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Mr. Kenneth Clark : The parents charter has so far cost £214,000 to produce ; this includes £60,000 for the translation into ethnic minority languages which will be available shortly.
Three million copies of the English language version were printed initially ; the number of requests for copies has meant that a reprint is now in hand. The charter will be available in libraries and post offices, and can be obtained through freephone and freepost arrangements advertised in the national press and in magazines. Copies are also available for schools to distribute to parents. Over 40 per cent. of schools have already requested copies for this purpose.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn, Official Report, 8 May, column 469 , when the thorough internal review of the structure and role of Her Majesty's inspectorate was completed ; what were its conclusions ; and whether any summary of the review is to be made available to honourable Members ; (2) whether the proposals concerning the future inspection arrangements announced as part of the parents charter on 27 September were considered as part of the thorough internal review of Her Majesty's inspectorate ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) whether he intends to issue any consultations on other documents elaborating his proposals for the future inspection arrangements of schools as announced by him on 27 September.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The internal review of Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools was completed in July. It considered both local and national arrangements for school inspection. As I told the hon. Member on 6 June at column 298 , I shall not publish the report of the review, which was intended to provide confidential advice to Ministers. I announced my decisions on the structure and role of HMI, and on future arrangements for school inspection, at the launch of the parents charter on 27 September. I have invited views on my proposals from a wide range of education interests.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Lethal Force
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what part his Department is taking in the review of the law governing the use of lethal force ; what are the terms of the review ; and what arrangements have been made to collect evidence from other interested parties.
Dr. Mawhinney : No formal arrangements have yet been made for a review of the law, but the Government are willing to consider the possibility of a change in the law,
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together with other propositions that have been made relating to the general use of force and the subject is receiving close scrutiny.Forensic Tests
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of time taken to obtain forensic reports in cases involving scheduled offences.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Northern Ireland Forensic Science Laboratory makes no administrative distinctions between cases involving scheduled and non-scheduled offences. The average time taken to report in cases of all kinds completed during the last three months was 74 days.
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what budgetary controls there are on the obtaining of forensic reports in cases involving scheduled offences.
Dr. Mawhinney : Like other public agencies the Northern Ireland Forensic Science Laboratory is expected to work within an annual budget. All casework submitted to the laboratory, therefore, competes for available resources. Casework relating to the most serious crimes is, however, invariably given the highest priority.
Compensation Payments
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many payments of compensation for (a) unlawful arrest and (b) false imprisonment were made as a result of (i) decisions of the courts and (ii) out-of-court settlements during 1990 ; and if he will list any conditions which were placed on out-of-court settlements made during 1990.
Dr. Mawhinney : The statistical information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Out-of-court settlements are arrived at by mutual consent of the parties concerned, any terms which may be part of a settlement are for them to decide.
HEALTH
Capital Projects, Barnet
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many major capital projects have been approved since 1982 in the Barnet health authority area.
Mr. Dorrell : There have been seven major capital projects approved in Barnet health authority since 1982. Six have been completed ; preparatory work began in October 1991 on the redevelopment of Barnet general hospital.
Data Protection
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last discussed with the Data Protection Registrar the matter of health record confidentiality and non-statutory guidance.
Mr. Dorrell : We have not held any such discussions with the Data Protection Registrar. The Department is
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working on guidance on the confidentiality of personal health information in the NHS. This will shortly be issued in draft form for consultation, and the Data Protection Registrar will be one of many whose comments will be sought.Packaging
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set up a working party to study the packaging most effective in protecting and preserving food products.
Mr. Maclean : I have been asked to reply.
It is for manufacturers to decide, within the requirements of the relevant legislation, the appropriate packaging for food products. The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, which advises Ministers on packaging among other issues, has set up a working group to review the potential hazards of vacuum packing and associated processes.
ENERGY
Coal Industry
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list for each area in England and Wales the level of investment, profitability and manpower for the coal industry from 1979 to the latest available date, at today's prices.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : These are matters for British Coal and the licensed coal producers.
Nuclear Power Stations
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has received a copy of the report of the initial feasibility study by British Nuclear Fuels into the possibility of building new nuclear power stations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : In January this year, British Nuclear Fuels plc announced the outcome of its initial feasibility study into the possibility of building new nuclear power stations at Sellafield and Chapelcross. Since then, the company has made a presentation to my Department on the conclusions of the study.
Nuclear Levy
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of Nuclear Electric concerning the impact of the deal with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. announced on 4 September on the future levels of the nuclear levy.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : None. The "fixed price contracts" between NE and BNFL will have no impact on the future level of the levy, which is largely determined by movements in the retail prices index and the value of leviable sales.
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WALES
Health Service
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the cost of creating new administrative posts in Wales in 1990-91 to implement recent national health service changes.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 14 October 1991.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount health authorities in Wales will need to find in 1991-92 from existing funding in 1991-92 to meet the costs of the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Review Body's pay awards.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : In 1991-92 health authorities in Wales will need to find an estimated additional £2.4 million (over and above the provision for inflation, estimated at £22.371 million, included in their start of year 1991-92 allocations) to meet the cost of the 1991 Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Review Body's pay awards. The amount to be found by district health authorities from their cash releasing cost improvement savings for all review body awards in 1991-92 is equal to 0.3 per cent. of their notified revenue resources.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the cost to health authorities in Wales in 1991-92 of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body's pay awards for that year, and the amount allocated from Government reserves to meet part of these costs.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The cost to the health authorities in Wales of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body's pay awards in 1991-92 is estimated to be £9.3 million. The additional amount allocated from Government reserves (over and above the provision for inflation, estimated at £6.541 million, in authorities' original 1991-92 allocations) to meet part of these costs is £2.1 million. The amount to be found by district health authorities from their cash-releasing improvement savings for all review body awards in 1991-92 is equal to 0.3 per cent. of their notified revenue resources.
Teachers
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he is taking to ensure more teachers in (a) modern languages, (b) the sciences and (c) mathematics.
Sir Wyn Roberts : A series of measures has been introduced to improve the supply of teachers of modern foreign languages, science and mathematics.
These include :
(i) adding modern foreign languages, mathematics and, more recently, science courses to the shortage subject trainee teacher bursary scheme for students entering eligible courses ;
(ii) making £140,000 available in 1991-92 under the grants for education support and training programme (GEST) to support the first year of Clwyd local education authority's articled teacher scheme. For the secondary course, Clwyd LEA will be training teachers in the shortage subjects including mathematics and science ;
(iii) approving, also under the GEST programme, local authority expenditure of some £228,000 in 1991-92 on recruitment measures which seek to attract former teachers and mature entrants to teaching especially in areas of subject shortages ;
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(iv) the introduction of novel initial teacher training courses including shortened (2-year) Bachelor of Education (BEd) courses. Gwent College of Higher Education currently offers a shortened BEd in mathematics and science.Cardiff Bay Barrage
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what discussions he has had with the head of the Institute of Irrigation Studies at the university of Southampton, concerning the outcome of his meeting on the Minister's behalf with Hydroctechnica Ltd., Dr. John Miles of the civil engineering department of University college Cardiff and Cardiff Residents against the Barrage at the Welsh Office, Cathays Park, on 26 June ;
(2) what discussions he has had with his groundwater consultant regarding studies into the upper or perched water tables adjoining the River Taff in the context of the proposed Cardiff bay barrage.
Mr. David Hunt : None, but my officials are in regular contact with Mr. Roy Stoner, whom I have appointed as my expert adviser on groundwater. He has confirmed that the Hydrotechnica groundwater studies form a valid basis for public consultation. The documents were published on 25 September. At the end of the three-month public
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consultation period Mr. Stoner will be providing further detailed advice on the Hydrotechnica report and on the representations received from interested parties.Representatives from Hydrotechnica Ltd. were not present at the meeting on 26 June.
Community Care
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many places have been provided in the community in each health authority for people discharged from long-stay hospitals in the last five years.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The accommodation needs of people leaving long-stay hospital accommodation are met in a number of ways including provision in registered residential and nursing homes and in tenancies granted by housing associations and local authorities. County plans, prepared jointly by social service departments, health authorities and other interests, for the development of services are required to set out the accommodation requirements to meet the assessed needs of individuals. Information is not readily available centrally on all these forms of accommodation. Available information is as follows :
Number of places in local authority, private and voluntary
residential homes for elderly, younger physically handicapped
and blind, mentally ill,
mentally handicapped, alcohol and drug dependency by county.
|<1>1986|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990
----------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |4,017 |4,083 |4,199 |4,267 |4,390
Dyfed |2,035 |2,136 |2,254 |2,419 |2,508
Gwent |1,621 |1,660 |1,837 |1,827 |1,762
Gwynedd |1,855 |2,000 |2,206 |2,349 |2,399
Powys |749 |806 |839 |879 |922
Mid Glamorgan |2,094 |2,130 |2,303 |2,384 |2,454
South Glamorgan |2,375 |2,463 |2,559 |2,635 |2,620
West Glamorgan |1,507 |1,568 |1,639 |1,688 |1,619
<1>In 1986, data for alcohol and drug dependency was not
collected and is therefore not included.
Number of places for adults in ordinary
houses in the community under All Wales
Mental Handicap Strategy.
|1986|1987|1988|1989|1990
----------------------------------------
Clwyd Data not a81ila105 135
Dyfed Data not a93ila110 152
Gwent Data not a91ila102 98
GwynedData not a40ila32e 97
Mid GlData not a166la159 166
Powys Data not a10ila40e 34
South Data not a72ila121 174
West GData not a61ila100 130
I congratulate Welsh social services departments and their partners in planning and development on the progress they have made particularly in providing places in ordinary houses in the community.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional funds have been made available to health authorities specifically to provide care in the community for the financial year 1990- 91.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : In 1989-90, provisional revenue funding to health authorities in Wales totalled £865 million. In 1990-91 provisional revenue funding totalled £945 million, an increase of 8.4 per cent. over 1989-90. Discretionary capital allocations to authorities in 1989-90 totalled £38.95 million, and in 1990-91 totalled £44.52 million, an increase of over 12 per cent. It is not possible to disaggregate that proportion of the total provision for hospital and community health services which is devoted to community care.
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Additional funds provided to health authorities under Welsh Office initiatives and grant schemes in 1990-91 were ; £3.56 million under the mental handicap strategy ; £1.9 million under the mental illness strategy ; £0.63 million under the elderly initiative ; and £1.0 million specifically earmarked for the voluntary hospice movement. These total £7.1 million as against a total of £2.5 million in 1989-90, an increase of 184 per cent.Mental Handicap Provision
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of mental handicap hospitals and units in each health authority in Wales and how many beds were provided for each year since 1985.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information requested is given in the table :
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1985 1986 1987 1988 <1>1989-90
Health Authority |Units<2> |Beds<3> |Units<2> |Beds<3> |Units<2> |Beds<3> |Units<2> |Beds<3> |Units<2> |Beds<3>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clywd |2 |92 |2 |86 |2 |69 |2 |63 |2 |59
East Dyfed |2 |71 |2 |73 |2 |33 |2 |32 |2 |29
Gwent |2 |422 |2 |405 |2 |401 |2 |375 |1 |295
Gwynedd |3 |333 |3 |333 |3 |329 |3 |326 |3 |323
Mid Glamorgan |2 |488 |2 |457 |2 |442 |2 |420 |2 |380
Pembrokeshire |1 |32 |1 |32 |1 |32 |1 |32 |1 |32
Powys |3 |210 |3 |208 |3 |209 |3 |196 |3 |179
South Glamorgan |1 |411 |1 |410 |1 |394 |1 |384 |1 |355
West Glamorgan |3 |142 |2 |86 |2 |80 |2 |80 |2 |78
<1> Publication of data changed to a financial year basis.
<2> Hospitals and units open on the last day of the year.
<3> Average daily available, rounded to the nearest whole number.
I hope the hon. Gentleman will join me in congratulating Welsh social services and health authorities and their partners in planning and development for creating the new community care services which have made possible this steady reduction in institutional care.
DEFENCE
Albermarle and Otterburn Barracks
1. Mr. Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are employed at Albermarle barracks and Otterburn barracks, Northumberland.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The number of civilians employed at Albermarle barracks is currently 34 non-industrials and 25 industrials making a total of 59 and the number of civilians employed at Otterburn barracks is 19 non-industrials and 71 industrials, making a total of 90.
Attack Helicopters
14. Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans for attack helicopters for the British Army.
Mr. Alan Clark : We plan to replace the Lynx in the anti-tank role by the purchase of an attack helicopter towards the end of the decade.
Iraq
15. Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current position with regard to military intervention in Iraq.
Mr. Tom King : The Government expect Iraq to comply with all provisions of relevant Security Council resolutions.
Gulf War (Merchant Ships)
16. Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the numbers of (a) non-United Kingdom merchant ships and (b) United Kingdom flag merchant ships which were deployed during the Gulf war.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : A total of 109 foreign-flagged vessels and five United Kingdom-flagged vessels were chartered in support of the move of men and equipment to the Gulf. Eighty-one foreign-flagged vessels and three United Kingdom-flagged vessels were involved in the return phase. A number of these vessels undertook more than one voyage.
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Options for Change"
17. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he is making to ease the transition to civilian life of armed forces personnel following the adoption of policies under the "Options for Change" programme.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The armed forces already deal with the resettlement of some 12,000 service personnel each year who leave at the end of their normal engagements. Planning is well in hand for the extra resources which will need to be provided for our resettlement services to deal with the additional outflow resulting from redundancy. My right hon. Friend has also established a task force to look at the whole question of housing for service personnel. I hope to say more about these matters during my closing speech in this evening's debate.
28. Sir David Price : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in view of the proposed reductions in the size of the British Army, what changes he proposes to make in the scale of public duties in London.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is too early to say whether changes will need to be made. The way in which the Army meets its public duties commitments will be kept under review as detailed plans for the restructuring of the Army are developed.
Trident
18. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimated cost of the Trident programme to date ; and if he will make a statement.
19. Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the latest estimate for the cost of the Trident submarine programme.
Mr. Alan Clark : The currently estimated cost for the United Kingdom Trident programme is £9,863 million at 1990-91 prices and an exchange rate of £1=$1.56.
23. Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the Trident programme.
Mr. Alan Clark : The programme to replace Polaris with Trident is on time and within budget and continues to make satisfactory progress towards its in-service date of the mid-1990s.
29. Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the objectives of the Trident submarine programme.
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Mr. Alan Clark : The objective of the Trident programme is to provide the minimum capability necessary to maintain an effective strategic nuclear deterrent into the next century.Freight Transport
20. Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of Ministry of Defence freight is being carried by (a) road and (b) rail ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As I told the hon. Gentleman in my written answer of 15 July, the vast majority of the Department's freight is moved by road. A detailed breakdown of the proportions of freight moved by road and rail could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
International Arms Trade
22. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to reduce the international arms trade.
Mr. Alan Clark : The Government are playing a full part in various international initiatives to promote greater transparency and responsibility in the arms trade, with particular emphasis on setting up a universal and non-discriminatory register of arms transfers at the United Nations.
Rapid Reaction Force
24. Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with NATO members on the development of a rapid reaction force.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told the House on 4 June, the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in May this year agreed to the creation of a new Allied Command Europe rapid reaction corps under permanent United Kingdom command. Since then discussions have taken place at official level on the detailed structure of the corps, and on the sea and air elements of the reaction forces.
Injured Grenadiers
25. Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the three seriously injured Grenadier Guardsmen who are claiming compensation.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The hon. Member will be aware that, following discussions with solicitors representing the three guardsmen, the Ministry of Defence agreed to make an out-of-court settlement. As is usual with this type of agreement, the payments of £105,000 to each of the men have been made without admission of liability. The settlement was based on legal advice and I believe it to be both fair and reasonable, having taken into account all aspects of the case.
Unilateral Nuclear Disarmament
26. Mr. Riddick : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received putting the case for unilateral nuclear disarmament.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has received a number of letters from organisations and individuals on many aspects of defence policy and arms control, including nuclear disarmament.
Western European Union
27. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met the Secretary General of the Western European Union to discuss the role of that body.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend meets the
Secretary-General periodically at meetings of WEU Ministers where a range of issues concerning the WEU are discussed. The latest occasion when the role of the WEU was discussed was in February 1991.
European Fighter Project
30. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the European fighter project.
Mr. Alan Clark : The European fighter aircraft development programme proceeds with the full support of all four partner nations. Work is progressing well on the prototype aircraft, the first of which is scheduled to fly in spring 1992. Of the 285 airframe equipments, 238 have now been selected on a competitive basis. The development of the engine is also proceeding satisfactorily.
Ceremonial Duties
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what long-term steps he is taking to safeguard adequate forces for ceremonial duties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Winchester (Mr. Browne) and for Upminster (Sir N. Bonsor) on 14 October 1991.
Asbestosis
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons have received compensation in each of the past five years as a result of asbestosis arising from work in the armed forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No members of the armed forces have received such compensation.
SCOTLAND
Training
Mr. Graham : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list any youth training managing agents or training managers who were national contractors as at 1 June and who operated training provision in each of (a) Renfrewshire, (b) Dunbartonshire, (c) Glasgow, (d) Lanarkshire, (e) Ayrshire, (f) Dumfries and Galloway, (g) Fife, (h) Forth Valley, (i) Grampian, (j) Lothian and Edinburgh, (k) Borders, (l) Tayside and (m) Argyll and the islands ;
(2) if he will list the total number of youth training managing agents contracted with each local enterprise
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company as at 1 June in each of (a) Renfrewshire, (b) Dunbartonshire, (c) Glasgow, (d) Lanarkshire, (e) Ayrshire, (f) Dumfries and Galloway, (g) Fife, (h) Forth Valley, (i) Grampian, (j) Lothian and Edinburgh, (k) Borders, (l) Tayside and (m) Argyll and the islands ;(3) if he will list the total number of training places contraced for in (i) youth training and (ii) employment training by each local enterprise company in (a) Renfrewshire, (b) Dunbartonshire, (c) Glasgow, (d) Lanarkshire, (e) Ayrshire, (f) Dumfries and Galloway, (g) Fife, (h) Forth Valley, (i) Grampian, (j) Lothian and Edinburgh, (k) Borders, (l) Tayside and (m) Argyll and the islands ;
(4) if he will list the total number of training managers and training agents contracted with each local enterprise company as at 1 June in each of (a) Renfrewshire, (b) Dunbartonshire, (c) Glasgow, (d) Lanarkshire, (e) Ayrshire, (f) Dumfries and Galloway, (g) Fife, (h) Forth Valley, (i) Grampian, (j) Lothian and Edinburgh, (k) Borders, (l) Tayside and (m) Argyll and the islands ;
(5) if he will list the current 1991-92 training budgets operated by the local enterprise companies in respect of youth and adult training in each of (a) Renfrewshire, (b) Dunbartonshire, (c) Glasgow, (d) Lanarkshire, (e) Ayrshire, (f) Dumfries and Galloway, (g) Fife, (h) Forth Valley, (i) Grampian, (j) Lothian and Edinburgh, (k) Borders, (l) Tayside and (m) Argyll and the islands ;
(6) if he will list the total number of filled places as at the end of May in (i) youth training and (ii) employment training in each of (a) Renfrewshire, (b) Dunbartonshire, (c) Glasgow, (d) Lanarkshire, (e) Ayrshire, (f) Dumfries and Galloway, (g) Fife, (h) Forth Valley, (i) Grampian, (j) Lothian and Edinburgh, (k) Borders, (l) Tayside and (m) Argyll and the islands.
Mr. Allan Stewart : In Scotland responsibility for the delivery of youth training and adult training rests with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member with the information that he has requested.
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