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Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the current policies of confidentiality relating to the work of the Zangger committee and the Nuclear Suppliers Group ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : In view of the substance of the work of the Zangger committee and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is satisfied that it is appropriate that they should discuss matters confidentially. The product of the two groups' work--notably, the lists of items which trigger safeguards--is, of course, made public.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to merging the Zangger committee and the Nuclear Suppliers Group ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : There are at present no plans to merge the Zangger committee and the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of his proposals to harmonise and improve export controls through the Zangger committee ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Zangger committee is not an export control body as such. It is an informal international forum for interpreting supplier commitments under article III(2) of the treaty on the non- proliferation of nuclear weapons. The United Kingdom will continue to play an active role in its discussions.
Japan
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent communications his Department has had with his counterparts in Japan relating to the non-proliferation treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have discussed a wide range of issues with Japanese counterparts in recent meetings. As far as nuclear non- proliferation is concerned, recent contacts have concentrated on formal preparations for the 1995 NPT extension conference. We are also regularly in touch with the Japanese on non-proliferation issues within the auspices of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Zangger committee.
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Correspondence
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates (a) he received and (b) he replied to a letter from the constituents of the hon. Member for Gower residing in Norton Mumbles, Swansea, regarding events in Bosnia and Croatia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We received a letter dated 2 October from Mr. Blank of 4 Castle road, Norton Mumbles, Swansea on 14 October. A reply was sent to Mr. Blank on 22 October.
British Council (Cyprus)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what was the expenditure by the British Council for Cyprus for (a) interchange of people, (b) libraries, books and information, (c) English language and literature, (d) specialist work in science and education and (e) the arts, during 1991-92 ; and how much under each heading is identified with (i) Greek Southern Cyprus and (ii) Turkish Northern Cyprus.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Total expenditure in Cyprus in 1991-92--including local and headquarters overheads--was £1,949,972, divided as in the table :
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e
Total Southern Cyprus Northern Cyprus
|£ |£ |Per cent.|£ |Per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interchange of people |1,065,207|623,472 |59 |436,735 |41
Libraries, books and information |389,071 |298,471 |77 |90,600 |23
English language and literature |135,412 |54,744 |40 |80,668 |60
Specialist work in science and education |284,032 |278,352 |98 |5,680 |2
Arts |76,250 |73,950 |97 |2,300 |3
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |1,949,972|1,333,989|68 |615,983 |32
The figures supplied in response to the hon. Member's question on 19 October were based on local programme costs.
International Science and Technology Centre
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to bring to the attention of British commercial organisations the establishment of the international science and technology centre in Russia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The international science and technology centre is intended to channel the skills and talents of the former weapons scientists in Russia and Ukraine towards suitable civil projects. Her Majesty's Government will seek to bring projects proposed for funding by the centre to the attention of the United Kingdom companies.
Non-governmental Organisations
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to hold the next routine meeting with non-governmental organisations on arms control,
non-proliferation and security matters ; and what actions Her Majesty's Government have taken arising from proposals or questions raised at the most recent NGO meeting on security topics.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no immediate plans to meet non- governmental organisations on arms control, non-proliferation and security matters.
Officials met representatives of the British Atlantic Committee and Peace Through NATO on 22 October for discussion on these issues. The views and questions raised during the meeting have been noted.
Nuclear Materials (Theft)
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he records on incidents overseas of (a) the theft of nuclear materials and (b) the attempted sale of stolen nuclear materials ; if he will list recent such incidents ; what is his assessment of the risks that these activities present ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We keep records of all incidents which come to our attention involving theft or illegal sales of nuclear materials overseas. The three most recent incidents which have been brought to our attention are as follows : the seizure of a small quantity of low-enriched uranium by the Italian authorities in August ; two cases in Germany last month in one of which the authorities seized 4.8 pounds of low-enriched uranium and in the other a small quantity of caesium and strontium. All such incidents so far have involved materials of negligible proliferation concern. But we are not complacent. Clearly
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the theft or sale of weapons grade material would represent a severe proliferation danger. We are currently following up reports in a Sunday newspaper of a possible attempted illegal sale of plutonium in Bulgaria.Petitions
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what petitions have been received by the United Kingdom in its role a president of the European Council ; and what responses have been made by the presidency on behalf of the European Communities.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We are aware of no formal petitions addressed direct to the United Kingdom as President of the Council of Ministers, although we receive a large number of informal questions and requests as presidency. We have received from the European Parliament one petition addressed to it by the National and Local Government Officers Association on the United Kingdom Local Government and Housing Act ; and have taken note.
Correspondence
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish for the last year the average time his Department takes to reply to letters from right hon. and hon. Members.
Mr. Goodlad : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gave the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) on 3 July 1992 at column 771.
The FCO has a target response time of 10 working days for all ministerial correspondence with right hon. and hon. Members. A longer response time may be necessary if there is a heavy volume of correspondence on issues of wide parliamentary and public concern. Figures for 1992 will appear in the FCO's next annual report, early in 1993. These will show the number of letters received in the course of the year, the number of replies despatched within the target time and the percentage of the total this represents.
European Community
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number of civil servants in his Department whose main task is work related wholly or mainly to the European Community.
Mr. Garel-Jones : There are approximately 170 officers in my Department, including the aid wing, engaged wholly in EC work. There are no central statistics on the numbers of FCO and DS staff working mainly or partly on EC matters.
Entry Clearance
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average time it takes an adjudicator to make known his findings to an appellant since the appellant made an appeal against a refusal to permit entry clearance from Pakistan to the United Kingdom for a visit.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : All posts overseas, including those in Pakistan, are under instruction to dispatch explanatory
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appeal statements within one month of the receipt of an appeal against the refusal of a visit visa. Processing of appeal papers thereafter is a matter for the Lord Chancellor's Department. It advises that the average time between receipt by the appellate authorities of the notice of appeal and explanatory statement and the adjudicator's findings being made known to the appellant is eight months.Russia
Mr. Sims : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the note from the Russian authorities proposing an end to restrictions on British citizens in Russia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The British embassy in Moscow replied formally to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 30 October acknowledging the Russian proposal. Our travel notification requirements were originally imposed on Soviet officials in the United Kingdom in response to a corresponding requirement imposed by the authorities of the USSR. In accordance with our policy that this retaliatory measure would be lifted once the Russian measures were abolished, we have ended with effect from 30 October our requirement for resident Russian officials, journalists and business men to give notice of journeys over 25 miles from central London.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Angola
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent election in Angola.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We support the conclusion of the United Nations Special Representatives in Angola that the legislative and presidential elections held there on 29 and 30 September were free and fair. Together with other members of the international community we condemn the recent violence in Angola and we urge UNITA to accept the result of the election and to proceed to the second round of presidential elections rendered necessary by the inconclusive result of the first round.
South Africa
Mr. Donald Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now join the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers in South Africa ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : At present, we have no plans to join the Commonwealth Committee of Foreign Ministers in South Africa.
Consultants
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all of the reports the Overseas Development Administration has commissioned from external consultants in each of the past three years ; for each of the past three years, how many reports from external consultants to his Department led to further consultancy work being commissioned,
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stating for each of these who were the original and subsequent consultants and briefly describing the subject matter of the consultancy work ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Detailed in the table are those reports commissioned from external consultants by the Overseas Development Administration in connection with its core administrative responsibilities, for each of the past three years. It does not include details of consultants employed under the overseas aid programme. Consultancies are awarded, after competition, to the consultant considered best able to provide value for money in terms of quality of work and price. None of the reports listed led directly to the commissioning of further consultancy work.
Œ
Year |Report commissioned |Consultant
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990 |Review of personnel management |A. Fowler
1991 |Review of Aid Management
| Overseas in Africa |Sir Terence Streeton
1991 |Review of Aid Management
| Overseas in South East Asia |A. Sutherland
1991 |Level of Procurement Business |R. Walsgrove
1992 |Review of Africa Division |R. Walsgrove
1992 |Market Testing and contracting out|Coopers & Lybrand
Urban Settlement
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is currently being undertaken by the Overseas Development Administration to assist developing countries to adopt planning zoning policies to prevent prime agricultural land from being used for urban settlement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Assistance is provided in a number of ways to help achieve good urban planning practice. Eighteen overseas planners received training in 1991-92. We are providing physical planners in Lesotho, the Caribbean and St. Helena. We also contribute to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) urban management programme and the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements. The ODA executive agency, the Natural Resources Institute, has established an urban unit which is developing the institute's capacity to respond to issues arising from urban encroachment into the natural and agricultural environment.
Disasters
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 16 July, Official Report, column 968, if he will give a breakdown of the £600,000 and £250,000 expenditure on disaster preparedness projects.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The breakdown of the £600,000 expenditure in financial year 1991-92 and the £250,000 commitment in financial year 1992-93 on disaster preparedness projects are provided in the tables :
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|c|Table 1|c|
|c|Expenditure, by project, on disaster preparedness in financial
year|c|
|c|1991-92|c|
Project |Expenditure
|£
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Field testing of "Permatents" |32,120
Development of guidelines for building
improvement programmes in disaster prone
areas |73,304
Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)
disaster preparedness project |139,372
Training of senior Egyptian officials in the
development of disaster preparedness |11,204
UNDP/UNDRO disaster management training
programme |250,000
United Kingdom science, technology and
engineering committee-fellowship of
engineering |44,050
Research on Lake Nyos, Cameroon |3,897
Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)
Cholera Pandemic training |17,490
Funding of 2 Kashmir students training in
earthquake preparedness |1,925
Support for UNDRO South Pacific programme
office |28,571
|-------
Total expenditure |601,933
|c|Table 2|c|
|c|Commitment, by project, on disaster preparedness in|c|
|c|financial year 1992-1993 (as at 16 July 1992)|c|
Project |Commitment £
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cranfield Disaster Preparedness Centre:
Funding of pilot study for logistics training
and management |28,396
Cambridge Architectural Research Ltd and the
Disaster Management Centre of Oxford |88,075
Study into oil pollution preparedness in the
Caribbean Dependant Territories |31,381
Research on Lake Nyos, Cameroon |804
Funding of Vietnamese Scholar at Asian Disaster
Preparedness Centre, Bangkok |3,000
Study into Taal Volcano, Phillipines |4,000
DHA-UNDRO needs assessment consultancy into
fire hazards in the Katmandu Valley |5,882
ICSU/WHO International Symposium on Tropical
Cyclone Disasters, Beijing |5,730
Regional Disaster Preparedness-ITDG, Peru |50,000
Field testing of "Permatents" |19,200
Cranfield Disaster Preparedness Centre
consultancy to NIRD India |6,600
Funding for Anguillan and Lesothoan participants
at Cranfield Disaster Preparedness Course |13,500
|---
Total Commitment |256,568
Environmental Impact Assessments
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will bring the Overseas Development Administration's environmental impact assessment procedures in line with those used by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : All projects under consideration for ODA funding are subjected to assessment for environmental impact, guided by ODA's detailed and comprehensive manual of environmental appraisal. The Commonwealth Development Corporation is currently reviewing its own guidelines on environmental policies and procedures. The
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ODA will ensure through discussion with the CDC that its revised guidelines are consistent with ODA policies and procedures in this area.World Bank Projects
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to publish his voting position on World bank projects ; and what proposals he has to improve the openness of the World bank procedure.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The proceedings of the World bank board's consideration of projects are confidential so as not to inhibit full and frank discussion. Within this constraint, we consider the procedures of the World bank are as open as can reasonably be expected.
Sardar Sarovar Dam
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the World bank proposals for funding for the Sardar Sarovar Dam in India.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The World Bank approved loans amounting to $450 million in 1985 as part of a $3 billion project in the Narmada valley in India. In June this year, the report of an independent review committee established by the bank was published. The design and implementation of the project, including the resettlement and rehabilitation, environmental and other aspects were criticised. On 23 October, the bank's board of directors agreed on balance that the best course of action was to continue with bank support for the project on the basis of an action programme with detailed targets, which has been agreed with the Indian authorities.
A further review will be carried out in April 1993 which will reconsider whether disbursements against the bank's loan can continue. The board welcomed the commitments made by the new Government in India and their considerable efforts to address the problems identified ; but we made it clear that disbursements must be suspended in six months' time if real progress on resettlement and rehabilitation and environmental issues have not been made by that time.
Commonwealth Development Corporation
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when the environmental policies and procedures of the Commonwealth Development Corporation will next be reviewed ;
(2) if non-governmental organisations will be involved in the next review of the environmental policies and procedures of the Commonwealth Development Corporation ;
(3) what process of review will be employed in considering the adequacy of the environmental policies and procedures employed by the Commonwealth Development Corporation.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 2 November 1992] : The Commonwealth Development Corporation's guide-lines on its environmental policies and procedures are currently under review. CDC is willing to hold further meetings with environmental NGOs that have expressed a wish to discuss the corporation's investments overseas.
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ODA will ensure through discussion with CDC that its revised guidelines are consistent with ODA policies and procedures in this area.HEALTH
Occupational Therapists
Mrs. Lait : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated percentage difference between the number of occupational therapists available and the number required to meet the demands of care in the community.
Mr. Yeo : It is acknowledged that the national demand for occupational therapists for all purposes exceeds supply. However, this is being addressed in a number of ways.
The number of occupational therapists employed in the national health service in England has increased considerably from 3,183 in 1982 to 5,609 in 1991--an increase of 76 per cent. This is planned to increase further to around 7,000 by 1995. The number employed by local authorities in England has also grown substantially from 697 in 1982 to 1,717 in 1991--an increase of 146 per cent.
There has also been a decline in vacancy rates in the national health service and local authorities. It is anticipated that this decline will continue so that by 1995 the supply and demand for occupational therapists should be approximately in balance.
School Medical Inspections
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pupils were checked in routine school medical inspections in each year since 1988-89.
Mr. Yeo : This information is not collected centrally.
Dewsbury Health Authority
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the expected relationship between the proposed health authority for west Yorkshire and the existing Dewsbury health authority.
Dr. Mawhinney : The Yorkshire regional health authority is currently considering responses to its consultation document to establish a new health authority for west Yorkshire. This would cover the area of the existing Calderdale, Dewsbury and Huddersfield health authorities, which would be abolished if the proposed new authority were approved. If the regional health authority decides to recommend its proposals to Ministers, we will need to be satisfied that the proposals will secure the best possible health care for the people of Calderdale, Dewsbury and Huddersfield.
Epilepsy
Mrs. Lait : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if training in the management of epilepsy is included in social work training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Mrs. Yeo : In order to qualify for the diploma in social work, students are required to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of health and disability issues. There is no specific requirement that they be trained in the
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management of epilepsy. The Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work has further work in hand to identify the knowledge and skills required of social workers at post- qualifying level.NHS Closures
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each NHS establishment closed in each year since 1974, with the number of beds involved, and the site value on disposal.
Dr. Mawhinney : This information is not available centrally.
Dr. Helen Zeitlin
Mr. Fry : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she has yet reached a decision on the appeal made by Dr. Helen Zeitlin under paragraph 190 of the terms and conditions of service of hospital medical and dental staff (England and Wales) against her dismissal on the grounds of redundancy by West Midlands regional health authority.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The parties to the appeal have today been informed of my decision to uphold the appeal and accept the recommendation of the professional committee constituted under the paragraph 190 procedures that Dr. Zeitlin's appointment should continue.
European Community
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of civil servants in her Department whose main task is work related wholly or mainly to the European Community.
NHS Premises (Fire Precautions)
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ring-fence the funds required to bring national health service premises up to the legal minimum under proposals for fire legislation.
Mr. Sackville : No. Management of national health service premises is devolved to health authorities and trusts. It is for individual authorities and trusts, in the light of their local circumstances, to make the best use of all the resources at their disposal to provide health care services which are cost effective and meet relevant safety requirements.
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the total cost of bringing all national health service premises up to the legal minimum required with respect to fire legislation in the absence of Crown immunity from prosecution.
Mr. Sackville : No specific estimate has been made of the cost of bringing national health service premises up to legal minimum standards. The removal of Crown immunity has not changed the standards of fire safety which health authorities and trusts must observe. They are required to agree with local fire authority a programme for any necessary improvements.
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NHS Trusts
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 18 May, Official Report, column 63, if she will itemise the cost of establishing national health service trusts.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 October 1992 at columns 477-80.
In the first three waves of NHS trusts, a sum of £12,000 per trust was paid to regions to help meet statutory consultation costs. On establishment, £15,000 in the first wave and £25,000 in the second, per trust, was allocated to regions towards conveyancing costs. In addition, £190,000 in the first wave and £226,000 in the second was approved for each trust as a non-recurring revenue addition paid to help cover expenditure incurred during their shadow running period--the period immediately prior to their operational date when they have no access to money of their own. This covers shadow board costs, legal expenses connected with the transfer of assets, employment of staff and other miscellaneous expenses. A similar sum will be allocated for the third wave.
Totals of £230,000, £279,000 and £164,000 in the first three waves respectively supported training and development costs for units applying for trust status.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of preparing national health service trust applications in (a) the northern region and (b) each district in the north.
Dr. Mawhinney : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms. Primarolo) on 30 October 1992 at column 940.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of employing management consultants and private agencies to assist in the preparation of national health service trust applications (a) in the northern region and (b) in each district in the north.
Dr. Mawhinney : This information is not held centrally.
Sexual Offenders (Rehabilitation)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements for access to information and expertise her Department has with the Gracewell clinic for rehabilitating sexual offenders ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : We are aware of the work undertaken by the Gracewell clinic ; Government officials have visited the organisation.
Patients Charter
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to make the charter standards under the patients charter applicable to fund-holding practices ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : The standards in the patients charter which are appropriate to GP fund holders already apply and this has been made clear in guidance.
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Child Abuse
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 9 March 1989, Official Report, column 607, how many times the interdepartmental working group on child sexual abuse has met since 9 March 1989 ; and what has been discussed.
Mr. Yeo : Since March 1989 the interdepartmental group (IDG) on child abuse has met 15 times and made good progress in addressing a wide range of cross-sector policy issues. The IDG has recently issued a strategic statement on working with offenders, setting out strategic and service objectives for social services departments, health services, and Home Office probation and prison services. A copy of the statement is in the Library.
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