7,279 |3,291 |7,238 |6,090 |2,831 |8,921 |7,00 |5,000 |2,740 |7,740
Isles of Scilly |59 |88 |<1>120 |0 |<1>25 |<1>25 |250 |125 |50 |175
Kent |62,332 |23,054 |<1>67,304 |<1>18,000 |<1>12,000 |<1>30,000 |<1>46,159 |<1>45,226 |<1>39,892 |<1>85,118
Kingston Upon
Thames |10,090 |6,055 |10,756 |4,056 |4,454 |8,510 |6,425 |4,882 |3,232 |8,114
Kirklees |31,504 |16,525 |33,843 |17,500 |4,511 |22,011 |30,278 |18,885 |4,279 |23,164
Knowsley |7,738 |3,054 |5,057 |4,800 |10,760 |15,560 |6,125 |9,600 |1,200 |10,800
Lancashire |87,432 |28,845 |89,509 |36,111 |30,050 |66,161 |90,000 |55,000 |25,000 |80,000
Leeds |32,455 |33,259 |<1>26,080 |<1>33,465 |<1>35,683 |<1>69,148 |57,712 |25,885 |9,887 |35,772
Leicestershire |50,895 |23,086 |<1>62,814 |<1>520 |<1>7,596 |<1>8,116 |71,690 |19,500 |430 |19,930
Lincolnshire |24,178 |5,197 |42,706 |22,635 |9,176 |31,811 |35,099 |21,800 |17,314 |39,114
Liverpool |24,450 |20,370 |<1>9,200 |<1>18,000 |<1>13,440 |<1>31,440 |46,002 |22,500 |30,691 |53,191
Manchester |33,931 |19,278 |31,891 |21,210 |17,840 |39,050 |20,997 |21,210 |19,145 |40,355
Merton |6,961 |6,770 |9,895 |6,700 |3,335 |10,035 |2,670 |6,000 |3,023 |9,023
Newcastle Upon Tyne |29,728 |17,263 |17,271 |12,419 |4,784 |17,203 |19,117 |11,935 |2,300 |14,235
Newham |15,498 |5,144 |<1>12,922 |<1>6,000 |<1>14,013 |<1>20,013 |9,935 |10,750 |7,885 |18,635
Norfolk |22,735 |62,695 |22,774 |37,248 |13,702 |50,950 |21,405 |27,260 |40,186 |67,446
North Tyneside |16,193 |11,348 |14,529 |5,597 |8,590 |14,187 |12,984 |6,423 |12,170 |18,593
North Yorkshire |69,024 |17,337 |<1>88,603 |<1>10,772 |<1>11,503 |<1>22,275 |85,252 |10,894 |10,419 |21,313
Northamptonshire |96,865 |39,285 |46,290 |21,958 |13,867 |35,825 |55,049 |25,190 |27,238 |52,518
Northumberland |14,453 |14,092 |14,903 |13,700 |18,158 |31,858 |16,653 |13,710 |19,797 |33,507
Nottinghamshire |85,056 |32,665 |137,101 |40,940 |27,451 |68,391 |139,402 |35,424 |26,123 |61,547
Oldham |18,402 |17,008 |<1>16,207 |<1>10,505 |<1>6,503 |<1>17,008 |17,390 |10,000 |12,000 |22,000
Oxfordshire |42,641 |47,957 |43,188 |24,775 |34,605 |59,380 |47,134 |23,615 |35,783 |59,398
Redbridge |8,400 |4,500 |12,707 |8,088 |3,794 |11,882 |14,494 |9,000 |6,000 |15,000
Richmond Upon
Thames |5,532 |4,133 |7,217 |4,203 |1,715 |5,918 |7,762 |3,850 |2,415 |6,265
Rochdale |12,101 |9,803 |<1>12,010 |<1>11,000 |<1>9,010 |<1>20,010 |12,430 |8,336 |25,942 |34,278
Rotherham |13,511 |4,315 |16,939 |12,520 |3,362 |15,882 |16,081 |12,630 |10,167 |22,797
Salford |15,215 |5,059 |<1>15,700 |<1>2,770 |<1>1,520 |<1>4,290 |23,421 |0 |2,728 |2,728
Sandwell |9,102 |17,716 |12,358 |14,182 |16,321 |30,503 |12,630 |11,600 |23,825 |35,425
Sefton |11,934 |2,435 |14,802 |9,462 |3,953 |13,415 |8,773 |6,524 |5,454 |11,978
Sheffield |38,150 |12,400 |36,880 |13,000 |5,200 |18,200 |31,910 |12,000 |4,500 |16,500
Shropshire |34,450 |3,000 |29,005 |18,000 |8,940 |25,940 |23,080 |18,000 |12,470 |30,470
Solihull |29,825 |15,918 |18,508 |10,900 |7,783 |18,683 |10,510 |9,000 |4,753 |13,753
Somerset |24,183 |14,920 |24,015 |17,268 |13,685 |30,953 |18,261 |17,365 |13,181 |30,546
South Tyneside |13,315 |3,104 |<1>19,928 |<1>4,167 |<1>25,000 |<1>29,167 |4,985 |13,244 |6,817 |20,061
St. Helens |9,739 |4,085 |8,633 |8,865 |7,924 |16,789 |5,400 |8,865 |2,489 |11,354
Staffordshire |26,805 |61,085 |57,920 |41,500 |20,291 |61,791 |44,049 |41,500 |3,345 |44,845
Stockport |6,363 |14,675 |23,057 |6,729 |5,376 |12,105 |14,430 |14,460 |440 |14,900
Suffolk |30,290 |41,378 |36,361 |24,260 |24,428 |48,688 |43,510 |24,490 |12,100 |36,590
Sunderland |18,650 |18,357 |<1>17,340 |<1>15,000 |<1>10,666 |<1>25,666 |19,335 |14,675 |29,319 |43,994
Surrey |58,274 |12,286 |<1>37,690 |<1>35,190 |<1>8,130 |<1>43,320 |61,346 |35,190 |21,676 |56,866
Sutton |3,850 |5,204 |<1>5,900 |<1>3,750 |<1>6,830 |<1>10,580 |1,521 |5,497 |600 |6,097
Tameside |15,624 |5,484 |15,024 |10,828 |2,834 |13,662 |15,852 |9,235 |7,034 |16,269
Trafford |8,192 |6,318 |15,253 |6,177 |4,512 |10,689 |11,672 |6,660 |2,586 |9,246
Wakefield |14,218 |14,630 |11,030 |11,725 |3,469 |15,194 |17,338 |14,045 |4,579 |18,624
Walsall |23,691 |9,552 |9,993 |21,250 |4,733 |25,983 |13,805 |19,320 |2,000 |21,320
Waltham Forest |13,797 |11,100 |12,181 |9,420 |2,805 |12,225 |9,438 |13,300 |5,192 |18,492
Warwickshire |12,210 |35,929 |<1>24,800 |<1>25,000 |<1>20,851 |<1>45,851 |28,050 |17,500 |39,200 |56,700
West Sussex |14,503 |24,297 |<1>21,949 |<1>24,000 |<1>26,539 |<1>50,539 |34,479 |19,600 |19,981 |39,581
Wigan |27,335 |10,360 |22,347 |0 |10,970 |10,970 |23,664 |4,270 |5,437 |9,707
Wiltshire |23,797 |9,101 |<1>35,135 |<1>13,518 |<1>7,902 |<1>21,420 |20,694 |26,693 |12,159 |38,852
Wirral |10,934 |13,718 |8,743 |12,376 |18,265 |30,641 |11,120 |11,000 |10,600 |21,600
Wolverhampton |12,022 |42,314 |9,569 |9,105 |14,715 |23,820 |21,322 |19,068 |45,006 |64,074
|------ |------ |------ |------ |------ |------ |------ |------ |------ |------
England |2,683,951 |2,009,110 |2,650,513 |1,522,084 |1,353,582 |2,875,666 |2,891,772 |1,766,728 |1,754,454 |3,521,182
Notes:
1987-88 outturn.
1988-89 outturn.
1989-90 estimated.
<1> Estimated.
Teachers' Pay and Conditions
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has now considered the views expressed by the local authority employers, teacher unions and others on his proposals following the third report of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions.
Mr. MacGregor : After careful consideration of the representations I have received I have decided to accept
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the recommendations contained in the third report of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions, but to stage their introduction over the period up to 1 January 1991 and to make some minor modifications.I believe that the changes to be introduced will markedly increase the attractiveness of teaching as a profession and improve career prospects for good teachers. The introduction of range pay for heads and deputies, and of incremental enhancements and local scales for classroom teachers, will greatly improve the
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scope for flexible local decision taking to meet local circumstances. The new discretionary £750 pay supplement for teachers in the inner London weighting area will help tackle the special problems in London.Drafts of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 1990, an order which will give effect to this document, and a circular to local education authorities and others are being sent to the relevant local authority associations, teacher unions and bodies representing the interests of the governors of voluntary schools and grant-maintained schools, inviting their comments by Thursday 26 April 1990.
The draft document incorporates the changes recommended by the IAC, subject to staging and to some modifications. These include the assimilation of deputy head teachers in existing school groups 6 and 9 one point higher on the new pay spine, and the addition of one extra spine point on the top of the normal range for deputy head teachers in new school groups 1, 2 and 3 and for head teachers in new school groups 1 and 2.
Youth Service
Mr. Burt : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he proposes to make at national level to assist the youth service in responding effectively to the challenges of the 1990s.
Mr. MacGregor : From 1 April 1991, I have decided to build on the experience and expertise of the national level youth service bodies I currently fund, particularly the unit comprising the National Youth Bureau and the Council for the Education and Training of Youth and Community Workers, by channelling that funding through one single, high-profile and comprehensive national youth agency (NYA). This will have clear responsibility to work with both the voluntary and the local authority sectors of the youth service to improve the quality, range and effectiveness of their responses to the priority objectives we are establishing with them.
To ensure a co-ordinated approach, I shall fund this body to undertake a range of education-related functions, including the development of curricular content and methods, especially in advice and counselling ; the development, endorsement, accreditation and, where necessary, the provision of youth worker training ; the collection, dissemination and publication of information ; support for managers of youth service organisations and operations, particularly in the voluntary sector, including management training ; response to international interests and programmes ; and direct support for Government initiatives in these areas. It will be open to other Departments and agencies to support similar work through the agency in their particular areas of responsibility.
In recognition of the valuable contribution of the voluntary sector, and to realise an effective partnership between it and the local authority sector, I propose to implement the recommendations of the efficiency scrutiny of Government funding of the voluntary sector, published yesterday, by requiring the director personally to ensure that the agency, its work and staff are responsive to the needs of the voluntary sector and of volunteers, and to report to me annually on this. I propose also to permit the body to fund voluntary youth organisations to undertake curriculum and training development projects as an integral part of its functions in these areas. I shall expect
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it, in all the work I fund, to promote the active participation of young people, and to seek to secure private sponsorship and otherwise increase its income from non-Government sources.These arrangements are designed to meet the needs of the clients of the bodies I currently fund. Should, however, the National Council for the Voluntary Youth Service and the National Association of Young People's Counselling and Advisory Services and the British Youth Council consider the needs of their members would not be fully met, I would be prepared to explore the possibility of them competing for limited funding as national voluntary youth organisations, for eligible programmes of work outside the scope of the national youth agency. Once this has been determined, my officials will consult the territorial education Departments as to which of the national youth agency's functions could usefully be undertaken in respect of their areas and otherwise to secure co-operation and co- ordination with any comparable bodies they fund. Detailed arrangements for managing the national youth agency will be settled in consultation with the interests concerned.
Neil McCluskey
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will reply to a letter from the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth dated 9 February marked urgent and referring to Neil McCluskey esq. of Imperial college.
Mr. Jackson : The Department has received a very large number of letters about student loans at the same time as the Education (Student Loans) Bill has been before Parliament. I am sorry that replies to some hon. Members have been delayed. A concerted effort is in hand to ensure that replies are despatched to all hon. Members urgently.
British Council (Brussels)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what benefits have accrued since February 1989 from establishment by the British Council Brussels office of the higher education programme within its European Commission liaison unit.
Mr. Sainsbury : I have been asked to reply.
I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Indonesia
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek to have the human rights situation in East Timor included on the agenda of the June meeting of the inter-governmental group on Indonesia.
Mrs. Chalker : It would not be appropriate for this subject to feature on the formal agenda of the June meeting.
Education for All
Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what goals were agreed at the "Education for All" conference in Thailand this month ;
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how Her Majesty's Government will ensure that these goals are reached ; and what plans Her Majesty's Government have to increase the aid given specifically to primary education and adult literacy.Mrs. Chalker : The ultimate goal affirmed by the world declaration on education for all is to meet the basic learning needs of all children, youth and adults.
Progress towards this goal will rest mainly with individual developing country Governments establishing intermediate goals to suit local circumstances, and, in respect of the aid programme, the priorities they have. We are not able to order the way in which other Governments allocate resources to a variety of sectors, but I believe that the consequences of the conference will enable us more easily to encourage and expand support for primary education and adult literacy programmes, the latter with an emphasis on learning for women.
Tropical Rain Forests
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much British aid has been directed to the tropical forestry action plan to date ; and how much is planned for the next three years ;
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of all the representations he has received about the advisability of continuing support for the tropical forestry action plan ;
(3) what assessment has been made of the extent of deforestation resulting from the tropical forestry action plan ; and if he will make a statement ;
(4) what input his Department has had into the tropical forestry action plan ; and what account he has taken of recommendations about its effectiveness ;
(5) what specific measures are being adopted within the tropical forestry action plan to ensure the reversal of deforestation and the protection of biological diversity.
Mrs. Chalker : The tropical forestry action plan (TFAP) is not a fund or organisation to which donors contribute funds. It is a mechanism under which recipient countries review their forestry sectors, and donors can co-ordinate assistance and have a dialogue with each country about policy issues. The product is a national tropical forestry action plan for each country taking part in the process.
The TFAP requires strengthening. I called for its revision when I addressed the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) general conference last November. I said that policies relating to forests need examining and those that encourage deforestation need changing. Policies should encourage reaforestation and agroforestry, and better agricultural practices which help take the pressures off forests. They should take account of the knowledge and interests of the peoples of the forests. Shortly after the conference the FAO set up an independent review to examine the TFAP and make recommendations for reform. The review team visited London last month and met my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs as well as representatives of the timber trade and NGOs. It is due to report in the summer. I have placed a copy of ODA's written submission to the review in the Library of the House.
The ODA has supported or is supporting the preparation of national forestry action plans in 11 countries at a cost of £0.4 million ; and we currently plan to assist with the preparation of a further nine plans. We are currently funding eight projects related to national
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forestry action plans at a cost of £13 million. We are considering 22 further projects, the cost of which will depend on their precise design. All ODA assistance through the TFAP is subject to our normal rigorous appraisal and careful management.ODA forestry advisers participate in the twice-yearly meetings of an informal group of technical advisers responsible for TFAP from donor agencies, and liaise with the TFAP co-ordinating unit within the FAO.
The FAO has been quoted in the New Scientist as saying that it is nonsense to say that the TFAP has promoted deforestation. The independent review should provide an assessment of the TFAP to date. Specific measures to reverse deforestation and protect biological diversity are included in national tropical forestry action plans. Conserving forest ecosystems is one of the five priority areas highlighted when the TFAP was launched in 1985.
It is not normal practice to place departmental correspondence in the Library of the House.
Romania
Mr. Summerson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any further plans to help improve health care in Romania.
Mrs. Chalker : In addition to the help we have already provided, directly and through the European Community, we now propose to contribute £500,000 to the World Health Organisation's programme of assistance for the Romanian health service.
Overseas Aid
Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have any plans for additional overseas aid.
Mrs. Chalker : Yes. At the Zambia consultative group on 9 to 11 April we intend to pledge a new grant of £30 million. It is to be spent on essential imports required to implement the economic reform programme for 1990 that Zambia has agreed with the International Monetary Fund. We are also offering to reschedule some £12.85 million of repayments, including accumulated arrears, due to Britain in 1990-91 on past aid loans to Zambia. These new measures are additional to our technical co-operation programme, worth some £14 million last year. In addition, the external financing limit for the Commonwealth Development Corporation will be increased by £25 million from £28 million to £53 million. The increase will enable the corporation to continue assisting the economies of developing countries, in particular in the private sector. These increases in aid will be met in part by a charge to the reserve of £30 million ; the remainder will come from the existing overseas aid programme.
PRIME MINISTER
European Social Charter
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the action plan of the Commission to implement the provisions of the social charter largely by majority voting procedures.
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The Prime Minister : I have at present no plans to raise the matter at the next Council. The voting arrangements for each proposal in the action programme will depend on the legal base put forward by the Commission and this will become clear only when it publishes its detailed proposals.Engagements
Mr. Stern : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 April.
The Prime Minister : I hope to have meetings with ministerial colleagues and others and carry out my duties in the House, after which I shall depart for Istanbul to be present at the 75th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings the following day.
Floods, North Wales
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Prime Minister if she will establish an appeal fund for the victims of the north Wales sea floods.
The Prime Minister : Appeal funds have already been established in the three areas worst affected by the floods and the Government have made contributions to each of them.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will receive a deputation of council leaders and residents of the north Wales coasts concerning the north Wales sea floods of March ;
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(2) if she will visit the Clwyd county council headquarters to meet the chief executive of Clwyd city council to receive a report on the impact of the north Wales sea floods upon the residents of those areas affected ;(3) if she will visit north Wales to meet the victims of the sea floods of March.
The Prime Minister : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has already visited the area to see the damage and meet the victims of the floods. He and his officials of his Department have held meetings with the local authorities most involved.
European Single Market
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Prime Minister what information she has as to the number of directives concerning the creation of a single market within the European Community in 1992 which have been enacted in the national legislation of each member state and subsequently implemented ; and what percentage of the total directives this represents in each case.
The Prime Minister : The latest information on the implementation of single market measures in national legislation comes from the Commission's fifth progress report on the White Paper on the internal market. I am delighted to report that this shows the United Kingdom in first place on its implementation record, with only nine measures remaining unimplemented. This highlights the United Kingdom's record as a reliable partner in the Community. The table gives the overall position member state by member state.
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|Belgium |Federal |Denmark |Spain |France |Greece |Italy |Ireland |Luxembourg |Netherlands|Portugal |United
|Republic |Kingdom
|Germany
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Measures notified |53 |75 |77 |55 |68 |46 |36 |67 |58 |63 |37 |77
Measures not notified |22 |11 |9 |28 |16 |26 |30 |13 |18 |20 |42 |7
Infringement proceeding |12 |1 |1 |2 |3 |9 |20 |5 |9 |4 |2 |2
Derogation |- |- |- |4 |- |6 |- |1 |- |- |8 |1
Not applicable |3 |3 |3 |1 |3 |3 |4 |4 |5 |3 |1 |3
Per cent. |61 |86 |89 |65 |78 |57 |42 |78 |68 |72 |46 |90
Lithuania
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Prime Minister what recent communication she has received from Professor Landsbergis, the President of Lithuania ; what has been her response ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I have received a letter from Professor Landsbergis drawing attention to a number of documents and declarations relating to the status of Lithuania. Our views on the incorporation into the Soviet Union of the Baltic states, and on the status of Lithuania, are clearly on record.
South Africa
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister if she will seek to persuade the South African Government to allow the free flow of funds from outside South Africa to the United Democratic Front.
The Prime Minister [pursuant to her reply, 13 March 1990, c. 156] : Further information has come to my attention concerning impediments to the flow of funds to the United Democratic Front. The main South African
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laws dealing with foreign funding--the Fund Raising Act 1978 and the Disclosure of Foreign Funding Act 1989--do not impede the flow of funds to the UDF. However, the UDF is still listed under the Affected Organisations Act 1974 which prevents it from receiving funds from foreign sources. The other restrictions on the UDF were lifted on 2 February and we would like to see the restrictions under the Affected Organisations Act lifted also.HEALTH
Kidney Donors
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the willingness of people to become kidney donors ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : We receive frequent representations on organ donation from a wide range of individuals and organisations. On 16 November 1989 I chaired a seminar on ways of improving the voluntary donation of organs.
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The transcript is now available and I have placed copies in the Library ; my letter which accompanies the transcript sets out the action that is in hand.Discussions at the seminar illustrated both the complexity of the subject and the diversity of views on the best way forward. The initiatives we have already taken should, however, continue to produce results for a considerable time, and we do not propose to make any major changes in policy at present.
Two initiatives of particular importance are the first national audit of potential donors in intensive care units, and the organ donation publicity programme. Both were discussed in some detail at the seminar. The audit and other recent studies have raised a number of medical issues which could significantly affect the potential for organ donation. Professional bodies are addressing these issues. We have expanded the Department's publicity budget, from approximately £50,000 four years ago to about £200,000 per annum today. The transcript gives details of the ways in which the money has been spent, and our plans for 1990-91.
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