| Previous Section | Home Page |
Written Questions
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many parliamentary questions for written answer have been answered by his Department so far this Session ; and in the comparable period for the last Session ; and if he will publish a table of how many answers (a) do not give the information requested because of (i) disproportionate cost or (ii) other reasons, (b) give an undertaking to write to the hon. Member who asked the question and (c) were referred for answer to the chief executive of each next steps agency.
Mr. Eggar : The information requested is a matter of public record.
Citizens Charter
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what will be the cost in a full year of the proposals on pages 13 and 14 of the White Paper "The Citizen's Charter", Cm. 1599.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I expect that the proposals will be contained within planned expenditure. The charter proposals will also inform discussion of future expenditure plans.
Foreign Students (Designation)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the position of (a) members of the British volunteer programme and (b) members of the diplomatic service and the armed forces with respect to their designation as home or as foreign students for the purposes of tuition fees and grant eligibility when they have worked overseas for more than three years.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The conditions of eligibility for mandatory student awards and for the "home student" rate of tuition fee are set out in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations and the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations respectively. The requirements include ordinary residence in the British islands throughout the three years preceding the first year of the course, other than wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education. Special provisions apply to
Column 774
residence in EC territory. There are no specific exemptions for members of the British volunteer programme, diplomatic service or armed forces, but where the ordinary residence requirement cannot be met only because of temporary employment overseas an exemption applies which has the effect of treating the student as a home student. It is for local education authorities in the case of awards, and for further and higher education institutions in the case of fees, to determine whether an individual student is eligible, having regard to his particular circumstances, the provisions of the regulations and any relevant case law.Secondary Schools
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science under what circumstances and under what conditions he permits the construction of secondary schools whose estimated structural life is less than 60 years ; and what policy he adopts in respect of such schools now nearing the end of any short-term estimated life span.
Mr. Fallon : New school building projects for maintained and grant- maintained schools are required to comply with the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 and the Department's construction standards. These do not stipulate a minimum structural life.
Further Education
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support for non-vocational courses he will give when the proposals of his recent White Paper on further education are brought into effect.
Mr. Eggar : The further education funding councils will be resourced to secure adequate provision of a wide range of further education for adults, including courses leading to academic and vocational qualifications and basic skills. We shall also carefully consider standard spending assessments in the light of local education authorities' duty to secure provision of other further education for adults.
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, prior to vesting day, colleges of further education and local education authorities can enter into binding agreements that colleges of further education will make no claim to permanent possession of off-site accommodation made available to them by local education authorities.
Mr. Eggar : The land, buildings and equipment currently used by colleges which will transfer to the new sector will be vested in those colleges on 1 April 1993. However, my right hon. and learned Friend has decided that, in exceptional circumstances, where the governing body of a college has so agreed with a local education authority, specific assets can remain with the authority after vesting day. My right hon. and learned Friend will need to approve any agreement having this effect.
In addition, it will be possible to carry forward existing shared use agreements relating to particular facilities.
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department will provide additional funds for extra staff management and training in colleges of further and higher education prior to the inception of independent corporate status ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 775
Mr. Eggar : We recognise the importance of careful preparation by colleges for independence. We are already looking at the needs of colleges, and the means of meeting them. If needs are identified which cannot be met through existing funding, my right hon. and learned Friend will look at them in the context of the overall funds available for his programme in the period in question.Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the Association of Colleges for Further and Higher Education on the state of their buildings ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : The association's response to the recent White Paper, "Education and Training for the 21st Century", refers to the condition of college buildings.
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether local education authorities will continue to be financially responsible after vesting day for development programmes already started at colleges of further education but not scheduled to be completed until further education colleges have passed from local education authority control.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 9 May 1991 at col 563 that, subject to certain conditions, the Further Education Funding Council will take responsibility for servicing debts incurred by local education authorities for new capital spending in colleges of further education and sixth form colleges. The council will service only debts arising from contracts entered into after 1 April 1991 which have a value in excess of £50,000 and which have been approved by my right hon. and learned Friend.
Voluntary Schools
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total value of the bids from the voluntary school sector in major and minor capital programmes for the year 1991-92 ; and what is his total allocation for that year.
Mr. Fallon : Bids for new major and minor capital projects in the voluntary school sector amounted to a first year spend of £92 million in 1991-92. The total allocated for new work in that year was £23 million.
Multiple Sclerosis
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) which medical research units working on the causes and treatment of multiple sclerosis are currently receiving public funds ;
(2) if he will make a statement on progress being made by Government-funded research programmes into the causes and treatment of multiple sclerosis ;
(3) how much public money each year since 1979 has been devoted to research into the causes and treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The main Government agency for funding medical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department. It is an independent body which normally decides its research
Column 776
priorities on its own expert judgment. I understand that in 1989-90 (the latest year for which details are available) it supported work directly relevant to multiple sclerosis at two units in Oxford. It is also funding a range of research into normal and disordered functions which is of potential relevance. The council continually reviews all its research areas to ensure that progress is satisfactory and that resources are best deployed.Research on multiple sclerosis is undertaken by charities, and may also be undertaken by university departments and medical schools with support from the University Funding Council, and by health departments and authorities. Figures are not available for total expenditure from public funds on multiple sclerosis research since 1979, but the MRC's expenditure on directly relevant research is :
Financial |£ 000s year ------------------------------ 1979-80 |656 1980-81 |747 1981-82 |826 1982-83 |501 1983-84 |485 1984-85 |446 1985-86 |403 1986-87 |404 1987-88 |297 1988-89 |216 1989-90 |180
The MRC is always willing to consider funding for soundly based research proposals in competition with other applications.
Playgroups, Tower Hamlets
Ms. Gordon : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the numbers of (a) children attending and (b) sites for (i) registered pre-school nurseries and (ii) playgroups in Tower Hamlets for each year since 1979.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I have been asked to reply.
Information available centrally is shown in the table. Information is not collected centrally on the number of children attending these facilities. Annual information is published in "Children's Day Care Facilities at 31 March", copies of which are available in the Library. The publication for 1990 will be available in the autumn.
Day care places for children under 5 in the London
borough of
Tower Hamlets, rate per thousand population, 1981-89.
Registered DayRegistered Registered
Nurseries Playgroups Childminders
|No. of|Rate |No. of|Rate |No. of|Rate
|places |places |places
---------------------------------------------------------
1981 |169 |17.4 |365 |37.6 |350 |36.1
<1>1982 |- |- |- |- |- |-
<1>1983 |- |- |- |- |- |-
<1>1984 |- |- |- |- |- |-
1985 |0 |0.0 |594 |49.9 |510 |42.9
1986 |0 |0.0 |715 |57.2 |460 |36.8
1987 |12 |0.9 |634 |48.8 |320 |24.6
1988 |121 |8.9 |510 |37.5 |382 |28.1
1989 |121 |8.8 |489 |35.4 |437 |31.7
<1>Return not submitted for these years.
Column 777
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Pergau Hydro-electric Project
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what feasibility studies were carried out by the Overseas Development Administration of the Pergau hydro-electric project before offering aid to the Government of Malaysia ; (2) what additional studies were considered by the Overseas Development Administration in relation to the Pergau project.
Mrs. Chalker : In considering this project the Overseas Development Administration had available a feasibility study carried out by the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation and as part of our own appraisal financed studies of environmental issues and contract pricing.
Column 778
Iraq
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his assessment of the immediate humanitarian needs of Iraq.
Mrs. Chalker : Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan produced last week a detailed report on humanitarian needs in Iraq, following the United Nations mission to Iraq which he led earlier this month. We and others are giving the report our urgent consideration. We are continuing our assistance to displaced people in northern Iraq through provision of vehicles, agricultural equipment and building materials, and are playing a leading role in a European Community initiative to provide food, clean water, health care and shelter to those in need in the north-east of the country.
Column 779
PRIME MINISTER
Defence Equipment Finance Department
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister when co-operation between International Military Services and the Defence Equipment Finance Department of the Midland International Trade Services was terminated.
The Prime Minister : Decisions on individual business contacts by International Military Services are matters for the company's judgment, and are subject to commercial confidentiality.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister what defence firms based in Britain have had links with the Defence Equipment Finance Department of the Midland International Trade Services.
The Prime Minister : This is a matter for the companies concerned.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Government Departments which have co-operated with the Defence Equipment Finance Department of the Midland International Trade Services.
The Prime Minister : The Ministry of Defence and Export Credits Guarantee Department have had routine contacts with the Defence Equipment Finance Department of Midland International Trade Services. There may also have been routine contacts with other departments, but no records of such contacts are kept centrally.
Written Questions
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Prime Minister how many parliamentary questions for written answer have been answered by his Department so far this Session, and in the comparable period for the last Session ; and if he will publish a table of how many answers (a) do not give the information requested because of (i) disproportionate cost or (ii) other reasons, (b) give an undertaking to write to the hon. Member who asked the question and (c) were referred for answer to the chief executive of each next steps agency.
The Prime Minister : The information requested is a matter for public record.
Citizens Charter
Mr. Straw : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost of the design, preparation, printing and distribution of the White Paper on the citizens charter, Cm. 1599.
The Prime Minister : The cost of the design and preparation of Cm. 1599 is likely to be in the region of £33,000.
The costs for printing, publishing and distributing the White Paper were met by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, which aims to recover its costs from sales revenue.
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost of printing and publishing the citizens charter, Cm. 1599.
The Prime Minister : The costs of printing and publishing the citizens charter White Paper Cm. 1599 were
Column 780
met by HMSO who aim to recover their costs from sales revenue. The estimated cost of producing the short version of Cm. 1599 was £60, 000.Mr. Grocott : To ask the Prime Minister what is the total cost to public funds of the pledges made in the citizens charter.
The Prime Minister : The Government have put, and will continue to put, extra resources into priority public services whenever extra money can be afforded. Under the charter programme it will also find better ways of converting the money that can be afforded into even better services. I therefore expect the cost to be met within the existing public expenditure programme.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the opinion surveys carried out in the course of preparation of the citizens charter ; and if he will place the results of each survey in the Library, together with the name of the organisation which carried out each survey.
The Prime Minister : No opinion surveys were carried out in the course of preparing the White Paper. The White Paper itself is a means of sounding public opinion and it is proposed that the views of the public should be sought regularly about the services they use.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost of the launch at the Queen Elizabeth II centre of the White Paper, the citizens charter, Cm. 1599.
The Prime Minister : The estimated cost of the launch is £73,000. This covers the cost of hiring the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre and ancillary facilities.
Bank of Credit and Commerce International
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will give a full list of arms purchases made through BCCI and thought to have been for Iraq during the last 10 years.
The Prime Minister : I do not have this information.
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of all correspondence he received from the Governor of the Bank of England relating to the Bank of Credit and Commerce International since June 1987.
The Prime Minister : No. Exchanges between the Governor and myself are confidential. Any material relating to BCCI would, moreover, be covered by the provisions of part V of the Banking Act 1987. Lord Justice Bingham will of course have access to any correspondence received from the Governor relating to BCCI.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Prime Minister what information he has on which defence firms based in Britain have had links with BCCI.
The Prime Minister : The relationship between defence firms and BCCI is a matter for the companies concerned.
Mr. Wray : To ask the Prime Minister what assistance Her Majesty's Government and the Bank of England gave to United States officials in 1990 investigating affairs of the BCCI.
The Prime Minister : Since Operation C Chase in 1988, Customs and Excise investigators have kept in regular
Column 781
touch with their US counterparts regarding drugs money laundering matters. The Bank of England has co-operated with the US authorities as fully as it can within the constraints imposed on it by the Banking Act.Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether, in the inquiry into the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, Lord Justice Bingham will have powers to compel attendance from directors or employees of self- regulatory organisations set up under the terms of the Financial Services Act 1986 ;
(2) whether, in the inquiry into the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, Lord Justice Bingham will have powers to compel attendance from Government servants and regulators who have left the public service.
The Prime Minister : This is a non-statutory inquiry. In the light of the experience of a number of similar non-statutory inquiries in recent years, we do not expect any difficulties in securing the attendance of witnesses.
Bank of England
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the dates on which he met the Governor of the Bank of England since June 1987 ; and what was discussed on each occasion.
The Prime Minister : I have met the Governor from time to time to discuss a wide range of issues.
Food Aid, Africa
Mr. Michael : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will seek to ensure that the European Commission places a higher priority on humanitarian considerations than cost-effectiveness in deciding allocation of food aid to Africa ;
(2) if he will list the surplus commodities held in the intervention stocks of the European Commission, the quantity of each commodity currently held or held on the latest date for which the information is available and the amount of each commodity that has been used within the programme of food aid for Africa which was agreed in May ;
(3) if he will list the surplus commodities held in the intervention stocks of the European Commission and indicate, for each item on the list, the steps he has taken to find ways that items might be used to combat starvation and poverty in Africa and elsewhere as an alternative to remaining in store ;
(4) if he will list the surplus commodities held in the intervention stocks of the European Commission and indicate, for each item on that list, his assessment of ways in which that commodity could be used (a) as immediate emergency food aid for Africa and elsewhere and (b) as part of long-term programmes to prevent starvation ;
(5) further to his answer of 22 July, if he will (a) indicate the quantity of grain being drawn from intervention stocks of the European Commission, (b) indicate the quantity of grain that would meet the needs of the special programme of food aid for Africa and (c) indicate whether additional quantities of grain could make a contribution to meeting the needs of people facing starvation in Africa over and above the needs of the special programme ;
Column 782
(6) further to his answer of 22 July, if he will indicate the measurements of cost-effectiveness currently being used by the European Commission to cost the special programme of food aid for Africa ;(7) further to his answer dated 22 July, if he will seek to persuade the European Commission to increase the use of grain from intervention stocks to meet the needs of people currently facing starvation in Africa.
The Prime Minister : I am satisfied that humanitarian considerations, in particular the need to ensure that the right product reaches the right people at the right time, are given high priority by the European Commission. However, the very substantial cost of transport from Europe to the more remote parts of Africa has to be taken into account when determining the source of grain for relief purposes ; for that reason we encourage the Commission to buy food in nearby countries with exportable surpluses whenever appropriate.
Significant intervention stocks are held of cereals (particularly common wheat, durum wheat, barley and rye), milk products, beef and wine. Of these only common wheat and, to a limited extent, rice are suitable for use as emergency food aid. So far in 1991 262,000 tonnes of common wheat held in intervention have been used in this way. In addition substantial quantities of wheat have been purchased on the European Commission open market by the Commision and member states for food aid purposes ; some 90 per cent. of the food provided under Community action programmes (1.7 million tonnes of cereals, and smaller quantities of other products this year) is obtained from within the Community. Tables showing the amounts of the various products held in intervention are deposited regularly in the Libraries of the House.
The main priority now in combating famine in Africa is to encourage donors to deliver quickly pledges already made and to find ways of speeding up distribution within the affected countries to the people most in need. We shall continue to take every opportunity to pursue these issues with other donors, including the European Commission, and with the international organisations and recipient countries. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will be discussing them with the main British non- governmental organisations on 25 July.
Tourism
Mr. Gregory : To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to appoint a tourism ombudsman.
The Prime Minister : No. There is already a comprehensive framework of consumer protection legislation in place, which will be further strengthened for the travel and tourism industry by the implementation of the European Community package travel directive.
Postal Services
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his statement of 22 July concerning postal services of the Royal Mail, what factors Her Majesty's Government will take into account in determining the price level at which private service alternatives will be permitted ; and when he expects to announce the new level.
The Prime Minister : In determining the minimum price level at which private operators will be allowed to provide letter services, the Secretary of State for Trade and
Column 783
Industry will satisfy himself that the Post Office's ability to meet its statutory obligations and to provide a nationwide letter service within an affordable uniform tariff structure will not be undermined. He will also bear in mind the potential for improvements in the Post Office's efficiency and service quality as well as tariff levels and the financial targets that he sets. He will make a significant move after the necessary legislation is enacted.Science and Technology Secretariat
Dr. Bray : To ask the Prime Minister what are the annual running costs of the Cabinet Office science and technology secretariat.
The Prime Minister : In 1990-91 the running costs of the science and technology secretariat were £1,228,322.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Prime Minister how many staff work in the Cabinet Office science and technology secretariat ; and what is the distribution of their grades.
The Prime Minister : The number of staff working in the Cabinet Office science and technology secretariat on 1 July 1991 was 36. The grade distribution is as follows :
|Number
---------------------------------------
Chief scientific officer |1
Grade 3 |1
Grade 5 |2
Grade 6 |3.5
Grade 7 |8
HEO |1
EO |3.5
AO |4
AA |3
SPS |2
PS |5
Typist |2
Civil Nuclear Materials
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Prime Minister what proposals Her Majesty's Government have considered for a new international convention to bring together in a single convention agreements relating to the regulation of civil nuclear issues and radioactive materials currently the subject matter of several international conventions ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The Government are not considering any such proposals.
Mr. Alan Blumlein
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will acquire for the nation the biographical papers relating to the electronics engineer Alan Blumlein, inventor of stereo and pioneer of electronic television and radar.
The Prime Minister : Neither I, nor my colleague the Minister for the Arts, is aware of any sale of papers relating to Alan Blumlein. The question of acquisition of such papers for the nation therefore does not arise.
G7 Conference
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total estimated cost to Her Majesty's Government of hosting the Group of Seven conference in London.
Column 784
The Prime Minister : With many accounts still to be settled, I cannot give a precise figure, but I expect the total cost to be around £7 million.
Mr. Bob Ingham
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what correspondence his office has received from Mr. Bob Ingham of Woodlands crescent, Knutsford over the past two years ; if he will list the subjects of the correspondence ; and what response has been made.
| Next Section
| Home Page |