House of Commons Hansard Debates for 27 Jun 1990

Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has yet decided on the financial criteria that will be used to monitor the performance of the management contractors to be appointed at the atomic weapons establishment.

Mr. Neubert : The broad criteria against which the management contractor's performance is to be assessed were included in the invitation to tender for the interim contract phase which was issued to potential bidders on 6 April 1990. The detailed arrangements will be finalised during contract negotiation.

Sales Mission, Malaysia

Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the costs of the RAF mission to Malaysia to assist in the sale of Tornado aircraft.

Mr. Archie Hamilton [holding answer 20 June 1990] : I assume that the hon. Member refers to the deployment of six RAF Tornadoes to Malaysia in March 1990. The purpose of this deployment was to participate in an integrated air defence system exercise under the auspices of the five power defence arrangement with Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The opportunity was also taken to promote wider British interests in the region, including defence sales, through a number of visits and presentations. I regret that a total cost for this deployment to the far east is not available and could not be provided without disproportionate effort, but all costs were met from within existing RAF allocations apart from a contribution of £40,000 from United Kingdom industry in recognition of the defence sales benefits of elements of the deployment.

EMPLOYMENT

Training

Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people participated in each of the last four years in London, Birmingham and Manchester in (a) employment training, and the earlier programmes it replaced, (b) the youth training scheme and (c) the enterprise allowance scheme ;

(2) how much expenditure, excluding administrative costs, has been spent in each of the last four years in London, Birmingham and Manchester on (a) employment training, and the earlier programmes it replaced, (b) the youth training scheme and (c) the enterprise allowance scheme.

Mr. Nicholls : The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Column 253

Health and Safety Executive

Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when the Health and Safety Executive plan of work 1990-91 was due to be published ; and whether there are any implications for resourcing issues ;

(2) what representations he has received from (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) the Health and Safety Commission on resourcing issues ;

(3) what additional resources he intends to allocate for the current financial year to the Health and Safety Executive ; and whether there are any conditions attached.

Mr. Nicholls : My right hon. and learned Friend met the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and a number of commissioners on 31 May to discuss their plan of work for 1990-91 and beyond. He has approved the plan and it will be published shortly. I also refer to my answer on 26 June to the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes).

In approving the plan of work the Secretary of State has discussed with HSC the resources required to put it into effect. He has agreed with the Commission that he will find the necessary resources from within his Department's provision for 1990-91.

Employment Service Offices

Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many extra staff he proposes to employ at the Kidsgrove and Burslem offices as a result of the proposed reorganisation ;

(2) what is his current and projected estimate of the number of people using the Biddulph jobcentre and unemployment office who will be affected by the proposed reorganisation of jobcentres and unemployment offices in Staffordshire and who will use alternative premises in Kidsgrove and Burslem as a result ;

(3) how many redundancies will result from the proposed organisation of jobcentres and unemployment offices in Staffordshire ;

(4) what is his estimate of the cost and projected cost to his Department of reimbursing travelling costs of those people currently attending the jobcentre and unemployment office in Biddulph to enable them to attend alternative premises in Kidsgrove and Burslem.

Mr. Nicholls : The Employment Service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service agency's chief executive will be replying in writing to the hon. Lady.

Civil Servants (Workplaces)

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessments under Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations have been undertaken at all workplaces used by civil servants in his Department.

Mr. Nicholls : In keeping with the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations the Department has carried out a programme to identify the risks associated with all substances and processes which are found within its many workplaces. This has confirmed that the exposure to hazardous substances within the normal office environment is low enough not to

Column 254

represent a significant health risk. Where the hazard is greater steps have been taken to control the use of such substances or processes, or to eliminate their use.

Wage Rates

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will rank by average (a) male wage rates and (b) female wage rates in each of the counties in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Mr. Nicholls : Information on wage rates is not available. However, information on the average earnings of full-time employees on adult rates by county in Great Britain is published in table 110 for males, and table 113 for females, of part E of the 1989 new earnings survey report, a copy of which is in the Library. Figures by county are not readily available for Northern Ireland.

Earnings

Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in the real value of average male earnings since 1979.

Mr. Nicholls : Average gross weekly earnings of full-time adult males increased by 28 per cent. in real terms between April 1979 and April 1989. The increase does not relate to the same individuals at the different dates.

Child Care Facilities

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what funds from his Department are currently available to support the provision of nursery, creche or playcare facilities in education establishments and elsewhere.

Mr. Nicholls : The Department does not provide any direct funding to support the provision of child care facilities, but training providers and employers are encouraged to help parents while their training is taking place. Training and enterprise councils will be able to contribute to help with child care from their local initiative funds. They will also have an important role in encouraging other organisations to help with child care. Lone parents on employment training are entitled to receive the costs of caring for their children under 16.

Energy Efficiency

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in the latest available year.

Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 25 June 1990] : The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Funding

Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to increase funding for the public employment service in Staffordshire.

Mr. Nicholls : The Employment Service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service agency's Chief Executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Lady.

Column 255

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Badger Tuberculosis

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's current programme of testing the efficacy of badger tuberculosis vaccine ; and if such research has been affected by the research into BSE.

Mr. Maclean : Further work at the central veterinary laboratory will begin this July. Research into BSE and other priority projects has contributed to delays in this work.

Animal Feedstuffs

Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received about the use of cattle offal in pig and poultry feed.

Mr. Maclean : I have received representations from various quarters on this issue.

Foodstuffs (Toxic Chemicals)

Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tests are applied to ascertain residue levels of toxic chemicals in imported foodstuffs from (a) eastern Europe, (b) the European Common Market and (c) the rest of the world : how many tests were carried out in each of the past five years and on what types of foods ; and what changes he intends to make in this system.

Mr. Maclean : Imported foodstuffs are examined by Ministry and local government staff for residues of pesticides and veterinary medicines and for a wide range of potentially toxic substances such as heavy metals, natural toxins and environmental contaminants. Details of the tests and statistics relating to them are not at present held centrally, but information on the surveillance of food imports is included in reports of the Government's steering group on food surveillance, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Council directive 89/397/EEC on the official control of foodstuffs includes a requirement, from 1992, for some statistics on food law enforcement to be communicated to the Commission.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what scientific research findings underlie the decision not to include United Kingdom beef sold in the United Kingdom in the new European Community provision relating to the certification of beef as being BSE- free.

Mr. Maclean : As far as boneless beef is concerned, the standards applied to meat for export will be the same as those for meat for the home market. As far as bone-in beef is concerned, I do not believe that there is any scientific justification for the Community measures.

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the number of pathological tests carried out for BSE in each of the European Community countries.

Column 256

Mr. Maclean : Cases of BSE have been confirmed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It became a notifiable disease throughout the European Community from 1 April 1990. I have no information about the number of examinations carried out.

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions officials of his Department have been notified of suspected incidence of BSE in cattle which die or are slaughtered before being officially inspected.

Mr. Maclean : Precise information is not available, but the numbers are small.

Pesticides

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the average length of time currently taken to register new pesticides in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) West Germany.

Mr. Maclean : In the United Kingdom an application for registration of a new pesticide active ingredient has currently to wait approximately three and a half years before full evaluation can start. The time taken for evaluation will vary according to the nature of the ingredient and the quality of the application. On 3 April 1990 my right hon. Friend the Minister announced several measures to accelerate the throughput of new active ingredients, including a 60 per cent. increase in the number of scientists working on registration in 1990-91.

I have no comparable information on registration times in France and West Germany.

Suckler Cow Premium

Dr. Thomas : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he intends to implement to increase the level of the suckler cow premium following the recent meeting of European Community Agriculture Ministers ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Curry : I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member for Ynys Mo n (Mr. Jones) on 15 June 1990.

Fish Conservation

Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for both safeguarding British interests and ensuring proper conservation in the light of the threat to cod and haddock stocks.

Mr. Maclean : The United Kingdom already safe-guarded its share under the common fisheries Policy of the North sea fishery available to the European Community having secured 47 per cent. of cod and 78 per cent. of haddock and for the second year running we have again in fact secured an 87 per cent. share of haddock.

The best means of protecting and conserving fish stocks are setting total allowable catches to allow the stock to recover to permit catches at higher levels and to ensure technical conservation measures are effective. Total allowable catches for North sea cod and haddock for 1990 have, therefore, been set at considerably reduced levels. In

Column 257

addition we introduced special measures for this year to reduce the fishing of North sea haddock by means of restricting day at sea or using highly selective gear with the aim of speeding the recovery of the stock.

Further, we have made proposals to the Community for measures to increase the selectivity of gear to reduce the catches of immature fish and at the forthcoming Fisheries Council my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) will be pressing hard for firm proposals from the Commission.

Agriculture Council

Mr. Marland : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 25 and 26 June.

Mr. Gummer : I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting together with my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), Parliamentary Secretary in my Department.

The most important decision taken was that vaccination against foot and mouth disease, currently practised in eight member states, should be discontinued throughout the Community on 1 January 1992. The main protection against the disease will thereafter be provided by the slaughter of animals from infected herds as has been the case in the United Kingdom for many years. It is a major British achievement to secure Community acceptance of our policy in this area and the decision is a big step towards establishing the single market. The possibility that the health of animals in the United Kingdom could be put at risk from contact with animals vaccinated against foot and mouth disease and imported from other member states was previously one of the main obstacles to establishing the free movement of animals throughout the Community.

Agreement was reached in principle on a regulation defining the conditions which must be met by products marketed in the Community as "organic". This will protect and reassure consumers and help to ensure equal conditions of competition in this growing sector of the market. The United Kingdom has led the way in organic food production and much of the work concerning these methods of agriculture has been pioneered in this country. The setting up of the United Kingdom register of organic food standards has now borne fruit at a Community-wide level.

Other agreements reached included one to encourage the non-food uses of agricultural products linked to an extension of farmland to be set aside, and one on a revised regime for dried grapes, which will for the first time impose an absolute limit on expenditure in this sector.

In a discussion on animal welfare I stressed that the Council must move ahead rapidly to establish better Community rules.

Among other significant decisions on veterinary matters was one to establish procedures so that in future a greater proportion of expenditure undertaken to curb outbreaks of animal diseases, notably foot and mouth disease, will be met from Community funds. Another decision establishes the rules concerning veterinary checks on intra-Community trade in live animals.

Column 258

Energy Consumption

Mr. Dobson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 30 April, Official Report, column 458 , if he will break down the figure of £0.7 million between solid fuel and liquid fuel.

Mr. Maclean [holding answer 22 June 1990] : Within the total of £700,000, less than £5,000 was attributable to solid fuel.

ENVIRONMENT

National Rivers Authority

7. Mr. Aspinwall : to ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress and performance of the National Rivers Authority.

Mr. Trippier : The National Rivers Authority has already demonstrated clearly its determination to be an effective guardian of the water environment. It has successfully prosecuted a number of polluters and many more have received formal warnings. The authority is carrying out a national survey of water quality this year ; it is actively pursuing solutions to low river flows caused by over-abstraction ; and it is co- operating with the water supply undertakers in making contingency plans to deal with drought. Across all its functions the NRA is energetically engaged in a number of reviews of key policy areas.

88. Mr. Paice : to ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends to meet the chairman of the National Rivers Authority to discuss progress in improving river quality.

Mr. Trippier : I met the chairman of the National Rivers Authority on 1 May to discuss a range of issues relating to the water environment. I hope to do so again shortly in the context of considering the NRA's corporate plan.

Local Government Finance

17. Mr. Favell : to ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has had any recent representations seeking replacement of the community charge with a tax on property values.

Mr. Portillo : I continue to receive a good number of representations on all aspects of local government finance. Some of them are in favour of a tax based on property values, but such a tax would exhibit all the unfairness of the rating system.

Mr. Blunkett : to ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the assumed rate of poll tax collection he is using in formulating his grant proposals for 1991-92.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 26 June 1990] : My right hon. Friend expects to make his proposals in respect of the local authority grant settlement for 1991-92 later this year.

Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to monitor the level of poll tax collection in England for 1990-91.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 26 June 1990] : As with other aspects of the community charge my Department is

Column 259

monitoring closely the progress which authorities are making with collection. We have been in touch with a number of authorities and have included relevant questions in a quarterly statistical survey of all charging authorities to be made in July.

Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assumptions he made on poll tax collection rates in formulating his grant settlement for 1990-91.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 26 June 1990] : The assumptions in respect of, among other things, any surplus or shortfall in the yield from community charges for 1990-91 are set out in footnote 2 on page 2 of the revenue support grant distribution report (England) which was approved by the House on 18 January 1990.

Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each charge-capped local authority the information he considered, other than that submitted by the authority itself or already held by his Department, in formulating his proposal for the level of their cap.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 26 June 1990] : I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when, subject to the approval of Parliament, he intends that the poll tax cap for Lambeth should take legal effect in respect of the poll tax to be paid.

Mr. Portillo [holding answer 25 June 1990] : My right hon. Friend will lay before the House of Commons a draft order setting out his decisions on the final cap of Lambeth once he has considered fully the arguments which the council has put forward in support of its case for a higher figure than the cap which he proposed. If the House approves the draft order my right hon. Friend will make it and a statutory notice confirming the final cap will be served on the council as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter. The authority then has 21 days to set a revised budget ; a new community charge must be set as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter. Until a new charge has been set charge payers in Lambeth are liable to pay the charge originally set.

Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will update to 1990-91 the answer given to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 2 February 1989, Official Report, columns 359-60, showing the distributional effect of the community charge in comparison with domestic rates ;

(2) if he will update to 1990-91 the answer given to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 2 February 1989, Official Report, columns 359- 60, showing the numbers of gainers and losers by family type and income band from the introduction of the community charge.

Mr. Chope [holding answer 13 June 1990] : The information requested has been placed in the Library. The figures have been calculated on the same basis as those which were placed in the Library on 15 February showing the distributional impact of the community charge. Equivalent income has been calculated using the McClements scale factors.

Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that all student

Column 260

nurses, whether undertaking training on Project 2000 or on any other undergraduate nursing course, are eligible for 80 per cent. community charge relief for 1990-91 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chope : Under the Personal Community Charge (Students) Regulations 1989 (S.I. 1989-443) all nurses training under Project 2000 and all pre-registration undergraduate nursing students are already elegible for the student relief from the personal community charge.

Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to arrange for patients who suffer from multiple sclerosis to be exempted from the community charge.

Mr. Chope : Resident hospital patients and those cared for in residential care homes, nursing homes or hostels are exempt from the personal community charge. In a small number of cases multiple sclerosis can cause severe intellectual deterioration. Most such sufferers are in residential care and are therefore exempt on those grounds ; those who are still living in the community will be exempt on the grounds of severe mental impairment if they are entitled to a prescribed benefit and have been stated to be severely mentally impaired in a certificate of a registered medical practitioner.

Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has received a copy of "Coping with the Community Charge? The Preparations for Implementation" published by the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux in April ; and if he will make a statement on representations received from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Mr. Portillo : Copies of the report were received by my Department last April. My officials will shortly be meeting representatives of the national association to discuss its contents.

Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding Mr. and Mrs. Western of Beechdale, Nottingham, regarding lack of relief from the poll tax ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I wrote to the hon. Member on 8 June.

Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will raise the amount of central Government grant for Nottingham city council.

Mr. Chope : Nottingham city council's grant was calculated on the same basis as for all other authorities. This basis was approved by the House on 18 January and we have no plans to make changes for the current year.

Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department is issuing to general practitioners regarding the criteria used for assessing people as being eligible for exemption from the community charge on the grounds of brain damage.

Mr. Portillo : Guidelines to general practitioners on the criteria to be used in assessing eligibility for the exemption from the community charge on the grounds of severe

Column 261

mental impairment are issued by the Department of Health. Guidance was originally issued in a letter from the Department of Health, dated 3 November 1989 ; further guidance is to be issued shortly and this will be copied to charging authorities by my Department.

115. Sir Fergus Montgomery : to ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what a person on average male earnings would pay in local income tax in 1990-91 in order to raise the same amount of revenue as the community charge on average in England.

Next Section

Home Page