| Home Page |
Column 539
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 2 May 1990
ENVIRONMENT
Hedgerows
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will place in the Library copies of the two hedgerow surveys he mentioned in his answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 13 March at columns 185-86.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Both reports are already in the Library. The survey carried out by Hunting Surveys and Consultants Ltd. was published in 1986 under the title "Monitoring Landscape Change". The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food "Survey of Environmental Topics on Farms, England and Wales, 1985" was published under that title as a MAFF statistics release (reference number 244/85) on 30 September 1985.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all sites of special scientific interest currently the subject of (a) appeals and (b) inquiries.
Mr. Trippier : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. and learned Member for Warley, West (Mr. Archer) on 21 March 1990, Official Report, column 679.
Financial Times" Conference
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representatives his Department had at the Financial Times conference on industry and the environment, held in London on 23 and 24 April.
Mr. Trippier : The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory), gave the keynote speech at the conference on 23 April. He was accompanied by two officials.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the definition of (a) a married couple, (b) an unmarried couple and (c) persons who do not fall into either category (a) or (b) but who live together, for the purposes of community charge classification ; and how many couples of each category there are in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) England, (iii) Norfolk and (iv) North Norfolk district council areas.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 30 April 1990] : The definition of people who are married to each other for the purposes of the community charge is set out in section 16(9) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 which
Column 540
states that they are those who are married, or those who are not married but living together as husband and wife. The figures requested are not available.Houses of Parliament (Static Electricity)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to instigate a monitoring programme in respect of static electricity levels within the House.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 30 April 1990] : I have no plans to do so.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what figures he has to enable a comparison to be made between static electricity levels within the House and those in comparable circumstances elsewhere ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 30 April 1990] : There are no figures available.
Heavy Lorries
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what (a) reviews his Department is carrying out and (b) legislation he is planning to introduce to reduce environmental pollution from heavy lorries.
Mr. Atkins : I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) on 7 February at columns 653-54 . Local highway authorities already have wide-ranging powers in respect of heavy lorries using unsuitable roads.
THE ARTS
Natural History Museum
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the ending of research on fossil birds and plants at the natural history museum in London ; and if he has proposals to increase funding to the natural history museum.
Mr. Luce : The day-to-day running of the natural history museum, and decisions on the museum's research programme, are matters for the director and trustees of the museum.
With regard to funding, I announced in November 1989 that the Government were increasing the museum's grant-in-aid for 1990-91 by 16.5 per cent. over 1989-90. Future funding for the national history museum will be considered in conjunction with the funding bids from other national museums and galleries, details of which are contained in their 1990-95 corporate plans which are being submitted to me.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Business Expansion Schemes
Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what compensation is available from the Inland Revenue to an applicant company in the event of excessive delay resulting in the loss of potential business expansion scheme investments and other improvements to finance.
Column 541
Mr. Lilley : As a general policy, the Inland Revenue will consider reimbursing expenditure which has arisen unnecessarily and is directly attributable to a serious error on the part of its staff. Serious error is defined as something which no responsible person, acting in good faith and with proper care, would reasonably do. Each case is considered on its merits.Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to amend section 294 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 to make explicit that bridges, equipment and track of private railways are to be regarded as plant and machinery.
Mr. Lilley : I have no plans to do so.
Flights (VAT)
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which rate of value added tax applies to the carriage of passengers on non scheduled flights, including scenic, pleasure and special passenger transport services in aircraft capable of carrying not fewer than 12 passengers, including pilot and crew ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) which rate of value added tax applies to the carriage of passengers by hot air balloons capable of carrying not fewer than 12 passengers, including pilot and crew, on non scheduled scenic, pleasure and special passenger transport flights ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : The VAT Act 1983 provides zero-rating for the transport of passengers in aircraft designed or adapted to carry not less than 12 passengers, but, in applying that relief, a distinction has been made between conventional aircraft and hot air balloons. Conventional aircraft are capable of performing the function of conveying passengers with certainty between specified places--the essential characteristic of a supply of transport. However hot air balloons, which are not capable of powered flight, are largely at the mercy of the
Column 542
elements and do not satisfy that criterion. They are, therefore, excluded from the benefit of the relief and flights in them are thus liable to VAT at the standard rate.Retail Sales
Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the annual rate of growth for retail sales for the last two years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 1 May 1990] : The volume of retail sales increased by 6.9 per cent. between 1987 and 1988 and by 2.2 per cent. between 1988 and 1989. Retail sales growth has clearly slowed sharply in response to monetary policy.
EMPLOYMENT
Youth Training
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide details for each YTS in the Birmingham and Solihull and Sandwell and Dudley areas, for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the number of YTS trainees (a) in total and (b) with disabilities.
Mr. Nicholls : The information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for Great Britain and for the west midlands region for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the total number and percentage of YTS trainees (a) who did not complete their full entitlement to YTS and (b) with disabilities who did not complete their full entitlement to YTS.
Mr. Nicholls : The information requested is set out in the table.
Column 541
All trainees Disabled status trainees
|Early leavers |Per cent. all |Early leavers
|leavers |disabled leavers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great Britain
1 April 1986-31 March 1987 |223,400 |52.1 |6,770 |58.7
1 April 1987-31 March 1988 |260,100 |79.4 |8,510 |73.8
1 April 1988-31 March 1988 |276,900 |66.7 |10,880 |70.9
1 April 1989-31 March 1990 |245,000 |63.5 |8,560 |65.6
West Midlands
1 April 1986-31 March 1987 |31,100 |54.2 |630 |54.7
1 April 1987-31 March 1988 |36,300 |80.0 |920 |73.0
1 April 1988-31 March 1989 |37,300 |69.7 |1,120 |69.0
1 April 1989-31 March 1990 |28,900 |65.1 |840 |65.6
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for Great Britain and for the west midlands region, for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the number of YTS leavers entering part-time employment (a) in total and (b) with disabilities.
Column 542
Mr. Nicholls : The number of YTS leavers for Great Britain and for the west midlands region for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date entering part-time employment (a) in total and (b) with disabilities are as follows :
Column 541
All Leavers Disabled Leavers
|West Midlands|Great Britain|West Midlands|Great Britain
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1986-March 1987 |359 |2,723 |3 |66
April 1987-March 1988 |812 |6,050 |21 |182
April 1988-March 1989 |849 |6,811 |26 |226
April 1989-November 1989<1> |622 |4,873 |20 |171
<1> Subject to revision.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for Great Britain and for the west midlands region, for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the number and percentage of YTS leavers gaining a qualification (a) in total and (b) with a disability.
Column 544
Mr. Nicholls : The number and percentage of YTS leavers for Great Britain and for the west midlands region for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date gaining a qualification (a) in total and (b) with a disability in Great Britain and the west midlands are as follows :
All Leavers Disabled Leavers
|West Midlands |Great Britain |West Midlands |Great Britain
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1986-March 1987 |1,403 |8,963 |13 |159
|11.8 per cent.|10.9 per cent.|6.8 per cent. |7.5 per cent.
April 1987-March 1988 |7,160 |49,675 |79 |790
|29.6 per cent.|28.7 per cent.|14.7 per cent.|16.2 per cent.
April 1988-March 1989 |9,980 |79,315 |133 |1,284
|40.7 per cent.|40.6 per cent.|22.5 per cent.|22.6 per cent.
April 1989-November 1989<1> |8,636 |70,869 |112 |1,090
|48.1 per cent |47.2 per cent.|25.7 per cent.|27.3 per cent.
<1>Subject to revision.
Column 543
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for Great Britain and for the west midlands region, for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the number of YTS leavers entering full-time employment (a) in total and (b) with disabilities.
Column 544
Mr. Nicholls : The number of YTS leavers for Great Britain and for the west midlands region for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date entering full-time employment (a) in total and (b) with disabilities are as follows :
Column 543
|West Midlands|Great Britain|West Midlands|Great Britain
All leavers Disabled leavers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1986-March 1987 |5,174 |37,442 |38 |473
April 1987-March 1988 |13,976 |97,649 |154 |1,516
April 1988-March 1989 |16,278 |123,869 |211 |1,979
April 1989-November 1989<1> |11,984 |97,206 |174 |1,533
<1> Subject to revision.
Government Training Programmes
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons on work-related Government training programmes in 1989 were nationals of other countries, showing European Community countries separately.
Mr. Eggar : The information requested is not available.
Staff Qualifications
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades 1 to 7 who have each (a) arts, (b) science and (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants, (e) have postgraduate qualifications in management and (f) who were educated in (i) local authority and (ii) private schools.
Mr. Eggar : There are 817 grades 1 to 7 and equivalents who hold one or more degree-level qualifications. This equates to 50 per cent. of total staff in post for these grades. A detailed breakdown by subject of qualifications held and type of education cannot be provided other than at disproportionate cost.
Skills Training Agency
Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a further statement about the sale of the Skills Training Agency.
Column 544
Mr. Eggar : The sale of the majority of the businesses to Astra Training Services Limited was completed on 30 April. As a result 42 skill centre businesses, the STA head office, mobile training service, sales teams, and colleges, and the staff employed in them, have transferred to the private sector. The sale of the gas and water safety training business at Letchworth skill centre to Mr. James was also completed on 30 April. The sales to Astra of the businesses of four other centres, and the sales to other successful bidders, are planned for completion shortly.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he is financing any expenditure in connection with the privatisation of the Skills Training Agency.
Mr. Howard : The full expenses will be covered by receipts from the sale. Some of the payments by the Government to training business purchasers need to be made before the arrival of receipts from the sale of assets not included in the business packages. Parliamentary approval for this new expenditure will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the privatisation of the Skills Training Agency (class VI, vote 5). Pending the necessary approval, urgent expenditure estimated at up to £16.324 million is being met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.
Column 545
Employment Service
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which unemployment benefit offices and jobcentres (a) are to be closed and (b) have been closed following the announcement of the reorganisation of the employment service in December 1989.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 30 April 1990] : The employment service, which is responsible for jobcentres and unemployment benefit offices, became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service Agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Lady.
CIVIL SERVICE
Permanent Secretaries
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what information he has on the number and percentage of present permanent secretaries in the civil service who were educated at (a) public schools, (b) Oxford university and (c) Cambridge university.
Mr. Luce : The number and percentage of present permanent secretaries in the home civil service who were educated at (a) public schools, (b) Oxford university and (c) Cambridge university are :
|Per cent.
------------------------------
(a) 17 |49
(b) 13 |37
(c) 9 |26
HEALTH
Hip Replacements
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations for the insertion of an artificial hip are carried out on United Kingdom citizens in (a) National Health Service hospitals, and (b) private hospitals in England annually.
Mr. Freeman : Health authorities in England reported 45,600 hip replacement operations in 1988-89.
Information is not collected centrally on surgical operations carried out in private hospitals. However, a report "The Role of the Private Sector in Elective Surgery in England and Wales in 1986" by J. P. Nicholl, M. R. Beeby and B. T. Williams, published in the 28 January 1989 issue of the British Medical Journal, copies of which are available in the Library, showed that 7,066 total hip replacement operations were performed in private hospitals in 1986.
Child Abuse
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigations his Department is (a) funding and (b) co-operating on in respect of (i) the sexual abuse of children and (ii) the ritual abuse of children.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Department funds a programme of research into child sexual abuse. An interdepartmental group on child abuse meets regularly to
Column 546
discuss a number of cross-sector policy issues in relation to child protection. The Department also regularly meets those voluntary organisations that it funds. On the issue of ritual abuse, the Department is aware of a number of child sexual abuse networks that have been investigated by social services departments and the police. The Department arranged a meeting in November 1989 with representatives from the NSPCC, Childline, the Children's Society and the Association of Directors of Social Services. A further meeting is to be arranged. The social services inspectorate is continuing to monitor the situation in order to assess the scale and nature of child abuse networks and ritual abuse.Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring arrangements he has in place to ensure that all guidelines issued to those social workers involved in cases of alleged child abuse incorporate the recommendations of the Butler-Sloss report.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Guidance issued by the Department in relation to child protection takes account of the recommendations of the Butler-Sloss report. The Department's social services inspectorate provide advice and support to local authorities, and as part of their inspection work look at practice in the light of local guidance issued to social workers.
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what directives he has given to directors of social services arising from the recommendations of the report of the inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland in 1987.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Simultaneously with the publication of the report of the inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland in 1987 the Department of Health issued copies of the document "Working Together : a guide to arrangements for inter-agency co-operation for the protection of children from abuse", under cover of circular LAC(88)10/HC(88)38, copies of which are available in the Library, to statutory agencies in England with responsibilities for child protection. The Home Office and the Department of Education and Science issued complementary ciculars to the police and school service respectively. The guidance document and the circulars took account of the recommendations in the inquiry report.
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from local authorities about the need for additional funding required for the purpose of training social workers involved in cases of alleged child abuse.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Department's training support programme has, since 1989-90, included an element for training local authority staff who provide social services for children and their families, including staff who deal with cases of alleged child abuse. All local authority social services departments receive grant aid under the programme in response to bids made to the Department.
Airborne Emissions
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by year for the last five years, the percentage of people who have suffered health problems from airborne emissions of (a) lead, (b) carbon monoxide and (c) particulates.
Column 547
Mr. Freeman : Except for instances of massive accidental exposure or deliberate self-exposure to carbon monoxide the informaton is not available. The effects of airborne emissions of lead, carbon monoxide or particulates currently experienced cannot be isolated from many other factors unrelated to air contaminants but contributing to health problems. Concentrations of these pollutants in the air are monitored at critical sites and, in general, they fall within the limit values prescribed under EC directives or the guidelines proposed by the World Health Organisation. Where these limit values or guidelines are exceeded occasionally, the measured levels have been within the recognised safety margins.Recycling
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussion Ministers had with suppliers of disposable equipment for hospitals, in drawing up the guide lines for the campaign, towards a greener NHS, to assess the degree to which materials used would be recycled, or disposed of with minimum environmental damage.
Mr. Freeman : Departmental officials have been in touch with glass manufacturers and the Aluminium Can Recycling Association to assess the degree to which these materials, as used in hospitals, can be recycled or otherwise safely disposed of with minimum environmental damage. A review is in progress within the NHS procurement directorate on the potential costs and benefits of using recycled paper more widely in the NHS and this will involve discussions with industry representatives. A number of health authorities have also taken helpful initiatives in this area. The only safe way of disposing of much single use or otherwise disposable equipment after use in hospitals is via incineration. The Department's estates directorate is in regular touch with incinerator manufacturers to ensure that the best possible advice is always readily available to the NHS.
Pesticides
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what facilities currently exist to test for the effects of exposure to pesticides ; whether he has any plans to improve diagnostic and treatment facilities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Doctors have access to the whole range of NHS testing facilities to assist them in diagnosis and treatment of people who may have been exposed to pesticides. They can seek advice from national poisons units and can arrange for special tests if necessary at pathology laboratories. There are no plans to make improvements specifically to pesticide testing facilities.
All doctors receive training in the diagnosis of acute poisoning, including that from exposure to pesticides. In addition, all general practitioners and hospital accident and emergency departments have been issued with a copy of the book "Pesticide Poisoning", a copy of which is available in the Library. This gives guidance on the diagnosis and treatment where acute poisoning from pesticides is suspected, but not on exposure to the very low levels of residues in food as these are within the accepted safety limits.
Column 548
Food Poisoning
Mr. Brandon-Bravo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government will be in a position to respond to the Social Services Committee's follow-up report on food poisoning, listeria and listeriosis.
Mr. Freeman : The Government have today published their response to this report. Copies have been placed in the Library.
Staff Qualifications
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades 1 to 7 who have each (a) arts, (b) science and (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants, (e) have postgraduate qualifications in management and (f) who were educated in (i) local authority and (ii) private schools.
Mr. Freeman : Full details could be recovered fr0m personal files only at disproportionate cost. But the records held on computer for payroll purposes indicate that some 30 per cent. (164) of those in the relevant grades have arts degrees ; 16 per cent. (88) have science and 4 per cent. (21) technical degrees ; and there are on these records five qualified accountants and one person with a post graduate qualification in management. Type of school is not recorded, and the reliability of payroll data in respect of qualifications is sufficient only to illustrate orders of magnitude.
Committee on Safety of Medicines
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what requirements for the disclosure of interests exist for members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines follow a code of practice on the declaration of interests. Details of the code and of interests declared are published with the annual report of the Medicines Commission. A copy of the 1988 report is in the Library.
Depo-Provera
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the number of women receiving Depo-Provera injections in each of the district health areas of west Yorkshire in each of the last five years.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may like to contact Sir Bryan Askew, chairman of Yorkshire regional health authority for further information.
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are issued to district health authorities with regard to the administration of Depo-Provera to women who have recently given birth.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information about the use of Depo-Provera is set out in full in a product data sheet supplied to all doctors. The data sheet states that because of the risk of heavy or prolonged bleeding in some women, the drug should be used with caution in the puerperium
Column 549
and that if the puerperal woman will be breast feeding, the initial injection of Depo-Provera should be delayed until six weeks post-partum.Guidance about Depo-Provera is also contained in the "British National Formulary" which is published by the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and issued twice yearly to all practising doctors.
TRANSPORT
Heavy Lorries
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) reviews his Department is carrying out and (b) legislation he is planning to introduce to reduce environmental pollution from heavy lorries with particular reference to (i) minor and (ii) unclassified roads.
Mr. Atkins : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) on 7 February at columns 653-54. Local highway authorities already have wide-ranging powers in respect of heavy lorries using unsuitable roads.
Shipping
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of exports from and imports to the United Kingdom, excluding ferry operations, carried in British registered ships ; and what approximate proportion of ships engaged in ferry services to and from the continent are registered in United Kingdom ports.
Mr. McLoughlin : Information is not available in the form requested. However the table shows, for 1989, the percentage, by value and by weight, of imports and exports carried in United Kingdom-registered vessels, distinguishing separately trade with Eurpean countries :
|c|Percentage of trade carried in United Kingdom
registered vessels:|c|
|c|1989|c|
|European |Rest of |Total
|Countries|World
--------------------------------------------------
By weight
Imports |21 |20 |21
Exports |26 |9 |21
By value
Imports |40 |18 |34
Exports |44 |20 |37
Information on the proportion of ships engaged in ferry services to and from the continent that are United Kingdom registered vessels is not available.
Imports and Exports
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the approximate cost in sterling and other currencies, respectively, of carrying imports and exports of the United Kingdom in the years 1979 and 1989 at actual and weighted prices, together with the percentage of cost in sterling for both years.
Mr. McLoughlin : The actual costs of carrying imports to the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1989 were £2,349
| Next Section
| Home Page |