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£125,000 through ACORD towards cost of mixed grains for May 1991 planting.(b) Ethiopia
No seed supplied recently, but we are willing to look sympathetically at requests as a famine relief measure.
(c) Other African countries affected by famine :
Angola
13 tonnes white maize sent through CAFOD to arrive September 1990-- £13,700.
300 tonnes millet and sorghum sent through Christian Aid to arrive September 1990--£177,700.
£17,000 through CAFOD towards cost of 4 tonnes vegetable seeds sent to arrive October-November 1990.
£25,000 through OXFAM towards cost of 100 tonnes sorghum to arrive March-April 1991.
Visits by CAFOD and Christian Aid are now in progress to report on distribution and use of seed.
Liberia
US$50,000 through UNDRO for vegetable and rice seeds for mid-1991 planting.
Malawi
£45,950 through World Vision towards cost of vegetable/grain seeds for mid-1991 planting.
20 Mozambique
£439,000 through NGOs towards costs of seeds for planting April 1991.
£634,000 through NGOs towards costs of 2,447 tonnes
vegetable/grain seeds for planting October 1991.
Brazil
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to increase the provision of aid to the indigenous peoples of Brazil ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : We are already financing a health project for the Yanomami Indians through Oxfam. We are currently discussing with the Brazilian authorities the possibility of providing further help for indigenous people and I will be very happy to do so from within our bilateral programme for Brazil if suitable activities can be identified. Support has also been made available under the joint funding scheme to British non-governmental organisations undertaking development projects in Brazil and, subject to the availability of resources, new proposals from non-governmental organisations will be considered.
Glendon Hospital, Montserrat
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when it is expected that the roofless part of Glendon hospital in Montserrat, which was damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989, will be repaired ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : Glendon hospital is functioning normally albeit with less space available because the roofless part is not currently in use. Work on rehabilitation and redevelopment, including construction of a new roof, will go ahead as soon as the accommodation required to house the hospital temporarily is ready to be occupied.
Iraqi Refugees
Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements his Department will make to send out to the Iraqi refugees relief goods donated by the public.
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Mrs. Chalker : We have already helped voluntary bodies, including British Aid for the Kurds, with the costs of transport of relief supplies generously donated by the public. We have now reached an agreement with CARE Britain under which they are responding to requests for assistance from voluntary bodies by screening and collecting priority relief items. The ODA will then take responsibility for their onward transport. Voluntary bodies interested in this arrangement should contact the ODA's disaster unit first.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
European Political Union
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is in possession of the draft treaty on European political union ; and when he expects that copies will be available for hon. Members.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Yes. I understand the Library is taking steps to obtain a copy.
This text does not have any formal standing. As a negotiating document, it may quickly become out of date. I do not intend to make it formally available to the House. There will, however, be ample opportunity for hon. Members to debate the issues with which it deals, for example during the regular EC debate in the run-up to the next European Council in June.
Mr. Favell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the draft treaty on political union submitted by the Luxembourg presidency on 15 April.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The document is in the public domain. I understand that the Library is taking steps to obtain a copy.
Khmer Rouge
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many letters he has received from (a) the Khmer Rouge and (b) Pol Pot, by year for the last four years to date ; and if he will make a statement on their contents and his replies.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Wells) on 26 July 1990, at column 475. Apart from these, no other letters from the Khmer Rouge, or Pol Pot, have been addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Iran
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has had about the number of executions which have taken place in Iran in the last 12 months.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We continue to receive reports from various sources of large numbers of executions in Iran. We have on many occasions expressed our concern about allegations of human rights abuses there, in particular the large numbers of executions.
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East Germany
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foriegn and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost of bringing the agriculture of the former East Germany into the European Community.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The European Commission has estimated the additional cost to the Community agriculture budget in a full year resulting from German unification at 1,414 mecu or £985 million. A total of 1,315 mecu--£916 million--has been provided in the 1991 Community budget for this purpose, which represents slightly less than a full year's cost.
British Consulate, Patras
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foriegn and Commonwealth Affairs what report he has received from Her Majesty's ambassador in Athens about the public speech by the Greek Minister of Public Order on 27 April regarding an alleged Palestinian terrorist threat to the British consulate in Patras ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs was informed of the Greek Minister of Public Affairs' speech on the day it was made. Her Majesty's embassy in Athens is in close touch with the Greek authorities. Her Majesty's representatives in Greece take any terrorist threat to British interests very seriously. They have taken suitable security measures, including the temporary closure of all British consulates and vice-consulates in Greece outside Athens.
United Nations Children's Rights Convention
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence), Official Report, 26 April 1991, column 598, when he expects to conclude his consultation with the United Nations islands and dependent territories on the United Nations convention on the rights of the child.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We are continuing our consultations with the dependent territories and the United Kingdom islands. We shall ratify the convention on the rights of the child as soon as possible.
Kurdish Refugees
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foriegn and Commonwealth Affairs if he has made any representations to the Government of Turkey concerning their refusal to grant refugee status to Iraqi Kurds.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The Turkish authorities have allowed Iraqi displaced persons to come down from the mountains to more accessible areas inside Turkey where immediate relief aid can be provided. The Turkish Government share the longer-term objective of the relief effort to ensure that they can eventually return to their own homes in Iraq in peace and security.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made any representations to the Turkish Government concerning
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the placement of Kurdish refugee camps in Turkey under United Nations supervision ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Garel-Jones : No representations have been made to the Turkish Government regarding the supervision of camps in Turkey for Iraqi displaced persons : these camps are at present under the control of the Turkish authorities. They are not administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on violations of article 1 of the Geneva convention 1951 and the 1967 protocol on refugees by the Turkish Government in their dealings with refugees from Iraqi Kurdistan.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We have received no reports of any violations of article 1 of the 1951 Geneva convention or the 1967 protocol on refugees by the Turkish Government.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
South Africa (Sanctions)
Mr. Quentin Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the economic sanctions against South Africa, including the withdrawal of export credit and trade promotion facilities which would otherwise be available, still being enforced by (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) other Governments of the European Community.
Mr. Sainsbury : The economic sanctions applied by Her Majesty's Government are included in the list of sanctions set out in annex C of appendix 2 to volume II of the Foreign Affairs Committee report, "UK Policy towards South Africa and other States of the Region", 14 February 1991, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
Since that report was submitted, EC Foreign Ministers have agreed in principle to lift the measures imposed in September 1986. The Government have also notified the Commonwealth of their intention to lift the ban on Government funding of trade missions to, and participation in trade fairs and exhibitions in, South Africa. Other EC countries are known to apply additional economic sanctions against South Africa at national level, but details are not available.
Chancery Group
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) who is responsible for making an announcement, and at what time he expects it to be made, concerning the safety and security of money placed by investors with the Chancery Group ;
(2) what information he has on the current position of the Chancery Group, and the safety of investors' money.
Mr. Redwood : I understand that the administrator, Price Waterhouse should be able to help the hon. Member on these points.
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Bankruptcy Protection
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will bring forward proposals to establish a system of bankruptcy protection similar to chapter 11 used by firms in the United States of America to reorganise their finances without liquidation.
Mr. Redwood : I have no plans at present to do so.
Receives (Charges)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will bring forward proposals to require receivers put in by banks to provide the firms they are put into with a breakdown and explanation of their charges.
Mr. Redwood : I have no plans at present to do so.
Bankruptcy Court
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will bring forward proposals to establish a bankruptcy court on the lines suggested by Sir Kenneth Cork.
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Mr. Redwood : I have no plans at present to do so.
Insolvency
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations have been made to him about the case for reform of insolvency procedures.
Mr. Redwood : My right hon. Friend and I have received various approaches about aspects of insolvency policy. The working of the Insolvency Act 1986 is kept under review by the insolvency service executive agency.
Waste Paper Imports
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the monthly value and quantity of imports of waste paper from Germany for 1988 to the latest available month.
Mr. Sainsbury : The information requested is as follows :
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Imports of waste paper (SITC 251.1) from Germany
Year
1988 1989 1990 1991
Month |Tonnes |Value pound|Tonnes |Value pound|Tonnes |Value pound|Tonnes |Value pound
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January |312 |36,034 |263 |31,402 |51 |14,638 |184 |42,476
February |539 |75,467 |152 |18,489 |234 |38,476 |67 |8,910
March |454 |45,837 |161 |20,305 |251 |42,013 |- |-
April |317 |37,834 |67 |8,549 |138 |19,033 |- |-
May |1,610 |128,857 |283 |32,253 |1,256 |83,393 |- |-
June |1,326 |99,246 |1,175 |90,489 |119 |18,371 |- |-
July |1,218 |89,843 |144 |23,759 |1,429 |76,094 |- |-
August |1,227 |132,311 |1,215 |104,930 |184 |28,197
September |158 |21,421 |2,047 |162,178 |1,035 |57,620 |- |-
October |2,266 |225,905 |1,096 |109,706 |1,050 |65,416 |- |-
November |927 |76,985 |156 |33,232 |585 |93,686 |- |-
December |133 |16,791 |1,004 |94,088 |97 |12,532 |- |-
Source: British Paper and Board Industry Federation.
(based on Customs and Excise figures).
Notes:
1. From January 1991 the figures are for United Germany.
Earlier figures are for the Federal Republic of Germany.
2. Imports are on a country of consignment basis.
The country from which the goods are consigned is not necessarily the country of shipment, origin or manufacture.
Press and Public Relations
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give for each year from 1979-80, including 1991-92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff including vacant post in the press and public relations office of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Mr. Sainsbury : The information is available only for the years 1984 to 1991 inclusive, and is as follows :
England and Wales Great Britain
Year |Incorporations|Receiverships |Incorporations|Receiverships
|(000s) |(000s) |(000s) |(000s)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1981 |68.9 |1.3 |72.4 |1.7
1982 |83.0 |2.7 |87.2 |2.9
1983 |91.5 |2.8 |96.2 |3.1
1984 |92.9 |2.2 |97.9 |2.3
1985 |99.2 |1.9 |104.6 |2.1
1986 |111.3 |1.9 |117.3 |2.1
1987 |122.1 |1.3 |128.0 |1.5
1988 |122.1 |1.1 |128.9 |1.2
1989 |123.5 |1.7 |130.3 |1.8
1990 |113.9 |4.3 |120.9 |4.4
Business Statistics
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses (a) began trading and (b) went into receivership in each of the last 10 years in (i) Suffolk and Norfolk, (ii) England and (iii) the United Kingdom.
Mr. Redwood : Information is not readily available in the form requested. The following table gives estimates of the number of companies whose registered offices are in the areas shown :
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Norfolk and Suffolk England and Wales Great Britain Companies incorporated in financial year1990-91 1,200 108,700 113,700
Active companies on register at
31 March 1991 16,900 978,300 1,030,200
Of which :
In receivership 168 8,430 9,120
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It should be noted that the location of companies in receivership may depend on the location of the offices which carry out receivership duties and that companies can be in receivership for a number of years.The number of companies which were incorporated and which went into receivership during the last 10 years is as follows (data for Norfolk and Suffolk are not available) :
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England and Wales Great BritainYear Incorporations (000s) Receiverships (000s) Incorporations (000s) Receiverships (000s)
1981 68.9 1.3 72.4 1.7
1982 83.0 2.7 87.2 2.9
1983 91.5 2.8 96.2 3.1
1984 92.9 2.2 97.9 2.3
1985 99.2 1.9 104.6 2.1
1986 111.3 1.9 117.3 2.1
1987 122.1 1.3 128.0 1.5
1988 122.1 1.1 128.9 1.2
1989 123.5 1.7 130.3 1.8
1990 113.9 4.3 120.9 4.4
Insurance Services Group
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his written answer of 1 May, if all of the bidders have tabled an offer to pay for the acquisition of Export Credits Guarantee Department's Insurance Services Group in Cardiff.
Mr. Sainsbury : Both NCM and Assicurazioni Generali have tabled an offer to pay for the acquisition of the short-term business of ECGD, subject to contract. Trade Indemnity has submitted an alternative proposal. Each response is now being evaluated by the Government and their advisers.
EC Regional Funds
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give figures for the total amount of assistance received from EC regional funds to each standard planning region of the United Kingdom since the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Community.
Mr. Leigh : The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Bankruptcies
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of bankruptcies and liquidations categorised by size in each month of 1989, 1990 and 1991 to date ; and in how many cases banks put in receivers.
Mr. Redwood : Statistics on the number of bankruptcies and company insolvencies are maintained quarterly and are not categorised by size. Administrative receivers are appointed under powers given in debentures by debenture holders, the vast majority of whom are banks. Statistics are maintained on a quarterly basis showing the number of receivers appointed by debenture holders, but are not held of the proportion of such appointments made by banks.
Quarterly figures for the period requested are as follows :
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Year |Q1 |Q2 |Q3 |Q4 |Total
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bankruptcies
1989 |1,972 |2,103 |1,837 |2,226 |8,138
1990 |2,514 |2,804 |3,018 |3,722 |12,058
1991 |<1>4,835|- |- |- |-
Company insolvencies:
Compulsory liquidations
1989 |854 |1,103 |548 |1,515 |4,020
1990 |1,267 |1,286 |985 |2,439 |5,977
1991 |<1>2,076|- |- |- |-
Creditors voluntary liquidations
1989 |1,712 |1,711 |1,479 |1,533 |6,435
1990 |2,060 |2,070 |2,316 |2,628 |9,074
1991 |<2> |- |- |- |-
Receiverships
1989 |358 |477 |324 |547 |1,706
1990 |918 |925 |1,045 |1,430 |4,318
1991 |<2>- |- |- |- |-
<1> Provisional.
<2> Not yet available.
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