| Previous Section | Home Page |
Biological Diversity (Study)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the letter of 9 July from the Minister for Overseas Development to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, if she will make a statement on the interim results of the strategic study she has commissioned on biological diversity in marine environments, with particular reference to work on reefs.
Mrs. Chalker : We are studying the first draft of the report that we commissioned on marine biological diversity. I shall let the hon. Member know the outcome.
Bophuthatswana
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many housing projects in Bophuthatswana have been assisted by the Overseas Development Administration ; (2) what community development projects are being assisted by the Overseas Development Administration in Bophuthatswana ;
(3) if the British awards scheme has funded academic support at South African universities for any students from Bophuthatswana ; (4) what proportion of British aid to black South Africans is directed to Bophuthatswana ;
(5) how many scholarships and training awards in Britain are being provided for undergraduates and postgraduates from Bophuthatswana.
Mrs. Chalker : While we and other countries, with the exception of South Africa itself, do not recognise Bophuthatswana as an independent state, assistance has been approved since April 1989 for 12 community development projects located within that territory. We see no reason, however, to keep records of the geographical origin of those receiving help under scholarship and housing assistance programmes which are intended to benefit disadvantaged black people throughout South Africa.
Overseas Aid Annual Review (Cost)
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was to public funds of publishing the 1990 overseas aid annual review ; and how many copies were printed.
Mrs. Chalker : 15,000 copies were produced at a total cost of £76, 504.90, a unit cost of £5.10.
Cambodia
Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 18 June, Official Report, column 682, if he will make a statement about Britain's current humanitarian and other assistance to the people of Cambodia.
Mrs. Chalker : I am monitoring the situation closely and announced that I would make up to £100,000 available for British non-government organisations to help civil war displaced people inside Cambodia. My officials are in touch with interested NGOs about this.
Since 1988-89 under the Overseas Development Administration's joint funding scheme we have committed
Column 629
£565,000 in support of 12 humanitarian assistance projects carried out by non-government organisations. We currently have a number of other NGO project proposals under consideration and expect to receive more applications. In addition we have allocated £1.25 million to support programmes in Cambodia carried out by the United Nation's Children's Fund, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation ; these include provision of safe water supplies, food for work schemes, primary health care, education and assistance for agricultural development. We have also provided nearly £15 million since 1979 in assistance for refugees on the Thai-Cambodian border. For the future, we are ready to consider with other donors, initially in a reconvened Paris International Conference on Cambodia, how refugee repatriation and development/reconstruction needs might best be met in the context of a comprehensive political settlement.PRIME MINISTER
Spanish Fishermen
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on the implications of the European Court of Justice decision on interim relief to Spanish fishermen from the 1988 Act ; and if she will consider submitting all future draft bills to the court for its consideration with a view to avoiding administrative complexities involved with interim relief.
The Prime Minister : I have nothing to add to my earlier answers on the subject of the European Court of Justice's decision on interim relief. I have no plans to take up my hon. Friend's suggestion.
Waverley Housing Trust
Sir David Steel : To ask the Prime Minister what guidance is given to civil servants concerning the scope of advice and information given to local authority officials prior to the passage of relevant legislation through Parliament ; and whether she will make a statement concerning advice surrounding the establishment of the Waverley Housing Trust.
The Prime Minister : Civil servants may give information and advice to outside organisations and individuals concerning the Government's policies, consistent with the general rules governing conduct and the requirements of statute regarding the disclosure of information. Where information is given about policies whose implementation is dependent on the passage of legislation through Parliament, this would be made clear.
I shall ask my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to write to the right hon. Member once his information into contacts between civil servants and those who established the Waverley Housing Trust is complete.
Children
Mr. Parry : To ask the Prime Minister if she will accept the invitation to attend the world summit for children to be held at the United Nations on 29 and 30 September.
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Prime Minister if she proposes to accept the invitation to attend the United Nations world summit for children in New York during September.
Column 630
The Prime Minister : I attended the world summit for children in New York on 29 and 30 September where I gave an address on the role of the family in child development.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister which new initiative designed to protect British children in the areas of (a) health, (b) education rights and (c) environment Her Majesty's Government are taking as a result of the recent New York international conference.
The Prime Minister : The United Nations world summit for children drew upon the experience of developed countries in drawing up an action plan for improving the health and welfare of all children. We have already made substantial progress in most of the areas mentioned and are undertaking a number of relevant initiatives which, where appropriate, we will be progressing in co-operation with overseas countries.
Examples in the field of health care include the treatment and prevention of AIDS, childhood immunisation programmes aimed at controlling infectious diseases and better nutrition for pregnant mothers and young children.
In the United Kingdom rights to education are already provided for in legislation. Section 8 of the 1944 Education Act places a duty on local education authorities to "secure provision of Primary and Secondary schools". Futhermore, British education aims to develop fully the abilities of all children, with compulsory school starting at 5 years of age.
The White Paper "This Common Inheritance", which sets out the Government's environmental policies for the next decade and beyond, emphasises our duty to protect the environment for the benefit of future generations.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister what specific measures Her Majesty's Government are proposing in order (a) to help children in the Third world in the areas of health and education and (b) to combat child labour exploitation both at home and abroad ; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : Through our aid programme we provide a great deal of assistance to children, both through our bilateral programme, and multilaterally through organisations such as UNICEF and WHO. Our policy is to support the development of health care services for all the family as the best way of improving child health.
In education, we support programmes of assistance to educational institutions in the developing world covering school buildings, training of teachers, the provision of materials and educational planning.
The Government deplore the exploitation of children for economic purposes. However in many countries children in the cities and the countryside have to work in order to survive. Widespread exploitation of children can only be overcome by the alleviation of poverty and by more appropriate policies for economic growth and social development. We are assisting in this through our aid programme.
Column 631
PRIME MINISTER
Science Policy
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the visits she has made during the recess in her capacity as Minister for co-ordinating science policy in appropriate cases.
The Prime Minister : On 28 September I hosted a seminar given by young scientists on the following subjects, antibody engineering, novel materials, collision physics : human genetic disease, enzymology and astronomy.
Personal Data
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Prime Minister whether the Government will take positive steps to discuss with the Data Protection Registrar all legislation that impacts on the use, collection, processing or holding of personal data ; and whether she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : My colleagues in charge of Departments have been asked to ensure that officials are aware of the need to consult the registrar about proposed legislation which might affect or be affected by the Data Protection Act 1984.
European Community
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Prime Minister what discussions she has had with other heads of Government in the European Community about the enlargement of the Community territorially.
The Prime Minister : Heads of Government reaffirmed at their meeting in November 1989 that there should be no decisions on EC enlargement until the work on the single market has been completed. However I have made clear on many occasions our view that the Community should remain open to all the countries of Europe once they are democratic and ready to join.
Child Benefit
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Prime Minister what assessment she has made of the benefits child benefit has given to families on income support since it was introduced.
The Prime Minister : Families on income support do not gain any overall financial advantage from child benefit because it is taken fully into account in the assessment of their income support entitlement. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security has indicated on many occasions, this is one of the factors he has to take into account when he reviews the level of child benefit.
Company Cars
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Prime Minister whether the Government will introduce legislation to (a) disallow business expenditure on the supply or running costs of passenger cars other than light vans as a business expense and (b) charge the full cost of such vehicles to the keeper for income tax purposes; and if she will provide an estimate of the revenue yield in each case.
The Prime Minister : I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion. The detailed information needed to give estimates of yield is not available.
Column 632
Correspondence
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Prime Minister whether she will make it her policy that the Private Office will in future return to the sender all requests addressed to her for intervention at departmental level with a request to make representations direct to those concerned.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to release to the press any letters she receives asking for favours or intervention with Departments of State.
Mr. Colin Wallace
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister if she will place in the Library a copy of her reply to the letter sent to her on 21 July by Mr. Colin Wallace, 14 Dalloway road, Arundel, about the Calcutt inquiry.
The Prime Minister : No. It is not my normal practice to do so.
Nautical Archaeology
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Prime Minister whether she has now completed her review of Departmental responsibilities for nautical archaeology; and if she will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : We have completed the review of Departmental responsibilities for nautical archaeology. We have now proposed, in paragraph 9.36 of the White Paper "This Common Inheritance", that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment should assume responsibility for the protection of historic wrecks in English waters, and that similar transfers of responsibility should take place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This will bring together control of archaeology on land with that under water. We will be responding more fully to the Joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committee on the other matters raised in its report, "Heritage at Sea".
Gulf Crisis
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister if she will take urgent steps to help those Third world countries which as a direct consequence of the Gulf crisis are in danger of economic hardship.
The Prime Minister : The best way to help countries damaged by the Gulf crisis is to bring an end to the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and restore stability to the region. Britain has made a very substantial contribution to that effort, including the decision to send over 15, 000 servicemen to the Gulf. We have also contributed to the cost of resettling refugees and shall also contribute to the European Community's special programme of assistance to Jordan, Egypt and Turkey. But the bulk of assistance to affected countries will need to come through adjustment assistance to be given by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and from those countries which are not participating in the military effort.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the Third world countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America
Column 633
most seriously affected (a) by the oil price increases and (b) by the trade embargo ordered by the United Nations as a consequence of the Gulf crisis.The Prime Minister : The economies of Egypt, Jordan and Turkey have been most directly affected by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the consequent application of UN sanctions against Iraq.
All net oil-importing countries are being adversely affected by the increase in oil prices, but there is no single measure of which are the most seriously affected. This will depend on the source and volume of their oil imports and access to alternative energy sources, as well as on the initial strength of their economies and their ability to adjust to the new situation.
Veterans
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Prime Minister if she will create a veterans' Department.
The Prime Minister : No. The Government and everyone in this country recognise the immense debt of gratitude owed to war veterans and other ex- Service personnel. It is essential that departments deal with their affairs efficiently. However, although it might seem convenient to have a separate Department of veterans' affairs, I do not believe that this would result in better service and it could have the effect of confusing responsibilities which at present fall clearly on each departmental Minister.
EMPLOYMENT
Personal Data
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department will take positive steps to discuss with the Data Protection Registrar all his Department's legislation that impacts on the use, collection, processing or holding of personal data ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : I am reminding my officials of the need to consult the registrar about proposed legislation which might affect or be affected by the Data Protection Act.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the safety record of companies working on the channel tunnel project.
Mr. Forth : The Government and Health and Safety Executive have made clear their concern about accidents on the channel tunnel project. The contractors are now engaged in a programme of implementing the recommedations made in the HSE's accident prevention advisory unit's recent audit of safety management on the project. The HSE is monitoring this process carefully.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements are made for the Health and Safety Executive to inspect the channel tunnel workings.
Mr. Forth : It is for the Health and Safety Executive to make arrangements for inspections of the channel tunnel
Column 634
workings. Inspectors visit the workings regularly to inspect and monitor conditions and to investigate incidents and accidents.Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has indentified any additional safety measures which might be introducted on the channel tunnel project to make working safer.
Mr. Forth : Responsibility for health and safety on the channel tunnel project rests with the employers.
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) accident prevention advisory unit carried out an audit of the management of health and safety on the channel tunnel project in May 1990. The contractors have accepted the recommendations of the audit and are now engaged in a programme of implementing them. HSE is monitoring that process carefully. HSE inspectors continue to visit the channel tunnel sites and will continue to take whatever action is necessary to maintain and develop safety standards.
Social Attitudes Survey
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the British social attitudes survey to be completed; and when he expects it to be published.
Mr. Jackson : The British social attitudes survey takes place annually in the early spring. The results of each survey are published approximately 18 months after the field work. The results of the 1990 survey, which covers questions on the child care needs of working women as referred to in the reply from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment on 24 July at columns 195-96 will be published in November 1991.
Iraqis (Training)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many Iraqis have been in Britain for industrial training in each year since 1980.
Mr. Forth : The number of work permits issued under the training and work experience scheme since 1984 are given below. Statistics for issues prior to April 1984 are not available. Records of approvals for the work element of sandwich courses are not kept by nationality.
|Number
-------------------------------------------------
1 April 1984 to 31 December 1984 |6
1 January 1985 to 31 December 1985 |12
1 January 1986 to 31 December 1986 |7
1 January 1987 to 31 December 1987 |4
1 January 1988 to 31 December 1988 |6
1 January 1989 to 31 December 1989 |6
1 January 1990 to 31 August 1990 |5
Hard Labour"
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department has considered the report "Hard Labour", prepared by the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : I have considered this report. I believe that the existing provisions of employment legislation strike a fair balance between safeguarding the rights of employees and avoiding excessive burdens on business which would discourage the growth of job opportunities.
Column 635
Unemployment (Costs)
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department has considered the estimates of the costs of unemployment assessed by the unemployment unit; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : My Department has not considered the estimates in any detail as we do not accept the analysis on which they are based.
Earnings
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the level of national average earnings for (a) men, (b) women and (c) all workers (i) at current prices and (ii) at 1990 prices for each year since 1970; and what was the level of medium earnings for (a) men, (b) women and (c) all workers for each of these years.
Mr. Jackson : Information on the earnings of full-time adult employees in Great Britain in April of each year is published in table 15 of Part A of the annual new earnings survey reports. Figures for males and females combined are readily available only from 1983 onwards and are given in table 17 of the recently published part A of the 1990 survey report. Information on the retail prices index (all items) to convert the figures to 1990 prices is published in table 6.4 of Employment Gazette for April 1990, and table 26 of the annual supplement to Economic Trends for April of each earlier year.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Statutes
56. Mr. Spearing : To ask the Attorney-General what steps he takes to ensure that his Department obtains up-to-date information on statutes and orders in force.
The Attorney General : The Departments for which I am responsible obtain such up-to-date information both from Her Majesty's Stationery Office and from commercial publishers.
Guinness Trial
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Attorney-General whether he will refer to the Court of Appeal the sentence on Mr. Gerald Ronson, in the Guinness trial, on grounds of leniency.
The Attorney-General : No. I did not consider the sentence to have been unduly lenient, which is the criterion specified in Section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 as governing my power to refer sentences to the Court of Appeal.
Another Blood Libel"
Mr. Janner : To ask the Attorney-General what consideration has been given by the Crown prosecution service to initiating proceedings in respect of the leaflet "Another Blood Libel", published by the Campaign for Gentile -Jewish Reconciliation.
The Attorney-General : I understand that the Board of Deputies of British Jews have forwarded a leaflet entitled
Column 636
"Another Blood Libel or Ritual Murder", to the police with a request that an investigation leading to criminal proceedings is begun.Before the Crown prosecution service can consider initiating proceedings it is necessary for a police investigation to produce evidence as to the individual or individuals responsible for publication or distribution of the leaflet. No file of evidence has yet been received by the Crown prosecution service but should one be forwarded then full and careful consideration will be given to the institution of criminal proceedings. The Law Officers and the Director of Public Prosecutions regard the publication and distribution of material which offends against the provisions of part III of the Public Order Act 1986 as a serious matter.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
ERASMUS Project
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students in the academic year 1990-91 have applied and how many have been accepted, to take part in the ERASMUS project.4
Mr. Alan Howarth : Student mobility under ERASMUS takes place largely within inter-university co-operation programmes for which higher education institutions apply direct to the European Commission for funding. For 1990-91, the Commission has approved for support 1, 748 ICPs involving 1,100 insitutions and 44,484 student exchanges. This includes 375 United Kingdom led ICPs and 8,857 UK students who will spend a period of their study in another European Community country.
Information is not available on the number of student exchanges proposed in ICP applications made to the Commission or on the number of students not involved in an ICP who are assisted as "free movers" under ERASMUS.
Special Needs Teaching
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the impact of local management of schools in special needs teaching.
Mr. Fallon : Local management of schools was introduced in April this year. We are monitoring its effects carefully. I expect the introduction of LMS to benefit all school provision, including that for special needs.
Teachers (Pay)
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next expects to meet the teaching unions to discuss local arrangements for pay.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. Friend has met each of the six teacher unions on several occasions to discuss the Government's proposals for new teachers' pay negotiating machinery. He has no immediate plans for further meetings.
University Accommodation
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on student accommodation in Scottish universities.
Column 637
Mr. Alan Howarth : The provision of accommodation for students in universities is a matter for the institutions themselves. Universities are autonomous and therefore responsible for deciding their own funding priorities within the total resources at their disposal. I pay tribute to the efforts made by university accommodation services to help students find suitable accommodation.Funds Allocation (Local Authorities)
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines he has recently issued on the criteria applied by local education authorities in allocating funds.
Mr. Fallon : The last major set of guidelines issued was in circular 7/88, published in September 1988. My right hon. Friend expects to issue a draft circular for consultation later this year.
Trafford (Secondary Schools)
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent discussions he has had with Trafford council about the selection procedures for Trafford's secondary schools.
Mr. Fallon : No recent discussions have taken place, but officials from the Department have been in correspondence with the authority over its selection procedures.
| Next Section
| Home Page |