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Mr. Dorrell : Information on numbers of people failing to attend for in-patient admissions is not collected centrally. The available information for out-patient departments is given in the table.


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Consultant out-patient and GP maternity clinics in 1990-91 (provisional)                                                                                         

NHS hospitals, England                                                                                                                                           

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern          |601,556   |65,910    |667,466   |10        |1,925,757 |286,097   |2,211,854 |13        |2,527,313 |352,007   |2,879,320 |12                   

Yorkshire         |622,341   |75,375    |697,716   |11        |2,143,758 |317,241   |2,460,999 |13        |2,766,099 |392,616   |3,158,715 |12                   

Trent             |792,611   |89,454    |882,065   |10        |2,614,660 |372,723   |2,987,383 |12        |3,407,271 |462,177   |3,869,448 |12                   

East Anglian      |346,553   |28,180    |374,733   |8         |1,088,532 |103,063   |1,191,595 |9         |1,435,085 |131,243   |1,566,328 |8                    

North West Thames |612,944   |96,052    |708,996   |14        |1,855,466 |317,434   |2,172,900 |15        |2,468,410 |413,486   |2,881,896 |14                   

North East Thames |771,875   |129,985   |901,860   |14        |2,514,048 |434,484   |2,948,532 |15        |3,285,923 |564,469   |3,850,392 |15                   

South East Thames |722,382   |106,784   |829,166   |13        |2,235,816 |337,209   |2,573,025 |13        |2,958,198 |443,993   |3,402,191 |13                   

South West Thames |501,402   |52,202    |553,604   |9         |1,487,099 |178,227   |1,665,326 |11        |1,988,501 |230,429   |2,218,930 |10                   

Wessex            |464,852   |45,156    |510,008   |9         |1,411,722 |158,850   |1,570,572 |10        |1,876,574 |204,006   |2,080,580 |10                   

Oxford            |385,120   |40,024    |425,144   |9         |1,139,783 |144,700   |1,284,483 |11        |1,524,903 |184,724   |1,709,627 |11                   

South Western     |516,618   |47,067    |563,685   |8         |1,443,765 |164,700   |1,608,465 |10        |1,960,383 |211,767   |2,172,150 |10                   

West Midlands     |835,586   |109,552   |945,138   |12        |2,931,012 |449,860   |3,380,872 |13        |3,766,598 |559,412   |4,326,010 |13                   

Mersey            |444,906   |69,520    |514,426   |14        |1,519,594 |261,015   |1,780,609 |15        |1,964,500 |330,535   |2,295,035 |14                   

North Western     |779,754   |120,796   |900,550   |13        |2,702,481 |452,390   |3,154,871 |14        |3,482,235 |573,186   |4,055,421 |14                   

Special Health                                                                                                                                                   

  Authorities     |115,601   |18,854    |134,455   |14        |602,905   |94,184    |697,089   |14        |718,506   |113,038   |831,544   |14                   

                                                                                                                                                                 

England           |8,514,101 |1,094,911 |9,609,012 |11        |27,616,398|4,072,177 |31,688,575|13        |36,130,499|5,167,088 |41,297,587|13                   


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Family Planning

Mrs. Heal : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he received a copy of the South East Thames regional health authority review of family planning and abortion services, August 1991 ; what action the regional health authority is taking to meet its recommendations ; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : A copy of the region's report was received on 12 August. I understand the regional


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health authority considered the report at its meeting in July and agreed that it should be issued and commended to authorities in the region. The region will ensure that purchasing authorities and family health services authorities take the recommendations forward in their purchasing plans. The region is also planning to discuss some aspects of the report with its local education authorities.


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WALES

Hypothermia

Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing how many people categorised by age died of hypothermia, or illnesses associated with hypothermia, in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.


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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The following table gives numbers of deaths, and rates per million population, for which hypothermia was stated as the underlying cause of death in Wales in each year from 1979 to 1990.

Recognising the risk of hypothermia for vulnerable people, especially, but not only, the elderly, the Welsh Office is distributing the "Keep Warm Keep Well" brochure in Welsh and English to all authorities and agencies with the request that they ensure that those who need to see it get a copy. This distribution will be complemented by Welsh Office financial support for advice lines run by voluntary organisations.


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Number of deaths, and rates per million population, for which hypothermia<1> was stated as the underlying cause of death in Wales                                                     

1979-1984                                                                                                                                                                             

Age at death |1979        |1980        |1981        |1982        |1983        |1984                                                                                                   

             |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate                     

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All ages<2>  |31          |11.0        |16          |5.7         |26          |9.2         |25          |8.9         |12          |4.3         |17          |6.1                      

Under 1<2>   |-           |-           |1           |27.2        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

 1-4         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

 5-9         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

10-14        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

15-19        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

20-24        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

25-29        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

30-34        |1           |5.0         |-           |-           |-           |-           |1           |5.2         |1           |5.4         |-           |-                        

35-39        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

40-44        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |1           |6.3         |1           |6.2         |-           |-                        

45-49        |1           |6.4         |-           |-           |-           |-           |3           |19.7        |-           |-           |-           |-                        

50-54        |2           |12.0        |-           |-           |1           |6.3         |-           |-           |-           |-           |1           |6.5                      

55-59        |1           |5.4         |1           |5.6         |-           |-           |1           |6.0         |-           |-           |-           |-                        

60-64        |1           |6.9         |-           |-           |3           |19.0        |3           |18.5        |-           |-           |1           |5.8                      

65-69        |1           |6.7         |1           |6.7         |1           |6.8         |1           |7.0         |3           |21.8        |2           |15.0                     

70-74        |7           |56.7        |4           |32.1        |2           |16.0        |2           |16.0        |2           |16.0        |-           |-                        

75-79        |4           |46.9        |4           |45.8        |5           |56.1        |3           |33.2        |1           |10.9        |1           |10.7                     

80-84        |6           |133.3       |3           |63.6        |5           |100.2       |2           |38.9        |2           |37.5        |6           |108.7                    

85 and over  |7           |244.8       |2           |67.8        |9           |307.2       |8           |261.4       |2           |63.3        |6           |182.9                    

                                                                                                                                                                                      

Age at death |1985        |1986        |1987        |1988        |1989        |1990                                                                                                   

             |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate        |Number      |Rate                     

All ages<2>  |33          |11.7        |24          |8.5         |19          |6.7         |12          |4.2         |10          |3.5         |8           |2.8                      

Under 1<2>   |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

 1-4         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

 5-9         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

10-14        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

15-19        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

20-24        |-           |-           |-           |-           |1           |4.3         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

25-29        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

30-34        |-           |-           |1           |5.7         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

35-39        |-           |-           |1           |5.0         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

40-44        |-           |-           |1           |5.7         |-           |-           |1           |5.1         |-           |-           |-           |-                        

45-49        |-           |-           |-           |-           |1           |6.4         |1           |6.2         |-           |-           |-           |-                        

50-54        |-           |-           |2           |13.3        |-           |-           |1           |6.5         |-           |-           |-           |-                        

55-59        |-           |-           |2           |12.9        |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-                        

60-64        |1           |6.0         |2           |12.2        |2           |12.5        |-           |-           |1           |6.4         |-           |-                        

65-69        |2           |14.5        |1           |7.0         |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |-           |2           |12.9                     

70-74        |7           |55.9        |-           |-           |1           |8.3         |2           |17.1        |2           |17.6        |-           |-                        

75-79        |5           |52.9        |5           |52.7        |4           |41.7        |1           |10.4        |1           |10.3        |2           |20.5                     

80-84        |8           |139.4       |3           |51.3        |6           |99.7        |3           |48.7        |2           |31.5        |-           |-                        

85 and over  |10          |295.0       |6           |168.0       |4           |103.4       |3           |73.8        |4           |94.1        |4           |89.9                     

<1> International CLassification of Diseases (ICD) 9th revision codes 778.3 and 991.6.                                                                                                

<2> Excluding deaths at ages under 28 days for the years 1986-1990.                                                                                                                   

Age Statistics

Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the numbers of persons in Wales aged over (a) 60, (b) 75 and (c) 100 years at the latest available date and in 1979, respectively.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The numbers of people in Wales aged over 60 and over 75 in 1979 and 1990, as estimated


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by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, are shown in the following table. These mid-year estimates are not available for centenarians. However, data from a 10 per cent. sample of the Department of Social Security records indicate that there were some 100 centenarians in Wales in November 1979 and 210 in September 1990.


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Residents in Wales |Mid year          |Mid year                             

aged:              |1979              |1990                                 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over 60            |548,500           |603,100                              

Over 75            |138,700           |184,000                              

The figures are a tribute to the continuing improvements in health and general care and support since 1979.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost in the last full year for which figures are available of payments made, under environmentally sensitive area agreements, to farmers in each of the Welsh environmentally sensitive areas.

Mr. David Hunt : The information for 1990-91 is as follows :


                                       |£              

-------------------------------------------------------

Cambrian Mountains ESA (Original Area) |476,882        

Cambrian Mountains ESA (Extension)     |120,723        

Lleyn Peninsula ESA                    |284,102        

                                       |-------        

Total                                  |881,707        

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of farms eligible for entry into each of the Welsh environmentally sensitive areas.

Mr. David Hunt : The information is as follows :


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                                       |number         

-------------------------------------------------------

Cambrian Mountains ESA (Original Area) |300            

Cambrian Mountains ESA (Extension)     |295            

Lleyn Peninsula ESA                    |960            

                                       |-------        

Total                                  |1,555          

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estitmate of the savings to the common agriculture policy resulting from reduced output in the designated Welsh environmentally sensitive areas.

Mr. David Hunt : The net budgetary effects of the designated Welsh environmentally sensitive areas form part of the wider socio-economic monitoring studies my Department has commissioned from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. The university's interim report "Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Wales--Socio Economic Aspects of Designation--Interim Report--March 1991" was issued in June 1991 and a copy is available in the Library of the House. The final report is due to be submitted to my Department by the end of June A1992.

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the number of farms below 50 hectares, between 50 and 100 hectares and above 100 hectares which are covered by environmentally sensitive area agreements in each of the Welsh environmentally sensitive areas.

Mr. David Hunt : The number of farms in each size grouping is shown in the table :


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                                |Below 50 |50-100   |Above 100|Total              

hectares                        |hectares |hectares                               

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cambrian Mountains ESA          |57       |61       |214      |332                

  (Original and Extended Areas)                                                   

Lleyn Peninsula ESA             |205      |91       |70       |366                

                                |--       |--       |--       |--                 

Total                           |262      |152      |284      |698                

Some farms in the Cambrian Mountains ESA have more than one agreement, covering separate features.

Hospital Statistics

Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the numbers and percentages of treatments and procedures in Welsh hospitals for patients aged over (a) 60, (b) 75 and (c) 100 years at the latest available date and in 1979, respectively.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information given in the table relates to the number of deaths and discharges from all Welsh NHS hospitals, including mental handicap and mental illness hospitals.


                       Age of patient                 

                      |60 and |75 and |100 and        

                      |over   |over   |over           

------------------------------------------------------

1979                                                  

Deaths and discharges |105,787|41,174 |15             

Percentage<1>         |30.1   |11.7   |0.0            

                                                      

1989                                                  

Deaths and discharges |194,223|89,983 |41             

Percentage<1>         |36.9   |17.1   |0.0            

<1>As percentage of total deaths and discharges.      


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Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the numbers of hospitals and hospital beds in Wales in (a) 1974, (b) 1979 and (c) at the latest available date.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information is given in the table :


                           |<1>1974  |<1>1979  |<2>Latest          

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of Hospitals:                                               

NHS                        |189      |173      |152                

Private                    |n/a      |n/a      |6                  

                                                                   

Beds                                                               

NHS-staffed beds allocated |24,972   |23,512   |19,534             

Private                    |n/a      |n/a      |268                

<1> As at 31 December.                                             

<2>As at 31 March 1990 for private hospitals and 31 March 1991 for 

NHS hospitals.                                                     

As my hon. Friend can see, the number of hospitals and beds has reduced over the lifetime of both Conservative and Labour Governments as new hospitals have replaced outdated health buildings and as new medical techniques and treatments including day cases have reduced the


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demand for beds. While the number of out- patients in the NHS fell by 3 per cent. in the period 1974-79 it has since risen by 29 per cent. under this Government. Similarly the number of in- patients treated rose by 6 per cent. in 1974-79 and 38 per cent. between 1979 and 1990-91. Day cases are up by a record 233 per cent. since 1979.

A483 Accidents

Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many fatal accidents have occurred on the stretch of the A483 between Rhostyllen and Johnstown ; and what is the national average for comparable stretches of road.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The last fatal road accident reported to the Welsh Office by the North Wales police authority on the stretch of the A483 between Rhostyllen and Johnstown was in June 1986. In August 1987 a new stretch of A483, south of Rhostyllen, was opened and since then there have been no fatal road accidents recorded on this road, between Rhostyllen and the junction with the B5426, near Johnstown. There have been two fatal road accidents on the old stretch of road between Rhostyllen and Johnstown, now the B5605, since August 1987 : in June 1988 and November 1991.

Between 1987 and 1989, the average fatal accident rate, per 100 million vehicle kilometres on Welsh trunk roads was 1.0 for built-up roads and 1.2 for non built-up roads.

Fraud

Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of fraud have been brought to the attention of the police by the Welsh Office in respect of misuse of the business improvement service scheme by region in each of the last five years.

Mr. David Hunt : Nine firms of consultants have been, or are being, investigated in connection with suspected fraud under the now closed business improvement services scheme which operated in steel closure areas. It would not be appropriate to disclose further details pending the outcome of these investigations and any subsequent legal proceedings.

Hearing Impaired Children

Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what review has he made of the needs of deaf and hearing impaired children as they pursue the examinations and coursework of the GCSE ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The responsibility for administering the examination process rests with individual examining boards. The Joint Council for the GCSE has issued guidance common to all examining groups to deal with pupils with disabilities such as deafness or a hearing impairment.

Speech Therapy

Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent by each local education authority on providing speech therapy during each of the last five years for (a) primary school pupils and (b) secondary school pupils.


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Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is not available centrally.

Heart Specialists

Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to increase the number of heart specialists working in national health service hospitals in Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt : Bids for consultants to service new developments or to expand existing health services are made by health authorities to the Welsh medical and dental manpower committee for manpower approval. Currently there are no bids outstanding for heart specialists to work in Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire.

Cardigan Bay

Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next expects to meet representatives of the Welsh fishing industry to discuss the conservation of fishing stocks in Cardigan bay ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt : On 2 December Fisheries Departments will be holding the annual meeting with industry representatives to discuss the latest data on stock levels for fisheries around the United Kingdom coast including the Irish sea, which covers Cardigan bay. The next step will be a meeting of the EC Fisheries Council to determine 1992 fishing quotas.

Defence-related Employment

Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level of defence-related employment in west Wales.

Mr. David Hunt : Comprehensive information on the level of defence- related employment in west Wales is not available.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

Aid and Trade Provision

Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria determine whether money is allocated to United Kingdom companies under the aid and trade provision.

Mrs. Chalker : The criteria for decisions on aid and trade provision cases are set out in the ATP "Guidelines for Applicants" booklet. I have placed copies of the latest edition of the booklet in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if aid and trade provision projects are appraised for their effects on low income groups.

Mrs. Chalker : Aid and trade provision projects are not selected according to their benefits to low income groups, but their appraisal may, if appropriate, cover their impact on particular social groups.

Mr. Soames : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future size of the aid and trade programmes.


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Mrs. Chalker : The size of the aid and trade provision is under consideration in the light of the resources made available for the aid programme announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's autumn statement.

Indonesia

Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester), Official Report, 20 November, column 267 , if he will undertake to review bilateral aid to Indonesia.

Mrs. Chalker : The Government, in welcoming the Commission of Inquiry established by the President of Indonesia, have indicated that they wish to see the investigation carried out promptly, fully and fairly. We have urged that those members of the armed forces responsible for the shootings in East Timor earlier this month should be brought on trial. Together with our Community partners, we will consider the position, including that on aid, in the light of the written report of the commission of inquiry.

Trinidad Terms

Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries which would benefit from the implementation of the Trinidad terms ; and for how much debt relief each of these countries would be eligible.

Mrs. Chalker : The poorest, most heavily indebted countries which are following IMF-sponsored programmes of economic reform and which have chronic balance of payment difficulties insoluble through normal rescheduling arrangements will benefit from Trinidad terms. Eligibility will be decided on a case-by-case basis, and exact criteria are still being refined.

Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much debt relief the poorest and most indebted countries would receive if all the Paris Club creditors fully implemented the Trinidad terms.

Mrs. Chalker : As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at Harare in October, the full value of the Trinidad terms which is potentially available if all Paris Club creditors agree to implement them is approximately $17 billion.

Aid

Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the compound rate of growth of United Kingdom net aid to developing countries which would (a) halve the gap by which the United Kingdom falls below the United Nations target in five years and (b) meet the United Nations target in 10 years.

Mrs. Chalker : No. This would involve economic forecasting which is not a matter for me.

Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the criteria for the grant of overseas aid having regard to democracy and the human rights record of the recipient country.


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Mrs. Chalker : In allocating aid to individual countries we take into account a number of factors. These include the needs of the country concerned, and the effectiveness with which our aid can be used. We consider whether the country has adopted policies which will help combat poverty and promote economic growth and social progress. The quality of government in the country concerned is an integral part of our assessment. Good government includes sound economic policy, effective and accountable public institutions and respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development proposals on tied aid ; and if he will make a statement on the progress made by his Department on further untying aid.

Mrs. Chalker : A package of reforms covering both export credits and tied aid credits has been accepted ad referendum by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development consensus participants. Her Majesty's Government support the package as a useful step forward in our continuing efforts to introduce greater transparency and discipline into these fields and to reduce trade distortions. We very much hope that the package will be ratified by mid-December. On untying of aid, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 November.

Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the total amount of aid offered to the developing world by his Department in each year since 1986.

Mrs. Chalker : Gross aid expenditure by calendar year was as follows :


          |£ million          

------------------------------

1986      |1,217              

1987      |1,189              

1988      |1,536              

1989      |1,635              

1990      |1,578              

Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what level of priority is afforded to the African continent in determining the Government's policy on aid to the developing worlds.

Mrs. Chalker : African countries have a high priority in the overseas aid programme. In 1990, African countries received 46 per cent.-- £389 million--of the United Kingdom's gross bilateral aid which is geographically allocable. For United Kingdom aid channelled through multilateral organisations--£683 million in 1990--we estimate about half went to African countries. We intend to maintain a substantial programme of assistance to those African countries where aid can be used effectively.

Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take the necessary steps to raise the proportion of gross national product applied to aid for the developing world to the level recommended by the United Nations.

Mrs. Chalker : The Government accept in principle the target set by the United Nations for overseas aid as a proportion of gross national product. However, we are not


Column 549

in a position to set down a timetable for reaching the target. Future levels of aid will depend on our economic circumstances, and on other claims on public expenditure. Our aid programme is planned to grow in real terms, is of high quality and carefully targeted.

Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recommended targets for the proportion of gross national product to be applied for the developing world have been agreed within the United Nations.

Mrs. Chalker : There are three United Nations targets for resources transfers to the developing countries. These are :

(i) combined private and official flows equal to 1 per cent. of GNP ;

(ii) net official development assistance (oda) to all developing countries equal to 0.7 per cent. of GNP ; and

(iii) net official development assistance to the least developed countries equal to 0.15 per cent. of GNP, or 0.20 per cent. of GNP for those countries who have already achieved 0.15 per cent.

United Nations Contributions

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial pledge was made by the United Kingdom in support of the United Nations development programme during the UNDP pledging conference for 1992 held in New York on 5 and 6 November ; what was the total pledged to the UNDP ; and if he will make a statement on the future of the United Nations development programme in the light of its funding base.

Mrs. Chalker : In common with many other major donors we have not yet announced our pledge for UNDP's 1992 programme. I expect to do so early next year. Over recent years UNDP has maintained its position at the centre of the UN development system and the current pattern seems likely to continue. But for the reasons given above the total amounts available in 1992 are not yet known.

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial pledge was made by the United Kingdom in support of the United Nations fund for population activities at the New York pledging conference on 5 and 6 November ; what proportion of the total funds available to UNFPA for 1992 will be provided by the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement on the future of the United Nations fund for population activities in the light of its funding base.

Mrs. Chalker : We have not yet announced our pledge for the United Nations population fund's 1992 programme. I expect to do so early next year. Our 1991 contribution to UNFPA of £7.5 million represented a 25 per cent. increase on the previous year.

Climate Change

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been sent by the Minister for Overseas Development to the letter dated 15 August sent by the co-ordinator of the Save the Forest-Save the Planet campaign regarding the Government's position on climate change ; and if he will publish the correspondence.


Column 550

Mrs. Chalker : I set out my views on this campaign to the co- ordinator in a letter to him on 25 June, which my private secretary confirmed in reply to the letter of 15 August. I am sending the hon. Member copies of both letters.

EMPLOYMENT

Sealink Stena

Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out in detail the proposals he made to Sealink Stena covering redundancy arrangements following the announcement of impending redundancies.

Mr. Forth : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has made no proposals to Sealink Stena regarding redundancy arrangements. As Member of Parliament for Folkestone and Hythe, my right hon. and learned Friend, in consultation with others in the area, has established the Sealink Stena action group. The group is co-ordinating and providing practical assistance and guidance for employees whose jobs are being lost, with the aim of getting those affected back to work at the earliest possible opportunity. Other participants in the group include the hon. Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw), Kent training and enterprise council, the Employment Service, the Sealink Stena company, other local businesses, local enterprise agencies, and the county and district councils.

Assistance being channelled through the group includes on-site job shops displaying vacancies in the local and surrounding areas ; jobsearch workshops providing advice and guidance on such matters as job applications and interviews ; advice on training and self-employment ; and offers of office and workshop accommodation. The Employment Service and training and enterprise councils in other areas affected by these redundancies are all taking action within their normal range of responsibilities to alleviate the effect of these job losses.

EC (Visits)

Mr. Forman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for himself, and for each of the Ministers at his Department, details of (i) the number of visits made in the past month to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official business related to the European Community, (ii) the number of visits made to Brussels within the past month on official business related to the European Community and (iii) the number of nights spent over the past month away from the United Kingdom on official European Community business.

Mr. Forth : In the four weeks to 21 November, my right hon. and learned Friend made one visit to Germany, and I made one visit to Brussels to attend a Social Affairs Council. Neither of these visits involved an overnight stay.

Mr. Forman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of visits made by officials in his Department during the past month to destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the European Community on official business related to the European Community, the number of visits made by officials in his Department to Brussels within the past month on official business related to the European


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Community and the number of nights spent by officials in his Department over the past month away from the United Kingdom on official European Community business.

Mr. Forth : Central records are not kept. The following information has been obtained by a telephone survey of the Employment Department group. In the four weeks to 21 November in connection with official EC business :

37 officials visited destinations outside the United Kingdom but within the rest of the European Community ;

54 officials visited Brussels ;

officials spent 122 nights away from the United Kingdom.


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