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Donna Maguire
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise with the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic the implications of the failure of the extradition attempt by West Germany of Donna Maguire ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : No. This is a matter between the authorities of the Republic of Ireland and West Germany.
Energy Costs
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answers of 6 June, Official Report , column 615 , and 30 April, Official Report , column 385 , what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.
The Prime Minister : My answers on 6 June and 30 April relate to holdings of 417,784 and 586,843 sq ft respectively.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of the Cabinet Office in the latest available year.
The Prime Minister : Energy efficiency in the Cabinet Office has concentrated on encouraging staff to abide by commonsense measures to reduce energy wastage. Details of expenditure on other measures, such as the planned maintenance of boilers and the use of modern energy-saving lighting systems in refurbishment programmes, are not available.
Raoul Wallenberg
Mr. Amess : To ask the Prime Minister if she discussed the case of Mr. Raoul Wallenberg during her recent visit to the Soviet Union.
The Prime Minister : No. But our concerns have been raised with the Soviet authorities on many occasions. The Soviet Union continues to maintain that Raoul Wallenberg died in prison in 1947, but we do not have information about the precise circumstances.
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EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
New Books
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will take steps to direct local education authorities to ensure the recommendations of standards on new book purchase set out in the Bourdillon report ;
(2) if he will list those education authorities which (a) meet and (b) fail to meet the Bourdillon report standards, and what is the number of new books per thousand population purchased for each of the last five years by each.
Mrs. Rumbold : The Bourdillon report deals with the public library service. Neither local education authorities nor my right hon. Friend have any responsibility for this service. Responsibility lies with the Office of Arts and Libraries and local authorities.
Disabled Teachers
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers with disabilities are currently employed in each local education authority in England ; and what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of teachers with disabilities.
Mr. Alan Howarth : This information is not held by the Department. Responsibility for the employment and deployment of teachers, including disabled teachers, rests with local education authorities. The Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 covers all employers with more than 20 employees, including local education authorities.
Overseas Students
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what tuition fees overseas students were charged in each year since 1978-79 ; and what is the percentage change in real terms in the level of fees currently charged to overseas students compared with that in 1978-79.
Mr. Jackson : Fees are set by institutions and details of the fees actually charged are not held centrally. However, the then Secretaries of State for Education and Science recommended fee levels for all overseas students in 1978-79 and 1979-80 and, in respect of non-EC overseas students who embarked on their courses before 1980-81, between 1980-81 and 1984-85. Since 1980, EC students have been charged fees at the home student rate. In respect of non-EC overseas students embarking on their course in 1980-81 and subsequent years institutions are expected to charge fees sufficient to cover the full cost of the provisions made. The Council of Local Education Authorities and, until 1988-89, the University Grants Committee recommended fee levels to institutions in their respective sectors. Between 1981-82 and 1983-84 the then Secretaries of State also issued similar recommendations to institutions grant-aided by the Department. All the relevant recommendations for the years up to and including 1988-89 were promulgated by the Department. Details are in the Library. Because no information is held centrally on the fees actually charged, it is not possible to answer the second part of the hon. Member's question.
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Music
Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for increasing opportunities for children at school to be taught music.
Mrs. Rumbold : Music is a foundation subject in the national curriculum. This means that it will form part of the curriculum for every pupil aged five to 16 in a maintained school in England and Wales. We hope to make an announcement soon on the machinery to be set up to advise on the national curriculum requirements for music.
Primary Schools
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list of all Her Majesty's inspectorate reports on individual primary schools in England published during the last four years, indicating for each the number of pupils attending.
Mrs. Rumbold : I am today placing in the Library a list of all Her Majesty's inspectorate reports on individual primary schools published between 1 June 1986 and 31 May 1990 showing for each the number of pupils on roll at the time of the inspection.
In a small number of cases that information is not immediately available and I will write to the hon. Member with it in the near future.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in the latest available year.
Mrs. Rumbold : A sum of £10,000 was spent on power factor correction equipment at our Darlington headquarters building in the 1989-90 financial year. This builds on the sum of £28,000 spent by the PSA on electrical lighting control sensors at the same site in the previous financial year.
Capital expenditure on energy saving equipment for the Department's London headquarters site is not justified, as there is insufficient time left to recover the financial outlay that would be necessary before our impending move to new premises.
Energy Consumption
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the answers of 10 May, Official Report, column 217 and 30 April, Official Report, column 392 about energy consumption, what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.
Mrs. Rumbold : The area of office space to which these figures relate is 540,023 sq ft.
Ministerial Visit
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the ministerial visit to Coventry schools of the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Howarth) on 22 June.
Mr. Alan Howarth : I was glad to have the opportunity to visit schools in Coventry on 22 June. I was impressed by
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the professionalism and commitment of the teachers I met. It was helpful, following my meeting with representatives of Coventry LEA in February, to be able to see at first hand some of the problems of the physical conditions at these schools. The Department will do everything it can, consistent with the need to be fair to all authorities, to assist Coventry LEA in its task of improving conditions in its schools.FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Drug Trafficking (Gibraltar)
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has of the use of Gibraltar for drug trafficking.
Mr. Maude : There is no evidence of drug trafficking on a significant scale. But the Gibraltar authorities are always ready to co- operate actively with their Spanish counterparts to investigate all leads which might relate to drug trafficking in, or organised from, Gibraltar.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are taken to prevent the use of Gibraltar for the trafficking of drugs into the European Community.
Mr. Maude : Gibraltar's laws against the import, possession, supply and dealing in drugs are as comprehensive as those in the United Kingdom. The laws are rigorously enforced, in co-operation with the Spanish and other EC countries' law enforcement agencies where appropriate.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from the Spanish authorities concerning the use of Gibraltar by traffickers in drugs.
Mr. Maude : The Spanish authorities have raised the problem with us on several occasions. We have repeatedly assured them of the British and Gibraltar authorities' full co-operation in acting against drug trafficking and urged them to supply us with any evidence they have of such activity in Gibraltar.
Council of Ministers
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings of the Council of Ministers there have been since the start of 1979 ; and if he will list the Ministers who attended each of these meetings.
Mr. Maude : Meetings of the Council of Ministers, with details of the Ministers who attended each meeting, are listed in annex A of the six- monthly White Papers on "Developments in the European Community".
Cyprus
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect the United Kingdom's present relationship with northern Cyprus has had on extradition and the effective pursuit of crime.
Mr. Maude : Our policy of non-recognition of the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" does
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not preclude operational contacts between British police forces and the Turkish Cypriot police. These are working effectively. The question of extradition has not arisen.EC (United Kingdom Representation)
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of people seconded to the United Kingdom's permanent representation to the European Community in Brussels in each of the years since the United Kingdom entered the European Community ; and if he will break these figures down by Department of origin.
Mr. Maude : The exact figures requested are not easily available and their collection would involve a disproportionate cost. Since 1973 more than 150 non-FCO officials have been seconded to the United Kingdom's permanent representation in Brussels. At any one time roughly half the accredited diplomatic staff at the representation are seconded from the home civil service. The largest number are from the Department of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The Departments of Employment, Energy, Environment, Health, Social Security and Transport, Her Majesty's Treasury, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices and the Bank of England have also been represented.
Igor Rodionov
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Soviet Government in an effort to secure the release of Igor Rodionov.
Mr. Waldegrave : The case of Igor Rodionov has recently been added to those which we raise in our contacts with the Soviet authorities. We shall continue to press the Soviet authorities until all such cases have been satisfactorily resolved.
Middle East
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the implications of the further settlement of Jews in east Jerusalem and the occupied territories on the prospects for a middle east peace settlement.
Mr. Waldegrave : As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made clear in the House on 13 June, east Jerusalem is, in our view, occupied territory. We have urged the Israelis to cease their settlement programme in the occupied territories. Such settlements are illegal, provocative and an obstacle to peace.
Bulgaria
Sir Dudley Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received a copy of the Council of Europe's observer team's report on the general election in Bulgaria ; and if he will congratulate that country on returning to an acceptable form of democracy ; and if he will explore ways of encouraging Bulgaria to play a useful role in the European context.
Mr. Waldegrave : We are looking forward to receiving the Council of Europe observers' report. But it is already
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clear from the reports we have received from other observers that Bulgaria has made a considerable step towards democracy. This should help Bulgaria to play its full part in European affairs.Energy Consumption
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 30 April, Official Report, columns 404-05, about energy consumption, what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.
Mr. Sainsbury : The energy consumption figures in my reply of 30 April relate to office space of 137,376 sq m. The figure for the ODA is 21,280 sq m.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in the latest available year.
Mr. Sainsbury : In the year 1989-90 a total of £55,360 was invested in improving energy efficiency in FCO buildings. The old public offices are also being refurbished. It is expected that improvements to the fabric and the introduction of building energy management systems will bring further savings in energy costs.
European Commission
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are currently employed by the European Commission ; and if he will classify them by grade.
Mr. Maude [pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1990, c. 33] : The details of United Kingdom staff in the other principal Community institutions are as follows :
|Number
----------------------------------------
European Parliament
A grade |69
Linguist grade |59
B grade |32
C grade |84
D grade |17
|---
Total |261
Council Secretariat
A grade |23
Linguist grade |46
B grade |11
C grade |54
D grade |5
|---
Total |139
European Court of Justice
A grade |10
Linguist grade |21
B grade |11
C grade |22
D grade |3
|---
Total |67
Economic and Social
Committee
A grade |8
Linguist grade |13
B grade |7
C grade |9
D grade |3
|---
Total |40
Court of Auditors
A grade |15
Linguist grade |6
B grade |2
C grade |7
D grade |1
|---
Total |31
|---
Grand total |528
Guyana
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ministerial or other official visits have been made to Guyana, for what duration and for what purpose in each of the last 10 years ; what information he has as to the proper conduct of elections scheduled for 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : The information requested by the hon. Member in the first part of his question is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The most recent ministerial visit to Guyana was when my right hon. Friend (Mr. Patten), the then Minister for Overseas Development, visited Georgetown from 9-10 July 1989 when he signed a new aid agreement with the Government of Guyana. I reminded the visiting Foreign Minister of Guyana on 21 May of the importance which this Government attach to the principle of free and fair elections and of the need for elections to be seen to be fair.
TRANSPORT
Railway Crossings
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet with the chairman of British Rail to discuss the safety of unmanned, no-barrier crossings on provincial lines.
Mr. Freeman : The installation and operation of all unmanned level crossings on public roads must meet stringent safety criteria laid down by the railway inspectorate. The inspectorate liaises closely with British Rail and the appropriate local authorities in all matters of crossing safety. There is the opportunity for discussion of any safety issue with the chairman of British Rail either at our regular meetings or at specific meetings, where necessary.
Channel Tunnel
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any public funds have been made available towards the cost of a freight terminal linking Scottish industry and commerce with the channel tunnel.
Mr. Freeman : No subsidy is being made available to British Rail under its current plans for the channel freight terminals.
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Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to make an assessment of the demand for regional freight terminals to link with the channel tunnel ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Freeman : This is a commercial matter for British Rail.
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his statement of 14 June, Official Report, column 483, what information he has on the terms of reference given to Professor Halliday of Durham university and other consultants by British Rail for considering alternative routes for the high-speed rail link to the channel tunnel.
Mr. Freeman : I understand that British Rail is still considering these matters and I will ask it to write to my hon. Friend when it is in a position to provide this information.
Public Transport (Rural Areas)
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he proposes to take any new measures to improve public transport in rural areas.
Mr. Atkins : Public transport in rural areas is mainly a matter for the transport operators. Since deregulation bus mileage outside London and the metropolitan areas has increased by some 21 per cent., with 83 per cent. being run commercially. Local authorities have powers to subsidise additional socially necessary services. In addition, the rural transport development fund receives up to £1 million a year from my Department to support the introduction of innovative services in rural areas.
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Cardiff-Wales Airport
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to improve security at Cardiff-Wales airport ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The United Kingdom aviation security programme is drawn up and administered by the Department of Transport. Its purpose is to protect commercial aviation against terrorist attacks. It is not intended to cover private aviation which is not generally at risk from such activities. The incidents at Cardiff airport which have recently been reported in the local press relate to areas of the airport where private flying takes place, and they have no implications for the security of commercial aviation operations there. In common with other airports, the aviation security arrangements at Cardiff have been tightened considerably in recent months. Further improvements--which will also apply to other airports--are in the pipeline.
Trunk Roads
Mr. Mudd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all trunk road schemes for which public inquiries have been completed but no ministerial decision has yet been made on the inquiry inspector's recommendation, giving the date on which the inquiry was closed ; and, where the report has been submitted by the inspector, the date on which the report was presented to the Secretary of State for decision.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 22 June 1990] : The following schemes in the national programme for England are awaiting a decision following a public inquiry :
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|Public inquiry |Inspector's
|finished |report received
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M6 |Widening between junctions 20-21A |May 1990 |Awaited
M20 |Widening between junctions 5 and 8
| (Maidstone bypass) |March 1990 |Awaited
M65 |Blackburn southern bypass |March 1990 |June 1990
A1 |Tempsford grade separated junction |December 1989 |March 1990
A1 |Dishforth-Leeming improvements-Phase 1 |November 1989 |March 1990
A3 |Milford bypass |April 1989 |July 1989
A5 |Little Brickhill bypass |February 1990 |May 1990
A5 |Fazeley, Two Gates and Wilnecote bypass |May 1990 |Awaited
A11 |Besthorpe-Wymondham improvement |June 1990 |Awaited
A12 |Hackney Wick-M11 link |January 1990 |March 1990
A14 |M1-A1 link road contracts 8/9 |February 1990 |Awaited
A14 |M1-A1 link road contracts 2/3/5 north |February 1990 |Awaited
A16 |Ludborough bypass |April 1990 |May 1990
A16 |Spalding-Sutterton improvement |June 1990 |Awaited
A17 |Leadenham bypass |January 1990 |April 1990
A17 |Wigtoft-Sutterton bypass |February 1990 |April 1990
A23 |Handcross-Pease Pottage improvement |May 1990 |Awaited
A27 |Crossbush bypass |January 1990 |February 1990
A27 |Westhampnett bypass |February 1990 |March 1990
A30 |Oakhampton-Launceston |May 1990 |Awaited
A31 |Newbury bypass |November 1988 |March 1989
A40 |Gypsy Circus Junction |}
A40 |improvement |}Joint enquiry |November 1989
|Western Circus junction |}August 1989
A41 |Aston Clinton bypass |May 1990 |Awaited
A41/A421 |Bicester bypass-Stage 2 |November 1989 |January 1990
A259 |Guestling Thorn diversion |April 1989 |July 1989
A406 |East of Silver Street-A1010 |}Joint inquiry
A406 |Dysons Road-Hall Lane |}November 1988 |February 1989
A406 |Regents Park Road junction |February 1989 |August 1989
A423 |Southam bypass |March 1990 |May 1990
A428 |Bedford Southern bypass |May 1990 |Awaited
A629 |Skipton-Kildwick improvement |June 1990 |Awaited
A650 |Airedale route (Crossflatts-Cottingley Bar)|March 1990 |Awaited
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Iraq
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the main financial constituents of trade protocols one, two and three with Iraq.
Mr. Redwood : The main constituents of the first three financial protocols were as follows :
Year |Amount |To Finance
|£ million
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983 |250 |Capital goods/projects
|25 |Pharmaceuticals line of credit
1984 |250 |Capital goods/projects
|50 |Pharmaceuticals line of credit
1986 |50 |Pharmaceuticals line of credit
Under the financial protocols with Iraq, the Export Credits Guarantee Department undertakes to guarantee the repayment of an agreed amount of finance to be used in support of United Kingdom exports to Iraq. This lending is available for particular contracts or projects, or through lines of credit.
Dr. Moonie : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes to take to ensure that transputers ordered by Jordan are not used as a missile guidance system by Iraq ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 18 June 1990] : Her Majesty's Government's policy on missile proliferation is well known and all appropriate steps are taken to prevent the proliferation of equipment and technology. A licence is required to export transputers to any destination under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989, as amended. Applications for a licence to export transputers for a missile guidance system are considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with stringent criteria. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licensing matters.
Dr. Moonie : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether all contracts in the United Kingdom for providing sensitive military components for Iraq have now been identified ; and what further action his Department intends to take.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 18 June 1990] : Exporters are responsible for applying for, and obtaining, export licences for goods which are subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order. My officials stand ready to advise whether an export licence is required.
Takeovers
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he plans to alter the scope and emphasis of the work of the takeover panel to take account of the effect of Europewide takeover policies in the run-up to 1992 ;
(2) if he intends to prepare Europewide takeover regulations as a replacement for the takeover panel.
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Mr. Redwood : The draft directive on the regulation of takeovers provides for each member state to designate an authority or authorities to discharge the functions specified in the directive. These matters are regulated in the United Kingdom by the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers through the takeover code. The Commission is currently revising its proposals. When discussions resume, the Government will be seeking to ensure that supervisory authorities in member states can operate with a combination of flexibility and certainty. The takeover panel's experience has shown this to be necessary for effective takeover regulation.
Accountancy Bodies
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, before granting qualifying body status to an accountancy body, he will (a) require it to appoint an independent ombudsman to hear the students' complaints against the body itself and (b) seek the comments of its present-day students.
Mr. Redwood : No. However, the Secretary of State will take into account comments received from the public, including accountancy students, when determining applications for recognition of professional qualifications under the Companies Act 1989.
Auditing Standards
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will create a body, independent of the auditing industry, to formulate auditing standards.
Mr. Redwood : I have no plans to do so.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will legislate to ban auditing firms from writing up the board minutes of companies and then auditing the same.
Mr. Redwood : I see no reason to do so. Under existing legislation, a person who is an officer of a company--or a partner or employee of an officer--is prohibited from being appointed as auditor of the company. Moreover, under the Companies Act 1989 the Secretary of State will be able to recognise a supervisory body for auditors only if the body appears to him to have adequate rules and practices designed to ensure that company audit work is conducted properly and with integrity, and that persons are not appointed as company auditors in circumstances in which they have any interest likely to conflict with the proper conduct of the audit.
Departmental Inspectors
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make it his practice to inform the Chairman of the Trade and Industry Select Committee of the number of his Department's inspectors linked to the accountancy firms criticised by disciplinary committees of the accountancy bodies.
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Mr. Redwood : No.Institute of Chartered Accountants
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in his consideration of qualifying body status for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales under the Companies Act 1989, he will require that its students will be made aware of his Department's inspectors' criticisms of auditing firms.
Mr. Redwood : No. The Company Auditors (Examinations) Regulations 1990, which came into force on 20 June, set out the subjects which a qualifying body must test by examination if its qualification is to be recognised under the Companies Act 1989. Although inspectors' reports are not specified as such, the Secretary of State will wish to satisfy himself that the examinations are a proper test of the subject matter, and reflect current best practice, as indicated in inspectors' reports or otherwise.
Riot Control Vehicles
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what circumstances licences would be granted under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989 for the export of riot control vehicles which have been specially designed or modified to be electrified to repel boarders (PLI500(F)).
Mr. Redwood : Licences are required for the export to all destinations of riot control vehicles which are subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989--SI 1989 No. 2376--as amended. Licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with stringent criteria, which include an assessment of the human rights record of the country concerned.
It is not the practice to grant a licence for the export of equipment which is likely to be used for internal repression.
English Estates
Mr. Bell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is the overall disposal strategy and mechanism of sale receipts in relation to the sale of assets of English Estates ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what policy will be adopted by English Estates in the disposal of individual terrace units in relation to the sale of its assets ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) what is the policy in relation to existing tenants of English Estates who wish to acquire those premises where they are at present tenants ; and if he will make a statement ;
(4) what is the policy of his Department with regard to asset sales of English Estates ; and what policy will be adopted in relation to the sale of assets of English Estates, the manner in which such assets are to be sold and their specific timing ; and if he will make a statement.
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