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Year |<1>All private and |<2>Private and light
|light goods |goods vehicles
|vehicles registered |owned per adult in
|in Wales |Wales
|(thousands) |(number)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987 |926.2 |0.43
1988 |979.7 |0.45
1989 |1,018.1 |0.46
1990 |1,058.3 |0.48
1991<3> |1,052.2 |0.47
<1>Source: Department of Transport.
<2>Adults aged 18 years and over.
<3>1991 population figures are provisional.
Road Safety
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide funding to Clwyd county council to enable them to fund road safety personnel on the A55 at Hawarden high school, following diversion of traffic from the A494.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Hawarden high school is on the B5125. The B5125 is not being signed as a diversionary route as part of the A494 Aston hill reconstruction works. The local highway authority for the B5125 is Clwyd county council and it is responsible for all matters relating to road safety, including funding on that road.
Car Owners
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of people in Wales classified within the lowest 25 per cent. income bracket own cars.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Over the two-year period 1990 to 1991, an estimated 14 per cent. of those households in Wales with the lowest 25 per cent. of incomes owned at least one car. (Source : Family Expenditure Surveys).
Health Authority Funding
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 November, Official Report, columns 317-20, (1) what monitoring his Department has undertaken of each of the allocations made to Clwyd health authority in respect of the number of extra patients treated ; and if he will list the relevant figures ;
(2) what monitoring his Department has undertaken of each of the allocations made to East Dyfed health authority in respect of the number of extra patients treated ; and if he will list the relevant figures.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Early initiatives were assessed on the basis of reports prepared by the health authorities involved. The 1991-92 and 1992- 93 initiatives are being monitored by NHS Wales' value-for-money unit on behalf of the Department. The additional throughput facilitated by the initiatives for Clwyd and East Dyfed is as follows :
Additional throughput contracted for Clywd and East Dyfed health authorities
Clwyd
1989-90 20 hip replacements
1990-91 240 ENT patients
1991-92 300 urology patients
East Dyfed
1989-90 1,150 dermatology patients
1990-91 550 dermatology patients
1991-92 120 ophthalmology patients
40 urology patients
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local authorities in Wales allowing them to confine lorries over 17 tonnes over 12 m long to motorways, most A roads and certain other designated roads.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : Guidance on lorry controls has been issued to local authorities in Welsh Office circular 24/82.
Financial Sector Jobs
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs were created in the financial sector in Wales in each year since 1989.
Mr. David Hunt : Between June 1989 and 1992 the number of employees employed in the banking, insurance and finance sector increased by 21,000. While comprehensive information on total jobs created is not available, levels of employment in this sector in Wales each year are given in the following table :
|c|Employees in banking, insurance and finance|c| Year |Thousands at June ------------------------------------------------------ 1989 |68 1990 |74 1991 |90 1992 |89 Source: Employment Department, Quarterly estimate series.
A487, Gwynedd
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of the commencement date for the Llanllyfwi Penygroes and Groeslow bypass scheme on the A487 trunk road in Gwynedd ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The A487 Penygroes-Llanllyfni bypass scheme is planned to start between April 1995 and March 1998.
Training Schemes
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales are currently on training schemes sponsored by local government.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is not available centrally. Local training provision, including any through training schemes sponsored by local government, is negotiated between providers and individual training and enterprise councils.
Travel Statistics
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what figures he has showing the average length of journey in Wales from home to (a) hospital, (b) leisure facilities, (c) shopping facilities and (d) the place of work in Wales during each of the last 15 years, nationally and by local authority.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : Information on the average length of journeys is available only for Wales as a whole from the national travel survey. Figures from the latest survey for which Welsh results are available are given in the table.
|c|Average length of journey in Wales, by purpose, 1985-86|c|
|Miles All journeys
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From home to:
Leisure facilities
Social/Entertainment |6.3
Holidays/Day trips |14.7
Shopping facilities |4.9
Place of work |5.8
Carry out personal medical business<1> |6.2
All<2> |6.2
Source: 1985-86 National Travel Survey, Department of Transport.
<1> No data are available for hospital visits specifically.
<2> Includes journeys in the course of work, for education purposes and
other personal business.
Cancer Centre
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the siting of the north Wales cancer centre.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The establishment of a dedicated cancer treatment centre in north Wales is dependent upon the outcome of the investment appraisal currently under way.
This Common Inheritance"
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the likely cost of local authorities in Wales of implementing recycling plans to meet the targets set out in "This Common Inheritance"; and what percentage of those costs will be met by his Department by specific grant.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information will not be available until local authorities have prepared their recycling plans in accordance with section 49 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The costs will be funded through the unhypothecated element of the local government revenue settlement.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of confirmed cases of BSE by county, in each month since January 1990.
Mr. David Hunt : The number of confirmed cases of BSE by county, in each month since January 1990 is shown in the following table :
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|c|Number of confirmed cases of BSE in Wales by month of service of form A at 30 November 1992|c|
|Clwyd |Dyfed |Mid Glamorgan |South Glamorgan|West Glamorgan |Gwent |Gwynedd |Powys |Total
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 1990 |7 |30 |0 |0 |0 |10 |4 |9 |60
February 1990 |10 |49 |4 |0 |1 |9 |0 |9 |82
March 1990 |14 |75 |4 |0 |1 |10 |3 |15 |122
April 1990 |11 |48 |4 |2 |0 |3 |3 |12 |83
May 1990 |15 |44 |4 |1 |0 |4 |1 |14 |83
June 1990 |9 |38 |4 |3 |1 |5 |3 |4 |67
July 1990 |12 |36 |0 |5 |0 |5 |2 |5 |65
August 1990 |9 |46 |3 |3 |2 |4 |2 |10 |79
September 1990 |17 |46 |6 |0 |0 |12 |2 |9 |92
October 1990 |24 |58 |4 |5 |2 |13 |3 |12 |121
November 1990 |30 |58 |2 |2 |1 |4 |5 |19 |121
December 1990 |24 |55 |2 |1 |0 |11 |2 |13 |108
January 1991 |37 |99 |2 |4 |0 |10 |4 |18 |174
February 1991 |21 |62 |2 |2 |2 |9 |4 |14 |116
March 1991 |24 |79 |8 |0 |1 |14 |5 |15 |146
April 1991 |29 |102 |5 |9 |1 |11 |6 |14 |177
May 1991 |20 |75 |0 |5 |1 |11 |2 |23 |137
June 1991 |30 |84 |3 |6 |1 |10 |3 |11 |148
July 1991 |36 |92 |0 |3 |0 |14 |6 |10 |161
August 1991 |30 |122 |3 |3 |0 |10 |5 |27 |200
September 1991 |35 |130 |2 |5 |0 |14 |7 |21 |214
October 1991 |41 |135 |5 |6 |2 |17 |15 |28 |249
November 1991 |42 |146 |5 |6 |1 |16 |17 |37 |270
December 1991 |37 |130 |6 |9 |1 |18 |7 |34 |242
January 1992 |44 |197 |3 |8 |1 |24 |10 |33 |320
February 1992 |52 |156 |2 |16 |2 |30 |15 |38 |311
March 1992 |59 |201 |3 |9 |1 |24 |17 |55 |369
April 1992 |43 |190 |4 |6 |7 |10 |9 |42 |311
May 1992 |31 |125 |3 |4 |2 |23 |5 |29 |222
June 1992 |32 |123 |1 |9 |2 |9 |12 |37 |225
July 1992 |43 |155 |5 |9 |1 |23 |15 |34 |285
August 1992 |31 |147 |3 |14 |6 |14 |11 |35 |261
September 1992 |40 |147 |5 |7 |1 |21 |12 |39 |272
October 1992 |28 |83 |4 |8 |1 |16 |14 |36 |190
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Exports (Single Market)
13. Mr. Trimble : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on progress towards the removal, in the context of the single market, of bureaucratic impediments to exports.
Mr. Needham : Good progress has been made towards completion of the single market, including free movement of goods within the Community. The single market will indeed be open for business by the end of 1992 target date.
Iraq
17. Mr. Dalyell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter dated 20 June 1990 from his predecessor's principal private secretary to the private secretary to the chairman of the Commissoners for Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
Mr. Heseltine : No. The letter is one of the documents disclosed to the defence for use in connection with the Matrix Churchill trial. Lord Justice Scott will of course have full access to all relevant papers.
24. Mr. Mike O'Brien : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's role in the approval of Matrix Churchill exports to Iraq, and his signing of public interest immunity certificates relating to documents relevant to the conduct of the prosecution of Matrix Churchill executives.
Mr. Heseltine : I refer the hon. Member to the speech I made in the House on 23 November, at columns 640-53. It is now for Lord Justice Scott to consider this issue under the terms of his inquiry.
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Trading Standards Officers
17. Ms. Rachel Squire : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current shortfall in the number of trading standards officers ; and what estimate he has made of its impact on the consumer protection service.
Mr. Leigh : The total number of trading standards officers in post in local authorities at 1 April 1992 was 288 below complement. This is a shortfall of 15 per cent. The size of the shortfall and its impact varies from authority to authority.
Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology
19. Mr. Barry Field : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies in the south of England have won SMART awards.
Mr. Leigh : A total of 241 projects have been supported in the South of England--152 in the south-east--under the small firms merit award for research and technology since 1988.
Small Businesses
20. Mr. Gunnell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the level of Government financial assistance to small businesses in each year since 1990-91, expressed in 1990 prices ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine : Government provides assistance for small businesses in many ways. Interest rates are at their lowest level since 1978 and are the lowest in the European Community. Inflation has been below the EC average for over a year. We have one of the most favourable corporation tax structures in the major industrialised countries. We have increased capital allowances to bring forward investment. In addition, specific help provided by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of
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Employment and the Scottish and Welsh Offices, including assistance provided via training and enterprise councils, local enterprise companies and other agencies, was £302 million in 1990-91, £292 million in 1991-92 and a planned £277 million in 1992-93, expressed in 1990 prices.Microwave Modules
21. Mrs. Jane Kennedy : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what meetings took place between his Department and Microwave Modules, or Microwave Modules International, between 1985 and 1990.
Mr. Sainsbury : Representatives of my Department have had meetings and other contracts with representatives of these companies covering a variety of subjects for which my Department is responsible.
Newspaper Distribution
22. Mr. Ernie Ross : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the Director General of Fair Trading to complete his inquiries into newspaper distribution practices.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : The Director General of Fair Trading referred the supply of newspapers from publishers to wholesalers, and wholesalers to retailers, in England and Wales to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on 19 August this year. The commission was asked to report to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade within 12 months.
Manufacturing
23. Mr. Soley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new proposals he has to assist manufacturing industry.
Mr. Heseltine : The autumn statement contained a wide range of measures to help industry. It increased capital allowances, protected major public sector capital projects, encouraged private sector finance for public sector projects, provided £700 million extra help for exporters and abolished special car tax. In addition, I have restructured my Department so as to provide a more immediate response to the needs of industry. This includes major new initiatives on deregulation and in support of exports.
27. Mr. Byers : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to assist the manufacturing industries in the northern region.
Mr. Sainsbury : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 16 November, at columns 71- 72. The importance of manufacturing industry in the north is recognised by the wide range of the Department of Trade and Industry's services available to the region.
Mr. Wigley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet representatives from the Confederation of British Industry's manufacturing council to discuss the key findings of its recent report on manufacturing.
Mr. Sainsbury : The launch of the CBI manufacturing council report was accompanied by a debate on
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10 November at its conference. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade took part in that debate, replying on behalf of the Government.Foam-filled Furniture
25. Mr. McCartney : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further representations he has made to the European Commission to ensure that United Nations consumers continue to receive protection against dangerous foam-filled furniture.
Mr. Leigh : In May 1991 the Commission announced its decision to suspend further work on the preparation of directive on the fire behaviour of upholstered furniture pending research to establish criteria for test methods. In informal contacts with the Commission, my Department has continued to make it clear that the United Kingdom will retain its furniture regulations until there is agreement on a directive which will afford a level of fire protection commensurate with our prevailing requirements for furniture containing foam and other filling material.
Pit Closures
26. Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he was made aware of the inclusion of the Point of Ayr colliery in the list of coal mines proposed for closure by British Coal.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. Friend and I were informed by British Coal of the names of the 31 pits which it proposed for closure, which included Point of Ayr, on12 October.
Clean Coal Technology
28. Mr. Madel : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received since 1 October concerning the future development of clean coal technology ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : My Department has received a number of letters supporting the development of clean coal technologies since 1 October. The Government recognise the importance of developing clean coal technologies and my Department is supporting a wide range of clean coal projects in partnership with the British Coal Corporation, UK industry, the European Commission and the International Energy Agency. At present, around 30 projects are under way, with a contract value of over £100 million. A number of further projects are at the planning stage.
The development of clean coal technologies are of worldwide interest and my Department has taken the lead in establishing a number of international agreements covering information exchange and collaborative R and D under the auspicies of the International Energy Agency, European Commission R and D programmes and with the United States Department of Energy.
Single Market
29. Mr. Luff : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the progress being made with the completion of the single market ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : Progress on completing the Commission's White Paper is good, with over 90 per cent.
Column 251
of the measures agreed by the member states. Under the United Kingdom presidency we are seeking agreement, where possible, on the remainder, although it is recognised that some have a low priority and that agreement will not be reached on all. There has, in addition, been agreement on a large number of other measures, not included in the White Paper.These measures should offer major benefits for industry enabling British firms to offer a wide range of goods and services throughout the Community unimpeded by different national rules, standards or testing practices.
However, these benefits will be felt only if there is effective enforcement of these rules in all member states. To this end, the United Kingdom presidency has initiated and obtained agreement on a resolution on making the single market work. This lays down practical steps to ensure the effective appliction, operation and enforcement of EC legislation in all member states.
Balance of Payments
30. Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to enable the United Kingdom balance of payments to benefit from the depreciation of pound sterling where (a) there are no United Kingdom suppliers of manufactured components and (b) where the United Kingdom supplies are of low quality.
Mr. Needham : My Department helps United Kingdom manufacturers to identify and take full advantage of market opportunities at home and abroad by stimulating innovation and encouraging best practice in quality, design and management.
Coal Industry
31. Mr. Skinner : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will meet NUM representatives to discuss the future plans for the coal industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine : I will meet a delegation from the National Union of Mineworkers on 7 December.
Telephone Sex Line Services
32. Mr. Lewis : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further representations have been made by his Department to Oftel about the influence of telephone sex line services.
Mr. Leigh : None. The independent committee for the supervision of standards of telephone information services --ICSTIS--is an effective regulator of the premium rate telephone service industry. The ICSTIS code is kept continuously under review and it was further strengthened this year. Therefore, we believe adult premium rate telephone services are strictly controlled.
Coal Imports
33. Mr. Barron : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the latest available figures for coal imports for 1992.
Mr. Eggar : The amount of coal imported into the United Kingdom in 1992 up to the end of September was 15,972,000 tonnes.
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Departmental Subcontractors
34. Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many small businesses subcontracted to carry out work for his Department have currently not received payment for work invoiced more than 30 days ago.
Mr. Leigh : This information is not available and could be provided only at disporportionate cost.
However, I can assure the hon. Member that I do recognise the importance of prompt payment of bills, especially to small businesses. The Government should set an example in this. In accordance with Treasury guidelines, my Department requires its suppliers or contractors to settle all invoices with its subcontractors within the agreed credit terms or, where no credit terms have been agreed, within 30 days of receipt of an approved invoice.
Plant and Equipment
35. Mr. Wareing : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to encourage investment in new manufacturing plant and development by United Kingdom-owned companies.
Mr. Sainsbury : Investment will be encouraged by the profitable and competitive manufacturing base which our policies are designed to ensure.
Aerospace Industry
36. Mr. Purchase : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's assistance to the British aerospace industry.
Mr. Sainsbury : Since 1979 the Department of Trade and Industry has provided over £1.5 billion in support to the United Kingdom aerospace industry.
Laboratory of the Government Chemist
Mr. Redmond : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list by (a) date, (b) destination and (c) cost to the Exchequer of the chief executive of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist's visits to Europe since he was appointed in May 1991 ; (2) pursuant to his answer of 9 November, Official Report, columns 603-5, what has been the cost to the Exchequer of the chief executive of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist's visits to (a) Japan and (b) the United States since he was appointed in May 1991.
Mr. Eggar : As this is an operational matter, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 November 1992 :
As these questions complement one another, it is more constructive for me to cover them in one reply.
The details of my overseas visits are as follows :
Destination and date |Cost (£K)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Europe
Eurolab, Berlin-22-24 May 1991
Community Bureau of Reference (BCR),
Brussels-5-6 June 1991
BCR, Brussels-15-16 January 1991
Eurolab, Strasbourg-29-31 January 1992
Central Bureau of Nuclear Measurements,
Geel-11-13 November 1992
Total |2.4
USA
Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC),
National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) and Analytical Laboratory Managers
Association (ALMA)-21-25 October 1991 |2.7
Japan
High Level Mission-29 August/6 September 1991 |4.4
The cost comprises travel and subsistence.
Many of the visits to Europe and the USA were made in connection with the Validity of Analytical Measurement initiative. The Laboratory undertakes this work for the Department of Trade and Industry on a customer-contractor basis. I am a UK representative on the BCR Management Committee and the Eurolab General Assembly. The High Level Mission to Japan was funded under the DTI's Overseas Science and Technology Expert Mission Scheme (OSTEMS). A report on this Mission was published in January 1992.
I hope this information is of assistance.
Radiocommunications Agency
Mr. Redmond : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 9 November, Official Report, columns 603-5, what has been the cost to the exchequer of the chief executive of the Radiocommunications Agency's visits to Australia and New Zealand during the last 12 months.
Mr. Leigh : As this is an operational matter for the agency, I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from M. J. Michell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 26 November 1992 :
The total cost of the visit I made earlier this year to Australia and New Zealand to discuss questions of spectrum management policy, accompanied by a colleague, was £6,550. As a net running costs agency, the Radiocommunications Agency's operating costs are met by its income. This is received from fees charged to users of radio transmission equipment and certain other sources.
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