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Northern Ireland Committee Irish Congress of Trade UnionsEducation Alliance Northern IrelandAssociation of College ManagementNorthern Ireland Public Service AllianceNational Union of Student UK/Union of Students in IrelandAssociation of College Registrars and AdministratorsConfederation of British IndustryEducational Guidance Service for AdultsWomen's Education ProjectWorkers Education AssociationAdult and Community Education Committee of BELBNI Adult Education AssociationNewry & Mourne District CouncilCity and Guilds of London InstituteFleming Fulton Special SchoolManor House Special SchoolOpen UniversityNI Committee of Catering StudiesLibrary Committee of NEELBNorthern Ireland Curriculum CouncilLibrary and Information Services CouncilAdult Literacy and Basic Education CommitteeSociety of Education Officers NICommunity Services Belfast City CouncilStanding Advisory Commission on Human RightsMr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the treatment of student union funds within the further education sector ; and whether such funds will be delegated to colleges or treated as excepted items.
Dr. Mawhinney : The question of the funding of student unions in further education colleges is a matter for education and library boards. Boards are currently in the process of preparing their schemes for local management of colleges and no decisions have yet been taken about whether this funding will be delegated to colleges or treated as an excepted item.
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Modern Languages
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent decision to exclude modern language options in primary B.Ed courses in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Mawhinney : At a time when a decline is expected in the demand for newly qualified primary teachers in Northern Ireland, the Department of Education has decided that teacher training institutions preparing such teachers should for the time being concentrate on those subjects that are compulsory for primary schools within the Northern Ireland common curriculum. Foreign languages are not part of the common curriculum at primary level and the Department has accordingly asked the institutions to cease offering such courses.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration was given to recent reports from the modern languages committee and the House of Lords Select Committee on foreign language provision in the primary sector prior to the Department of Education's decision to exclude modern language options in primary B.Ed courses in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Mawhinney : These reports have been considered by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, who has not as a result altered his decision that foreign languages should not at present be part of the primary phases of the national curriculum in England and Wales. Consideration of these reports in Northern Ireland has also led to the conclusion that they do not provide a compelling reason for such a change in Northern Ireland, nor for a change in the decision about the subject content of teacher training courses for intending primary teachers.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will review the recent decision to exclude French from primary B.Ed courses in colleges of education in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Department of Education reviews the intakes to the teacher training institutions annually, with the aim of ensuring that the number of newly qualified teachers and their range of subject expertise will be sufficient to meet the future needs of schools in Northern Ireland. The 1991 intakes recently advised to institutions reflect the Department's estimate of what will be required in 1995 : consideration of schools' likely needs in 1996 will take place later this year.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list those organisations consulted regarding the decision to exclude modern language options in primary B.Ed courses in Northern Ireland ;
(2) what consultations the Department of Education had on the inclusion of modern language teaching in primary B.Ed courses in colleges of education.
Dr. Mawhinney : The decision is a logical consequence of the previous conclusion that such languages should not form part of the common curriculum for primary schools in Northern Ireland. A proposal to this effect was contained in the discussion document, "Education Reform in Northern Ireland--The Way Forward", published in 1988, in response to which comments from a very large number of individuals and organisations were received and considered.
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HOME DEPARTMENT
Custody Conditions
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to improve the conditions of custody of prisoner CJ0124.
Mrs. Rumbold : I will write to my hon. Friend.
Property Identification
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the policy of his Department to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : In some parts of the Department all items of electronic equipment are marked with an identification number and identifying mark ; otherwise, records are kept of the manufacturer's serial number. Many other items of equipment carry identifying marks.
Foreign Detainees
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqis, Palestinians and others are still detained without trial on security grounds ; how many of these are claimed to be prisoners of war ; by what legal authority the non-prisoners of war are held ; in which prisons the latter are held ; and how long the process of deciding whether the detainees should be released or expelled is expected to take.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On 27 February, 33 Iraqis, one Lebanese of Palestinian origin and one other were detained following service of notice to deport for reasons of national security and 32 Iraqis, believed to be serving members of Iraqi armed forces, were held in military custody as prisoners of war.
The 35 detained under the Immigration Act 1971 are held on the authority of paragraph 2(2) or 2(3) of schedule 3 to the Act ; 15 are detained in HM prison Full Sutton, 11 in Coldingley and nine in Wormwood Scrubs.
All those held under immigration powers are scheduled to appear before the advisory panel by 1 March except for 10 who have requested that a hearing be deferred. If, after consideration of the advice, a deportation order is made, there is a 14-day period for lodging an appeal against removal to a specific destination.
Animal Experiments
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many experiments or scientific procedures on living animals have been carried out by (a) Government Departments, (b) non-profit making organisations and (c) commercial concerns in each year since 1987 ;
(2) how many experiments or scientific procedures on living animals were carried out at (a) public health laboratories, (b) universities and medical schools, (c) polytechnics, (d) non-ministerial governmental organisations and (e) NHS hospitals in each year since 1987.
Mrs. Rumbold : The number of scientific procedures performed on living animals carried out in each category of designated place is given in table 22 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1989" (Cm 1152), a copy of which is in the Library.
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Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments or scientific procedures were carried out on each category of living animal in each year between 1987 and 1990.Mrs. Rumbold : The number of scientific procedures performed on each category of living animal is given in table 18 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1989" (Cm 1152), a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for 1990 are not yet available.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments or scientific procedures carried out on living animals were concerned with (a) diagnosis, (b) surgical technique, (c) safety, (d) production and (e) education in each year since 1987.
Mrs. Rumbold : The number of scientific procedures performed on living animals in each of the categories requested is given in table 25 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1989" (Cm 1152), a copy of which is in the Library.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many LD50 tests have been instigated in each year since 1986.
Mrs. Rumbold : The numbers of LD50 tests performed on living animals are given in table 14 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain", 1987, 1988 and 1989 (Cm. 515, 743 and 1152 respectively), copies of which are in the Library.
Speed Limits
Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were undertaken in 1989 and 1990 into speeding by (a) heavy goods vehicles and (b) coaches.
Mr. John Patten : The motoring offences information collected centrally does not include details of the type of vehicle involved.
Departmental Policies (Environmental Implications)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : My Department has had close regard to the commitments made in the Environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", since its publication in September, as they apply to relevant policies and practices. For example, the energy management group is actively pursuing a wide range of initiatives on the Home Office estate to achieve and, we hope, exceed the 15 per cent. energy savings target over the next five years. Trials are presently being conducted into the use of waste-derived fuel. We intend also to follow the guidance in the forthcoming "Environmental Action Guide". Crime prevention schemes in our safer cities programme have included some local environmental improvement work ; some neighbourhood watch schemes involve local communities in litter clearance and graffiti removal. My Department was also closely involved in the production of the noise review working party report, published in October 1990.
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Escapees, East Sutton Park
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Maureen Amaker Mgbadike, Desiree Adina Caesar, Nana Adoma Frimpomaah and Abiodun Omolara Kafo, who escaped from East Sutton Park on 22 November 1987, 9 September and 21 September 1989 have since been recaptured.
Mrs. Rumbold : No. These four women are still unlawfully at large.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 25 February to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West on recaptures of escapees, which of the escapees were on drug-related offences ; which of the escapees were in debt to the courts ; and which escapees' passports are in the possession of the Home Office.
Mrs. Rumbold : The six women concerned had all been convicted of drug offences. None is known to have been in debt to the courts at the time of their escapes. Four passports are in the possession of the immigration service ; one is held by the Customs and Excise Department ; and one has been returned to the Jamaican High Commission.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Cleaners
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil service workplaces have used cleaners employed by Initial or OCS since 1979 ; and what percentage of the total number of civil service workplaces in the United Kingdom this represents.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Property Identification
Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the policy of his Department to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Property belonging to Her Majesty's Treasury is marked wherever it is practical and cost-effective to do so.
British Bloodstock Industry
Mr. Temple-Morris : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will report progress on the talks he is having with the British bloodstock industry as to the amount of VAT levied upon it.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Meetings between representatives of the bloodstock industry and officials continue to be held to try to find a solution to potential problems for the bloodstock after 1992. I plan to meet representatives when these discussions are complete.
Departmental Policies (Environmental Implications)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Arrangements have been made to ensure that I participate in the consideration of all departmental policies which might have environmental implications.Extra-statutory Public Expenditure
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what extra- statutory public expenditure has been undertaken with the knowledge of Her Majesty's Treasury in the last six months.
Mr. Mellor : We do not keep central records. Any transactions of this kind, which are subject to the rules of Government accounting on special payments, will be noted in the relevant accounts if they amount to more than £100,000.
EC Economic and Finance Council
Dr. Twinn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council and the meeting of the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 25 February. The intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union met later the same day. I represented the United Kingdom at both meetings.
Formal agreement was given to the balance of payments loan to Greece of 2.2 billion ecu (about £1 billion) which had been agreed in principle at ECOFIN on 28 January. The first tranche will consist of 1 billion ecu, but the release of further tranches will be subject to the agreement of the Council in the light of the Greek Government's performance in implementing its programme of economic reform.
The Council continues to consider a number of proposals for loans from the Community to help meet the financing needs of the countries of eastern Europe. These loans would form the joint contribution of member states to the demand for loans from the G24. In this context, a Community loan to Czechoslovakia of up to $500 million was formally agreed. The Council also agreed that the Community's pledge of a 50 per cent. contribution, up to $250 million, to a loan by the G24 to Hungary, should be in addition to the Community's present medium-term loan.
The Presidency announced its intention to establish a high-level group of officials to consider key questions arising from the proposed investment services directive.
The intergovernmental conference focused on the issues arising in connection with the conduct of economic policy under stage 3 of EMU. I repeated the United Kingdom reserve on any move to a single currency. During a general discussion on principles and objectives, multilateral surveillance and the importance of avoiding excessive budget deficits, a wide range of views were expressed. The presidency did not attempt to draw substantive conclusions. The next meeting of the IGC at ministerial level will be on 18 March.
Exchange Rate Mechanism
Mr. Shore : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the pound were still at its ceiling or floor within the exchange rate mechanism after the ending of the maximum
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duration of the very short-term fund facility, what would be the level of the debtor quota on which further support would be based.Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 26 February 1991] : There is no fixed limit on the duration of the very short-term facility, though there are repayment obligations associated with loans made under it. The debtor quotas assigned to each EMS member are agreed by the member states. The United Kingdom's debtor quota is 1.74 billion ecu. The quotas may be altered, by agreement among the member states, at any time and are in any case reviewed every five years.
Mr. Shore : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer after what period funds supplied under the ERM's very short-term fund facility and debtor quota renewal must be repaid.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 26 February 1991] : Very short-term facility (VSTF) liabilities must be settled by the last working day preceding the 16th day of the third month following the value date of intervention. Subject to limits, which are equal to twice the debtor quota of the EMS short-term monetary support (STMS) arrangements, VSTF liabilities may be renewed for a further three months on request. With the agreement of creditors VSTF liabilities may be renewed for an additional three months. Debtor quotas determine the amount of support each central bank may receive under the STMS arrangements. Use can be made of the support facilities of the STMS for a period of up to three months, and they may be renewed twice for a period of three months on request.
Tax Yields
Mr. Beith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the various yields in 1991-92 and 1992-93 of restricting tax relief against corporation tax by disallowing a fraction of total interest payments, according to the formula x divided by (x 5), where x is the percentage increase in the retail prices index over the financial year, and is assumed to be either (a) 7 per cent. for 1991-92 and 5 per cent. for 1992-93 or (b) 6 per cent. for 1991-92 and 4 per cent. for 1992-93 or (c) 5 per cent. for 1991-92 and 3 per cent. for 1992-93.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 26 February 1991] : I regret that information on interest payments by companies is not available centrally to the extent required to provide a reliable estimate ; and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Stock Relief
Mr. Beith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in 1991-92 and 1992-93 of introducing a system of stock relief against corporation tax, which indexed the value of stocks using the relative prices index.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 26 February 1991] : I regret that information is not available on which to base a reliable estimate of this cost.
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SCOTLAND
Registration Statistics
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of people on the community charge register for each registration authority in Scotland, and the Scottish total, for the date the register was first compiled, and for each year since.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The available information, obtained from returns by community charge registration officers, is set out in the table. The figures include students, who are liable for 20 per cent. of the community charge, but exclude those liable for collective or standard charges. The October 1988 figures were provisional, and unavailable for some areas.
|October |September|July
|1988 |1989 |1990
--------------------------------------------------------------
Borders |82,540 |77,935 |78,285
Central |n/a |206,389 |202,412
Dumfries and Galloway |110,859 |111,326 |111,434
Fife |253,500 |269,058 |259,961
Grampian |377,766 |377,785 |373,581
Highland |n/a |147,771 |148,270
Lothian |589,209 |604,320 |578,982
Strathclyde |1,786,017|1,761,450|1,737,284
Tayside |290,700 |295,490 |291,682
Orkney |14,775 |14,329 |14,372
Shetland |16,459 |16,021 |15,982
Western Isles |n/a |22,315 |22,165
All Scotland total |n/a |3,904,189|3,834,410
n/a: Not available.
Tourism
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the tourism industry in Scotland.
Mr. Allan Stewart : Tourism makes an important contribution to the Scottish economy. The Scottish tourist board estimates that visitor spending in Scotland in 1989 (the latest full year for which figures are available) was £1,773 million, of which £388 million represented expenditure by overseas visitors. There are estimated to be
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140,000 to 150,000 jobs in tourism and leisure-related industries. This represents about 7 per cent. of Scottish employment.Company Liquidations
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of company liquidations in Scotland in the last six months for which figures are available and the comparable figures for the previous 10 years.
Mr. Allan Stewart : In the second half of 1990 there were 341 notified liquidations of companies registered in Scotland. Companies House does not maintain information on the number of liquidations of Scottish registered companies on a part-year basis for earlier years. The table shows the number of notified liquidations of companies registered in Scotland for each year since 1980.
Number of notified
liquidations of
companies registered
in Scotland
|Number
---------------------
1980 |599
1981 |666
1982 |756
1983 |764
1984 |757
1985 |757
1986 |762
1987 |636
1988 |651
1989 |674
1990 |689
Source: Registrar of
companies.
Redundancies
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of confirmed redundancies in each quarter in each financial year in Scotland since 1978-79.
Mr. Allan Stewart : There are no comprehensive statistics on redundancies. A consistent series of redundancies involving 10 or more workers, confirmed to the Employment Department as having occurred in Scotland in each quarter since the 1978-79 financial year, is set out in the table :
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Total confirmed redundancies in Scotland 1978-79 to 1990-91
Financial years |April-June |July- |October- |January- |Total
|September |December |March
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 |6,180 |5,691 |4,272 |7,040 |23,183
1979-80 |6,241 |8,088 |13,018 |13,655 |41,012
1980-81 |13,686 |17,670 |15,805 |14,489 |61,650
1981-82 |17,640 |11,941 |14,969 |13,070 |57,620
1982-83 |10,876 |13,240 |11,758 |10,955 |46,829
1983-84 |10,160 |11,975 |8,448 |7,763 |38,346
1984-85 |10,031 |7,715 |4,655 |7,009 |29,410
1985-86 |7,674 |5,229 |6,512 |7,068 |26,483
1986-87 |9,216 |8,337 |7,337 |6,218 |31,108
1987-88 |6,523 |4,838 |5,254 |3,158 |19,773
1988-89 |2,982 |4,412 |3,759 |5,578 |16,731
1989-90 |3,605 |7,234 |3,978 |<2>5,174 |19,991
1990-91 |<2>4,010 |<2>2,210 |<2>3,209 |N.A. |-
Notes:
<1> Figures from January 1981 are not directly comparable with earlier months because of improvements in the
collection of the data.
<2> 1990 figures are provisional.
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Lanarkshire Development Agency
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the budget of Lanarkshire Development Agency in respect of training for 1991-92.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The allocation of budgets to individual local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise ; I have therefore asked the chairman of Scottish Enterprise to reply to the hon. Member's question.
Cobalt UK
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons who had training places at Cobalt UK in Monklands specifically preparing for driving examinations have had their training discontinued ; and what action he intends to take to promote opportunities for them to complete their courses.
Mr. Allan Stewart : There are 91 employment training trainees currently undertaking approved driver instructions training with Cobalt UK Ltd. in Monklands. Arrangements are already in hand to ensure that all 91 trainees can, if they wish, complete their training with an alternative training manager.
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding is being made available for Cobalt UK for training purposes in Monklands district ; how many persons have been given notice that their training places have been terminated ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The funding being made available for Cobalt UK Ltd. for training purposes in Monklands district is a contractual matter between the Training Agency and Cobalt UK and is a matter of commercial confidence. There are 203 employment training trainees currently training with Cobalt UK Ltd. Arrangements are already in hand to ensure that all these trainees can, if they wish, complete their training with alternative training managers.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Departmental Policies (Environmental Implications)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : The Department is continuing to build on the achievements noted in the Environment White Paper aimed at integrating environmental and agricultural and fisheries policies taking account of international and European Community developments. In particular, I welcome the European Commission's recognition of the need to give greater emphasis to environmental considerations within its agricultural policies.
EC Surplus Food
Mr. Robert Hicks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those charities and non-profit making organisations that either are based in
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Cornwall or have branches in the county to which his Ministry has circularised details of the EC surplus food scheme 1991 ; and what has been the response to date.Mr. Curry : Application forms have been specifically requested by, and sent to, the following in Cornwall :
Pensioners Voice (Carharrach & District), St. Day, Redruth Penwith District Council, St. Clare, Penzance
Newquay Coffee Corner, Newquay
Mr K Hayne, Tintagel
Mr. D Dark, St. Merryn, nr. Padstow
In addition, details of the scheme have been sent to a number of national and umbrella organisations who may have branches or members in Cornwall. These include :
Association of Metropolitan Authorities
Association of District Councils
Association of County Councils
Age Concern
British Red Cross Society
Church Army
Help the Aged
Royal British Legion
Salvation Army
Catholic Bishops Conference
WRVS
National Council of Voluntary Organisations
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Charity Commission.
No applications have as yet been received from Cornwall, but the closing date for their receipt is not until 22 March.
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