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Mr. Yeo : Various measures are being taken to improve the safety of public buildings in view of recent terrorist attacks. It would not be appropriate to give details of these measures.
Prestwich Hospital
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to come to a decision on the planning applications from Salford health authority relating to part of the Prestwich hospital, Salford site.
Mr. Yeo : The appeal will be determined as quickly as possible after the inspector has reported on the public inquiry to be held on 26 September.
Local Authority Swap Contracts
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to deal with the problem arising from local authority swap contracts.
Mr. Key : The Government are considering the implications of the House of Lords judgment on this complex matter and will make an announcement as soon as possible.
Heliports (London)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received the inspector's report on the City of London heliport planning application ; and what the inspector recommends.
Mr. Yeo : The inspector's report has not yet been received.
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Lambeth (Housing)
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of bids for housing association development in Lambeth for 1991-92 ; and what bids will be met for new housing and rehabilitation of existing housing.
Mr. Yeo : This is a matter for the Housing Corporation. I have therefore asked the corporation to respond to the hon. Member direct.
Bees
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to prevent damage to domestic bees as a consequence of the importation of the varroa mite.
Mr. Curry : Our aim is to keep this country free from varroasis. The Importation of Bees Order 1980 prohibits imports of honey bees except under licence from countries of high bee health status which are free from varroasis.
Parking Offences
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many parking tickets were received and paid by his Department in each year since 1988 in respect of official vehicles.
Mr. Hesseltine [holding answer 28 March 1991] : The numbers of parking tickets received and paid by the Department of the Environment in respect of the Government car service, the interdepartmental despatch service and DOE (Central) Vehicles, for each of the years requested, are :
1988-89 |1989-90|<1>1990 -------------------------------- 181 |133 |68 <1> To date.
These numbers exclude PSA and TCS vehicles for which records are not held centrally and where the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Tameside
92. Mr Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to increase infrastructure investment in Tameside.
Mr. Key [holding answer 22 February 1991] : Responsibility for monitoring and developing infrastructure in Tameside lies primarily with the borough council. My Department has this year awarded Tameside rolling programme status for derelict land reclamation grant together with supplementary credit approvals for environmental and other regenerative schemes in the Hyde renewal area.
Tameside is also eligible for grant aid from the European regional development fund under phase II of the Mersey basin programme, which is administered by the Government for the EC in partnership with local authorities and other eligible bodies. Tameside have submitted 25 grant applications for a range of infrastructure projects ; and so far the first three of these have been approved, to a total of £110, 657 grant aid. Others are expected to follow.
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Grimsargh Hall Farm
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of the proposed development by J. Turner and Son at Grimsargh Hall farm, Preston ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo [holding answer 8 March 1991] : Two letters of objection were received by my right hon. Friend and Preston borough council copied to him a further 11 and one in support.
My right hon. Friend considered that the issues raised did not justify calling in the application and he has authorised the council to determine it as it thinks fit.
The Gulf
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had relating to its assessments of the ecological resources of the Gulf states from the world conservation monitoring centre in Cambridge.
Mr. Baldry : In addition to the hon. Member's question to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 22 March, Official Report, Volume 188, column 246, I have also received a letter from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre which draws attention to the work carried out by the centre on the Gulf conflict.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what protection has been given to sea grasses in the Gulf.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 March 1991, Official Report, Vol. 188, column 245.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report, column 245, in what ways he has made the work of the Plymouth marine laboratory of NERC known to the Gulf states.
Mr. Baldry : The report on the likely biological effects of the Gulf oil slick carried out by the Natural Environment Research Council was sent to relevant agencies in Saudi Arabia via the British embassy in Riyadh in early February, and to British embassies in other Gulf states.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the information learned from the work of the Meteorological Office research aircraft in the Gulf ; (2) what information he has had from members of the Meteorological Office, in relation to sulphur dioxide and other deleterious substances, as a result of their research flight over Kuwait ; and what further monitoring action he proposes to take.
Mr. Baldry : I am arranging to place in the Library copies of an assessment by Departments concerned of the potential impact of the burning oil wells in Kuwait on the environment and human health ; and of a report by the Meteorological Office on the recent activities of the meteorological research flight in the region. Following analysis of the data gathered by the aircraft, the Meteorological Office will publish a preliminary report of the findings in a few weeks' time. No further monitoring action is currently planned.
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Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what satellite images of the effect of the pollution over Kuwait have been made available by other countries to his Department.
Mr. Baldry : Meteorological satellite images provide information on the location and extent of the smoke plume in the Gulf rather than on its effects. Images from European meteorological satellites are available to all nations through normal receiving channels.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department is providing to the Kuwait Government to help them to cope with the effect of summer ventilation systems in Kuwait inhaling air with abnormal sulphur dioxide and nitrogen content.
Mr. Baldry : None at present. My Department continues to be in contact with the Gulf states about whether there is further scope for the application of United Kingdom expertise in the evaluation of the environmental effects of the war and possible remedial action.
Estuaries (Effluent)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a study of the effluent from waste production and waste disposal in relation to the ecosystems of estuaries.
Mr. Baldry : It is already normal practice to set discharge consents for effluents to rivers and estuaries on the basis of quality objectives set for downstream waters. The quality objectives used for estuaries are to maintain the ecosystems if the quality is high, and to restore the quality if it is not. With the introduction of integrated pollution control discharges from prescribed processes will also be required to apply best available techniques not entailing excessive cost to prevent pollution.
Hazardous Waste (US Bases)
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place between the Government and United States Government about disposal of hazardous waste from United States bases in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the world ; and what was the outcome of the discussions.
Mr. Baldry : Discussions have been held since November 1989 with the United States Government about the importation into the United Kingdom of hazardous waste from United States bases overseas. Pending the outcome of these discussions imports of hazardous waste into United States bases have been suspended. The United States Government have now agreed that their forces will not in the future import hazardous waste directly into their bases in the United Kingdom. Discussions are continuing with the United States Government with a view to stopping the importation of all waste.
EMPLOYMENT
Labour Statistics
Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the total number of persons engaged in (a) agriculture, (b) steel industry, (c) coal
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mining, (d) the car industry, (e) the electrical goods industry, (f) local government and (g) the national health service in 1979, 1989 and 1990, showing the percentage increase or decrease in each case.Mr. Jackson : The Department's estimates of employment are categorised according to the 1980 standard
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industrial classification (SIC80). This classification does not specifically identify the national health service, which is included along with other employers in medical and other health services (SIC 80 groups 951, 952, 953 and 954). The available information is given in the table.Column 67
Employees in Employment-Great Britain
Thousands (Unadjusted for seasonal variation) Percentage change
Industries (SIC 80) |June 1979 |June 1989 |June 1990 |1979-89 |1979-90 |1989-90
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture and horticulture (Class 01) |339 |263 |260 |-23 |-23 |-1
Iron and steel industry (Group 221)<1> |191 |45 |53 |-76 |-72 |16
Coal extraction and manufacture of solid
fuels (Group 111) |299 |103 |91 |-66 |-70 |-12
Manufacture of motor vehicles and parts
(Class 35) |464 |262 |245 |-44 |-47 |-6
Electrical and electronic engineering (Class 34) 752 553 556 -26 -26 1
Local government service not elsewhere
specified (Activity 9112) |662 |539 |557 |-18 |-16 |3
Medical and other health services (Group
951, 952, 953 and 954) |1,170 |1,377 |1,380 |18 |18 |0
<1>These estimates are based on small samples and are unreliable.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the unemployment rate in each European Community country.
Mr. Jackson : Following is a table which gives the latest available internationally comparable unemployment rates for the 12 member states of the European Community.
Comparisons of Unemployment between EC countries
Standardised unemployment rates<1>
seasonally adjusted
|Per cent rate|Latest month
---------------------------------------------------------
Spain |15.8 |November
Ireland |14.7 |February
Italy |9.8 |October
France |9.1 |January
Belgium |8.4 |February
United Kingdom |8.1 |February
Denmark |<1>(7.9) |February
Greece |<2>(7.4) |April 1987
Netherlands |7.3 |December
Portugal |4.5 |November
Luxembourg |<3>(1.6) |February
<1> Note for those EC countries for which no OECD
standardised
rates are available, similar harmonised rates compiled
by the
Statistical Office of European Communities (EUROSTAT)
are
shown in brackets.
<2> Recent comparable figures are currently not
available for Greece
the latest relating to April 1987.
<3> There are no reliable figures available as yet for a
unified
Germany, the rate for the former West Germany is 4.5 per
cent. for
January.
Source: OECD "Main Economic Indicators", Labour Attache
reports and Eurostat "Unemployment" Bulletins.
Employment Offices (South Yorkshire)
Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what employment offices he plans to close in South Yorkshire.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
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Factory Inspection
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Bradford, South of 26 March, Official Report, column 752-53, if he will list the pilot projects and the areas they are established within, to identify unregistered premises ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : Between 1 July and 31 December the Health and Safety Executive plans to carry out a pilot exercise to assess the feasibility of employing visiting officers to identify establishments for inspection. The exercise will take place in the following HSE areas :
Marches
South West
East Anglia
London North
Greater Manchester
West & North Yorkshire
Scotland West
One of the objectives of the exercise is to seek out and identify establishments not registered with HSE. The exercise is in addition to and complements normal inspection arrangements to seek out and inspect unregistered premises.
National Council for Vocational Qualifications
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the current members of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications and give the relevant experience of each member ; how many of the council are female ; and what percentage of the total membership they comprise.
Mr. Jackson : A list of the 13 current members of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications and their experience is given below.
Chairman--
Sir Bryan Nicholson : Chairman of the Post Office ; the Council for National Academic Awards ; the Industrial Society ; the CBI Task Force on Vocatonal Education and Training. Formerly Chairman of Rank Xerox and of the Manpower Services Commission.
Members--
Gerald Brinsdon : Chairman of the West Midlands Engineering Careers Co- ordinating Organisation, an
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adviser to the Association of Metropolitan Authorities Education Committee and a member of the Engineering Careers Information Service steering committee. Until recently Chief Education Officer for Sandwell.Ken Graham CBE : Formerly Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, 1985-87. He has been a member of the board of Remploy Ltd. since 1987 and was formerly a Commissioner of the MSC 1974-87. Peter Reay CBE : Has held a wide range of personnel and management positions within Cadbury Schweppes PLC becoming Group Personnel Director in 1981 from which he retired recently. Ron Shepherd : OBE Recently retired as Manager, Education Training and Personnel Services at the Ford Motor Company. Barry Barker MBE : Recently retired as Secretary and Chief Executive, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (formerly Chartered Institute of Secretaries) following a career in industry and management.
Dr. John Capey : Worked in industry as a production manager before moving into education. Has a Doctorate in education. Is currently Principal of Exeter College. He is a mentor of the Business Technician Education Council and of the CPVE Joint Board.
Hywel Davies : Personnel Manager of South Wales Electricity Board.
Barney Gibbens OBE : Co-founder of Computer Analysts Programmes Ltd (the CAP Group) in May 1962. This company merged in July 1988 with a large French systems house and changed its name to SEMA Group Plc--of which company he is Chairman.
Gill Lewis : Has a degree in Chemistry from Oxford. She is
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a "former business woman of the year" and is currently the Director of Human Resources at Courtaulds plc.John Spence OBE : Chairman of the Northern Ireland Training Authority 1984- 89. Chairman of the Training and Employment Agency for Northern Ireland since 1989. Chairman of Richardsons Fertilisers Ltd.
John Barnes : Lecturer in Political Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has been Chairman of the Kent Education Committee, and is currently a member of the Council for National Academic Awards.
George Wycherley : Director and General Manager of Motherwell Bridge Fabricators Ltd. He was Chairman of the Manpower Services Commission's Area Manpower Board for Lanarkshire.
There is currently one vacancy on the council. Of the 13 current members one is female, representing 7.7 per cent. of the total membership.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for full-time workers the percentage earning less than £170 and £180, giving the information for (a) women and (b) men for (1) manual, (2) non-manual and (3) all workers, excluding overtime pay for (i) Scotland, (ii) the regions of Scotland and (iii) Great Britain.
Mr. Jackson : The information available from the new earnings survey is given in the following tables.
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Full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence
Percentage with weekly earnings less than £ 180 (ex overtime)
Women Men
|Manual |Non-manual|All |Manual |Non-manual|All
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |89.7 |55.1 |62.9 |50.1 |16.3 |34.3
Borders |.. |.. |84.1 |62.3 |.. |..
Central |96.8 |65.5 |74.9 |41.9 |13.3 |29.5
Dumfries and Galloway |.. |.. |72.9 |48.2 |.. |40.0
Fife |89.9 |57.4 |67.7 |46.9 |19.3 |35.1
Grampian |.. |52.4 |60.8 |49.3 |7.9 |30.8
Highland |.. |64.5 |69.6 |54.2 |.. |39.2
Lothian |86.0 |52.8 |58.1 |54.7 |18.0 |34.7
Strathclyde |86.5 |53.4 |60.8 |47.3 |16.4 |32.9
Tayside |95.8 |57.8 |67.8 |62.3 |19.8 |43.2
Islands |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |35.1
Highland and islands |.. |58.5 |65.0 |53.4 |16.5 |38.2
Great Britain |85.2 |46.3 |54.4 |43.5 |13.5 |28.6
Source: NES 1990.
NB ".." denotes sampling errors too large or numbers to small for reliable information.
Full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence
Percentage with weekly earnings less than £ 170 (ex overtime) April 1990
Women Men
|Manual |Non-manual|All |Manual |Non-manual|All
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |84.7 |49.1 |57.2 |42.0 |13.8 |28.9
Borders |.. |.. |80.5 |54.1 |.. |..
Central |88.9 |59.5 |68.2 |32.7 |10.2 |23.0
Dumfries and Galloway |.. |.. |65.6 |42.6 |.. |35.2
Fife |87.3 |54.4 |64.9 |40.2 |16.0 |29.9
Grampian |.. |46.9 |55.3 |41.9 |6.6 |26.2
Highland |.. |60.3 |66.2 |47.9 |.. |34.7
Lothian |81.4 |45.2 |50.9 |45.6 |15.4 |29.1
Strathclyde |81.2 |47.5 |55.1 |39.1 |14.3 |27.5
Tayside |89.5 |52.2 |62.0 |53.2 |16.2 |36.6
Islands |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |31.2
Highland and islands |.. |55.1 |62.3 |47.1 |15.0 |33.9
Great Britain |80.7 |40.8 |49.1 |36.4 |11.1 |23.8
Source:
NES 1990.
NB ".." denotes sampling errors too large or numbers too small for reliable information.
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Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide details of the number of male employees in part-time employment for (a) Scotland and (b) Great Britain ; and if he will provide a regional breakdown for each.
Mr. Jackson : There were an estimated 953,600 male employees in part -time employment in Great Britain in September 1990, the latest date for which information is available. Estimates for the regions are available only from the census of employment. The latest available are for September 1989 and are given in the table.
Male employees in part-time employment: September 1989
Great Britain and regions |Numbers
|(000s)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great Britain |920.8
South East |342.9
East Anglia |33.8
South West |85.2
West Midlands |78.6
East Midlands |64.2
Yorks & Humberside |72.3
North West |90.6
North |40.0
Wales |37.2
Scotland |76.1
Regions of Scotland
Borders |1.6
Central |3.5
Dumfries & Galloway |1.8
Fife |3.8
Grampian |9.4
Highland |3.8
Lothian |11.1
Strathclyde |33.2
Tayside |6.6
Orkney |0.5
Shetland |0.5
Western Isles |0.4
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for part-time women workers (a) average gross weekly earnings, (b) average weekly hours, total and overtime and (c) average gross hourly earnings for (i) manual, (ii) non-manual and (iii) all part-time women workers in (1) Great Britain, (2) Scotland and (3) the regions of Scotland.
Mr. Jackson : The information available from the new earnings survey is given in the following table.
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Part-time females on adult rates
Average Gross Weekly Average Weekly Hours Average Gross Hourly
Earnings (£ ) Earnings (pence)
Total Overtime
|Manual |Non-man|All |Manual |Non-man|All |Manual |Non-man|All |Manual |Non-man|All
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |59.1 |94.8 |79.0 |19.2 |20.4 |19.9 |0.6 |0.8 |0.7 |308.2 |462.6 |396.3
Borders |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |..
Central |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |291.0 |.. |..
Dumfries and Galloway |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |..
Fife |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |290.9 |.. |..
Grampian |54.1 |.. |77.9 |18.3 |.. |18.8 |1.2 |.. |1.1 |301.3 |451.9 |386.2
Highland |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |..
Lothian |56.4 |96.6 |79.8 |18.2 |20.7 |19.7 |0.6 |0.9 |0.8 |312.4 |467.2 |406.2
Strathclyde |62.1 |94.2 |80.1 |20.3 |20.4 |20.4 |0.7 |0.6 |0.6 |312.3 |466.1 |397.2
Tayside |.. |.. |76.7 |.. |.. |19.5 |.. |.. |0.5 |311.2 |.. |399.1
Islands |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |..
Highland and islands |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |.. |292.2 |.. |..
Great Britain |58.9 |89.2 |76.3 |18.5 |20.1 |19.4 |0.8 |0.9 |0.8 |321.4 |446.6 |395.1
Notes:
1. ".." denotes sampling error too large or numbers too small for reliable estimates.
2. The Survey excludes significant numbers of part-time employees with low weekly earnings.
Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide in a table the percentage of women in part-time employment who earn less than £2 per hour, less than £3 per hour, £3.40 per hour, £3.50 per hour, £4.50 per hour and £5 per hour for the categories (a) manual employment, (b) non-manual employment and (c) all women in (i) Scotland, (ii) the regions of Scotland and (iii) Great Britain as a whole.
Mr. Jackson : The information available from the new earnings survey is given in the following tables.
Part-time females on adult rates percentage with hourly earnings
less
than £ 2.00
|Manual |Non-manual|All
------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |3.9 |1.5 |2.6
Borders |.. |.. |..
Central |5.0 |.. |..
Dumfries and Galloway |.. |.. |..
Fife |2.0 |.. |..
Grampian |4.2 |0.9 |2.4
Highland |.. |.. |..
Lothian |3.4 |1.5 |2.3
Strathclyde |4.2 |1.6 |2.7
Tayside |5.3 |.. |3.6
Islands |.. |.. |..
Highlands and Islands |2.5 |.. |..
Great Britain |2.6 |1.7 |2.1
Part-time females on adult rates percentage with hourly earnings less than £3.00
Manual Non-manual All
Scotland 52.4 25.8 37.8
Borders
Central 0.80
Dumfries and Galloway
Fife 71.4
Grampian 57.9 29.9 42.5
Highland
Lothian 50.3 21.1 33.5
Strathclyde 46.7 25.6 35.1
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Part-time females on adult rates percentage with hourly earnings
less
than £ 3.00
|Manual |Non-manual|All
------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |52.4 |25.8 |37.8
Borders |.. |.. |..
Central |0.80 |.. |..
Dumfries and Galloway |.. |.. |..
Fife |71.4 |.. |..
Grampian |57.9 |29.9 |42.5
Highland |.. |.. |..
Lothian |50.3 |21.1 |33.5
Strathclyde |46.7 |25.6 |35.1
Tayside |0.48 |36.5
Islands |.. |.. |..
Highlands and Islands |0.60 |.. |..
Great Britain |52.1 |23.5 |35.9
Note: ".." denotes sampling error too large or numbers too small
for reliable estimates.
Part-time females on adult rates. Percentage with hourly earnings
less than £ 3.60
|Manual |Non-manual|All
------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland |83.5 |43.2 |61.1
Borders |.. |.. |..
Central |87.5 |.. |..
Dumfries and Galloway |.. |.. |..
Fife |89.8 |.. |..
Grampian |86.3 |41.9 |61.8
Highland |.. |.. |..
Lothian |83.7 |41.7 |59.5
Strathclyde |81.1 |41.7 |59.4
Tayside |90.7 |.. |63.5
Islands |.. |.. |..
Highlands and Islands |82.5 |.. |..
Great Britain |79.2 |43.8 |59.1
Note: ".." denotes sampling error too large or numbers too small
for reliable estimates.
Part-time females on adult rates. Percentage with hourly earnings less than £3.60
Manual Non-manual All
Scotland 83.5 43.2 61.1
Borders
Central 87.5
Dumfries and Galloway
Fife 89.8
Grampian 86.3 41.9 61.8
Highland
Lothian 83.7 41.7 59.5
Strathclyde 81.1 41.7 59.4
Tayside 90.7 63.5
Islands
Highland and Islands 82.5
Great Britain 79.2 43.8 59.1
Note : " " denotes sampling error too large or numbers too small for reliable estimates.
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