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Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library the first and second interim reports on coal privatisation prepared for him by Rothschilds.
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Mr. Wakeham : No. The Government will come forward with detailed proposals on coal privatisation in due course.Power Companies (Shareholdings)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of shares in National Power and PowerGen, respectively, are owned by foreign shareholders.
Mr. Wakeham : Details of the current share registers are a matter for the companies and their registrars. I am advised, however, that it is not possible to identify shareholdings registered here and overseas according to the nationality of their beneficial owners.
Mining
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the total of underground workers in coal mines owned (a) by British Coal and (b) others, in the current year and at the end of the two preceding years ;
(2) what is the total underground work force in private licensed mines.
Mr. Wakeham : I refer the hon. Member to British Coal's annual report and accounts and its annual reports on the licensed sector, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total work force involved in opencast mining.
Mr. Wakeham : The Department does not keep details of the number of people involved in opencast mining.
The Government Information Officer"
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library the current edition of the official booklet "The Government Information Officer".
Mr. Wakeham : I have today placed in the Library the current edition of the official booklet "The Government Information Officer" which has been in use since 1980.
Trade Figures
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the changes made since October 1989 in the way fuel trade figures have been (a) collected, (b) analysed or (c) presented.
Mr. Wakeham : Fuel trade data are collected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and there have been no changes in the method of collection since October 1989. The data are published each month in "Overseas Trade Statistics".
The Central Statistical Office--CSO--uses the trade data collected by Customs and Excise to compile the balance of payments. The CSO make various adjustments to "Overseas Trade Statistics". From 1989 onwards these have included an estimate for any direct exports of crude oil from offshore fields reported late to Customs and Excise. The trade data collected by Customs and Excise record import values on a "c.i.f basis"--including insurance and freight--and export values on an "f.o.b basis"--free on
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board. This is a standard convention used both in the United Kingdom and internationally. The CSO, in compiling the balance of payments, put imports and exports on a comparable basis--that is, both imports and exports are recorded on an f.o.b basis. Again this is an internationally accepted convention. Import data are therefore available on both a c.i.f basis and f.o.b basis and this has not been changed since October 1989. The data are published by the CSO each month in the balance of payments press notice.The Department of Energy reproduces fuel trade data in the annual "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics" and the monthly statistical bulletin "Energy Trends". Prior to 1991 data on imports and exports of fuels by quantity were expressed in tonnes of coal, from 1991 onwards data are expressed in tonnes of oil. Also prior to 1991 these two publications included data on imports only on a c.i.f basis ; they now, in addition, include imports data on an f.o.b basis. This follows the convention used by the CSO and means that data on the values of imports and exports are available on a similar basis.
EC Energy Council
Mr. Andy Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the meeting of the Energy Council of the European Community Ministers on 29 October.
Mr. Wakeham : The Council, which was attended by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy, my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory), adopted the SAVE decision, which provides for improved co-ordination of work on promoting energy efficiency in the Community. A draft directive to harmonise energy efficiency requirements for new gas or liquid fired central heating boilers was agreed in principle ; the United Kingdom secured the inclusion of cost-effective standards appropriate to the particular circumstances of its domestic heating market.
The Commission explained the approach it proposed to take towards opening up, and increasing competition in, the gas and electricity markets. The Commission's objectives are supported in principle by the United Kingdom, which is in the lead on progress towards liberalising these markets. No decision was reached by the Council, but the way was paved for the Commission to enter into bilateral discussions with the member states.
The Commission was invited to present revised proposals on oil crisis measures and to adjust its mandate for Community accession to the International Energy Agency.
The Council held a detailed discussion on the Commission's communication on energy and the environment. There was widespread scepticism about unilateral Community action and most member states raised serious practical difficulties which remain to be addressed in connection with a carbon- energy tax.
The Commission presented a report on the progress of the European Energy Charter for the creation of market-based energy co-operation in western, central and eastern Europe, the USSR and beyond.
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WALES
Gower Peninsula (Beaches)
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he will take to ensure that beaches on the Gower peninsula will meet minimum bathing water quality standards ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : In 1990 all seven of the Gower peninsula's identified bathing waters met the mandatory standards for total and faecal coliforms set in the EC bathing waters directive--the standards by which the United Kingdom Government, and the EC, assesses compliance. As part of the investment programme agreed with Dwr Cymru to improve Welsh bathing waters, a sewage treatment works and a long sea outfall are to be built to serve Swansea. This £50 million investment will further improve the quality of all the waters in the area.
River Quality
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he will take to ensure that current river stretches in Wales found to be of bad quality are improved ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The 1985 river quality survey indicated that only 0.6 per cent.--about 17 miles--of rivers in the National Rivers Authority Welsh region's area were placed in class 4--bad quality. The investment programmes agreed with Dwr Cymru ; recent initiatives such as those to reduce pollution from farms ; and the planned setting of statutory water quality objectives under the Water Act 1989 will result in further improvements to river quality.
Conwy Road Tunnel
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the problems experienced with the Conwy road tunnel on the A55 road since its opening ; what is the estimated cost of overcoming the problems ; and what guarantee the contractors have given that there will be no recurrence of this problem.
Mr. David Hunt : The tunnel is equipped with failsafe safety systems and TV surveillance cameras which monitor all aspects of its operation.
All systems are linked to the control computers and video display screens in the nearby tunnel monitoring building which is manned 24 hours a day.
On 1 November a safety system installed to warn of a possible fire hazard or fuel spillage resulting from a traffic accident in the tunnel activated.
The video screens clearly showed tunnel maintenance staff that an accident had not occurred. In order to ascertain the cause of the false alarm entry to the westbound bore was necessary The investigation which required the closure of this bore for about two hours established that a heat/gas detection sensor was defective. Systems were tested during the commissioning period prior to the tunnel being opened to traffic, but it is not unusual for minor problems to develop during the early period of operation once equipment is in permanent use.
The cost of replacing any defective electrical components will be met by the contractor responsible for their installation.
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There can, of course, be no guarantee that individual electrical components will never fail, which is why the systems installed to ensure the safety of the travelling public are failsafe.Empty Industrial Premises
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to enable empty industrial premises to be occupied.
Mr. David Hunt : The Welsh Development Agency, the Development Board for Rural Wales and the Welsh Office continue to work actively to attract the maximum amount possible of inward investment and to encourage indigenous Welsh companies to grow and prosper.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many industrial units stand empty in each of the industrial estate locations in each county in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : This information is not collected centrally by the Welsh Office. Information is, however, available on those units owned by the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales. The number of units vacant at the end of October 1991 were 438 and 120 respectively, representing vacancy rates of 12.5 per cent. and 17.4 per cent.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he proposes to hold with (a) the Welsh Development Agency and (b) Mid-Wales Development to take measures to attract occupants for empty industrial premises ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I have regular discussions with the chairmen of the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales about a wide range of issues concerning the development of the Welsh economy.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to commute specific loan charge grants to local authorities.
Mr. David Hunt : We will commute specific loan charge grants for housing and urban programme expenditure in Wales on 1 October 1992. My Department will pay a lump sum equivalent to the present value of future grants for each local authority to the Public Works Loan Board or to the local authority itself if any authorities have insufficient Public Works Loan Board debt, though such payments are expected to be small. Annual loan charge grants will then cease. As the commuted sums will repay local authority debt, cancelling out the loss of annual grant, the effect on local authority resources will be neutral. The effect on general Government expenditure will be negligible, because virtually all the transfer payments involved are within general Government spending. Similarly, the effect on the central Government borrowing requirement, the public sector borrowing requirement and monetary aggregates will be negligible, since virtually all the commuted sums will return to the Public Works Loan Board. Within the public sector borrowing requirement, central Government borrowing on its own account will be increased and the local authority borrowing requirement will be reduced by the amount of debt repayment. There is
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no effect on the planning total. The various transfer payments involved have been taken into account in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's autumn statement.TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Car Prices
Mr. Warren : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is proposing to take in relation to the findings of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's review of United Kingdom car prices ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The MMC's report on the supply of new cars is currently being considered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The report will be published as soon as is practicable.
The contents of all MMC reports remain confidential until publication. If the MMC finds no adverse effects the Secretary of State has no power to act. If the MMC has reached any adverse findings he will decide what steps, if any, should be taken to remedy the situation. He will also consider whether to announce a period of consultation before reaching his conclusions.
BA Engine Maintenance Plant
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the reference was made to the Office of Fair Trading concerning the sale of British Airways engine maintenance plant at Nantgarw, South Wales to General Electric of America ; and on what date he expects to receive the report from the Director General of Fair Trading.
Mr. Redwood : The Office of Fair Trading was first informed of the proposed acquisition by General Electric of the British Airways engine overhaul business on 3 September. I understand that the office's inquiries are nearing completion. We therefore expect to receive the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading in the near future.
Apparel, Knitting and Textiles Alliance
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the Apparel, Knitting and Textiles Alliance about current EC negotiations with Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : My Department has kept in close touch with the Apparel, Knitting and Textiles Alliance as these negotiations have proceeded. The AKT last wrote to me about them on 21 September.
Office of Telecommunications
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any changes will be made to the Office of Telecommunications' cash limit and running cost limit for 1991-92.
Mr. Lilley : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV vote 9, Office of Telecommunications, will be increased
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by £618,000 from £6,757,000 to £7,375,000. The running cost limit for the Office of Telecommunications will be increased by £254,000 from £6,037,000 to £6,291,000.End-year flexibility entitlement of £341,000 on capital expenditure announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July at columns 186- 90, has been fully taken up. A £254,000 additional running cost provision is required for increased pay and associated other running costs mainly for 11 extra staff for new work stemming from the duopoly review. A £24,000 extra provision is required for the associated accruing superannuation liability charge. These increases are partly offset by an increase in appropriations in aid of £1,000.
The increase is within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement yesterday.
ECGD
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any changes will be made to the Export Credits Guarantee Department's cash limit and running cost limit for 1991-92.
Mr. Lilley : Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV vote 4--Export Credits Guarantee Department : administration--will be increased by £2,880,000 from £37,200,000 to £40,080,000 and the running cost limit by £4,257,000 from £30,221,000 to £34,478,000.
The ECGD's running costs are not included in the planning total. The increase is necessary to meet additional costs which have arisen because of the later than expected date for the privatisation of the short-term credit insurance operation. The necessary legislation in the form of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act received Royal Assent on 22 October 1991.
House of Fraser
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the takeover panel to conclude its inquiries into possible breaches of the takeover code in relation to the takeover of House of Fraser ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 6 November 1991] : This is a matter for the takeover panel. I am not responsible for the manner or duration of any inquiry which it carries out as the competent authority for takeover regulation.
PRIME MINISTER
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Departments which no longer ensure that a ministerial reply is sent to letters from hon. Members ; and if he will ensure that letters from hon. Members receive a ministerial reply.
Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked to reply.
There has been no change in the existing practice.
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Cabinet Office (Costs)
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Prime Minister if there are any proposals to change the 1991-92 cash limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office : other services vote.
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Prime Minister if there are any proposals to change the 1991-92 cash limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office : other services vote.
Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked to reply. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the Cabinet Office : other services--class XIX, vote 2--will be increased by £850,000 from £24,814,000 to £25,664,000. At the same time the running costs limit will be increased by £806,000 from £21,656,000 to £22,462,000. This reflects the setting up of the citizens charter unit within the Cabinet Office which will be responsible for seeing that the citizens charter programme of initiatives, which my right hon. Friend announced to the House on 22 July 1991 at column 765, is implemented and developed. The increase is within the forecast outturn for the planning total included in the Chancellor's autumn statement yesterday.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 7 November.
Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked to reply. This morning my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had a bilateral with President Bush in Rome. He is currently attending the NATO summit now under way there. That summit will set the future course for NATO to ensure that it remains, as it has been, a bedrock of stability in a still uncertain world.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
University Students
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many undergraduates from non-EC countries were attending universities in each of the past five years.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The information is given in the table.
Great Britain-Full-time
undergraduate students-All years
Year |Total Non-
|EC students
------------------------------------
1986 |17,277
1987 |18,301
1988 |19,098
1989 |20,370
1990 |21,174
Source: Universities Statistical
Record
Science Budget
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of his science budget is spent in Wales, Scotland and England, respectively.
Mr. Alan Howarth : In 1989-90, the latest year for which figures are available, the proportions were 2.9, 7.9 and 77.9 per cent. respectively.
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Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance he has given the advisory board for the research councils in seeking its advice on the allocation of the science budget in 1992-93 to 1994-95 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I have written to Sir David Phillips inviting the board's advice. The following is the text of my letter : Sir David Phillips KBE FRS
Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils Provision for Science : 1992-93 to 1994-95--
I was grateful for the Board's advice for this year's Public Expenditure Survey on the resource needs of the Research Councils, the Royal Society and the Fellowship of Engineering.
I am pleased to tell you that the Government has decided that it is right to make a significant increase in the provision for Science, and that it is desirable to provide a planning framework for future years which provides a rising profile. In reaching these conclusions the Government has been heavily influenced by the array of evidence presented by the ABRC in the preparation for this year's survey. DES provision for science comprises receipts from European Community programmes which go direct to the Research Councils, and the balance which is the sum I distribute on the advice of the ABRC, known as the "science budget". The latter (net of the dual support transfer) has been increased by £29 million to £1,002.0 million in 1992-93, by £50 million to £1,056.1 million in 1993- 94, and by £85 million to £1,116.3 million in 1994-95. I have summarised in the annexed table the additions and adjustments made to the total provision for science at the start of the Survey from which I arrive at these science budget figures.
Next year's science budget is 2.5 per cent. higher in real terms than this year's. The figures for 1993-94 and 1994-95 are, respectively, 4 per cent. and 7 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1991-92. I am particularly pleased that the settlement produces this rising expenditure profile which gives the Board and the bodies funded from the science budget a sound basis for the forward planning and management of their basic and strategic research programmes. I would like to give some fuller explanations of the adjustments shown in the annexed table.
Supercomputing
You will see that the science budget for the next three years includes further adjustments of £0.185 million in 1992-93, £0.165 million in 1993-94, and £0.180 million in 1994-95 to support 80 per cent. of the supercomputing service.
Dual Support
At this time last year I announced my decision that there should be a change in the dual support boundary from 1 August 1992. Our public expenditure plans were adjusted to take account of the best estimate we could then make of the associated costs. I made clear in my letter of 8 November 1990 that these figures would be revised if that was proved necessary by the further work I was commissioning. In my further letter to you of 29 July, I accepted that further adjustments had indeed been shown to be necessary by the joint study undertaken by the Research Councils and the CVCP. I also announced the transitional arrangements which would apply to grants already in payment on 1 August 1992. I said that we would take account of the further adjustment and of the transitional arrangements in our public expenditure plans for 1992-93 and later years.
The following sums have now been added to the science budget to provide for the full costs to the Research Councils and the Royal Society of the responsibilities to be transferred :
|£ million
------------------------------------
1992-93 |48
1993-94 |125
1994-95 |154
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These figures represent the total additions to the Science Budget on this account, ie they replace the adjustments announced at this time last year. They take account of the transitional arrangements announced in my July letter.I have also made clear that the shift in the boundary of responsibilities should not lead to any change in the volume of research which Research Councils sponsor in higher education institutions. I will be looking for clear evidence that the sums transferred are being used by the Councils for the purpose for which they are intended. I should be grateful for the Board's assistance in achieving this objective.
I should now be grateful for the Board's advice on the appropriate distribution of these sums between the funded bodies.
Computing costs
The further work undertaken earlier in the year did not resolve the question of how central computing costs should be treated. The CVCP have since conducted some further analysis, in consultation with the Research Councils, indentifying options for handling these costs. The CVCP argued that these costs should remain with the institutions because the move towards distributed computing systems means that they would be most appropriately treated with other forms of communications systems as part of general
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premises costs. Your letter of 8 October preferred a further transfer to the Research Councils to allow them to cover these costs as part of the percentage addition to the direct staffing costs of research projects.I have considered this issue carefully, and have decided that for the time being these costs should remain with the institutions. I noted the evidence that there is considerable diversity in the provision of computing services, with a tendency away from the main frame computing towards distributed systems. I would, however, like this particular issue to be looked at again in two years time as part of the first review of the percentage addition for indirect costs. Next Steps
Although I am making no earmarked allocations this year, and will be grateful to receive the Board's advice on the allocation of the increased resources, I shall be looking to the scientific community to use the resources generally in accordance with the priorities that were identified in the evidence put to me earlier in the public spending round.
Since science funding is a matter of considerable Parliamentary and public interest, I propose to follow precedent by publishing the text of this letter in the form of a Parliamentary Answer.
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Des Science Provision 1991-92 to 1994-95
£ million
|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous plans
Science provision |927.1 |1,030.2|1,122.8
plus increase announced in June 1991 |+7.0
less revised EC receipts estimates |-2.6 |-3.0
transfer to IPSR<1> |-0.6 |-0.6
Survey baseline |934.1 |1,027.1|1,109.1|1,136.9
New plans
Survey increase |+29.0 |+50.0 |+85.0
Supercomputing adjustment |+0.2 |+0.2 |+0.2
Dual support transfers:
from higher education |-2.6 |+23.5 |+49.6
from Dept. of Education, Northern Ireland +0.6 +1.5 +1.9
New science provision |1,054.3|1,184.3|1,273.5
Science budget
New science provision |1,054.3|1,184.3|1,273.5
Less EC receipts |-4.2 |-3.2 |-3.3
Science budget (ie sums distributed
on advice of ABRC) |1,050.0|1,181.1|1,270.3
of which:
dual support transfer from higher
education funding |-48.0 |-125.0 |-154.0
Science budget
net of dual support |1,002.0|1,056.1|1,116.3
Notes:
Totals are based on unrounded figures and may not always equal the sum of
the components.
<1> The funding of the Institute of Plant Science Research (IPSR) is now
provided from the receipts from the sale for the Plant Breeding Institute.
Mature Students
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the basis for assessing maintenance needs of mature students (a) on higher education courses and (b) on further education courses, when such students are eligible for grants ; and if he will consider extending the student loan system to mature students in the further education sector.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Mandatory grants are payable for full-time and sandwich courses leading to a first degree or
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a comparable qualification, to the HND and DipHE, and for courses of initial teacher training including part-time courses. Under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations a student who is at least 25 before his course begins is treated as "independent" and no parental contribution is expected towards his maintenance. A student who is at least 26 at the beginning of his course and who, in the three immediately preceding years, had income of at least £12,000 is eligible to receive the older student's allowance of up to £935 a year. Various other allowances in respect of spouses and dependants are available to all students depending upon their personal circumstances. The resources of the student, and, where applicable, of his spouse and dependants are taken into account in the calculation of the maintenance grant payable.For most courses not attracting a mandatory award, including further education courses, local education authorities have the power to make discretionary awards. It is for each authority to decide its own policies on the courses for which it will offer awards and on the amounts payable. Arrangements for mature students differ among the various postgraduate award schemes.
We have no plans to extend the student loans scheme to further education students.
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