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million and £2,992 million respectively. No information is available for the carriage of United Kingdom exports. In 1979 freight costs accounted for 5 per cent. of the value of goods imported as declared to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. In 1989 the percentage was 2.5 per cent.London Traffic Director
Sir Barney Hayhoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to appoint the traffic co-ordinator for London ; what will be his powers and terms of reference ; what size of secretariat he will control ; and where it will be located.
Mr. Atkins : The role of the Traffic Director was outlined in paras 7.34-7.38 of "Traffic in London" published following my right hon. Friend's statement on 14 December last. We shall be consulting the organisations concerned shortly on proposals for legislation. The appointment will depend on the timing of legislation. The director will have a small staff, but its size and location have not yet been decided.
Staff Qualifications
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades 1 to 7 who have (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. Atkins : The information available from our computerised staff record is as follows :
(a), (b), (c)
115 staff in my Department in grades 1 to 7 have an arts degree, representing 12 per cent. of the total in these grades.
334 staff in these grades have a science or technical degree, representing 36 per cent. of the total.
(d) Nine staff in these grades are qualified accountants, 1 per cent. of the total.
(e) No staff in these grades have postgraduate qualifications in management.
(f) Information about types of school is not available.
King's Cross
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the contractual agreement between British Rail and the developers of the King's Cross site for national transport requirements.
Mr. Parkinson : In its discussions about the development of the King's Cross railway lands, British Rail has sought to preserve the option of desirable improvements to the national and local rail systems.
Drink Driving
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the blood-alcohol limits enforced on drivers in each country of Europe, including eastern Europe.
Mr. Atkins : The most recent list of which we are aware relates to 1985. It is as follows :
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|Blood-alcohol
|limits
---------------------------------------------------------
Austria |80
Belgium |80
Bulgaria |0
Czechoslovakia |0
Denmark |80
Finland |50
France |80
East Germany |0
Greece |50
Hungary |0
Iceland |50
Ireland |120 |now 100
Italy |not set |now 80
Luxembourg |80
Netherlands |50
Norway |50
Poland |25
Portugal |not set |now 50
Rumania |0
Sweden |50
Switzerland |80
Spain |80
United Kingdom |80
West Germany |80
PRIME MINISTER
Flooding
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if she will receive a deputation from Clwyd county council concerning the impact upon people's property of the north Wales sea inundation ; (2) what plans she has to visit houses flooded by the sea inundation in March on the north Wales coast ; and if she will make a statement ;
(3) if she proposes to meet business men whose premises were flooded by the sea inundation in March on the north Wales coast.
The Prime Minister : As I told the hon. Member on 5 April at columns 735-36, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has already visited the area as has the Minister of State. Both Ministers and officials have held meetings with the local authorities most involved. These contacts continue and on 30 April the Secretary of State was able to announce that the Bellwin scheme at the rate of 85 per cent. would be extended to 31 July and that he would be ready to consider a further extension to the scheme in the light of circumstances nearer that date. I know that this continued close contact is the right approach to ensuring that the area returns to normal as soon as possible.
Armed Forces (Medical and Dental Officers)
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the pay of medical and dental officers in the armed forces.
The Prime Minister : The armed forces pay review body has submitted to me a supplementary report on the pay of medical and dental officers in the armed forces which recommends increases of between 6 and 10.7 per cent. The Government have decided to accept the recommendations in full, though, in common with the pay awards announced for other review body groups in February,
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implementation will be staged, with 7 per cent. payable from 1 April 1990 and the balance of the award payable from 1 January 1991.ENERGY
Local Authorities (Energy Production)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the local authorities that are actively producing energy from waste materials and show for each local authority from what source the material comes.
Mr. Peter Morrison : My Department is aware of the following : Energy from the combustion of municipal solid waste (MSW) North London waste disposal authority
Coventry city council
Nottinghamshire county council
Sheffield city council
Energy from land-fill gas
East London waste disposal authority
Merseyside waste disposal authority
Warwickshire county council
Lancashire county council
Cheshire county council
Production of refuse derived fuel from MSW
Isle of Wight county council
East Sussex county council
Birmingham city council
Newcastle city council
Glasgow city council
Offshore Oil Installations
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is considering any further proposals to enhance safety on offshore oil installations in advance of the report by Lord Cullen into the Piper Alpha disaster ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Morrison : We are continuously looking to improve offshore safety standards. Regulations requiring emergency shutdown valves on offshore installations were introduced in June 1989, as were regulations requiring the election of offshore safety representatives and safety committees. Regulations relating to revised arrangements for first aid offshore were made in September 1989. Further regulations relating to sub- sea isolation systems are being prepared. Discussion documents have been issued detailing proposals for a review of the requirements for life-saving appliances, work permit procedures and fire and explosion protection on offshore installations, together with proposals requiring formal safety assessments to be applied as a continuous process at all stages of an installation's life cycle. In addition, a number of safety notices have been issued drawing the attention of the industry to specific areas of concern. The Government have made it clear that any improvements to safety recommended by the Piper Alpha public inquiry will be acted upon.
Staff Qualifications
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy 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
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are qualified accountants, (e) have postgraduate qualifications in management and (f) who were educated in (i) local authority and (ii) private schools.Mr. Wakeham : I regret the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Gas Imports
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what new imports of gas have been agreed within the last 12 months.
Mr. Wakeham : None. If a purchaser wished to construct a marine pipeline to carry imports, consent would be required under the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-Lines Act 1975 and a treaty would have to be negotiated with the country from whose territory the pipeline crossed to the United Kingdom. In the case of the pipeline from the Frigg field, which is now in rapid decline, a new treaty or amendment of the existing treaty would be required to govern any new uses of the line. British Gas plc gave an undertakkng in 1986 that it would consult the Government regarding any import plans as these develop. In considering any import proposals, we shall weigh carefully the availability of competitive UKCS gas supplies and the market opportunities open.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Fair Employment
Rev. William McCrea : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a formal hearing will be held by the Fair Employment Commission into a complaint made by Mr. T. Barker in November 1988 against Sean Quinn Quarries Ltd., Derrylin.
Mr. Needham : Investigations into an individual complaint of discrimination under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1976 are governed by schedule 5 to that Act. The investigation must be conducted in private and it is, therefore, not the commission's policy to confirm that a complaint has been made.
Water Service Properties
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether valuations have been completed in respect of residences occupied by employees of the Department of the Environment (NI) water service ; and when occupiers will be offered the opportunity to purchase their homes ;
(2) whether all tenants of Department of the Environment (NI) water service homes will have a right to purchase ;
(3) what progress has been made to date in the valuation of Department of the Environment (NI) water service tenanted residential properties in the (a) Northern division, (b) Southern division, (c) Eastern division and (d) Western division.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : All water service dwellings are being considered for possible disposal. The first group to be offered for sale comprises 35 dwellings, 31 of which have been valued, 10 being in Northern division, nine in Southern division, 11 in Eastern division and one in Western division. The occupants will shortly be offered the opportunity to purchase the dwellings in which they live.
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Metric Measures (Spirits)
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whom he will consult before he publishes his draft amending legislation on metric measures for spirits ; and how long the consultation period will last.
Mr. Needham : As required by article 48(2) of the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 the Department of Economic Development will again consult with interested organisations, including those listed in my reply of 9 March, at columns 863-64 before making any order.
The period of consultation is normally between four and six weeks from publication of the proposal for the draft amending legislation.
Farm Dwellings
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many cases in 1988 where application for planning approval was made for an additional farm dwelling evidence was sought from the Department of Agriculture as to the viability of a farm unit and the need for a farm labourer's dwelling.
Mr. Needham : It is the policy of the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland to consult the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland on applications for planning permission for farm dwellings in areas where such permission is granted only when a need to live in the countryside can be demonstrated. Consultations with that Department are carried out occasionally on applications affecting sites in other areas. Information on the number of cases is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning approvals have been given for the building of dwellings for farm labourers in each of the last 10 years ; what is the average size of such dwellings and the number of rooms provided ; and how many are currently occupied by farm labourers.
Mr. Needham : The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Language Courses
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will consider funding towards the cost of providing opportunities for secondary school children who are in attendance at grant- aided schools to improve their knowledge of French, German or Spanish by attendance at specially designed residential language courses.
Dr. Mawhinney : As part of its response to the challenge of 1992, the Government wish to encourage greater competence in a wider range of languages among pupils in Northern Ireland. The Department of Education for Northern Ireland has invited education and library boards to put forward proposals for support for programmes of European awareness drawn up by them. The enhancement of foreign language skills by various means, including residential courses provided by boards could form an appropriate part of such programmes.
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Employment and Training Schemes
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what have been the number of approved and filled action for community employment projects in each year
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since 1986, and how they have been distributed between (a) district councils ; (b) other public bodies ; (c) voluntary bodies and (d) the private sector.Mr. Needham : Details of approved and filled ACE projects 1986-1990 are as follows :
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|District |Other public |Voluntary |Private sector|Totals
|councils |bodies |bodies
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1986
Approved |70 |104 |1,044 |4 |1,222
Filled |61 |91 |971 |4 |1,127
March 1987
Approved |48 |54 |540 |1 |643
Filled |48 |52 |540 |1 |641
March 1988
Approved |15 |4 |359 |- |378
Filled |15 |4 |359 |- |378
March 1989
Approved |16 |4 |345 |- |365
Filled |16 |4 |345 |- |365
March 1990
Approved |16 |3 |315 |- |334
Filled |16 |3 |315 |- |334
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the flexibilities recently introduced to apply to youth training in Great Britain will be extended to the youth training programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : The new flexibilities which are being introduced into youth training in Great Britain and which will be applied to the youth training programme (YTP) in Northern Ireland are :
a. an emphasis on outputs rather than training processes ; b. flexible design of individual schemes to achieve outputs ; c. all YTP entrants will have the opportunity to train for a national vocational qualification and the targets for level 2 and above are being increased over the next three years ;
d. improved assessment and endorsement procedures for special training needs ;
e. enhanced training opportunities to help unemployed trainees nearing the end of training to secure jobs ;
f. extension of the guarantee to include certain groups whose entry into training has been unavoidably delayed.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the destinations of people leaving action for community employment and the job training programme ; how many leavers got jobs, became unemployed or went on to further training, and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : A recent survey showed that three months after leaving the action for community employment programme, 32.1 per cent. of participants had obtained jobs, 58.8 per cent. were unemployed and 0.2 per cent. were receiving further training. The most recent survey information available for the job training programme (JTP) reveals that between May and July 1989 a total of 52 per cent. of participants leaving JTP did not return to the unemployment register, with the destination of 48 per cent. not determined. For the period August to October 1989, a total of 47 per cent. of participants leaving JTP did not return to the unemployment register, with the destination of 53 per cent. not determined.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the eligibility conditions that a person has
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to satisfy if they are to take up a job or training place on (a) action for community employment, (b) job training programme, (c) youth training programme and (d) enterprise allowance scheme ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Needham : The eligibility conditions that a person has to satisfy if they are to take up a job or training are as follows :-- (a) Action For Community Employment
Applicants must meet three conditions :--
(1) be at least 18 and under 64 years of age ;
(2) have been unemployed without a break for at least three months immediately before starting on ACE project ;
(3) have been unemployed for at least 12 months out of the last 15 months.
There are exceptions to condition (3) in the case of disabled people, young people who have recently been on the youth training programme and adults who have recently been on the job training programme.
Unemployed 18 to 24-year-olds who are in receipt of unemployment benefit or income support need be unemployed for only six months in order to qualify.
(b) Job Training Programme
Adults between the ages of 18 and 60 who have been continuously registered as unemployed or who have been in receipt of invalidity benefit, sickness benefit or severe disablement allowance for at least six months are eligible for the Programme. Periods spent in prison on a custodial sentence or on remand may be counted in satisfying the six month qualification period. Certain other groups who have not been registered as unemployed are also eligible. These special groups include disabled people, ex-service personnel and lone parents whose youngest dependant child is in statutory full-time education and who have been in receipt of income support on an order book for at least 26 weeks.
(c) Youth Training Programme
Young people, whether employed or unemployed are eligible to join YTP at any time between the date on which they are first entitled to leave full- time education and their
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18th birthday. Young people with disabilities are eligible to join the programme at any time between their minimum school leaving date and their 22nd birthday.(d) Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Applicants must meet eight conditions :--
(1) they must be receiving unemployment benefit or income support in lieu of unemployment benefit (either personally or through their spouse) on the date of their completed application ;
(2) they must have been unemployed and actively seeking work for at least eight weeks prior to the receipt of their application. (Time spent under formal notice of redundancy, or Department of Economic Development training -rehabilitation schemes or in part-time employment for up to eight hours per week will count towards this eight-week period) ;
(3) they must be aged 18 (or over) but under state pension age ; (4) they must be able to show that they have at least £1,000 available to invest in the business during the first 12 months. (This can be in the form of personal savings, loan or overdraft) ; (5) they must agree to work full- time (at least 36 hours per week) in the business ;
(6) their proposed business must be approved by the Department of Economic Development ;
(7) they must not have participated in the enterprise allowance scheme within the 12 months prior to any second application ; (8) they must have participated in approved enterprise training prior to making their application.
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the destination of youth training programme leavers for each year since 1986-87 ; and of those who found employment, how many were with the employer who provided their training.
Mr. Needham : The information is as follows :
|YTP leavers whose|To |Percentage
|destination is |employment |of total
|known
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |10,271 |5,686 |55
1987-88 |10,509 |5,787 |55
1988-89 |10,232 |6,428 |63
1989-90 |10,914 |6,767 |62
No figures are available for YTP leavers who found employment with the employer who
provided their training.
|Full time |Percentage|Unemployed|Percentage
|education |of total |of total
------------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |430 |4 |4,155 |41
1987-88 |503 |5 |4,129 |40
1988-89 |460 |5 |3,334 |33
1989-90 |649 |6 |3,498 |32
No figures are available for YTP leavers who found employment
with the employer who provided their training.
Unemployment Benefit
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unemployed claimants have, since 9 October 1989, (a) been issued with warning letters for not actively seeking work, (b) had their claims referred to an adjudication officer for not actually seeking work, (c) had their claims allowed or disallowed and (d) been referred to an adjudication officer for refusing suitable employment ; how many of those in (d) have had their benefits disqualified ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : Up to 9 April 1990, just over 5,000 unemployed claimants in Northern Ireland were interviewed specifically about their efforts to find work. As a
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