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Shipping
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to meet the chairman of British Shipping to discuss the future of the British merchant fleet.
Mr. Norris : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Caithness meet the president of the Chamber of Shipping and other industry representatives periodically to discuss a wide range of shipping issues.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of international shipping was carried by British-owned ships in 1991 ; what were the comparable figures for 1971 and 1981 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : The information requested is not available. However, figures showing the proportion of United Kingdom international seaborne trade carried in United Kingdom registered vessels are published annually. The latest is a Department of Transport Statistics Report, "Seaborne Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom 1991", available in the Library.
Emergency Vessels
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provision has been made for fire protection legislation for those vessels which have been converted to emergency standby vessels operating in offshore oil and gas fields, whose keels were laid between September 1984 and October 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : The legislative provisions for fire protection on standby vessels as described are contained in the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) Regulations 1984 (Statutory Instrument 1984 No. 1218) as amended by Statutory Instruments 1985 No. 1193 and 1986 No. 1070. Further measures are contained in the joint Health and Safety Executive/Department of Transport publication "Assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations" (ISBN 0 11 551024 9).
Orange Badge Scheme
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to extend the orange badge scheme to include the profoundly deaf.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 3 November 1992] : I have no plans to extend the orange badge scheme to include the profoundly deaf.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Voluntary Schools
Mr. Conway : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in his consideration of the level of capital grant rate for voluntary schools in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : The question of an increased capital grant rate to voluntary schools in Northern Ireland was raised during consultations on the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney) told the House in December 1989, our view has been that an increase in capital grants could be considered but would have to be accompanied by significant changes in management structure. Subsequently, in its sixteenth annual report presented to the House in July 1991, the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights recommended a review of the grant rate and accompanying administrative arrangements.
Discussions have taken place with the voluntary school authorities and it is clear from these that there are some voluntary schools which are having difficulty in meeting their share of the capital cost of necessary school developments. They have told me that these schools would welcome an opportunity for 100 per cent. capital funding ; and that they would be content to operate under different management structures. I have also been mindful of the facts that the education reform process has in many cases increased the need for capital expenditure, and that grant-maintained status is not available in Northern Ireland.
At the same time, it is equally clear that parents, teachers, and the voluntary school authorities themselves would not wish to see any change in the distinctive ethos of the existing schools, including the denominational nature of many of these schools, and that any changes in grant rates and management structures would therefore have to be without prejudice to that distinctive ethos. It has been common ground throughout the discussions that parental rights of conscience in matters of education should not be affected or diminished in any way.
Against this background, I am pleased to say that we have identified in discussion an approach which I believe will meet the legitimate concerns both of the voluntary school authorities and of the Government. This will be to allow maintained schools and voluntary grammar schools to opt for designation as a new category of voluntary school which will be eligible for 100 per cent. capital grant. Such schools would, however, be managed by a board of governors on which no single interest group will command a majority of nominees. Similar management principles apply to controlled schools, and grant-maintained integrated schools which already have their capital costs met in full from public funds.
For example, in the case of a voluntary maintained school or voluntary grammar school with nine governors, only four would be appointed by the school trustees or foundation governors. The balance would be composed of representatives of parents, teachers, the relevant area education and library board, and the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. In the case of Catholic maintained schools, the DENI nominee would be chosen after consultation with the Council for Catholic
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maintained schools, which has a statutory duty to advise DENI on matters relating to Catholic maintained schools. I should emphasise that this would create a new additional category of voluntary school and existing schools will be able to decide to retain their present management structure and remain eligible for capital grant rate of 85 per cent.Legislation proposals to give effect to these arrangements will be contained in a proposal for a draft Education (Northern Ireland) Order which I hope to publish early in 1993. The detail of the proposed new arrangements will be the subject of consultation in the normal way.
Agencies
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991-92 and the estimated figures for 1992-93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.
Mr. Mates : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the following Agencies under their respective Chief Executives.
Agency |Chief Executive -------------------------------------------------------------------- Training and Employment Agency |Mr. J. Crozier Rates Collection Agency |Mr. D. Gallagher Social Security Agency |Mr. A. Wylie Ordnance Survey Agency |Mr. M. Brand Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency |Mr. B. Watson Compensation Agency |Mr. J. Robinson
I have asked them to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from J. Crozier to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992 :
You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he would list by grade the numbers of staff and their costs for 1991-92 and the estimated figures for 1992-93 for each Executive Agency for which he is responsible.
As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency (T and EA) (Northern Ireland), I provide at attached Table 1, the figures for 1991-92 and at Table 2 the estimated figures for 1992-93 for the T and EA.
Table 1-1991-92
Grade |Number |Cost (£)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Under Secretary (G3) |1 |58,720
Unified Grade 4 (G4) |1 |50,768
Assistant Secretary (G5) |4 |167,409
Principal (G7) |22 |677,745
Deputy Principal |47 |1,221,601
Staff Officer |71 |1,291,740
Executive Officer 1 |108 |1,721,228
Executive Officer 2 |199 |2,623,320
Administrative Officer |306 |3,056,993
Administrative Assistant |133 |1,058,221
Careers Adviser |4 |73,341
Senior Careers Officer |18 |301,826
Careers Officer |95 |1,295,736
Trainee Careers Officer |28 |399,956
Catering Manager 3 |1 |15,474
Deputy Principal Statistician |1 |14,181
Senior Instructional Officer |41 |884,905
Higher Instructional Officer |52 |1,150,179
Instructional Officer 1 |301 |5,060,712
Training Service Manager |35 |906,674
Deputy Principal Information Officer |1 |21,336
Nurse |4 |50,286
Support Grade Band 1 |8 |70,757
Support Grade Band 2 |43 |548,293
Psychologist (Grad Trainee) |2 |17,373
Senior Psychologist |1 |20,618
Senior Systems Analyst |1 |26,588
Senior Personal Secretary |2 |19,260
Typist |5 |51,432
Management Training Advisor |1 |25,884
Industrial Grades |118 |1,035,317
Support Manager 3 |1 |9,414
Administrative Trainee |1 |4,689
|---- |----
Total |1,656 |23,931,976
Table 2 Estimated costs 1992-93 Grade |Number ---------------------------------------------------- Under Secretary (G3) |1 Unified Grade 4 (G4) |1 Assistant Secretary (G5) |4 Senior Principal Officer (G6) |1 Principal (G7) |21 Deputy Principal |51 Staff Officer |70 Executive Officer 1 | 104.5 Executive Officer 2 |193 Administrative Officer | 288.1 Administrative Assistant |143 Careers Adviser |4 Senior Careers Officer |17 Careers Officer | 102.6 Trainee Careers Officers |17 Catering Manager 3 |1 Senior Instructional Officer |46 Higher Instructional Officer |55 Instructional Officer |286 Training Services Manager |36 Nurse |10 Support Grade Band 1 |9 Support Grade Band 2 |47 Psychologist (Grad Trainee) |2 Senior Psychologist |1 Senior Personal Secretary |1 Typist |5 Management Training Adviser |1 Industrial Grades |120 Support Manager 3 otal |1,639 Overtime and performance pay
Letter from D. Gallagher to Mr. Martin Redmond dated 2 November 1992 :
As I am responsible for the Northern Ireland Rate Collection Agency (RCA), the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to a Parliamentary Question recently put down by you. This related to the numbers of staff, by grade, and their cost for 1991-92 and estimated figures for 1992-93.
I attach a table summarising the numbers of RCA staff by grade for 1991-92 and a corresponding estimate for 1992-93. Salary costs (excluding superannuation) for 1991-92 totalled £3,399,372 and the estimated salary costs for 1992-93 are £3.6 million.
Rate Collection Agency-Staffing figures
The staffing figures given below reflect the position as at 29 October
1992
Staff Grade |Number of staff |Estimated number of
|1991-92 |staff 1992-93
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chief Executive (Grade 6) |1 |1
Principal |1 |1
Deputy Principal |4 |4
Staff Officer |11 |12
Executive Officer I |22 |23
Executive Officer II |37 |38
Administrative Officer |170 |168
Administrative Assistant |10 |11
Support Grade 1 |1 |1
Support Grade 2 |9 |9
Security Officer |1 |0
Typist |2 |2
|-- |--
Total number of Staff |269 |270
Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992 :
Your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the numbers of staff by grade and their cost for 1991-92 and the estimated figures for 1992-93 for each Executive Agency in Northern Ireland has been passed to me for reply as regards the Social Security Agency as I am its Chief Executive.
I enclose the information you request but there are some points I should bring to your attention. Firstly, the figures cover not only work related to payment of social security benefits in Northern Ireland but also work undertaken on behalf of the Benefits Agency in Great Britain at our Paid Order Unit and Belfast Benefits Centre and work in connection with the collection and enforcement of National Insurance contributions.
Secondly, I should also explain that, inevitably, the numbers of staff in the Agency fluctuate throughout the year so I have provided figures as at 31 March 1992 and the estimated figures for 31 March 1993.
I hope you find this information helpful.
Social Security Agency: Manpower and Costs
|Number
------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff numbers by grade at 31 March 1992
Grades 3 to 6 |7
Principal |26
Deputy Principal |63
Staff Officer |167
Executive Officer Grade 1 |348.5
SSO Grade 1/EO2 |958
SSO Grade 2/AO |2,323
Administrative Assistant |903
Secretarial/Support |315
|-------
Total |5,110.5
Costs £000s |67,203
Estimated staff numbers by grade at 31 March 1993
Grades 3 to 6 |7
Principal |28
Deputy Principal |70
Staff Officer/Administrative Trainee |190
Executive Officer Grade 1 |359
SSO Grade 1/EO2 |964.5
SSO Grade 2/AO |2,449
Administrative Assistant |858.5
Secretarial/Support |316
|-------
Total |5,242
Estimated costs £000's |73,906
Notes: Staff numbers quoted refer to full-time equivalent
permanent staff.
Costs relating to overtime, casual staff and ERNI are included.
Letter from M. Brand to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992 :
Column 246
You have asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991-92 and the estimated figures for 1992-93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland was launched as a Next Steps Agency on 1 April 1992. The estimated figures for 1992-93 which are listed below are based on the average numbers of staff in each grade over the whole year.
Unified Grade 5
1
Unified Grade 6
1
Unified Grade 7
3
Senior Mapping & Charting Officer 6
Higher Mapping & Charting Officer 17
Mapping & Charting Officer 126
Mapping & Charting Technical Grade 1 37
Mapping & Charting Technical Grade 2 8
Staff Officer
1
Administrative Officer
2
Administrative Assistant
7
Personal Secretary
1
Typist
2
Support Band 1
1
Support Band 2
3
Staff Costs
Salaries
£3,628,000
Superannuation
£574,200
Accommodation charges £470,000
Total
£4,672,200
Letter from J. Watson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated3 November 1992 :
I am responding directly on behalf of the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency to your recent Parliamentary Question in which you requested a list by grade of the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991-92 and the estimated figures for 1992-93 for each Executive Agency.
The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency was established on 1 April 1992 and figures for 1991-92 are not applicable.
The estimated figures for 1992-93 are as follows :
Grade |Number of Staff|Costs (£K)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 |1 |47
7 |2 |75
Deputy Principal |2 |61
Senior Professional and Technical Officer |2 |60
Higher Professional and Technical Officer |17 |396
Staff Officer |3 |68
Supervising Examiners |2 |45
Professional and Technical Officer |116 |2,273
Senior Driving/Traffic Examiners |3 |59
Driving/Traffic Examiners |6 |<1>117
Executive Officer Grade I |2 |<1>39
Executive Officer Grade II |3 |<1>49
Administrative Officer |25 |<1>322
Administrative Assistant |57 |<1>593
Typist/Telephonist |3 |<1>36
Industrial Staff |13 |<1>202
|-------
Estimated Costs for Overtime and Casual Staff 282
|-------
|4,724
<1>These estimated costs are inclusive of Employers Related National Insurance
Contributions and Superannuation.
Letter from J. Robinson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992 :
I refer to your recent Parliamentary Question about the numbers and cost of staff in executive agencies in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State has asked me to provide the information in respect of the Compensation Agency.
The Compensation Agency was launched on 1 April 1992. The current number of staff in post listed by grade is :
Column 247
Grade |Number in post
-------------------------------------------------------
Chief Executive |1
Principal |2
Deputy Principal |4
Chief Law Clerk |1
Staff Officer |6
Executive Officer I |16
Law Clerk I |2
Executive Officer II |29
Administrative Officer |32
Administrative Assistant |31
Personal Secretary |1
Typing Manager |1
Typist |7
Messenger |3
Receptionist |1
Senior Accountant |1
Accountant |1
Senior Quantity Surveyor |1
Quantity Surveyor |1
Assistant Solicitor |1
Senior Legal Assistant |7"
Legal Assistant |2"
|--
Total |152
The estimated salary costs for 1992-93 are £2.7
million [running costs £3.4 million].
Holding Centres
Mr. Conway : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will appoint an independent commissioner for holding centres.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : I shall make an announcement on the appointment of a commissioner shortly and place his terms of reference in the Library.
Iraq (Beef)
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have taken place between the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and companies in the Province relating to the export of non- intervention beef to Iraq ; and whether the question of health certificates has been resolved to the satisfaction of the Iraqi importers.
Mr. Hanley : The Department of Agriculture has discussions from time to time with companies in the Province about the health certification required for exporting beef to countries outside the European Community, including Iraq. The terms of a health certificate for Iraq has not yet been resolved to the satisfaction of Iraqi importers.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Power Generation
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what undertakings in power generation have been partly or wholly financed from the overseas aid budget during the last 10 years.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Details of ODA's power sector financing over the 10 years 1981-1991 on an annual expenditure basis have been placed in the Libraries of the
Column 248
House. ODA does not directly finance undertakings, i.e. utility organisations, other than through the funding of capital projects or the provision of technical co-operation.Debt
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to reduce debt burdens incurred by the poorest countries ; and what progress has been made since the Earth Summit in Brazil to implement the financial and structural commitments made there.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : In 1990, in Trinidad, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister put forward proposals to reduce significantly the debts of the poorest, most heavily indebted countries. The Paris Club of Government creditors began implementing Trinidad terms in December 1991. The terms currently reduce eligible payments due to governments by up to 50 per cent. Creditors also undertake to consider reducing the whole stock of a country's bilateral official debt after three to four years of economic reform. Ten countries have already benefitted, and we expect more to do so over coming months. We will continue to press for even greater relief to be made available to those low-income, heavily indebted countries that need it.
More than 150 countries signed the conventions on climate change and biological diversity at the Earth Summit. The interim funding mechanism for these two conventions is the global environment facility (GEF). We want to see the GEF established as the permanent funding mechanism for both conventions. We shall make a further contribution to the GEF once the level of its replenishment is agreed, and shall take part in discussions on its restructuring at the participants assembly in December.
Sustainable development is the central aim of our aid programme. We shall continue to focus our aid activities on the priorities set out in "Agenda 21", which lays out a comprehensive strategy for action on environment and development issues into the next century. The current United Nations General Assembly will establish the Sustainable Development Commission, which will have a key role in ensuring effective implementation of "Agenda 21".
EC Development Aid Budget
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 October, Official Report , column 708 , what is the draft 1993 EC development aid budget ; what was the 1992 budget ; and what is the change in constant price terms.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Commission established the preliminary draft budget for 1993 on 15 June 1992. This has a commitments provision for development assistance of 2,037 mecu. This was an increase of 15.11 per cent. over the 1992 approved budget aid commitment provision of 1,770 mecu. Subsequent amendments have raised the commitments provision further to 2,095 mecu, although a final figure is not expected until towards the end of the year. It is not yet possible to calculate a deflator for 1993 to allow a comparison in constant prices.
Column 249
WALES
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish figures showing the number of instances in each local education authority in Wales where (a) services mentioned within statements have been withdrawn by the local education authority and (b) parents were informed by their local education authority that obligations outlined in a statement could not be fulfilled due to lack of resources ;
(2) what is the estimated cost within each local education authority in Wales for providing specialist equipment in schools for disabled children who are integrated into mainstream education ; and what is the average level per disabled pupil integrated into mainstream education of specialist equipment provided by each local education authority ;
(3) how many children with special educational needs are currently being withheld from school within each local education authority area in Wales due specifically to disputes over statementing.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is not available centrally. Local education authorities have a duty to arrange that the special educational provision specified in a child's statement is made available.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local education authorities to ensure that all special educational needs statements contain a clear definition of resource levels ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local education authorities to ensure that speech therapist and physiotherapist reports conducted as part of an individual's special educational needs statementing procedure are fully taken into account within the final statement ;
(3) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local education authorities in Wales to simplify the current special educational needs statementing procedures.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Welsh Office circular 54/89 and its addendum, issued in March 1992, give detailed advice to local education authorities on assessment and statementing procedures. These make it clear that, in considering an assessment, a local education authority has to take into account all the advice it has received as part of the statutory process, including medical advice, and, if a statement is warranted, it has to refer to all special educational needs identified during the assessment.
Our new Education Bill contains proposals which will improve the current procedures and make them more responsive to the views of parents. These include the issue of further guidance for local education authorities on the criteria to be used for making assessments and issuing statements. This will be subject to consultation.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many applications have been made for special educational needs statements in each local authority area in Wales ; and how many such applications have been successful ;
(2) how many pupils with special educational needs there are between the ages of five and 18 years in each local
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