| Previous Section | Home Page |
Submarine Notification Scheme
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the responsibility of Commander Ancona with respect to the Subfacts scheme ; to whom he is directly responsible ; and what is the working relationship of Her Majesty's Coastguard with the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence in the operation of the scheme ;
(2) what representations he has received concerning the comments of Commander Ancona of Her Majesty's Coastguard regarding the operation of the Subfacts notification scheme ; what action he has taken as a result ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : Commander Ancona as Chief Coastguard is head of Her Majesty's Coastguard which, as part of marine directorate of the Department of Transport, is responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of civil maritime search and rescue (SAR). He is directly responsible to the director of marine emergency operations. Responsibility for fishing vessel safety rests with the surveyor general's organisation within the Department.
Following the sinking of the fishing vessel Antares in November 1990, the Chief Coastguard, agreed to HM Coastguard broadcasting Subfacts information for the inner Clyde submarine exercise areas on behalf of MOD. The scheme was subsequently extended to the outer Clyde, and Rona and Raasay exercise areas. The Royal Navy under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence provides HM Coastguard rescue centres Clyde, Oban and Belfast with Subfacts information, which is broadcast on marine VHF 6 times per day at staggered four-hourly intervals from several aerials. Subsequently consideration has been given to the most appropriate way of continuing to promulgate this information to fishermen.
Column 535
Infectious Waste (Imports)
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of all shipments of infectious clinical waste for disposal from Germany to the United Kingdom in the last 12 months, including tonnage, port of entry, packaging, labelling and temperature-controlled conditions.
Mr. Norris : The details of individual shipments of clinical waste are not normally recorded by the Department. In these instances, permission has been given for the importation of certain goods subject to stringent conditions.
The packages are of a type designed and tested to comply with standards laid down by the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Committee of Experts' Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and those of the German Federal Institute for Material Research and Material Tests. Packages are labelled and marked "WASTE, INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES AFFECTING HUMANS" UN 2814, Class 6.2 and carried in refrigerated containers where the temperature is kept below 5 deg. C. We have been informed that about 400 tonnes have been shipped through Harwich during the last 12 months.
Baggage Reconciliation
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with the airlines on baggage reconciliation.
Mr. Norris : The Department has had considerable discussion and consultation with the airlines and their representative bodies over a number of years.
Manchester Airport
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the ownership of Manchester airport.
Mr. Norris : It is for the local authorities who own the airport to decide, taking into account the needs of those who live in the area and the customers who use the airport. Manchester airport has developed over the last decade into one of the major world airports. We understand the airport company has plans for substantial further development, including in particular a second runway and the second phase of the new terminal. In view of our desire to see more private sector participation in airport provision, supplementary credit approvals will not be granted for such development work. So if the owners wish to see the airport continue to develop, they will need to use their own resources or look to the private sector to fund major expansion, either through a joint venture or outright sale.
Harrogate Western Bypass
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will order an official environmental impact assessment of the chosen route for the western bypass for Harrogate adopted by the North Yorkshire county council.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I understand that an environmental statement will accompany a planning application
Column 536
for the Harrogate western bypass to the county planning authority. In the event that no statement is provided, reserve powers are available to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to require its preparation. A decision on the use of such powers would be taken at the time.Loan Capital
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the extent to which local authorities plan to obtain capital receipts from the sale of share or loan capital in airport companies between 13 November and 31 December 1993.
Mr. Norris : My right hon. Friend has made no estimates. All capital receipts by local authorities from the disposal of share or loan capital in public airport companies realised during the period referred to will be usable to finance expenditure for capital purposes.
West Coast Main Line
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the estimated cost of the British Rail proposals of essential investment in the west coast main line over the next three years.
Mr. Freeman : I understand that British Rail intends to commence work soon on renewing infrastructure on the west coast main line. The timing of this work, and therefore the cost over the next three years, will be decided in the spring when British Rail have completed its next corporate plan.
Compulsory Purchase
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account he takes of householders' mortgage debts in the compulsory purchase of property required for road schemes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Mortgage debts are not a factor. Compensation is assessed at full market value and may be used to release an outstanding mortgage debt. My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning is actively reviewing what action might be necessary in the event of compensation for properties acquired by compulsory purchase orders falling short of the mortgage debt. We have no evidence of such cases at present.
Coach Accidents
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the statistics for (a) serious injuries and (b) minor injuries incurred in accidents involving coaches in the last 10 years.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The attached table shows the number of people killed, seriously injured and slightly injured in road accidents involving buses and coaches in Great Britain from 1982 to 1991.
Casualties in accidents involving bus and coaches, by severity:
Great Britain 1982-1991
Casualties
|Killed |Seriously injured|Slightly injured |Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982 |279 |2,508 |13,803 |16,590
1983 |263 |2,376 |13,669 |16,308
1984 |245 |2,263 |13,867 |16,375
1985 |211 |2,397 |13,666 |16,274
1986 |227 |2,204 |13,234 |15,665
1987 |199 |2,179 |13,040 |15,418
1988 |188 |2,214 |13,321 |15,723
1989 |223 |2,088 |14,467 |16,778
1990 |225 |2,000 |14,232 |16,457
1991 |189 |1,771 |12,637 |14,597
M6
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the estimated cost of the widening of the M6 motorway from junctions 11 to 20.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The estimated works cost is £570 million.
Electric-powered Cars
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy towards the Coventry city council plans to introduce a public network of electric-powered cars.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 17 December 1992] : I welcome Coventry city council's efforts to seek involvement in a trial of a limited rental fleet of electric cars under the collaborative European THERMIE programme.
The results of such trials should help inform customers, who ultimately determine the success of any vehicle development, and give useful data to those with specific technical, research and commercial interests.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Market Testing
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will undertake a review of market testing in the light of the European Court of Justice rulings on the validity of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on public sector activities which have been or could be contracted out.
Mr. Waldegrave : No. The general position in relation to the services which are being market tested by central Government Departments and agencies is unaffected by recent decisions of the European Court of Justice--it remains the case that in some cases the regulations will apply if the service is subsequently supplied by an outside contractor ; in others they will not.
Departmental Property
Mr. Straw : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list (a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a) .
Mr. Jackson : The Office of Public Service and Science does not own any residential properties.
Column 538
AIDS
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the present and past members of the AIDS-directed programme committee.
Mr. Robert Jackson : The present members of the Medical Research Council AIDS-directed programme steering committee are :
Dr. G. C. Schild (Chairman)
Dr. J. Karn
Professor J. Neil
Dr. D. Tyrell FRS
Professor A. J. McMichael
Professor J. Almond
Professor G. Dodson
Dr. J. Darbyshire
Professor A. C. Minson
Professor A. Rickinson
There are three vacant positions on the Committee at present in the process of being filled.
Past members of the Committee are :
Professor T. Blundell
Dr. M. Crumpton
Dr. R. Dwek
Professor W. Jarrett
Professor K. Murray
Dr. M. Perutz
Dr. D. A. Rees
Professor C. B. Reese
Dr. P. Greenaway
Dr. J. Skehel
Professor A. Williams
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total spending on the Medical Research Council AIDS-directed programme ; to which research projects grants have been made under this programme ; what is the amount of each grant awarded ; and who are the heads of the research groups for each project funded by this programme.
Mr. Robert Jackson : Between 1987-88 (when the programme began) and 1991-92, the Medical Research Council has spent £27.8 million on its AIDS-directed programme.
A list of research project grants made under this programme, the amount of each grant awarded and the heads of the research groups for the projects funded by this programme has been placed in the Library.
Research Vessels
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations he has had with the Natural Environmental Research Council on (a) the deficit in the budget of the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, (b) the laying up of research vessels and (c) the proposed relocation of the research vessels service from Barry to Southampton ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robert Jackson : None. These are matters for the Natural Environment Research Council.
Civil Service
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide, by outlet, a breakdown of the amount spent on recruitment advertising for the civil service in the ethnic minority media in the last year for which figures are available.
Column 539
Mr. Jackson : This information is not centrally held. The majority of civil service recruitment is undertaken by individual departments and agencies who are responsible for selecting their own advertising media.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the guidelines governing the appointment of full-time civil servants to be non-executive directors of private companies ; how many full -time civil servants are non-executive directors of private companies ; what studies he has undertaken into potential conflicts of interests involving such appointments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : One of the principles of conduct which binds the civil service, set out in the personnel management handbook, is that civil servants must not take part in activities which might conflict with the interests of their Departments ; or impair their usefulness as public servants ; or be inconsistent with their position as public servants. It is for the Departments and individuals concerned to ensure that these requirements are met in each case.
In addition, my Department is publishing this month a new guidance note on the appointment of civil servants as non-executive directors to supplement the rules and procedures followed in departments. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Government continue to support and encourage this and other forms of interchange between the civil service and outside organisations. Approximately 65 full-time civil servants are currently non-executive directors of private companies.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
English Tourist Board
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the reasons underlying the decision to reduce the English tourist board's grant for the coming financial year.
Mr. Key : I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn, Hatfield (Mr. Evans) on 13 November 1992, Official Report, columns 997-98. I believe that the case is now much less strong for central Government funding of the promotion of tourism in England. The English tourist board (ETB) has done a great deal over the years to raise standards, to improve access to information, and to show the industry how their products can be developed and marketed. As the industry matures, and the regional tourist boards develop, it is appropriate for other bodies to carry on many of the ETB's central activities. That is reflected in the allocations of Exchequer grants for tourism over the next three years.
However, I also believe that central Government support for the regional tourist boards should continue. I believe that this support should be targeted much more closely than at present on areas of need where tourism might be an instrument of economic regeneration. The English tourist board is currently working on proposals for support to the regional tourist boards.
Column 540
Works of Art
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) pursuant to his answer, 30 November 1992, Official Report, column 43, what definition is used of works of art ; (2) pursuant to his answer, 30 November 1992, Official Report, column 43, when the computerised inventory of the works of art in the occupied royal palaces was begun ; and when it is expected that the exercise will be completed ;
(3) if he will publish an inventory of the contents of the occupied royal palaces, excluding works of art, which are public property and not owned by the sovereign.
Mr. Brooke : Work on preparing a computerised inventory of the royal collection, which is being carried out by the royal collection department of the royal household, began in early 1991, and it is expected that the exercise will be completed in 1997. This is a major undertaking, involving the individual inspection, numbering and recording of every object. Information about the contents of the royal palaces, other than works of art, is not available. The inventory will cover pictures, drawings, books, furniture, sculpture, metalwork, textiles and ceramics.
Sports Fields
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what information he has in regard to the number and areas of public sports fields that have been sold to the construction of buildings over the past two years.
Mr. Key : No such information is held centrally. That is why the Great Britain Sports Council's grant in aid settlement from the Government for 1991-92 included £500,000 to enable the establishment of a register of recreational land, in conjunction with the National Playing Fields Association, and Central Council for Physical Recreation. We will then, for the first time, know the number and size of playing fields in England. The register should be up and running by June 1993.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales will be considering with the Welsh Sports Council whether the register of recreational land should be extended to Wales.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Benefits
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number and proportion of people who were (a) claiming and (b) receiving supplementary benefit or income support in 1979 and 1991 in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie, who replied to the hon. Member on 23 December 1992. Letter from Mr. Wylie, to Mr. Graham Allen, dated 23 December 1992 :
As I am responsible for social security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question on the number and
Column 541
proportion of people who were claiming and receiving Supplementary Benefit or Income Support in 1979 and 1991 has been passed to me for reply.Column 542
I regret that there are no statistics available on the number and proportion of people who were claiming Supplementary Benefit or Income Support as the data held does not distinguish new claims from repeat claims. I hope however that the following information will be helpful.Column 541
|Number of new and |Number of customers|Proportion of
|repeat claims for |receiving |population
|supplementary |supplementary |receiving
|benefit or income |benefit or income |supplementary
|support |support |benefit or income
|support
Year |Percentage
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |42,098 |115,359 |<1>10.75
1991 |146,563 |201,265 |17.00
<1> Estimated figures can only be given for 1979 as there was no census held that year.
A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and copies will be placed in the Library.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number and proportion of children who were in families receiving supplementary benefit or income support in 1979 and 1991 in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Hanley : Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. However, I understand that the information is not available in the form requested.
Waterways
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to develop (a) the Newry canal and (b) other waterways in Northern Ireland for recreational and tourist use ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The future development of the Newry canal for tourism and leisure use will be considered upon completion of the feasibility study which I understand is to be commissioned shortly by the four councils through whose area the canal flows. The Department of Agriculture, as the drainage authority for Northern Ireland, and the Northern Ireland tourist board will contribute to the cost of the study. The tourist board is prepared to consider reasoned proposals for the tourism and leisure development of Northern Ireland's heritage waterways where the investment of public funds will yield commensurate benefit to the local economy without damage to the environment.
Ferry Service (Ballycastle)
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards provision of roll-on, roll-off facilities at Ballycastle ; and if it will make it his Department's policy to introduce ferry services between Ballycastle and Scotland.
Mr. Atkins : Ballycastle harbour is owned by Moyle district council. Subject to the availability of a Government grant the council hopes to undertake improvements at both Ballycastle and Rathlin harbours to enable the upgrading of the Rathlin island ferry service. The council's plans include the construction of a roll-on/roll-off ramp at Ballycastle. It has not been possible to allocate the necessary resources to these proposals within the current public expenditure round.
It is the Government's view that the introduction of ferry services between Ballycastle and Scotland is a matter for the commercial judgment of ferry operators.
Column 542
Lone Parents
Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many cases, where income support is being paid to a single mother, the absent parent is paying maintenance.
Mr. Hanley : Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie, who replied to the hon. Member on 5 January 1993. Letter from Mr. Wylie to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 5 January 1993 :
As I am responsible for Social Security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of cases where income support is being paid to a single mother and the absent parent is paying maintenance, has been passed to me for reply.
The most recent information available is set out below.
Column 543
Column 545
| Next Section
| Home Page |