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EC Directives
Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy not to support the EC advertising directive.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 28 November 1991] : I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the proposal for an EC directive on comparative advertising. The Government support in principle the EC Commission's proposed directive to remove prohibitions and restrictions
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on comparative advertising provided the comparisons are factual, fair and honest. Such restrictive laws do not exist in the United Kingdom, but in some member states legislation on comparative advertising can restrict competition and deprive consumers of useful information.Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy not to support the direct selling directive in respect of its ban on selling by fax.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 28 November 1991] : I take it my hon. Friend has in mind the proposals for a Distance Selling Directive which were circulated to interested parties by the EC Commission earlier this year. These proposals would not ban selling by fax, but they would seriously restrict it. The Commission has consulted member states on its proposals, and we have made it clear we see no need for a directive in this area. The Commission has not yet formally submitted any proposals to the Council of Ministers.
Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy not to support the proposed alcohol advertising directive.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 28 November 1991] : I am not aware of any EC proposal on alcohol advertising. However, it is the United Kingdom Government's view that advertising should, so far as possible, be subject to the self-regulatory system of control which works well in this country.
PRIME MINISTER
Irish Republic (Legislation)
Mr. Stanbrook : To ask the Prime Minister of the 32 applications by the United Kingdom under the Irish Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Act 1976, referred to in his written answer of Monday 11 November, Official Report, column 352, how many cases have been prosecuted in the Irish Republic for offences committed in the United Kingdom ; and with what results.
The Prime Minister : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General gave to him on 19 December 1988 at column 94, and to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North, (Mr. McNamara) on 14 May 1990 at column 280. These answers give information about the outcome of cases prosecuted in the Irish Republic following the 31 applications (and not 32 as stated on Monday 11 November at column 352 ) made by the United Kingdom authorities.
Child Care
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Prime Minister if he will arrange to circulate to other departmental parliamentary clerks a summary of the papers and index on child care made available to European Standing Committee B as a good example of content and presentation.
The Prime Minister : I am glad that my hon. Friend regarded those papers as a good example of content and presentation. I do not propose to circulate the documents to other Departments, but I am sure that they will have noted my hon. Friend's comment.
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National Lottery
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Prime Minister what study has been made of a national lottery ; and what consideration has been given to the objectives of a scheme and objections to it.
The Prime Minister : The Rothschild Royal Commission on Gambling, which reported in 1978, studied the matter in detail and recommended that there should be a single national lottery for good causes. A number of organisations have since undertaken studies of the merits of a national lottery, and the Government have kept the matter under review.
The objective most frequently suggested for a national lottery is to raise money for good causes.
Among the many other factors which have to be considered are the implications for gambling and the revenue raised, the impact on existing local charitable lotteries and charitable giving generally, and the use of the proceeds.
Disability
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Prime Minister, further to his answer, 19 November, Official Report, column 95 what is the total number of whole-time employees employed by the six departments and agencies which exceeded a 3 per cent. level of staff registered as disabled ; and what percentage this is of total employees of all departments and agencies.
The Prime Minister : The total number of full-time equivalent staff employed by the six departments and agencies is 57,400. This is 10.4 per cent. of all full-time equivalent staff in the home civil service.
Sterling (German Support)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Prime Minister what understandings he reached with the German Chancellor about German support of the £ sterling.
The Prime Minister : It has been the practice of successive Governments not to disclose details of intervention in the foreign exchange markets.
British Youth Council
Mrs. Currie : To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet representatives of the British Youth Council to discuss a range of issues of concern to young people in the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister : I am well aware of the valuable work of the British Youth Council (BYC) in representing our young people, but I have no immediate plans for a meeting. I understand, however, that a meeting is shortly to be arranged between my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport and representatives of the BYC to discuss youth issues which fall within the responsibilities of the Department of Education and Science.
Welsh Research Organisations
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Prime Minister when the mid-Wales meeting of research organisations in Wales, to be convened by the Cabinet Office, in the autumn of 1991 to encourage greater participation in collaborative
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projects under the aegis of European Community framework funds for research and development, that was referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West in August 1991, will take place ; how many organisations have been invited to attend ; and if he will make a statement.The Prime Minister : The event that I referred to in my letter of 1 August took place in Rossett, Clwyd on 15 November. This seminar was organised by the Mid Wales Export Association Ltd., with sponsorship from the Welsh Office. It included speakers from the Cabinet Office, various directorates of the European Commission, and Welsh businesses. The seminar provided up-to-date information on current and future developments in ECR and D funding for representatives of businesses and research organisations. Thirty-two companies and research organisations took part in the seminar.
Special Financial Allowance
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the public duties undertaken by former Prime Ministers for which the special financial allowance is provided.
The Prime Minister : The allowance that I announced on 27 March is available to former Prime Ministers to assist them with the heavy office and secretarial expenses they incur in handling correspondence and engagements as a result of their special position in public life.
Sunday Trading
Mr. Michael : To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons he decided not to introduce legislation in the current session to provide a new legal framework for the regulation of Sunday trading.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) on 28 November at column 1066 and the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office, on 27 November at column 919.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Student Loans
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students were refused a loan ; and for what reasons were they refused.
Mr. Alan Howarth : No valid applications from eligible students have been refused by the Student Loans Company.
Music Tuition
118. Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish figures showing the level of funding from central Government for tuition in musical instruments in schools (a) in each year since 1986 and (b) estimated funding for 1992.
Mr. Eggar : Resources for tuition in musical instruments in schools are not separately identified within the funding which central Government provide to support
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local authority expenditure on education. It is for individual authorities and schools to decide how much to allocate for this purpose from their budgets.Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take measures to ensure that school curricula dealing with music lessons are not limited to the theory and appreciation of music but also provide equal emphasis on practical tuition in musical instruments.
Mr. Eggar : In August, my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and for Wales published their proposals for music for ages 5 to 14. In England, these proposals were the subject of a consultation exercise undertaken by the National Curriculum Council, whose advice is due to be submitted by 20 December.
Teachers (Pension Scheme)
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer 5 November, Official Report, column 53, regarding equalisation, of female contributor survivor benefits within the teachers superannuation scheme, if equal benefits are available on total service, including periods prior to 1988, without extra charge, for all teachers who have an equal retirement age.
Mr. Fallon : Widows' pensions are payable in respect of service from 1 April 1972. Service prior to that date counts only if the individual teacher elected to cover the period at full cost. Widowers' pensions are payable in respect of service from 6 April 1988. Individual female teachers had the option to cover at reduced cost service in the period1 April 1972 to 5 April 1988, and at full cost any service before 1 April 1972.
Statemented Children
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list, for each local education authority in England, what extra resources have been made available for statemented children, expressed as teacher-hours per statemented child.
Mr. Fallon : My Department does not collect the information requested. The latest available data suggest that in 1989-90 overall spending per pupil by local education authorities in England on maintained special schools and related provision was more than four times higher than spending per pupil in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools.
American Studies
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take on the Fulbright Commission report on the future of American studies in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Alan Howarth : My right hon. and learned Friend welcomes this report. He notes with pleasure the commission's endorsement of the provision in the national curriculum for the study of the United States. For further and higher education, the nature of subject provision is a matter for individual institutions.
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School Transport
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to respond to the Audit Commission report "Home to School Transport : A System at the Cross Roads".
Mr. Fallon : My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the commission's report carefully and will respond as soon as possible.
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to review the Education Act 1944 as it refers to the transport of pupils from home to school.
Mr. Fallon : My right hon. and learned Friend will consider whether the transport provisions of the Education Act 1944 should be reviewed when he has completed his consideration of the Audit Commission's recent report on home to school transport.
Higher Education Fees
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the basic mandatory fee level for higher education students for 1992-93.
Mr. Alan Howarth : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. and learned Friend gave to my hon. Friend the member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 6 November 1991 at columns 137-40, which included details of the higher education fee levels to be reimbursed through student awards at publicly-funded institutions next year.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the estimated cost of the two journeys made by car or plane since July 1990 to Bradford by the Minister of State and the additional associated costs of the journeys.
Mr. Eggar : The total cost of two journeys to Bradford by air for myself and civil servants is as follows :
|£
-----------------------------------
(a) air fares |490.00
(b) associated costs |410.27
Education (School Premises) Regulations
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conclusions he has reached in respect of his review of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 ; and when he will bring the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 into force.
Mr. Fallon : The results of the review are expected to be available towards the end of next year. The current regulations came into operation on 1 August 1981, with the exception of certain requirements which would have been likely to require building work at existing schools. Those requirements were covered by a transition period which was due to expire in September 1991 but has been extended until 1996 pending the outcome of the review.
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Pupil Testing
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the 1992 tests for seven-year-olds will be sent to schools.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Distribution of the revised and simplified tests for seven-year-olds for use in 1992 began in late November and will shortly be complete. I have placed copies of the tests in the libraries of both Houses.
EC Education Ministers (Meeting)
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the outcome of the meeting in Brussels on Monday 25 November of the European Community education ministers.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I attended the meeting on Monday 25 November of the Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council. Before the meeting opened formally, the Ministers heard a presentation by the Education Minister of the Russian Federation. The Commission presented its recently published memoranda on higher education and on distance learning. The Council and the Ministers agreed a resolution on the improvement of Community co-operation on research and statistics in education, and conclusions concerning co-operation in relation to quality assessment and transnational mobility in higher education, transnational school partnerships, and questions concerning the teaching profession. The Council and the Ministers noted a report on the implementation of the resolution of 24 May 1988 on the European dimension in education, and they received a report from the Presidency on the work in progress in the Education Committee of the preparation of a draft convention revising the Statute of the European Schools.
WALES
EC Regional Policy
15. Mr. Raffan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on proposals for a new European regional body to advise on regional policy and the administration of the structure funds.
Mr. David Hunt : The forthcoming inter-governmental conference on political union will be considering proposals put forward by the presidency for strengthening the regional dimension at the Community level. How this is achieved will be determined in the negotiations.
25. Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will meet European Commissioner Millan to discuss the impact of EC regional policies on the economy of Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : I met the Director General of the Regional Policy Directorate, Mr. Landaburu on 22 November and hope to meet Commissioner Millan shortly.
River Quality
16. Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has regarding the quality of river water.
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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The most recent comprehensive information published is contained in the 1985 river quality survey.19. Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he would make a statement on conditions of rivers in Wales in the light of the 1990 river quality survey conducted by the NRA.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The report of the 1990 survey has not yet been published by the National Rivers Authority. When it is, I confidently expect it to show an overall improvement in the quality of rivers in the Authority's Welsh Region since 1985.
Welsh Assembly
17. Mr. Grist : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for establishing an elected Welsh assembly.
Homelessness
18. Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has concerning the number of people registered as homeless with Welsh local authorities.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The number of people within households accepted as homeless by housing authorities under the Housing Act 1985 in Wales in the first six months of 1991 was 12,153.
Local Government Reform
20. Mr. Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the consultation process on Welsh local government reform.
Mr. David Hunt : The consultation period closed on 31 October. I am currently evaluating the very full and helpful responses that have been received.
Rural Housing
21. Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what Tai Cymru's rural housing initiative will be in 1992-93 ; and how many new tenancies will be available in the rented sector as a result of Welsh Office policy.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : My right hon. Friend hopes to announce the details of the block distribution very soon. This year, Housing for Wales is devoting 27 per cent. of its resources to rural housing. Together with the additional £3.8 million that I have made available to local authorities, this should produce a total of more than 1,000 additional social housing units this year in rural Wales.
Welsh Language
22. Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the quality of teaching in Welsh-medium schools.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The outcome of Her Majesty's inspectorate Wales general inspection reports and the first test results of seven-year-olds in Wales indicate that the quality of teaching in Welsh-medium schools is sound.
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to establish an independent Welsh for Adults funding council ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : No. From 1 April 1993 the Further Education Funding Council for Wales will have a duty to secure for adults the provision of adequate facilities for courses for proficiency or literacy in Welsh.
Unemployment
23. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on trends in unemployment in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : Between March 1986 and April 1990 seasonally adjusted unemployment in Wales fell from 172,300 to 83,100--a fall of 51.8 per cent. Unemployment then rose in Wales, like the rest of the United Kingdom, and in September 1991 unemployment stood at 119,900. It is pleasing to note that this trend was broken in October, when there was a fall in seasonally unadjusted unemployment in Wales.
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
24. Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to protect and enhance designated areas of outstanding natural beauty in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We have no plans to change the existing legislative basis and policies for designating areas of outstanding natural beauty. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment gave a full statement of the Government's view on the protection of such areas in England and Wales in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 17 January 1991.
East Glamorgan District General Hospital
26. Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of the Mid Glamorgan health authority to discuss the replacement of the East Glamorgan district general hospital ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : In addition to informal meetings, my right hon. Friend last met the chairman of Mid Glamorgan health authority on 20 November 1991 along with other DHA chairmen. The authority is currently working up the design for the new hospital, which received approval in principle on 29 April 1991.
A465
27. Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the start date for construction of the A465 missing link.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Subject to the overall management of the programme it is the intention to start the A465 Aberdulais-Glynneath scheme in 1992- 93.
Inward Investment
28. Mr. Hind : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the proportion of United Kingdom inward investment attracted to Wales in 1990-91.
Mr. David Hunt : In the financial year 1990-91, Wales secured almost 18 per cent. of the foreign inward
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investment projects coming to the United Kingdom. Already this year another 165 projects have been secured promising capital expenditure of £830 million and more than 15,500 new or safeguarded jobs. This figure is based on information provided by companies to Welsh Development International and the Invest in Britain Bureau at the time of the announcement of the decision to invest. It takes no account of subsequent developments.GP Fund Holders
29. Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to require all health authorities in Wales to adopt policies at unit management level which prevents any consultant from treating his waiting list for general practitioner fund holders more favourably than for non-fund holders.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : We will shortly be issuing guidance on contracting for services in 1992-93 which will confirm that the management of waiting lists must be on the basis of clinical need. All district health authorities, provider units and GP fund holders are aware of, and conform to, this principle.
Cardiff-Wales Airport
Mr. John P. Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will allocate any funds from his Department's budget to enhance the effectiveness of Cardiff-Wales airport in making a contribution to the economy of south Wales, including the maintenance of high standards of security and all other arrangements at the airport.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Cardiff-Wales airport is a successful business and should continue to operate on a commercial basis. It has been able to finance its recent investment without needing to borrow. Applications for supplementary credit approval to cover additional investment are matters for consideration by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.
Community Councils
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what review he has made of the spending by community councils in Wales, especially where spending is in excess of a community council's precept ; what record he has of borrowings by community councils ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : No review of spending by individual community councils in Wales has been undertaken recently. Community councils can spend in excess of their precept only where they have the necessary reserves or have received my consent to borrow. Consents to borrow in the present financial year are as follows :
|£
----------------------------------------
Towyn town council |35,000
Whitland town council |50,000
Cwm Cadnant town council |10,000
Overton community council |2,000
Pennard community council |12,000
Aberaeron town council |70,000
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Nitrogen Oxides
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what action he has taken to achieve implementation in Wales of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe agreement on the reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides or their transboundary fluxes ; (2) what action he has taken through the relevant Government Departments to achieve implementation in Wales of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe agreement on the reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides or their transboundary fluxes.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : This agreement requires parties to reduce total national emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) to 1987 levels by 1994, and to apply emission standards to major sources based on best available technologies which are economically feasible.
This will be achieved in Wales and throughout the United Kingdom principally through implementation of the European Community Directives on emissions from large combustion plants, from cars, and from heavy diesel vehicles ; and through the operation of the new systems of air pollution control and integrated pollution control being introduced under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
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