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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 18 July 1990
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Social Security Commissioners
Mr. Terry Fields : To ask the Attorney-General what was the average waiting time between an appeal to the social security commissioners and a commissioner's decision being made.
The Attorney-General : The average waiting time from receipt of the appeal in the commissioner's office to notification of the commissioner's decision in 1989 was 404 working days.
Mr. Terry Fields : To ask the Attorney-General how many social security commissioners' decisions were made in each of the last five years ; how many oral hearings occurred in each of the last five years ; and what percentage of commissioners' decisions are reported.
The Attorney-General : The answer in each category for each of the last five years is listed in the tables.
Percentage of commissioners ' decisions reported in the past five years ------------- 1985 |n/a 1986 |2.5 1987 |1.9 1988 |1.5 1989 |1.8 n/a=Not available.
Percentage of commissioners ' decisions reported in the past five years ------------- 1985 |n/a 1986 |2.5 1987 |1.9 1988 |1.5 1989 |1.8 n/a=Not available.
Percentage of commissioners ' decisions reported in the past five years ------------- 1985 |n/a 1986 |2.5 1987 |1.9 1988 |1.5 1989 |1.8 n/a=Not available.
Mr. Terry Fields : To ask the Attorney-General how many social security commissioners there are ; how they are appointed ; and what salaries or fees they are paid.
The Attorney-General : There are 12 full-time social security commissioners in England and Wales and three in
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Scotland. They are appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Lord Chancellor from among persons who are barristers, advocates or solicitors of not less than 10 years standing. Commissioners are paid an annual salary of £51,000. The chief commissioner is paid £56,000.Serious Fraud Office
Mr. Hind : To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to lay before Parliament and to publish the annual report of the Serious Fraud Office for the year 1989-90.
The Attorney-General : The report has today been laid before Parliament. I have caused a copy of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
EMPLOYMENT
Training Managers
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training managers have not yet signed the new contract from each of the (a) private, (b) local authority and (c) voluntary sectors.
Mr. Nicholls : The latest available information shows that 35 private sector, 11 local authority and six voluntary sector training managers have not yet signed new employment training contracts. A number of these will relate to contracts agreed in principle but awaiting final signatures.
Social Fund
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of provision per trainee for (i) employment training trainees and (ii) comparable trainees funded by the European social fund.
Mr. Eggar : The average Exchequer cost per person on employment training is about £106 per week, including the trainee's allowance. Information is not available on comparable average costs of trainees on European social fund funded courses.
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training managers have (a) withdrawn from the scheme or (b) reduced the number of trainees they take, with the introduction of the new contract, from each of the (i) private, (ii) local authority and (iii) voluntary sectors.
Mr. Nicholls : The latest available information shows that nine private sector, three local authority and four voluntary sector training managers have withdrawn from employment training following the introduction of new contracts. Information about those training managers who have reduced the number of their trainees is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Social Charter
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made by the European Community Commission in preparing directives arising out of the principles of the social charter ; and if he has received any guidance from the Commission on whether the directives are to be considered by majority vote.
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Mr. Eggar : The European Commission has published four draft directives from its social action programme ; one concerns asbestos, and three concern part-time and temporary work. The Commission's proposal is that the draft directive on asbestos and two of the draft directives on part time and temporary work, should be decided by qualified majority voting.I understand that the Commission is well advanced in drafting a number of other directives. We do not yet know how many of these are likely to be proposed for qualified majority voting.
Employment Training
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the current level of expenses paid to those on employment training schemes.
Mr. Eggar : I have received no representations on the current level of expenses paid to those on employment training schemes.
Youth Training
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the development of youth training.
Mr. Nicholls : New youth training is a major step forward. It offers the promise of a level-2 qualification or more for every trainee who can achieve it. It offers flexible design and duration of training and wider eligibility. It will provide improved help for those with special training needs and those seeking employment after training.
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to improve the quality of the initial assessment of trainees on employment training courses.
Mr. Nicholls : A number of initiatives are continuing to develop and improve the quality of initial assessment of trainees seeking training within employment training.
Tourist Attractions (wheelchair Access)
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will outline his Department's policy on wheelchair access for the disabled to major tourist attractions.
Mr. Nicholls : My Department concurs with the findings and recommendations of the "Tourism for All" report, which was published last year by the English tourist board. The national tourist boards, in collaboration with the holiday care service, are currently taking forward those recommendations, which are designed to improve access for people with special needs to the whole range of tourist facilities.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have been created.
Mr. Eggar : Twenty training and enterprise councils have signed operational contracts. A further 57 TECs are in their development stage and preparing their corporate and business plans.
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Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the companies and organisations represented on training and enterprise councils.
Mr. Eggar : Twenty TECs have now signed operational contracts and I will arrange for a list of board members for these TECs together with their companies/organisations to be placed in the House of Commons Library as soon as possible.
Government Training Schemes
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainers were involved with Government training schemes on (a) 18 June 1979 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.
Mr. Eggar : The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Telephone Chatlines
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that jobs with chatline companies are not advertised in Government jobcentres if they carry bonus incentives to keep callers talking for long spells.
Mr. Eggar : 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. Gentleman.
Training Centre, Cardiff
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what alternative provision he will make for the accommodation of the employee rehabilitation centre, Western avenue, Cardiff, after 1993.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 13 July 1990] : Plans for the alternative provision for the accommodation of the employment rehabilitation centre, Western avenue, Cardiff, after 1993 have yet to be made. The South Glamorgan committee for the employment of disabled people will be consulted in drawing up any such plans.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he has undertaken regarding the future provision and location of services provided by the employee rehabilitation centre, Western avenue, Cardiff.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 13 July 1990] : In the consultative document on employment and training for people with disabilities published by my Department on 29 June, my right hon. and learned Friend invited comments on plans for developing employment rehabilitation provision. The document has been sent to over 1,400 individuals and organisations including the South Glamorgan advisory committee for the employment of disabled people. Consultations about the future provision and location of services specifically provided by the employment rehabilitation centre in Cardiff have not yet commenced.
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PRIME MINISTER
Exchange Rate Mechanism
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will publish a White Paper making an economic assessment of the effect of joining the ERM of the European monetary system at the current rate of exchange.
The Prime Minister : Her Majesty's Government have no plans to publish such a White Paper. Participation in the exchange rate mechanism will help to reinforce counter-inflationary policy.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Mr. Surendra Paul
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information Her Majesty's high commissioner to India has in relation to a warning given in advance to the Assam state police about the murder of Mr. Surendra Paul.
Mr. Maude : The British high commission has no information about any such warning.
EC (Irish Presidency)
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the period of the Irish presidency of the European Community.
Mr. Maude : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made to the House on 28 June by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 28 June at columns 489-90.
Human Rights
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries in each of the past five years to which Her Majesty's Government have made representations over human rights violations.
Mr. Maude : In the last five years we have made representations to the Governments of many countries, both bilaterally and with our EC partners. The precise information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received ; what was his estimate of the number of requests that would be received ; what consideration he is giving to the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude : The diplomatic and aid wings together have so far received 35 requests for subject access, all from present or former members of staff : this figure is in line with forecasts of likely numbers of applications. We do not
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propose to change the arrangements for charges set out in the reply given by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the hon. Member on 30 October 1987, Official Report, column 478.Albania
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Albania concerning the refugees that are seeking to leave the country.
Mr. Waldegrave : On behalf of the whole Community, the ambassadors of the four member states represented in Tirana called on the Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs on 7 July. They delivered an agreed statement urging the Albanian Government to ensure that the safety of the refugees, to refrain from reprisals against their families, to allow them to receive such assistance as necessary and to guarantee their departure from Albania.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for establishing new links with the Albanian Government.
Mr. Waldegrave : Following the apparent thaw in early 1990 in Albania's attitude towards the outside world we renewed on 20 April our 1980 offer to establish diplomatic relations without pre-conditions.
Indonesia
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the Indonesian Foreign Minister.
Mr. Maude : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no immediate plans for a meeting with the Foreign Minister though he hopes one will be possible before long.
North and South Korea
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made with regard to the opening of the border between North and South Korea.
Mr. Maude : None. We have consistently supported all realistic initiatives which might lead to peace on the Korean peninsula. We welcome the resumption of official contacts on 3 July. How these contacts might be expanded must be left to discussion between North and South Korea.
Liberia
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts he has had in the previous 12 months with the Liberian Government.
Mr. Waldegrave : None. Her Majesty's ambassador in Monrovia however has regular contacts with members of the Liberian Government.
Kenya
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Kenya for the
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release of political prisoners and the establishment of multi-party democracy there ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Waldegrave : I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave to the honourable Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) on 17 July, Official Report, column 496.
China
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many diplomatic contacts and at what levels, have taken place with Chinese diplomatic representatives over the past month.
Mr. Maude : Regular contacts on a variety of subjects have been maintained between the two Governments through channels up to and including the Chinese ambassador in London and the British charge d'affaires in Peking.
Visas
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which European countries visitors to the United Kingdom are required to have visas ; and what plans he has for removing these restrictions on a country-by-country basis.
Mr. Maude : Visitors to the United Kingdom from the following European countries require visas :
Albania
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
Hungary
Poland
Romania
Soviet Union
Turkey
We have no plans to abolish visas for Turkey, which were only recently imposed--in June 1989. We welcome the moves towards greater democracy and the freer movement of people in eastern Europe. We are examining our visa policies towards these countries on a case-by-case basis, in the light of developments, and keeping in touch with our European Community partners.
Ivory
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Hong Kong Government will comply in full with the CITES ban on all commercial trade in ivory when the six-month reservation is withdrawn on 18 July.
Mr. Maude : The Hong Kong Government have already enacted legislation to implement the CITES ban on international commercial trade in ivory. The legislation will come into effect when our reservation is withdrawn on 18 July 1990. A potential loophole in the legislation which might have enabled tourists to export ivory as souvenirs up to a weight of 5 kg has been closed. Hong Kong legislation now fully reflects the CITES convention.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the reason for the delay in issuing advice to school governors about their responsibilities
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under the Data Protection Act ; whether his Department has any plans to indemnify or compensate any school governor prosecuted under the Act ; and whether he will make a statement.Mrs. Rumbold : Preparation of guidance is well under way, but proving to be more complex than expected. The Data Protection Registrar is aware of the position and will be consulted in the course of its preparation.
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many subject access requests under the terms of the Data Protection Act his Department has received ; what was his estimate of the number of requests that would be received ; what consideration he is giving to the subject access fee charged by his Department as a result ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : This information is not collected by the Department. The subject access fee for external requests is £8, which is below the maximum set in central guidance. Current and previous employees are not charged.
Grant-maintained Schools
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the issue of parents of first-year pupils, or children due to become first-year pupils at the start of the next school year, being disenfranchised from ballots on opting out due to the fact that the procedure was initiated in the period shortly before their children became formally registered at the school ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : The Department has received a number of letters on this subject. Guidance is contained in the Department's booklet "School Governors : How to become a Grant-Maintained School", which was sent last year to every school eligible to apply for GM status. It advises governors and parents to think carefully about the timing of actions they take.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals are being considered for amendments to the Education Reform Act in order to make it easier for schools to opt out ; whether the introduction of a procedure to opt back into local education authority control, on the same basis as that to opt out, is under consideration ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : This September there will be 44 GM schools with a total of 30,000 pupils. That means the number of GM schools has more than doubled in 12 months. That is an impressive measure of the strength of interest among parents and governors in becoming grant maintained. My right hon. Friend will be keeping a careful watch to ensure that LEAs do not abuse their position when dealing with individual schools ; and will be ready to take further action should it prove to be necessary.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much his Department's booklet "Grant-Maintained Schools : Questions Parents Ask" cost to produce and distribute.
Mrs. Rumbold : The cost of printing the booklets and of posting an initial distribution to all schools eligible to apply for grant-maintained status was £32,275.
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Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the introduction of a standard wording for parents' petitions requiring the governing body of schools to organise a ballot on whether or not the school should opt out of local education authority control ; and if he will make a statement.Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend has received one letter on this subject. Guidance on the wording of parental petitions was given in the booklet "School Governors : How to Become a Grant-maintained School", which was sent last year to every school eligible to apply for GM status. Paragraph 11 of the booklet said :
"The wording of the petition should make it clear that it is to require the governing body of the school, in accordance with Section 60 of the Education Reform Act, to hold a ballot of parents on the question of whether the school should apply to the Secretary of State for grant- maintained status".
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the organisations referred to in his Department's booklet "School Governors : How to become a Grant-Maintained School" as sources of information on the subject ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : Officials in the Department have received two letters on this subject.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from local education authorities and local authority associations concerning his Department's booklet "Grant-Maintained Schools : Questions Parents Ask".
Mrs. Rumbold : There has been correspondence between the Association of County Councils and the Department about the booklet. My right hon. Friend has not received representations from individual local authorities about the booklet.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received a copy of the booklet published by Local Schools Information called "Grant-Maintained Schools : Questions Parents Ask" ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend has seen a copy of the booklet. The booklet suggests that grant-maintained schools could be isolated, but the facts point the other way. GM schools are working together constructively, sharing experiences and co-operating in joint ventures. The booklet also suggests that an application for GM status would be a leap in the dark. Yet the first GM schools have welcomed their new status and are already making full use of their greater freedom and responsibilities.
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