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Cameroon
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by his Department concerning democratic elections in Cameroon ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 13 July 1992] : We have consistently made clear to the Government of the Cameroon our support for the introduction of a multi party democracy. As a result of constant pressure, President Biya agreed to multi-party national elections which took place in Cameroon on 1 March 1992, contested by 32 of the 48 registered opposition parties in Cameroon. Presidential elections are to be held in April 1993.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Aid and Human Rights
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the relationship between the provision of United Kingdom aid and the recipient country's human rights record.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Respect for human rights is a part of good government and therefore among the important factors which we take into account in providing aid.
UN Agencies
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list Overseas Development Administration contributions to United Nations agencies for the years 1979 to 1991 in real terms.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Contributions at 1991 prices were as follows :
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ODA contributions to United Nation organisations real terms 1979 to 1991 (1991 prices) (£ thousands) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Food Programme<1> |16,788|4,981 |3,330 |5,665 |1,314 |1,576 |717 |693 |13,725|5,631 |18,137|4,325 |14,140 Food and Agricultural Organisation |5,938 |6,441 |6,498 |9,339 |9,829 |12,371|9,727 |10,201|7,608 |10,560|9,964 |10,332|10,096 United Nations Development Programme |68,265|30,033|31,449|30,897|29,352|28,829|30,131|29,115|30,378|30,372|30,085|29,101|28,560 United Nations Childrens Fund<2> |17,661|9,993 |13,219|9,992 |9,629 |9,142 |12,052|11,519|15,849|15,153|14,117|9,966 |9,019 United Nations Relief and Works Agency |10,527|9,010 |8,985 |6,680 |7,933 |9,104 |7,174 |6,932 |6,934 |6,508 |6,525 |6,053 |6,000 United Nations High Commission for Refugees |21,501|13,963|10,526|10,413|5,903 |10,765|24,191|19,438|19,548|24,137|22,351|20,924|23,475 International Fund for Agricultural Development |- |- |1,583 |3,524 |5,636 |6,438 |7,820 |4,865 |4,332 |3,179 |3,718 |2,817 |2,381 United Nations Fund for Population Activities |9,271 |4,004 |4,043 |4,426 |4,284 |4,552 |6,457 |6,239 |6,604 |6,508 |3,364 |3,220 |10,500 United Nations Industrial Development Organisation |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |2,306 |2,533 |2,597 |2,402 |2,704 |2,469 World Health Organisation Research Programmes |5,340 |3,574 |1,731 |2,338 |3,165 |3,710 |4,061 |4,997 |4,794 |14,141|6,988 |12,813|10,965 Other United Nations development agencies<4> |4,316 |3,059 |2,104 |2,455 |2,494 |1,848 |2,302 |2,663 |3,198 |2,797 |1,699 |3,130 |1,007 <1> Contributions to the World Food Programme include subscription payments, commodity purchase and, from 1987, food aid. Prior to 1987 the food aid channelled through WFP could not be distinguished from other food aid, and therefore is not included in this table. <2> The UNICEF figures do not include payments to UNICEF for emergency relief (e.g. £4.608 million in 1991-92). <3> Other United Nations development agencies include: United Nations University Endowment Fund United Nations Development Fund for Women United Nations Drug Control Pakistan United Nations Centre for Human Settlements United Nations Fund for Volunteers United Nations Border Relief Operation United Nations Conference on Trade and Development United Nations Education and Training Programme (South Africa) Source: British Aid Statistics.
Commonwealth Development Corporation
Mr. Wells : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer by the President of the Board of Trade to the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale (Sir F. Montgomery) of 24 June, Official Report, column 237, if he will make a statement on how (a) the recommendation of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the Commonwealth Development Corporation that its financial structure be changed and (b) the other recommendations, will affect his Department's quinquennial review of the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : All the recommendations of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the Commonwealth Development Corporation will be considered as part of the quinquennial review.
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Iraq
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he intends to respond to the representations he has received from Save the Children concerning the situation in Iraq.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has written to Save the Children on this matter. We deplore threats to the safety of United Nations personnel and other relief workers in Iraq, and my right hon. and noble Friend raised our concerns with the United Nations in New York last week. We will continue to monitor events in Baghdad and New York very closely. We support the United Nations in its efforts to negotiate a new memorandum of understanding.
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Population Control
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 1 July, Official Report, column 578, what steps he has taken to ensure that grants given to the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Population Fund do not result in the encouragement of forced abortion or sterilisation in (a) China and (b) Tibet.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 13 July 1992] : Neither the UNFPA nor the IPPF nor the British Government support population activities in which there is any element of coercion of individuals to practise family planning, or to accept any particular type of contraception. The UNFPA and IPPF provide no support for forced abortion or sterilisation in China or Tibet. It is the established policy of both agencies that their programmes fully accord with the human rights principles set out in the world population plan of action, that "population policies should be consistent with internationally and nationally recognised human rights, and that all couples and individuals have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information, education and means to do so".
The ODA is an active member of UNFPA's governing council and participates fully in the IPPF's annual donors meeting. These fora enable donors to examine closely the policies and activities of both organisations. Through such bodies and regular contacts with UNFPA and IPPF officials, the ODA and other donors satisfy themselves that the UNFPA and IPPF continue to maintain the principles of the world population plan of action.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Investment Companies
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what representation has been made to the Government of the Irish Republic to protect future investors from Northern Ireland who invest in companies in the Irish Republic which have links with investment companies in jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic ;
(2) what discussions have taken place with the authorities of the Irish Republic about International Investments Ltd. (Gibraltar) ; (3) whether he will request the Government of the Irish Republic to investigate the International Investment Ltd. fraud.
Mr. Mates : No discussions have taken place with, or
representations made to, the Government of the Irish Republic in respect of International Investments Limited. As I understand the position, this company was registered in Gibraltar and not in the United Kingdom and is now in liquidation. The liquidation is, therefore, a matter for the Gibraltar authorities and the responsibility for making representations to other Governments regarding International Investments Ltd. does not lie with Her Majesty's Government.
Prison Population
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the prison population in Northern Ireland at the latest available date.
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Mr. Mates : The total prison population in Northern Ireland on 8 July 1992 was 1,834. This figure was compiled as follows : HM prison, Belfast--511 prisoners
HM prison, Maghaberry--351 prisoners, including 42 females HM prison, Magilligan--311 prisoners
HM prison, Maze--483 prisoners
HM young offenders centre--178 inmates including 28 on remand
Public Appointments
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list any public appointments by his Department since 1987 which have involved people from organisations criticised in published reports by DTI inspectors.
Mr. Mates : I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Departmental Advisers
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list any advisers retained by his Department since 1987 who have been criticised in published reports by DTI inspectors.
Mr. Mates : I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
WALES
Special Needs
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications for placements have been made by people with special needs to each training and enterprise council in Wales in each year since the establishment of the councils ; and how many have successfully received placements in each instance.
Sir Wyn Roberts : This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local education authorities requiring them to issue specific statements for children with special educational needs.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Welsh Office circular 54/89 and its addendum issued in March 1992 give detailed guidance to local education authorities on the form and content of statements of special educational needs. These advise that, if an authority considers a statement to be warranted, it should specify in detail each of a child's needs and the appropriate provision to meet those needs. The Government have announced their proposal to issue further guidance on the criteria to which authorities should have regard in considering whether to start assessment procedures which may, in the light of the information received, lead to a statement.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines requiring all training and enterprise councils in Wales to establish special needs advisory groups.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Training and enterprise councils in Wales have established a variety of mechanisms for
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consulting their local communities about special training needs. Training and enterprise councils are required to set out in their corporate and business plans how they will cater for people with special needs.Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what improvements he will initiate to enhance access to schools by children who suffer disabilities.
Mr. David Hunt : Local education authorities are responsible for educational buildings, and for questions of access to them by disabled persons. Advice and guidance is available to authorities in Design No. 18 "Access for Disabled People to Educational Buildings" and in Building Bulletin 61 "Designing for Children with Special Educational Needs" issued by the Department for Education.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he proposes to cater for special educational needs in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : My right hon. Friend the Minister of State will be making an announcement very shortly.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he intends to introduce proposals for shortening the procedure in Wales for assessing special educational needs ; what is the average cost of producing a statement of special educational needs in Wales ; and what is the average length of time it takes to produce a statement of special educational needs in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The responsibility for carrying out assessments and preparing statements of special education needs rests with individual local education authorities. Information on the time taken on these processes and the associated costs is not available centrally ; practice varies between authorities. The Government have announced proposals to ensure that these procedures are conducted within specific timescales, which will extend to Wales as well as England.
Dentistry
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many salaried dentists there are in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The latest figures available, as at 30 September 1990, show that there were 292 salaried dentists employed by district health authorities in the hospital and community service. There are no salaried dentists employed by family health service authorities in Wales at present.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advisory criteria his Department issues to family health service authorities in Wales by which cross-infection rates in dental surgeries are measured in both absolute and selective terms.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : None. The Department issues guidance on cross- infection control from time to time and I refer to the answer given to the hon. Gentleman on 10 July 1991, Official Report, column 388.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning NHS dental patients in Wales.
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Mr. David Hunt : The Government are committed to maintaining a comprehensive NHS dental service. It is for family health services authorities, in consultation with district health authorities, to manage general dental services in their areas. Should a family health services authority experience difficulty in securing adequate NHS provision from independent contractors to meet the needs of local residents, it can apply to my Department for approval to employ salaried dentists.
Any unregistered patient seeking NHS dental treatment can contact the local family health services authority for advice and assistance. Community dental services also provide a safety net for those patients who are unable to obtain treatment under the general dental services.
Trainees
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of trainees currently on (a) youth training schemes and (b) employment training schemes in Wales ; and, of these trainees, how many are in receipt of (i) communication services for deaf or blind people, (ii) essential taxi fare payments, (iii) adaptations to premises and equipment and (iv) loans of special equipment as part of their traineeships.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The number of trainees at 24 May 1992 on youth training schemes and employment training schemes in Wales was :
Training |Number scheme ----------------------------- Youth |15,906 Employment |9,585
Support for people with disabilities is provided as an integral part of the Government's training programmes. Separate figures are therefore not available on the numbers of people with disabilities in receipt of special assistance.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sheltered training places are offered to trainees with special needs by each training and enterprise council in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Support for people with disabilities is provided as an integral part of the Government's training programmes. The detailed information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines requiring all training and enterprise councils in Wales to offer further assessment programmes and pre -vocational training facilities to trainees with special needs.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Training and enterprise councils are under a contractual obligation to ensure that individual needs are assessed prior to entry to training programmes and that people receive training that is tailored to those needs. They are also under a specific obligation to ensure that suitable high-quality training shall be available for all trainees who are shown by assessment to have special training needs. Guidance has been issued to training and enterprise councils highlighting best practice in assessment and pre-vocational training. There are no plans to issue further guidelines at this stage.
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Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total cost of providing (a) communication services for deaf or blind trainees, (b) essential taxi fare assistance, (c) adaptation of premises and equipment and (d) loans of special equipment for trainees on (i) youth training schemes and (ii) employment training schemes for each training and enterprise council in Wales.Sir Wyn Roberts : Support for people with disabilities is provided as an integral part of the Government's training programmes. Separate figures for the cost of such support is not held centrally.
General Medical Practitioners
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ask general medical practitioners in Wales to seek to place their annual reports in the local public library.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The terms of service for doctors require GPs to provide family health services authorities (FHSAs) an annual report relating to the provision of personnel medical services. This is a confidential report to the FHSA which is not empowered to disclose its contents to any other person.
I see no merit in seeking an amendment to this arrangement which would, in any case, require to be negotiated with the representative body of the profession.
Caravan Sites
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that grant aid given to councils which have yet to fulfil obligations under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 are not reclaimed by his Department.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : No, if the circumstances require recovery, then grant will be reclaimed.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the total cost to each district council in Wales of abortive attempts to locate gipsy sites within the council area during each of the last five years ;
(2) what was the total cost incurred by West Glamorgan county council in the abortive attempt to locate a gipsy site at Velindre.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : This information is not held centrally.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which district councils in Wales have yet to fulfil their obligations under the Caravan Sites Act 1968.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Section 6 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 places a continuing obligation on county councils to determine the need for gipsy sites and so far as may be necessary to provide adequate accommodation for gipsies residing in or resorting to their area.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many district councils have been designated under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 concerning travellers.
Mr. David Hunt : One--Arfon borough council.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to review the Caravan Sites Act 1968 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. David Hunt : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans) on 30 June, Official Report, column 498.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities in Wales are considering designation matters in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : This information is not held centrally. No applications for designation under section 12 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 are before me at this time.
Housing Development, Clwyd
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from residents concerning a proposed housing development at Drury, Clwyd.
Mr. David Hunt : I have received representations from one resident regarding a proposed housing development on land at Drury new road, Drury.
Green Belts
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the need for green belts in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I have received letters from various organisations about the need for green belts in Wales.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the effectiveness or otherwise of green barriers as opposed to green belts as they might apply to Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : I am not aware of any monitoring or evaluation of the effectiveness or otherwise of green barriers as opposed to green belts. I have invited the Assembly of Welsh Counties, as part of its review of strategic planning guidance in Wales, to consider the potential contribution of green belts to the proper planning and development of Wales. When I receive its advice later this year, I will give it careful consideration.
Psychotherapy
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his answer of 22 June, Official Report, column 68, if he will publish details of the numbers of staff allocated for the provision of psychotherapy in Gwynedd and their location.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : There is no specified psychotherapy service available in Gwynedd. However, a number of experts within the various mental health disciplines are able to provide psychotherapy as part of the NHS's general psychiatric services in Gwynedd.
Valleys Initiative
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the projects which have been funded to date through the valleys initiative ; how much funding has been provided in each case ; and which projects have been brought to an end prematurely.
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Mr. David Hunt : The detailed information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what monitoring procedures are used by his Department to ensure that money allocated to local authorities under the valleys initiative to fund local authority-led initiatives is actually spent on such initiatives ; and if he will list the incidents where money has been allocated to local authority-led schemes under the valleys initiative but the local authority have later withdrawn from the scheme.
Mr. David Hunt : Funding for projects which contribute to the programme for the valleys is channelled to local authorities through various grant schemes, each of which is subject to monitoring arrangements. In some cases, funding has been switched from one project to another. The achievement of objectives is monitored at six-monthly intervals. Reports are published regularly, most recently on 19 February 1992.
Breast Feeding
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to provide additional ring-fenced allowances to midwives to help them attain set targets on numbers of breast-feeding mothers.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : No, but it is our policy aim that pay arrangements for all NHS staff groups should become more flexible and more explicitly related to performance as measured in terms of deliverable objectives and quality of service to patients.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current targets set by midwives in Wales for numbers of mothers undertaking breast feeding ; and what financial support is currently granted by his Department to assist in the attainment of such targets.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I am aware of no targets set by midwives in Wales for numbers of mothers breast feeding. However, one the health gain targets of the "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain : Maternal and Early Child Health", published in August 1991 by the Welsh Office's NHS directorate, was that each district should reduce to 20 per cent. by 1997 the failure rate among women choosing to breast feed and to 5 per cent. by 2002.
The Government are committed to encouraging mothers to breastfeed. In the current financial year, the Welsh Office is giving a grant of £16,400 to fund a Welsh co-ordinator for the joint breast-feeding initiative. The aims of the initiative are to improve support for breast-feeding mothers and to stimulate a wish to continue breast feeding.
Tobacco
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the effects upon health of smoking and tobacco advertising.
Mr. David Hunt : I am very concerned about the damage that smoking can do. This has been reflected in the protocols for investment in health gain in the areas of cancers, cardiovascular disease and respiratory diseases and in the Health Promotion Authority for Wales' strategy documents which I have endorsed. I am determined that we should reach the targets proposed in these documents.
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The Government have consistently taken the view that the best way to control the promotion and advertising of cigarettes is through a continuation of the successful and recently enhanced system of voluntary agreements between the Government and the tobacco industry. Although complex, the system is comprehensive in its coverage. It is designed to ensure that tobacco advertising is not aimed specifically at the young and, combined as it is with a total ban on television advertising of all tobacco products, the Government believe it is effective.Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy to set a target for Wales of a 40 per cent. reduction in the number of people who smoke by the year 2000.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Health Promotion Authority for Wales has recently published targets for reductions in smoking in its document "The Agenda for 1992-94".
This includes a target reduction of 43 per cent. in adult women smokers-- from 30 per cent. in 1985 to 17 per cent. by the year 2000--and a reduction of 43 per cent. in adult men smokers--from 35 per cent. in 1985 to 20 per cent. by the year 2000.
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