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Asylum

Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have applied for asylum ; how many have had their applications accepted ; how many have been granted exceptional leave to remain ; and how many have been returned to safe third countries, giving the figures in each case since 1985, by year.

Mr. Charles Wardle : Information on asylum applications and decisions in 1985-90 is given in table 1.2 of Home


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Office statistical bulletin issue 12/92 "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1990-91", a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for refusals on safe third country grounds are not separately identifiable prior to 1991. For information for 1991 and the first three quarters of 1992 I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 20 October 1992, at columns 261-62 .


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1. Summary Tables                                                                                                                                                   

Table 1.2 Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, decisions and percentages, 1981 to 1991                                                           

                                |1981      |1982      |1983      |1984      |1985      |1986      |1987      |1988      |<1>1989   |<1><2>1990|<1><2>1991           

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Excluding dependants                                                                                                                                                

  Applications received<3>      |-         |-         |-         |2,905     |4,389     |4,266     |4,256     |3,998     |11,640    |22,000    |44,840               

  Decisions                                                                                                                                                         

  Total                         |-         |-         |-         |1,431     |2,635     |2,983     |2,432     |2,702     |6,955     |4,015     |4,685                

  Grants of asylum<4>           |-         |-         |-         |453       |574       |348       |266       |628       |2,210     |900       |420                  

  Grants of exceptional leave   |-         |-         |-         |631       |1,559     |2,102     |1,531     |1,578     |3,860     |2,400     |1,860                

  Refusals<5>                   |-         |-         |-         |347       |502       |533       |636       |496       |890       |710       |2,410                

  Percentage of total decisions                                                                                                                                     

  Total                         |-         |-         |-         |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100                  

  Grant of asylum               |-         |-         |-         |32        |22        |12        |11        |23        |32        |22        |9                    

  Grants of exceptional leave   |-         |-         |-         |44        |59        |70        |63        |58        |55        |60        |40                   

  Refusals<5>                   |-         |-         |-         |24        |19        |18        |26        |18        |13        |18        |51                   

  Applications withdrawn        |-         |-         |-         |175       |201       |164       |200       |281       |350       |360       |500                  

                                                                                                                                                                    

Including dependants<6>                                                                                                                                             

  Applications received<3>      |2,425     |4,223     |4,296     |4,171     |6,156     |5,714     |5,863     |5,739     |16,776    |30,315    |-                    

  Decisions                                                                                                                                                         

  Total                         |2,358     |2,942     |2,950     |2,011     |3,802     |4,045     |3,479     |3,888     |10,270    |6,265     |-                    

  Grants of asylum<4>           |1,473     |1,727     |1,185     |689       |915       |543       |464       |975       |3,335     |1,510     |-                    

  Grants of exceptional leave   |278       |311       |939       |802       |2,156     |2,815     |2,229     |2,289     |5,840     |3,900     |-                    

  Refusals<5>                   |607       |904       |826       |520       |731       |687       |786       |624       |1,095     |850       |-                    

  Percentage of total decisions                                                                                                                                     

  Total                         |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |100       |-                    

  Grants of asylum              |62        |59        |40        |34        |24        |13        |13        |25        |32        |24        |-                    

  Grants of exceptional leave   |12        |11        |32        |40        |57        |70        |64        |59        |57        |62        |-                    

  Refusals<5>                   |26        |31        |28        |26        |19        |17        |23        |16        |11        |14        |-                    

  Applications withdrawn        |211       |234       |217       |227       |261       |209       |252       |360       |435       |405       |-                    

<1> Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5, percentages rounded to the nearest whole per cent.                                                                

<2> 1990 figures may understate and 1991 decision figures are likely to be incomplete because of delays in recording.                                               

<3> See footnotes 2 and 3 to Table 2.1.                                                                                                                             

<4> Excluding South East Asian refugees: see Tables 3.1 and 9.1.                                                                                                    

<5> Includes refusals on third country grounds, and those under paragraph 101 of the Immigration Rules: see footnote 1 to Table 3.3.                                

<6> Including dependants who applied with the principal applicant and those who arrived subsequently but before the principal application was decided.              

Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances he uses his discretion to allow asylum applications in the country of the applicant ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees defines a refugee as someone who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such a fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country. Where a person falls within this definition and has such close ties with the United Kingdom as to make it the most appropriate country of refuge for them, we are prepared to grant entry clearance for the purpose of their applying for asylum in the United Kingdom. Entry clearance for this purpose would not normally be granted to a person who remained within their own country and did not, therefore, fall within the definition of a refugee.


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Colombia

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates he visited Colombia ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jack : The visit between 8 and 11 September took place in an itinerary over 6 to 14 September which also included Venezuela and Peru.

It was principally concerned with drugs and had three main objectives : to see local problems at first hand ; to explore the scope for further effective bilateral co-operation ; and to consider the implications for policy in the United Kingdom.

In each of the three countries, I discussed with the President and senior Ministers the many aspects, domestic and international, of the drugs problem. In Colombia, I was able to see for myself some of the valuable results of our programme of assistance to the Colombian Government in their fight against drugs. In Peru, in addition to drugs issues, I took the opportunity to raise other matters such as human rights and the forthcoming elections.


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Police Inquiry

Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what salary, per diem, or other emoluments the chairman and other members of the inquiry into the role of the police officer will be entitled to receive as a consequence of the membership of the inquiry committee.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The chairman and other members of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards are entitled to receive fees in accordance with the appropriate daily rate set by HM Treasury. But the chairman and each of the members of the inquiry have waived their entitlement to remuneration.

Immigration

Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many short-term and would-be students refused (a) entry clearance and (b) entry to the United Kingdom, by country, have lodged appeals against refusal in each quarter since January 1991 ; and in each category how many such appeals were (i) withdrawn, (ii) granted and (iii) dismissed ;

(2) how many visitors refused (a) entry clearance and (b) entry to the United Kingdom by country, have lodged appeals against refusal in each quarter since January 1991 ; and in each category how many such appeals were (i) withdrawn, (ii) granted and (iii) dismissed.

Mr. Charles Wardle : This subject is a matter for the Lord Chancellor's Department ; my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, will write to the hon. Member.

Ireland (Travel Documents)

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has put to the European Commission for amending the common travel area between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom under the single market from next year ; whether EC nationals will be required to show their passports and to submit to spot checks prior to entry into Great Britain ; whether all travellers from the Republic of Ireland into the United Kingdom will be required to carry passports ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle : We have made no proposals for amending the common travel area arrangements.

Squatting

Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the consultations on changes to the law on squatting ; and when he expects to introduce legislation to change the law.

Mr. Jack : As my hon. Friend knows, the Government have a commitment to strengthen and improve the law against squatting, and the Home Office published a consultation paper on this subject last October. We are still considering the best way forward in the light of the responses received and we will announce our conclusions in due course.


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Sheehy Inquiry

Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the paid employments of members of the Sheehy committee of inquiry into the role of the police officer.

Mr. Charles Wardle : Sir Patrick Sheehy, chairman of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards, is chairman of BAT Industries. The other members of the inquiry are Mr. John Bullock, joint senior partner of Coopers Lybrand, Professor Colin Campbell, vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham, Mr. Eric Caines, director of personnel for the national health service and Sir Paul Fox, lately managing director of BBC Television.

EDUCATION

Hertfordshire College of Art and Design

Mr. Colin Shepherd : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make an order under section 16 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to incorporate Herefordshire college of art and design into the new further education sector on 1 April 1993.

Mr. Forman : Herefordshire college of art and design will be among the colleges joining the new further education sector on 1 April 1993. A corporation will be established for the college by means of an order under section 16 of the Further and Higher Education Act as soon as possible. A draft order was issued for consultation on 26 October.

WALES

Public Footpaths

Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to offer financial compensation to farmers who are actively involved in improving public footpaths through their land.

Sir Wyn Roberts : Responsibility for the maintenance of public rights of way rests with county highway authoriies, not with my right hon. Friend. Farmers have certain duties in relation to the maintenance of paths which cross their land and are entitled to grant assistance from the highways authorities for fulfilling part of those duties. The Countryside Council for Wales is, however, piloting projects in Wales which include an incentive payment to farmers to undertake maintenance of footpaths where it is in the public interest and it is cost effective to do so.

Education Reform

Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from district councils in Wales to date concerning the proposed changes in education ; and how many representations (a) expressed objection to the extension of grant-maintained status for schools and (b) expressed objections to changes proposed for the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

Sir Wyn Roberts : Representations have been received from 12 district councils and from the Council of Welsh


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Districts. Of these, five commented on our proposals for grant-maintained status and three referred to the proposals relating to the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

Disabled Trainees

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the training providers within each training and enterprise council in Wales, indicating the number of training places offered, and the number of disabled trainees currently granted placement ; (2) if he will list the large company unit schemes offering training within each training and enterprise council area in Wales indicating the number of trainees on each scheme, and the proportion of disabled trainees on each scheme.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is not available centrally. Local training provision is the responsibility of individual training and enterprise councils which are under contract to make sufficient suitable places available to meet the demand from disabled persons.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total numbers of disabled trainees currently on (a) employer led training schemes and (b) voluntary sector training schemes within each training and enterprise council area in Wales.

Sir Wyn Roberts : This information is not collected centrally. The type of training provision made available locally is the responsibility of individual training and enterprise councils.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total number of trainees on youth training schemes within each training and enterprise council in Wales ; how many disabled trainees there are within each area ; and if he will indicate the numbers of disabled trainees according to training occupational classification.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The number of trainees on youth training at 13 September in each TEC area in Wales is set out in the table. Information on the numbers of disabled young people in training and their occupational routes is not collected separately but over the six months to September, 1.2 per cent. of those commencing youth training were disabled.


Numbers on youth training on 13 September 1992           

TEC                |Number in training                   

---------------------------------------------------------

Gwent              |2,456                                

Mid Glamorgan      |2,548                                

South Glamorgan    |1,685                                

North East Wales   |1,355                                

North West Wales   |1,851                                

Powys              |533                                  

West Wales         |3,803                                

                   |-------                              

Wales              |14,231                               


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Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the 1989-90 and the 1990-91 trainee intake onto youth training placements within each training and enterprise council area in Wales are currently in full-time employment; and what proportion of disabled trainees over the same period are currently in full-time employment.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The information as requested is not available.

Education Funding

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the basis of his policy to support differential funding for different sectors of the education service in Wales.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The Government's policies for the support of the education service are set out in the joint Department for Education and Welsh Office education White Paper, "Choice and Diversity : A New Framework for Schools", Cm. 2021, published on 28 July, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Hospital Catering

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 October, Official Report, column 150, what consultations he has had with the South Glamorgan health authority concerning the suspension of redundancy notice consultations to in-house catering ; when he expects to confirm decisions on the legal issues raised between the health authority and the catering workers' trades unions ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : South Glamorgan health authority has asked the Department for its views on the legal issues arising and these are now under consideration. A reply will be sent as soon as possible.

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 October, Official Report, column 150, what guidance was given by his Department to Gardner Merchant by way of clarification of tender procedures and on the minimum service standards relative to previously achieved standards required to comply with (a) the terms of the contract and (b) relevant European Community law.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Department gave guidance on two specific points only in clarification of tender procedures--first, that the authority had amortised redundancy costs over the period of the contract in accordance with current guidelines ; secondly, that information provided to all contractors must be accurate and current and sufficient to enable the submission of realistic tenders, that is, that all necessary details should be made readily available.

Visual Impairment

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will conduct a review into the supply and cost of low vision aids to visually impaired children and the provision of training on the use of aids within health authorities in Wales.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : At present, my right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines to social services departments in Wales concerning advising parents of visually impaired children on adequate lighting provision in the home.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : General guidance on services for people with disabilities was issued in 1990. It specifically


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mentioned the possible need to advise the visually disabled, or their carers, about lighting equipment. Local authority social services departments' rehabilitation officers are available to provide advise about lighting requirements appropriate to the individual circumstances of those who are visually impaired.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local authorities in Wales which have appointed a social services officer with specific responsibility for visually impaired people.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : All social services authorities in Wales have such officers.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are currently undertaken by his Department to ensure that health authorities are fulfilling their statutory responsibility of providing information to parents of a visually impaired child concerning possible sources of assistance from other statutory agencies and voluntary organisations.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : Existing guidance on services for people with disabilities draws attention to their information needs. It encourages the training of staff to gve clear and accurate advice on how services provided by other agencies can be obtained. It is for health authorities where appropriate to reflect that guidance in their local strategies for health which are submitted to the Department for approval.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines to health authorities in Wales on the issuing of information, medical advice, and counselling to parents following the discovery of visual impairment in their child.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : General guidance on services for people with disabilities was issued in 1990, as was the report of the working group on co-ordinating services for visually handicapped people. In 1991, the Welsh Health Planning Forum issued advice to the NHS in Wales on physical and sensory disability in the form of a protocol on health gain.

Disabled People (Housing)

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of new build local authority and housing association dwellings have been built to appropriate standards for people with disabilities in Wales in each year between 1979 and 1991.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : The percentage of new local authority and housing association dwellings built for people who are chronically sick or disabled is shown in the table. Figures for 1979 are not available.


Year       |Percentage           

---------------------------------

1980       |0.7                  

1981       |1.2                  

1982       |3.0                  

1983       |7.6                  

1984       |7.2                  

1985       |4.8                  

1986       |6.7                  

1987       |21.8                 

1988       |6.5                  

1989       |1.9                  

1990       |3.8                  

1991       |4.1                  

Local Education Authorities

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what aspects of responsibility currently held by local education authorities in Wales will be transferred to the proposed funding agency.

Sir Wyn Roberts : Details of the duties of the proposed Schools Funding Council for Wales are contained in the White Paper "Choice and Diversity : A New Framework for Schools", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

NHS Employees

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to protect the right of free speech in relation to employees of the national health service concerning the quality of patient care ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Department has recently issued, for consultation, draft guidance which clarifies the rights and duties of NHS employees in raising matters of concern about patient services and the responsibilities of local management. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Community Care

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local authorities in Wales whose draft community care plans include references to services for multiple-disabled people.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : Although all local authorities' social care plans include services for physically and/or sensorially disabled people, only West Glamorgan makes specific reference to people with multiple disabilities.

Education White Paper

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the evidence on which he based the proposals set out in the White Paper, "Choice and Diversity : A New Framework for Schools", that a greater quality of educational provision in Wales will result from a greater diversity of type of school.

Sir Wyn Roberts : The reforms that we have already implemented--more parental choice, rigorous testing, external inspection of standards in schools, local management of schools, grant-maintained schools, and the national curriculum--are helping to shape a more open, a more responsive, and a more demanding system of education. The White Paper seeks to build on these solid foundations.

Central Control of Schools

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new central powers he will gain over the direct control of schools when the new arrangements for education governance are in place.


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Sir Wyn Roberts : The White Paper, "Choice and Diversity : A New Framework for Schools" is not about increasing the powers of the Secretary of State but about rationalising certain arrangements to ensure best use of limited resources for the benefit of children and the education service generally. There are no proposals to give the Secretary of State new powers with regard to direct control of schools.

Electronics Companies

Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of components purchased by electronics companies in Wales which are produced in Wales ; and what information he has in respect of individual companies.

Mr. David Hunt : This information is not collated by my Department. Information held on individual companies is commercially confidential.

Nurses

Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of nurses who have achieved state registered nursing qualifications in 1992 to the latest available date within the Merthyr Tydfil and Cynon health district ; and how many have been employed by the health districts.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : So far this year, 38 student nurses from the Merthyr Tydfil and Cynon Valley health district have qualified. Of these, 26 have subsequently been employed by the Mid Glamorgan health authority ; information about the remainder is not available.

Diabetes

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of (a) a visit by a health visitor to administer insulin to a diabetic and (b) self-administration using a Novopen, including the cost of the Novo needle.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : Information on the cost of a visit by a health visitor is not held centrally. The cost of a Novopen and needle is commercial-in-confidence. However, many diabetics use disposable syringes to inject themselves with insulin and these are already prescribable. The use of injection pens and needles entails a real additional cost to the taxpayer. This factor has to be taken into account when considering whether to authorise their prescribing by general practitioners.

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy that Novo needles shall be available on prescription for people who suffer from diabetes and require insulin treatment.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : We are continuing to consider the case for authorising general practitioners to prescribe both insulin injection pens and needles, and a final decision will be reached bearing in mind all other priorities.

Unitary Councils

Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will set out in detail the costs of establishing the new unitary councils in the areas of (a) personnel including


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recruitment and relocation, (b) property costs, (c) transference to new information technology systems and (d) shadow councils and extra election costs ;

(2) if he will set out in detail the one-off costs of setting up the new unitary councils in the Principality.

Mr. David Hunt : I have engaged Touche Ross management consultants to advise me on the nature and magnitude of transitional costs which might arise in moving to a structure of unitary authorities in Wales. I will publish the consultants' report when it is available.

Deeside Industrial Park

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the earliest likely date on which permanent employment on the Deeside industrial park will reach 10,000.

Mr. David Hunt : I regularly meet the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to discuss a wide range of issues.

Severn Bridge

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the proposed Severn bridge toll increase in January 1993 (a) generally and (b) in relation to future validity of books of season tickets available for sale at the present time.

Sir Wyn Roberts : None.

Pit Closures

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what duties of policy co-ordination he has given to the relevant training and enterprise councils in Wales in relation to job creation in the areas affected by proposed pit closures.

Mr. David Hunt : I have agreed with the chairmen of the TECs affected by coal closures that they should produce action plans or contingency plans as appropriate and that these plans should cover not only labour market issues but, in conjunction with the Welsh Development Agency, proposals for job creation.

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Association of Welsh Training and Enterprise Councils in relation to funding earmarked for additional training and enterprise operations in areas affected by proposed pit closures in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt : I met the chairmen of Mid Glamorgan, West Wales and North East Wales TECs on 19 October 1992 to discuss the situation regarding colliery closures. I have informed the chairmen that £4.8 million is being made available over the next 18 months for retraining and other services and support for enterprise in the areas affected.

I am awaiting proposals from the chairmen on the most effective use of these resources.

Steel

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his statement on 21 October, Official Report, columns 527-28, in relation to the closure of Shotton


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steelworks heavy end in 1980, what is his most up to date estimate of the numbers of people employed in premises at the Deeside industrial park in each year since 1985, the numbers permanently employed at British Steel Corporation Shotton (a) prior to the 1980 heavy end closure announcement, (b) in 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) at the most recent convenient date ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Hunt : Information on employment numbers at Deeside industrial park is not collected by my Department.

Butetown Link Road

Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received, and what consultations he has had, concerning the funding of the annual maintenance costs of the Butetown link road.

Sir Wyn Roberts : No such representations have been received.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Longford Hall

Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he has taken to ascertain that Longford hall, Stretford is being maintained in a way which does not prejudice its status as a listed building ; when a physical inspection of this property was last conducted ; and what were the conclusions.

Mr. Brooke : Officials of the Departments concerned have been in regular touch with the owners, Trafford metropolitan borough council, about the state of the building. I understand that, pending decisions on the building's long term future, the council has authorised the carrying out of repairs, and tenders are due to be submitted by 30 October.

Computer Projects

Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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 tender, (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.

Mr. Key [holding answer 27 October 1992] : The information requested is as follows :

(a My Department has not yet issued any significant tenders for the supply of computer hardware and software. However, it has advertised a single major requirement in the Official Journal of the European Communities and is currently evaluating proposals. It has also purchased a number of personal computers to meet urgent interim needs.

(b The services required are :

(i the supply, configuration, installation, implementation and maintenance of hardware and software to support the office-based functions of the Department ;


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