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Arms Control
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends to change the condition of United Kingdom arms control and licensing procedures as a result of the Single European Act.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 25 March 1991] : There are no plans to change the present controls on arms exports which reflect national and international security considerations. Such exports will continue to be subject to stringent export licensing procedures, consistent with our obligations under the treaty of Rome and the Single European Act. My officials are discussing with other Government Departments the possibilities for streamlining procedures relating to exports to our Community partners after 1992.
Israel
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Export Credits Guarantee Department will reduce the premium it is currently charging on credit
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for British firms wishing to place contracts in Israel for housing of Soviet immigrants ; and what information he has on the equivalent premium charged by Britain's main trading competitors.Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 11 March 1991] : As part of its new portfolio management system, the Export Credits Guarantee Department is currently reviewing its premium rates for project business exports to a number of countries including Israel. The review should be completed shortly.
The ECGD assesses premium rates after taking into account the risks involved. The rates generally charged by other export credit agencies are taken into account, but it is necessary to draw a balance which recognises the costs to the taxpayer which can be involved in supporting project business.
Envirotech York Exhibition
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution his Department made to the recent Envirotech York exhibition held at the university of York ; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards regionally sponsored trade exhibitions for environmental technologies.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 21 March 1991] : My Department provided some financial support to the organisers of the Envirotech York exhibition through its regionally administered technology transfer scheme. In addition, the Minister for Industry officially opened the exhibition and my Department had a stand at it.
The thrust of DTI technology policy is generally national. DTI regional offices can provide support where the aim of a trade exhibition or other local activity is to improve the competitiveness of small and medium-sized companies in the region by promoting the wider and better use of modern technology, including environmental technologies.
Military Exhibitions
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all licensing regulations that apply to the import of military technology and equipment for the purpose of display at military equipment and armament shows held in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 22 March 1991] : All products requiring an individual import licence by virtue of the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954 as amended are listed in the open general import licence of 4 December 1987 as amended, which is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Military technology and equipment which do not incorporate items listed under entry No. 365 do not require a specific import licence and may be imported under the authority of the open general import licence.
CIVIL SERVICE
Recruitment
Mr. Hayes : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about changes in the arrangements for recruitment to the civil service.
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Mr. Renton : Responsibility for recruitment to junior grades in the civil service was transferred from the civil service commissioners to Departments on 1 January 1983. My right hon. Friend the Member for Shoreham (Sir R. Luce) the then Minister of State, announced on 13 April 1989 that it was proposed to extend further the area of recruitment which is the responsibility of Departments and agencies from 1 April 1991.To give effect to the new recruitment arrangements the Civil Service Order in Council 1991 and a separate Diplomatic Service Order in Council 1991 were made at a meeting of the Privy Council held on 5 February 1991. The orders, copies of which have been placed in the Library, revoke and re- enact with substantial amendments the Civil Service Order in Council 1982.
From 1 April 1991, recruitment to all grades--except those at grade 7 level and above and their fast-stream feeder entries--will become the responsibility of Departments and agencies. This extends the area of recruitment for which Departments and agencies are responsible from the present 85 per cent. or so of all recruitment to over 95 per cent.
It is important that recruitment into the civil service should continue to be uninfluenced by patronage or partiality. Selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition has been the fundamental principle of civil service recruitment since the Northcote-Trevelyan reforms. This principle will be preserved both in selection undertaken by Departments and agencies- -departmental recruitment--and in selection undertaken on the responsibility of the civil service commissioners--commissioners' recruitment. Certain exceptions to the general principle, which allow for flexibility in specific circumstances, are set out in schedules to the orders. The changes are an essential part of the process of modernising the civil service and of giving managers more autonomy in the use of resources. They reflect the current change in the role of the central departments, with the emphasis switching from regulation and control to advice, audit and the provision of cost-effective services.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Gulf War
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any assessment has been made of the economic consequences of the Gulf war on Commonwealth countries in Africa, central and south-east Asia and the Caribbean ; when he next expects to meet the Secretary General of the Commonwealth to discuss these matters ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : We have looked carefully into the economic consequences of the Gulf crisis on major recipients of British aid, taking into account the analytical work done by the IMF, World bank and others. The Secretary of State and I both meet the Secretary General of the Commonwealth from time to time to discuss matters of concern to Commonwealth members.
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Africa (Famine Relief)
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all allocations of famine relief for Africa made between September 1984 and September 1985, in current and constant 1991 prices, and since September 1990 to date.
Mrs. Chalker : Allocations of British emergency aid to Ethiopia between September 1984 and September 1985 are listed on pages 66 and 67 of the Foreign Affairs Committee's first report in the 1987-88 Session on "Famine in the Horn of Africa".
Allocations of famine relief made to African countries in 1990 were given in my reply to the hon. Member's question of 29 January at columns 462-63 . In 1991 the following commitments have been made :
Other United Kingdom Emergency Relief Committed in
1991
|£ million
----------------------------------------------------
January |Ethiopia |2.000
February |Malawi |0.090
February |Liberia |0.017
February |Chad |0.035
February |Burkina Faso|0.010
February |Sudan |0.002
February |Ethiopia |0.250
March |Sudan |0.400
March |Liberia |0.038
March |Tanzania |0.040
March |Sudan |0.0125
March |Ethiopia |0.430
March |Kenya |0.197
Other United Kingdom Emergency Relief Committed in 1991
£ million
January Ethiopia 2.000
February Malawi 0.090
February Liberia 0.017
February Chad 0.035
February Burkina Faso 0.010
February Sudan 0.002
February Ethiopia 0.250
March Sudan 0.400
March Liberia 0.038
March Tanzania 0.040
March Sudan 0.125
March Ethiopia 0.430
March Kenya 0.197
The remaining information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Environmental Issues
Mr. Robert B. Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Government's response to the Environment Select Committee's report on environmental issues in Northern Ireland will be published ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : The Government's response is being published today and a copy has been placed in the Library. We are committed to safeguarding Northern Ireland's rich natural and man-made environment and we welcome the report as a constructive and opportune contribution towards achieving this end.
The Government recognise the need to accelerate action to conserve and enhance the environment in Northern Ireland and are making available substantially increased resources to deal with the backlog of environmental legislation and to protect valuable habitats. Much has already been done. Some 20 per cent. of Northern Ireland currently lies within designated areas of
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outstanding natural beauty. There are seven country parks, 44 national nature reserves and 26 areas of special scientific interest. The Giant's Causeway is a world heritage site and Lough Neagh and Lough Beg have together been designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention. Consultations are under way which will lead to the declaration of the internationally important Strangford Lough as a marine nature reserve. Some 167 historic monuments are in state care and almost 1,000 monuments have been scheduled for protection ; 26 conservation areas have been designated and 7,800 buildings of architectural and historic importance listed. Progress has also been made in dealing with pollution. Significant advances have been made in reducing smoke and SO levels since the clean air legislation was introduced in 1964. Some 95 per cent. of rivers are classified as good or fair under the national river classification scheme. The large number of prosecutions for water pollution offences in Northern Ireland is evidence of the Government's determination to protect this asset.The Government are reviewing their rural planning policy. The review will take account of the duty to preserve, on the one hand the natural beauty of the countryside and on the other the needs of a strong rural society.
The Government fully recognise the need to build on the progress which has already been made. They are committed to increasing the protection of habitats, for example, by accelerating the programme for the survey and declaration of areas of special scientific interest and to the preservation of scientific beauty by reviewing of areas of outstanding natural beauty. Secondly, we have undertaken to conserve the man-made heritage by completing the survey of all historic monuments by 1995 and the listing of all pre-1960 buildings of architectural and historic interest by 1994. Thirdly, we will continue to improve pollution control by greatly extending the water quality monitoring of all main rivers and estuaries and by enhancing sewage treatment. The Government will encourage the public to be more aware of Northern Ireland's heritage and emphasise the fact that the individual has a significant contribution to make to a good environment.
The Government have already taken action, or are planning, to meet all but one of the Committee's recommendations. However, we have concluded that we would not be justified in accepting the recommendation that an independent environmental agency should be established.
Firstly, the creation of an independent agency would conflict with the recommendations in the Balfour report. Secondly, decisions already taken, or planned, will resolve the problems which underlie the Committee's recom- mendation. The establishment of a Government-owned company to take over responsibility for water and sewerage services will separate these services from the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland. The Department will retain the regulatory functions. This division of responsibility will eliminate the "poacher-gamekeeper" factor in relation to water pollution control.
In addition, resources are being increased ; the status of conservation and other environmental policies has been enhanced by the creation of a directorate whose head is a member of the DOE(NI) top management team ; and the
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Government are committed to assuring the public that environmental factors will be a vital part of decision making.In the recent White Paper "This Common Inheritance", the Government confirmed their undertaking to protect Northern Ireland's environment and to bequeath to future generations an unspoiled countryside with clean air and unpolluted rivers and seas. In responding to the Committee's report, we reaffirm our commitment to implement positive environmental policies which will safeguard the natural and man-made heritage in Northern Ireland.
HEALTH
Grandparents
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department is issuing to local authorities in connection with the Children Act 1989 ; and whether this guidance will include any details on grandparents' access to their grandchildren.
Mr. Dorrell : A number of documents have already been issued to local authorities including "An Introduction to the Children Act", a training curriculum produced by the London boroughs training committee, and "The Care of Children--Principles and Practice in Regulations and Guidance", copies of which are available in the Library.
Earlier this month over 20,000 copies of the first volume of guidance and regulations, on court orders, were distributed free of charge. Some 16,000 free copies were sent to directors of social services, and copies were also sent to chief education officers and chief executives. Volume 2 "Family Support, Day Care and Educational Provision for Young Children" was launched last week and will be distributed shortly ; copies of both volumes are available in the Library. Volume 3 on family placements is being prepared and will be launched next month, and further volumes will follow, copies of which will be placed in the Library.
Volume 1 includes guidance on the new section 8 contact orders, which are available in private law proceedings and for which grandparents may apply provided that they have first obtained leave of court to do so. This volume also contains guidance on the new provisions as to contact with children who are the subject of a care order.
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes to grandparents' access to their grandchildren will arise from the implementation of the Children Act 1989 on 14 October.
Mr. Dorrell : The Children Act 1989 makes new provisions regarding contact with children who are the subject of a care order. The Act provides that any person who has obtained the leave of the court to do so may apply for an order determining the contact which is to be allowed between the child and that person.
It is anticipated that this provision will enable people with whom the child has previously had a close relationship but who are not automatically entitled to reasonable contact with the child--such as, in many cases, grandparents--to keep in touch with that child while he is in the care of the local authority. If the grandparent was the beneficiary of a residence order made under section 8
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of the Act immediately prior to the care order being made, he will be one of those automatically entitled to reasonable contact. Where a child is being looked after by a local authority on a voluntary basis, contact is a matter for agreement between parents, foster parents and the authority. The authority will have a duty to promote reasonable contact between the child and hisrelatives--including a grandparent--where this is consistent with the child's welfare.
In addition, the Act makes changes to the private law. It introduces a range of orders under section 8 which will be available to the court in private law proceedings. One of these, the contact order, requires the person with whom a child is living to allow the child to visit or stay with the person named in the order, and for that person and the child to have contact with each other. Anyone who has the leave of the court to do so may apply for a contact order. Where grandparents have maintained a close relationship with the child, obtaining the permission of the court is unlikely to be much more than a formality.
For a limited number of cases, grandparents still have the right to apply for a section 8 contact order without first obtaining the court's leave. Broadly, these are where the child has lived with the grandparents for three years or more, or the grandparent has the consent of the person in whose favour there is a residence order in force--or the local authority where the child is in care--or, in any other case, the consent of those having parental responsibility for the child.
Health Authorities (Administration)
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new administrative posts have been created by English health authorities since 1 January 1990 ; what the reason for these new posts are ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not collected centrally.
Chiropody
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any new proposals for the recognition of the chiropody profession based on a recognised course of qualification ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : Chiropody courses that lead to state registration are those recognised and approved by the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine. There are no plans to change that arrangement.
Child Employment
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking in order to assess the effectiveness of regulations governing child employment ; and if he has any plans to amend existing legislation.
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to assess the effectiveness of regulations governing child employment ; and if he has any plans to seek to amend existing legislation.
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the report of the national child employment study on "Children at Work in the 1990s", a copy of which has been sent to him.
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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor) on 25 March.
Patents (Chemical Substances)
Mr. Gale : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will give the remaining patent life for each new chemical entity and new active substance licensed and marketed in each of the years 1987, 1988 and 1989- 90, respectively ;
(2) how many products licensed in each of the years 1987, 1988 and 1989-90 had no effective patent life remaining at the point of marketing.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is not our practice to give information on the commercial position of the pharmaceutical companies covered by the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme.
Health Service, Kuwait
Mr. Brazier : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what help he is giving to the Kuwaiti Minister of Public Health to rebuild their health service.
Mr. Dorrell : I wrote to Dr. al Fouzan, Kuwait's Minister of Public Health, soon after the liberation of Kuwait offering our full support for the provision of emergency health services. I also commended to him, for the longer term, the services of a British health care-industry consortium, led by John Laing International. Through links with the Association of British Healthcare Industries, the consortium has access to providers of a wide range of British goods and services, including NHS expertise through NHS Overseas Enterprises. The consortium is now actively collaborating with the Kuwaiti Health Ministry to assess that country's needs.
Hospitals
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he has given to an application from the North Western regional health authority for a grant towards the cost of the approved move of the department of psychiatry for the deaf from Whittingham hospital, Preston, to Manchester ; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : On the advice of the supra-regional services advisory group, we are making available in 1991-92 bridging finance to assist with the proposed move of the department of psychiatry for the deaf from Whittingham hospital to Prestwich. The loan would be repayable on the sale of property or land on the Whittingham site.
The initial response of North Western regional health authority has been to decline the offer of bridging finance. The timing and funding of the relocation of the service is ultimately a matter for the health authority.
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make a statement on the future of the Vale of Catmose hospital, Oakham, following the visit last summer by the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell), Under-Secretary of State for Health.
Mr. Dorrell : Leicestershire health authority approved the closure of Catmose Vale hospital on 8 February 1989.
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The closure of Catmose Vale is part of the district's overall strategy for hospital services. A full public consultation exercise was carried out and the Leicestershire community health council agreed the closure. I understand the hospital will not close until facilities to reprovide services are complete at Rutland memorial hospital.Mr. Carr : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many gynaecology beds will be available for (a) in-patients and (b) day care patients in Sharoe Green hospital on (i) 1 April 1991, (ii) 31 December 1991 and (iii) 1 April 1992 ; what percentage these are of beds available as at 1 April 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to Mr. W. I. Woolley, the chairman of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley health authority, for details.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of his Ministers has been given responsibility for energy use by his Department ; and what is his or her brief regarding energy efficiency.
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Mr. Jack : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Lord Henley, has been given responsibility for energy use. His brief is to maximise energy efficiency in the Department's buildings and to take opportunities to assist in promoting energy efficiency awareness among our staff and clients.
I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 28 January 1991 at column 434.
Child Benefit
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, on the same basis as his reply to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett), 7 June 1988, Official Report, columns 521-22, the total amount of child benefit, together with the number of families and children in respect of which it is paid, and the percentage which each figure represents for the income bands (a) under £5,000, (b) £5,000 to £10,000, (c) £10,000 to £15,000, (d) £15,000 to £20,000, (e) £20,000 to £25,000, (f) £25,000 to £50,000, (g) £50,000 to £100,000 and (h) £100,000 and over.
Mr. Jack : Information about incomes of families receiving child benefit is not routinely collected. The following estimates of the gross incomes of recipient families in 1991-92 are therefore made on the basis of sample survey data which are subject to normal sampling and response variation.
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Band of gross Families receiving cNumber of children Child benefit expenditure
income
|000s |per cent.|000s |per cent.|£ million|per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under £5,000 |220 |(3.2) |260 |(2.1) |110 |(2.2)
£5,000 to £10,000 |1,410 |(20.7) |2,610 |(21.2) |1,060 |(21.2)
£10,000 to £15,000 |1,080 |(15.8) |2,070 |(16.8) |840 |(16.8)
£15,000 to £20,000 |1,270 |(18.6) |2,330 |(18.9) |950 |(18.9)
£20,000 to £25,000 |990 |(14.5) |1,820 |(14.8) |740 |(14.7)
£25,000 to £50,000 |1,550 |(22.7) |2,700 |(21.9) |1,100 |(22.0)
Above £50,000 |300 |(4.4) |520 |(4.3) |210 |(4.3)
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
|6,810 |(100.0) |12,310 |(100.0) |5,010 |(100.0)
Notes:
1. Estimates are based on the 1986, 1987, 1988 family expenditure survey, supplemented
by the survey of personal incomes, and updated to 1991-92 levels of earnings and benefit
rates excluding proposed changes to child benefit announced in the Budget.
2. Income is measured on a gross basis and is the family's total income from all
sources.
3. Estimates take no account of any failure to claim income-related benefits.
4. No detailed breakdown is possible for an income band above £50,000 because of sample
sizes.
5. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
6. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
Benefit Arrears
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give (a) for each social security office within Strathclyde region, the number of awards of supplementary benefit since April 1987, where regulation 72 of the adjudication regulations has operated to make the arrears payable to the claimant and (b) the number of these cases involving payment of arrears prior to November 1980.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is not available.
Part-time Students
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on paying benefit to part-time students who have courses to take, free of charge, but can obtain no grant or charitable funding.
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Miss Widdecombe : Unemployed part-time students can receive income support provided they are prepared to terminate the course if a job vacancy arises, and they meet the basic conditions of entitlement to benefit. That is, for a fit person of working age, to be available for and actively seeking employment.
Local Offices
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy toward the provision of answerphones for local offices for use after hours ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : Local offices can, at their discretion, use answerphones after hours to receive and impart information. Currently just under half do so.
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State Pensions
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) in which areas his Department has employed the services of market researchers to canvass pensioners over their preferred method for receiving payment of their state pension ;
(2) if his Department employs the services of market researchers to canvass pensioners over their preferred method for receiving payment of their state pensions in (a) urban areas and (b) rural areas.
Miss Widdecombe : The Department has recently employed market researchers to conduct a survey of preferred methods for receiving payment of state benefits. It was conducted amongst a nationally representative sample of pensioners, people coming up to retirement and people receiving child benefit.
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