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Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the conditions that govern the payment of grants to Bacon's city technology college.
Mr. Fallon : The conditions which apply to the payment of grants to city technology colleges are set out in individual funding agreements between sponsors and my right hon. Friend. The model for these agreements, which has evolved in discussions over the past year, contains all the material terms and conditions of grant. Copies of the model have today been placed in the Library. These replace the model agreement placed in the Library in July 1989.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science at what rates, for pupils (a) under and (b) over school leaving age, he has agreed to pay annual per capita grant to city technology colleges ; and what are the total amounts of annual per capita grant and earmarked annual grant respectively that he has agreed to pay each city technology college during 1990-91.
Mr. Fallon : The rate of annual per capita grant--APG--in respect of each pupil for the academic year 1990-91 is £2,075 for pupils under school leaving age, and £2,365 weighted in respect of pupils over school leaving age. The total amounts of APG and earmarked annual grant-- EAG--which have been agreed for payment to city technology colleges during this period are as follows :
)
|Total APG|Total EAG
|£ |£
-----------------------------------------
Kingshurst |1,820,602|189,918
Nottingham |1,397,707|145,699
Teesside |1,234,019|134,238
Gateshead |862,550 |179,048
Bradford |934,689 |194,682
Dartford |- |321,605
Croydon |- |294,478
In the case of Dartford and Croydon, the colleges are being paid APG on the basis of indicative figures only, as agreement has not yet been reached on the uplift appropriate to reflect the higher costs of operating in the London area.
In addition to the per capita figure for APG, provision is made within this grant for administration costs and diseconomies of scale during each college's start-up period, reflecting good practice in respect of new schools within the LEA maintained sector.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the pupil-teacher ratio, for pupils (a) under and (b) over school leaving age, in each city technology college during the current academic year.
Mr. Fallon : Overall pupil-teacher ratios in city technology colleges for the academic year 1990-91 are as follows :
[TITER] ------------------------- Kingshurst |14.082 Nottingham |12.706 Teesside |13.286 Gateshead |9.375 Bradford |10.588 Dartford |13.544 Croydon |14.516
The data necessary to calculate pupil teacher ratios in respect of pupils above and below school leaving age are not held centrally.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many (a) boy and (b) girl pupils (i) under and (ii) over school leaving age are registered to attend each city technology college being funded by his Department during the academic year 1990-91 ; and what was the total number of pupils planned for each city technology college when it became fully operational.
Mr. Fallon : Numbers of pupils under and over school leaving age registered at each city technology college for the academic year 1990-91 are as follows. Planned total pupil numbers in each category are shown in brackets :
College and opening date |USLA |(full) |OSLA |(full)
|pupils | pupils
|1990-91 |1990-91
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kingshurst (1988) |540 |(900) |150 |(200)
Nottingham (1989) |336 |(825) |96 |(165)
Teesside (1989) |372 |(900) |- |(150)
Gateshead (1990) |150 |(750) |- |(150)
Bradford (1990) |180 |(750) |- |(230)
Dartford (1990) |811 |(1,050) |110 |(200)
Croydon (1990) |830 |(900) |70 |(200)
Pupil numbers disaggregated by sex are not held centrally.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will take steps to ensure
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that parent governors at Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham city technology college are elected, in line with parent governors at maintained schools, and subject to disqualification or removal from office solely on grounds similar to those set out for parent governors at maintained schools under regulations 5 to 8 of the Education (School Government) Regulations 1989 ;(2) if he will take steps to ensure that the parent governors at the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham city technology college have the same rights to participate in the financial management of the college as will be accorded to parent governors in voluntary schools under local management of schools ;
(3) if he was consulted about the provisions of the articles of association of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham college trust.
Mr. Fallon : My right hon. Friend was consulted about the provisions of the articles of association of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham city technology college trust. In considering these my right hon. Friend took into account the wishes of the CTC trust and the provisions which he considered appropriate for the sound management of the CTC. The same considerations will apply to the scheme of government of the college which will determine the functions of the governing body, including parent governors. As circumstances differ, provisions will not necessarily be identical with those which apply to LEA maintained schools.
Teacher Vacancies
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make available details of the summary of teacher vacancies, a summary of which he published in September.
Mr. MacGregor : A copy of the Department's survey of teacher vacancies at the beginning of September has now been deposited in the Library.
Official Visits
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report all visits he has made to schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions, with the date of each visit and its purpose.
Mr. MacGregor : This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost. I continue to make several visits to all types of educational bodies and institutions every week.
UN International Week of Science and Peace
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has any plans to promote the second United Nations International Week of Science and Peace, 5 to 11 November.
Mr. Alan Howarth : We have no plans to commit expenditure in support of this project.
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PRIME MINISTER
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Prime Minister what response she has made to her French counterpart following his announcement made on 22 October seeking increased nuclear weapons co-operation with the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister : President Mitterrand and I discussed several subjects of mutual interest while we were in Rome, among them Anglo-French defence co-operation. We welcomed the progress which was being made.
Iraq
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the case for continued sanctions against Iraq, even if it withdraws from Kuwait, to ensure that it is incapable of ever using its nuclear weapons ; and if she will make a statement on her policy towards ensuring that other countries which have nuclear weapons do not use them.
The Prime Minister : We have always enforced rigorously export controls pursuant to our obligations under the non-proliferation treaty-- NPT--and shall continue to do so. In addition, for the last 10 years we have not sold any lethal weapons to Iraq. We shall need to consider what sanctions may need to be maintained once the present crisis is resolved, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing. As a depositary power of the NPT, the United Kingdom is a keen supporter of the principle of non- proliferation, and we take every suitable opportunity to encourage states not yet parties to the treaty to adhere to it and abide by its provisions.
ENERGY
Nuclear Reactors
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list by location the number of nuclear reactors that are awaiting pressure vessel temperature gauge replacements to date ; what was the position on (a) 1 January and (b) 30 June of this year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The question of maintenance requirements for reactor pressure vessel temperature gauges is a matter for the operators of nuclear reactors. Every nuclear reactor pressure vessel in the United Kingdom has a large number of temperature monitoring
gauges--thermocouples--many more than are necessary for safe operation. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate is satisfied that adequate monitoring of temperature in the pressure vessel does not depend upon all gauges being operative. However, if the NII were not satisfied as to the adequacy of monitoring it would prohibit continued operation of the reactor until the matter had been rectified to its satisfaction.
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Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Gale : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the amount paid to MCA/Universal Films for the use of the Frankenstein character in Government advertising campaigns.
Mr. Baldry : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 29 October, at column 366.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what guidance he issued to electricity companies on the appointment of advisers on electricity privatisation.
Mr. Wakeham : This was a commercial matter for the companies concerned.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many people have registered to buy shares in the electricity distribution companies.
Mr. Wakeham : I shall be announcing the number shortly.
Energy Efficiency Office
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the current effectiveness of his Department's Energy Efficiency Office ; and whether he has any plans to change or extend its role.
Mr. Baldry : The Energy Efficiency Office continues to offer a range of effective programmes designed to encourage the adoption of cost- effective energy efficiency measures. Since 1983, the EEO's programmes have led to continuing energy savings now worth over £500 million per year, and greatly increased public awareness of the value of energy efficiency.
The White Paper on the Environment "This Common Inheritance"--Cm. 1200-- announced a number of new EEO initiatives under which it would be developing proposals for a new scheme of project management assistance for implementation of energy efficiency projects ; considering with the lighting industry a promotional drive on high efficiency lighting ; pursuing appliance labelling and minimum standards with our own appliance industry and in the EC.
The EEO will also be introducing the home energy efficiency scheme in the new year. This will offer grants towards the cost of basic energy efficiency measures in low-income households.
The new ministerial committee on energy efficiency, chaired by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy, will maintain the momentum for energy efficiency improvements, monitor the Government's energy efficiency programmes and assess the need for further action.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the outcome of the first meeting of the ministerial group on energy efficiency held on 17 October.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 25 October 1990, at columns 273-74 .
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Renewable Energy
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment was made of the impact on the potential generation of electricity from renewable sources by independent generator prior to the decision to decouple the nuclear and renewable elements of the non-fossil fuel obligations.
Mr. Baldry : As my right hon. Friend announced to the House on 12 February, Official Report , column 29, he decided to decouple renewables from the initial order setting a non-fossil fuel obligation so as to enable the large response from renewables operators to be assessed fairly and a full contribution obtained.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of electricity generated in each Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development country comes from (a) renewable energy sources, (b) nuclear power and (c) fossil fuel burn.
Mr. Baldry : The information requested is as follows :
Percentage<1> of Total Electricity Generated by:
|Renewable|Nuclear |Fossil
|energy |power |fuels
|sources
-------------------------------------------------------
Australia |11 |- |89
Austria |74 |- |26
Belgium |2 |61 |37
Canada |59 |16 |25
Denmark |1 |- |98
Finland |36 |35 |29
France |13 |75 |12
Germany<2> |5 |34 |61
Greece |6 |- |94
Iceland |100 |- |-
Ireland |22 |- |78
Italy |20 |- |80
Japan |14 |24 |62
Luxembourg |67 |- |33
Netherlands |1 |5 |93
New Zealand |80 |- |20
Norway |100 |- |-
Portugal |28 |- |71
Spain |14 |38 |48
Sweden |51 |46 |3
Switzerland |57 |42 |1
Turkey |35 |- |65
United Kingdom |2 |23 |75
United States |9 |19 |72
<1>This information is based on estimated data for
1989 contained in the International Energy Agency
publication "Coal Information 1990", Table
13-"Electricity Production by Fuel".
<2>Information relates to the former Federal Republic
of Germany.
Energy Technology
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the consultancies commissioned by his Department to evaluate the feasibility of developing a methodology for assessing the environmental costs of different energy technologies ; in each case, when the contract was issued and when he expects to receive the reports ; and what is the total cost of commissioning this research.
Mr. Moynihan : The Department has commissioned work at the Energy Technology Support Unit to evaluate the feasibility of developing a methodology for assessing the environmental costs of different energy technologies.
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This draws on work within ETSU itself, work by other Government Departments, and sub-contracts managed by ETSU, and has yet to reach a conclusion.1 Palace Street
Mr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the purpose of the lights inset into the floor in the reception area of his Department's main building at 1 Palace street.
Mr. Wakeham : The lighting in the reception area of my Department's main building was designed and installed on behalf of the building developer. It would be inappropriate for me to speculate on the purpose of particular aspects of the developer's design philosophy.
Electricity Bills
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consideration he has given to requiring the electricity distribution companies to give discounts to families and pensioners who have difficulty paying electricity bills.
Mr. Wakeham : It would not be fair to expect the general body of consumers to subsidise those who cannot or will not pay their bills. However, in recognition that some consumers may experience genuine difficulties, the licences issued to the public electricity suppliers have strengthened the protections against disconnection offered to such consumers. These include easy payment arrangements and, where safe and practical, the installation of prepayment meters.
Petrol Prices
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer of 22 October, Official Report , column 13 , to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, if he will list the instances in which oil companies delayed petrol price increases.
Mr. Wakeham : Between the end of July and the end of September gasoline prices on the Rotterdam spot market rose by over 90 per cent., while oil prices rose by over 140 per cent. Over the same period, United Kingdom pump prices rose on average by around 20 per cent., including tax, and 45 per cent., excluding tax.
Electricity Generation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy further to his answer of 22 October to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, Official Report , column 15 , what proportion of electricity generated in England and Wales in 1989 was generated from coal, oil, gas, nuclear and renewables.
Mr. Wakeham : The proportions of fuel used to generate electricity in 1989 in England and Wales were as follows :
Fuel used in electricity generation<1>
|Per cent. share
------------------------------------------------
Coal |76
Nuclear |18
Oil<2> |7
<1>Coverage relates to those generating
companies formerly comprising the public
electricity supply system in England and Wales:
National Power, PowerGen, Nuclear Electric,
National Grid Company, Midlands Electricity and
South Western Electricity.
<2>Including oil used in gas turbines and for
lighting up coal fired boilers, and orimulsion.
The amount of other fuel sources--natural flow hydro, and natural gas-- accounted for less than 0.1 per cent. of the total.
Overseas Visits
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all overseas visits made by himself and other Ministers in his Department, giving the date, duration, purpose and cost, and number of officials involved in each case.
Mr. Wakeham : I and my Ministers have made 22 overseas visits since my appointment as Secretary of State for Energy in July 1989. I shall write to the hon. Member with more detailed information about these visits as soon as possible.
Piper Alpha
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 9 July, Official Report, column 37, to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), if he will make a statement on the further work under the Piper Alpha abandonment programme.
Mr. Moynihan : A direction was given to Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd. and its co-venturers on 15 August requiring them to carry out as soon as reasonably practicable further works pursuant to the conditions attached to the Piper Alpha abandonment programme as approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. Under the terms of the direction the companies are required :
(1) Within the safety zone to re-survey an annulus of internal radius 250 metres and external radius 500 metres to determine the position and dimensions of any remains of the installation and to report the results to the Secretary of State. This survey is to be repeated biennially until the Secretary of State is satisfied that any movement of debris--from within to outside the safety zone--will not cause unjustifiable interference with fishing.
(2) To trawl the area immediately outside the 500-metre safety zone out to a radius of 1,500 metres, to recover debris located by surveys conducted in 1989 and to recover by other means debris too large or heavy to be lifted in a trawl.
(3) To continue to sample sediment, seawater and biota and to examine the samples for PCBs on a biennial basis until the Secretary of State is satisfied that there is no significant risk to the environment from PCBs associated with the transformers formerly located on the installation.
The survey and analysis of sediment, seawater and biota for radioactivity in 1989 showed no contamination as a result of the accident. However, as a safeguard against the future release of any radioactive material held in the debris pile samples will be examined for radioactivity in 1994--five years after the previous survey--and at such times as the Secretary of State may subsequently specify.
HEALTH
Children at Risk
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the extent to which his Department independently verifies the need to place a
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particular child on an at-risk register, and the extent to which it verifies compliance with departmental guidelines on such placement.Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Department does not seek verification of this kind. Local agencies, are responsible for the decisions in individual cases and are expected to follow departmental guidance within the established legal framework. The social services inspectorate looks at local child protection services procedures and practices as part of its inspection work and produces reports of its findings.
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers of children registered as being at risk in each relevant local authority in England, showing the figures both as numbers of cases and as a percentage of the population of the local authority.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The number of children on child protection registers is published in "Children and Young Persons on Child Protection Registers : Year ending 31 March". The publication also shows the numbers on the register as a rate per 1,000 population under 18. The most recent publication is for 1989 and a copy is available in the Library. Figures for 1990 will be available shortly.
Children in Care
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing what proportion of children taken into care in each relevant local authority are subsequently fostered or adopted.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information is not available centrally in the form requested.
A table on children fostered is published in "Children in Care of Local Authorities at 31 March, England". The most recent publication is for 1988- -provisional--and a copy is available in the Library. Work is nearing completion on a table showing numbers of children leaving care on adoption and will be placed in the Library, when completed.
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing, for each relevant local authority in England, the average time spent by a child in care before being returned to its family.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information available centrally shows the numbers of children leaving care, but does not separately identify numbers returning home. A table setting out time in care since the child's last change in legal status will soon be available, and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Psychotherapy
Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to the establishment of a statutory register of psychotherapists.
Mrs. Virgina Bottomley : The question of a statutory register of psychotherapists is currently being considered. A preliminary meeting was held in September with representatives of some of the various bodies of psychotherapists in order to ascertain their views.
Column 524
Severely Physically Handicapped People
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current waiting list for receiving special seating for the severely physically handicapped in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland on a comparable statistical basis.
Mr. Dorrell : There are no waiting lists for provision of special seating to severely disabled people in England. The provision of special seating in Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. The provision of special seating in Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Northern Ireland.
Alzheimer's Disease
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on measures to improve the quality of care for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Mr. Dorrell : We have recently published details of two initiatives to improve services for people with a mental illness, including Alzheimer's disease. First, from next April health authorities, in collaboration with social services authorities, will be required to introduce more systematic arrangements for assessing the needs of individuals for health and social care. Second, we have announced a new specific grant to local authorities, which should increase expenditure on such care by £30 million in 1991- 92.
Hospital Beds, West Midlands
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of the number of hospital beds in the West Midlands regional health authority (a) in 1979, (b) in 1985 and (c) in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Dorrell : The information requested is given in the table.
H
Average number of beds available daily
Year |All Beds |Acute Beds |Acute | Acute
|Inpatients |Inpatients
|treated | per Bed
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |36,263 |14,669 |434,673 |29
1985 |33,108 |14,114 |520,806 |36
1988-89 |28,784 |12,528 |529,934 |42
Source: SH3: 1979.
KHO3: 1988-89.
Health Authority Meetings
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by regional health authority, the arrangements that have been made for community health council representatives to attend their meetings in an observer status ; what arrangements have been made for community health council observers to attend the private sessions of these meetings, and any executive meetings held ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Arrangements for access to health authority meetings beyond that provided by the
Column 525
Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 is a matter for local discretion by health authorities. This is reflected in current guidance. Details of how health authorities set up and run their meetings are not held centrally.Doncaster AHA
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans within the next 12 months to visit national health service establishments in the Doncaster area health authority.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to visit Doncaster health authority.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the current members of the Doncaster health authority giving (a) any appropriate qualifications held and (b) any political affiliation.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Trent regional health authority is responsible for appointing the non-executive
Column 526
members of Doncaster health authority. The chief officer and chief finance officer are ex-officio executive members of the authority. Up to three other executive members may be appointed by the chairman and non-executive members acting with the chief officer. Members are appointed for the individual skills and experience they can bring to the National Health Service. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Michael Carlisle, chairman of Trent regional health authority, for details.Consultants (Distinction Awards)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the amount of distinction awards paid to consultants in each of the health authorities in the Trent regional health authority for the last five years ; and if he will make a statement on what the qualifications are for this award.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information is shown in the table :
Column 525
Trent region-Medical and dental consultants distinction awards
National Health Service staff
|1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |<1>1989-90
|£ |£ |£ |£ |£
|(cash) |(cash) |(cash) |(cash) |(cash)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trent RHA |40,066 |14,033 |54,021 |49,265 |25,294
North Derbyshire |93,798 |108,894 |104,856 |122,455 |122,455
Southern Derbyshire |- |272,586 |288,060 |313,276 |314,581
Leicestershire |463,755 |495,481 |577,631 |558,810 |592,329
North Lincolnshire |69,623 |84,235 |97,263 |81,129 |92,898
South Lincolnshire |51,356 |59,501 |73,388 |81,129 |103,499
Bassetlaw |14,895 |13,480 |19,245 |20,808 |25,320
Central Nottinghamshire |84,009 |103,491 |132,335 |115,741 |122,195
Nottingham |537,072 |573,020 |689,005 |739,501 |883,559
Barnsley |74,300 |68,133 |78,372 |86,523 |86,269
Doncaster |97,958 |98,064 |128,185 |142,765 |145,936
Rotherham |63,924 |70,201 |84,192 |79,640 |99,144
Sheffield |807,820 |905,421 |995,291 |1,032,283 |1,072,521
<1> 1989-90 figures are "provisional" in that the annual accounts for that year are as
yet subject to audit.
Information on the qualifications for these awards is contained in the Department's booklet "Consultants' Distinction Awards", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
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