| Previous Section | Home Page |
Coal Industry Ownership
9. Mr. Thorne : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next plans to meet the chairman of British Coal to discuss future ownership of the industry.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of the British Coal Corporation regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.
Coal Imports
14. Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with the chairman of British Coal regarding the level of coal imports after 1 April 1993.
Column 277
Mr. Wakeham : I have regular consultations with the chairman of British Coal on all aspects of the coal industry, including the remarkable efforts that the corporation has been making to improve its competitiveness and fight for a major share of the United Kingdom coal market over future years.Offshore Oil Platforms
15. Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the installation of emergency shut down valves on offshore oil platforms.
Mr. Moynihan : Of the 193 valves required to be fitted as a result of the Offshore Installations (Emergency Pipe-line Valve) Regulations 1989, 164 have now been fitted. In a further 13 cases, work is either in hand on the installation of the valves or the pipelines are shut down until the work can be performed. In 16 cases temporary exemptions have been granted until 31 March 1991 only, with stringent safety conditions attached, after which time these pipelines will also be shut down for the valves to be installed.
Privatisation
21. Mr. Day : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of United Kingdom energy production was state owned (a) in 1979 and (b) since the privatisation of National Power and PowerGen ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : In 1979 about 45 per cent. of United Kingdom production of primary fuels was by nationalised industries. It is estimated that the proportion now is about 32 per cent.
In terms of the proportion of final energy consumption in the United Kingdom supplied by nationalised industries, this represents a change from 59 per cent. in 1979 to about 8 per cent. now.
Loft Insulation
22. Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the Government's estimate of the percentage of Britain's housing that does not have loft insulation up to the standard of 1990 building regulations.
Mr Heathcoat-Amory : The higher requirements for the thermal insulation of the roofs of dwellings in England and Wales, introduced in the 1990 building regulations, can effectively be met by 6 in. of loft insulation. Information currently available on levels of loft insulation in existing homes does not enable identification of specific levels of insulation over 4 in. in homes in England and Wales.
Landfill Gas
23. Dr. Twinn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many landfill gas schemes are currently in operation.
Mr. Moynihan : My Department is aware of 32 landfill gas schemes currently in operation.
Electricity Prices
Mr. Rost : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to change the formula applied by OFFER for proposed price adjustments by the regional electricity companies to the domestic tariffs.
Column 278
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 22 February at columns 280-81.
Oil Supplies
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the effect of the Gulf war on oil supplies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait last year, and the cessation of its oil exports, other countries--mainly Saudia Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela--increased their production levels and made up the shortfall. Oil stocks have been at high levels throughout the period.
Offshore Supply Industry
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the share of the United Kingdom offshore supply industry in the world market for offshore work.
Mr. Moynihan : My Department's best estimate is that the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry's share of the available market for offshore work was in excess of £6.5 billion in 1990 of which about a third--or approximately £2 billion--was exports.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average annual level of expenditure on energy efficiency between 1974 and 1979, 1980 and 1984 and between 1985 and 1990.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Average annual expenditure by my Department on energy efficiency programmes in the five years ended 1984-85 was £9.9 million and in the five years ended 1989-90 was £19.8 million. This compares with expenditure in 1979-80 of £2.4 million ; previous expenditure is not separately identifiable.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Arms Control
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the steps currently being taken to strengthen the arms control regimes.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : There are a number of arms control fora : further measures to supplement the conventional armed forces in Europe (CFE) treaty and the Vienna package of confidence and security building measures (CSBMs) are under consideration in NATO and among the participants in the Vienna negotiations.
Negotiations continue between the United States and the Soviet Union on a START agreement which we hope can be concluded later this year.
NATO is currently considering its approach to negotiations on short-range nuclear forces in Europe.
An early and successful conclusion is being pursued in the conference on disarmament in Geneva for a chemical weapons convention.
The third review conference of the 1972 bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons convention in September
Column 279
will provide an opportunity to strengthen the convention by improving its confidence-building measures regime and reviewing the scope for verification.Closer co-ordination is being sought in the Australia group on contacts on CW precursors and dual-use equipment.
Discussions continue in the United Nations, the co-ordinating committee for multilateral export control, the missile technology control regime and groups of nuclear suppliers on strengthening other arms control regimes.
Military Attache , Baghdad
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what periods since 1979 the United Kingdom retained a military attache at the British embassy in Baghdad.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The United Kingdom had a succession of defence attache s at the British embassy at Baghdad from 1979 until the last incumbent departed on 27 September 1990.
Nuclear and Chemical Weapons
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his oral answer to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, (Mr. Kaufman) Official Report, 13 March, column 929, he will set out the specific loopholes and weaknesses in the agreements and control regimes for nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to which he makes reference.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We work constantly to strengthen the control of all weapons of mass destruction through the co-ordinating committee for multilateral export controls, the missile technology control regime, groupings of nuclear suppliers and the Australia group. We are also working to achieve an effective global ban on chemical weapons through an international convention.
Iraq
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Ministers from his Department last visited Iraq, and what was the purpose and outcome of the visits.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the then Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office visited Iraq in February 1989 to discuss bilateral and commercial issues ; to appeal for the release of Mr. Ian Richter ; to encourage an early peace settlement with Iran ; and to raise Iraq's use of chemical weapons and her human rights record. The policies of the Iraqi Government have prevented progress on any of these issues.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by Her Majesty's Government since 1985 to other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council in regard to their sales of military equipment and technology for Iraq.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Our policy on sales of defence equipment to Iraq since 1984 was to refuse the sale of any equipment which would significantly enhance Iraq's ability to prolong or exacerbate its conflict with Iran. Since
Column 280
1980 we had refused to allow the export of lethal equipment to either side. This policy was well known to the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.Israel
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters were discussed during his meeting with his Israeli counterpart in London on 5 March.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Discussions focused on regional security and the prospects for relaunching the Arab-Israel peace process following the ceasefire in the Gulf. There was also some discussion of bilateral issues.
International Atomic Energy Agency
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to instruct the United Kingdom ambassador to the Board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to seek to put on the agenda of the next IAEA governors' meeting the issues of (a) strengthening international nuclear safeguards and (b) the effects on the IAEA safeguards regime of the bombing of safeguarded nuclear facilities in Iraq.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The director general of the IAEA raised a number of safeguards issues in his statement to the board of governors meeting in February.
The UK governor agreed that these were important matters to which the board would need to return at its next meeting.
Conferences
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the invitations his Department received to participate in or send an observer to conferences to be held in March.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Baltic States
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Soviet counterpart on the recommencement of the negotiations on self-determination for the Baltic states ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the situation in the Baltic Republics with his Soviet counterpart, Mr Bessmertnykh and with President Gorbachev in Moscow on 21 March. In both meetings he stressed our belief that constructive negotiations between Moscow and the republican authorities should begin as soon as possible.
CFE Treaty
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation of the CFE treaty to date.
Column 281
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The signatory states have taken certain steps (data exchange and corrections, notification of inspectors' names, active inspection quotas and other details required by the inspection protocol) under those provisions of the CFE treaty which were provisionally applied from the time of signature. Further steps in the implementation of the treaty (including thedestruction/conversion of excess equipment and the establishment of the verification regime) will take place after the treaty has entered into force, which happens only afterall 22 signatories have deposited instruments of ratification. To date, no signatory has done so.
Legislative Competence
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to produce a guide to hon. Members on the areas of competence of EC legislation and the United Kingdom Parliament.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The areas of Community competence are defined by the Community treaties, as interpreted by the ECJ. Through the European Communities Act 1972 and other legislation, Parliament has given the necessary effect to the United Kingdom's obligations under the treaties. In addition, scrutiny procedures enable Parliament to review thoroughly all proposals for Community legislation, and where appropriate to call for debates.
Missile Technology Control
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his current information on the nations that are now members of missile technology control regime ; and when they joined.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 1 February. Since then Austria has announced her adherence to the missile technology control regime.
Children
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to seek implementation of the articles of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child regarding children in conflict situations in Iraq.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Iraq has not ratified or acceded to the United Nations convention on the rights of the child and is not therefore bound by its provisions. We remain deeply concerned about the general human rights situation in Iraq.
Sharks
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Governments of the United States of America, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Japan and Indonesia in respect of the slaughter of sharks for their fins ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We do not intend to do so.
Column 282
EMPLOYMENT
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 6 March, Official Report, column 167, what was the position of William Cowlins and Son with respect to the involvement of E. C. Harris in the proposed South Glamorgan TEC headquarters before 24 September 1990.
Mr. Jackson : I am not in a position to comment on any relationship that may have existed between William Cowlins and Son and E. C. Harris before 24 September 1990.
Training
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the reasons for the delay in updating the quarterly findings from the YT leavers survey ; when he next plans to update the results of the survey ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : Administrative systems used to collect information about YT leavers were changed last year. It has taken some time for the new systems to settle down. When I am satisfied that the YT follow-up system is producing good quality reliable data I will resume the release of results.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what effect the move to delivery of training provision through TECs has had on the collection, processing and presentation of data from both the ET and YT leavers survey ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : There has been no change to the system for collecting, processing and presenting ET follow-up information as a result of the move towards TEC delivery of programmes. The YT system has been changed to bring it into line with ET.
Training, Brixton
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library copies of the letters sent out in March 1991 by his training enterprise and education directorate inner London south area office to trainers in the Brixton area about funding levels for training in 1991-92 ; and if he will make it his policy to maintain current funding levels for training in the Brixton area.
Mr. Jackson : The letters sent to trainers in the Brixton area by the inner London south area office are confidential between the Department and the contractor and should not be publicised. It is not possible to give a guarantee that current funding levels in the Brixton area will be maintained.
Children's Rights
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the implementation of article 32 of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child.
Mr. Forth : I refer the hon. Lady to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and
Column 283
Lunesdale (Mr. Lennox-Boyd) on 21 March at columns 192-93. Article 32 of the convention seeks to regulate hours and conditions of employment and, under the convention's definition of a child, would apply to young people aged 16 to 18. We believe that terms and conditions of employment of young people, as of other employees, are matters for negotiation between employers and employees or their representatives. We have therefore made it clear that when we ratify the convention we will enter a reservation on this article.PRIME MINISTER
Kashmir
Mr. Summerson : To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will urge the United Nations to implement its resolutions that the people of Kashmir should be given the right of self-determination.
The Prime Minister : United Nations resolutions on Kashmir over 40 years ago were concerned with the accession to India or Pakistan of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Government consider that any proposal to resolve the continuing dispute over the status of Kashmir needs to take account of subsequent developments, and to be mutually agreed between the Governments of India and Pakistan.
President Gorbachev
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister what matters were discussed at his meeting with President Gorbachev.
The Prime Minister : The main subjects we discussed were the middle east, arms control, the Baltic states, the progress of political and economic reform in the Soviet Union and bilateral relations.
Kuwait
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister if he will consult the United Kingdom Institute of Waste Management on the methods of reclamation of building rubble for the reconstruction of Kuwait.
The Prime Minister : The institute would be advised to register with the Department of Trade and Industry's Kuwait reconstruction database so that United Kingdom expertise in this field can be made available to the Kuwaiti authorities.
Nuclear and Chemical Weapons
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 14 March, Official Report, column 1094, to the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross), if he will list in the Official Report those forums and institutions at which he intends to take up the matter of the export of chemical, nuclear and biological weapons.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office gave to the hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill) on 6 March 1991.
Column 284
Moscow
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Prime Minister which organisations he met during his recent visit to Moscow.
The Prime Minister : During my visit to the Soviet Union I held meetings with President Gorbachev, Prime Minister Pavlov, Defence Minister Yazov and representatives of the armed forces, representatives of the Baltic states, and leading liberals.
Child benefit
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister further to his oral answer of 7 March, Official Report, column 456, if he will make a further statement on the uprating of child benefit.
The Prime Minister : I welcome the uprating of child benefit announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget statement on 19 March 1991.
Research and Development
Dr. Bray : To ask the Prime Minister, further to his answer of 12 March, Official Report, column 472, what is the estimate of total Government expenditure on research and development in enterprises with fewer than 200 employees ; and what proportion of it is estimated to be for defence purposes.
The Prime Minister : The 1989 survey of expenditure and employment on research and development (R and D) in United Kingdom industry was largely restricted to enterprises with 200 or more employees. A provisional estimate for civil and defence research and development expenditure in enterprises with fewer than 200 employees has been made of £255 million. Details are given in the notes of the Central Statistical Office's "Business Bulletin" issue 14/91, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
The nearest grouping for which firm data, disaggregated into civil and defence R and D, exists is that with 200 to 499 employees for which the proportion of expenditure for defence purposes is 2.4 per cent.
President Bush
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the matters discussed during his meeting with President Bush in Bermuda on 16 March.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 21 March at column 193 .
Prime Minister, Tuvalu
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if he met the Prime Minister of Tuvalu during his visit to London on 19 March.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what response he is making to the request for assistance in the establishment of a South Pacific disaster relief programme to respond to natural catastrophes, set out by the Prime Minister of Tuvalu.
The Prime Minister : This issue was not raised by the Prime Minister of Tuvalu when he saw the Minister for
Column 285
Overseas Development on 18 March. However, we are always ready to respond to the need for disaster relief assistance whether in the Pacific or elsewhere.Gulf War
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Prime Minister what information he has concerning the extent of damage to sewerage systems, water purification plants, hospitals and medical centres in (a) Iraq and (b) Kuwait arising from military action in the Gulf war ; and what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to provide humanitarian aid to each country to alleviate hardship and disease caused by military action.
The Prime Minister : The United Nations Secretary-General reported to the Security Council on 21 March on Under Secretary-General Ahtisaari's findings following his mission to Iraq.
Ahtisaari reported that sewage systems, water purification plants, hospitals and medical centres are largely undamaged but are not functioning fully due to a lack of electricity and fuel. The United Nations sanctions committee is considering how to respond urgently. Although Kuwait suffered widespread damage and sabotage to its infrastructure as a result of the Iraqi invasion and occupation, the Government of Kuwait have already started to organise repairs and have made arrangements to provide purified drinking water. Medical facilities were relatively undamaged and are continuing to operate. The United Kingdom supports the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations relief agencies in Iraq and Kuwait. This year we have already given £2.5 million to the ICRC's Gulf appeal (the largest single cash donation) and US$1 million to the United Nations appeal co-ordinated by United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation. In addition, the EC Commission has given £8.75 million to support the relief activities in the Gulf region. The share of this attributable to the United Kingdom's aid budget is £1.75 million.
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Prime Minister what initiatives have been taken by Her Majesty's Government's representatives to (a) the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, (b) the United Nations environment programme, (c) the International Atomic Energy Agency, (d) the International Energy Agency, (e) the World Health Organisation, (f) the International Labour Organisation, (g) the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, (h) the European Commission and (i) the United Nations, respectively, to alleviate hardship caused to civilians in Iraq and Kuwait caused by the Gulf war.
| Next Section
| Home Page |