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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 19 May 1992
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Treaty on European Union
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the provisions which define the areas of exclusive competence of the European Community, as contained in article 3b of the draft treaty on European union, in the event of that treaty coming into force.
The Attorney-General : The hon. Member asked a question on 20 December 1991 about the exclusive jurisdiction of the European Community to which my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office replied on 13 January 1992, at column 438. The term
"exclusive jurisdiction of the European Community"
in article 3b has now been replaced by
"exclusive competence of the European Community",
in accordance with the usual translation of the French word "competence". The answer to the hon. Member's question about exclusive competence is the same as to his question about exclusive jurisdiction, mutatis mutandis : the European Community has exclusive competence where that is conferred upon it by treaty provision or measures taken under the treaty. Current examples include the common agricultural policy, the common commercial policy and the external tariff.
Rape (Male Victims)
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions have been brought for the rape of a male victim in each year since 1987.
Mr. Jack : I have been asked to reply.
The figures given in the table are for acts of non-consensual buggery.
' England and Wales Buggery by a man with a male person of the age of 16 or over without consent. Offence/Year |Prosecutions --------------------------------------- 1987 |19 1988 |30 1989 |24 1990 |25
Attempt by a man to commit buggery with a male person of the age of 16 or over without consent Offence/Year |Prosecutions --------------------------------------- 1987 |3 1988 |3 1989 |2 1990 |5
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Tibet (Torture)
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the torture of prisoners in Drapchi prison, Tibet ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : Two members of the British embassy in Peking visited Drapchi prison in July 1991, but were denied access to any prisoners. We cannot, therefore, corroborate allegations of torture there. Regrettably, reports of torture and physical abuse in Tibet are not uncommon. We deplore human rights abuses in Tibet and, indeed, throughout China. We take every opportunity to make our concern over such issues known to the Chinese authorities.
Iraq (Hostages)
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outstanding Kuwaiti hostages held by Iraq.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made clear at the meeting of the EC-Gulf Co-operation Council in Kuwait on 16 May, we are maintaining pressure on Iraq to fulfil all its obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the return of missing Kuwaiti and other nationals.
We fully support Kuwait's efforts through the International Committee of the Red Cross to establish the whereabouts of its missing citizens, of which some 800 are believed to be in Iraq. We raise this question at each Security Council review of sanctions and will continue to do so until all Iraq's obligations are met.
Jersey
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the applicability of the United Kingdom's international obligations under international human rights conventions to Jersey.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : International human rights conventions are extended to Jersey as and when requested by the Jersey authorities.
Iraq
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the effect of the United States national security directive No. 26 on United Kingdom relations with Iraq in trade and technology assistance up to August 1990.
Mr. Needham : I have been asked to reply.
None. The directive referred to was an internal US Administration document, and I understand that is was concerned solely with US policy towards Iraq and the Gulf.
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ENVIRONMENT
Local Government Finance
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he intends to introduce primary legislation to establish internal trading accounts within local authorities ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) when he intends to publish the Government's final proposals following the publication of "Competing for Quality--Competition in the Provision of Local Services" ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) if he will publish a list of those local authority white collar services he intends to subject to compulsory competitive tendering, giving details of deadlines for competition ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : A list of those who responded to the consultation paper has been deposited in the House library, and copies of the responses have been placed in the library of my Department. The Government intend to bring forward in the autumn regulations and guidance under section 9 of the Local Government Act 1992 to secure a clearer framework for compulsory competitive tendering. Announcements will be made in due course about the proposals for extending the list of activities subject to the compulsory competition provisions of the Local Government Act 1988, and on the timetable for implementation.
Clay Pigeon Shooting
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends that the register of contaminated land should include reference to sites subject to clay pigeon shooting.
Mr. Maclean : The duty envisaged under section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is for local authorities to compile registers of land which may be contaminated, in accordance with regulations. The regulations will specify contaminative uses of land. Consideration has been given to the inclusion of any use of land which results in its being contaminated with lead, including land used for clay pigeon shooting. However, implementation of section 143 has been delayed to enable further consideration to be given to the detail of the proposals and further consultation to be undertaken.
Sustainable Living
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to encourage the establishment of a worldwide organisation to monitor the implementation of sustainable living and to prevent serious breaches in securing this goal.
Mr. Maclean : I will be working at the Earth summit to promote international arrangements for the effective follow-up of the agreements reached in Rio, building as far as possible on existing institutional arrangements.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's definition of the concepts of (a) sustainable growth, (b) sustainable use and (c) sustainable development.
Mr. Maclean : Paragraphs 1.14 and 4.4 of the White Paper "This Common Inheritance", Cm 1200, contain
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definitions of sustainable development. Paragraph 1.5 of the same White Paper deals with the need to integrate economic growth within these principles. The definitions of sustainable development embody a definition of sustainable use.Environment Agency
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to publish plans for an environment agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : We are currently examining the results of our recent consultation exercise and will announce our plans for the environment agency as soon as possible.
Disabled Facilities Grant
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department plan to announce the outcome of the recent review of the disabled facilities grant system ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The findings of the review of the house renovation grant system, including disablement facilities grants, are currently under consideration. We hope to make an announcement shortly.
Radioactive Substances
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the two reportable radiological incidents that occurred in April at Sellafield involving the release of radioactive liquid in the former case and radioactive gases in the latter.
Mr. Maclean : British Nuclear Fuels plc reported two incidents to my Department that occurred in April at Sellafield, neither of which involved a release of radioactivity to the environment.
Mundic Mining Soil
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent meetings his Department has had with building societies regarding the effect on property development of concrete contaminated by mundic mining soil.
Mr. Baldry : Officials from my Department met representatives of the building societies and of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on 6 April 1992 to discuss problems arising with houses constructed from mundic concrete.
Environmental Management Systems
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made to the development of the British Standards Institute BS-7750 on environmental management systems ; and whether he has any plans to promote the standard at the next European Council as part of harmonisation procedures for the single European market.
Mr. Maclean : Officials from my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry have liaised closely with the British Standards Institute on the development of BS 7750, in particular to ensure its compatibility with the EC ecu-audit proposals.
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Compliance with the standard is voluntary. I therefore have no plans to promote it at the Environment Council as part of the harmonisation procedures for the single European market. But as it is the first of its kind in the world, I would anticipate that it will be a benchmark for the development of future European and international standards.Toxic Chemicals
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures exist to prohibit the illicit discharge of toxic chemicals with explosive gas generating potential from factories or workshops into the sewerage system.
Mr. Maclean : Under the Water Industry Act 1991 it is for sewerage undertakers, and, in the case of special category effluent, for the Secretary of State, to consent to discharges of trade effluent to sewers and to set appropriate consent conditions. These are designed to prohibit substances which by themselves, or in reaction with other substances, may give rise to explosive gases or vapours in the sewerage system.
Disabled People (Housing)
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he intends to make to the report by the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation on disabled people's housing entitled "Housing : a Question of Influence".
Sir George Young : The report and its recommendations provide a helpful contribution to the debate on the provision of housing for disabled people. My Department has commissioned a major programme of research into the housing needs of elderly and disabled people which is due to be completed in September this year. The issues raised by RADAR's report will be considered in the light of the results of this research.
Housing and Disability Group
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide funding for the establishment of a national housing and disability group.
Sir George Young : The Department has considered this idea previously. We are not convinced that such an organisation is necessary. The Access Committee for England, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and the Disabled Persons Housing Service are already active in this area.
Water Pollution
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the number of (a) big water pollution incidents and (b) other water pollution incidents, in each year since 1981, showing the proportion of these caused by (i) oil and (ii) sewage and the proportion in each case caused by farmers ;
(2) if he will list, by area, the number of (a) big water pollution incidents and (b) other water pollution incidents caused by farmers in each year since 1981 ;
(3) if he will list the number of (a) big water pollution incidents and (b) other water pollution incidents, in each year since 1981 showing the percentage of these caused by farmers.
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Mr. Maclean : Detailed information in this form is not held centrally by my Department or by the National Rivers Authority. The latest information available relating to pollution incidents is that published in the NRA's report "Water Pollution Incidents in England and Wales 1990".
Waste
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he is encouraging the waste disposal industry to incinerate waste rather than to landfill.
Mr. Maclean : Both landfill and incineration have important roles to play as methods of waste disposal. What is appropriate in any area will depend on the particular circumstances, and type of waste to be disposed of. The Secretary of State is currently drawing up a planning policy guidance note on planning and pollution control, which will give advice to local authorities on the criteria they should apply in considering planning applications for waste disposal facilities, and in drawing up their development plans.
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made towards achieving the Government's targets for recycling of household waste ; and how these targets will be affected by current EC proposals.
Mr. Maclean : Since the Government set their target of recycling half of all recyclable household waste by the year 2000, we have introduced a range of measures to promote recycling, including a requirement on waste collection authorities to produce recycling plans ; and the introduction of the recycling credits scheme on 1 April this year. There has been progress in a number of materials sectors, including the following.
Aluminium can recycling has increased from 5 per cent. in 1990 to 11 per cent in 1991 ; the industry has set itself a target of recycling 50 per cent of aluminium cans by 1995.
The number of glass banks has increased from 5,800 in 1990 to 7,155 in 1991 ; the industry has set itself a target of 10,000 banks by 1995.
The number of save-a-can banks--which accept steel and aluminium cans--has increased from 200 in 1990 to about 625 in 1991 ; the industry has set a target of 1,000 save-a-can banks by 1994. As part of an agreement with the Government, the newspaper publishers recently published figures showing that 27 per cent. of newsprint used in their publications in 1990 was made from waste paper. Figures for 1991 are not yet available. The publishers have agreed to a target of 40 per cent. recycled newsprint by the year 2000.
The Government are developing a national household waste analysis project, the first results of which will be available later this year. Together with a new survey of local authority waste collection and disposal practices being produced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, that should provide more precise information to measure progress towards the Government's target. The European Commission has not yet finalised its proposal for a directive on packaging and packaging waste. It is therefore premature to speculate on the relationship between this or other measures and the Government's recycling target.
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Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the final report of the study commissioned by his Department and the DTI on economic instruments to encourage the recovery of resources from waste ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Maclean : My Department and the Department of Trade and Industry have commissioned a study of economic instruments to inform the development of our policy on the recovery of resources from waste. The study has been commissioned because the Government believe that environmental policies should be soundly based, making use of the best available information. A draft of the final report is expected shortly.
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the Government's target for energy recovery from used packaging.
Mr. Maclean : The Government have no plans to introduce a target for energy recovery specifically from used packaging.
The Government are considering a range of possible targets for energy recovery from household waste. Decisions on them will be taken in the context of the Government's wider review of their renewable energy strategy.
Office of Water Services
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers the Director General of Water Services has to restrain price increases in water bills ; and if he will make a statement on the progress the Office of Water Services has made so far as a regulator.
Mr. Maclean : Water companies are not permitted to increase the tarriff basket, which includes the bulk of water and sewerage charges, each year by more in total than the increase in the retail price index plus a K factor specified for each company. K factors were set initially by the Secretaries of State ; the director general is now making preparation to set revised K factors for the period beginning in April 1995. An interim determination of K can also be made for an individual company if there has been a material change of circumstances.
From April 1992 most companies agreed to increase their charge by less than RPI K, so saving customers an average of 1 per cent. or a total of £40 million in 1992-93.
Water Bills
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the real terms and percentage increases made in water bills for each privatised water company since privatisation occurred ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The annual increases in charges for each water supply and water and sewerage company are contained in the OFWAT leaflets "Water and Sewerage Bills 1991/92" and "Water and Sewerage Bills 1992/93", copies of which I have placed in the Library, together with a list of the increases in 1990-91.
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Acid Rain
Dr. Twinn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now make available maps showing the sensitivity of fresh waters in Great Britain to acid rain damage and the present and prospective extent of the areas liable to damage.
Mr. Maclean : I am issuing today a report to my Department by the United Kingdom critical loads advisory group entitled "Critical and Target Loads Maps for Freshwaters in Great Britain". This complements earlier work by the group on the sensitivity of soils in Great Britain, and supersedes earlier provisional maps relating to freshwaters in Scotland. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.
This work will help to inform the consideration of policy on acid rain in the United Kingdom and the preparation of a new agreement in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the abatement of sulphur dioxide.
Strontium-90 and Caesium-137
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has undertaken or sponsored any research into the mutagenic effects of strontium-90 and caesium-137.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 14 May 1992] : This Department has not undertaken or sponsored research into the mutagenic effects of radionuclides, as this lies outside our responsibilities.
Part B Processes
Mr. Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many part B processes have applied for authorisation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 ; and how many of these have applied for and been granted commercial confidentiality.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 18 May 1992] : Provisional figures up to the end of December 1991 show that 2,809 applications for authorisation had been made to local authorities. The Department does not collect information on requests for commercial confidentiality.
Opencast Coal
Mr. Mike O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to initiate a new review of the planning guidelines on opencast coal mining.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 18 May 1992] : The current guidelines are contained in minerals planning guidance note 3--MPG3-- published in 1988. As part of a monitoring exercise on the effectiveness of the guidelines, my Department has recently completed a wide ranging consultation exercise on their practical operation. I shall consider whether there is any need for revision of MPG3 in the light of that.
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DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Chronic Fatigue
Mr. Paice : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to receive a final report from the Medical Research Council concerning the findings of the research study by the Institute of Psychiatry which is investigating chronic fatigue.
Mr. Waldegrave : The Medical Research Council annually submits to Ministers a report on the exercise of its functions which is laid before the House, but reports to Ministers on individual projects or programmes funded from the science budget are not normally expected. None is expected on the Institute of Psychiatry study of chronic fatigue syndrome. I understand that the study is due to be completed at the end of March next year and that the findings will in due course be published.
Citizens Charters
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he plans to introduce any new citizens charters.
Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 18 May 1992] : The Citizen's Charter White Paper (Cm 1599) includes a commitment to publish a charter for London Underground customers. This will be published shortly.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Retail Prices Index
Mr. Michael Spicer : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise the elements of the retail prices index to eliminate the effect of movement in mortgage rates.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I have now decided to ask the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee to review the treatment of owner-occupiers' housing costs in the retail prices index. The terms of reference for this committee are being amended accordingly and will now be as follows :
"To advise the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the implication for the RPI of the abolition of the community charge and its replacement by the council tax ; to review progress on implementing the Committee's previous recommendation on the inclusion in the index of expenditure on holidays ; and to review the present treatment in the index of owner-occupiers' housing costs and new cars. In framing its recommendations the Committee is asked to take account of the practices in other European Community countries."
Exchange Rates
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the realignments in the exchange rate mechanism since it was established together with the percentage change in each currency changed at the time ; and what representations have been made to him for a new realignment.
Mr. Nelson : The table lists the ERM percentage realignments that have taken place.
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Chronology of central rate changes within the EMS
entry into effect of the EMS
|per cent.
----------------------------------------------------------------
1979
13 March
23 September
Deutschemark |+2.00
Krone |-2.90
30 November
Krone |-4.76
1981
22 March
4 October
Lire |-6.00
Deutschemark, Guilder |+5.50
French Franc, Lire |-3.00
1982
21 February
Belgian/Luxembourg Francs |-8.50
Krone |-3.00
12 June
Deutschemark/Guilder |+4.25
Lire |-2.75
French Franc |-5.75
1983
21 March
Deutschemark |+5.50
Guilder |+3.50
Krone |+2.50
Belgian/Luxembourg Francs |+1.50
French Franc/Lire |-2.50
Punt |-3.50
1985
20 July
Belgian Franc, Krone, Deutschemark, French |+2.00
Franc, Punt, Luxembourg Franc, Guilder
Lire |-6.00
1986
7 April
Deutschemark |+3.00
Guilder |+3.00
Belgian/Luxembourg Francs |+1.00
Krone |+1.00
French Franc |-3.00
2 August
Punt |-8.00
1987
12 January
Deutschemark |+3.00
Guilder |+3.00
Belgian/Luxembourg Francs |+2.00
1990
8 January When the Lire moved from +/-6 per cent.
margin of fluctuation to +/-2.25 per cent.
Lire |-3.75
Note: The net change in a particular central rate is
approximately equal to the difference in the percentage changes
shown against the two currencies concerned. For example in
March 1983 the Deutschemark was revalued by 2 per cent. against
the Guilder and 9 per cent. against the Punt.
My right hon. Friend has received several such representations.
Premium Bonds
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of interest was credited to the premium bond prize pool each month in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992.
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Mr. Nelson : The rate has remained unchanged at 6.5 per annum since July 1988.Iraq
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will initiate a departmental investigation into the commercial sales by the now defunct Allivane Company of Cumbernauld, Glasgow, of artillery fuses to Iraq in contravention of the export control restrictions ;
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the sale of militarily sensitive materials to Iraq by the Aero Technologies Company of Glasgow ;
(3) what assessment his Department has made of the commercial sales agreements between the Allivane Company of Cumbernauld, Glasgow, and the Space Research Corporation of Belgium in regard to provision of militarily useful materials to Iraq.
Sir John Cope : Investigation and related assessment of possible export licensing offences are matters for the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. They carry out their inquiries thoroughly and expeditiously. It would not be appropriate for information relating to any particular investigation or related assessment to be made public other than in the course of court proceedings.
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