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Railways, United States
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which railways' rapid transports he visited in the United States of America this summer.
Mr. MacGregor : Unfortunately I had to cut short my visit to the United States, and so could not undertake my planned visit to see commuter services provided by the private sector in the Chicago conurbation.
Norbreck Parade, London
Mr. Boateng : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement detailing the reasons why his Department directed the local planning authority to refuse the application for permission to construct an access to Norbreck parade, London NW10, from the north circular road, and which was the subject of appeal proceedings on 14 October at the Ealing town hall.
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Mr. Norris : The Department directed refusal of this application in order to safeguard the safety and free flow of traffic on the north circular road.
Marshalling Yards, Doncaster
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with British Rail concerning the future of Doncaster's marshalling yards ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : This is a commercial matter for British Rail.
Jubilee Line
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now authorise the construction of the Jubilee line extension.
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Mr. Norris : No. Discussions with the private sector continue.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Appointments
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees and what remuneration each currently receives.
Mr. Robert Jackson : The information, listed by public body, is as follows :
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|Period of
|appointment
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Civil Service Appeal Board
Mr. R. M. Hastie-Smith CB |1 July, 1992-30 June, 1994
Mr. P. D. Jones |1 June, 1992-27 December, 1992
Mr. N. F. Ledsome CB (reappointed) |1 May, 1992-30 April, 1994
Mr. J. Pennington (reappointed) |15 August, 1992-14 August, 1994
Mr. A. Stem |15 August, 1992-14 August, 1994
All Board members are appointed on the basis of their past experience of Civil Service
personnel matters.
Members receive a fee of £110 per day of attendance, plus expenses.
Agricultural and Food Research Council
Professor T. Mansfield FIBiol, PhD, FRS |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1993
(reappointed)
Mr. David George, OBE (reappointed) |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1994
Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.
Economic and Social Research Council
Professor Victoria Bruce PhD |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Mr. William W. Daniel BA(Hons), MScTech |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Mr. Norman Glass BA, DIP, ICES (Amsterdam) |1 August, 1992-31 July 1996
Dr. Jeremy Harbison BA, MSC, DPhil |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Dr. Paul Judge BA |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Ms. Jennifer Abramsky, BA(Hons) |1 October, 1992-31 July, 1995
Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.
Medical Research Council
Professor A. M. Breckenridge MD, FRCP, FRSE |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Professor J. R. Pattison MA, BSc, DM, MRCPath |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Professor Sir David Weatherall MD, FRCP, FRCPath, FRS |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.
National Environment Research Council
Dr. I. J. Graham-Bryce DPhil, FRSC (reappointed) |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1995
Dr. R. J. Pentreath PhD, DSc, FRS |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1995
Professor J. R. L. Allen DSc, FRS |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1995
Dr. G. W. Robinson BSc, PhD |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Members receive an honorarium of £4,597 with the exception of Dr. Robinson who receivesno remuneration.
Science and Engineering Research Council
Professor A. W. Wolfendale BSc, PhD, DSc, FInstP, FRAS, FRS (reappointed) |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1993
Professor Oxburgh PhD, FRS (reappointed) |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1993
Dr. G. W. Robinson BSc, PhD |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Professor R. Smallman FRS, FEng |1 August, 1992-31 July, 1996
Professor Wolfendale receives an honorarium of £5,900. Professor Smallman receives an honorarium of £4,420. Professor Oxburgh and Dr. Robi
Advisory Board for the Research Councils
Professor R. L. Gardner, FRS (reappointed) |1 July, 1992-31 March, 1994
Sir Eric Ash, CBE, FRS (reappointed) |1 July, 1992-31 March, 1993
Professor David Currie BSc, MSocSci, Econs, PhD |1 July, 1992-31 March, 1994
Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.
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ENVIRONMENT
Leasehold Enfranchisement
Dr. Twinn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to separate the leasehold enfranchisement elements of the Housing, Land and Urban Development Bill from the other parts of the Bill and to present them as a separate Bill.
Urban Regeneration Agency
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet Stoke on Trent city council to discuss its response to the Urban Regeneration Agency consultation paper.
Mr. Robin Squire : The consultation exercise on our proposals on the Urban Regeneration Agency closed on 21 September. The Department took note of Stoke-on-Trent's response, along with the many others we received, in preparing the details of the agency in the Housing and Urban Development Bill which was introduced to the House on 22 October. It is too late to take receipt of further formal comments but I would be happy to discuss our plans for the agency when I visit Stoke-on-Trent on 13 November.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it is policy that any future arrangements for the proposed Urban Regeneration Agency will not discriminate against those authorities currently in receipt of derelict land grant but currently without assisted area and other status.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Housing and Urban Development Bill makes provision for a new unified grant regime for the Urban Regeneration Agency which will replace derelict land grant and the other grants to be transferred to it. The Government will take account of the current priorities for these grants, including derelict land grant, when constructing the new unified regime.
Council Tax
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account is taken of home improvements in valuation of households for the council tax.
Mr. Robin Squire : The band shown in the valuation list compiled on 1 April 1993 should reflect the size, layout and character of each dwelling on that day. If there has been a change to a dwelling since it was valued, and before 1 April 1993, the banding of the dwelling may be reconsidered by the listing officer. In all cases, the banding will reflect the open market value of the dwelling, including any subsequent improvement, as at 1 April 1991.
After 1 April 1993, home improvements and other factors which lead to a material increase in the value of a dwelling will only be taken into account when it is subsequently sold.
Eco-labelling Scheme
Mr. Coe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in implementing the eco-labelling scheme ; and how it will be funded in 1992-93.
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Mr. Maclean : The Government have laid regulations before both Houses of Parliament which are due to come into force on 1 November establishing the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board as a non-departmental public body and giving it responsibility for administering and promoting the EC eco-labelling scheme in the United Kingdom.
The board was set up in an advisory capacity in July under the chair of Dr. Elizabeth Nelson. It has already made a good start in preparing the ground for implementation of the scheme and developing plans for a communications strategy. On 23 October the board and European Commission jointly hosted in the first meeting of competent bodies from EC member states, in London, to discuss issues of common interest.
Unfortunately there have been delays at the Commission in setting in place the necessary administrative arrangements for the scheme. The United Kingdom has played and will continue to play a leading role in the development of the eco-labelling scheme. Through our presidency of the European Community we are pressing the Commission to implement the scheme speedily and asking that other member states show the same commitment to it as we are showing. The board remains hopeful that the first eco-labels will start appearing on goods in the shops in the early part of 1993.
Parliamentary approval of this new expenditure will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the central environmental services vote--class VIII vote 5. Pending the approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £550,000 will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.
Transfer of Undertakings and Acquired Rights
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the advice he has issued to local authorities over the transfer of undertakings and acquired rights directive.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Directive was implemented in the United Kingdom by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. We are at present consulting interested parties on a draft of guidance to be issued under section 9 of the Local Government Act 1992, which states our view that it would be most unusual for the Regulations to apply to a normal contract let under the compulsory competitive tendering legislation. However the interpretation of the law in individual cases is a matter for the courts.
Computer Projects
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table setting out for the period since 9 April (a) each tender issued by his Department for projects requiring the supply of (i) computer hardware and (ii) computer software, (b) a description of the services required, (c) the number of companies who were invited to tenders, (d) the number of companies who submitted a bid without prior invitation by his Department, (e) which company was awarded the contract, (f) the value of each contract and (g) the length of period over which the contract will run.
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Mr. Howard : The following major contracts have been awarded by my department since 9 April 1992 for the supply of computer hardware and software. No companies submitted a bid without prior invitation. (a) Provision of computer hardware
Description of services : Provision of hardware and software to enable the department to perform automatic security back ups of its computer bureau systems.
Number of companies invited to tender : --3
Company awarded the contract : Digital Equipment Corporation Value of contract : --£116,736
Duration of Contract : --Not applicable
(b) Provision of computer software
(i) Description of Services : Provision of a personal computer version of library periodicals software formerly provided by Comshare as part of their bureau service.
Number of companies invited to tender : --1
Company awarded the contract : --Comshare Ltd.
Value of contract : --£36,450
Duration of contract : --4 months
(ii) Description of services : Provision of computer system design software.
Number of companies invited to tender : --1
Company awarded the contract : --LBMS
Value of Contract : --£24,300
Duration of contract : --Not applicable
(iii) Description of services : IEF software
Number of companies invited to tender : --1
Company awarded the contract : --JMA Information Engineering Value of contract : --£8,500
Duration of contract : --Not applicable
(iv) Description of services : Helpdesk software for VAX VMS system.
Number of companies invited to tender : 1
Company awarded the contract : --Intercom Data Systems
Value of contract : --£17,000
Duration of contract : --Not applicable
(v) Description of services : Diskeeper Plus Software (defragmentation)
Number of companies invited to tender : --1
Company awarded the contract : --Executive Software
Value of contract : --£4,700
Duration of contract : Not applicable
In addition, during the same period my department issued 1,471 orders for minor items of computer hardware, software and associated consumables, over half of which were from "call-off" contracts that were placed before 9 April 1992. The combined value of these orders is £1,238,000.
Nuclear Waste
Mr. Paul Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution United Kingdom nuclear fuel cycle experts have made to the International Atomic Agency's RADWASS programme on developing safety standards for nuclear waste management.
Mr. Maclean : The United Kingdom plays a major part in the planning and development of the Radioactive Waste Safety Standards programme of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Disabled Facilities Grants
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe of 3 July, Official Report, column 719, what information is available to him on the numbers of disabled people who receive no disabled
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facilities grants because the income or capital or family members is deemed excessive ; what proportion of these do not consequently obtain the adaptations they require ; if all such cases are automatically referred to the Department of Social Security for consideration of their duties under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 ; and if he will make a further statement.Mr. Baldry : The Department does not collect details of applicants for disabled facilities grant who do not qualify for assistance under the means test, because of the financial circumstances of family members, and who subsequently do not obtain the adaptations they need. There is no automatic referral procedure to social services departments. However, the Department jointly with the Department of Health, has reminded social services authorities of their responsibilities under the 1970 Act to provide financial assistance in cases where a disabled person will otherwise face hardship in meeting their share of the cost of adaptations.
EDUCATION
Funding
Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reconsider the fifth report of Session 1990-91 from the Education, Science and Arts Committee, and the first report of the School Teachers Review Body and take steps to clarify the arrangements for the funding of education.
Mr. Forth : The Government do not accept that there is any lack of clarity about the current arrangements for funding education. Under these arrangements the great bulk of central Government support for local authority expenditure is through revenue support grant which is not earmarked for particular services. Central Government are accountable for its overall support for local government spending through revenue support grant, while individual local authorities are accountable to their electorates for the decisions they take both about their overall spending and the balance of that spending between and within services.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what response he has made to the evidence submitted to his Department by the Association of County Councils on the likely vulnerability of shared local education authority/funding agency transitional arrangements.
Mr. Forth : The ACC's comments on the proposals in the White Paper have been carefully considered. In addition, my right hon. Friend has had a meeting with representatives of the ACC.
Ozone Depletion
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what guidance he has issued to grant-maintained schools on leakages of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-destroying chemicals ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what steps he is taking to advise local education authorities on replacing halons in school fire extinguishing systems with non-ozone depleting substances ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Forth : The Department does not at present issue specific guidance on the use of ozone friendly or CFC-free materials in school buildings. However, the Department is currently reviewing the scope and content of its guidance on environmental standards for educational buildings.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from Birmingham local education authority about parental choice and grant-maintained schools ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : No recent representations have been received from Birmingham local education authority specifically about parental choice and grant-maintained schools.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the sources and evidence on which the statement made at paragraph 13.3 of the White Paper, "Choice and Diversity : A New Framework for Schools", that grant-maintained schools secure better value for money is based.
Mr. Forth : Her Majesty's inspectorate has observed that grant- maintained schools have generally deployed their resources to good effect. The majority of respondents to a survey of grant-maintained schools conducted by the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre reported increased ability to focus spending on delivery of education in the classroom.
Appointments
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees, and what remuneration each currently receives.
Mr. Forman : The details requested are given in the table. Information on the qualifications of appointees is not kept centrally, but we are satisfied that the qualifications of appointees to this Department's public bodies fully meet the standards required.
Names of Period of Remuneration
appointments to appointment
public bodies
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges
Mr. D. A. L. Every<1>3 years-
Dr. R. Rix<1> |4 years |-
Mrs. S. Greenfield<1> |4 years |-
Mr. R. Bailess<1> |2 years |-
Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research
Mr. J. Beale<1>2 years-
Ms. J. Little |2 years |-
Ms. M. Ryan |2 years |-
Professor G. Thomas<1> |2 years |-
Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education
Professor A. J. Alexander<1>2 years-
Mr. J. Burn<1> |2 years |-
Sr. V. Duggan |2 years |-
Dr. M. Frazer, CBE<1> |2 years |-
Professor A. O'Hear<1> |2 years |-
Education Assets Board
Sir Tom MacDonald<1> (Ch. PT)1 year |£23,365 pa
Mr. H. S. Hoare<1> (Ch. Ex. FT) |2.5 years |£46,000 pa
Mr. B. C. Arthur<1> |2.5 years |}
Mr. K. J. Bridge<1> |3 years |}
Ms. K. Buckley |3 years |}
Mr. H. E. Couch<1> |2.5 years |} |<2>£135
Mr. J. M. Edwards<1> |3 years |}
Miss A. Lees<1> |3 years |}
Mr. P. S. Lewis |3 years |}
Mr. G. Locke |3 years |}
Mr. A. N. Solomons<1> |2.5 years |}
Fulbright Commission
Professor M. Edwards<1> |4 years |-
Higher Education Funding Council, England
Professor C. Campbell |3 years |}
Professor B. K. Follett<3> |2 years |}
Mr. R. Gunn<3> |2 years |}
Professor Kay Tee Khaw |3 years |}
Sir Idris Pearce<3> |2 years |} |<4>£4,000
Sir David Phillips<3> |2 tears |}
Professor J. Shaw<3> |2 years |}
Sir Robert Scholey |3 years |}
Dr. R. Telfer |3 years |}
Miss J. Trotter |3 years |}
Further Education Funding Council
Mr. N. Bennett |3 years |}
Mr. A. Cann |3 years |}
Dr. J. Capey |3 years |}
Mr. A. Close |3 years |}
Mrs. M. Davey |3 years |}
Mrs. P. Haikin |3 years |} |<5>£4,000
Mrs. M. Hobrough |3 years |}
Mr. C. Jonas |3 years |}
Cllr. L. Lawrence |3 years |}
Mr. M. Lickiss |3 years |}
Mr. M. Rowarth |3 years |}
Dr. A. Wright |3 years |}
The Further Education Unit<6>
Mr. A. Ainsworth<1> (Ch.)4 years-
Mr. M. Cross<1> |4 years |-
Mr. K. Franklin<1> |2 years |-
Ms. A. Limb<1> |1 year |-
Mr. G. M. Rowarth, OBE<1> |1 year |-
Mr. C. K. Rowland<1> |1 year |-
Ms. J. Scribbins<1> |1 year |-
Mr. B. D. Short<1> |6 years |-
National Curriculum Council
Mr. D. Pascall<1> (Ch. PT)1 year£285 pd
Mr. J. Burn |3 years |-
Dr. J. Marks |3 years |-
Professor A. Smithers |3 years |-
Mrs. J. Wisker<1> |1 year |-
National Council for Educational Technology
Mr. J. Richards (Ch.)3 years-
Ms. S. Davies |2.5 years |-
Dr. D. Laurillard |2.5 years |-
Ms. U. Malik |2.5 years |-
Ms. L. Menon |2.5 years |-
Mr. K. Satchwell |2.5 years |-
Mr. R. Scarth |2.5 years |-
Mr. J. Young |2.5 years |-
School Examinations and Assessment Council
Dr. J. Marenbon3 years-
Dr. S. Nepaulsingh<1> |3 years |-
Mr. A. Pellegrini |3 years |-
Lord Sidelsky |3 years |-
Ms. K. Tattershall |3 years |-
Mr. P. Wood |3 years |-
<1> Members of public bodies who have been re-appointed.
<2> Members receive an honorarium of £153 paid for attendance at each monthly board
meeting.
<3> Members who have previously served on the Universities Funding Council or the
Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.
<4> Membership of the Higher Education Funding Council, England carries with it an
honorarium of £4,000 per annum.
<5> Members of the Further Education Funding Council receive an honorarium of £4,000
per annum.
<6> Members of the Further Education Unit have had their periods of office extended
from the original expiry date of 31 March 1993 (30 April in the case of Mr. Ainsworth)
to 31 March 1994.
<7> Mr. Pascall receives remuneration of £285 per day for the time spend on National
Curriculum Council business. This is reimbursed to his employer.
A-Levels
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils obtained three or more A-levels in (a) 1982 and (b) 1992.
Mr. Forman : The estimated number of school leavers in England who obtained three or more A-levels was 72,600 in 1982 and 86,700 in 1991, the latest year for which information is available.
Schools
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is current per capita spending on education in schools in England and Wales ; and what it was in 1982.
Mr. Forth : The latest year for which actual spending information is available is 1990-91. In that year, school-based funding available per nursery, primary and secondary pupil in England was some £1,620 per pupil. This figure includes unspent balances held by schools at the year end under local management schemes. In 1981-82, school-based funding in England was some £740 per pupil, which represents some £1, 240 per pupil at 1990-91 prices. There was a real-terms increase in funding per pupil between 1981-82 and 1990-91 of 31 per cent. Expenditure on schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Teachers Pensions Agency
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list for the last 12 months, the titles of papers published by the Teachers Pensions Agency.
Mr. Forth : The Teachers Pensions Agency was established on 1 April 1992. Since that date, the following papers and guides have been issued :
The TPA Business Plan and Framework documents
A guide to Teachers Superannuation for Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges
Two Teachers' Superannuation Scheme Fact Sheets
A Guide for employers to the TPA
A Guide for teachers to the TPA
The first TPA newsletter
In addition, many of the explanatory and option leaflets in daily use by employers and scheme members have been redesigned and reissued.
Column 674
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Coal Imports
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many tonnes of coal were imported from the Netherlands in 1991 ; what was the pithead cost of that coal ; and if he will make it his policy to impose an anti-dumping duty on such coal.
Mr. Eggar : The Netherlands has closed all its mines and now produces no coal. In 1991 the statistics recorded 6,000 tones of coal originated in the Netherlands. It is assumed that these 6,000 tonnes were first imported into the Netherlands from other countries, processed there, and subsequently re-exported to the United Kingdom. The statistics also record that in 1991, 4.713 million tonnes of coal, destined to the United Kingdom, passed through the Netherlands in consignment.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each port in the United Kingdom, the tonnages of coal imports by year for the last four years ; and what were the points of origin.
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