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The Attorney-General : In 1992, 16 prosecutions have been completed by the Serious Fraud Office. Of the 23 investigations currently in hand, 16 have been commenced in 1992. These are either new inquiries or are extensions of pre-existing investigations.
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's arrangements for consulting the Data Protection Registrar during the planning stage of any initiative involving the collection, use or disclosure of personal data ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : The legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office are
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aware that systems involving the collection, use or disclosure of automatically processed personal data must comply with the Data Protection Act 1984. Each Department is registered in accordance with the Act and each Department consults the Data Protection Registrar as necessary at the planning stage of any such systems.Criminal Justice
Mrs. Prentice : To ask the Attorney-General what suggestions for reform he has made to the Royal Commission on the Criminal Justice System.
The Attorney-General : My predecessor submitted written evidence to the Royal Commission on criminal justice dealing with the law and practice relating to the disclosure by the prosecution of material to the defence. Extensive written evidence has also been submitted by the Director of Public Prosecutions and by the director of the Serious Fraud Office. Copies of the evidence of the Attorney-General and the Director of Public Prosecutions are available in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
Departmental Environmental Policies
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Attorney-General who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies ; when that person was appointed ; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : The Government are again appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will be announced shortly.
The work of the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office does not have direct environmental implications, but each of the Departments has taken steps in its purchasing, energy use, and waste management policies to promote good practice in relation to the environment. Each of the Departments uses recycled paper products wherever practicable. Low-energy light bulbs are in use at the Serious Fraud Office and are being fitted in the Treasury Solicitor's Department and legal secretariat to the Law Officers. In the Crown Prosecution Service a computerised estate management information system is being developed to include data on energy consumption and costs for all CPS buildings. In relation to energy use, each of the Departments is committed to taking part in the Government's campaign to achieve savings of 15 per cent. in the total energy bill for the Government estate over a five-year period.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Aid Targeting
39. Mr. Page : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the Overseas Development Agency budget is targeted towards the poorest countries.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We spend about 75 to 80 per cent. of our bilateral aid on the poorest countries.
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Southern Africa (Drought)
40. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effects of the drought in southern Africa and on United Kingdom assistance to those countries suffering the most.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : With food production in the region at less than half the normal level this year and with up to 18 million people at serious risk, the drought remains a matter of grave concern. In response to the crisis, the Government have pledged from the bilateral programme food aid, balance of payments support and other assistance totalling £34 million so far this year, in addition to our share of the special food aid programme of the European Community worth £27.5 million.
Kenya
41. Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy for assisting Kenya with a view to enabling refugee children from the Sudan to be cared for locally whilst the current situation persists.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : As I told the House on 9 June, we have contributed £1 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees appeal for assistance to refugees in Kenya, which includes the needs of the Sudanese children.
Population Policies
42. Mr. Ottaway : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what priority he intends to give to population policies during the United Kingdom presidency of the EC Development Council.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : A high priority. We aim to have a resolution agreed by the Development Council encouraging the Community to provide more support to population programmes in developing countries.
Know-how Funds
43. Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new initiatives are planned to be introduced to expand the application of know-how funds in eastern Europe.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The know-how fund is going well and is much appreciated in central and eastern Europe. At present we have no plans to expand its scope : the country coverage is kept under careful review.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
11. Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much his Department estimates that the proposed national lottery, once in operation, could raise for good causes.
Mr. Key : It is too soon to say. However, we intend the lottery to be a full-blooded success, raising hundreds of millions of pounds for good causes. The distribution of the proceeds between beneficiaries, prizes, tax and operating costs has not yet been established.
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Football (Televising)
12. Mr. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his policy for the televising of football.
Mr. Mellor : Viewers and listeners should have the best possible range of choice.
Arts, Grimsby
13. Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to encourage the arts in Grimsby.
Mr. Key : Detailed funding decisions are for the Yorkshire and Humberside regional arts board. It supports the south bank jazz festival and a variety of other arts projects in Grimsby.
Museums and Galleries (Admission Charges)
14. Mr. Turner : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he plans to meet the directors of the national museums and galleries to discuss admission charges.
Mr. Key : My regular meetings with directors confirm that our present policy of allowing directors and trustees to make their own decisions on admission charges is working well.
Industrial Heritage
16. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what new initiatives he proposes to introduce to secure the preservation of sites of industrial heritage.
Mr. Key : I visited Burnley in my former capacity as a Minister in the Department of the Environment and was impressed by the work being done there to preserve its unique industrial heritage.
Preservation of the industrial heritage is best secured by bringing it fully within our established system for preserving heritage sites. We are supporting work on the extension of the National Archaeology Record up to 1945 ; we are funding the Association for Industrial Archaelogy's project to help build a better database ; and we have agreed with English Heritage that industrial monuments should be given greater priority in its grant programmes.
Arts and Media
17. Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he last met the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the national arts and media strategy document.
28. Ms. Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he last met the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the national arts and media strategy documents.
Mr. Mellor : I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Hall).
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Tourism
18. Mr. Nicholls : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will assess for the most recent year available the contribution made to the United Kingdom economy by the tourism industry.
Mr. Key : Tourism is an important contributor to the United Kingdom economy, and it is estimated that domestic and overseas tourists together spent £25 billion in 1991, equivalent to 4 per cent. of the gross domestic product. There were also about 1.5 million employees in employment in tourism-related industries in June 1991 and 183,000 self-employed in these industries in spring 1991.
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will set out his policies on tourism.
Mr. Key : Tourism is a successful industry whose enterprise creates wealth and jobs throughout the United Kingdom. It is our heritage, sport and culture which help to make this country so attractive to visitors, and we intend to make the most of the links between the different responsibilities of the Department to ensure that the industry continues to prosper. In common with our other responsibilities, policies on tourism will be reviewed to ensure that taxpayers money is being spent in the most appropriate and cost-effective way.
Woolwich Arsenal
19. Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the importance for the national heritage of the buildings on the royal arsenal site at Woolwich.
Mr. Key : Eighteen buildings on the royal arsenal site at Woolwich have been assessed as being of special architectural or historical interest and placed on the statutory list.
Arts (Funding)
20. Mr. Wolfson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much funding the private sector has provided for the arts for each pound of Government funding.
Mr. Key : In 1991-92 almost £6.3 million was directly generated by a Government investment of over £3 million in the business sponsorship incentive scheme. Figures for annual private sector sponsorship for that period are not yet available ; however annual business sponsorship of the arts, including corporate membership, for 1990-91 amounted to some £57.2 million compared with only £500,000 in 1976.
Works of Art (Indemnity Scheme)
21. Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will introduce a national indemnity scheme for works of art on loan to and from galleries and museums.
Mr. Key : A national indemnity scheme has been in operation since 1980, established under the National Heritage Act 1980. The Government indemnity scheme, as it is called, relieves both national and non-national museums and galleries of the need to take out commercial insurance to cover items on loan for the public benefit.
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BBC Funding
23. Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the Government's policy towards the funding of the BBC.
Mr. Mellor : Our policy is that the television licence fee should remain for the time being the principal means of financing the BBC. The longer-term future of the licence fee will be considered as part of the review of the BBC' s charter which is due to expire in 1996.
BBC Licence Fee
24. Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to discuss the licence fee with the chairman of the BBC ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : I have regular discussions with the chairman of the BBC. Licence fee increases are based on the annual increase in the retail prices index as at the preceding September, in the same way as rises in pensions and other state benefits. I intend to reassess the position in advance of the fee increase due in 1994. The longer-term future of the fee will be considered as part of the review of the BBC's royal charter which expires in 1996.
European Arts Festival
26. Mr. Moss : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will outline plans for the European festival of arts taking place during the British presidency of the EC.
Mr. Mellor : The European arts festival will run for the duration of the presidency across the four countries of the United Kingdom. It will celebrate the rich European culture heritage through a wide range of more than 600 events covering all the art forms, traditional and new.
It is by design a festival with broad popular appeal. It contains something for everyone, whatever their age and tastes. It has a special emphasis on young people. All 35,000 maintained schools and the main national youth organisations have been invited to take part. It will also bring to the United Kingdom some of Europe's finest companies.
The programme for the festival is currently being printed. I shall ensure that all Members of the House receive a personal copy.
Urban Regeneration Agency
27. Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will be meeting the new head of the urban regeneration agency to discuss the development of vacant derelict public land for recreation purposes.
Mr. Key : My right hon. and learned Friend and I will be very ready to meet Mr. Walker, once the urban regeneration agency is established, to discuss issues of common concern.
BBC Staff Cuts
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the proposed cuts in staff at the BBC.
Mr. Mellor : It is for the BBC, as a public corporation independent of the Government, to decide how many staff
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it needs to meet its obligations, but we support the initiatives the BBC has launched to increase efficiency and ensure better value for money.Foundation for Sports and the Arts
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage to whom the Foundation for Sports and the Arts is accountable ; how it decides on the allocation of its grants ; what sums have been allocated ; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the FSA.
Mr. Key : The Foundation for Sport and the Arts is an independent body and its grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees within the terms of the foundation's trust deed. Before taking decisions, the trustees may seek advice, in the case of sport from the Sports Council and the governing bodies of sports. My Department holds observer status at the meeting of the trust and its working parties.
Up to 5 April 1992, the FSA had allocated grants totalling £37.5 million.
Works of Art (Exports)
Mr. Clifton-Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to list works of art to prevent their export.
Mr. Key : I refer to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) on 5 June 1992, Official Report, columns 646-47.
Departmental Environment Policies
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies ; when that person was appointed ; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : The Government are again appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will be announced shortly.
Press Complaints Commission
Mr. Dickens : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the Press Complaints Commission's monitoring of articles referring to members of the royal family and their personal lives.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 11 June 1992] : The means by which the Press Complaints Commission monitors press articles and secure compliance with the code of practice framed by the newspaper and periodical industry are matters for the commission, not the Government. The statement issued by the commission on 8 June has attracted much interest. We will be taking the commission's views into account in the forthcoming review of press self-regulation.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Fireworks
Mr. Morgan : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for limitations on the maximum noise emitted by imported fireworks, with particular reference to bangers imported from the People's Republic of China ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : To comply with the general safety requirement of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, all imported fireworks are required to conform to the British standard for fireworks. This limits the explosive content of bangers which in effect limits the noise of the explosion. The United Kingdom is currently taking part in discussions to develop a European standard on fireworks, which will include restrictions on the maximum noise emitted.
Private Telephone Networks
Mr. Redmond : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies have (a) applied for and (b) been granted a licence from his Department for residential and business customer access to their private telephone network in the last 12 months.
Mr. Leigh : Of the 37 applications received by 11 June 1992, my Department issued eight new telecommunications licences to companies who wish to take advantage of the liberalisations announced in the duopoly review last year.
The Government liberalised the use of private networks in 1989 under a "class" licence. Several companies have taken advantage of this to provide a range of services to the public. Some companies have now applied for individual licences to provide services which are beyond the scope of the existing class licence, but which are permissible under individual licences since the duopoly review. These applications are under consideration.
Power Stations
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy concerning the burning of orimulsion in power stations.
Mr. Eggar : The type and quantity of fuel used by the electricity generators is an operational matter for the companies concerned, subject to emission limits imposed by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what in his estimate of the number of power stations in Wales that are fired by, or are planned to be fired by, gas ; if he will give their locations ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : Consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 has been granted to two gas-fired power stations in Wales, namely to the Deeside Power Development Company Ltd to construct and operate a 450 MW combined cycle gas turbine--CCGT--station at Deeside, Clwyd and to Texaco Ltd to construct and operate an 1100 or 1280 MW CCGT station at Angle bay, Dyfed. I understand that the Shotton Paper Company Ltd has
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obtained the necessary permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to construct a 200 MW station at Shotton, Clwyd. My right hon. Friend is currently considering an application from PowerGen plc to construct a 1350 MW CCGT station at Connah's Quay, Clwyd. He is also considering an application from the Deeside Power Development Company Ltd to increase the output of the proposed Deeside station to 500 MW.Cars
Mr. Milligan : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what progress is being made in reducing British pre-tax car prices to the levels that prevail in the European Community ;
(2) if he will make a statement on the progress being made in promoting a parallel trade in importing cars from the European Community.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : On 6 May my right hon. Friend announced that he had asked the Director General of Fair Trading : to begin discussions with car suppliers with a view to implementing the recommendations in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's February report on the supply of new cars ; and for advice on whether any further action should be taken. The MMC recommendations will contribute to increasing competition with potential benefits in the prices paid by consumers. My right hon. Friend also welcomed Sir Leon Brittan's statement on the EC study of car prices, in which Sir Leon drew attention to EC rules facilitating parallel imports within the single market. Sir Leon has called on manufacturers to ensure that cars are made available to fulfil demand for such imports.
Music Industry
Mr. Lester : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the contribution made by the British popular music industry to United Kingdom export earnings last year.
Mr. Needham : The value of United Kingdom exports of recorded music in 1991 was £216.2 million, representing 0.2 per cent. of visible exports. Trade in recorded popular music cannot be separately identified from other forms of music.
Nuclear Issues
Mr. Flynn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade for what civil nuclear matters for which he has responsibility it is his policy not to release information to Parliament on grounds (a) of national security (b) that it is not in the national interest (c) of commercial confidentiality or (d) other criteria ; and if he will review the criteria currently adopted for non-disclosure of information on nuclear issues.
Mr. Eggar : Decisions on whether information on civil nuclear matters can be released to Parliament are taken on the merits of the case. It is, therefore, not possible to define in general terms matters on which it would be inappropriate to release information.
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Insurance Claims
Mr. David Martin : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet the Association of British Insurers to discuss strengthening the guidelines on meeting insurance claims to avoid undue delay in settlement.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : No. I have no evidence that the guidelines need strengthening.
Departmental Accommodation
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much he is spending on the rental of accommodation in London for his Department ; and what is the highest rental charge he is paying per square foot for accommodation.
Mr. Eggar : My Department occupies property in London which is allocated to it by the Department of Environmental Property Holdings which is responsible for paying rentals to landlords. Rental charges are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost of the refurbishment of his Department's accommodation in London.
Mr. Eggar : I do not have firm plans to pay for refurbishing accommodation in London.
Departmental Environment Policies
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies ; when that person was appointed ; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine : I refer the hon. Member to the reply to a similar question given today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
Culham (Industrial Relations)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on industrial relations at Culham in relation to the threat of strike action over pay.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 12 June 1992] : The pay and conditions of UK Atomic Energy Authority staff working on the joint European Torus project are matters for resolution between the authority's management and its staff.
Guardian Royal Exchange
Mr. Skinner : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what inquiries his Department has been making into the share schemes at Guardian Royal Exchange.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 12 June 1992] : I am unable to comment on the affairs of any individual company. However, if any one has any concerns about this matter he or she may like to pass them on to one of my officials.
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