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space systems business since it has not been possible to conclude a satisfactory agreement. In the light of that outcome, the British Aerospace board has decided to retain its space systems interests as a wholly owned subsidiary of British Aerospace plc.Civil Servants
Mr. Morgan : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list each civil servant in his Department with an outstanding consent to become a non-executive director of a private company ; if he will give the date his consent was given, the time period, and the companies concerned ; and what policy considerations underlie his decisions on giving or withholding consent.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : My Department arranges non-executive directorships to companies as part of a programme to develop the knowledge and skills of its senior staff and improve understanding between DTI and business. In selecting candidates for specific opportunities account is taken of potential conflicts of interest. The time periods of directorships are flexible and not normally determined when appointments are made. The table lists the DTI civil servants currently holding non-executive directorships under this programme, with details of the dates they started them and the companies concerned.
Name of Official |Start Date |Company
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooke, J. A. |September 1990 |RTZ Pillar Ltd.
Dart, G. S. |October 1991 |Laing Engineering
| Ltd.
Dobbie, Dr. R. C. |April 1989 |Vickers PLC
| (Marine Engineering
| Division)
Egginton, Dr. M. A. |October 1991 |BOC UK Gases
| Ltd.
Hagestadt, J. V. |March 1988 |British Aerospace
| Flying College Ltd.
Heathcote, Dr. F. R. |February 1988 |Trafalgar House
| Property Ltd.
Lawrenson, I. J. |March 1990 |Marine Technology
| Directorate Ltd.
Marsh, D. R. |February 1992 |Bovis Homes Ltd.
Neville-Rolfe, Miss M. T. |April 1987 |Rolls Royce
| Motor Cars Ltd.
Paton, W. |April 1989 |Optimat Ltd.
Wallard, A. J. |June 1986 |Rank Cintel Ltd.
O'Shea, M. K. |July 1992 |Seven Seas Ltd.
Bureaucracy
Mr. David Porter : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in removing excessive bureaucracy in Government dealings with businesses, organisations and individuals ; and what further steps he proposes to take.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : Since the general election, a wide range of deregulatory measures has been taken across
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Whitehall to reduce administrative and regulatory burdens on business. There has also been action to improve the application of regulation by local authorities and the quality of assessments of the potential costs of compliance which are taken into account in deciding whether and how to regulate. Currently, all Government Departments are examining the body of regulation for which they are responsible, whether this originates at the EC or national level or is applied by local authorities. The work is being driven forward by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade who has appointed my noble Friend Lord Sainsbury to assist him and to help strengthen the business contribution to the deregulation initiative. The aim is to identify further scope for reducing the burden on business significantly through simplification and abolition of regulatory requirements and administrative procedures. Taking into account the concerns and views of businesspeople affected by such regulations, each department is drawing up a plan of action for 1993 and beyond. These plans and progress under the initiative generally will be discussed at a forthcoming seminar to be chaired by the Prime Minister. In addition, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will shortly announce the terms of reference of a scrutiny into the formulation of EC law and its implementation and enforcement in the United Kingdom.Mr. David Porter : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the cost to businesses of implementing (a) EC directives and (b) Government legislation in each year since 1987-88 ; and what steps he is taking to reduce such costs.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : Overall estimates of compliance costs have not been made. Compliance costs of individual measures are made but it is not possible sensibly to aggregate these estimates. A scrutiny will begin shortly into the formulation, implementation and enforcement of EC directives in the United Kingdom with a view to minimising the burden on businesses. All Departments are examining existing legislation with a view to reducing the burdens on businesses through simplification and repeal. In addition, revised guidance has been issued to officials on compliance cost assessments and copies are available in the Library of the House.
Cuba
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions there are on trade with Cuba (a) generally and (b) in respect of medical supplies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 17 December 1992] : Cuba is on the UK list of destinations for which export licence applications are subject to special licensing procedures. Apart from imports of bananas which are subject to "dollar quota" licensing, there are no UK restrictions on imports from Cuba which are not applied more generally against imports from all sources.
GATT
Mr. Burden : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with participants in the Uruguay round of the GATT concerning the proposed creation of a multilateral trade organisation ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Needham [holding answer 11 January 1993] : The establishment of a multilateral trade organisation was proposed in the draft final act of the GATT Uruguay round, which was tabled in December 1991 by the GATT director general, Mr. Dunkel. It has been the subject of a great deal of discussion between participants in the Uruguay round, including the European Commission who negotiate on behalf of the European Community ; the position taken by the Commission has been prepared in discussion with the member states. The MTO was intended to serve as a means of implementing the results of the round and of strengthening the international trading system ; it would not in itself alter the rights and obligations under the various Uruguay round agreements. Recently, the United States Government have indicated that they have problems with the constitution of the MTO as proposed, which will require further discussion.
Terrorist Activities
Mr. Parry : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans he has to accept Government responsibility for compensation for terrorist activities on the British mainland on the basis of the rules in force in Northern Ireland ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will meet the Association of British Insurers to discuss the implications of the withdrawal of insurance cover for terrorist attacks on premises in Great Britain.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 11 January 1993] : The President of the Board of Trade made an announcement on 21 December that the Government have decided in principle to act as reinsurer of last resort for terrorist attacks against mainland GB non-domestic property and related risks from January 1993. This has enabled insurance companies to continue to offer insurance cover for terrorist attacks, with insurers being able to buy the necessary cover as a separately rated risk. As an insurance solution to the problem has been provided in agreement with the Association of British Insurers, the question of Government compensation does not arise.
Transgenic Animals
Mr. Morley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to ensure that transgenic animals that cannot be kept without adverse effects on their health and welfare will be excluded from patentability under the proposed EC directive on the legal protection of biotechnical inventions.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 11 January 1993] : The European Commission is expected to revise the draft directive in response to a recent opinion from the European Parliament and I will consider any provisions relating to animal health and welfare which may be proposed. However, patent law is not an appropriate means for controlling activities undertaken in the field of biotechnology. Legislation exists covering the welfare of animals and it is reasonable that inventions which respect that legislation should have the benefit of patent protection.
Foreign Investment
Mr. Peter Atkinson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what future plans his Department has to promote the north-east abroad to foreign investors ; and if he will make a statement ;
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(2) what role his Department plays abroad to make the north-east an attractive proposition for investment by foreign businesses.Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 11 January 1993] : The Department of Trade and Industry through its Invest in Britain
Bureau--IBB--promotes all United Kingdom regions to potential overseas inward investors. Overseas, this national promotional activity is carried out at IBB's direction by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The IBB directly funds the overseas inward investment activities of the English regional development organisations, who each have responsibility for promoting their own particular region. In the north-east this is the Northern Development Company. The NDC has offices in 10 countries, solely to promote the north to potential investors. In addition, the DTI's English unit manages offices in Taiwan and Korea which promote all the English regions to potential investors. These arrangements work well and have attracted many inward investors to the north-east.
North-East Aid
Mr. Peter Atkinson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all the regional aid measures initiated by his Department to aid the north-east ; what is the level of (a) Government and (b) private investment in each case ; and what is the number of jobs created and safeguarded through each scheme.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 11 January 1993] : Since April 1984, two regional aid schemes run by my Department assisted private investment and were linked to employment. The schemes were regional selective assistance and the revised regional development grants scheme.
Regional selective assistance is available to firms in the assisted areas for investment projects which either create or safeguard employment. Since April 1984 to end December 1992 my Department offered £289 million which was accepted by firms in the north-east in support of projects estimated at £2,865 million. Up to the end December 1992, grant totalling £181 million had been paid in respect of those projects which had created 31,232 jobs and safeguarded a further 8,473.
Under the revised regional development grants scheme which was introduced in development ares in November 1984 and was closed to new applications in March 1988, no grant was paid to undertakings employing more than 200 people unless their projects created employment. To be eligible for grant, projects had to be approved. The amount of capital expenditure that was approved for grant in the north-east was £1,843 million. Since the inception of the scheme up to the end December 1992 grants totalling £193 million had been paid to companies in the north-east and during that time 51,909 jobs had been created.
My Department also provides assistance under the regional enterprise grants scheme aimed at assisting small enterprises with, inter alia, investment projects. Projects supported by this scheme have created employment in the north-east ; however, as grant is not directly linked to job creation, employment data are not collected.
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Departmental Property
Mr. Straw : To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. Heseltine [holding answer 11 January 1993] : My Department has no residential properties.
Companies House
Mr. Wilson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many companies in each of the past five years failed to meet their legal obligations to supply returns to Companies House timeously ; and how many of these cases were referred to debt collectors in order to extract penalties ;
(2) what process of competitive tendering was engaged in before the Lewis Group was appointed as debt collectors to Companies House ; and to what extent payments by Companies House to the Lewis Group are on a commission basis.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 11 January 1993] : Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the chief executive of Companies House executive agency for which my Department is responsible. I have therefore asked Mr. David Durham to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from David Durham to Mr. Brian Wilson, dated 6 January 1993 :
You recently tabled two Parliamentary Questions to the President of the Board of Trade, asking him : (1) how many companies in each of the past five years failed to meet their legal obligations to supply returns to Companies House timeously ; and how many of these cases were referred to debt collectors in order to extract penalties : (2) what process of competitive tendering was engaged before the Lewis Group were appointed as debt collectors to Companies House ; and to what extent payments by Companies House to the Lewis Group are on a commission basis. Following the answer given by Mr. Hamilton, I am replying as Chief Executive of Companies House.
Companies House is responsible for ensuring that both annual returns and annual accounts are filed within the time limits set out in the Companies Act. Because companies are continually filing throughout the year it is not possible to give figures on how many companies filed late during any particular year. It is possible to give the number of companies who have not filed either their annual returns or annual accounts, or both, on 30 June for the last five years. It is on this date that Companies House' performance against the compliance target set by Ministers is measured.
|Both |Annual Returns |Annual Accounts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 June 1992 |146,000 |101,000 |80,000
30 June 1991 |214,000 |138,000 |134,000
30 June 1990 |187,000 |100,000 |142,000
30 June 1989 |211,000 |126,000 |154,000
30 June 1988 |183,000 |103,000 |134,000
These companies were not referred to debt collectors as no penalties were charged prior to July 1992.
Penalties for the late filing of accounts were introduced on 2 July 1992 and since that date 51,736 penalties have been levied of which 12,023 have been referred to the Lewis Group as official recovery agents for Companies House.
A number of firms were invited to tender for assisting Companies House in the collection of late filing penalties
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revenue. DTI standard procedures were followed in the competitive tendering process and the Lewis Group were finally selected on the basis that having met all the criteria laid down they also offered the best value for money.As you are probably aware it is not customary to reveal payments to individual contractors following a competitive tender procedure on grounds of commercial confidentiality, however, Lewis Group are paid entirely on a commission basis.
SCOTLAND
Food and Drink
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how he intends to take forward the initiative announced at the 1992 Royal Highland Show to establish a forum for the industry and public agencies to discuss the generic promotion of Scottish food and drink.
Sir Hector Monro : Scottish Office officials have consulted representatives of food and drink producers and there has been a widespread welcome for this initiative. I have therefore decided to create a Scottish Food Strategy Group, with the following general terms of reference :
"To advise on opportunities for enhancing the performance of the Scottish food and drink industry, particularly in overseas markets, and with regard to the resources available to the public agencies." As one of its early tasks, I am asking the group to consider the detailed case for developing a single Scottish quality mark for food and drink and to report to me with its recommendations.
I am glad that Mr. James Millar, Chairman of William Low plc, has agreed to chair the group. Other members, who between them share extensive knowledge and experience on the range of issues relevant to the group's work, are :
Mr. Stanley Bernard, Managing Director, Sco-Fro Ltd.
Miss Ann Foster, Director, Scottish Consumer Council.
Mr. David Hall, Managing Director, Halls of Broxburn.
Mr. Adam McCartney, Managing Director, Scottish Pride Quality Dairy Foods.
Mr. Maitland Mackie, Vice-President, National Farmers' Union of Scotland, and Managing Director, Mackie's Quality Farm Foods. Mr. Donald Morrison, soft fruit farmer, Forfar.
Mr. Brian Simpson, Chief Executive, Scotch Quality Beef and Lamb Association.
Mr. James N. Walker, Director, Walkers Shortbread Ltd.
Mr. John Whitehead, Managing Director, Top Hat Holdings Ltd. Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and Food From Britain will provide assessors to the group and the secretariat will be provided by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department.
Economy
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the growth in GNP for the Scottish economy for 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 14 December 1992] : The Government do not publish forecasts of GNP growth in any of the countries or regions of the United Kingdom, including Scotland.
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For reference, the Chancellor's autumn statement included a forecast growth of 1 per cent. in United Kingdom GDP in 1993. I am confident that Scotland will share in this economic upturn. Detailed projections of the Scottish economy are, of course, made by a number of independent economic consultants.Drugs
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total general practitioner drug budget for each year since 1989-90 and projected for 1992-93 ; and what proportion of the budget was spent on each standard age group of patients.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 15 December 1992] : The following are the costs of drugs dispensed each year since 1989-90 and projected for 1992-93. These figures include all presciptions dispensed by community pharmaceutical services : over 99 per cent. of the costs relates to prescribing by general practitioners. It is not possible to identify the proportion of the budget spent on each standard age group of patients.
Table 3
Maximum retail price for liquid milk (pence
per litre)
Calender Year |Maximum retail
|price<1>
---------------------------------------------
1974 |8.799
1975 |14.958
1976 |16.718
1977 |20.238
1978 |23.757
1979 |26.397
1980 |29.916
1981 |32.556
1982 |36.956
1983 |36.956
1984 |38.715
<1> Retail price control of milk ended in
Scotland on 30 September 1981 and in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland on 31 December
1984.
All figures listed are year end prices.
Source: "UK Dairy Facts and Figures"
published by the Federation of United
Kingdom Milk Marketing Boards.
European Regional Development Fund
Dr. Godman:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of the receipts from the European Community's regional development fund have been awarded to(a) infrastructure projects undertaken by regional and island councils, (b) infrastructure projects carried out by the state, (c) industrial concerns and (d) other programmes; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 16 December 1992]:Since 1975 Scotland has obtained assistance from the European regional development fund under a variety of measures and programmes. Not all the records are held centrally, most are in manual form, and none is categorised in the manner set out in the hon. Gentleman's question. Accordingly, the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Hospitals, Angus
Mr. Welsh:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects Tayside health board to announce its plans for the future of (a) Stracathro hospital,(b) Arbroath infirmary and (c) other hospital services in Angus.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 17 December 1992]:Tayside health board is currently in the process of reviewing its acute services. Options will be considered by the health board in February 1993 and there will then be a period of public consultation. No decisions will be taken about the future of Stracathro hospital, Arbroath infirmary or any other hospital service in Angus, until public consultation is complete.
Skye Bridge
Mr. Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the cost to public funds of the proposed Skye bridge and its approaches.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 11January 1993]:The estimate of the cost to public funds of the Skye bridge and its approaches up to the end of 1995 is £7.75 million at June 1988 prices, the price base on which tenders were received. The estimate includes the costs of the approach roads, incorporating changes as a result of the public local inquiry held in January and February last year, and consultants' fees.
Ferry Services
Mr. McAllion:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with local authorities in the east of Scotland on the provision of a roll-on-roll-off ferry service between Scotland and mainland Europe.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 11 January 1993]:None.
Structural Fund
Mr. Maclennan:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken within the Council of Ministers to secure a change in the criteria for allocation of structural funds under objective 1 to ensure that the highlands and islands of Scotland are eligible for assistance.
Mr. Stewart[holding answer 17 December 1992]: The Edinburgh European Council decided that there should be no change in the criteria for establishing objective 1 areas and agreed that special cases would also be considered where areas did not meet the strict gross domestic product test. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear that the Government will be arguing for the inclusion of the highlands and islands in the list of objective 1 areas. Scottish Enterprise
Mr. Salmond:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to implement review procedures within Scottish Enterprise to ensure that board members who also lead consultancy firms are not favoured in the awarding of consultancy contracts; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart[holding answer 14 December 1992]: There are already in place within Scottish Enterprise procedures for ensuring that board members do not become involved in the consideration of matters in which they have a financial or commercial interest. These procedures, the rigorous operation of which is supported by the board, apply to the award of consultancy and similar contracts as well as to other business.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Milk
Dr. Strang:To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the producers' and dairy trades' respective proportionate shares of final retail
values, milk prices, for each milk marketing board and their trade counterparts throughout the United Kingdom for each year since 1974. Mr. Gummer:It is not possible to provide a full reply in the form requested. The Government ceased setting maximum retail prices for milk in 1981 and 1984 for
Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom respectively. Since then, retail pricing has been a matter for dairy companies and retailers.
The average net prices paid to producers by each milk marketing board, each board's average net return for milk sold by it for human liquid consumption and the maximum retail prices for the relevant years are as follows:
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Table 3
Maximum retail price for liquid milk (pence
per litre)
Calender Year |Maximum retail
|price<1>
---------------------------------------------
1974 |8.799
1975 |14.958
1976 |16.718
1977 |20.238
1978 |23.757
1979 |26.397
1980 |29.916
1981 |32.556
1982 |36.956
1983 |36.956
1984 |38.715
<1> Retail price control of milk ended in
Scotland on 30 September 1981 and in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland on 31 December
1984.
All figures listed are year end prices.
Source: "UK Dairy Facts and Figures"
published by the Federation of United
Kingdom Milk Marketing Boards.
Table 3
Maximum retail price for liquid milk (pence
per litre)
Calender Year |Maximum retail
|price<1>
---------------------------------------------
1974 |8.799
1975 |14.958
1976 |16.718
1977 |20.238
1978 |23.757
1979 |26.397
1980 |29.916
1981 |32.556
1982 |36.956
1983 |36.956
1984 |38.715
<1> Retail price control of milk ended in
Scotland on 30 September 1981 and in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland on 31 December
1984.
All figures listed are year end prices.
Source: "UK Dairy Facts and Figures"
published by the Federation of United
Kingdom Milk Marketing Boards.
The figures for Northern Ireland are shown net of a consumer subsidy which applied from 1981 to 1988. The Northern Ireland figures for 1981-82 and 1982-83 were obtained from the Northern Ireland Milk Marketing Board.
Table 3
Maximum retail price for liquid milk (pence
per litre)
Calender Year |Maximum retail
|price<1>
---------------------------------------------
1974 |8.799
1975 |14.958
1976 |16.718
1977 |20.238
1978 |23.757
1979 |26.397
1980 |29.916
1981 |32.556
1982 |36.956
1983 |36.956
1984 |38.715
<1> Retail price control of milk ended in
Scotland on 30 September 1981 and in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland on 31 December
1984.
All figures listed are year end prices.
Source: "UK Dairy Facts and Figures"
published by the Federation of United
Kingdom Milk Marketing Boards.
Column 721
Hill Farmers
Mr. Jonathan Evans : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in full the autumn review of hill farming in less-favoured areas.
Mr. Curry : I have placed in the Library copies of the tables dealing with indices of hill farm income, market prices, hill livestock compensatory allowance expenditure and animal numbers which were discussed with the farming unions in the context of the autumn review, along with supplementary tables containing additional background information. Definition of the terms relating to income used in these tables are contained in appendix 3 to "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom", 1992 edition, a copy of which is also in the Library of the House.
Potatoes
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to ensure that potato growers and consumers in the United Kingdom will be assured of a continuing sufficient supply of British potatoes in the event of abolition of the Potato Marketing Board.
Mr. Curry : The Government are consulting widely on the recently published proposals for an EC potato regime which as drafted do not make provision for the area--quota--controls and support-buying arrangements of our potato marketing scheme. We have long made it clear that our objectives in the light of any proposals for an EC regime in potatoes would be a level playing field of potato production throughout Europe ; that the United Kingdom industry can meet all the needs of the market ; that the United Kingdom industry can contribute to the export drive ; that decisions are based clearly on the best scientific and technical knowledge available. It is also important that we create a climate favourable to investment in the United Kingdom by food processing and manufacturing companies.
Nitrates
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest assessment of the effect of overuse of agricultural nitrates ; and what resources his Ministry is putting into research on lower nitrate use.
Mr. Soames : The Ministry operates various programmes to encourage sensible use of nitrogen fertilisers and to monitor the effects of such fertilisers on the environment. Our current assessment is set out at length in the booklet "Solving the Nitrate Problem" which is available in the Library of the House. The findings in the booklet are based in part on the R and D programme instituted by the Ministry to identify ways of reducing nitrate leaching from agriculture. In 1992-93 we are spending £6.9 million on this programme.
Overgrazing
Mr. Pickthall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his assessment of the damage done to upland landscapes and wildlife caused by overgrazing ; and if he will reconsider switching payment of grants to farmers to the area of land farmed rather than the number of sheep.
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Mr. Curry : Conservation of the traditional upland environment is dependent upon the continuation of extensive livestock farming. Overgrazing of certain types of land can however result in localised environmental damage. The Government have announced a series of targeted measures to deal with this. A switch to paying hill livestock subsidies on an area basis would be hugely disruptive with an uncertain impact on the environment. It would also be contrary to European Community law.
Aflatoxins
Mr. Hague : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to introduce controls of aflatoxins in certain products.
Mr. Soames : Regulations introducing limits on nuts, dried figs and their products were laid before Parliament on 18 December 1992 and came into effect on 31 December 1992. The regulations, which are based on advice from the Food Advisory Committee, replace the general controls operated under the Food Safety Act. The main provisions of the regulations are : a statutory limit of 4 g/kg total aflatoxins in supplies for sale for human consumption ; a statutory limit of 10 g/kg total aflatoxins in produce imported from third countries for further processing before human consumption.
EMPLOYMENT
Offshore Installations (Standby Vessels)
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she is satisfied that all the standby vessels supporting oil and gas installations fully comply with the code in the assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : The joint Health and Safety Executive and Department of Transport code on the assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations came fully into effect on 1 January 1993. At that date, all standby vessels attending offshore installations had been certificated as complying with the code, full compliance will be expected before any certificate is issued in the future.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Yugoslavia
Mr. Mike O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had held with UN representatives with regard to the increase of British troops currently committed in Yugoslavia, or with regard to extending the area of operations for such British troops.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No decision has been taken on the reinforcement of the British forces in former Yugoslavia, but the UN has been made aware that it is under consideration. We have no plans at this time to extend the area of operations of the British forces in former Yugoslavia.
Mr. Duncan-Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what efforts were
Column 723
made by Her Majesty's Government to promote balanced media reporting during the recent elections in Yugoslavia, and to monitor the way in which they were run.
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