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(a) All farms (b) All farms
which presently
receive hill
livestock
compensatory
allowance payments
All dairy and Seriously Disadvantaged Less favoured
livestock farms disadvantaged area areas income area income
income income
|Current prices|Real terms<1> |Current prices|Real terms<1> |Current prices|Real terms<1> |Current prices|Real terms<1>
|£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |7,914 |11,145 |7,913 |11,145 |5,938 |8,363 |7,616 |10,727
1986-87 |8,508 |11,655 |9,604 |13,156 |3,129 |4,286 |7,906 |10,830
1987-88 |11,243 |14,793 |10,703 |14,083 |5,985 |7,875 |9,453 |12,438
1988-89 |15,767 |19,709 |15,721 |19,651 |10,353 |12,941 |14,250 |17,813
1989-90 |12,277 |14,111 |10,022 |11,520 |5,370 |6,172 |8,805 |10,121
1990-91 |10,500 |11,053 |9,932 |10,455 |1,592 |1,676 |7,561 |7,959
1991-92 |13,968 |13,968 |15,340 |15,340 |4,386 |4,386 |12,254 |12,254
<1> Deflated by the RPI 1991-92 = 100.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the number and proportion of farms, together with farms which presently receive hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in total and broken down by (a) disadvantaged areas, (b) severely disadvantaged areas and (c) less favoured areas.
Mr. David Hunt : In 1991 there were 6,594 main agricultural holdings in Wales with land in the disadvantaged areas but not in the severely disadvantaged areas, and a further 13,901 holdings with land in the severely disadvantaged areas making a total of 20,495 main holdings with land in the less favoured areas. These figures represent 22 per cent. 47 per cent. and 69 per cent. of all main holdings in Wales respectively.
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Four thousand claimants currently receive hill livestock compensatory allowances in the disadvantaged areas only and a further 11,000 in the severely disadvantaged areas making a total of 15,000 claimants in the less favoured areas. These figures represent 13 per cent. 37 per cent. and 50 per cent. of all main holdings in Wales respectively.Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hill livestock compensatory allowance rates in cash terms and real terms in each year since 1982.
Mr. David Hunt : The information requested is at table 17 of the statistical tables prepared in connection with last year's autumn review of hill livestock compensatory allowances. A copy is available in the Library of the House.
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Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what hectarage of land in Wales is in (a) less-favoured areas, (b) severely disadvantaged areas and (c) disadvantaged areas ; what proportion of land in Wales each figure represents ; and how many farmers are involved.
Mr. David Hunt : There are estimated to be 1,644,000 hectares of land in Wales in the less favoured areas, of which 1,158,000 hectares are in the severely disadvantaged areas and 486,000 hectares in the disadvantaged areas. These figures represent 79 per cent., 56 per cent. and 23 per cent. of the total land area of Wales respectively. In 1991 there were 20,495 main agricultural holdings in Wales with land in the less favoured areas, of which 13,901 holdings had land in the severely disadvantaged areas and 10,357 holdings had land in the disadvantaged areas.
NHS Staff
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of (a) nursing and midwifery staff, (b) managerial staff and (c) clerical and administrative staff in the NHS in each year since 1989.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information, which relates to whole-time equivalents of staff employed by the NHS as at 30 September each year, is given in the following table :
|Nursing and |<1>Managerial staff|Clerical and
|midwifery staff |administrative
|staff
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |28,037 |187 |7,378
1990 |28,093 |416 |7,653
1991 |27,991 |686 |8,047
1992<2> |27,519 |848 |8,238
<1> General managers, senior managers and managers in the administrative and clerical staff group.
The growth in the number of senior managers arises from the extension in 1989 of senior managers
terms and conditions of service to second and third level managers.
<2> The implementation of the Project 2000 nursing education reforms in 1992 has led to the
reclassification of some student nurses as students. Precise estimates of this effect are not
readily available centrally. But overall in 1992 about 1,000 nurses have been reclassified. Those
in the student intakes prior to 30 September 1992 have been excluded from the 1992 count.
Civil Servants (Bicycles)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the current conditions on which civil servants in his Department are granted salary advances to enable the purchase of bicycles for home-to-office travel ; if he will make a statement on the current conditions in each agency of his Department ; what plans he has to change the conditions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : Advances of salary to assist staff with the purchase of bicycles for home to office travel are not currently available within my Department nor in its agency, Cadw.
Ambulance Service
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the percentage of ambulances in each service in Wales that responded within (a) eight minutes and (b) 14 to 20 minutes to emergency calls in 1991-92.
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Mr. Gwilym Jones : The ambulance service classifications in Wales and their standard response times are :
|50 per cent.|95 per cent.
|minutes |minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------
Urban areas |7 |14
Rural areas |8 |18
Sparsely populated areas |8 |21
The information for 1991-92 is shown in the following table :
Percentage
arriving within
|7 minutes |14 minutes
----------------------------------------------------
Urban
South Glamorgan |42 |84
|8 minutes |18 minutes
Rural
Clwyd |60 |97
Gwent |52 |93
Mid Glamorgan |53 |96
West Glamorgan |61 |96
|8 minutes |21 minutes
Sparsely populated
East Dyfed |55 |94
Gwynedd |55 |94
Pembrokeshire |36 |84
Powys |44 |83
Mr. McCartney : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of ambulance staff in Wales employed by the NHS in the years 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991, using whole time equivalents.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information, which relates to
ambulancemen/women, ambulance officers and control assistants employed by the NHS as at 30 September each year, is shown in the following table :
Ambulance staff (
whole-time
equivalents)
|Number
---------------------
1987 |1,589
1988 |1,566
1989 |1,579
1990 |1,548
1991 |1,564
Newport Waferfab Company
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount of public money committed, or promised under certain conditions, to the Newport Water Fab company or its parent company, in December 1992 ; and if he will publish details of any conditions attached.
Mr. David Hunt : The information requested is not available as it is commercial in confidence.
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the budget for the Cardiff Bay development corporation for the next financial year, both as to gross expenditure and net of receipts from land sales and other income.
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Mr. David Hunt : I expect to announce the grant-in-aid for Cardiff Bay development corporation shortly.
Land Authority for Wales
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what targets he has set for gross expenditure and receipts from sales of land from the Land Authority for Wales in the year 1993-94.
Butetown Link Road
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Cardiff Bay development corporation concerning its grant to South Glamorgan county council towards the cost of constructing the Butetown link road ; how such a grant should be adjusted for inflation and design changes ; what representations he has received from South Glamorgan county council ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : The financing of the Butetown link is a matter for South Glamorgan county council and Cardiff Bay development corporation. I have received representations from the leader of South Glamorgan county council on this issue.
EC Waste Water Directive
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the National Rivers Authority regarding the publication of a timetable and criteria for implementation of the European waste water directive in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The timetable and criteria for implementation of the EC's urban waste water treatment directive are set by the directive itself. Regular meetings to discuss implementation issues are held between the National Rivers Authority and relevant Government Departments, including the Welsh Office.
West Glamorgan Family Health Services Authority
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the individuals he has appointed to the West Glamorgan family health services authority since September 1992, and list their qualifications and previous health service experience.
Mr. David Hunt : The following were appointed to serve from 1 December 1992 :
Mr. Robert John Davies BSc ACA ATII
Mr. Douglas Stuart Williams ARICS
Mrs. Carole Maureen Hyde
In making appointments I aim to strike an appropriate balance between continuity and the introduction of new members. Both Mr. Davies and Mr. Williams have health service experience acquired since they were first appointed to the FHSA in 1990. Mrs. Hyde is a new member.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Telephone System
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee (1) if he will conduct a survey to establish the proportion of outgoing calls through the
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House of Commons telephone system which connect ;(2) what recent changes have been made in the operation of the House of Commons telephone system ; and what assessment has been made of its present operation.
Mr. Michael Martin : In accordance with a resolution of the former Services Committee, and with the agreement of the other place, the Palace of Westminster telecommunications exchange was improved during the 1992 summer recess to provide additional abbreviated dialling facilities and a "least-cost-routing" package which enables outgoing calls to be directed automatically by the cheapest supplier. Some problems with routing have been identified, but have all been rectified. A survey is therefore not considered necessary. Anyone experiencing difficulty with an outgoing call should report the fact to extension 4444. An immediate investigation of the problem will be made and the result notified to the caller. Any Member with a query about the telecommunications system itself should contact the Serjeant at Arms, who has administrative responsibility for these matters.
SCOTLAND
Special Advisers
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the (a) names and (b) previous occupations of special advisers appointed to his Department in the current Parliament.
Mr. Lang : The special advisers appointed to my Department in the current Parliament are G. MacKay and A. Young, both of whom were previously special advisers.
Civil Servants (Bicycles)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current conditions on which civil servants in his Department are granted salary advances to enable the purchase of bicycles for home-to-office travel ; if he will make a statement on the current conditions in each agency of his Department ; what plans he has to change the conditions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : All permanent non-industrial staff in the Scottish Office with at least two months service are eligible to receive a salary advance of up to £100 to assist with the purchase of a bicycle for home-to- office travel. This provision also extends to staff in all the Scottish Office agencies. The arrangements are currently subject to review.
Shetland (Oil Pollution)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the current estimate of wildlife lost due to oil pollution in the Shetland Isles as a result of the MV Braer incident.
Sir Hector Monro : Scottish Natural Heritage has reported the recovered losses of birds and mammals set out in the table, up to and including 13 January. The corresponding information on the recoveries of live creatures which have been affected by oil is also shown.
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|Recovered dead|Recovered live
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Birds
Fulmar |2 |0
Great northern diver |11 |2
Black throated diver |1 |0
Long-tailed duck |92 |29
Eider duck |48 |49
Shag |442 |109
Cormorant |1 |0
Great black-backed gull |8 |0
Herring gull |2 |1
Common gull |1 |0
Kittiwake |8 |2
Common guillemot |7 |8
Black guillemot |103 |14
Razorbill |1 |0
Puffin |1 |0
Little auk |4 |2
Rock dove |1 |1
Starling |1 |0
Rock pipit |1 |0
Purple sandpiper |1 |0
|--- |---
Totals |736 |217
------- |--- |---
Mammals
Grey seal |3 |4
Common seal |0 |1
Otter |3 |0
Rabbit |1 |0
|--- |---
Totals |7 |5
Numbers of sea fish of a variety of species and marine invertebrates such as sea urchin, starfish and octopus were also found dead on the tide line.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider extending the joint Natural Environment Research Council--Scottish Office, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries study by Glasgow university into sandeel biology and breeding seabirds in the Shetland Isles to investigate the effects on both of the recent oil spill.
Sir Hector Monro : The research project referred to by the hon. Member is in fact two separate research projects, funded from different sources. The research study carried out by Glasgow university into seabird breeding success in the Shetland Isles is funded principally by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
The second project, into the biology of sandeels in the vicinity of seabird colonies in Shetland has been running parallel to the University of Glasgow study and is funded jointly by The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department, Department of the Environment, Scottish National Heritage, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Worldwide Fund for Nature, and Cadbury Ltd. While this project is due to come to an end in March we are currently considering possible extension in the light of the recent developments. We are anxious to ensure that any extension is consistent with the strategy for future studies into the Shetland environment which will be developed by the ecological steering group, the establishment of which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 11 January.
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Press Office
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff were employed by his Department's press office in each year since 1979.
Mr. Lang : The number of staff in the information officer grades employed in the Scottish Office information directorate as at 1 April each year from 1979 to 1992 is set out in the table :
|Number of staff
------------------------------------------------
1979 |22
1980 |24
1981 |20
1982 |22
1983 |20
1984 |20
1985 |19
1986 |20
1987 |22
1988 |23
1989 |28
1990 |31"
1991 |33"
1992 |29"
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many certificates he has signed under section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 14 January 1993] : No certificates have been signed under section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984.
Seed Potatoes
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the importance for Scotland of light grade regions for seed potatoes in the European Community.
Sir Hector Monro : I very much welcome the successful conclusion of negotiations in Brussels with agreement that high grade seed regions should be established in the European Community. The protection provided by this agreement is of great significance to the Scottish seed potato industry and will help to maintain its worldwide reputation for the protection of high quality potatoes.
It is proposed to give effect to the measures around the middle of the year. This means current arrangements for planting and entry of crops to the seed potato classification scheme will be unchanged for the start of the 1993 season. To comply with the measures some legislative and procedural changes will be necessary later in the year in preparation for the marketing stage of the 1993 crop. The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department will provide further details and consult the industry about these changes in due course.
Lockerbie Air Crash
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from Dr. Jim Swire of the Lockerbie relatives about the need for baggage reconciliation rules among airlines.
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Mr. Norris : I have been asked to reply.
Records show that my Department has received 25 letters from Dr. Swire since the Lockerbie tragedy. In the last two years, nine of these letters related to baggage reconciliation.
TRANSPORT
Motorways
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway in England are currently (a) open, (b) under construction and (c) planned.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : There are 1,664 miles of trunk road motorway and a further 28 miles of non-trunk motorway controlled by local authorities.
Two motorway schemes are under construction--M3 Bar End to Compton and the M4 second Severn crossing. They will add seven miles to the network.
A further 250 miles of motorway are planned, including the upgrading to motorway of the A1 from London to Newcastle.
Car Bumpers
Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to bring forward regulations to standardise the height of car bumpers.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Current car designs with deep plastic bumpers allow compatibility over a wide range of heights. We have no intention to regulate for a specific height as this would be unnecessarily design restrictive. However, the International Standard Organisation recommends in ISO2598 that the height for car bumper tests be 445 mm, and we are working with our European partners to ensure that truck bumpers are of a compatible height compared with car bumpers, and that car bumpers are pedestrian friendly.
A19
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to authorise the funding for the installation of lighting along the A19 through Peterlee ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : There are no current plans to install lighting on the A19 through Peterlee.
Road Accidents, Greenwich
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 9 June 1992, Official Report, columns 113-14 on road traffic accidents in Greenwich, if he will now make available comparable accident and injury statistics for 1991 and 1992.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The table shows the number of injury accidents in Greenwich town centre in 1991, and the resulting number of casualties. Data for 1992 are not yet available.
Year Injury Casualties
AccidentVehicle users Pedestrians
|Killed |Injured|Killed |Injured
--------------------------------------------------------
1991 |22 |0 |16 |0 |8
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Greenwich town centre is defined as the one- way system where Creek road, Romney road and Greenwich High road meet, together with the adjacent section of Greenwich High road.Drink Driving
Mr. George : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of (a) deaths and (b) pedestrian injuries caused by drivers under the influence of drink in (i) the west midlands and (ii) Walsall in 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The most recent available information relates to 1990 and is shown in the following table.
Casualties in accidents where at least one driver is over the legal
blood or breach alchohol limit
|Total deaths |Pedestrian deaths |Pedestrian injuries
[NL] |1990 |1990 |1990
West Midlands |33 |8 |67
Walsall |3 |0 |8
<1> Accidents where a driver was positively breath tested or where coroners reports showed a blood alcohol level over
the limit. No assumption is made of the cause of the accident.
Salvage Industry
Mr. Waterson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider measures to revive the British salvage industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : The salvage industry depends on the amount of salvage work available (which varies with the level of world shipping and the number of casualties requiring salvage assistance). The industry also depends on the level of the awards paid after salvage has taken place. Both of these commercial realities are largely beyond the Government's control and influence. However, by negotiating the terms of the 1989 salvage convention, which are already applied through Lloyd's open forum 1990, we have sought to allow increased awards when salvors' efforts have prevented or mitigated a major marine pollution incident.
Aircraft Incidents
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Civil Aviation Authority's investigations into the incidents on 7 December 1992 when a carbon aerial from an aircraft crashed into a house at Watchfield, Oxfordshire ; and what compensation is available to the property owner.
Mr. Norris : There was no such incident on 7 December. However, at approximately 11.30 am on 25 November 1992 an object, later identified as a static wick, which discharges static electricity from the wings of aircraft, fell through the bathroom roof of a property in Watchfield, Oxfordshire. Although it caused a two inch hole in the roof no one was injured.
On being informed, the Civil Aviation Authority initiated an investigation into the incident. Despite a thorough investigation, they were unable to identify the aircraft from which the object had fallen. Stringent design and maintenance requirements for United Kingdom aircraft ensure that incidents such as this are rare.
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However, when they do occur the Civil Aviation Act 1982 clearly places the legal liability upon the aircraft operator to indemnify the third party who suffers a material loss or damage. As it has not proven possible to indentify the aircraft operator involved, the CAA cannot take the matter any further.Rail Timetables
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate and publish a study of the procedures that would be necessary after privatisation, prior to the publication of a comprehensive all-line timetable for a future Christmas or new year holiday period, that would provide equivalent information to that contained in the supplementary timetable published by the British Railways Board.
Mr. Freeman : Such a study would be inappropriate. At present it is for British Rail to determine and publish timetables for the services it runs. After privatisation, RailTrack will be responsible for drawing up the timetable, and we are confident that the private sector will see a commercial opportunity in publishing it.
Traffic Congestion
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of methods used in North American cities to reduce traffic congestion in urban areas.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : My Department keeps in touch with the methods used overseas, both in North America and elsewhere. Conditions overseas are not necessarily the same as in this country, and techniques--for example, the width and layout of roads--may need to be modified considerably before they can be used here.
Ships (Safety)
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if Her Majesty's Government will now make an additional response to the second report 1991-92 from the Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, on safety aspects of ship design and technology (HL 30-1).
Public Transport (Disabled Access)
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he achieved during the United Kingdom presidency of the EC to make public transport accessible to disabled people across Europe ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : In December 1991 the Transport Council asked the Commission to draw up an action programme on the accessibility of transport to people with reduced mobility. This action plan was expected to be ready during the United Kingdom presidency. The Council is still awaiting this document which it will wish to consider carefully before taking further action.
This is an area where much can and is being achieved at national and local level and my Department continues to work towards improving access to public transport for people with disabilities. A significant number of low floor, fully accessible buses will be introduced in London as a
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demonstration project shortly. This will be followed later this year with a similar trial outside London with funding support from my Department.Helicopter Coverage Group
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to amend the helicopter coverage group criteria to secure a speedier recommended response time to emergencies at night and in bad weather.
Mr. Norris : My Department has no plans to amend the existing all weather-night response time established under the helicopter coverage criteria, which continue to prove operationally acceptable, nor will they be amended under the MOD's future provision of military helicopters for search and rescue. However, under these provisions, all weather-night coverage in the west will be improved in the first half of 1996 by the re- equipping of RAF Valley with Sea King aircraft.
Motorways
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many schemes, including dual 14 to 16-lane motorways, are planned in (a) Yorkshire and Humberside and (b) in England ; (2) if he will list the conurbations in England where 14 to 16-lane motorways travel through or near residential and school properties ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) how many miles of dual motorways creating a 14 to 16-lane system of traffic there are in (a) Yorkshire and Humberside and (b) in England.
Heathrow Rail Link
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will set out the reasons for the delay in constructing the proposed rail service between Heathrow and Paddington ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that a fast main line is built between Heathrow airport and London city centre as soon as possible.
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