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Mr. Forth : In recommendation 34 of the report of the public inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster, Lord Cullen recognised that standardisation of the permit to work system throughout the industry was neither necessary nor practicable. Howevever, he recommended that the industry itself should seek to increase harmonisation, with particular reference to proposals for guidelines that had been made by a working group of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association--UKOOA--and which were outlined in the body of the report. I understand that UKOOA, together with representatives of other offshore organisations, has now produced draft guidance, which it aims to publish later this year following consultation within the industry.
Teaching Unions
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the membership of each teaching trade union ; and what information he has on how many members are trainee/student teachers and how many are retired members.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 10 May 1991] : The total membership of each teaching trade union known to the Employment Department is shown in the table. A breakdown of trainee/student teachers and retired members is not available.
Union |<1>Membership ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assistant Masters and Mistresses' Association |135,930 The Association of Agricultural Education Staffs |1,418 Association of Cambridge University Assistants |1,082 Association of Career Teachers |491 Association of Educational Psychologists |1,615 Association for College Management |1,490 Association of Principals of Colleges |665 Association of University Teachers |31,807 Association of Vice Principals of Colleges |111 British Association of Advisers and Lecturers in Physical Education |353 The Educational Institute of Scotland |45,571 Scottish Further and Higher Education Association |1,822 The Headmasters' Conference |355 The National Association of Head Teachers |35,238 National Association of Inspectors and Educational Advisers |2,048 National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers |163,646 National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education |81,407 National Society for Education in Art and Design |2,289 National Union of Teachers |213,482 Professional Association of Nursery Nurses |3,153 Professional Association of Teachers |42,793 Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association |7,278 Secondary Heads' Association |7,452 Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru |3,061 <1> The latest published figures relate to year ending 1989.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Grey Squirrels
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are taken by his Department to control the grey squirrel population.
Mr. Maclean : The responsibility for controlling grey squirrels lies with the owners or occupiers of land. A number of legal methods of control are available and our advisory service provides guidance on request.
NGOs (Appointments)
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the individual appointments excluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make to quasi-autonomous
non-governmental organisations in (a) 1991 and (b) 1992 indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.
Mr. Curry : The readily available information about the appointments for which this Department is responsible, a number of which will fall to be made in 1991 and 1992, is given in "Public Bodies" and "Public Appointments : A Handbook for Women's Organisations" copies of which are in the Library.
International Whaling Commission
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to ensure continuance of the International Whaling Commission's indefinite moratorium on whaling by all signatory states.
Mr. Gummer : I have taken a strong stand, both as Minister of State and Minister, on the importance of conserving whale stocks and I have repeatedly stated my determination that no whale stock should again be over -exploited by man.
We will not even contemplate the lifting of the moratorium on commercial whaling unless and until it is
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clear that whale stocks are at healthy levels, a satisfactory and robust management procedure is in place and the methods used to take whales are humane. We shall continue to press our view strongly at the forthcoming meeting of the International Whaling Commission. These conditions have clearly not been met.Fermor-Hesketh Estate (Poisoning)
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 24 April, Official Report, column 479, if he will place in the Library the report of the Ministry investigations officer into the poisoning incident in April 1990 on the Fermor-Hesketh estate.
Mr. Maclean : Reports by investigating officers are internal documents intended for use when considering legal proceedings. Moreover, since investigation officer reports include details of individuals who are not under investigation, and who have not been charged with any offence, it would be entirely inappropriate to release the reports.
Irradiation
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to (a) license irradiation plants in the United Kingdom, (b) give approval to irradiation plants in non-EC countries and (c) give authorisation to irradiation plants in EC countries to import irradiated food into the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : The Licensing Authority for England and Wales has received one application under the Food (Control of Irradiation) Regulations 1990, for approval to irradiate various dried spices and condiments. We will announce our decision on this application when our full evaluation is completed. No applications have yet been received in respect of food irradiation plants abroad.
Enzootic Bovine Leukosis
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to publish the results of his tests on cattle for enzootic bovine leukosis ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : A small pilot survey is currently taking place to gather information on the likely number of herds infected with EBL in Great Britain. Premises tested cannot be identified from the samples, but the findings of the survey will be made public when analysis of the results is completed.
Farm Waste (Pollution)
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to publish his next report on water pollution from farm waste in England and Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : I have agreed with the National Rivers Authority that the 1990 farm waste statistics will be presented within a comprehensive report by the authority covering both agricultural and non-agricultural pollution. I understand that the authority hopes to publish this report shortly.
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ENERGY
Opencast Sites
17. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Coal regarding the development by private mining companies of opencast sites.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.
Energy Consumption
19. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the increase in energy consumption in the United Kingdom in 1990.
Mr. Wakeham : Total final energy consumption in the United Kingdom in 1990 was 0.7 per cent. higher than in 1989.
Wind and Tidal Power
20. Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of Government spending on wind and tidal power in 1979 ; and what was the expenditure in real terms in 1990.
Mr. Moynihan : In the financial year 1979-80 my Department spent £0.6 million on wind energy research and £0.6 million on tidal power research. In 1990-91 the figures were £4.5 million for wind and £1.9 million for tidal.
Licensing
21. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress of the 12th and frontier rounds of licensing.
Mr. Wakeham : I hope to be able to announce awards made under both these rounds later this month.
Coal Industry
22. Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the Government's investment in the coal industry since 1979.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Since 1979 we have assisted British Coal in financing over £7 billion of new investment.
Cornwall Geothermal Energy Project
23. Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many representations he has received regarding the cut in funding for the Cornwall geothermal energy project.
Mr. Moynihan : Since I announced details of the new £3.3 million programme of hot dry rock geothermal research on 1 February 1991, I have received written comments from five sources.
British Coal
24. Mr. Cran : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of Government investment and grant aid in British Coal between 1974 and 1979 and between 1979 and 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
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27. Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of Government investment and grant aid in British Coal between 1974 and 1979 and between 1979 and 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Between 1974 and 1979 the Government assisted British Coal in financing £1,475 million of new investment and provided £401 million in grant aid. Between 1979 and 1990 the figures were £7,212 million and £14,826 million respectively. At March 1990 prices this comprises an average level of investment and grant of £843 million and £231 million per year for the years 1974 to 1979 compared with £940 million and £1,630 million respectively for the years 1979 to 1990.
Nuclear Power
25. Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement as to the contribution of nuclear power to environmental protection.
Mr. Wakeham : The main contribution of nuclear power to environmental protection is its role in curbing acid rain and combating global warming. Nuclear power stations emit practically no sulphur dioxides or nitrous oxides, which are the principal constituents of acid rain, or carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas. If the electricity currently provided by nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom was generated by coal, our total carbon emissions would increase by 15 million tonnes per year, an increase of 10 per cent. over present levels.
The 1994 review of nuclear power will include consideration of its environmental impact.
Energy Efficiency Rating
26. Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action he is taking to achieve a uniform national energy efficiency rating for houses and other buildings.
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My Department continues to encourage and support the National Energy Foundation and MVM Starpoint in their joint project to develop a means by which their two systems for energy efficiency labelling of houses can be compared.
As regards the labelling of other buildings, the Energy Efficiency Office is in touch with developments at the Building Research Establishment and elsewhere and will keep these under review.
Energy Efficiency and Renewables
Mr. Burt : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much Government spending on (a) energy efficiency and (b) renewable energy has increased in real terms since 1979-80.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My Department's expenditure in 1979-80 on energy efficiency and renewables was £2.4 million and £8.2 million respectively, in cash terms. Revalued to current--1991-92--terms, these sums would be £5.6 million for energy efficiency, compared with estimated expenditure for 1991-92 of £41.9 million, or 648 per cent., and £18.97 million for renewables, compared with estimated expenditure for 1991-92 of £24.5 million, or 29 per cent.
Euratom
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what organisation applies safeguards to the Euratom research reactors and nuclear material used for experimentation by Euratom.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : All nuclear material in use by Euratom is under safeguards, as provided for in Infcirc 193--agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Euratom non-nuclear weapons states--and under the safeguards arrangements set out in chapter VII of the Euratom treaty 1957.
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Spent Nuclear Fuel
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond), Official Report, 25 April, column 497, he will set out the form of assurances covering peaceful use commitment on plutonium that are acceptable to Her Majesty's Government ; and if he will list the dates on which such assurances have been received from foreign Governments for plutonium exported to date.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : All exports of nuclear materials, equipment and technology are made within the guidelines as set out in the statement by the then Foreign Secretary, now Lord Callaghan, on 31 March 1976 at columns 514-16. These include the requirement to seek an assurance that the export will not be used to manufacture nuclear explosives for any purpose.
The dates on which these assurances have been received from overseas Governments for exports of plutonium could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Research and Development
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West, Official Report, 25 April, column 500, he will indicate (a) when he expects the Energy Council to adopt the three proposed energy research programmes and (b) how the parts of the 1990-94 third framework programme on energy research and development have been funded to date.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : A common position has been reached on the proposed non-nuclear energies programme of the third framework programme. Under the co-operation procedure the European Parliament will now consider the programme, which should finally be adopted by September.
The programmes proposed for nuclear fission safety and for controlled nuclear fusion are both at early stages of discussion and are unlikely to be adopted before the autumn. These two programmes have come forward under the provisions of the Euratom treaty and therefore are not subject to the Community's co-operation procedure. The third framework programme was originally intended to be implemented in the years 1990-94, inclusive. To date, however, none of the individual programmes has been formally adopted, and no funds from the third framework programme have yet become available.
Kuwait Oil Fires
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what help he has given to (a) Kuwaiti British Fire Group, (b) Wimpey, (c) Taylor Woodrow, and (d) Amec to tackle well fires in Kuwait.
Mr. Wakeham : I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to him and my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham) on 7 May 1991, Official Report, column 374. Commercial negotiations are continuing between the Kuwaiti British Fire Group, the joint venture between Amec, Taylor Woodrow and Wimpey, and the Kuwaiti authorities. I stand ready to give the group further assistance as necessary.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many uncapped oil well fires there are in proximity to Ahmadi.
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Mr. Wakeham : The only information available applies to the current position in Kuwait as a whole, which is that of the order of 500 uncapped wells remain, many of which are still on fire. Reports from Kuwait suggest that around 96 wells have been capped to date.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what well- kill teams are available to the Government of Kuwait.
Mr. Wakeham : I understand that there are four firefighting teams working in Kuwait on the well-kill programme for the Kuwait oil company. These teams are all from north America.
The Kuwait authorities are having discussions with a number of other groups of companies which include some from the United Kingdom, offering their services for these operations. On my recent visit to Kuwait I was accompanied by a number of British company representatives among whom were members of the Kuwaiti British Fire Group.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what well records are available to the oil teams in relation to Kuwait.
Mr. Wakeham : Most well records were destroyed by the Iraqi forces during their occupation of Kuwait. I understand that those which remain intact have been made available to the fire-fighting teams.
Offshore Fixed Capital
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the total value of fixed capital offshore in 1990.
Mr. Moynihan : Total capital investment in offshore oil and gas fields up to 1990 amounts to some £74 billion at today's prices.
SCOTLAND
Dental Service
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children have been treated by Greater Glasgow health board's community dental service between 1 October 1990 and 31 March 1991 ; and of them how many are (a) pre-school children, (b) school children and (c) handicapped children.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is not centrally available in the form requested. However, the number of courses of treatment to children by the Greater Glasgow health board community dental service between 1 October 1990 and 31 December 1990 is set out in the table.
Category of Child |Number of courses
|of treatment<1>
|1 October 1990 to
|31 December 1991
-----------------------------------------------------------
All Children of which: |5,667
pre-school<2> |1,071
school<2> |4,341
handicapped<3> |167
<1> A child may have more than one course of treatment in
the same
period.
<2> Excludes handicapped children.
<3> Handicapped (physical or mental) people aged under 16
years.
Seed Potatoes
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to change the certification arrangements for Scottish seed potatoes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Seed Potatoes Regulations 1984, which govern the classification and marketing of seed potatoes in Great Britain, will shortly be amended to reflect EC requirements that all seed potatoes should be officially inspected prior to marketing. The seed potato classification scheme is kept under continuous review and changes to improve procedures are made as appropriate.
European Funds
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing inward investment received by (a) Scottish Office departments, (b) regional councils and (c) district councils from the (i) European regional development fund and (ii) the European social fund in each year since 1984 ; what proportion of this finance was additional to planned public expenditure ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Labour Statistics
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to develop initiatives to reduce the levels of unemployment within Renfrew district.
Mr. Allan Stewart : Renfrewshire Enterprise Company, under contract to Scottish Enterprise, has a budget of £28.834 million including training allowances in 1991-92 to devote to economic development, training and environmental improvement in its area. Action to reduce levels of unemployment will also be taken by the Employment Service, alongside the local enterprise company.
Disabled People (Training)
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to improve vocational and non-vocational training for people with disabilities.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Our policies for community care and for improving vocational education and training for employment are all designed to address the needs of people with disabilities. The arrangements for community care, which will come fully into effect in 1993, include the assessment of individual needs which includes the provision of education and training opportunities for disabled people. Local enterprise companies are responsible for meeting the Government guarantee that all young people aged 16 and 17 years, including those with disabilities, who are not in employment or full-time education should receive an offer of a place on youth training. They are also responsible for meeting the Government's guarantee of a place on employment training for people aged 18 to 24 years who have been unemployed for six to 12 months and the Government's aim to give places on employment training to disabled
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people as a priority. Furthermore, on 21 March 1991 my right hon. Friend announced the Government's intention to transfer the funding of further education colleges to central Government in 1993, the benefits of which we expect to be shared by people with disabilities.Strathclyde
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing all expenditure by the Scottish Office in each area of priority treatment in Strathclyde region for each year since 1984 in terms of (a) total investment and (b) expenditure on a per capita basis for each area of priority treatment.
Mr. Allan Stewart : Records showing the division of all Scottish Office expenditure between areas of priority treatment are not maintained. The information could be produced only at
disproportionate cost.
Infant Formulae
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance has been given to maternity units in Scotland regarding offers from manufacturers of free samples or supplies of milk powder or other infant formul|.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Current guidance to health boards is that free samples or subsidised supplies of breastmilk substitutes should not be accepted from manufacturers for distribution to patients in maternity wards. Boards are also advised to avoid accepting anything of commercial value from manufacturers or distributors which may be seen as influencing their choice or use of infant formulae. These guidelines, implemented with the agreement of the manufacturers of baby milks, are part of the Government's response to the World Health Organisation's programme to promote and protect breastfeeding.
Local Enterprise Companies
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the chairmen of the local enterprise companies in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart : My right hon. Friend meets local enterprise company chairmen from time to time, as do I and my colleagues. The fact that all local enterprise companies in Scotland are now operational is a considerable achievement, due in no small measure to the commitment of the chairmen and their fellow board members.
Scottish Council for Spastics
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Scottish Council for Spastics ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have not met representatives of the Scottish Council for Spastics. I did, however, visit Stanmore House school in September 1988 and opened a new unit for handicapped children at Westerlea school in June 1989. Both schools are run by the council. I maintain regular contact with the council through my Department's representatives on the council's professional advisory committee and fully recognise the valuable services which the council provides.
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Further Education
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had during the last six months on the provision of further education in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : My right hon. Friend and I have met college principals, college council chairmen and the chairman of the Scottish Vocational Education Council over the last six months. We will shortly be publishing a White Paper setting out our policies on the future of further education colleges and comments will be invited.
Rents-to-Mortgages Scheme
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the counselling arrangements established for those tenants who have applied to join the Government's rents-to-mortgages scheme.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Counselling on the Scottish Homes' pilot rent-to-mortgage scheme is available on request from Scottish Homes. Those who express an interest in purchasing their home through the rent-to- mortgage scheme are given full details of the financial implications and of alternative courses of action such as purchasing under the right-to-buy scheme. The precise arrangements are a matter for Scottish Homes.
Homelessness
Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the current total figures for 1991 are for (a) homeless persons on a regional basis, (b) the number of people on each housing waiting list, by district and (c) the number of district council/island authority houses left unlet for three months or more, in each authority area in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The numbers of applicants under the homeless persons legislation assessed by local authorities as homeless as recorded in the returns submitted to the Scottish Office in the year ended 31 March 1990 are set out in the table. Comparable figures for 1991 are not yet available. Reliable information on the number of people on housing waiting lists is not held centrally. Local authority returns on their vacant stock do not identify those unlet for three months or more. The available information, which relates to dwellings available for letting which had been vacant for four months or more at 31 March 1990, was published in table 15 of "Scottish Office Statistical Bulletin HSU No 17". Copies were sent to all Members representing Scottish constituencies and are available in the House Library.
Applicant households under the
homeless persons legislation
assessed
as homeless, by region, 1989-90
|Number
------------------------------------
Borders |114
Central<1> |2,096
Dumfries and Galloway |465
Fife |2,017
Grampian |2,653
Highland |525
Lothian |4,367
Strathclyde<1> |14,310
Tayside |1,584
Orkney Islands |14
Shetland Islands |109
Western Isles |58
<1>Some returns are known to be
outstanding.
Disabled People
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish a table showing the number of people who are registered as disabled in Scotland, in the format most convenient to his Department ;
(2) if he will publish a table showing the number of people who are registered as disabled in each local authority area in Scotland ; (3) if he will publish a table showing the number of adults with (a) mental handicap, (b) mental illness and (c) physical handicap for each local authority area in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Information on the number of people in particular categories of disability is not collected centrally. Scottish local authorities are required to inform themselves of the numbers of chronically sick and disabled people within their areas but they are not required to keep registers of disabled people.
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the funds awarded to local enterprise companies in Scotland has been specifically targeted to enhance the unit price of training for people with disabilities and learning difficulties ; and if he will give an analysis of where any extra expenditure has been distributed by each LEC.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The funding of local enterprise companies for youth training is separate from the funding of adult training but beyond this there is no specific targeting of funds to particular groups within the main programmes. Decisions about unit prices paid to training providers are a matter for local enterprise companies.
Forestry Commission Land
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the amount of land owned by the Forestry Commission on a county- by-county basis in (a) January 1981 and (b) January 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 7 March, at column 278 .
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