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PRIME MINISTER
UN Security Council
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to his oral reply to the hon. Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham), Official Report, 14 January 1992, column 807, he will set out the policies he plans to propose to the special summit of the permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations on (a) improving good government, (b) improving human rights and (c) disarmament and non-proliferation ; and whether he has consulted any non-governmental organisations or specialist independent institutions to help develop such proposals.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 January 1992] : I shall make clear at the meeting of the Security Council on 31 January the importance that the Government attach to good government, human rights, arms control and non-proliferation in the maintenance of international peace and security. Our policies on these matters are well known and benefit from our valuable dialogue with a range of non-governmental organisations.
World Commission on Environment and Development
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer on 15 January, Official Report, column 579, if he will set out (a) the amount of financial support and (b) the types of other support, Her Majesty's Government plans to give organisers of the reconvention of the World Commission on Environment and Development in London in April.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 January 1992] : The Department of the Environment is contributing £30,000 to the costs of the London meeting of the World Commission on Environment and Development in April. In addition the Government will be hosting engagements for the commissioners.
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UN Environment and Development Conference
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 15 January, Official Report, column 579, if he will give the names of the organisations to which reports of the preparatory committee meetings of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development have been distributed and the cost of this distribution to date.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 January 1992] : The United Kingdom for United Nations Environment Programme has circulated reports on UNCED preparatory committee meetings to nearly 2000 organisations, under its contract with the Department of the Environment to keep the non-governmental community informed on preparations for UNCED.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Bolivia
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the previous land use of areas now planted with soya beans under the World bank's lowlands programme in Bolivia.
Mrs. Chalker : Up to 20 or 25 years ago the land was largely unsettled and forested. The agricultural uses to which the land was put after settlement and clearance were based on short-term returns, with little consideration for sustainability of the environment. Decline in fertility and weed growth encouraged further expansion of the cleared area.
The eastern lowlands project is intended to support agricultural production, including soya beans, by technologies which are both economically attractive and environmentally sound. The intention is to reduce the pressure for further clearance of forest areas.
Humanitarian Aid
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make additional donations to the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the United Nations inter-agency humanitarian programme for Kuwait, Iraq and the Iraq-Iran- Turkey Kurdish area.
Mrs. Chalker [holding answer 24 January 1992] : Yes. I have called for an early high-level meeting of donors, with the United Nations, to ensure that international humanitarian aid to the Gulf continues to be effectively co-ordinated.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Secondary Teachers
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he received a copy of the Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association report, "The Workload of Secondary Teachers", a copy of which has been sent to him ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Fallon : My right hon. and learned Friend is grateful to the Assistant Masters and Mistresses
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Association for sending him a copy of this report. It points clearly to the need for schools to look carefully at the way they use their teachers' time, and at the optimum balance of teaching and non-teaching duties for individual members of staff.School Transport
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 20 January to the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East, Official Report, columns 36-37, what information is available to enable accurate comparisons of expenditure rates on school transport by local education authorities.
Mr. Fallon : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 13 December, Official Report, column 559. It set out each local education authority's expenditure on home to school transport in 1989-90 expressed as a percentage of its total net recurrent expenditure on education. No other information is available centrally.
Premature Babies
Mr. Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what funds the Government presently make available for research into vitamin B12 deficiency among premature babies ; (2) if he will list those hospitals and research establishments presently carrying out research into vitamin B12 deficiency among premature babies.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The main government agency for supporting medical research in the United Kingdom is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its grant-in-aid from this Department. That grant totals £202 million in the current financial year. The MRC is an independent body, and normally decides its research priorities on its own expert judgment. The MRC Dunn nutrition unit, one of the world's leading institutes of nutritional research, while not doing any specific work on vitamin B12 deficiency in premature babies, does have research projects on the early response to diet in premature infants and on the impact of early nutrition on long term outcome. The MRC is always ready to consider, in competition with other applications, soundly based research proposals in this field. Information is not collected centrally on relevant publicly funded research which may be undertaken by university departments, the health authorities and the health departments, nor on research undertaken by the medical research charities whose role we of course welcome.
School Toilets
Mr. O'Hara : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to update the 1977 survey conducted by his Department and the Welsh Office giving information on the number of schools with outside toilets.
Mr. Fallon : We have no plans to do so and neither has my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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Physical Education
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish a draft order setting out the requirements for physical education in the national curriculum.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I have today, along with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, published the draft order for physical education in the national curriculum. Copies have been sent to a wide range of interested individuals and organisations for submission of comments by 4 March at the latest.
Football
Mr. John Carlisle : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent contact he has had with the Football Association to discuss the financing and other matters affecting the future of football.
Mr. Atkins : I wrote to the chief executive of the Football Association on 12 December requesting clarification of the funds likely to be generated by FA driven initiatives following the establishment of the Premier League and its split between the Premier League and Football League clubs for the purposes of implementing the Taylor report. I also raised with the FA a number of other issues which have implications for the running of the Premier League.
Mr. John Carlisle : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met representatives of the Football League, the Professional Footballers Association and the Premier League ; and what matters were discussed.
Mr. Atkins : I met the chief executive of the Football League on 5 December and the chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association on 31 October and at the Pools Promoters Association lunch on 3 December. So far as the Premier League is concerned, I met Mr. Rick Parry on 11 December and Sir John Quinton on 18 December. The Premier League and its implications for football were discussed. In the light of these meetings I wrote to the FA on 12 December to seek clarification of a number of issues.
Students
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what recent representations he has received concerning students' financial circumstances ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will obtain copies of the citizens advice bureaux report and the Edinburgh Students Association report, concerning the financial circumstances of students, for his departmental library.
Mr. Alan Howarth : My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations, including copies of the reports "Diminishing Options" and "Income Survey June '91" by the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and the Edinburgh University Students Association respectively.
We have substantially increased support for students through the mandatory grant and student loan, and we have introduced the access funds for institutions to use at
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their discretion to help students who may face particular difficulties. My Department has given written evidence to the inquiry currently being undertaken by the Education, Science and Arts Committee and I will give oral evidence on 29 January 1992.Stratford School, Newham
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent interventions or involvement his Department has made or had at Stratford school in Newham ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : My Department has been in correspondence with the school on a number of matters recently, including the purported suspension of the head teacher in early January. On 10 January, the governing body was informed that my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State was exercising his power to appoint two additional governors to the school with effect from 27 January. He has now appointed Mrs. Daphne Gould and Mr. Eric Bolton.
ENERGY
Coal Industry
10. Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next plans to meet the chairman of the British Coal Corporation to discuss the future of the coal industry.
Mr. Wakeham : I meet the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.
Industrial Fuel Prices
14. Mr. Sayeed : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much industrial fuel prices rose in real terms (a) between 1974 and 1979 and (b) since 1979.
Mr. Moynihan : Between 1974 and 1979 industrial fuel prices rose by 16 per cent. in real terms. Since 1979 they have fallen by 35 per cent.
Fuel and Lighting
15. Mr. Gerald Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the level of household spending on fuel and light as a percentage of total spending.
Mr. Moynihan : In 1990 household spending on fuel, light and power was 4.5 per cent. of total spending. This was a lower proportion that at any time since records began in 1957.
Non-fossil Fuel
17. Mr. Thurham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had concerning non-fossil fuel generation in the north- west ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Moynihan : I discussed the non-fossil fuel obligation and renewables-based generation of electricity with the chairman of the North Western electricity board in July 1991.
In 1989, a report was published on a study of the prospects for renewable energy in the north-west. This
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study was jointly funded by NORWEB and my Department, and carried-out by staff from the company and from the energy technology support unit.A further joint study is now in progress, on implementation and the refining of cost estimates.
British Coal Enterprise Scheme
18. Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the number of jobs created by the British Coal Enterprise scheme in each of the past three years.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The number of job opportunities created by British Coal Enterprise in each of the past three years are : 1988-89, 14,593 ; 1989-90, 14,784 ; and, 1990-91, 9,268--nearly 40,000 in total.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
19. Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of carbon dioxide emissions that are saved in the United Kingdom every year by the use of nuclear power.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans) earlier today.
Coventry Colliery
20. Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action his Department has taken as a result of the meeting between the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory), on the circumstances of the closure of Coventry colliery.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Following this meeting, I conveyed the concerns of the hon. Member for Conventry South-East, and his deputation, to British Coal Enterprise. I encouraged it to continue its excellent retraining and job shop projects for those affected by the rundown of operations at Coventry colliery.
Nuclear Electric
21. Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of output achieved by Nuclear Electric in 1990-91.
Mr. Wakeham : In 1990-91 Nuclear Electric achieved a record output of just over 45 TWh from its portfolio of stations.
23. Mr. Tredinnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what change there has been in the past year in the output of Nuclear Electric in its costs and in its operating profits.
Mr. Wakeham : The year 1990-91 saw record output of just over 45 TWh from Nuclear Electric's stations compared to 42.5 TWh the previous year. Operating profit before exceptional items rose from £227 million in 1989-90 to £326 million in 1990-91. Operating costs per unit sold in real terms fell from 4.7 in 1989-90 to 4 in 1990-91.
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Energy-intensity Ratio
22. Mr. Rost : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much the United Kingdom's energy-intensity ratio has changed since 1983 ; and what is the corresponding figure for the rest of the EC and with Japan.
Mr. Moynihan : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) earlier today.
Energy Industry Employees
24. Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the number of people directly employed in the United Kingdom in (a) the nuclear industry, (b) the opencast coal sector and (c) the offshore oil and gas industry.
Mr. Wakeham : Latest available estimates of numbers of people directly employed are : some 40,000 in the United Kingdom's nuclear energy industry as at 31 March 1991 ; some 8,500 in the United Kingdom's opencast coal sector in 1991 ; and some 36,500 in the offshore oil and gas industry in 1990.
Scottish Coal Industry
25. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next intends to meet representatives of the Scottish NUM to discuss the future of the Scottish coal industry.
Mr. Wakeham : I have no immediate plans to meet representatives of the Scottish NUM to discus the future of the Scottish coal industry.
Sizewell B
26. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the level of investment to date in the sizewell B nuclear power station.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : By September 1991, when my Department received the most recent six-monthly progress report from Nuclear Electric, £1,614.2 million had been committed in respect of the Sizewell B project of which £1,224.3 million had been spent, in April 1987 prices. I am delighted to say that the project remains well ahead of time and within budget.
Offshore Industry
27. Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with this ministerial colleagues representing the other member states of the European Community relating to matters of regulation of offshore extractive industries.
Mr. Moynihan : My right hon. Friend meets his ministerial colleagues from other EC member states regularly to discuss a wide range of energy issues.
Mersey Barrage Company
28. Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he plans to hold discussions with the Mersey Barrage Company about the future prospects for the development of renewable energy as a result of its proposals.
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Mr. Moynihan : My right hon. Friend and I expect to meet the Mersey Barrage Company during the curent studies.Gas Prices
Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cost of gas to the average domestic household in the United Kingdom in 1987 at current prices ; what it is now ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : In 1987 the annual cost of gas to an average household was £268. The cost now is £327, which represents a decrease in real terms of 8 per cent.
Opencast Mines
Mr. Jack Thompson To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list the opencast coal sites currently awaiting planning permission in the county of Northumberland ;
(2) if he will list the opencast coal sites currently in operation in Northumberland ; and if he will give their projected completion dates.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Such records are not held centrally. The local mineral planning authority should be able to provide this information.
Meter Reading
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions the gas and electricity distribution companies have used their statutory right of entry to premises to read meters in the most recent year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : This is a matter for the companies concerned.
Miners' Redundancy Payments
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many miners received redundancy payments under the restructuring fund in 1990-91 ; how many received redundancy payments of between £0 and £10,000, £10,000 and £15,000, £15,000 and £20,000, £20,000 and £25,000, £25,000 and £30,000, £30,000 and £35,000 and in excess of £35,000 ; and what are the equivalent figures for the first three quarters of 1991-92.
Mr. Wakeham : Detailed information concerning mineworkers accepting redundancy is a matter for the British Coal Corporation. In 1990-91 total restructuring grant paid by my Department to the corporation was £225.9 million. This included payments in respect of redundancies. The equivalent figure for the first three quarters of 1991-92 was £183.6 million.
Home Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all regions where funding under the home energy efficiency scheme for work carried out by (a) contractors and (b) network installers has become exhausted, giving for each region the date of exhaustion.
Mr. Wakeham : The home energy efficiency scheme is a national scheme and funding is not allocated on a regional basis.
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Network installers are given indications of the funding available to them at the start of the financial year and quarterly allocations thereafter.The phasing of work within a quarter is a matter for each network installer. On average, network installers are not fully utilising their allocations. To help those individual network installers who are doing so and appear resource constrained, the Energy Action Grants Agency will shortly be redistributing available money by means of a suppplementary allocation.
Funding for direct applications where work would be done by contractors or on a DIY basis was fully allocated in September. However, there is no question of funding for the scheme as a whole being exhausted.
Chapelcross
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current level of Wigner energy in the four reactor vessels at Chapelcross ; what is the maximum recommended level ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 22 January 1992] : This is an operational matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc as licensed operators of the Chapelcross site. The situation there is of course routinely monitored and regularly reviewed by BNF, and also by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any area of the Chapelcross Magnox reactor's pressure vessels operate in an embrittled state during normal operation, start up or closing down ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Allan Stewart [holding answer 22 January 1992] : I understand that the design of the steel reactor pressure vessels at British Nuclear Fuels plc's Magnox nuclear power station at Chapelcross is such that they have not been irradiated to the same extent as reactor pressure vessels at other Magnox stations. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate (NII) approves the rules governing the operating conditions of all Magnox reactor pressure vessels, including those at Chapelcross, and ensures that there are adequate safety margins during all phases of operation. Nevertheless, the NII has asked BNFL to review their safety case for the continued operation of Chapelcross power station. This safety case is currently under consideration by the NII.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Coopers and Lybrand
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the projects, the purposes, and the cost of his Department's use of the Coopers and Lybrand group since 1989.
Mr. Maples : My department has made the following use of the Coopers and Lybrand group :
1989-90
Rental of a manual on synthetic Work Measurement data.
There were also three secondments : one to CCTA Systems Consultancy Service Branch, to provide advice on computer systems to CCTA customers ; another to give advice to departments on preparing policy evaluation plans ; and a full time secondee to HM Treasury as part of the ongoing programme of inward and outward secondments.
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1990-91Rental of a manual on synthetic Work Measurement data.
Pursuit project : the preparation of a commodity and supplier coding strategy.
There were also 4 secondments : one to CCTA Systems Consultancy Service Branch to provide advice on computer systems to CCTA customers ; another to give advice to departments on preparing policy evaluation plans ; and two full time secondees to HM Treasury as part of the ongoing programme of inward and outward secondments. 1991-92
Preparation of Guidance on Contract Strategy and selection for Works Projects ; and Project Evaluation and Audits.
There were also three secondments : one to CCTA Systems Consultancy Service Branch to provide advice on computer systems to CCTA customers ; and two full time secondees to HM Treasury as part of the ongoing programme of inward and outward secondments.
The total value to date of the consultancies listed amount to £678, 536. The cost of the individual contracts is subject to commercial confidentiality.
Share Ownership
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, column 127, what percentage of the adult population of Great Britain, who also own other shares, own shares in (a) privatisation issues, (b) Abbey National and (c) Trustee Savings Bank taking these three categories (i) singly and (ii) in combination.
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