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Mr. Beggs : To ask the Attorney-General whether any discussion has taken place between representatives of Her Majesty's Government and Her Majesty's Attorneys General for Gibraltar regarding the affairs of International Investments Ltd., Gibraltar, in liquidation ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : I can answer only on behalf of my own Department and those whom I superintend. The company to which the hon. Member refers has been the subject of a criminal investigation leading to one person being charged in Belfast. During the course of that investigation, investigators and lawyers have liaised as necessary with their counterparts in Gibraltar including the office of the Attorney- General.
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions since 1979 the judicial review process has been invoked in a pollution incident involving facilities protected from prosecution by Crown immunity.
The Attorney-General : The information requested is not available in the form required and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are included in the specification for the waste incinerator proposed for the Maydown, Londonderry site to prevent gases and material being exposed to temperatures between 250 deg C and 400 deg C during combustion.
Mr. Needham : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 12 July, Official Report, column 500.
Such details are not yet available and can be provided only if and when Du Pont (UK) Ltd. submits a planning application and accompanying environmental statement for a toxic waste incinerator at its Maydown site.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what specific design requirements apply to the incinerator proposed for the Maydown, Londonderry site to deal with halon and silicon compounds which (a) result from paint manufacture or (b) which may be offered for incineration in the furnace.
Mr. Needham : Specific design details are not yet available, but it may be that the information sought can be provided if and when Du Pont (UK) Ltd. submits a
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planning application and accompanying environmental statement for a toxic waste incinerator at its Maydown site. The design requirements set by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland will ensure that the wastes to be disposed of at the plant are clearly specified.Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy on the selection of methods of disposal of toxic and hazardous waste to be employed at incinerator plants in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Needham : The selection of a waste disposal method is based on the determination of the "best practicable environmental option" for a particular category of waste, a process which is designed to ensure that neither public health nor the protection of the environment are endangered. High temperature incineration is one of the current options for the disposal of toxic and hazardous waste and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) of 27 February, Official Report , column 511, how much of the special wastes are toxic wastes which require incineration to render them harmless ; at what temperatures they are incinerated ; and how much are wastes arising from the production of synthetic fibres.
Mr. Needham : The amount of toxic wastes requiring incineration included in the figure of 8,000 tonnes which I specified in my answer to the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) can be identified only at disproportionate cost. However, an independent consultant's report issued in 1990 estimates that 60 per cent. of special waste arisings are landfilled directly, with the remainder being dealt with by chemical treatment, incineration or reclamation.
The temperatures at which such wastes are incinerated vary from 900 to 1200 deg. C., depending on the time period involved and combustion conditions within the incinerator.
Statistics for the amount of special wastes arising from the production of synthetic fibres can also be identified only at disproportionate cost, but the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has authorised the movement of 1,000 tonnes of lycra polymer waste to Finland for high- temperature incineration during the 12-month period commencing October 1990.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the new forms of working patterns introduced into each agency in his Department since its establishment ; and if he will break- down by grade the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern ;
(2) how many staff were in post on the date that each agency in his Department was established ; and how many staff are now in post ; (3) what group bonus schemes are in operation in each agency in his Department ;
(4) if he will list those new facilities for staff which have been introduced in each agency in his Department since establishment ; (5) whether any appointments from the private sector have been made to any agency in his Department at grade 7 or above since its establishment.
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Dr. Mawhinney : The information requested is a matter for chief executives of agencies. I have asked them to write to the hon. Member. Copies of their replies will be placed in the Library and Public Information Office.Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the last annual report for each agency in his Department was published ; and when the next are due.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Training and Employment Agency, established on 2 April 1990, intends to publish its first annual report in September 1991.
The Rate Collection Agency, established on 1 April 1991, intends to publish its first annual report after 31 March 1992.
The Social Security Agency, established on 1 July 1991, is not due to publish its first annual report until after April 1992.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of each agency in his Department ; and what is the length of each chief executive's contract.
Dr. Mawhinney : The chief executives of the Training and Employment Agency and the Social Security Agency are paid on the standard civil service pay scale for grade 3 and the chief executive of the Rate Collection Agency as a grade 6. The chief executive of the Training and Employment Agency is a permanent appointment and the other two chief executives are appointed for three years.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of each agency in his Department.
Dr. Mawhinney : The amounts spent on the launch of the Training and Employment Agency and the Rate Collection Agency were £65,216.66 and £9,898.15 respectively.
The information regarding the launch of the Social Security Agency which took place on 24 June 1991 is not yet available. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member as soon as the figures are known and copies of his reply will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what first degree was obtained by the chief executive of each agency in his Department ; and from which institution.
Dr. Mawhinney : As the information requested is of a personal nature, I have asked the chief executives of the agencies to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by each agency in his Department since its establishment as an executive agency ; and if he will separately identify those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.
Dr. Mawhinney : The quality of service performance indicators are :
The Training and Employment Agency :
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to measure the level of satisfaction with the agency's training consultancy and advisory service ;to survey companies sponsoring training in training centres to establish that their training needs have been satisfied ; to survey levels of customer satisfaction with the services provided by the agency's offices ; and
to ensure that literature is issued within 24 hours, and that queries are followed up within one week in response to Freefone inquiries.
Quality of service performance indicators had not been established on a regular basis before agency status, although a number of ad hoc surveys of satisfaction with training centre and office provision were carried out.
The Rate Collection Agency :
Collection and Recovery of Rates --To generate refunds of 90 per cent. of ratepayers so entitled within 14 days of credits being identified.
Administration of the Housing Benefit Scheme for the Owner-Occupier Sector --To achieve 96 per cent. of housing benefit assessments free to error.
No quality of service performance indicators were operative in rating division, the Rate Collection Agency's predecessor, prior to agency status.
The Social Security Agency :
The quality of service performance indicators for the Social Security Agency are contained in its 1991-92 business plan, a copy of which is available in the Library. Of these, the indicator on customer satisfaction is the only one which was not in existence prior to the establishment of the agency.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he proposes to increase day service provision for the mentally handicapped in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : The management and delivery of services at local level are the responsibility of health and social services boards. Boards are expected to determine the level of service to be provided in their respective areas.
Day care is recognised as a fundamental component of community services for people with a mental handicap. The importance of day services was stressed in the Health and Personal Social Services Regional Strategy for Northern Ireland (1987-1992) ; in the policy paper on community care for the 1990s, "People First" ; and in the draft Regional Strategic Framework (1992-1997) which was issued recently for consultation.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will carry out a review of the social fund system.
Mr. Hanley : There are no plans to review the scheme at present, but the Government will carefully consider the implications of research findings expected to become available at the end of the year.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what response he has made to the report of the Northern Ireland Anti- Poverty Network, a copy of which has been sent to him.
Mr. Hanley : The Secretary of State and other Northern Ireland Office Ministers have received for information copies of a report entitled "Poverty in Northern Ireland--Establishing an Anti-Poverty Network" The report,
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which records the process involved in setting up the Northern Ireland anti-poverty network, does not require a formal response but it is being read with interest and its receipt will be acknowledged.Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people made applications for family credit in the constituency of South Down in each year since 1 April 1988 until 31 March 1991 ; and, of these, how many were approved and how many were refused.
Mr. Hanley : This is now a matter for the chief executive of the Social Security Agency, but I understand that the information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of income support hardship claims by claimants whose benefit had been suspended for not actively seeking work ; and what were the numbers of such claims for each social security office since September 1989.
Mr. Hanley [holding answer 18 July 1991] : Social security operational matters are the responsibility of the chief executive of the Social Security Agency. He will write to the hon. Gentleman and place copies of his reply in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many social security appeals there were by claimants who had been disqualified from benefit for (a) not actively seeking work and (b) for refusing suitable employment ; and what figures are available in respect of the social security appeals tribunals' findings and any subsequent appeals to the social security commissioners since September 1989.
Mr. Hanley [holding answer 18 July 1991] : Social security operational matters are the responsibility of the chief executive of the Social Security Agency. I understand, however, that there have been no appeals to the social security commissioners on these subjects since September 1989 and that the other information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Hume : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many claimants in each social security office (a) received warning letters regarding actively seeking work, (b) have had their benefit suspended, (c) have had their claims allowed on referral to the adjudication officer and (d) have had their claims disallowed on referral since 1989 ;
(2) how many claimants in each social security office (a) have had benefit suspended for refusing suitable employment, (b) have had their benefit restored on referral to the adjudication officer and (c) were disqualified from benefit on referral to the adjudication officer since September 1989.
Mr. Hanley [holding answer 18 July 1991] : Social security operational matters are the responsibility of the chief executive of the Social Security Agency. I understand, however, that the information requested is not available.
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Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from Oxfam on the present state of malnutrition and risk of epidemic disease in Iraq.
The Prime Minister : I have received no direct representations from Oxfam. I am aware of its concerns, which were discussed by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development during a visit to Oxfam on 10 July.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to curtail the trade of wild-caught birds into (a) the United Kingdom and (b) EC countries.
The Prime Minister : We have asked our scientific advisers, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, to review the evidence as to whether the trade in wildlife is compatible with maintaining the populations of species at satisfactory levels. We will consider, in the light of their findings, whether any changes in existing conservation controls are required. Negotiations are continuing on Community proposals for the protection of animals during transport.
Mr. Frank Cook : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith), Official Report, 27 June, column 512, what factors he took into account in reaching his assessment that the introduction of Trident in the mid-1990s will provide the minimum capability necessary to maintain an effective independent deterrent into the next century ; and what weight he gave in making this assessment to the United Kingdom obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Member to Defence Open Government Documents 80/23, 82/1 and 87/01 available in the Library.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Prime Minister further to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) of 16 April, Official Report, column 162, what legal advice he has sought on the genocide convention in respect of Saddam Hussein.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 17 July 1991] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on7 May at column 390.
Mr. John Home Robertson : To ask the Prime Minister if the Government has any plans to provide any special assistance to local authorities, housing associations or other providers of housing to meet the housing needs of service men and their families returning to civilian life as a consequence of "Options for Change".
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The Prime Minister : The details of the force reductions required as a result of "Options for Change" are still being examined. We are considering how to deal with the housing implications as part of this work.Mr. Page : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have escaped from the Mount since its opening, giving the relevant dates.
Mrs. Rumbold : A total of 13 prisoners have escaped from the Mount since its opening on 15 March 1988. The chronological details are as follows :
Number of prisoners escaped Date |Number -------------------------------- 15 September 1988 |1 30 October 1989 |2 6 December 1990 |1 3 May 1991 |2 12 May 1991 |3 10 June 1991 |1 18 June 1991 |1 21 June 1991 |2
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to prohibit the taking of exit polls on polling days during elections.
Mr. John Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers of 1 May, Official Report , column 178 , and 11 July, Official Report , columns 436-37 , relating to the case of Paul Cleeland, what precautions he is taking to prevent misleading comments from being inserted into similar Home Office documents in future.
Mr. John Patten : I am satisfied that every care is taken in considering representations concerning possible miscarriages of justice and all possible efforts are made to ensure that all documents relating to the case are prepared accurately.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of dedicated energy managers and the number of person-years devoted to energy management in the latest year in the Prison estate.
Mrs. Rumbold : There are three dedicated energy managers in the Home Office. In 1990-91 a total of about 4 person-years was devoted to energy management.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that appropriate measures continue to be fully taken to safeguard the British citizen who is under threat of death from abroad.
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Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there were by the central drug squad in 1988, 1989 and 1990, respectively.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the figures for arrests made by the central drug squad were as follows :
|Number --------------------- 1988 |274 1989 |253 1990 |423
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost of keeping an inmate in Her Majesty's prison, Walton.
Mrs. Rumbold : The average weekly cost per inmate held in HM prison Liverpool during 1989-90 (the latest information available) was £260.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether income support is payable to a person who is on home leave from prison ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : Income support may be payable in these circumstances, depending on the terms of the prisoner's licence.
Mr. Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will specify (a) the number of students currently receiving education or training in the further education sector and (b) the number of students with special educational needs currently receiving education or training in further education.
Mr. Eggar : In 1989-90 (the latest year for which data are available) there were 1.8 million students in further education ; of these 32,000 were students with special educational needs.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the names of all governors so far appointed to Bacon CTC, and the dates of their appointments ; (2) when he approved the articles of government for Bacon CTC ; and if he will place a copy in the Library.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. and learned Friend has received a revised version of the memorandum and articles
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of association of the college for his agreement : when agreed it will be placed in the Library. Governors have not yet been appointed.Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) at what per pupil rate, for pupils (a) under and (b) over school leaving age he has agreed to pay annual per capita grant to city technology colleges (i) in and (ii) outside London for the 1991-92 academic year ;
(2) what is the estimated or final amount of (a) annual per capita grant and (b) earmarked annual grant he has agreed to pay to each city technology college for the 1991-92 academic year ; (3) for how many pupils (a) under the (b) over school leaving age he has agreed to provide funding at each city
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technology college during the 1991-92 academic year ; and what is the total number of pupils in these age groups planned for each city technology college when it becomes fully operational.Mr. Eggar : The amount of recurrent grant available to each established city technology college in the 1991-92 academic year has yet to be finalised. However, provisional figures at financial year 1991-92 prices, derived from actual LEA out-turn expenditure in financial year 1988 -89, the latest year for which this information is available, has been made available to these colleges. The information that the hon. member requested is based on these provisional figures and is as follows :
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Recurrent funding of existing CTCs-academic year 1991-92 College (1990-91 prices) Academic Year 1991-92 (1991-92 prices At full capacity (1991-92 prices) Basic Weighted Pupils APG EAG Total Unit Pupils Unit APG APG Numbers recurrent costs per Numbers costs per |costs |pupil |pupil<1> |£ |£ |£ million|£ million|£ million|£ |£ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Existing Kingshurst |2,075 |2,300 |USLA |720 |2.451 |0.234 |2.685 |2,918 |USLA |900 |2,709 (Opened September 1988) |OSLA |200 |OSLA |200 Teesside |2,075 |2,300 |USLA |552 |1.751 |0.168 |1.919 |3,476 |USLA |900 |2,700 (Opened September 1989) |OSLA |OSLA |200 Nottingham |2,075 |2,280 |USLA |506 |1.852 |0.177 |2.029 |3,320 |USLA |835 |2,678 (Opened September 1989) |OSLA |105 |OSLA |165 Bradford |2,075 |2,365 |USLA |430 |1.510 |0.154 |1.664 |3,869 |USLA |750 |2,798 (Opened Septemberr 1990) |OSLA |OSLA |230 Harris |2,345 |2,600 |USLA |798 |2.954 |0.207 |3.161 |3,563 |USLA |900 |3,016 (Croydon) |OSLA |89 |OSLA |200 (Opened September 1990) Dartford |2,105 |2,305 |USLA |840 |2.764 |0.237 |3.001 |3,093 |USLA |1,050 |2,697 (Opened September 1990) |OSLA |130 |OSLA |200 Gateshead |2,075 |2,285 |USLA |300 |1.217 |0.123 |1.340 |4,466 |USLA |750 |2,678 (Opened September 1990) |OSLA |OSLA |150 Opening September 1991 Britschool |2,345 |3,050 |USLA |120 |1.345 |0.191 |1.536 |5,120 |USLA |360 |3,567 (Croydon) |OSLA |180 |OSLA |360 Bacons |2,845 |3,155 |USLA |900 |3.395 |0.338 |3.733 |3,971 |USLA |900 |3,668 (Surrey Quays) |OSLA |40 |OSLA |200 Haberdashers |2,845 |3,155 |USLA |900 |3.833 |0.361 |4.194 |3,812 |USLA |900 |3,657 (Lewisham) |OSLA |200 |OSLA |200 Telford |2,075 |2,275 |USLA |168 |1.211 |0.220 |1.431 |5,770 |USLA |840 |2,667 |OSLA |80 |OSLA |160 Corby |2,075 |2,285 |USLA |210 |1.234 |0.208 |1.442 |5,059 |USLA |750 |2,678 |OSLA |75 |OSLA |150 Wandsworth |2,845 |3,270 |USLA |300 |1.622 |0.219 |1.841 |6,136 |USLA |750 |3,789 |OSLA |OSLA |250 <1> The unit cost at full capacity (see column 10) assumes recurrent funding at constant financial year 1991-92 prices. Notes: 1. The per capita grant is enhanced in the early years, but on a progressively diminishing basis as student numbers build-up, to recompense the CTC for the abnormal costs in the start-up period. The unit cost in the early years before reaching full pupil capacity is therefore higher than that applying in schools which are full. 2. The amount paid to USLA and OSLA pupils in any particular year during the build-up period is the same. This is based upon the planned mix of pupils under school leaving age (USLA) and over school leaving age (OSLA) at full capacity-see weighted APG at column 3.
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