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Employment Training
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employment training scheme trainees are placed with (a) Grampian Holdings, (b) John Wood Group plc, (c) W. & J. Barners, (d) IBM United Kingdom Ltd., (e) The Royal Bank of Scotland, (f) Guinness, (g) GEC Plessey (Kirkcaldy), (h) Roche Products (Dalry), (i) Polaroid (UK), (j) McQueen Ltd. (Galashiels) and (k) Rolls Royce and Associates Ltd. (Thurso).
Mr. Lang [holding answer 24 April 1990] : In employment training placements are negotiated between training managers and placement providers and embodied in a contract between those parties : the content of such contracts is deemed to be commercial in confidence. The information sought is therefore not available.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Gibraltar (Incident)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his decision to issue certificates under the Crown Proceedings Act in respect of legal action relating to the deaths of three persons in Gibraltar.
Mr. Waldegrave : Proceedings have been brought against the Ministry of Defence in the High Court in Northern Ireland by relatives of the three members of the Provisional IRA who were shot dead in Gibraltar. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has signed certificates under section 40(3)(a) of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947, as extended to Northern Ireland, to the effect that any liability of the Crown alleged in the actions arises neither in respect of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, nor in respect of Her Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland. Copies of the certificates were served on lawyers acting for the relatives on 26 March.
East-West Co-operation
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe held in April on the lifting of restrictions on west-east co-operation.
Mr. Waldegrave : The concluding document of the Bonn CSCE meeting on economic co-operation in Europe represents a valuable contribution towards stimulating market-oriented economic principles throughout Europe and to the general development of economic co-operation. The document contains an invitation to the OECD to consider hosting meetings of experts drawn from CSCE and OECD states to continue the dialogue in specific fields, including trade. This proposal was originally put forward by the United Kingdom.
Iraq
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government first learnt of attempts by Iraq to obtain krytrons in the United States for potential use in nuclear warhead triggers.
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Mr. Waldegrave : The interception of a consignment of capacitors bound for Iraq on 28 March at Heathrow was the result of co-operation between the United States and United Kingdom customs authorities over a period of several months. We are not aware of any attempt by Iraq to obtain krytrons in the United States.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the status of the Iraqi nuclear programme.
Mr. Waldegrave : Iraq is a party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and, as such, has undertaken not to develop nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. We expect Iraq to abide by her international legal obligations.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom will raise the violation by Iraq of its commitment not to obtain nuclear weapons capability as a party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty at the next meeting of parties to the treaty.
Mr. Waldegrave : Parties to the non-proliferation treaty are currently meeting in Geneva for the third preparatory committee to the NPT review conference. Since the committee is largely devoted to administrative matters, we do not consider it an appropriate forum in which to raise this matter. We would, however, expect the interception at Heathrow of a consignment of capacitors bound for Iraq on 28 March to be discussed at the review conference on 20 August-14 September.
Argentina
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters were raised by Ministers or officials of this Department during the visit to the United Kingdom by the Foreign Minister of Argentina, Senor Cavallo, in April, with his counterpart, or members of the Foreign Minister's visiting party.
Mr. Maude : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 18 April, at column 845.
Hong Kong
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters concerning civil or military aspects of nuclear energy the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. Maude) discussed during his visit to the Crown Territories of Hong Kong in April.
Mr. Maude : During my visit to Hong Kong in April, I held no specific discussions about civil or military aspects of nuclear energy. I did, however, pay a visit to the Castle Peak power station, where I held discussions with the China Light and Power Company, whose interests in the nuclear power station under construction at Daya bay in southern China was mentioned in passing.
Indian President
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was discussed during his meeting with President Venkataraman of India during his recent visit to London.
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Mr. Maude : During his meeting with President Venkataraman, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed international and regional issues. The meeting confirmed the excellent state of Indo-British relations.USSR
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters he or his officials raised with his Soviet counterpart, other Soviet Foreign Ministers or Foreign Ministry officials during his visit to Moscow on 9 to 11 April.
Mr. Waldegrave : During his recent visit to the Soviet Union, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the full range of bilateral and international issues.
Biotechnology
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on steps Her Majesty's Government have taken and plan to take to ensure the detection of any diversion by any other state of biotechnology for offensive military purposes.
Mr. Waldergrave : The 1972 biological and toxin weapons convention, to which over 110 states are party, prohibits the development, production, stockpiling, or other acquisition of microbial or other biological agents of toxins, except for peaceful purposes. Any evidence that a party was in breach of the convention would be a serious matter. We have alerted our Australia group partners to the possibility of diversion or biotechnology equipment, material and know-how for use in biological warfare, and are taking parallel action with potential United Kingdom suppliers. The Export of Goods (Control) Order has also for many years prohibited the export of biological materials and related equipment adapted for use in war unless specifically licensed.
Poland
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he will take to help the Polish economy by converting loans to grants.
Mr. Waldegrave : Poland has benefitted from successive rescheduling within the Paris club of debts to Governments. Under the most recent, in February, Poland need make no payments this year. The Paris club has also agreed, without commitment, to set up a working group on long-term debt issues once the first review of Poland's IMF standby programme has been successfully completed.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific technological help has been given to Poland over the past two years ; and what plans exist for it to be increased.
Mr. Waldegrave : Subject to security considerations, western technology has been available through commercial channels. We believe Poland most needs the managerial skills and technical expertise to run free -market and democratic systems and we have created the know-how fund to supply this.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is being taken by the European Community to help Poland.
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Mr. Maude : The European Community has responded quickly and generously to the economic and political reforms in Poland by measures which include, 158 mecu--£117 million, approximately--free food, removal or suspension of all quantitative restrictions on Polish exports to the Community, generalised system of preferences status for exports into the EC, including the reduction of certain tariffs or levels, 1 billion ecu --£750 million, approximately--lending by the European investment bank, and 300mecu in 1991--£225 million, approximately--project aid for environmental, agricultural and training projects in Poland and Hungary.
Poland will also benefit from the establishment of the European training foundation, the TEMPUS student mobility scheme and the European bank for reconstruction and development.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what restructuring of loans to Poland has so far taken place.
Mr. Waldegrave : Poland's Government creditors agreed in the Paris club in February to reschedule 100 per cent. of principal and interest in arrears at the end of 1989 and payments due up to March 1991. Bank creditors agreed a rescheduling of almost all commercial debt in July 1988 over a 15-year period. Further talks are currently being held.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the European Community to assist Poland.
Mr. Maude : We have taken every opportunity to encourage Community support for Poland. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has taken a leading role in promoting close relations between the EC and Poland. We have encouraged and supported the numerous specific measures which have been put in place by the Community.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what food has been sent to Poland from European Community stocks.
Mr. Maude : The European Community has so far supplied 158 mecu-- £117 million, approximately--of free food to Poland from Community stocks. The free food comprised deliveries of breadmaking wheat, maize, barley, beef, olive oil and citrus fruits.
Beirut Hostages
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to secure the release of John McCarthy, Brian Keenan, Terry Waite and Jack Mann who are currently being held hostage in Beirut ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 April to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans), at column 843 .
Western European Union
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues were discussed during the meeting of the Western European Union in Brussels on 27 April.
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Mr. Waldegrave : My right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Secretary of State for Defence, attended the ministerial council of Western European Union in Brussels on 23 April. They had a useful exchange of views with Foreign and Defence Ministers from other WEU member states covering progress towards Germany unification, the prospects for a coventional forces in Europe agreement and a conference on security and co-operation in Europe summit, co-operation on arms control verification, and future defence co-operation. They reaffirmed the need for United States and Canadian troops to continue to be stationed in Europe, and the importance of Western European Union and the north Atlantic alliance in which a united Germany would take its place alongside its fellow members.Expatriates
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the number of persons who were previously resident in Britain who are now resident in each country abroad, above a level of 500 British expatriates in each country ; and if he will estimate in each case how many are of pensionable age and how many of working age, respectively.
Mr. Maude : We have no means of estimating the number of British residents living in each country abroad who were previously resident in Britain, nor can we estimate their ages.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Harvest
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the size of the United Kingdom harvest in (a) tonnes and (b) value, at actual and at 1989 prices in each year since 1979.
Mr. Maclean : The size of the cereals harvest and the value of cereal sales off farms are shown below.
Year |Cereal |Value of |Value of
|harvest |output |output at
|1989 prices
|('000 tonnes)|(£ million) |(£ million)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |17,416 |1,184 |1,357
1980 |19,472 |1,463 |1,616
1981 |19,621 |1,693 |1,725
1982 |21,913 |2,062 |1,971
1983 |21,307 |1,996 |1,738
1984 |26,602 |2,420 |2,260
1985 |22,466 |2,281 |2,210
1986 |24,489 |2,174 |2,117
1987 |21,675 |2,043 |1,993
1988 |21,118 |1,898 |1,929
<1>1989 |22,403 |1,926 |1,926
<1> Forecast.
It will be noted that the size of the harvest does not correspond exactly to the value of output--sales off farms--even when this is measured at constant prices. This is partly because some of the harvest is used on farms for animal feed and because some of each year's harvest is sold off farms in the next calendar year.
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Farm Diversification (Lincolnshire)
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food how many farm diversification schemes in Lincolnshire have so far been approved and grants given.
Mr. Maclean : Thirty applications for farm diversification capital grant covering a total investment of £733,354 have so far been approved in Lincolnshire. Grant payments totalling £33,819 have been made to date. Feasibility study grants have also been approved in four cases.
Pesticides
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the comparative rates of use by British and American farmers of maneb, mancozeb and zineb ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The Government regularly survey British farmers for their usage of pesticides, including maneb, mancozeb and zineb. They do not hold comparable information for American farmers.
Deer Herds (TB)
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take to eliminate tuberculosis within deer herds ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Tuberculosis in deer was made a notifiable disease in June 1989 and a compulsory slaughter with compensation scheme was introduced in September 1989, when marking and movement record requirements also came into force.
Salmon
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek advice from the advisory committee on salmon stocks on the desirability of a United Kingdom contribution to the proposed Greenland and Foroese salmon quota buy-out.
Mr. Curry : We are aware of the proposals put forward by private interests to buy-out the salmon quotas for Faroes and west Greenland, which have been agreed in the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation. Any such proposals in relation to these quotas would need to be handled through NASCO as the international organisation with powers to arrange for the protection and conservation of salmon stocks in relation to high seas fisheries in the north Atlantic. A formal proposal has not yet been put to NASCO, although the issue is expected to be raised at least in principle at the meeting in Helsinki in June this year.
The salmon advisory committee is currently fully occupied in discharging its initial remit to examine and report on influences on stocks within Great Britain. We do not consider it appropriate to seek advice of the salmon advisory committee on the buy-out proposal.
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Sewage Sludge
Mr. Graham : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tonnes of sewage sludge were dumped at sea by each of the water authorities in England and Wales in each year since 1979.
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Mr. Curry [ pursuant to his reply, 2 April 1990 c. 363 ] : The amounts of sewage sludge dumped at sea by each of the water authorities in England and Wales in each year since 1979 are as follows :
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Thousand Tonnes (wet weight)
Water Authority |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |<2><4>1989
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anglian |<1>5,202 |211 |175 |156 |138 |85 |215 |162 |267 |299 |262
Northumbrian |16 |46 |262 |280 |372 |482 |464 |500 |457 |510 |<3>-
North West |1,654 |1,730 |1,693 |1,642 |1,299 |1,283 |1,499 |1,541 |1,624 |1,629 |1,646
Severn Trent |- |- |- |- |- |- |1 |2 |2 |3 |1
Southern |323 |301 |267 |290 |202 |232 |292 |289 |243 |236 |296
South West |120 |135 |126 |145 |131 |147 |135 |124 |130 |125 |107
Thames |<1>5,202 |5,030 |4,920 |4,620 |4,150 |4,200 |4,240 |4,543 |3,638 |4,083 |2,610
Welsh |71 |81 |62 |65 |54 |47 |53 |60 |54 |55 |62
Wessex |287 |312 |266 |255 |176 |260 |206 |197 |184 |218 |244
Yorkshire |243 |130 |92 |83 |91 |78 |88 |112 |95 |109 |101
<1> Combined total (separate figures are not available).
<2> Provisional figures.
<3> Figure not yet available.
<4> Includes successor companies to the water authorities.
Wild Fish
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had on the proposed European Community Council Regulation on the sale of wild caught fish ; what effect he considers this might have on the sale of wild salmon and sea trout ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : We are in the early stages of considering these draft proposals, consulting upon them with
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interested parties, and will be seeking clarification from the Commission on a number of aspects. As presently drafted, the focus of the proposals is upon the premises in which fishery products are handled and processed. The proposed labelling requirements are intended to link products with the approved premises in which fish were processed for the purposes of inspection. An indication of the origin of the fish before being presented to the approved establishment would not be required.
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