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Column 713
Written Answers to Questions
Friday 22 June 1990
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Nursery Nurses
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many Nursery Nurses Education Board graduates there have been in each of the last 10 years ;
(2) how many graduates there have been in B.Tec nursery nursing.
Mrs. Rumbold : The information requested is not available centrally.
Teacher Training
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support his Department is giving to the in-service training of teachers of children with severe learning difficulties and the national curriculum.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Department is making grants available through the local education authority training grants scheme to support some £70 million expenditure on training related to the national curriculum in 1990-91. The Department has made it clear, in guidance to local education authorities, that all aspects of training in the basic curriculum should apply to pupils with special educational needs. The scheme is also supporting over £2.2 million expenditure on specialist training in severe learning difficulties, which may also include aspects of national curriculum training.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students have graduated from the initial teacher training course at Westhill college, specialising in training to work with children with severe learning difficulties, in the last five years.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Numbers of students graduating from the initial teacher training course at Westhill college, specialising in training to work with children with severe learning difficulties, in the last five years are shown in the table. Related figures for in-service provision in this area are also shown.
Academic |4 year |Full-time |Part-time
Year |BEd |(1 year) |(2 year)
|In-service<1>|In-service<2>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |18 |11 |0
1988-89 |18 |17 |0
1987-88 |22 |9 |3
1986-87 |21 |10 |4
1985-86 |19 |13 |9
Notes:
<1> The last entry to the four year primary BEd with a major subject
option in mental handicap was in September 1987 and the final cohort
of students will graduate in 1991.
<2> The college offered a diploma in special education (mental
handicap) prior to September 1987 and a B. Phil. Ed. in severe
learning difficulties after this date.
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Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for initial teacher training and the education of children with severe learning difficulties.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Initial training in this field is now provided mainly through long in-service courses, which are eligible for support at the higher rate of grant under the local education authority training grants scheme. We are currently reviewing the way in which this and other areas of training in special educational needs are organised and funded, with a view of establishing whether the effectiveness of the current arrangements could be improved. The outcomes of this review will not be determined until later in the year.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many bachelor of education graduates had specialist training in work with children with special educational needs in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Alan Howarth : All initial teacher training courses have been required since 1984 to include training in the recognition of children with special educational needs and strategies for developing all children's potential. Training for specialist teachers of children with special educational needs is now provided through post-experience training.
The following table shows the numbers of students recruited to bachelor of education courses which provided specialist training for teachers of children with special educational needs from 1983 until 1987, the last year in which such courses recruited.
|c|Entrants to bachelor of education special needs courses|c| |c|1983 to 1987|c| Year |Students --------------------------- 1983 |56 1984 |56 1985 |41 1986 |43 1987 |48 Source: Department of Education and Science survey of recruitment to initial teacher training.
City Technology Colleges
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) in respect of each city technology college what amount of annual per capita grant he has agreed to pay for the financial year beginning in September 1991 ; what unit of cost per pupil has been used in calculating the amount of annual per capital grant ; how this unit cost has been determined ; and what enhancement of annual per capita grant has been allowed under the terms of paragraph 11 of the model funding agreement ;
(2) what amount of earmarked annual grant he has agreed to pay in the financial year beginning in September 1991 ; and for what purpose each element of earmarked annual grant has been approved.
Mrs. Rumbold : The level of recurrent expenditure for city technology colleges for the academic year beginning September 1991 has not yet been agreed.
Creches
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what sources of external funding are available to support nursery, creche and playcare
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schemes held at education establishments attended by numbers of women returners and retainees ; and if he will make a statement.Mrs. Rumbold : The Department does not collect information on the extent to which employers or others support the provision of child-care facilities at educational institutions.
REPLAN, funded jointly by the Department and the Welsh Office to promote educational opportunities for the adult unemployed, last year carried out a survey of childcare provision in institutions of higher education. I am placing copies in the Library.
Under the education support grants scheme administered by the Department, expenditure totalling £2 million will be available to local education authorities in each of the years 1990-91 and 1991-92 to support the development of measures to increase the recruitment of former teachers and mature entrants to teaching. These measures may include the provision of creche and other child-care facilities, as well as more flexible working practices. Out of 45 successful bids supported, 17 LEAs will receive funding for child-care initiatives amounting to nearly £150,000.
I am sure that employers will wish to explore every avenue when considering ways to encourage women back into the work-force, including the possibilities of co-operating with educational institutions in the provision of child-care facilities.
Haberdashers' Aske's CTC
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will initiate consultations, similar to those for the proposed city technology colleges at Derby, Telford and Wandsworth, with relevant local education authorities, local schools and other interested parties on the pupil numbers and catchment area proposed for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college in Deptford.
Mrs. Rumbold : The consultation on "Securing the Future of the Schools" undertaken by the then governing body of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham girls' and boys' schools in July 1988 provided an opportunity for interested parties to consider three options, including that of establishing a city technology college (CTC). A majority of parents of pupils at the schools voted for the option of a CTC opening in September 1991.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what catchment area and pupil numbers are proposed for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college ; and what additional measures will be taken to ensure that admissions to the college focus on pupils drawn from the disadvantaged parts of its catchment area ;
(2) if he will consider imposing a condition on the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college that a minimum proportion of its pupils should be drawn from the areas of the Deptford and North Peckham inner city task forces and other disadvantaged parts of its catchment area.
Mrs. Rumbold : It is for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust, when established, to submit proposals to my right hon. Friend relating to pupil numbers and catchment area. None has so far been submitted and my right hon. Friend would not wish to anticipate his response.
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Anglia Institute
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to make an announcement as to whether the Anglia institute is to be granted polytechnic status ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : The chairman of the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC) wrote to my right hon. Friend on 13 June with the council's advice on the designation of new polytechnics. In his letter he indicated that the council had deferred consideration of the case submitted to it by Anglia higher education college pending accreditation of the college by the CNAA, which is one of the criteria established for designation as a polytechnic. My right hon. Friend will respond to the PCFC advice as soon as possible.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
World Population (United Nations Report)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he received the United Nations report, "The State of the World Population 1990".
Mrs. Chalker : The Overseas Development Administration received an advance copy of the UNFPA report on 10 May and attended the UNFPA's executive director's press conference to launch the report in London on 14 May.
We welcome the report and strongly support the urgent need for reduction in global population growth rates. Population will continue to be a priority issue in Britain's aid programme. Our spending on activities directly related to population concerns has increased from £6.5 million in 1981 to over £17 million in 1989. We are considering ways of increasing this assistance, but much depends on the willingness of recipient Governments to give population concerns a high priority in their own spending and action plans.
TRANSPORT
London Underground (Passenger Safety)
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new plans he has to improve the safety of women and other passengers on London Underground ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : London Underground Ltd is currently implementing a programme of new measures to improve passenger security with the aid of a £15 million Government grant. These measures, include trained staff with radios ; help-point booths ; passenger talkback alarms ; closed- circuit television ; safe waiting areas ; and mirrors and improved lighting in passageways. They have been introduced at selected stations on the Northern and Central lines and at Oxford Circus station, in order to assess their effectiveness, and are now being installed at stations between Hammersmith and Paddington on the Metropolitan line. London Underground Ltd is also considering additional anti-crime features, such as the use of closed-circuit television in carriages. The new generation of rolling stock, now on order, incorporates a
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number of security features, including alarms allowing communication with the driver, and greater visibility between carriages.MV Derbyshire
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from relatives of those who died on the MV Derbyshire, following the publication of the wreck commissioner's inquiry into the ship's loss.
Mr. McLoughlin : The report of the court of formal investigation into the loss of MV Derbyshire was published on 15 January 1990. Since that date I have received one written representation from a relative of one of those lost in the Derbyshire tragedy.
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has received concerning the sinking of the MV Derbyshire since the conclusion of the inquiry of the commissioner for wrecks.
Mr. McLoughlin : I have received no fresh evidence concerning the sinking of the MV Derbyshire since the court of formal investigation concluded in March 1988.
Roll on/Roll off Ferries
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the specialist sub-committee on stability matters to report to the maritime safety committee of the International Maritime Organisation on the adoption of a higher standard of residual stability for existing roll on/roll off ferries ; and whether he intends to take any action to impose higher standards of residual stability on existing roll on/roll off ferries using British ports in the meantime.
Mr. McLoughlin : The specialist sub-committee has been requested to report back to the maritime safety committee in May 1991. In addition, a number of European Ministers for Maritime Affairs have been invited to send their officials to a meeting in London on the 24 July. The aim of this meeting will be to obtain European agreement on the application and timing of a higher standard of residual stability to existing roll on/roll off passenger ferries.
ENERGY
Energy Saving
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to substantially reduce energy consumption.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The Government's policy is to promote improvements in energy efficiency through the programmes of the Energy Efficiency Office and by other means.
Nuclear Energy (Joint Ventures)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what role the United Kingdom plays in providing expertise and information in support of the joint venture programme, the international nuclear event scale project,
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by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's nuclear energy agency.Mr. Baldry : The United Kingdom has played a key role in the establishment of the international event scale (INES). This scale was developed under the joint auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency by an international committee chaired by a United Kingdom expert from Nuclear Electric. All operators of the United Kingdom's civil nuclear installations have been consulted throughout the development of the scale. The United Kingdom has agreed to participate in a trial period of application of INES which will begin this autumn and will last for around 12 months. When in full use, INES will provide a means for promptly communicating to the public, in consistent terms, the safety significance of events reported at nuclear power plants. By putting events into proper perspective, the scale can facilitate a common understanding between participating countries, the nuclear industry, the media and the public. It should significantly reduce the risk of misunderstandings and help to pre-empt speculation in the media and elsewhere.
I am arranging for further details of the scale to be placed in the Library of the House.
Redundant Mineworkers Pension Scheme
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the inquiries of complaints he has had in each month over the last two years on behalf of redundant miners who are unable to transfer their pension in the redundant mineworkers pension scheme because of the cut-off date ; what were the sources of the complaints in each case ; and what consideration he is now giving to a review of the position.
Mr. Baldry : Ministers in this Department have received six letters from right hon. and hon. Members and six letters from mineworkers and ex- mineworkers on this subject. The transfer of accrued pension entitlement prior to 1 January 1986 is a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes concerned.
Nuclear Safeguards
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he received a copy of the 1989 safeguards implementation report of the International Atomic Energy Agency ; and if he will make a statement on its implications for his Department's current policies.
Mr. Baldry : My officials received a copy of the IAEA's safeguards implementation report in May. The agency concluded that the nuclear material under its safeguards in 1989 remained in peaceful nuclear activities. There are no new implications for the policies of my Department arising from the report. A summary of the report will be contained in the agency's 1989 annual report, which will be placed in the Library of the House when it becomes available.
International Atomic Energy Agency
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he intends to table at the 34th regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency general conference to be held in Vienna on 17 to 21 September ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : The United Kingdom delegation will play a full and active role in the International Atomic Energy Agency's 34th general conference. However, in the light of the provisional agenda, I do not expect any new initiatives to be launched.Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce his decision on flotation of the generating boards by (a) placing (b) tender or (c) general sale to the public.
Mr. Baldry : Decisions have yet to be taken on the precise structure of the sale of National Power and PowerGen. I announced on 28 February that the sale would take place in February 1991 subject to market conditions.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce what proportion of the shares of the electricity (a) distribution and (b) generating companies will be sold to (i) United Kingdom, (ii) other European community and (iii) foreign investors and institutions.
Mr. Baldry : Decisions have yet to be taken on the precise structure of the sale of the 12 regional electricity companies, National Power and PowerGen. These will be determined by a number of factors, notably market conditions, nearer the time of the sales.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has made of the savings in public expenditure resulting from placing of the shares in the electricity supply industry companies.
Mr. Baldry : The cost to the taxpayer of privatising the electricity supply industry is being kept to the minimum commensurate with maximising the proceeds from the sales and achieving a successful privatisation. No final decisions have yet been made on the structure of the offers.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the total cost of the advertising budget to publicise the privatisation of (a) the electricity distribution companies and (b) the generating companies, in 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 1 May and 6 June 1990.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the name of the advertising agency that has been commissioned to publicise the privatisation of the electricity generating companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : A number of advertising agencies have been invited to apply for the job of providing the pre-flotation advertising campaign for the privatisation of the generating companies. An announcement will be made when the decision on the appointment has been made.
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DEFENCE
Lavington Research Establishment
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to investigate allegations that secrets related to the latest generation of weapons were missing from the research establishment at Lavington, Wiltshire ; if he will indicate the nature of the weapons involved ; what progress has been made in the investigation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : I am aware of a recent newspaper article which contained such an allegation. However, while I can confirm that an Army warrant officer serving at West Lavington was arrested last September and charged with the theft of official documents ; these concerned equipment which has been in service for many years. Ministry of Defence police investigations of this matter have now been concluded.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research contracts his Department has with the research establishment at Lavington, Wiltshire ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : None. The proof and experimental establishment at Lavington is part of the Ministry of Defence.
Service Personnel (Security)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost of providing an allowance to armed forces personnel towards the cost of installation of bullet-proof glass in their personal cars ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : All proposals, including the installation of bullet-proof glass, are considered in relation to the threat and their cost -effectiveness. It is not our policy to divulge the details of our security precautions.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice is offered to armed forces personnel on personal security when off duty.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We have a comprehensive security education programme aimed at reducing the security risk to all service personnel and Ministry of Defence-employed civilians. The intention is to provide sensible and practical advice in a number of different formats (for example, videos and lectures). The type of advice provided includes the need to avoid clothing or luggage which could identify an individual as a member of the services ; the importance of checking vehicles for bombs and booby traps and the need to be aware of the danger of any unnecessary gathering in a group in a public place. The central message of the programme is that personal awareness is the key to security.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has assessed the potential security risk of the Royal British Legion selling mailing lists of ex-service men and women.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence has no responsibility for the Royal British Legion. However, the Royal British Legion has sought and accepted the Department's advice on the security arrangements for its mailing lists.
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Cruise Missiles
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the role of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles in employment plans for NATO theatre nuclear forces ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The details of NATO's operational plans are classified.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department is participating in NATO action to examine how to integrate the use of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles into NATO theatre nuclear force targeting, command, control and employment plans ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if his Department is participating in the development of a military concept of operations for the use of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles in support of NATO military operations.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No, the examination of the potential contribution of sea-launched cruise missiles to European security is principally a matter for NATO and United States authorities.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning progress by NATO in developing concepts of military operations for the employment of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launch cruise missiles in conjunction with dual, nuclear/conventional weapon, capable aircraft.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Since 1984, the United States has deployed nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs) on United States naval vessels as an integral part of its worldwide deterrent forces. In 1988 NATO Defence Ministers instigated, as part of a larger force restructuring programme, an examination of the potential contribution of SLCMs to European security.
With this remit, United States and NATO military authorities are continuing to develop the necessary arrangements that would permit the United States to make SLCMs available to NATO in wartime.
RAF Shackletons
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will deposit in the Library the reports or summaries of the reports of the completed boards of inquiry into the crash of RAF Shackletons since the end of 1967.
Mr. Neubert : The decision that military aircraft accident summaries would be published following service boards of inquiry into major military aircraft accidents was announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Chertsey and Walton (Sir G. Pattie) on 15 January 1980 at column 686 . There are no such summaries for accidents occurring before that date and, as my right hon. Friend made clear, the proceedings of service boards of inquiry are, and must remain, privileged.
There have been three major aircraft accidents involving RAF Shackleton aircraft since the end of 1967, two before 1980 (on 1 and 19 April 1968 respectively) and
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one on 30 April this year. A military aircraft accident summary in respect of this last accident will be published and a copy placed in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as it is available.Armaments Depot, Beith
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian and military personnel have been employed at the royal naval armaments depot, Beith, in each year since 1979.
Mr. Neubert : No military personnel are employed at the royal naval armaments depot, Beith. The figures for civilian personnel employed over the past 10 years are shown in the table :
|Personnel
------------------------------
1981 |537
1982 |523
1983 |506
1984 |523
1985 |496
1986 |511
1987 |444
1988 |469
1989 |499
1990 |563
Information prior to 1981 is not available.
Deal Explosion
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now proposes to make available the conclusions of the inquiry into the explosion at Deal on 22 September 1989 ; and what is the reason for the delay.
Mr. Neubert : I regret that the information requested is not available.
Stoney Castle Ranges
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department first initiated action to establish the status of access across Ministry of Defence land at Stoney Castle ranges, Pirbright, for the illegal tipping of waste.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My Department first initiated action to establish the status of the access across Ministry of Defence land at Stoney Castle ranges, Pirbright, on 6 March 1987.
Defence Exports
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of total visible exports was accounted for by defence exports for each year since 1985.
Mr. Alan Clark : Taking account of some defence goods which are not readily identifiable as such in the Customs tariff, it is estimated that United Kingdom exports of defence equipment have fluctuated around an average of 3 to 4 per cent. of total visible exports during the period from 1985. Because of changes in the coverage of the statistics, it is not possible to give a consistent annual series of figures over the period.
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Mooring Buoys, Loch Linnhe
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the function of the mooring buoys located in Loch Linnhe, off Onich ; who paid for their installation ; who pays for their upkeep ; and what use has been made of them in the past 10 years.
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