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Mr. Hanley : The future of Crawfordsburn hospital was first discussed by the then North Down and Ards district executive team in August 1982.
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the owners of the Bryansburn Inn in Bangor were first notified by the eastern health and social services board that Crawfordsburn hospital was to be closed.
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Mr. Hanley : A document containing proposals for the closure of Crawfordsburn hospital was issued for public consultation by the Eastern health and social services board in March 1987. I am not aware of any contact between the Eastern board and the owners of the Bryansburn Inn about the future of the hospital.
Hospitals
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any plans to reduce the concentration of hospital provision in west Belfast so as to achieve more equitable provision over the province as a whole.
Mr. Hanley : Responsibility for the provision of hospital services in Northern Ireland lies in the first instance with the four health and social services boards acting within the regional strategic guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Social Services. I am aware that the Eastern board is at present developing a strategic approach to the delivery of acute hospital services to its population, but so far no firm proposals have been put to the Department for approval.
Health Service Funding
Mr. Kilfedder : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated amount of funding that goes directly to the Eastern health board area for the treatment of residents of other board areas.
Mr. Hanley : Under the present arrangements, resources are allocated to health and social services boards on the basis of the levels of service provided by each board. Resources are not specifically earmarked or identified in the Eastern board's allocation for the provision of services to the residents of other board areas.
Historic Buildings
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide an estimate for the total Government expenditure on the upkeep, care and protection of historic buildings and monuments in Northern Ireland in 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Mr. Needham : Estimated expenditure for 1990-91 is £4,664,000 and for 1991-92 is £5,028,000.
Director and Co-ordinator of Intelligence
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement as to the present duties and activities of the present Director and Co-ordinator of Intelligence for Northern Ireland.
Mr. Brooke : It is not my practice, nor has it been that of successive Governments, to comment on such matters.
Non-fossil Fuel Obligation
Mr. Rost : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to apply the non-fossil fuel obligation to Northern Ireland ; and what size tranche of renewable power he expects to grant.
Mr. Needham : The Electricity Act 1989, which contains the powers relating to the non-fossil fuel obligation, does not extend to Northern Ireland.
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Disability
Rev. Ian Paisley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the work force in Northern Ireland is registered disabled.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 14 January 1991] : About 1 per cent.
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NATIONAL FINANCE
Public Sector Manpower
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much manpower in the whole of the public sector has changed between 1978-79 and 1988-89 ; by how much civil service manpower has changed between those dates ; what would have been the changes in manpower for the whole of the public sector if it had changed at the same rate as civil service manpower ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : The information is as follows :
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Thousands
|1978-79 |1988-89 |change |percentage
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public sector manpower: total |6,565 |5,361 |-1,204 |-18.3
Civil Service manpower: total |734 |572 |-162 |-22.1
Source: The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990-91 to 1992-93 (Cm 1021): chapter 21,
appendix D.
Had public sector manpower changed at the same rate as civil service manpower, it would have fallen by 1,449 thousand.
Civil Service Posts, Renfrew
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to locate additional permanent civil service posts in Renfrew district.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The Government's relocation policy is not centrally directed. But I would refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the then Paymaster General gave on 25 October 1990, columns 303-5, to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field), which listed civil service posts located or relocated out of the south-east since 1979 together with the relocation plans announced by Departments but still to be implemented.
Retail Prices Index
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what poll tax figures he used for the purposes of calculating the retail prices index in 1990-91 ; and if he intends to make any change in 1991-92.
Mr. Maples : In 1990-91 the average community charge figures used in the retail prices index were :
|£
-----------------
England |357
Wales |233
Scotland |306
The same principles will be followed for the purpose of calculating the RPI 1991-92 as were applied in 1990-91.
Redundancy Payments
Sir David Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the transfer of employees of state enterprise which have been privatised, if he will list (a) those where there has not been any reduction in public service redundancy payments compared with those they would have received if they had remained in the public service and (b) those where there has been any such reduction.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations
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1981, civil servants transferred to a new employer on privatisation are entitled to redundancy compensation, which is identical to that available under the principal civil service pension scheme. The question of reduction in redundancy compensation therefore does not arise.Sir David Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of redundancy payments to (a) a civil service employee and (b) an employee of a normal commercial undertaking.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 requires employers to make redundancy payments. The Act does not apply to the civil service. However, arrangements have been made to ensure that redundancy payments to civil servants are at least comparable with the requirements of the Act and, in common with other good employers, the civil service provides payments which are in almost all cases more favourable than those requirements. The compensation terms are set out in section 10 of the principal civil service pension scheme.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Rihand Power Station, India
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference of the World bank environmental assessment of the area around the Rihand power station in India.
Mrs. Chalker : The environmental assessment of the Singrauli area, which includes the Rihand power station, is being conducted under terms of reference agreed between the World bank and the Government of India, which are not in the public domain. We are, however, satisfied from our discussions with both parties that the study will be wide-ranging and comprehensive.
Environment and Development Conference
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations he is making for the United Nations 1992 conference on environment and development ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mrs. Chalker : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 10 December 1990, c. 283.EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what specific measures his Department has taken to promote energy efficiency ; what further measures his Department intends to take to promote energy efficiency ; and by what amount and what percentage of its total energy bill his Department's energy bill has been reduced over the past year.
Mr. Eggar : The Department has actively encouraged local education authorities to conserve energy in educational buildings. Savings have been achieved by supporting development projects, dissemination of guidance on good practice and commissioned research. LEAs are currently spending £43 million a year less in real terms on energy than they did in 1978- 79.
Current initiatives include supporting work being undertaken by the building research energy conservation support unit (BRECSU) in connection with its four-year £1 million programme to save energy in schools. DES publications offering advice on how to make energy savings are also in the course of preparation.
Regarding DES buildings, a sum of £10,000 was spent on power factor correction equipment at its Darlington headquarters offices in the 1989-90 financial year. This built on a sum of £28,000 spent on electrical lighting control sensors at the same site in the previous financial year. Expenditure on energy-saving equipment at the Department's London HQ cannot be justified as insufficient time remains in which to recover capital outlay prior to a move to new premises. A building management system has been specified as an energy-saving measure for the Department's new building which is in the course of construction.
Complete statistics are not available to enable us to say by what amount and by what percentage the Department's total energy bill has been reduced over the past year, but our target savings for the 1990-91 financial year are 3 per cent. compared with the previous financial year.
Rodent Carcases
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report all methods of disposal used by the Medical Research Council for irradiated rodent carcases since such disposals have been required following research ; and what current licensing arrangements exist for disposal.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The disposal routes for such carcases used by the Medical Research Council are :
1. Maceration followed by disposal to the sewer, or,
2. Incineration and landfill.
The disposal of irradiated rodent carcases is subject to authorisation by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Authorisations are issued only after careful assessment of the environmental impact of the proposed disposals.
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Bomb Scares
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice is given to local education authorities and to governors of (a) local education authority maintained schools, (b) grant- maintained schools, (c) local education authority maintained colleges and (d) colleges of higher education and polytechnics about how the staff of these institutions should be involved with the police when searching for explosive material during a bomb scare.
Mr. Eggar : No advice is given by the Department on how to deal with local emergencies. The police, who should be the first point of contact in the event of an emergency, will give all necessary advice.
Special Educational Needs
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice the Government have given to governors of grant- maintained schools regarding support for, and integration of, children with special educational needs.
Mr. Fallon : Such advice is contained in "Guide to the Law for Grant -Maintained School Governors" issued in September 1989, in DES circular 10/88 "Education Reform Act 1988 : Grant-Maintained Schools" and in DES circular 21/89 "Grant-Maintained Schools : Financial Arrangements". Governors of grant-maintained schools will also receive copies of other relevant guidance such as the recently issued DES circular 11/90--"Staffing for Pupils with Special Educational Needs".
Reading Standards
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report all national surveys of reading standards conducted in the last 10 years which his Department has available, with dates of survey and publication, and the sponsor and executor of the research in each case.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Much of the available information about reading standards in the 1980s derives from surveys conducted by individual local education authorities. However, the following national surveys are also available :
The results of the assessment of performance unit's annual surveys of reading at age 11 and 15 during the years 1979-1983, published in summary form in 1988 in "Language Performance in Schools--Review of APU monitoring 1979-1983". The APU was sponsored jointly by the DES, Welsh Office and Department of Education for Northern Ireland. An HMI inspection report on "Reading Policy and Practice at ages 5-14" based on a survey of primary and secondary schools in 1989 and published the same year.
An HMI report on "The Teaching and Learning of Reading in Primary Schools" based on a survey of primary schools in autumn 1990 and other inspection evidence and published in 1991.
A report by the National Foundation for Educational Research entitled "An Enquiry into LEA Evidence on Standards of Reading of Seven Year Old Children" based on information about reading standards among seven-year- olds during the 1980s submitted to the NFER by local education authorities. The work was sponsored by the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC) at the request of my predecessor.
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History Teaching
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the principal differences between the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council relating to history and his proposals now the subject of consultation.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The principal differences between the draft order for history, published on 14 January, and the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council relating to history, are set out in the table. The programme of study for key stage 4 and certain of the non-statutory examples illustrating the attainment targets have been adjusted to focus on the first half of the 20th century, with references to events from the turn of the century to the 1960s. These changes reflect my view that the law should not require teaching about particular contemporary events and people as part of the national curriculum history syllabus because of the difficulty of treating such matters with an historical perspective.
Summary of main changes
Programme of study for key stage 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The preamble to key stage 4 model 1 indicates a
focus on events from the turn of the twentieth
century to the 1960s
Sub-sections on "British Democracy" and
"International Conflict and Co-operation" now
specify study should be up to circa 1960
The supplementary study units in model 2 changed
to set terms to the periods of study as follows:
-Russia and USSR 1905-1964
-The United States of America 1917-1963
-The Indian sub-continent 1914-1964
-Africa south of the Sahara 1900-1963
-The Middle East 1914-1967
-Latin America 1910-1962
-Japan 1904-mid 1960s
-China 1911-1966
In addition, the draft order includes a number of complementary changes to the non-statutory examples which will accompany the order but which do not form part of the national curriculum requirements.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to lay orders relating to the national curriculum, history.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : In March 1991.
Teachers' Pay
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he received the latest report of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions ; and when he expects to publish it.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I received the report on 18 January and will publish it shortly.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he proposes that the recommendations of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions should be fully funded.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Funding for teachers' salaries for 1991-92 was settled when the Government announced
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increased education standard spending for that year. The increase took full account of the remit given to the interim advisory committee and would fund recommendations within that remit.City Technology Colleges
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, columns 25- 26, what guidance he has given to local education authorities as to the maximum percentage of their budgets to be applied to the funding of city technology colleges.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. and learned Friend has given no such guidance.
Science Budget
Mr. Gill : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the distribution of the science budget for 1991-92.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I have considered the recommendations of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on the distribution of the science budget, and have decided to accept the board's advice that the £920.8 million for 1991-92 should, subject to approval by Parliament of the estimates in due course, be allocated as follows :
Allocations for 1991-92 |£ million
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agricultural and Food Research Council |93.47
Economic and Social Research Council |35.51
Medical Research Council |200.42
Natural Environment Research Council |122.56
Science and Engineering Research Council |451.30
The Royal Society |15.74
The Fellowship of Engineering |1.39
ABRC (Secretariat and Science Policy Studies) |0.36
Centre for Exploitation of Science and Technology |0.08
|-------
Total |920.83
I have also accepted the board's recommendation that for planning purposes the following indicative allocations should be adopted for the years 1992- 93 and 1993-94 :
Planned figures for 1992-93 and 1993-94
£ million
|1992-93|1993-94
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Agricultural and Food Research
Council |90.53 |91.58
Economic and Social Research Council |37.24 |37.71
Medical Research Council |206.35 |208.80
Natural Environment Research
Council |119.99 |121.28
Science and Engineering Research Council |462.96 |469.16
The Royal Society |15.77 |15.97
The Fellowship of Engineering |1.44 |1.46
Unallocated<1> |88.94 |160.40
<1>Including £50 million (1992-93) and £100 million (1993-94)
consequent on new arrangements for funding of scientific work in
higher education institutions.
In making these allocations I have accepted the board's advice that additional provision of £4.1 million, £6 million and £6 million in each of the three years 1991-92 to 1993-94 should be made available to the Medical Research Council for the restructuring of clinical research through its clinical research initiative. The indicative planning figures above contain an unallocated £39 million in 1992-93 and £60 million in
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1993-94 on which I expect to receive further advice from the ABRC in the spring. The allocations to funded bodies also exclude the increases in the science budget of £50 million in 1992-93 and £100 million in 1993-94 to take account of the new arrangements for funding scientific research in higher education announced on 8 November, Official Report , columns 27-28 .PRIME MINISTER
United Nations Security Council
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy towards the establishment of a seat on the United Nations Security Council for a representative from the European Community in place of the United Kingdom and French representatives.
The Prime Minister : According to the charter of the United Nations, only states may be members of the Security Council.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister what proposals have been put to him relating to the relinquishing of the United Kingdom's seat in the Security Council.
The Prime Minister : No such proposals have been put to the British Government.
European Community
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to put proposals on the subsidiarity of powers between the European Community and United Kingdom national and local government to Parliament.
The Prime Minister : We have already made clear in the political union intergovernmental conference that, provided that an acceptable definition can be agreed, we want to see the principle of subsidiarity recognised and observed by the European Community.
Wealth
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will take urgent action to avoid negative redistribution of wealth between rich and poor in Britain.
The Prime Minister : Real personal sector wealth has increased by some 60 per cent. since 1979, while there has been little change in its overall distribution. Government policies will continue to promote a dynamic, wealth-creating economy.
Kurds
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister whether he will seek European Community and United Nations support for a homeland and state for the Kurdish people.
The Prime Minister : No. The United Kingdom is a signatory to the treaty of Lausanne of 1923 which established the present-day frontiers in the region bounded by Iran, Iraq and Turkey. There can be no question of our seeking support for the establishment of a separate Kurdish state within those boundaries.
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United Nations Resolutions
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government last pressed the European Community for initiatives to enforce United Nations resolutions 242 of 1967 and 338 of 1973.
The Prime Minister : We are in regular contact with our EC partners about the peace process and the role of the Twelve in it. Community policy on the issue was set out in the European Council's Venice declaration of 1980. This made clear, as have subsequent Council statements, most recently on 15 December 1990, that Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 should be the basis of any settlement.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister when he last discussed with Prime Minister Shamir the need to accept and abide by United Nations resolutions 242 and 338 ; and if he will make a statement on United Kingdom policy regarding the self-determination of the Palestinians and protection of the state of Israel.
The Prime Minister : I discussed the Arab-Israel peace process with Mr. Shamir during his visit to London last December. I reiterated the need for early progress towards a settlement based on Security Council resolutions 242 and 338. This will need to match the Palestinians' right to self-determination with Israel's right to security.
British Muslims
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister when he last met representatives of the British Muslim community.
The Prime Minister : I have had no recent meeting, but my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, saw a group of Muslims for discussion on the Gulf situation on 18 January, and has also seen a group of Muslim journalists : further meetings are in prospect. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office met representatives of the United Kingdom action committee on Islamic affairs yesterday. Such meetings reflect continuing contacts at ministerial and official level.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Saudi Arabia
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines he has issued to British citizens in civilian employment in Saudi Arabia and their employers regarding conformity with civil air raid warnings.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The British embassy in Riyadh has given written advice to British nationals in the eastern and central provinces of Saudi Arabia on precautions to be taken in the event of conflict. The embassy has also issued respirators and full instructions on their use in the event of an attack by chemical weapons. The embassy maintains close and continuing contact with the British community both directly and through the wardens.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with his opposite numbers in the United Nations coalition
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of nations in the Gulf hostilities regarding the co-ordination of guidelines for civilian employees and employers in Saudi Arabia in responding to air raid warnings.Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have had frequent exchanges with the Governments of the coalition and other Governments about the protection of civilians in Saudi Arabia. The most important of these contacts have been with the Saudi Arabian Government, who are responsible for providing air raid shelters, instructions and air raid warnings.
Squid, South Atlantic
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to safeguard Illex squid stocks in the South Atlantic.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Yes. We and the Falkland Islands Government are conscious of the need to conserve these stocks. As part of our efforts to do so we agreed recently with the Argentine Government measures to enhance fisheries conservation in the south-west Atlantic, including the establishment of a Falkland Islands outer conservation zone in which all fishing has been banned for one year beginning on 26 December 1990. An Anglo-Argentine joint commission on fisheries, at which information about and ideas on conservation will be discussed, will meet in March.
HEALTH
Mentally Ill People
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mentally ill people are (a) in long-stay mental health institutions, (b) in care in the community, (c) in prison and (d) homeless.
Mr. Dorrell : The number of mentally ill residents in national health service hospitals and units on 31 March 1990 who had been resident for more than one year is estimated at 31,200.
The precise number of mentally ill people in receipt of care in the community is not known. The number of people in homes and hostels for mentally ill people who are supported by local authorities under the provisions of schedule 8 to the National Health Service Act 1977, as at 31 March 1989, the latest available date, was 3,549.
The total number of prisoners who suffer from some form of mental illness is not recorded centrally. A total of 245 prisoners were reported by prison medical officers on 31 March 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, to be mentally ill within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983, to a degree to meet the criteria for detention in hospital set out in that Act. Annually over 1,000 prisoners are transferred from prison to hospital under the provisions of that Act following reports by prison medical officers. The number of mentally ill people who are homeless is not recorded centrally.
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