| Previous Section | Home Page |
ENVIRONMENT
Local Authority Rent Arrears
Mr. Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the 10 local authorities with the highest arrears as a percentage of the rent roll at the end of 1989-90 ;
(2) what is the actual or estimated total figure for arrears of rent outstanding to all local authorities for the year 1989-90.
Mr. Yeo : Figures for the position at the end of 1989-90 are not yet available.
An ordered table, showing cumulative rent arrears at March 1989 as a percentage of the rent roll for each English local authority, was placed in the Library on 3 April. Estimated total arrears for all English local authorities at the end of 1988-89 were £319 million.
Waste Management
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who has primary responsibility for specifying the requirements for waste management practices at incinerator plant.
Mr. Trippier : Currently operations at incinerators are governed by the conditions of site licences granted by waste disposal authorities under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution also has responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for the control of air pollution from all chemical incinerators, and other incinerators with capacities of over 1 tonne per hour ; this control covers the whole process, including such matters as good housekeeping and training of operators. Local authority environmental health departments are responsible for the control of air emissions from other types of incinerator, under the Clean Air Acts and the statutory nuisance provisions of the Public Health Acts.
When the new system of integrated pollution control is brought into effect under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will assume full responsibility for the control of all releases to the environment, whether to air, water or land, from incinerators with a capacity of over 1 tonne per hour. Air emissions from other incinerators will be controlled by local authorities at district level ; waste regulation authorities will have responsibility for all other aspects of control. Regulations detailing the interface will be laid shortly.
Air Pollution
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action local authorities are able to take to control air pollution from mobile plant ; and if he will list all authorisations granted for mobile plant under the Environmental Protection Act, by local authority granting the authorisation and the contractor's principal place of business.
Column 220
Mr. Trippier : Under part I of the Environmental Protection Act, the powers available to control air pollution from processes prescribed for local authority control will be the same whether the process is fixed or mobile. Mobile processes will require an authorisation ; the conditions included in such authorisations must secure the objectives specified in section 7(2) of the Act, including the use of BATNEEC to prevent or minimise emissions of prescribed substances.
Part I of the Act will be brought into force from 1 April 1991. No authorisations have yet been granted.
Environment Newsletter
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his departmental library subscribes to the fortnightly newsletter, "Environment Business".
European Regional Development Fund
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1990-91 (a) the amount of moneys paid to local authorities from the European regional development fund and (b) the amount which is taken into account under the additionality principle for basic credit approval purposes showing the totals for each local authority concerned and the programmes being financed.
Mr. Portillo : (a) Information on the amount of moneys paid to individual local authorities from the European regional development fund could be provided only at disproportionate cost and (b) EC grants enhance the national total available for distribution as credit approvals. In general that total is distributed to individual local authorities as basic credit approvals on the basis of their overall spending needs, without regard to whether expenditure is to be supported by EC grants. There is a limited exception for expenditure in the other services block where expected EC receipts are taken into account in distributing supplementary credit approvals.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what legislation, including statutory instruments, regarding the operation of the poll tax in 1991-92 has still to come before the House ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : I shall write to the hon. Member.
Radiation Exposure
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the estimated annual radiation dose equivalent uptakes in milliSieverts per annum by members of the public living near Bradwell and Dungeness nuclear power stations, arising from all sources of radiation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : Doses to small groups of persons living close to the sites resulting from discharges to atmosphere of the radionuclide argon 41 are up to about 0.1 milliSieverts per annum. Doses from discharges via other environmental pathways are reported from time to time by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, copies of whose reports are placed in the Library of the House.
Column 221
Commonhold
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any assessment of the number of properties that would be eligible for inclusion in a new tenure of commonhold.
Sir George Young [holding answer 5 December 1990] : No. The Building Societies Association estimates that there are up to 3,000, 000 owners of leasehold flats who could be affected by commonhold legislation. We are unable to confirm that estimate, but comparison with the 1981 census count of leasehold householders suggests that it is on the high side.
Departmental Appointees
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost of fees and reimbursements to people appointed to (a) public, (b) non-governmental and (c) other bodies by his Department.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 5 December 1990] : Information about the number, and levels of remuneration, of people appointed to public bodies by my Department is given in the annual HMSO publication "Public Bodies". A copy of the current issue is held at the House of Commons Library and "Public Bodies 1990" will be published shortly. Information about reimbursements, such as travel and subsistence expenses, is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
PRIME MINISTER
The Gulf
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister what urgent steps he has taken in order to assess the (a) economic, (b) financial and (c) humane costs of an armed conflict of Arab, British and American troops with Iraq ; and what information Her Majesty's Government are gathering about the economic, social and political impact of such conflict upon non-oil producer countries in the third world and those in the middle east in particular.
The Prime Minister : We are doing everything in our power to contribute to a peaceful solution to the Gulf crisis based on the full implementation of the resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council. It is not possible to make exact predictions of the effects of hostilities in the manner suggested, should it be necessary to use force to eject Saddam Hussein.
Latin America
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister what support her Majesty's Government are giving to the call of Finance and Economy Ministers of Latin America to start negotiations with the European Community for a free trade accord.
The Prime Minister : No formal request for this purpose has been received by the Community. If one were, it would be carefully considered. The Government would play a full part in that process.
Column 222
Nuclear Test Veterans
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received concerning compensation for nuclear test veterans.
The Prime Minister : I have not, as far as I am aware, received any representations from nuclear test veterans. The Ministry of Defence has, however, received about 120 claims from individuals seeking compensation for damage to health allegedly due to participation in the United Kingdom's nuclear weapon test programme. In addition, a number of representations have been made by test veterans' organisations concerning compensation for their members.
India
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit India.
The Prime Minister : I have no plans at present to visit India.
Mr. John Hall
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Prime Minister, further to his answer on 4 December concerning the case of Mr. John Hall, Official Report, column 172 if he will agree to meet Mr. Hall to discuss compensation.
The Prime Minister : I understand that Mr. Hall is in receipt of a war pension. He has made no claim for compensation other than this. Should Mr. Hall pursue a claim for compensation, Government officials would be happy to discuss the matter with him.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Strategic Mineral Stockpile
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement as to what makes up the constituents, and what is the purpose, of the strategic mineral stockpile.
Mr. Leigh : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to his question about the contents of the strategic mineral stockpile on 16 November, at column 236. The stockpile was established originally as a contingency against short-term disruptions to certain industrial supplies.
Environment Newsletter
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his departmental library subscribes to the fortnightly newsletter, "Environment Business".
Mr. Leigh : Yes : The library and information service of the Department of Trade and Industry does subscribe to "Environment Business".
Legal Proceedings
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will state the nature of any legal proceedings under way, outstanding or stayed by a judge in the High Court which have been brought by his Department against either British Aerospace or Rover.
Column 223
Mr. Lilley : On 10 September, HMG served writs on Rover Group and British Aerospace to secure the repayment with interest of, respectively, £1.5 million and £42.9 million which had been ruled by the Commission to be unauthorised concessions in connection with the sale of Rover Group to British Aerospace. On 29 November British Aerospace and Rover Group made a successful application to the court for a stay in these proceedings pending the outcome of their application to the European Court of Justice to annul the Commission's requirement to repay.Unit Trusts and Life Assurance
Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what decision he has reached on the report by the Director General of Fair Trading on the rules made by the Securities and Investments Board concerning disclosure of information relating to the sale of unit trusts and life assurance products.
Mr. Lilley : In April, the Director General of Fair Trading reported to my predecessor on SIB's disclosure rules, introduced during 1989, applying to the sale of unit trusts and life assurance products. The director general concluded that certain of SIB's rules are likely to restrict or distort competition to a significant extent. Under the Financial Services Act, I have to decide whether or not I agree with the director general and, if I do, whether or not the anti-competitive effect is greater than necessary for the protection of investors.
In view of the importance of this issue, my Department invited views from all interested parties to be sent to the Department by the end of September. I have taken account of these views in reaching my decision.
I have concluded that SIB's disclosure rules, as currently drafted, are likely to restrict or distort competition to a significant extent. My main reason is that I consider that the present rules do not automatically provide the investor with the information he needs, and at an early enough stage, to make an informed investment decision. It is especially difficult for an investor to make a comparison between a purchase through an independent financial adviser (IFA) and a purchase through a tied agent.
I have also concluded that the effect on competition is greater than necessary for the protection of investors.
However, I know from the responses received during the consultation period that there are very real concerns about the effects of any new rules that might replace the existing ones. I appreciate these concerns. I also agree with the director general and with SIB in attaching importance to the maintenance of a healthy IFA sector. I am therefore asking SIB to propose changes to lessen the anti-competitive effect of the present rules but which take into account the desirability of :
giving the consumer the comparable and timely information he needs in a form which is readily comprehensible ;
avoiding imposing unnecessarily burdensome costs on product providers ; and
ensuring that any changes to the rules on disclosure of commissions do not result in a distortion of competition between IFAs and tied agents.
These are very complex issues which will require further work and consultation. SIB has already indicated considerable identity of view with the director general and has committed itself, with the self-regulating organisations
Column 224
and other regulatory bodies, to an evolutionary approach to disclosure issues. I welcome this and the fact that SIB is already working, through its quality of information working party, to improve the information available, with a view to publishing proposals for comment by the summer of next year. I hope that SIB will pursue this work and introduce new measures within the next 18 months.European Regional Development Fund Grants
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to discuss with local authorities the use of European regional development fund grants for industrial and regional development in the light of local authority budget constraints.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 22 November 1990] : I have no specific plans for such a discussion although I regularly meet local authorities during the course of my regional visits.
British Steel
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has made an assessment of the likely impact the completion of the single European market will have upon British Steel's ability to compete with European steel makers for orders in the North sea offshore sector.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 30 November 1990] : The Scottish Development Agency's study of the prospects for the steel industry in Scotland will consider all relevant factors. No purpose would be served by duplicating the agency's work.
Clydesdale Steel Works
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will meet the chairman of British Steel plc to discuss the avenues he explored for the possible retention of steel making and seamless tube production at Clydesdale before deciding to close the works.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 30 November 1990] : My right hon. Friend met the chairman of British Steel on 7 September and has no plans for a further meeting at this stage.
Seamless Tubes
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place between the Department for Trade and Industry and British Steel on the company's relationship with its competitors in the seamless tube market.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 30 November 1990] : All discussions between British Steel and the Department on any subject are conducted on a confidential basis. I intend to respect that confidence.
Coalfield Areas (Funding)
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of the scope, funding and operation of European Community funding for coalfield and former coalfield areas under the RECHAR programme, and of the work undertaken by his Department to assist with the operation and monitoring of
Column 225
this programme, together with details of any restrictions that have been placed upon the abilities of local authorities to fund schemes which would otherwise have attracted grants under the RECHAR programme.Mr. Leigh [holding answer 5 December 1990] : The European Commission's notice about the RECHAR initiative for Community assistance to coal-mining areas was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities of 27 January 1990. This set out, inter alia, the eligible measures and the criteria for the definition of eligible areas. The Commission's decisions as to eligible areas were published in the Official Journal of 18 July 1990. Eleven programmes of measures were submitted by the Government to the Commission on 26 July 1990 and are currently awaiting Commission approval. The Commission has indicated that the financial allocation to the United Kingdom areas will be 156.2 million ecu. My Department, the Departments of the Environment and of Employment, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office, which are responsible for the applications, have
Column 226
consulted widely with local and other authorities in matters relating to the preparation, operation and monitoring of RECHAR programmes.Both local authority and other schemes are eligible for RECHAR grant. Detailed allocations will depend on decisions by programme monitoring committees when the programmes have been approved. As it is not possible to say in advance which particular schemes will attract grant, the last part of the question does not arise.
WALES
Student Courses
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what numbers and what percentages of full-time students in further education and tertiary colleges in each county in Wales are studying the following types of courses (a) A and AS-levels, (b) BTEC (first and national diploma) and (c) GCSE.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information for 1989-90 is as follows :
Column 225
A and A/S levels BTEC GCSE
First and National Diploma
|Number |Per cent|Number |Per cent|Number |Per cent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |451 |13 |1,528 |45 |251 |7
Dyfed |50 |2 |1,337 |51 |40 |2
Gwent |904 |23 |1,106 |28 |297 |7
Gwynedd |69 |4 |782 |48 |- |-
Mid Glam |75 |2 |1,281 |38 |53 |2
Powys |13 |2 |420 |52 |40 |5
South Glam |349 |13 |819 |30 |322 |12
West Glam |1,632 |35 |1,610 |35 |262 |6
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Wales |3,543 |15 |8,883 |38 |1,265 |5
Numbers relate to full-time and sandwich students following the required courses at higher and further education and tertiary colleges. They are shown as a percentage of the total number of full-time and sandwich students on further education courses.
Welsh Language
Mr. Murphy : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he plans to take as a result of the effects of the compulsory teaching of Welsh at secondary level upon the teaching of modern languages in those schools in non-native Welsh-speaking areas which have traditionally offered more than one modern language to GCSE level.
Sir Wyn Roberts : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 1 November. Schools are free to offer pupils the choice of more than one modern foreign language in addition to Welsh.
Education
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will meet representatives of the youth services in Wales to discuss the development of the core curriculum.
Column 226
Sir Wyn Roberts : I see no immediate need to do so. Our officials continue to be engaged in discussions with representatives of the youth service on the development of a core curriculum.
Alcohol Abuse
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the standard indicators used by his Department to quantify the extent of alcohol abuse problems in any part of Wales and the figures against each such standard indicator for each county in Wales for each of the last five years for which figures are available, together with the percentage of the population which is represented by the figure against each such indicator.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Social problems resulting from alcohol misuse are diverse and varied and they are not possible to define in terms of standard indicators. However, details of death and discharges from national health service hospitals in Wales of patients with principal diagnosis relating to alcohol are shown in the table. Consideration is being given to methods of obtaining clearer indicators.
Column 227
Deaths and discharges (in-patients and day cases) from national health service hospitals in Wales
with principal diagnosis relating to alcohol
1984-88
|Clwyd |Dyfed |Gwent |Gwynedd |Mid |Powys |South |West |Total
|Glamorgan |Glamorgan|Glamorgan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984
A |513 |198 |263 |125 |252 |45 |279 |215 |1,890
B |20 |10 |40 |47 |64 |0 |151 |61 |393
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |533 |208 |303 |172 |316 |45 |430 |276 |2,283
1985
A |579 |185 |253 |147 |286 |45 |317 |216 |2,028
B |29 |38 |56 |44 |73 |1 |127 |33 |401
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |608 |223 |309 |191 |359 |46 |444 |249 |2,429
1986
A |510 |208 |287 |158 |277 |50 |325 |215 |2,030
B |28 |28 |67 |44 |71 |0 |93 |34 |365
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |538 |236 |354 |202 |348 |50 |418 |249 |2,395
1987
A |509 |291 |349 |175 |314 |53 |328 |223 |2,242
B |39 |26 |63 |74 |93 |1 |84 |47 |427
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |548 |317 |412 |249 |407 |54 |412 |270 |2,669
1988
A |524 |267 |306 |225 |287 |55 |356 |224 |2,244
B |31 |24 |62 |65 |49 |0 |107 |54 |392
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |555 |291 |368 |290 |336 |55 |463 |278 |2,636
Notes:
1. Note that the information given may understate the true position in that not all hospitals provide
complete clinical details relating to patient discharges and deaths.
2. ICD 9 codes 291 (Alcoholic Psychoses), 303 (Alcohol Dependence Syndrome) 305.0 (Non dependant abuse of
alcohol), 980 (Toxic effect of alcohol).
3. ICD 9 codes 571. 0-571.3 (Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis-related to alcohol) 535.3 (Alcoholic
gastritis).
National Health Service Trusts
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Minister at the Welsh Office will take direct responsibility for discussions, communications and negotiations in regard to any application to establish a national health service trust in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : Section 5 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 confers power on me to establish, by order, national health service trusts in Wales.
Care and Repair Agency Schemes
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the future funding of care and repair agency schemes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Following the success of an experimental scheme, we plan that the resources available for associated local agencies will be increased to £360,000. This is almost double the current level of funding and forms part of an agreed support package covering the next five years. In addition grant aid of above £105,000 is envisaged in order to establish a developmental unit specifically for care and repair in the Principality.
Column 228
HOME DEPARTMENT
Domestic Violence and Rape
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the number of successful prosecutions for (a) cases of domestic violence, (b) rape by a person known to the victim and (c) rape by a person unknown to the victim for each of the last five years.
Mr. John Patten : Information on prosecutions and convictions is not collected centrally in sufficient detail to distinguish either domestic violence or whether an assailant is known to the victim in rape cases. Some information concerning rape cases is available from recent research studies in "Changes in rape offences and sentencing", Home Office research study 105 and "Concerns about rape", Home Office research study 106. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.
Social Security Fraud
Ms. Richardson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) women and (b) men are currently serving prison sentences for social security fraud ; and if he will give these figures for the years 1970 to 1990, respectively.
Mr. John Patten : The available information given in the table relates to the number of persons sentenced to immediate custody each year for social security offences for 1970 to 1989. Data for 1990 are not yet available.
Column 229
Number of persons sentenced to
immediate custody for social
security offences<1> by sex
from 1970 to 1989
England and Wales
Immediate custody
Year |Males |Females
--------------------------------
1970 |190 |12
1971 |143 |7
1972 |166 |10
1973 |134 |7
1974 |119 |1
1975 |167 |5
1976 |237 |11
1977 |300 |24
1978 |301 |47
1979 |372 |44
1980 |404 |46
1981 |335 |50
1982 |326 |37
1983 |245 |26
1984 |181 |18
1985 |170 |16
1986 |154 |13
1987 |139 |22
1988 |86 |14
1989 |61 |11
<1>Until 1984, data includes
offences under the National
Insurance Acts.
Football Spectators
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all persons or organisations in Scotland with whom arrangements have been made by his Department with a view to enforcing the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Scotland) Order 1990 ; what form these arrangements have taken ; and what further measures he intends to take to promote this order.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Article 3 of the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Scotland) Order 1990 specifies the Crown Office, Edinburgh, as the authority in Scotland that will certify the conviction of a person there of an offence specified in schedule 1 to the order. These arrangements are well known to the procurator fiscal. No further formal arrangements are required.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all persons or organisations in Italy with whom arrangements have been made by his Department with a view to enforcing the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Italy) Order 1990 ; what form these arrangements have taken ; and what further measures he intends to take to promote this order.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Article 3 of the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Italy) Order 1990 specifies the Ministry of Grace and Justice as the authority in Italy that will certify the conviction of a person there of an offence specified in schedule 1 to the order. No further formal arrangements are required.
The standing committee of the European convention on spectator violence and misbehaviour at sports events urged member states, which include Italy, to act vigorously on the basis of article 5 of the convention in prosecuting hooligans at sports events.
I understand that the Ministry of Justice has reminded the Italian courts that confirmed convictions involving British nationals should be reported to it.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he will take in relation to persons
Column 230
convicted abroad of offences corresponding to those set out in schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989, but whose cases are subsequently subject to appeal proceedings ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Peter Lloyd : In accordance with section 22(4) of the 1989 Act a restriction order may not be made in relation to a person convicted in a country outside England and Wales of a "corresponding offence" if it appears that the conviction is the subject of proceedings in a court of law in that country questioning the conviction.
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all persons or organisations in Sweden with whom arrangements have been made by his Department with a view to extending the measures outlined in the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Italy) Order 1990, to cover offences committed in Sweden ; what form these arrangements have taken ; and what further steps he intends to take to extend these measures.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are in discussion with the Swedish authorities on this matter. No formal arrangements have been agreed as yet.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Crop Damage
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 21 November, Official Report, column 135, if he will place the relevant research on damage to crops in the Library.
Mr. Maclean : I will place the information in the Library as soon as possible.
| Next Section
| Home Page |