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Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make representations to the United Nations Security Council to ensure that the non-proliferation regime is based on the possession of nuclear explosive materials as distinct from completed nuclear devices.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I have been asked to reply.
There is no need for such a step. The treaty on the
non-proliferation of nuclear weapons represents the cornerstone of the non- proliferation regime and the obligations it places on states parties cover both nuclear devices and nuclear materials.
EMPLOYMENT
Disability Quotas
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what steps she is taking to encourage employers to meet the disability quotas of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 ;
(2) if she will list the criteria to be met by an employer before a permit to engage people not registered disabled can be issued ; and in what circumstances such a permit can be renewed ;
(3) how many permits to engage people not registered disabled are issued by her Department each year.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Eric Illsley, dated 25 November 1992 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the steps being taken to encourage employers to meet the disability quota of the Disabled Persons Employment Act 1944 and two Parliamentary Questions about permits. These are matters which fall within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
We put a considerable amount of resource into persuading employers to recruit and retain suitable registered disabled people that is people who count towards the 3 quota under the Disabled Persons Employment Act.
My Disability Advisory Service (DAS) and the Disablement Resettlement Officers (DROs) have been brought together to form Placing Assessment and Advisory and Advisory Teams (PACTS). These teams provide a professional integrated and trained network of help and advice for both employers and people with disabilities. There are seventy one Placing Assessment and Counselling Teams (PACTs) nationwide. An important part of their duties is to encourage employers to try to recruit registered disabled people thus helping employers towards meeting the 3 Quota. PACTs can offer employers practical assistance towards helping employers recruit registered disabled people through our Special Schemes. Two schemes give specific help to employers through :
(i) grants of up to £6,000 to enable employers to adapt their premises or equipment to employ a person with a disability ; (
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(ii) a Job Introduction Scheme providing a grant towards a person's wage for a trial period of usually six weeks.Other Special Schemes provide particular help for the individual through :
(i) assistance with fares to work for people with disabilities who are unable to use public transport ;
(ii) special tools and equipment that a person needs to do their job ;
(iii) financial aid for certain visually handicapped people towards the cost of setting up a business.
We also produce the Code of Good Practice for employers which is available from the PACT. This is a reference document which gives guidance about recruiting and retaining people with disabilities. Our Disability Symbol was launched in September 1990. It helps employers who are committed to good practice in employing people with disabilities to communicate that fact to potential job applicants. The Symbol is being strengthened both by the addition of a strap line "Positive about Disabled People" and from the 1 June 1993 requiring employers who use the symbol to make five specific commitments to action.
There is a press advertising campaign under way aimed at raising employers interest in employing people with disabilities. The campaign aims to encourage employers to adopt good policies and practices in the recruitment, training, career development and retention of people with disabilities and to generate more vacancies for people with disabilities. The campaign is backed up both by advice and information including a new booklet "Employing People with Disabilities".
I enclose copies of both the Code of Good Practice and Employing People with Disabilities for your information.
I now turn to your questions about the criteria for issuing a permit and the numbers of permits issued each year.
There are two types of permit. The basic test applied for both is whether suitable registered disabled people are available. An individual or immediate permit authorises the engagement of one or more people who are not registered disabled, to fill actual vacancies when no suitable registered disabled people are available. Bulk permits give the employer authority in advance to engage a specified number of people who are not registered as disabled (usually based on the employer's estimate of their likely vacancies), in particular occupations for a specific period of time. Bulk permits are issued on the understanding that, the employer will notify vacancies to the Jobcentre and will sympathetically consider the engagement of any suitable registered disabled people who may become available. These conditions apply whether an employer is applying for a first or a subsequent permit.
We do not keep centralised records of the numbers of permits that are issued and I am unable to say how many permits are issued each year. However I hope it will be helpful if I give the total number of employers issued with permits during each of the last five years for which data is available. The figures relate to a twelve month period ending 1 June each year.
|c|Employers issued
with permits in
twelve month period
ending 1 June|c|
|Number
---------------------
1987 |18,577
1988 |18,594
1989 |18,530
1990 |18,038
1991 |17,649
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive Replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
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Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if she will list the local authorities to which permits to engage people not registered disabled have been issued this year ;
(2) for how long permits to engage people not registered disabled have been issued to Barnsley metropolitan borough council.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : It has been the policy of successive Governments to treat as confidential, information about the issue of permits in accordance with the provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 to individual employers, and not to disclose such information without their agreement.
Ingol Rehabilitation Centre
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations she has received regarding the proposed closure of Ingol rehabilitation centre ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Department has recieved representations from some hon. Members and from Lancashire county council. Preston borough council and one or two groups representing people with disabilities suggesting that the proposed closure of Ingol rehabilitation centre be reconsidered.
I believe that the major changes we are making in employment rehabilitation, of which the proposed closure is part, will lead to a better service for people with disabilities. Those changes involve replacing most of the Employment Service's network of centres with a network of local rehabilitation agents which has wider geographical coverage and which harnesses sources of commitment and expertise in the community. Adequate alternative provision, including residential provision, is now available, through agents, for clients of Ingol rehabilitation centre, and we are therefore satisfied that the closure should proceed.
Wages Councils
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many checks were carried out by the wages inspectorate which found workers underpaid in each region for each year since 1979.
Mr. McLoughlin : I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 22 May 1992 to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden), Official Report, columns 339-46 , tables 7 and 8.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many establishments in each region since 1979 have been (a) found failing to post wages council notices, (b) found failing to keep adequate records of wages paid, (c) found failing to keep adequate records of hours worked and (d) the subject of criminal prosecutions against employers under the Wages Act 1986.
Mr. McLoughlin : The information is shown in the tables. In most cases the information is divided into two tables of changes in divisional boundaries in 1986.
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|c|Table 1|c|
|c|Establishments found failing to post Wages Council notices|c|
|c|1979-1986|c|
Division |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London (East) |620 |612 |413 |415 |295 |429 |288 |700
London (West) |346 |365 |277 |343 |314 |375 |438 |<1>-
South East |623 |843 |457 |759 |906 |1,058 |859 |1,108
Southern |529 |534 |375 |302 |295 |548 |591 |433
Eastern |358 |580 |683 |425 |414 |652 |616 |644
South West |846 |981 |783 |647 |756 |853 |781 |670
Midlands (East) |444 |485 |420 |434 |652 |473 |347 |258
Midlands (West) |451 |451 |243 |374 |406 |695 |781 |504
North West (East) |555 |419 |240 |296 |367 |388 |447 |688
North West (West) |621 |558 |376 |340 |489 |629 |605 |685
Yorkshire and Humberside |990 |770 |675 |726 |934 |763 |638 |668
Northern |389 |540 |421 |267 |271 |394 |466 |528
Scotland (East) |644 |689 |370 |437 |489 |495 |524 |409
Scotland (West) |530 |679 |394 |299 |371 |329 |386 |289
Wales |609 |682 |695 |502 |429 |444 |603 |473
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |8,555 |9,188 |6,822 |6,566 |7,388 |8,525 |8,370 |8,057
<1>Included in London (East) figure.
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|c|Table 2|c|
|c|Establishments found failing to post wages council notices 1987 to 1991|c|
Divisions |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London |480 |540 |304 |371 |672
South East |1,049 |725 |910 |575 |629
Eastern |935 |1,127 |863 |692 |474
South West |983 |1,265 |1,354 |1,297 |1,185
Midlands |512 |928 |1,145 |1,075 |1,350
North West |894 |1,395 |1,686 |2,223 |1,710
Yorkshire and Humberside |485 |673 |857 |803 |934
Northern |413 |474 |593 |693 |932
Scotland |524 |821 |887 |929
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |6,275 |7,948 |8,599 |8,658 |8,938
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|c|Table 3|c|
|c|Establishments found failing to keep adequate records of wages paid 1979-1986|c|
Division |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London (East) |446 |377 |226 |144 |214 |150 |85 |128
London (West) |143 |122 |82 |72 |62 |54 |89 |<1>-
South East |361 |459 |242 |368 |375 |270 |148 |190
Southern |440 |358 |200 |138 |159 |161 |144 |69
Eastern |224 |270 |324 |159 |140 |181 |152 |129
South West |223 |268 |176 |137 |117 |114 |96 |66
Midlands (East) |127 |125 |94 |90 |121 |127 |77 |37
Midlands (West) |160 |166 |94 |137 |128 |139 |83 |51
North West (East) |244 |163 |118 |102 |134 |71 |69 |81
North West (West) |220 |135 |117 |59 |86 |93 |82 |106
Yorks and Humberside |514 |428 |354 |312 |583 |193 |136 |99
Northern |231 |210 |159 |92 |86 |54 |131 |141
Scotland (East) |143 |174 |91 |120 |106 |96 |84 |81
Scotland (West) |206 |264 |124 |95 |131 |105 |123 |111
Wales |376 |409 |350 |292 |158 |91 |99 |44
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Totals |4,058 |3,928 |2,751 |2,317 |2,600 |1,899 |1,598 |1,333
<1>Included in London (East) figure.
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|c|Table 4|c|
|c|Establishments found failing to keep adequate records of wages paid 1987-1991|c|
Divisions |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London |47 |32 |18 |20 |73
South East |348 |304 |301 |240 |273
Eastern |155 |211 |207 |119 |58
South West |108 |183 |155 |181 |266
Midlands |71 |120 |175 |176 |235
North West |168 |258 |336 |324 |399
Yorkshire and Humberside |133 |161 |184 |197 |259
Northern |95 |97 |127 |152 |228
Scotland |124 |181 |196 |139 |182
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |1,249 |1,547 |1,699 |1,548 |1,973
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|c|Table 5|c|
|c|Establishments found failing to keep adequate records of hours worked 1979-86|c|
Division |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London (East) |1,522 |1,326 |911 |693 |752 |686 |349 |899
London (West) |707 |628 |486 |585 |615 |625 |829 |<1>-
South East |1,180 |1,465 |790 |1,302 |1,631 |1,558 |1,277 |1,739
Southern |1,718 |1,609 |947 |814 |779 |1,003 |1,056 |771
Eastern |821 |985 |1,124 |658 |680 |1,001 |942 |903
South West |1,474 |1,538 |1,172 |940 |1,229 |957 |924 |659
Midlands (East) |652 |671 |576 |438 |513 |695 |564 |338
Midlands (West) |581 |527 |449 |513 |508 |597 |630 |485
North West (East) |782 |687 |453 |474 |473 |448 |490 |713
North West (West) |1,031 |828 |451 |381 |588 |738 |650 |733
Yorkshire and Humberside |1,771 |1,380 |1,185 |1,070 |1,240 |1,108 |854 |877
Northern |1,049 |907 |664 |434 |452 |478 |687 |734
Scotland (East) |1,008 |957 |676 |594 |798 |847 |917 |780
Scotland (West) |1,099 |1,065 |575 |437 |470 |408 |448 |395
Wales |1,045 |1,202 |1,048 |879 |638 |467 |618 |432
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |16,440 |15,775 |11,507 |10,212 |11,366 |11,616 |11,235 |10,458
<1>Included in London (East) figure.
Column 711
|c|Table 6|c|
|c|Establishments found failing to keep records of hours worked 1987-1991|c|
Divisions |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London |430 |269 |111 |151 |310
South East |1,404 |1,010 |1,141 |808 |963
Eastern |1,011 |1,119 |1,009 |732 |460
South West |759 |970 |911 |743 |771
Midlands |511 |649 |675 |714 |995
North West |926 |1,254 |1,211 |1,189 |1,162
Yorkshire and Humberside |548 |647 |609 |686 |825
Northern |432 |422 |487 |580 |857
Scotland |722 |889 |816 |757 |1,048
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |6,743 |7,229 |6,970 |6,360 |7,391
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|c|Table 7|c|
|c|Prosecutions under the Wages Councils Act 1979 and the Wages Act 1986 for the period 1979 to 1991|c|
Divisions |1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London |4 |0 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1
South East |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |2 |1 |4 |2 |0
Eastern |1 |1 |2 |3 |1 |1 |0 |1 |0 |2 |1 |0 |0
South West |4 |2 |4 |0 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |2 |2 |1 |2
Midlands |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |1 |3 |1 |1 |0 |1
North West |0 |1 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2 |2 |0 |1 |1
Yorkshire and
Humberside |1 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |3 |1 |2 |8
Northern |1 |3 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |1 |2 |2
Scotland |1 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |2
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Totals |12 |8 |10 |7 |2 |2 |2 |3 |8 |11 |10 |9 |17
Training
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer of 17 November, 0fficial Report, column 155, on work-related training programmes, if she will give figures for every year since 1985.
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Mr. Michal Forsyth : The information is shown in the following table.
Column 713
|c|Participants on work-related government training programmes as a percentage of the civilian workforce in employment by region|c|
June 1985 June 1986 June 1987 June 1988
Region |WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE|WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE|WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE|WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South East<2> |31,000 |0.4 |36,000 |0.4 |47,000 |0.6 |50,000 |0.6
Greater London |10,000 |0.3 |12,000 |0.3 |15,000 |0.4 |17,000 |0.4
East Anglia |6,000 |0.7 |7,000 |0.9 |10,000 |1.2 |10,000 |1.1
South West |13,000 |0.7 |17,000 |0.9 |24,000 |1.2 |25,000 |1.2
West Midlands |19,000 |0.9 |30,000 |1.4 |41,000 |1.9 |41,000 |1.8
East Midlands |16,000 |1.0 |17,000 |1.0 |25,000 |1.5 |26,000 |1.5
Yorkshire and Humberside |18,000 |0.9 |22,000 |1.1 |34,000 |1.7 |40,000 |1.9
North West |23,000 |0.9 |31,000 |1.2 |45,000 |1.7 |49,000 |1.8
North |10,000 |0.9 |20,000 |1.6 |26,000 |2.1 |30,000 |2.4
Wales |10,000 |1.0 |13,000 |1.3 |18,000 |1.7 |21,000 |1.8
Scotland |21,000 |1.0 |24,000 |1.2 |34,000 |1.6 |44,000 |1.9
Column 713
June 1989 June 1990 June 1991 June 1992
Region |WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE|WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE|WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE|WRGTS<1> |Per cent. of CWIE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South East<2> |64,000 |0.7 |67,000 |0.8 |56,000 |0.7 |57,000 |0.7
Greater London |29,000 |0.7 |31,000 |0.8 |25,000 |0.7 |29,000 |0.8
East Anglia |12,000 |1.2 |9,000 |0.9 |8,000 |0.9 |8,000 |0.9
South West |31,000 |1.5 |27,000 |1.3 |23,000 |1.1 |22,000 |1.1
West Midlands |52,000 |2.2 |44,000 |1.8 |37,000 |1.6 |32,000 |1.4
East Midlands |32,000 |1.8 |31,000 |1.7 |22,000 |1.2 |22,000 |1.3
Yorkshire and Humberside |57,000 |2.6 |48,000 |2.2 |38,000 |1.8 |34,000 |1.6
North West |65,000 |2.3 |55,000 |2.0 |46,000 |1.7 |46,000 |1.7
North |50,000 |3.9 |45,000 |3.5 |35,000 |2.9 |32,000 |2.6
Wales |31,000 |2.6 |28,000 |2.4 |21,000 |1.8 |20,000 |1.7
Scotland |59,000 |2.6 |56,000 |2.5 |46,000 |2.0 |43,000 |1.9
<1>Includes all participants on Government training and employment programmes who are receiving some work experience on their placement but do not have a contract of employment.
<2>Including Greater London.
Gas Regulations
Mr. Jenkin : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when she expects to start the process of consulting publicly about the new edition of the Gas Installation and Use Regulations ; how long she expects the process to take ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : It is expected that the Health and Safety Commission will publish a consultative document about the revision of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1984 in spring 1993 and that the consultative document will allow for a three-month consultation period.
SCOTLAND
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when copies of the discussion document on the reorganisation of Scottish local government were sent to (a) the Scottish press and (b) Scottish hon. Members, giving the exact time and date of dispatch in each case.
Mr. Stewart : Copies of the consultation paper on the structure of local government in Scotland were sent out by first class post to all right hon. and hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies on Monday 12 October, the date on which the paper was published. Copies were made available on arrival to members of the press who attended the public launch of the paper at 3 pm that day.
Column 714
Disused Quarries
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the dangers at open disused quarries, particularly those which are filled with water ; what further representations he has received regarding the incident at Bellrock quarry, resulting in the deaths of two schoolchildren ; what action he is taking ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : Apart from the hon. Member's own representations in September, only one other letter has been received about the Bellrock quarry incident. There have been no representations about the dangers generally of open, disused quarries. As my letter of 21 October to the hon. Member confirmed, local authorities in Scotland already have sufficient powers under the Public Health (Scotland) Act 1897. Indeed, I understand that Kyle and Carrick district council has now erected fencing around the quarry.
Police (Ethnic Minorities)
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the police are from ethnic minorities.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : As at 31 December 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, 0.2 per cent. of police officers in Scotland were from ethnic minorities.
Column 715
Green Issues
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who in his Department has been appointed to oversee and develop green issues ; how many civil servants have been allocated new or additional responsibilities to deal with the management and development of green issues ; and what additional allocation of resources has been made to support programmes related to green issues in his Department.
Sir Hector Monro : As the green Minister at the Scottish Office I have overall responsibility for the environmental aspects of policies and programmes and for progressing initiatives which relate to the Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance" (Cm. 1200). I am assisted by a Division within The Scottish Office Environment Department which has a general co-ordinating role on environmental issues. However, because of the diverse nature of the work of The Scottish Office, all its officials contribute either directly or indirectly to the environmental aspects of its responsibilities. Full details of the financial provision for environmental programmes are contained in the departmental report published each year.
Appointments
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he collates centrally on the political affiliations of appointees to public bodies and quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations ; and if he will make a statement.
Renfrew (Development)
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to promote the strategic economic development of Renfrew district ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : The Government's principal agents for the promotion of local economic development are the local enterprise companies. Their business plans, completed
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each year and covering a three-year rolling period, set out their strategic and operational aims and objectives for their area. The local enterprise company responsible for Renfrew district, Renfrewshire Enterprise, is involved in a range of initiatives and activities--often with other public and private sector bodies--to promote the development of skills, employment and economic prosperity in the area. The Glasgow airport initiative, which has very substantial potential employment and economic benefits for the area, is one example of the enterprise company working with others in a co-ordinated, complementary and strategic way to the benefit of the local community. I am sure the local enterprise company would be happy to discuss with the hon. Member the other aims and activities for the area set out in its business plan.Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to give enterprise zone status to any part of Renfrew district ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart : My right hon. Friend has no such plans. The district does, however, have the advantage of development area status ; and, of course, the full range of powers and functions available to the local enterprise company, Renfrewshire Enterprise, are deployed to the benefit of the district.
School Meals
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the results of the annual census of school meals in Scotland held in January 1992 ; and what changes these show compared with the corresponding 1991 results.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information is set out in the table. The number of pupils taking school meals has continued to increase, despite a fall in the number of pupils present on census day. Almost half the pupils present on census day took school meals with a further estimated 19 per cent. bringing their own food to school. Free meals formed 32 per cent. of the total meals provided. Cafeteria style meals remain more popular than two-course fixed meals.
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|c|Education authority schools (including nursery and special schools)|c|
1992 1991
|Number |As percentage of |Number |As percentage of
|pupils present Per |pupils present Per
|cent. |cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pupils present on census day |695,201 |- |698,554 |-
Pupils taking school meals:
On payment |227,740 |32.8 |230,378 |33.0
Free |107,186 |15.4 |101,915 |14.6
|---- |---- |---- |----
Total |334,926 |48.2 |332,293 |47.6
Pupils bringing their own food to school<1> |115,681 |18.5 |106,110 |16.9
<1> Excluding Grampian region, for which results for 1991 are not available.
NB:
A number of pupils took neither school meals nor brought food to school. These pupils would generally either have gone home for lunch or
have eaten out locally.
A detailed statement of the returns from education authorities from which these national figures are derived is being placed in the Library.
Column 716
The following table shows, as a percentage of pupils attending their respective sectors, those primary and secondary pupils taking meals or bringing their own food.Column 717
g
Primary<1> Secondary<2>
|1992 per cent.|1991 per cent.|1992 per cent.|1991 per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pupils taking school meals |52.9 |52.9 |46.1 |44.2
Pupils bringing own food<3> |27.6 |25.0 |6.8 |6.5
<1>Includes 14 special departments in 1992 and nine special departments in 1991 where data have been
included in primary school figures.
<2>Includes 17 special departments in 1992 and 10 special departments in 1991 where special data have
been included in secondary school figures.
<3>Excluding Grampian for which 1991 comparisons were not available.
Column 718
Almost 70 per cent. of meals served are cafeteria style :Column 717
1992 1991
|Paid |Free |Total |Per cent. of pupils|Paid |Free |Total |Per cent. of pupils
|present |present
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pupils taking fixed meals |71,824 |35,260 |107,084 |15.4 |76,252 |33,849 |110,101 |15.8
Pupils taking cafeteria meals |155,916 |71,926 |227,842 |32.7 |154,126 |68,066 |222,192 |31.8
Water and Sewerage
Mr. Gallie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is his policy on contacts between officials of his Department and private sector firms and other bodies about water and sewerage services in Scotland before a decision on the future of these services is announced.
Mr. Lang : The day-to-day work of my Department necessarily involves contact with a wide range of private sector firms and other bodies about aspects of water and sewerage provision. These contacts will continue. The future structure of the services is discussed in the consultation paper I issued on 17 November. The preparation of this document has required contact with a number of bodies and, now that it has been issued, consideration of the options it sets out will involve discussions and exchanges of views with a variety of interested parties, whether at the initiative of the Department or of those parties themselves. These contacts are likely to take a variety of forms. A list of those responding to the consultation paper will be available in due course in the usual way.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make his policy to publish the waiting times at Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS trust for (a) removal of gall bladder, (b) removal of bunions, (c) trigger finger, (d) varicose veins, (e) hip joint replacement, (f) knee joint replacement, (g) trapped nerve in hand or foot, (h) haemorrhoidectomy, (i) peptic, gastric or duodenal ulcers, (j) cataract removal and (k) hernias ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to publish the waiting times at Woodend hospital, Aberdeen for (a) removal of gall bladder, (b) removal of bunions, (c) trigger finger, (d) varicose veins, (e) hip joint replacement, (f) knee joint replacement, (g) trapped nerve in hand or foot, (h) haemorrhoidectomy, (i) peptic, gastric or duodenal ulcers, (j) cataract removal and (k) hernias.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 26 October 1992] : It is our intention to publish waiting times for these, and other hospitals in Scotland, for (e) hip joint replacement, (f) knee joint replacement and (j) cataract removal. These, and geriatric assessment, are the procedures for which all
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health boards in Scotland have set maximum waiting time guarantees for their residents in pursuance of the commitment given in the patients charter.Postgraduate Awards
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many postgraduate students received an award from the Scottish Education Department for the academic year 1992-93.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 2 November 1992] : In session 1992-93 to date, the Scottish Office Education Department has offered awards to 3,385 postgraduate students under the postgraduate students' allowances scheme and to 158 students under the Scottish studentship scheme, which caters for postgraduate higher degree study.
Offshore Hydrocarbons Unit
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had about the future ownership of the offshore hydrocarbons unit and the British geological survey core store and the implications for employment in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 12 November 1992] : My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions.
Expenditure
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland from what previous figure the formula for setting Scottish expenditure relative to provision in England has been raised to 10.66 per cent.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 19 November 1992] : The figure, previous to 10.66 per cent. by which changes to the Scottish block were determined in relation to English provision was 11.76 per cent.
Patients (Mileage Rates)
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the current mileage rate paid to patients travelling by car by each health board in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 23 November 1992] : The existing guidance explains that, in general, travel expenses should be restricted to the cost of travelling by the cheapest
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form of public transport available. In certain circumstances, health boards may reimburse patients travelling by private car on the basis of the lesser of the estimated cost of petrol actually used or the equivalent public transport cost. Information is not collected on mileage rates but a survey undertaken in 1991 showed that some Boards had not been adhering to the guidance given but had been using a standard mileage rate varying from 5p to 8p per mile. Boards were reminded again in June 1992 of the guidance on the calculation of costs.Tendering
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the criteria laid down for the acceptance of bids from organisations tendering as part of compulsory competitive tendering and in particular the grounds on which a local authority can select a bid other than the lowest.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 23 November 1992] : It is for local authorities in the first instance to decide on the award of a contract. In doing so, they must have regard to the compulsory competitive tendering provisions of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Local Government Act 1988, and particularly to the requirement not to act in a manner having the effect or intended or likely to have the effect of restricting, distorting or preventing competition. The Scottish Office Environment Department issued guidance to local authorities in March 1991 (Scottish Office Environment Department Circular 6/1991) on what does or does not constitute anti-competitive practice, and guidance regarding the non-acceptance of the lowest bid. That guidance will be superseded by new guidance and regulations, the terms of which have recently been the subject of consultation.
Nursing
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the quality and the objectivity of the civil service nursing advice provided in respect of (a) the national nursing audit development project and (b) the recently funded £120,000 nursing diagnosis/nomenclature project ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 24 November 1992] : These projects seek to improve the information available about nursing treatments and to improve patient care by helping nurses to develop ways of critically reviewing their work. The relevant funding decisions were taken with the benefit of a range of advice from both within and outside the civil service.
EC Aid
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions he has sought aid for (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow and (b) Strathclyde in each of the past nine years under the terms of article 92(3) (a) of the treaty of Rome ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 24 November 1992] : Article 92(3)(a) of the treaty of Rome sets out one of the grounds on which state aid may be considered to be compatible
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with the Common Market. It does not provide a means of seeking EC assistance, and the question of seeking aid under its terms does not therefore arise.GP Vacancies
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average number of applicants for vacancies for general practitioner posts in Scotland every year since 1989.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 23 November 1992] : This information is not available centrally.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Lens Cleaning Solutions
Mr. French : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer manufacturers of contact lens cleaning solutions to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : The Director General of Fair Trading referred the supply of contact lens cleaning solutions to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on 30 April 1992. The Commission was asked to report by the end of February 1993.
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