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Car Telephones
Sir Anthony Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions have taken place in the last two years for driving with a hand-held car telephone ; what steps he is taking to prevent such driving ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : There are no separate statistics available on the number of prosecutions arising from the use of hand held car telephones. It is not a specific offence to use a car telephone whilst driving. Prosecution would result where the use of such a device leads a driver to drive without due care or without exercising proper control. Advice on the use of car telephones is given in a variety of publications including the highway code.
European Commission
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the article 169 letter he received in mid- October from the European Commission, in respect of EC directive 85/337/EEC.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 14 November 1991] : No. It is an accepted convention that correspondence between the Government and the Commission is confidential.
River Itchen (Bridge)
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has now invited tenders for bridge works over the River Itchen as part of the M3 Bar End-Compton.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 15 November 1991] : Tenders have been invited for bridge works in advance of the main M3 Bar End Compton contract, but these do not include a bridge over the River Itchen.
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the advance works prior to the letting of a contract for bridge works over the River Itchen require an archaeological dig or any other work liable to damage the River Itchen watermeadows site of special scientific interest.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 15 November 1991] : The advance works will affect a small corner of the Itchen
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Valley water meadows site of special scientific interest (SSSI). Ecological and archaeological work will be carried out in the affected area of the SSSI before any construction starts on that part of the site.Environmental Assessments
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence between himself and the European Commission on (a) M3 motorway, reference P/1324/90 dated 26 March 1990 and 23 May 1991, (b) the Hackney Wick to M11 link road, dated 21 June 1990 and 14 August 1990 and (c) the A406 east London river crossing dated 24 October 1989 and 22 December 1989, with copies of any subsequent correspondence in respect of each.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 18 November 1991] : No. It is an accepted convention that correspondence between the Government and the Commission is confidential.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will give a breakdown of the costs to his Department of preparing environment assessments in accordance with the EC directives ; (2) if he will list those private consultants selected by his Department to carry out environmental assessments in accordance with the EC directive and to which particular assessment they were attached ;
(3) if he will list the schemes for which his Department has prepared an environmental statement as required under the EC directive, with full details of the costs of the preparation of these statements ; and which have been prepared, (a) by his staff within the Department of Transport and (b) by outside consultants.
Mr. Chope [holding answer 20 November 1991] : Consultants are appointed to undertake the preparation and supervision of trunk road schemes under the direction of the Department of Tranport's staff. The consultants are responsible for the full range of duties associated with each commission, including an environmental assessment. The preparation of the environmental assessment, including the environmental statement, is not costed separately. Attached is a list of schemes for which an environmental statement in accordance with the EC directive 85/337 as applied by section 105A of the Highway Act 1980 has been published, together with the name of the consultants appointed to carry out the work :
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Scheme |Consultant(s)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A1 Alconbury to Peterborough |W. S. Atkins Planning Consultants (main agent authority for scheme: Cambridge County
| Council)
A5 Little Brickhill Bypass |Kennedy Henderson Ltd.
A6 Clapham Bypass |Acer assisted by Acer Environmental and Ash Landscape Architects
A10 Wadesmill High Cross and Colliers
End Bypass |Mott MacDonald
A11 Roudham Heath to Attleborough |G. Maunsell and Partners, assisted by the Landscape Partnership and Alconbury
| Environmental Consultants
A11 Besthorpe Wymondham |Norfolk County Council
A11 Four Wentways to Newmarket |Cambridgeshire County Council
A41 Aston Clinton Bypass |Buckinghamshire County Council
A47 Walpole Highway to Tilney High
End |Stirling Maynard and Partners assisted by Landscape Design Associates
A47 East Dereham to North
Tuddenham |Kennedy Henderson Ltd.
A47 Norwich Southern Bypass (Keswick
section and Trowse Newton) |Trowse Newton-Norfolk County Council; Keswick section-G. Maunsell and Partners
A140 Scole Bypass |Trevor Crocker and Partners (now DVH-Burrow Crocker)
A428 Bedford Southern Bypass |Brian Colquhoun and Partners assisted by Landscape Partnership
M1-A1 Link (Re-alignment of Naseby-
Sibertoft Supplementary Order) |Brian Colquhoun and Partners assisted by Percy Thomas Partnership
M25 Motorway: Junctions 15-16
widening from dual 2-4 lanes |Sir William Halcrow and Partners assisted by Halcrow Fox and Wyn Thomas and Partners
M40 Motorway widening: Junctions 4-5
Buckinghamshire |Sir William Halcrow and Partners assisted by Halcrow Fox and Wyn Thomas and Partners
A6 Great Glen Bypass |Bingham Cotterell
A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass |Northants County Council assisted by Faulkes Perry and Rech Landscape Consultants
A16 Spalding to Sutterton improvement |Mott MacDonald (was Husbands)
A17 Leadenham Bypass |Trevor Crocker
A43 Silverstone Bypass |Northants County Council assisted by Adams Loxton Landscape Consultants
A46 Leicester Western Bypass |Travers Morgan
A564 Stoke-Derby link Derby Southern
Bypass |Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Partners
A564 Foston Hatton Hilton |Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Partners
A13/A117 junction improvement |Acer assisted by Chris Blandford Associates
A13 West of Heathway-Wennington-
Mar Dyke |Acer Freeman Fox Ltd. and W. S. Atkins Consultants Ltd. (joint main consultants)
A406 ELRC A13-A2016 design changes |Sir William Halcrow and Partners assisted by Halcrow Fox Associates
A406 Gunnersbury Avenue improvement |Howard Humphries and Partners
A406 Golders Green Road/Brent Street
junction improvement |Gifford Graham and Partners
A406 Bounds Green to Green Lanes
improvement |G. Maunsell and Partners
M1 junction 1 improvement |W. S. Atkins and Partners
M1 widening: Junction 9 northbound |Hertfordshire County Council
M5 motorway widening Warndon-
Strensham junctions 6-8 |Howard Humphries and Partners
A167 Durham Western Bypass |Roughton and Partners assisted by A. Walker and Partners
A590 Dalton-in-Furness Bypass |Babtie Shaw and Morton assisted by Gillespies
A66 Stainmore to Banksgate |Cumbria County Council
A500 Basford/Hough/Shavington |Veryard and Partners
M56 widening junctions 4-6 |L. G. Mouchel and Partners
M6 motorway widening between
junctions 20 and 21A |Pell Frischmann
M6 widening and improvements
junctions 30 to 32 |Rendel Palmer and Tritton
M62 widening junctions 14-17 |G. Maunsell and Partners
M62 widening junctions 17-18 |G. Maunsell and Partners
M65 motorway Bamber Bridge-
Whitebirk section (Blackburn
Southern Bypass) |Howard Humphries and Partners
M66 Manchester Outer Ring Road
Denton-Middleton (A576-M62) |L. G. Mouchel and Partners
M66 Manchester Outer Ring Road
Denton-Middleton (M67-A576) |L. G. Mouchel and Partners
A3 Milford Bypass |W. S. Atkins and Partners
A23 Pease Pottage-Handcross |Acer
A27 Crossbush Bypass |West Sussex County Council
A27 Patching junction improvement |Peter Fraenkel and Partners assisted by Chris Blandford Associates
A27 Westhampnett Bypass |Gifford Graham and Partners
A34 Newbury Bypass-Andover Road
junction |Mott MacDonald
A249 Iwade Bypass |Kent County Council
A249 M2-Bobbing improvement |L. G. Mouchel and Partners assisted by David Huskisson Associates
A249 Brielle Way |Kent County Council
A259 Brookland Diversion |Kent County Council
M20 improvement junctions 5-8
(Maidstone Bypass) |Travers Morgan
A30 Okehampton-Launceston
improvement |Devon County Council
A30 Shallowater Hill improvement |Cornwall County Council assisted by Environmental Advisory Unit (Liverpool University) Ltd.
A30/A39 Indian Queens, Fraddon and
St. Columb Road Bypasses |Cornwall County Council assisted by Environmental Advisory Unit (Liverpool University) Ltd.
A31 Ashley Heath Grade separated
junction |Dorset County Council
A35 Tolpuddle Puddletown |Frank Graham Consulting Engineers Ltd. assisted by Cooper Partnership and Environmental
| Advisory Unit (Liverpool University) Ltd.
A39 Wadebridge Bypass |Cornwall County Council
A417 Brockworth Bypass |Frank Graham Consulting Engineers Ltd. assisted by Cooper Partnership and Environmental
| Advisory Unit (Liverpool University) Ltd. and Gloucester County Council
A419 Latton Bypass |Frank Graham Consulting Engineers Ltd. assisted by Cooper Partnership and Environmental
| Advisory Unit (Liverpool University) Ltd. and Cotswold Archeological Trust
Batheaston/Swainswick Bypass A36 link |Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners assisted by Derek Lovejoy and Partners and Avon County
| Council
M5 junction 18 improvement and
Avonmouth Relief Road |Second Severn Crossing Group
Second Severn Crossing and approach |Second Severn Crossing Group assisted by Environmental Advisory Unit (Liverpool University)
roads | Ltd.
A5 Trunk Road Fazeley/Two Gates/
Wilnecote Bypass |Staffordshire County Council assisted by R. P. S. Clouston and Dr. Jeff Lewis
A49 Onibury-Stokesay improvement |Shropshire County Council assisted by Simon Waldering Associates
A49/A465 Hereford Bypass |John Burrow and Partners (now DVH Burrow-Crocker Consulting)
A50 Blythe Bridge-Queensway Stoke |Staffordshire County Council and Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick and Partners assisted by Derek
on Trent | Latham and Co.; R. P. S. Clouston; Scotts Haighton; Accoustical Investigation Research
| Organisation Ltd.
A435 Norton Lenchwick Bypass |Dobbie and Partners (now Babtie Dobbie)
A435 Studley Bypass |Dobbie and Partners (now Babtie Dobbie)
A1(M) Walshford to Dishforth |Bullen and Partners
A63 Selby Bypass |North Yorkshire County Council and Anthony Walker and Partners
A65 Manor Park Improvement |City of Bradford
A65 Gargrave Bypass |Babtie Shaw and Morton
A65 Hellifield and Long Preston Bypass |Pell Frischmann
A65/A660 Burley-in-Wharfedale Bypass |City of Bradford
A650 Airedale route section 3 Crossflats
-Cottingley Bar |Babtie Shaw and Morton
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Room Bookings
45. Mr. Flynn : To ask the Lord President of the Council what changes he proposes in the arrangements for hon. Members to book rooms in the Palace of Westminster.
Mr. MacGregor : I have no such proposals.
European Standing Committees
46. Dr. Godman : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement concerning the modus operandi of European Standing Committee A and B.
Mr. MacGregor : Experience so far shows that the two European Standing Committees are working well and have made a real contribution to the improved scrutiny of European legislation. I am currently seeking views from the Select Committee on Procedure as part of a first stage review of the new scrutiny arrangements and will consider carefully any recommendations which the Committee might make.
Parliamentary Hours
47. Mr. Butler : To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he is now in a position to bring forward proposals to reduce the number of late sitting hours in the House of Commons.
Mr. MacGregor : This is one of the issues that the Select Committee on Sittings of the House is considering, and we await its recommendations.
One recent improvement has been that, since they were set up in January, the European Standing Committees have made a significant contribution to reducing the burden of late night debates on the Floor. Some 20 or so of their debates would probably have been held on the Floor after 10 pm under the previous arrangements.
Disabled People (Access)
48. Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Lord President of the Council what further action he is taking to improve access to all parts of the Palace of Westminster for people with disabilities.
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Mr. MacGregor : I commissioned consultants earlier in the year to look at means of improving access to the main public areas. Their initial report has been examined and further advice is now being sought.
Register of Members' Interests
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will initiate a proposal to require hon. Members to declare the amounts of remuneration they received from outside directorships, consultations and all other payments made for outside work in the Register of Members' Interests.
DEFENCE
Diving Forces
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of the risk of mining or sabotage in or around British ports by terrorists.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The assessment of this type of threat from terrorists is not the responsibility of the MOD.
Service Personnel (Deaths)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the reasons why certain documents, including boards of inquiry reports relating to deaths of service personnel, should remain confidential to his Department.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : A board of inquiry aims to establish the facts of an incident and make recommendations to prevent a recurrence. It can help witnesses to speak freely and frankly if their evidence is treated confidentially. Other documents may be confidential for a variety of reasons, such as national security or medical or commercial confidentiality. Where original documents cannot be released the Department makes every effort to provide information to the next of kin of service men in alternative forms.
Coral Sea Battle
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels are due to take part in the battle of the Coral sea celebrations in April/May 1992.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : No participation by RN ships in the commemoration is planned.Glen Parva Barracks
Sir John Farr : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will be putting into effect plans to centralise army pay and records at Glen Parva barracks, South Wigston.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We currently have no plans to centralise Army pay and records at Glen Parva barracks, South Wigston.
Exercise Starfish
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels and in which years have taken part in exercises called Starfish.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : HM ships regularly take part in the naval exercise STARFISH which is undertaken by member countries under the five power defence arrangements. Ships involved since 1981 are as follows :
Year |Ship(s)
------------------------------------
1981 |Wasperton
|Monkton
1982 |Ajax
|Beachampton
|Wolverton
1983 |Avenger
|Wasperton
|Monkton
1984 |Falmouth
|Monkton
|Wolverton
1985 |Plover
|Starling
1986 |Amazon
|Beaver
|Starling
|Swallow
1987 |Plover
|Starling
1988 |Sirius
|Peacock
1989 |Brave
1990 |Battleaxe
|Plover
1991 |Manchester
|Peacock
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels are due to take part in Exercise Starfish 92.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is planned that the Royal Navy will take part in Exercise Starfish 92, but details of which ships will be involved are still under consideration.
Dounreay
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long the prototype fast breeder reactor at Dounreay has been supplying electricity to HMS Vulcan ; and at what cost.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Since 1957, when the MOD Vulcan facility was established, it has obtained its
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electricity from the Scottish Hydroboard via the adjacent Atomic Energy Authority (Technology) establishment at Dounreay. The power consumed by Vulcan is metered and paid for at commercial rates.Female Sailors
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total added cost of fitting out ships of the Royal Navy to cater for female crew.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The estimated cost of work done to date to provide accommodation and associated facilities on HM ships for female crew is £1.6 million.
New Zealand
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Royal Navy is currently prepared to send ships to visit New Zealand.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are no plans for Royal Navy ships to visit New Zealand in the immediate future.
Navy (Nuclear Weapons)
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans in respect of the removal of tactical nuclear weapons from Royal Navy surface ships.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Steps are being taken to remove tactical nuclear weapons from Royal Navy ships in accordance with the Government's new policy that such weapons will no longer be carried at sea in normal circumstances.
Staff Cars
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers are based in each auditing district ; and how many staff cars are provided in each district.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information is not held in the form requested, but the numbers of staff cars and service officers based in the United Kingdom are as follows :
|Officers|Staff
|cars
------------------------------------
RN |7,142 |551
Army |10,652 |1,719
RAF |12,880 |1,095
The totals of cars include those held in pools which are available for use by all ranks, service and civilian, for travel on official business where this is the most cost effective option.
Nuclear Testing
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions Her Majesty's Government have had with the United States Department of Energy about contamination resulting from the testing of United Kingdom nuclear weapons in Nevada.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We have regular discussions with the United States authorities on all aspects of United Kingdom nuclear tests carried out at the Nevada test site.
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Storage Depots
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether arrangements have been made for environmental clean-up at the naval fuel storage depot at (a) Invergordon and (b) Finnart before their closure.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It is normal practice for the existence, nature and extent of any contamination to be identified by the MOD prior to the disposal of land. Any decontamination required would either be undertaken by the Department or by the acquiring authority, dependent upon the circumstances of the land disposal.
Options for Change"
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make it his policy to review the arrangements for financial assistance for serving officers who are required to change uniforms as a result of the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals ;
(2) what contribution will be made to officers of each rank who are required to change regiments as a result of the imlementation of the "Options for Change" proposals in order to enable them to meet the cost of the new uniforms which they will require.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The levels of uniform grants payable on the amalgamation of regiments are currently under consideration. In general officers are expected to meet the costs of maintaining and replacing their uniforms, but those involved in amalgamations will receive a grant to assist with the cost of essential changes in uniform when such new items are not usually provided as a free issue. It is our intention to keep changes in uniform to the minimum, and where possible to allow officers to wear out their existing uniforms.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to review the redundancy arrangements for all serving personnel who are made redundant as a result of the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No, although we are reviewing arrangements for housing and resettlement.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many junior non-commissioned officers and other ranks with under 12 years' service he expects to be made redundant as a result of the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals ; (2) if he will give a breakdown by length of service of the average amount of redundancy payment which will be made to junior non-commissioned officers and other ranks made redundant as a result of the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals before the completion of 12 years' service.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We do not expect that anyone who has served in the Army for less than 12 years will be made redundant in 1992-93.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation he undertook prior to the setting of the limits upon financial assistance which may be made available to serving officers who are required to change uniforms as a result of the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : No limits have yet been set on the financial assistance which may be made available to officers required to change uniforms as a result of the implementation of "Options for Change". The new uniforms have yet to be agreed, but once this has been done appropriate allowances will be calculated.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about the current average cost of the uniforms of officers of each rank in each of the regiments which will exist after the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The uniforms of many of the regiments which will exist after the implementation of "Options for Change" have yet to be determined. As a guide, however, current allowances payable to newly commissioned officers to meet the costs of those uniform items which they are required to purchase from military tailors are set out in the table. These allowances are based on average prices charged by military tailors and their current levels reflect prices notified to the Ministry of Defence in January 1991.
Officers initial outfit allowance
|£
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Male officers
Dismounted officers and career officers except as below |1,716
Officers of the Household Cavalry dismounted order |2,617
Officers of the Foot Guards |2,558
Officers of Lowland Regiments |1,901
Officers of Highland Regiments |2,174
Officers of The Royal Tank Regiment, Royal Irish
Rangers, Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps,
SAS and Intelligence Corps |1,679
Officers of the Royal Army Chaplains Department
(includes rate for special scarf) |1,829
Female officers
Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
(Nursing Officers) |1,628
Non-nursing Officers |1,416
Officers of The Women's Royal Army Corps |1,259
Female direct entry to the Royal Army Medical Corps
and Royal Army Dental Corps |2,075
Army Legal Corps |2,453
Royal Army Veterinary Corps |1,985
Notes:
1. These figures do not include officers on probation or Royal Army
Medical Corps, Royal Army Dental Corps and Royal Army Veterinary
Corps Cadets.
2. Some officers receive an extra £99 for a non-standard pattern
Sam Browne/Cross Belt.
3. Officers of the Household Cavalry and King's Troop Royal Horse
Artillery on full Mounted Duty receive a further grant of £2,020 on
first posting to that duty.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the redundancy provisions for junior non-commissioned officers and other ranks made redundant as a result of the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We have received a number of representations about our general plans for redundancies.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many serving officers of each rank will change regiment as a result of the implementation of the "Options for Change" proposals.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : It will be some time before this information is available.
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Korea (Nuclear Weapons)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the People's Republic of China about assistance by that country to the nuclear weapons programme of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; and if he will make a statement.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Rabbits
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the legitimate methods available for controlling the rabbit population.
Mr. Gummer : In order to prevent or reduce the damage caused by rabbits a wide range of legitimate control methods are available. These include shooting, gassing, trapping and the use of rabbit-proof fencing. My Department also funds a substantial programme of research into ensuring that controls are available which are not only effective but humane and environmentally safe.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the increase in myxomatosis in the rabbit population in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : I have no information about the prevalence of myxomatosis in the rabbit population. However, the increasing rabbit population may have led to a greater number of individual rabbits being seen to be affected by the disease, without there necessarily being an increase in the percentage of the population affected.
Milk
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the future of
producer-processors in the Pennine villages whose livelihood comes from selling milk and milk products to their local communities ; (2) what is his assessment of the impact on communities of the differential levy on producer-processors ;
(3) if he will make a statement on the impact of the levy from the milk marketing board on direct sellers of milk and milk products.
Mr. Curry : Under Community law the milk marketing boards have the exclusive right to purchase from producers in their area milk produced and marketed without processing. Producers may, however, with the agreement of the board, sell their milk direct to consumers or retail outlets subject to the payment of a levy.
The Milk Marketing Board's entitlement to levy producers has been the subject of legal proceedings in which the European Court of Justice confirmed that the board's exclusive rights extended to direct sellers. The High Court subsequently found that the size of the levies was lawful. This judgment is subject to appeal. Change to the present milk marketing arrangements is essential to enable producers and processors to operate more flexibly to meet the needs of consumers and to give full scope to their entrepreneurial talents. The Government are
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therefore looking to the England and Wales Milk Marketing Board to advance rapidly in discussion with the Dairy Trade Federation its proposals for change to voluntary co-operative status. The process of change must however be orderly. Until new arrangements are introduced the proper and reliable operation of the milk marketing scheme must be sustained and producers will have to operate within its rules.Set-aside
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider introducing a system of nitrogen set-aside, to replace the present arrangement of land set-aside.
Mr. Curry : Limiting nitrogen use is not a cost-effective or practical way of addressing the problem of surplus production under the common agricultural policy. However, rules concerning the quantity and timing of nitrogen fertiliser applications will in due course be introduced in nitrate vulnerable zones, in line with the provisions of the nitrate directive agreed at the Environment Council on 14 June.
Sheep Dips
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for ending the compulsory dipping of sheep.
Mr. Curry : The compulsory dipping period for 1991 ended at the beginning of this month. Arrangements for 1992 will be considered when the results of this year's dip are available.
Slaughterhouses
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many man years have been used by his staff involved in listing all abattoirs to advise on hygiene and welfare standards in exporting premises for 1990-91 and 1991-92 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : Local authorities are responsible for enforcing legislation on hygiene and welfare at abattoirs. Officers of my Department visit all abattoirs to advise on hygiene and welfare standards and, in relation to export-approved red meat premises, to ensure that Community requirements are observed. The manpower involved amounted to 60 man years in 1990-91 ; the figure for 1991-92 is expected to show an increase over this figure to reflect increased demand for advice on single market requirements.
SCOTLAND
Dogs (Poisoning)
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about recent incidents of poisoning of dogs caused by agricultural pesticides in East Lothian.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : On 12 November The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department (SOAFD) learnt that a number of pet dogs had died or been taken ill apparently after eating blue coloured pellets in Niddrie walkway, Muckletts road, Musselburgh. The total number of reported deaths is seven.
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Analysis of the stomach contents of three of the dogs carried out by the Department's scientific staff indicates that they died from metaldehyde poisoning.The police cordoned off the main extrances to the walkway and warning notices were posted by the environmental health department of East Lothian District Council. SOAFD also issued a notice of requirement under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 directing the farmer concerned to search for and remove molluscicides from the area and its adjacent boundaries.
A full report on the incident leading to the deaths of the dogs is being prepared and will be submitted shortly to the procurator fiscal.
Higher Education
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimate of the funding needed to repair, and bring up to 1990 standards, the fabric and building services of the further education and central institutions in Scotland ; and how many of them are now regarded as being in a poor state of repair.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The condition of buildings in the further education sector is a matter for the relevant education authority and in the grant-aided colleges for the board of governors of the college concerned. The Scottish Office Education Department in its allocation of capital expenditure resource to the grant-aided colleges gives priority to proposals aimed at maintaining the physical condition of buildings and services.
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy towards mergers between higher education institutions in Scotland. Mr. Lang : The Universities Funding Council will publish later today a report to me by its Scottish Committee entitled "Criteria for Assessing Merger Proposals from Institutions of Higher Education". In my foreword to the report, I have said :
"I am most grateful to Professor Shaw, members of his sub-group and the Scottish Committee of the Universities Funding Council for the very thorough and careful consideration that has gone into their report. I also appreciate the contribution made by the many contributors to the consultation exercise carried out by the Committee.
The report is a valuable and timely landmark in a period of very rapid change in higher education resulting from publication of our White Paper in the Spring and the introduction of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Bill earlier this month. In our White Paper, we set out our commitment to continued expansion of higher education to meet the growing demand from all those able to benefit from it. In recent years Scottish higher education institutions have responded very well to the changing demands of students for more courses, delivered in different ways to suit the more diverse nature of the modern student population. In doing so, they have achieved exactly the sort of efficient expansion to which our White Paper referred. There is still scope for yet more such innovation in teaching and administration, and collaboration or even closer association up to and including full institutional merger has a contribution to make to this process.
This report provides an excellent analysis of the factors which higher education managements, staff and students should take into account when considering mergers. It provides what I am certain will become a key reference for all those committed to enhancing and developing further the achievements of Scottish higher education. I commend this report to all those involved who share our commitment to meeting the needs of future generations of students.
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