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Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of public expenditure was the responsibility of non-departmental public bodies in (a) 1979 and (b) 1992 or the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Robert Jackson : Expenditure by non-departmental public bodies, which excludes national health service bodies, funded by the Government through grants and other support was 4 per cent. of general Government expenditure in 1978-79 and 4.6 per cent. in 1990-91.
Citizens Charters
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his proposals for citizens charters as they affect young people under 18 years of age.
Mr. Waldegrave : Young people benefit--as do all sections of society --from the better quality, more responsive public services promoted by the citizens charter initiative. More specifically, they will benefit from the publication, later this year, of charters setting standards of service for students in further and higher education.
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Freedom of Information
Mr. Bryan Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce a Bill on the freedom of information.
Mr. Waldegrave : The Government will be publishing a White Paper later this Session setting out our further proposals for achieving greater openness and access to information.
Research and Development
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what spending per capita on research and development is in each country of the European Community and the EC as a whole.
Mr. Waldegrave : The latest figures for per capita spending on research and development in the EC are for 1990 :
Millions of Current Purchasing
Power Parity £ per capita, 1990
|£
-----------------------------------
Belgium |165.66
Denmark |<1>170.81
France |252.66
Germany |306.78
Greece |<1>19.65
Ireland |58.02
Italy |124.50
Netherlands |193.68
Portugal |<1>19.84
Spain |57.18
United Kingdom |210.60
EC Average |186.90
<1> Nearest date to 1990.
Note: Luxembourg is not separately
identified in OECD R & D
statistics.
Tuberculosis
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what clinical research is carried out in the United Kingdom into tuberculosis ; at what institutions ; and at what cost.
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Mr. Robert Jackson : The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from this Department. The MRC is an independent body deciding what research to support on its own expert judgment.
In the last financial year 1991-92, the council's expenditure for research directly relevant to tuberculosis was £808,000. This supported basic research at its own MRC tuberculosis and related infections unit at the Hammersmith hospital, and through grants to researchers at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Public Health Laboratory Service, London, and the university of Leicester. A further £327,000 was spent in 1991-92 on projects which may, in part, be relevant to the study of tuberculosis.
The MRC is not currently funding any research into tuberculosis directly relevant to patients, but the council is always willing to consider for support soundly based new scientific proposals in competition with other applications.
Research is also undertaken by higher education institutions, but details are not available centrally.
Quangos
Mr. Hain : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give figures for the total number of quangos, together with the total number of staff employed and the total expenditure, including those connected with the health service, for each year from 1979 to 1991 ; and if he will give the percentage difference in each figure between 1979 and 1991.
Mr. Robert Jackson : The available information is shown in the table ; fuller details are published in "Public Bodies", copies of which are available in the House Library. The figures are not strictly comparable on a year-by-year basis because of the change of status of some major spending bodies.
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NDPBs Health Service Total NDPBs and
bodies Health Service
bodies
|Total |Total staff |Total gross |Total |Total staff |Total expenditure|Total |Total staff |Total expenditure
|expenditure
Year |£ million |£ million |£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |2,167 |217,000 |6,150 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
1982 |1,810 |205,500 |8,330 |n/a |n/ |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
1983 |1,691 |196,700 |9,940 |261 |1,072,300 |14,350 |1,952 |1,269,000 |24,290
1984 |1,681 |141,200 |7,280 |259 |1,080,300 |15,420 |1,940 |1,221,500 |22,700
1985 |1,654 |138,300 |7,770 |266 |1,071,100 |17,050 |1,920 |1,209,400 |24,820
1986 |1,658 |146,300 |8,240 |355 |1,055,500 |14,160 |2,013 |1,201,800 |22,400
1987 |1,643 |148,700 |9,100 |356 |1,047,600 |14,350 |1,999 |1,196,300 |23,450
1988 |1,648 |134,600 |9,450 |359 |1,027,400 |15,500 |2,007 |1,162,000 |24,950
1989 |1,555 |118,300 |9,410 |359 |1,035,100 |17,020 |1,914 |1,153,500 |26,430
1990 |1,539 |117,500 |11,870 |355 |1,029,200 |19,370 |1,894 |1,146,700 |31,240
1991 |1,444 |116,400 |13,080 |411 |1,026,300 |20,770 |1,855 |1,142,700
Percentage change
1979-91 |-33.4 |-46.4 |+112.7 |+57.5 |<1>-4.3 |<1>+44.7 |<1>-5.0 |<1>-10.0 |<1>+39.4
<1>Since 1983.
n/a-Not available.
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HOUSE OF COMMONS
Hendon Artists
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition of paintings by Hendon, South artists to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 22 to 26 March 1993.
Machine Tool Technology
Mr. Waller : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to machine tool technology to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 1 to 5 March 1993.
Staff Salaries
Mr. Winnick : To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will set out the level of the most recent salary or wage increase given for this year for each grade of staff employed by the House, giving the effective date of the increase in each case.
Mr. Beith : Grades 1 to 3 in the service of the House are affected by the decision of the Government that, in common with Ministers and Members of Parliament, staff covered by the Top Salaries Review Body should receive no pay increase in 1993. However, the second stage of the 1992 TSRB award comprising a 3 per cent. increase of salaries in payment will be implemented with effect from 1 April 1993. This applies to staff of the House in grades 1 to 3.
The most recent salary increases for other grades are as follows :
Grade |Percentage increase|Effective date ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4-7 |3.9 |1 August 1992 8 and below (including Catering grades) |4.1 |1 April 1992
The existing arrangements for discretionary performance-related pay will continue to operate.
Questions
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce proposals to allow the tabling of questions to take place (a) by fax and (b) by electronic transfer.
Mr. Newton : I have no plans to do so.
It is the long-standing practice of the House that each question should be tabled on the personal authority of an
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hon. Member, either in person or on his or her behalf by another hon. Member, or in writing with a genuine signature. It would not be possible for the Clerks in the Table Office to verify that a fax or electronic message had been sent personally by an hon. Member. However, the hon. Member may wish to draw this matter to the attention of the Select Committee on Procedure.Mr. Winnick : To ask the Lord President of the Council when he now expects to respond to the Procedure Committee's third report of Session 1990-91, HC 178, on parliamentary questions.
Mr. Newton : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on Thursday 22 October 1992, at column 363 .
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Cambridge Water Company (Judgment)
Mr. Fry : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect on British industry of the retrospective provisions of the judgment in the case of Cambridge Water Company v. Eastern Counties Leather plc.
Mr. Sainsbury : Eastern Counties Leather is petitioning for leave to appeal to the House of Lords. The Government will await the final determination of this case.
President of the Board of Trade
Mr. Redmond : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 13 January, Official Report, column 745, if he will now abolish the title of President of the Board of Trade ; and if he will make a statement.
Chemical Weapons
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the United Kingdom national authority under the chemical weapons convention to include representation from the chemical industry, the scientific community and other concerned and interested parties.
Mr. Heseltine : The national authority will be an executive body. No decision has been taken about the involvement of the chemical industry, the scientific community, and other concerned and interested parties. Such involvement will be the subject of consultation in due course.
Pit Closures
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he is taking to ensure that British Coal's care and maintenance procedures in the 31 pits proposed for closure do not prejudice the outcome of his reviews ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : Coaling and development work is continuing at the 21 pits subject to the coal review so there can be no question of the outcome of that review being prejudiced. British Coal has given frequent assurances in correspondence, to the Trade and Industry and
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Employment Select Committees, and in court that it is preserving the fabric of the 10 pits so that if, at the end of the period of consultation, it is decided to keep any or all of them open, that will be possible. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has asked Boyds to report on whether the fabric of the 10 pits is being preserved in accordance with those assurances.Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects Boyds to complete its report on the 10 pits proposed for immediate closure ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. Friend has asked Boyds to submit its final report by 15 March 1993. A copy of the full terms of reference of the Boyds study of the 10 pits is available in the Library of the House.
Oil and Gas Exploration
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to protect wildlife sites and sites of special scientific interest in the firth of Forth from oil exploration and possible oil contamination arising from the Department of Trade and Industry's 14th round of offering coastal oil and gas exploration licences.
Mr. Eggar : The environmental sensitivities of all areas offered in the 14th offshore oil and gas licensing round, including any which encompass sites of special scientific interest or of particular wildlife value, have been considered on a block-by-block basis. Environmental conditions to be attached to blocks offered in the first two stages of the round have been drafted following agreement with the Department of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee ; those for coastal blocks, including those offered in the Forth approaches, include requirements to consult these bodies and relevant local authorities regarding environmental protection measures before exploration commences. Other special conditions may include seasonal restrictions on exploration activities and controls on discharges from rigs and the chemical formulation of drilling muds.
Corporate Communications Ltd.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has appointed inspectors to inquire into the actions of the auditors and directors of Corporate Communications Ltd.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : I cannot comment on the affairs of individual companies. I am prepared to consider any information the hon. Member may provide in the usual way.
Maxwell Companies
Mr. Don Foster : To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date Companies house was notified that the ownership of London and Bishopgate International had been transferred from Kevin Maxwell to L & B Holdings plc.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : On 24 May 1989.
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Coal Industry
Mr. Cummings : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response he has made to the findings by the Closkey Coal Information Services contained in the Easington district council submission entitled "The Case for Easington and Vane Tempest Collieries" ; and if he will commission an environmental impact report.
Mr. Eggar : We are taking Easington district council's submission into account in the coal review, and hope to publish a White Paper setting out our findings as early as possible next month. The commissioning of an environmental impact report would be an operational matter for British Coal.
Republic of Ireland
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the operation of the market development fund in the Republic of Ireland with respect to possible unfair competition for United Kingdom exports into the European single market and possible subsidy implications ; what consideration has been given to the implications for manufacturing firms in Northern Ireland ; what representations he has made to the authorities of the Irish Republic ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : Officials in this, and other Government Departments, are watching closely the operation of the market development fund which is scheduled to terminate at the end of March 1993. My right hon. Friend raised our concerns with the Commission as soon as he heard of this scheme. These concerns included the incompatibility of the measures with the common market, the damaging effects on United Kingdom and other Community producers and the serious precedents it would set were the Commission to approve the measures. As a result of this approach, the Commission imposed a number of important restrictions on the operation of the scheme.
British Steel (US Duties)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 4 December 1992, Official Report, column 459, what further discussions he has had with the United States about their imposition of duties on British steel output.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade raised this matter with the US Secretary of Commerce by letter on 11 December.
Outstanding Debts
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on progress towards requiring large companies to state in their reports and acounts how quickly they pay outstanding debts.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms has today published a consultative document to take forward the commitment the Government have given that in future large companies will be required to state in their report and accounts how quickly they pay.
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Late payment is a reflection of business culture which is intangible and notoriously resistant to change. The Government are using their influence to nudge a culture change in the right direction.A number of options have been considered as the best way of taking forward the commitment and these options are discussed in the consultative document.
The Government-preferred option uses data large companies collect already, rather than requiring collection of new data which would be a burden on business. Suppliers and others will be provided with information they have not had previously.
The consultative document also suggests which companies would be required to make this disclosure by proposing a definition of large companies.
The Department is seeking comments on the consultative document by 26 March 1993 with a view to presenting the necessary regulations to Parliament and applying them to company accounts as soon as possible.
Energy Strategy
Mr. David Porter : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he is giving to the generation costs, and employment and investment levels of the nuclear and offshore gas and oil industries, relative to coal equivalents, in developing a national energy strategy ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : Many of these issues are being addressed in the coal review currently being undertaken by my Department.
Wind Generation
Mr. David Porter : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has further to increase the generation of wind-generated electricity in East Anglia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : Wind-generated electricity is expected to increase in the future, encouraged by further orders under the non-fossil fuel obligation. There are no plans to promote wind energy selectively in particular locations.
BCCI
Mr. Vaz : To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date he granted an extension to the liquidators of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International to the undertaking they gave on 14 January 1992 to hold a creditors' meeting.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : In view of the terms of the judgment of the vice -chancellor given on 2 March 1992 no formal extension was given to the liquidators in respect of the undertaking whch they gave on 5 December 1991 regarding the holding of a creditors meeting pursuant to section 141 of the Insolvency Act 1986. The liquidators have now sought and obtained the directions of the court with regard to the summoning and conduct of such a meeting which I understand will be held May 1993.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many compromises he has sanctioned in respect of the liquidation of the bank of Credit and Commerce International ; and what is the value involved.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : Twelve such sanctions have been given, 10 in respect of claims totalling £30,877,540 and two in respect of claims totalling 14,438,462 US dollars.
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Mr. Vaz : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many meetings he has had with the liquidators of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.
Colombian Coal
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department have made to the EC Commission in support of British Coal's anti-dumping claim against Colombian coal imported into the United Kingdom through the EC.
Mr. Eggar : The responsibility for deciding whether an anti-dumping complaint should be formally investigated lies with the Commission. The Government have made it clear to the Commission that we look to it to take seriously its responsibilities in this area and therefore to consider British Coal's complaint carefully. We have also made clear that we have no objection to its opening an investigation.
Electricity Generators
Mr. Hardy : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will call for a report from the Office of Electricity Regulation on profits made by the electricity generators.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 22 January 1993] : When the Government set up the privatised electricity market it appointed the Director General of Electricity Supply--DGES--to regulate it. It is for the DGES to decide whether any action is called for over the profits made by the electricity generators. However, the terms of reference of the coal review announced on 26 October said that the review would, amongst other issues, consider in consultation with the DGES whether any company is abusing its position in the marketplace.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Press Regulation
16. Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to maintain press freedom.
23. Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes will be made concerning the Press Complaints Commission in the light of the report by Sir David Calcutt, QC ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to the question from the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick).
National Lottery
17. Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what recent representations he has received about his proposals for a national lottery.
Mr. Brooke : I have received a number of recent representations from a wide range of interested parties about the Government's proposals for a national lottery. Only a small minority of those representations were opposed to the establishment of a national lottery.
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Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received urging the location of the headquarters of the national lottery in an area traditionally associated with the pools industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : The Department has received representations from the Liverpool chamber of commerce and from the editor of the Liverpool Echo, and from the Glasgow development agency. Bradford metropolitan borough council has also urged consideration of Liverpool as a location. The National Heritage Committee recommended that the headquarters of the office of the national lottery should be established in such an area.
BBC Licence Fee
18. Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received about the BBC licence fee ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : Since the Department's establishment, we have received a total of 713 representations about the television licence fee. Matters raised included the level of the fee, possible concessions for particular groups and the operation of the concessionary licence scheme.
Cathedrals
19. Sir Anthony Durant : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what grants his Department is making to support the preservation of great cathedrals.
Mr. Brooke : In April 1991, the Government launched the cathedral repair grant scheme, aimed at assisting with the repair of cathedrals and comparable buildings of other denominations. A total of £11.5 million, spread over the three financial years 1991-92 to 1993-94, was provided to English Heritage for this purpose. Following the autumn statement, I was able to announce an additional provisional allocation of £4 million for each of the two years 1994-95 and 1995-96 in order to sustain this very successful scheme.
Rugby League Grounds
20. Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the operation of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 in relation to professional rugby league football.
Mr. Brooke : I am empowered under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 to designate for the purposes of safety certification any sports ground accommodating more than 10,000 spectators at which football, rugby or cricket is played. The purpose of certification is to secure reasonable public safety. At present, 25 rugby league grounds are designated under the 1975 Act.
Highcliffe Castle, Dorset
21. Mr. Adley : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the future of Highcliffe castle, Dorset.
Mr. Key : The Buildings at Risk Trust has submitted to Christchurch borough council a business plan for the restoration of Highcliffe castle. I have agreed to meet my hon. Friend, and a deputation from the council, on Monday 15 February, to discuss the plan.
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Windsor Castle (Fire)
22. Mr. Boyce : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he is now in a position to give an estimate of the cost of Windsor castle's restoration and the percentage to be met from public funds.
Mr. Brooke : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the question from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks).
Theatres Act 1843
24. Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the passing of the Theatres Act 1843.
Mr. Key : Although we have no particular plans to mark this anniversary, I am grateful to my hon. Friend for having drawn it to the attention of the House. As he will know, the Theatres Act greatly liberalised the provision of theatre in London in the last century.
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