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Hunting
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the hunts that have licences allowing them access to hunt on land held by his Department ; and if he will list which land each licence covers.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : The hunts that have licences allowing them to hunt on Ministry of Defence land and the areas covered by the licences are as follows :
Hunt and Area Used The Hampshire Hunt--Longmoor
Mr. Goschen's Hounds--Longmoor, Hankley, Camberley and Ash The Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hounds--Longmoor The Windsor Forest Blood Hounds--Camberley
The Royal Artillery Hunt--Salisbury Plain West
The South and West Wilts Hunt--Salisbury Plain West
The Avondale Hunt--Salisbury Plain West
The Sennybridge Hunt--Sennybridge
The Irfon and Tywi Hunt--Sennybridge
The Brecon Hunt--Sennybridge
The Glyn Celyn Beagles--Sennybridge
The Essex and Suffolk Hunt--Colchester
The Cambridgeshire Hunt--Brampton Wood
The Bedale Hunt--Ripon Parks and Catterick
The West of Yore Hunt--Ripon Parks and Catterick
The Zetland Hunt--Feldom and Catterick
The Wensleydale Foxhounds--Stainton and Bellerby
The Catterick Beagles--Feldom and Catterick
The Border Hunt--Otterburn
The Tynedale Hunt--Ouston
Computers
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the CM (CIPMIS) computer ; what is its function ; who has access to it ; and where it is located.
Mr. Alan Clark : The CIPMIS system contains computerised basic personnel records of all non-industrial civil servants in the Ministry of Defence. It is used to help personnel management to make decisions on the posting and promotion of individual members of staff. Information in respect of individuals is available to the relevant personnel managers ; aggregated information is available more generally within the Department. The system is located at the computer bureau at Devizes and is controlled by officials based in Bath.
RAF Macrihanish
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of the construction works in the contract let to Amey Construction at RAF Macrihanish.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The contract let to Amey Construction at RAF Macrihanish is to construct dispersed aircraft parking platforms and associated connecting taxitrack for use by SACLANT assigned maritime patrol aircraft.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of the construction work being undertaken at RAF Macrihanish by Amey Construction ; and whether the total cost is being met out of his Ministry's budget.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The details of the contract for work being undertaken at RAF Macrihanish by Amey Construction are "Contracts in Confidence" and, as such, cannot be released. However, the cost is being met entirely from NATO infrastructure funds ; the Ministry of Defence will pay the VAT element only.
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Iraq (Uranium)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he possesses on current uranium mining in Iraq and on future Iraqi potential to convert natural uranium yellowcake to weapons grade material.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Iraq is a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty and has concluded a full-scope safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under which its nuclear facilities must be regularly inspected. Iraq extracts uranium as a by- product of the processing of phosphates to make fertilisers at Al Qaim close to the border with Syria. Since uranium ore (yellowcake) is not subject to safeguards inspections we are unable to state the total amount produced. No additional deposits of uranium ore have been identified within the country.
If Iraq wishes to produce enriched uranium it would require a facility to convert the yellowcake into a form suitable for enrichment and also an enrichment plant. We have no evidence of the existence of such facilities and, should it build them, Iraq would be obliged to declare them for safeguards inspections under its agreement with the IAEA.
Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has had any discussions with his United States counterpart concerning the deployment in the United Kingdom and other European NATO countries of new B61-4/10 nuclear warheads made from modified W85 warheads withdrawn from Pershing II missiles under the treaty of Washington on intermediate nuclear forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Details of discussions between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government are confidential.
EMPLOYMENT
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the members of training and enterprise councils represent (a) employers, (b) trades unions and (c) others ; if he will classify in broad terms the categories from which members under (c) are drawn ; what information is held on the political affiliation of members of training and enterprise councils ; and whether any members are nominated by political groupings.
Mr. Jackson : The information requested on board members is set out in the table and refers to the 41 operational training and enterprise councils. The role of TECs is to engage employers more fully in the training process. It is not their function to represent sectional interests in their local community. Board members are, therefore, appointed as individuals in their own right.
The number of board members drawn from the various sectors is as follows :
(a) Employers--378
(b) Trades Unions--29
(c) Other--137
The "other" category can be broken down into :
Local authority--50
Education--59
Voluntary organisation--20
Employer association--8
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Information is not kept on the political affiliation of TEC members. Board members are not drawn from political groupings.Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money training and enterprise councils have spent in total on outside consultants.
Mr. Jackson : The information is not available.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which consultancies have been employed by training and enterprise councils ; and how much money each has received in fees for developing corporate or strategic plans.
Mr. Jackson : Training and enterprise councils are independent private companies. The consultants employed by them and the fees paid are a matter for individual TECs.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) chief executives of training and enterprise councils and (b) other staff, excluding outside employees, have chosen (i) to resign civil service status and (ii) to retain such status.
Mr. Jackson : The information requested is set out in the table and refers to the 41 operational training and enterprise councils.
B
------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) (i) Chief Executives who have resigned Civil
Service status |4
(ii) Chief Executives who have retained Civil
Service status |23
(b) (i) Other staff who have resigned Civil Service
status |-
(ii) Other staff who have retained Civil Service
status |2,156
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what allocation of resources has been made to the training and enterprise councils towards the training of the lower ability range of potential trainees.
Mr. Jackson : Budgets for training and enterprise councils are negotiated with individual TECs, based on proposals set out in their corporate and business plans. These plans set out how the needs of trainees of all ability levels including those from the lower ability range are to be addressed.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the training and enterprise council chief executives designated or appointed have been recruited from (a) outside the civil service and (b) outside the Training Agency.
Mr. Jackson : Sixty-four of the 82 training and enterprise councils have appointed or designated a chief executive to date. Of these, 25 were recruited from outside both the civil service and the Department of Employment.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give figures for unemployment in the east midlands region in 1985 and 1990.
Mr. Jackson : The level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the east midlands, was 102,900 or 5.3 per cent. in October 1990 compared with 185,400 or 9.8 per cent. in October 1985.
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Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the level of unemployment in Amber Valley in 1985 and 1990.Mr. Jackson : In October 1990 the numbers of unemployed claimants, not seasonally adjusted, in the Amber Valley parliamentary constituency were 1,958. This compares with 4,057 in October 1985 and represents a fall of 51.7 per cent.
Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects local education authorities to be told their financial allocations for 1991-92 for the technical and vocational education initiative ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : My officials are now confirming the TVEI finances available in 1991-92 with each local education authority. The Government are fully committed to the TVEI. A total of £900 million is available to extend the initiative to all 14 to 18-year-olds in maintained schools and colleges. One hundred and three education authorities are now in the extension phase of the TVEI. I am very pleased with the progress that has been made.
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out, in 1989 prices, the level of funding for the technical and vocational education initiative for 1989-90, 1990-91, and 1991-92.
Mr. Jackson : Funding levels, in cash prices, for the years requested are as follows :
|£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |129.3 (actual expenditure)
1990-91 |134.1 (estimates provision)
1991-92 |141.6 (PES allocation)
The figures are not available in 1989 prices.
Toxic Chemicals (Storage)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what studies have been conducted by his Department, or consultants to his Department, on improving the safety of storage of toxic or corrosive chemicals at large industrial sites ; and what studies have been conducted on the design of bunds associated with chemical containment.
Mr. Forth : In addition to the high standards of legislative control which already exist for vessels storing hazardous chemicals, the Health and Safety Executive is encouraging an improvement in the mitigatory strategies adopted by occupiers to limit the consequences of vessel failure. The HSE is funding a research and development programme into the design and performance of bunds. A first study entitled "The Design of Bunds" was published in March and a further study is nearing completion.
Youth Training
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will produce a table to show the changes in the level of YOP/YTS allowance since April 1978, giving (a) the date of the change, (b) the level of the
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allowance and (c) the value of the allowance at November 1990 prices ; and what the allowance would now be if it had kept pace with average earnings since April 1978.Mr. Jackson : The table shows the changes in the minimum allowances paid to trainees on the youth opportunities programme/youth training scheme since 1978, expressed in cash terms and at October 1990 prices, the latest month for which information is available.
If the minimum YT allowance had increased with average earnings since April 1978, it would have been £62.35 in September 1990, the latest month for which average earnings information is available. Figures quoted are minimum levels. A considerable number of YT trainees receive higher allowances or wages.
Date of change |Cash value |<1>At constant
|October 1990
|prices
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------
Lower level
April 1978 |19.50 |51.50
November 1978 |20.55 |52.16
November 1979 |23.50 |50.82
January 1982 |25.00 |41.37
September 1984 |26.25 |37.96
September 1985 |27.30 |37.27
April 1987 |28.50 |36.48
July 1988 |29.50 |36.02
Higher level
April 1986 |35.00 |46.69
<1> Estimated using the movement in the Retail Prices
Index.
European Social Fund
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will be in a position to pay money to voluntary organisations for the European social fund programme starting in January.
Mr. Forth : Time scales and procedures for the 1991 European social fund programmes will be set in consultation with the various committees established under the new ESF arrangements. These consultations have begun. Payments will be made to organisations once their applications have been approved, and the money has been received from the European Commission.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the impact of the delays in the administration of European social funding for voluntary sector applications.
Mr. Forth : I appreciate that many voluntary organisations may be experiencing financial difficulties as a result of delays in implementing the reformed European social fund this year. A major cause of this delay was that the operational programmes submitted to the Commission, in line with the new regulations, were not approved by the Commission until August 1990. All organisations involved however are advised that claiming support from the European social fund is an uncertain and lengthy process. My Department is doing all it can to expedite this process, and some voluntary organisations have already received payments for their 1990 projects.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the United Kingdom's tranche of European social fund money was given to his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Forth : My Department received most of the first advance money for the 1990 programmes supported by the European social fund in October 1990. This money is being paid out to organisations once they have submitted correct applications to my Department. A very real effort has been made to expedite the processing of applications this year. Department of Employment officials have been working overtime in the evenings and at weekends, and extra staff have been recruited to help out.Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list (a) the total numbers of applications received and (b) the number of training places for European social fund support in 1990 for each of the standard regions, England and Wales.
Mr. Forth : The total number of applications for ESF support received in England is 1,954 and in Wales is 223.
The total number of training places envisaged in those applications is 264,445 for England and 18,207 for Wales.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when application forms for European social fund support in 1991 will be available for voluntary sector organisations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : Time scales and procedures for the 1991 European social fund programmes will be set in consultation with the various committees established under the new ESF arrangements. These consultations have begun.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether money from the European social fund will be paid to voluntary organisations in 1990 for projects submitted in the current year.
Mr. Forth : Some voluntary organisations have already received payments for their 1990 projects, and it is expected that payments to the rest which have submitted correct applications for projects running in 1990 will be made during December and January.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the total number of (a) training places, (b) projects and (c) voluntary organisations currently under consideration in applications for assistance by grant aid from the European social fund for 1990.
Mr. Forth : Approximately 2,500 project applications, involving 318,755 training places, are currently under consideration for European social fund assistance for 1990. Of these 2,500 applications, some 500 were from voluntary organisations.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representation he has received from voluntary sector orgnisations about the delay in the payment of European social fund money ; and what consultations have taken place with interested organisations.
Mr. Forth : A number of representations have been made to my Department by voluntary sector organisations about the delays in 1990, which is the first year of the new European social fund. Consultation with interested organisations has taken place at every stage in the process of implementing the new
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regulations. Since July there have been several meetings with representatives of the voluntary sector and other organisations concerned to discuss the 1990 procedures for obtaining support under the fund.Employment Training
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will now publish the full results of the 100 per cent. follow-up survey of employment training leavers ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) how frequently updated information from the 100 per cent. follow-up survey of employment training leavers is supplied to operational technical education colleges and Training Agency regional offices ; and if he intends to make information available on a similar basis to hon. Members.
Mr. Jackson : The full results of the 100 per cent. follow-up survey of employment training leavers contains records for individual trainees. This information is confidential and it would therefore be inappropriate to publish it. Summary results from the survey are sent monthly to regional offices and TECs. Information is available for hon. Members on a similar basis and is placed in the Library.
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of those who have completed courses under the employment training scheme have entered full-time employment ; and what average cost of training this represents as a per capita share of the total costs of the scheme.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 26 November 1990] : Of those trainees who left employment training between July 1989 and June 1990 after completing their agreed training, 26 per cent. went into full-time employment. Of all trainees who left employment training, 40 per cent. achieved a positive outcome, which includes full and part-time employment, self-employment and further training or education. The training cost per ET trainee leaving for a positive outcome is estimated to be £3,500.
Careers Service
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the internal review of the careers service will be completed ; and if its findings will be made available to hon. Members.
Mr. Jackson : The internal review of careers guidance was announced last spring. The review team has now completed its consultations and will be presenting its recommendations shortly. An announcement about decisions emerging from the review will then be made.
Disabled People
Mr. Harris : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is planning any additional help for disabled people ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : I have decided to give unemployeed people with disabilities priority access to our main employment and training programmes. From April next year they will become one of the key groups for entry on to employment training, the enterprise allowance scheme, job clubs and the job interview guarantee. Training and enterprise councils and the Employment Service will
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ensure that people with disabilities who are unemployed will be given this priority recognition. This will help strengthen their opportunity to participate in the labour market.I have recently written to TEC chairmen about this new priority and special guidance has been issued about people who have special training needs, such as people with disabilities, so as to help TECs plan and implement their strategies for taking action. This is in addition to existing good practice guidance on the training of people with disabilities produced by my Department, most notably the "Building on Ability" guide. Promoting and encouraging dissemination of good practice to and between TECs and training providers will continue to be an important function of the Department. All this is particularly important as currently over 10 per cent. of people on employment training identify themselves as having a disability or long-term health problem.
I also recently launched the new symbol that is currently being promoted by the Employment Service aimed at encouraging and helping employers on a voluntary basis to commit themselves publicly to good policies and practices. Employers have an important role in providing opportunities for people with disabilities. My Department seeks increasingly to promote good employment practices and provide effective advice on recruitment, integration, career development and retention, mainly through the Disablement Advisory Service. The increased priority being given to people with disabilities on our programmes and the new symbol are reflections of our commitment to ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate fully in training and employment. They already have access to the full range of non-specialist employment services, in many cases with easier eligibility or length of stay rules and special help. The extension of job clubs which I recently announced will further help people with disabilities. Research has shown that in general people who had participated in job clubs were 50 per cent. more likely to be in work than comparable people who had not, but that the difference was even greater for people with disabilities. The job interview guarantee is also being extended and that, too, can provide very significant help to people with disabilities.
There is also a wide range of services and schemes specifically designed to help people with disabilities obtain and retain employment. This includes :
--specialist assessment and rehabilitation services which provided 37,000 courses for over 25,000 people in 1989-90 ;
--special schemes to help overcome some of the problems people with disabilities may encounter in getting or keeping employment, such as assistance with adapting premises and equipment, with fares to work or with trying out a job or starting a business. Over 7,500 successful applications for help under the special schemes were made in 1989-90 ;
--funds for voluntary bodies, local authorities and Remploy to provide employment opportunities for severely disabled people who could not otherwise get work. Over 20,000 people with severe disabilities were employed through the sheltered employment programme at the end of 1989-90.
Disablement resettlement officers help people with disabilities make use of these services and identify the right sort of help necessary to meet their employment and training needs. In 1989-90 a total of 20,500 people with disabilities were placed into employment by these officers.
My Department has also issued in recent months two consultation documents which together look for the first
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