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Social Workers
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to how many extra social workers and support staff are being appointed and what training provisions have been made to implement the community care programme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 June 1990] : No information is kept centrally as to the number of extra social workers or support staff being appointed by local authorities specifically for community care, but the total number of staff on a whole-time equivalent basis employed by local authority social work departments increased from 32,453 in October 1987 to 35,228 in October 1989.
In order to ensure that local authorities and other agencies will be equipped to undertake their new responsibilities anticipated in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, the Scottish Office has funded the university of Dundee to provide a training programme for key members of staff in the social work departments and the other agencies involved in community care for a three year period from 1990, with a possible extension to five years. Discussions are also being held with officials of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Dundee university and the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work on ways of providing short-term training for the staff immediately involved in establishing the new community care procedures and the production of a training pack for use by local authorities in training the wide variety of staff involved in community care.
Training
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was (a) the spending and (b) the number of participants in each of his training and employment measures in (i) the last three years, (ii) the current year and (iii) projections for the next three years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 June 1990] : Information about projected numbers and spending on training and employment measures in Scotland for the next three years is not available. For the last three years and the current year, it has not been possible to provide all the information requested in precisely the form required. In so far as data are available, they are set out in the tables :
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Table 3: Employment measures
(a) Spending (£ million) (b) Numbers of participants<1>
|(i) |(ii) |(i) |(ii)
-------
|1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91
|(estimate) |(estimate)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jobclub |1.000 |1.961 |2.192 |2.319 |14,568 |18,733 |20,820 |n/a
Restart courses |1.262 |0.710 |0.735 |0.710 |7,113 |6,957 |7,362 |n/a
Jobstart |0.682 |0.453 |0.685 |0.455 |1,493 |1,466 |1,890 |n/a
Enterprise Allowance
Scheme |17.417 |17.234 |14.834 |13.349 |9,689 |8,494 |6,972 |6,606
Sheltered Employment |3.369 |3.752 |4.497 |5.971 |2,373 |2,457 |2,598 |n/a
n/a=Not available.
Note:
<1>Number of participants means entrants for the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, starts for Restart courses, acceptances
for Jobstart, throughflow for Jobclubs and filled places for Sheltered Employment.
Table 3: Employment measures
(a) Spending (£ million) (b) Numbers of participants<1>
|(i) |(ii) |(i) |(ii)
-------
|1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91
|(estimate) |(estimate)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jobclub |1.000 |1.961 |2.192 |2.319 |14,568 |18,733 |20,820 |n/a
Restart courses |1.262 |0.710 |0.735 |0.710 |7,113 |6,957 |7,362 |n/a
Jobstart |0.682 |0.453 |0.685 |0.455 |1,493 |1,466 |1,890 |n/a
Enterprise Allowance
Scheme |17.417 |17.234 |14.834 |13.349 |9,689 |8,494 |6,972 |6,606
Sheltered Employment |3.369 |3.752 |4.497 |5.971 |2,373 |2,457 |2,598 |n/a
n/a=Not available.
Note:
<1>Number of participants means entrants for the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, starts for Restart courses, acceptances
for Jobstart, throughflow for Jobclubs and filled places for Sheltered Employment.
Table file CW900626.021 not available
Disabled Students
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that access funds are sufficient to meet the applications of all entitled students.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 June 1990,] : As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced on 26 March 1990, Official Report, column 34 , the Government have increased to £20 million the access funds available for higher education, making a total provision--including £5 million for the further education access fund--of £25 million in 1990-91. The purpose of this increase is to give the higher education institutions greater scope for extending discretionary assistance on a flexible basis to their students, notably those facing relatively high accommodation costs.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of each of the access funds associated with the student loans scheme has been allocated to him to disperse.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 June 1990] : My right hon. and learned Friend has made provision for a total of £2.1 million to be distributed to non-university institutions of higher and further education in Scotland in 1990-91.
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The breakdown of this figure between the three funds is as follows :
|£ million
-------------------------------------------
Postgraduate Fund |0.26
In Scope of Loans Fund |1.10
Further Education Fund |0.76
|-----
|<1>2.1
<1> Rounded.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidelines about entitlement he has established for access funds in Scotland ;
(2) whether any categories of application for access funds will have priority funding.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 June 1990] : Subject to the terms of the necessary regulations, a statement of the terms and conditions for the payment of access funds, together with associated guidance notes, will be prepared. It is intended to issue these to grant-aided colleges, education authorities and further education colleges in Scotland during July. Individual institutions will be entirely free to manage the administration of their share of the access
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funds in accordance with those terms and conditions and to determine the priority to be afforded to any particular category of applicant.Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have been held between the Scottish Education Department and education institutions about access funds ; and what was the outcome of the talks.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 June 1990] : Officials of the Scottish Education Department have held discussions with representatives of the Conference of Scottish Centrally Funded Colleges on the proposal to introduce access funds, with particular reference to the position of the Scottish grant-aided colleges. Similar discussions have been held with representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland in relation to further education colleges in Scotland. These discussions were necessarily of a preliminary nature. It was made clear that the detailed provisions of the access funds would be set out formally in advance of their introduction in Session 1990-91.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what administrative procedures he has established to allocate access funds in Scotland ;
(2) what action he is taking to ensure that access funds are available at the start of the academic year.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 25 June 1990] : The level of resources for access funds to be allocated to each grant-aided college in Scotland will be determined by my right hon. and learned Friend, broadly on the basis of the number of full-time students in attendance at that institution. A similar allocation system will apply to each further education college in Scotland, taking account of the numbers of full-time students aged 19 and over.
Subject to the terms of the necessary regulations, payment of access funds' allocations will be made so that they are available for distribution by institutions with effect from 1 September 1990.
Lord Advocate (Overseas Visits)
Mr. Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the dates when the Lord Advocate was abroad on official business during the present parliamentary Session.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 25 June 1990] : My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate was abroad on official business on the following dates :
21 to 26 January 1990
4 to 6 March 1990
12 to 27 April 1990
TRANSPORT
Aircraft Fleets
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to amend the system of certification for work on existing aircraft fleets to deal with new acquisitions.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Civil Aviation Authority has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation, and the certification of aircraft is part of the regulatory process. There is no reason for the Department to interfere.
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I understand that any aircraft coming on to the United Kingdom register of aircraft has to meet the full requirements of the air navigation order for both initial issue and renewal of its certificate of airworthiness. Aircraft not on the United Kingdom register which are used by British operators may be leased only from states which are signatories to the convention on international civil aviation and which thus comply with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.Bus Companies (Subsidies)
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove of 19 June on subsidies to bus companies, what is the present annual cost to public funds of subsidies to bus companies in Greater Manchester.
Mr. Freeman : We estimate that some £6.6 million in fuel duty rebate was paid to bus companies in Greater Manchester in 1988-89, and some £30,000 in rural bus grant. In addition, the passenger transport executive made direct subsidy payments to bus companies for running socially necessary services of £10.7 million ; they also gave support to the bus industry in other ways such as the provision of bus stations and publicity for timetables.
Aircraft (Counterfeit Parts)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a study of the use of counterfeit parts in commercial and private aircraft with landing rights in the United Kingdom.
Mr. McLoughlin : It would be quite impracticable to investigate the service history of the thousands of aircraft which may land in the United Kingdom in order to study the possible use of counterfeit parts ; it would be a gross intrusion into the responsibilities of the states of registry of the aircraft concerned ; the industry is well aware of the problem and is taking effective steps to combat it ; and the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the regulation of civil aviation, is also aware of the problem.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relationship between civil aircraft accidents in the United Kingdom, or over United Kingdom airspace, and the use of bogus or faulty replacement parts.
Mr. McLoughlin : I understand from the safety data analysis unit of the Civil Aviation Authority, which has been keeping the relevant statistics since 1976, that there have been no accidents to public transport aircraft in any way related to unauthorised parts. There have been seven accidents to private aircraft after which the investigation discovered unauthorised parts, but these were not directly the cause of the accidents. Three of the aircraft involved were light aeroplanes, three were microlight aeroplanes and one was a light helicopter.
Airport Maintenance Engineers
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the resources being devoted
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to the Civil Aviation Authority inspectorate for work on monitoring the qualifications and resources of maintenance engineers at British airports and the effectiveness of the certification process.Mr. McLoughlin : My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority from time to time and discusses, among other things, the Civil Aviation Authority's resources. However, the detailed allocation of those resources is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation.
Roads
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken since the publication in November 1989 of the National Audit Office report on road maintenance and building.
Mr. Atkins : The Department has completed preliminary consideration of the recommendations made by the NAO and the accounting officer has given evidence to the Public Accounts Committee. It has already reviewed its quality control reporting procedures. The Department will decide whether further action is necessary when it has received and considered the committee's report.
A40 Western Avenue
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the estimated cost of the A40 Western avenue improvement scheme in November 1987 ; and what is the latest estimate for these works.
Mr. Atkins : I presume that my hon. Friend is concerned with the scheme to improve the A40 Western avenue at its junction with Long lane. The estimated cost quoted in the Secretary of State's decision letter of November 1987 was £18.2 million (1986 prices). The latest published estimate was £34.1 million (1987 prices). The cost of the scheme has been reassessed, in accordance with the Department's usual practice, before tenders are invited this summer for the first of two major construction contracts. For commercial reasons it is not the Department's practice to reveal such estimates at this stage. An indication of the size of the contract will be given when notice of intention to invite tenders is published in the EC's Official Journal.
Driving Tests
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions have been reached about conducting heavy goods vehicle and public services vehicle driving tests on Saturdays.
Mr. Atkins : The recent 12-month trial has confirmed that Saturday vocational testing is a practical proposition and provides a service that is welcomed by customers. During the year some 4,300 Saturday tests were conducted and the number of centres where the waiting times for vocational tests were at or below four weeks doubled. I have decided to continue the service on a permanent basis and to make it available at all centres where Saturday testing is feasible and there are examiners available.
EC Transport Council
Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the outcome of the meeting of the European Community Transport Council on 18-19 June.
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Mr. Parkinson : I attended the meeting of the European Council of Transport Ministers which was held in Luxembourg on 18 to 19 June. My hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping was also present. I am particularly pleased that the Council adopted a second package of measures which seals the commitment to the liberalisation of air transport in the European Community by the end of 1992.
The new package builds on the first set of measures agreed in 1987. It contains arrangements for setting fares which introduces an element of double disapproval and simplifies the existing zonal system ; further relaxes the limits on capacity sharing ; and eases access to the market. The Council accepted the need to deal quickly with predatory practices ; agreed principles against which air cargo services should be further liberalised ; and agreed to open aviation negotiations with the EFTA countries.
The Government welcome this second package. We have taken the lead in pressing for maximum progress, and the agreement which we have won will give airlines greater scope to respond to market demands. The way is open for airlines to offer greater choice to consumers. On shipping matters, the Council adopted resolutions highlighting the importance of safety on ferries, in the light of recent tragic accidents ; and on pollution at sea. It was agreed that a regulation on block exemptions for consortia should be adopted by the end of the year. There were discussions, but no agreements, on cabotage, and on the transfer of vessels between EC registers. The Commission gave a report on implementation of the 1986 measures on liberalisation. A conditional agreement was reached by the Council on a further ad-hoc programme to December 1992 to support the development of certain transport infrastructure projects. This is subject to the resolution of outstanding questions on the scope of the programme and the way in which it will be operated.
On inland transport the Council agreed to abolish minimum hire periods for vehicles without drivers and restrictions on hire of vehicles under 6 tonnes by own account operators. Discussions were held on measures in the event of a crisis in road haulage ; road haulage quotas for 1991 and 1992 ; the maximum length of road trains ; road safety ; and fiscal harmonisation and the proposed German lorry tax. The Commission reported the state of play in the negotiations between the Community and Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslavia over third country transit.
Among the items discussed briefly under "Other Business" were air traffic control, transport relations between the two Germanies, European high-speed railways and the alignment of Community and AETR (the European agreement concerning the work of crews of vehicles engaged in international road transport) rules on drivers hours. The Commission responded favourably to a United Kingdom request for regular reports on implementation of EC transport legislation.
Noise Insulation
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations govern the eligibility of householders for grants to cover the cost of insulation when traffic noise levels exceed 68 decibels.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 25 June 1990] : The Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 govern eligibility for an offer
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of insulation or grant to owners or tenants of dwellings and other buildings used for residential purposes. The criteria in the regulations apply in respect of new or altered roads. There is no provision for insulation against increased traffic noise from existing roads.Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total value of insulation work carried out and grants made (a) as a duty under regulation 3 of the Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 and (b) as a power under regulation 4 of those regulations, since 1985.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 25 June 1990] : Information on expenditure for noise insulation is not held in the form requested. Since 1985 the total value of insulation work carried out and grants made in respect of the trunk road programme in England is estimated at £7 million. This figure includes insulation provided under regulations 3 and 4 and under regulation 5 against construction noise.
Energy Consumption
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answers of 10 May, Official Report, column 217, and 30 April, Official Report, column 434, about energy consumption, what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 25 June 1990] : Energy consumption and expenditure figures quoted in the answers of 10 May, Official Report, column 217, and 30 April, Official Report, column 434, relate to the total of 3,619,718 sq ft of accommodation occupied by the Department of Transport.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in the latest available year.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 25 June 1990] : Of the order of 10 per cent. of its expenditure on energy is estimated to have been invested by the Department of Transport in energy efficiency measures in 1989-90.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Social Security
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children claimed under the community grant heading of the social fund from 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 ; and of these how many received payment at each of the social security offices in South Down.
Mr. Needham : The information is as follows :
Social Fund Community Care Grants 1 April 1989 to 31 March
1990
Social Security Office |Number of |Number of
|applications |awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ballynahinch |294 |103
Banbridge |734 |433
Downpatrick |858 |386
Kilkeel |255 |192
Newcastle |383 |216
Newry |2,432 |1,211
|------- |-------
Total (South Down) |4,956 |2,541
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Teachers
Rev. William McCrea : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made under local management of schools for cover teachers in the case of illness ; what representations he has received concerning the relationship between this provision and the present practice of employing a substitute teacher on the third day of absence ; and if he will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : Under local management of schools the cost of substitute cover after the 20th day of a teacher's absence because of illness will not be a charge on a school's budget but will be met centrally. The cost of illness cover before this will fall to be met from the school's budget. Where substitute cover would not apply under the normal arrangements and the board of governors of a school has delegated responsibility for managing teacher costs, it is, of course, open to the school to use some of its budget to fund such cover.
I have received one representation on this matter and have no plans to change the arrangements.
Privacy
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement in respect of his response to the recommendations of the committee on privacy and related matters so far as they affect Northern Ireland.
Dr. Mawhinney : The terms of reference of the committee did not extend to Northern Ireland. We are considering whether the proposals might be appropriate for introduction in Northern Ireland.
Terrorist Bomb Damage
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how payments to loss adjusters are calculated in Northern Ireland in respect of terrorist bomb damage.
Mr. Cope : Payments made to loss adjusters are in respect of fees. These are calculated in accordance with scales agreed with representatives of companies which act for the Northern Ireland Office in criminal damage claims. The fee payable in each case depends on the amount of compensation determined.
Equal Opportunities
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the report he has received from the Standing Advisory commission on Human Rights on religious and political discrimination and equality of opportunity ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : I am publishing the report today as a command paper (Cm. 1107) and copies have been laid before Parliament.
The report "Religious and Political Discrimination and Equality of Opportunity in Northern Ireland : Second Report" concluded a major review by the commission of the laws and institutions dealing with religious and political discrimination and equality of opportunity in Northern Ireland. The commission's first report "Report on Fair Employment" was published as a command paper (Cm. 237) in 1987.
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I am grateful to the commission for the considerable effort which has been devoted to the preparation of the report which I regard as a valuable one and a welcome contribution to how human rights might be further protected in Northern Ireland. It would be inappropriate of me to commit the Government to accepting the commission's recommendations before there has been an opportunity for these to be fully considered, but I am firmly committed to eradicating discrimination and ensuring equality of opportunity for everyone in Northern Ireland whatever their religious background. I shall therefore be giving the report and its detailed recommendations the very careful consideration they deserve before reaching any conclusions.Maternity Services
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy on the application of the reports of the maternity services advisory committee by health boards.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 19 June 1990] : The four health and social services boards in Northern Ireland have been asked to ensure that the recommendations made in the maternity services advisory committee reports are taken into account in the planning and organisation of maternity services in their areas.
Bangor Post-primary School
Mr. Stott : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the South Eastern education and library board excluded all- ability, co-educational and integrated status for the proposed post-primary school for the Bangor area, in their current consultations.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 25 June 1990] : It is a matter in the first instance for the South Eastern education and library board to decide the character and type of post-primary provision which will meet the best
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educational interests of secondary age children in the Bangor area. The consultation which it carries out in this issue is a matter for the board.ENVIRONMENT
Nursery Schools
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have reduced nursery school places by more than 10 per cent. as a result of community charge capping.
Mr. Portillo : Although I have no information about whether authorities have reduced their nursery school places, I can say that the Government have proposed to cap only those councils which are budgeting to spend well in excess of what we believe it would be appropriate for them to spend.
Searches
Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the average length of time taken by each of the district councils in Staffordshire to undertake searches for solicitors in the four most recent three-month periods for which figures are available.
Planning Decisions
Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the percentages of planning decisions made in four weeks, eight weeks, and 12 weeks by each of the district councils in Staffordshire and in the Peak District national park in the 12 most recent three-month periods for which figures are available.
Mr. Moynihan : Information on planning decisions made by local authorities is not collated in the format requested. The information which is available is listed in the table.
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Percentage of planning decisions made within eight weeks, by planning
authority
Percentages
Quarter of Decision
Local Authority 19861987 1988 1989
|4th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|1st|2nd|3rd
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cannock Chase |80 |73 |73 |82 |74 |74 |83 |82 |80 |75 |80 |60
East Staffordshire |88 |88 |88 |87 |89 |87 |90 |82 |74 |70 |75 |68
Lichfield |n/a|n/a|n/a|54 |66 |53 |73 |66 |59 |57 |63 |57
Newcastle Under Lyme |92 |88 |97 |89 |92 |90 |91 |93 |85 |90 |86 |75
South Staffordshire |71 |72 |74 |56 |63 |60 |54 |48 |35 |40 |41 |37
Stafford |85 |86 |88 |90 |85 |81 |85 |78 |39 |22 |52 |71
Staffordshire Moorlands |39 |37 |45 |40 |42 |62 |63 |55 |48 |40 |29 |10
Stoke on Trent |74 |68 |76 |64 |67 |66 |73 |70 |69 |63 |63 |22
Tamworth |75 |76 |77 |79 |80 |81 |78 |77 |69 |68 |56 |68
Peak Park<1> |55 |54 |59 |58 |57 |68 |55 |49 |49 |51 |54 |38
n/a=not available.
<1>=This includes figures for areas outside Staffordshire.
Lincolnshire County Council (Planning)
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to change the regulations that allow local authorities to give themselves deemed planning consent.
Mr. Michael Spicer : Yes. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South
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Hams (Mr. Steen) on 7 February, Official Report, volume 166, column 638 . I am currently considering responses to the consultation paper referred to in that reply.Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to intervene in the case of Lincolnshire county council and its plan to grant
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planning permission contrary to structure plan policy, at Surfleet near Spalding without any determination from South Holland district council.Mr. Michael Spicer : My Department has issued a direction to Lincolnshire county council under article 14 of the Town and Country General Development Order 1988, preventing the council from deeming itself planning permission for this proposed development without special authorisation from the Secretary of State. A decision will be made in due course on whether to require the council to apply to the Secretary of State for planning permission for the development.
Councillors (Pecuniary Interests)
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend circular 105/73 so as to dispense only those councillors who are not in rent arrears from the obligations and disabilities arising from the pecuniary interest provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.
Mr. Portillo : None. We consider that the general dispensation under circular 105/73 does not extend to councillors who are in rent arrears voting on questions relating to such arrears. There is, however, no reason why the existence of arrears, for which there may be a good explanation, should disable a councillor from speaking or voting on other questions of general housing policy.
London Docklands Development Corporation
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when and in what manner he expects the London Docklands development corporation to publish its budget for the financial year 1990-91.
Mr. Moynihan : The corporation will provide details of its expenditure programme for 1990-91 in its corporate plan to be published in September.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Allason : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress his Department has made in its re-examination, in relation to the grant-related expenditure assessment for 1989-90, of the standard spending assessment for 1990-91 for Torbay.
Mr. Chope : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has made it clear that he is willing to consider any fresh evidence on standard spending assessments before making decisions for 1991- 92. Officials are currently discussing with the local authority associations the evidence which has been brought forward.
Threatened Species
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to secure an EC ban on the transit of threatened species through the United Kingdom.
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