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Sellafield
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the accident early in January at British Nuclear Fuels' Sellafield plant involving spillage of a litre of plutonium- contaminated solvent ; when his Department was informed of the incident ; and what radiological contamination occurred.
Mr. Eggar : The incident in question occurred in the Magnox reprocessing plant at Sellafield on 12 January when liquor overflowed into an instrument feed cabinet. Approximately one litre of the liquor, containing about a gramme of plutonium, leaked out of the cabinet and on to the floor below. The leak affected a small area of the workplace and was subsequently cleaned up. No worker was contaminated and there was no release of airborne activity. The incident was reported to this and other interested Departments and relevant regulatory bodies on 13 January.
Details of the incident are contained in the Sellafield site's weekly newsletter, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Iraq
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information Her Majesty's Government have on the engineering equipment originating in the United Kingdom installed in the Zaafaraniyah plant in Iraq.
Mr. Needham : The Government have asked the United Nations special commission and the International Atomic Energy Authority for confidential details of any evidence of involvement by British companies in Iraq's weapons for mass destruction programmes. Any indication of wrongdoing will be urgently investigated and if export controls have been breached, it will, if appropriate, be a matter for the courts.
Sizewell B
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department has received concerning the safety of computer software for the proposed Sizewell B nuclear power station.
Mr. Eggar : I have received six letters from hon. Members forwarding representations from their constituents about the safety of the computerised primary protection system proposed for Sizewell B. In addition, my officials have replied to about 300 pre-printed postcards on this subject.
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will require the nuclear installations inspectorate to conduct an independent investigation into the computer software system for the proposed Sizewell B power station.
Mr. Eggar : The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate will ensure that any proposed software is fully validated as part of its independent assessment of Nuclear Electric's safety case for Sizewell B.
Standing Charges
Mr. Hain : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what would be the cost of abolishing standing charges for gas, electricity and British Telecom for (a) all pensioner
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households, (b) pensioner households on income support, (c) all households on income support and (d) all households on family credit.Mr. Neil Hamilton : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 27 October 1992--( Official Report, column 562. )
Shipbuilding
Mr. Cousins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade which British shipyards and dockyards have the physical layout and capacity to build a ship of 70,000 gross registered tonnes and above.
Mr. Sainsbury : Depending on the specification and dimensions, a vessel of 70,000grt and above could be built by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Limited, Birkenhead, Harland & Wolff Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Limited, Belfast, Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Limited, Newcastle Upon Tyne and Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited, Barrow in Furness.
High Voltage Cables
Mr. Bowis : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the most recent advice he has received about the health risks of high voltage overground or underground cables.
Mr. Eggar : The most recent advice received about the alleged hazards to health from electric and magnetic fields associated with high voltage electric power lines or cables is the report of the advisory group on non-ionising radiation, chaired by Sir Richard Doll, issued in March 1992. However, two reports of Swedish studies released in October 1992 have been referred to the advisory group and further advice from them is awaited.
Japanese Investment
Mr. Morgan : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what data he has available on the number, value and employment creation of Japanese inward investment projects in manufacturing industry in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) France, (d) Italy and (e) Spain in the latest 12- month period for which data is available.
Mr. Sainsbury : According to Japanese Ministry of Finance figures, the number and value of Japanese inward investment projects in manufacturing industry in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) France, (d) Italy and (e) Spain from April 1991 to March 1992, the latest 12-month period for which data is available, are as follows :
April 1991-March 1992
|Number |Value (US$ million)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United Kingdom |77 |904
Germany |18 |340
France |38 |237
Italy |13 |147
Spain |12 |286
Source: Japanese Ministry of Finance.
Information on the employment creation of these investment projects is not available.
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British Coal
Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the current directors of British Coal ; when they were appointed to their current contracts and when these will terminate ; if he will give details of their salary and other remunerations ; and if he intends to review these contracts.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 26 January 1993] : The information is as follows :
|Current |Salary
|period
|of
|appointment/re-appointment
|£
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. John Neil Clarke |1 January 1991 to |234,360.00
(Chairman) |31 December 1995
Mr. Albert Wheeler CBE |1 April 1992 to |110,000.00
(Deputy Chairman) |31 March 1993
Mr. Michael Howard Butler |1 April 1991 to |93,744.00
(Finance Director) |31 March 1993
Mr. Kevan Hunt |1 April 1991 to |88,536.00
(Employee Relations Director) |31 March 1993
Part-time Members
Dr. Thomas John Parker |1 September 1992 |7,499.50
|to 31 August 1993
Dr. David Valentine Atterton |1 September 1992 |7,499.50
|to 31 August 1994
Mr. David Bruce Walker |1 July 1991 to |7,499.50
|30 June 1994
Mr. Johannes Petrus Erbe |1 June 1992 to |7,499.50
|31 May 1995
Mr. Antony Peverell Hichens |6 December 1991 to |7,499.50
|5 December 1994
Apart from the normal process of consideration in respect of appointments which are due to expire, and to agree annual reviews of salary, I have no present plans to review these appointment.
Fraud
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce a system whereby his Department should be able to bring proceedings in the civil courts to recover (a) compensation for victims, (b) punitive damages for dishonesty and (c) reimbursement of the costs of the proceedings in cases falling within certain categories of allegedly fraudulent conduct ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 26 January 1993] : Sections 6 and 61 of the Financial Services Act 1986 provide for application to the court for restitution on behalf of the victims of certain contraventions and offences under that Act. In addition, section 438 of the Companies Act 1985 permits the Secretary of State to bring proceedings in the public interest in the name and on behalf of a company if it appears to him from an inspector's report or information obtained under the investigation powers of the Act, the civil proceedings ought to be brought. I have no plans for further legislation along these lines.
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Scotts Greys Travel Ltd
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action had been taken by his Department to investigate repeated late filing of accounts by Scotts Greys Travel Ltd., from 1985 prior to the company's collapse in 1992.
Mr. Neil Hamilton [holding answer 27 January 1993] : Responsibility for the subject of the question 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 Alan Milburn, dated 26 January 1993 :
I refer to your Parliamentary Question concerning the action taken by Companies House Executive Agency to investigate repeated late filing of accounts by Scotts Greys Travel Limited from 1985 prior to the company's collapse in 1992. I have been asked to reply as Chief Executive and Registrar of Companies House Executive Agency. If companies fail to file on time Companies House instigate a procedure for achieving compliance. This system has changed considerably over the last two years, and coupled with the introduction of late filing penalties in July 1992, has resulted in a marked improvement in timeliness.
Prior to July 1992 once companies filed, albeit late, all pursuit action ceased. This would have been the case in respect of this company.
The company's accounts for the period ending 31 December 1991 should have been delivered to me by 31 October 1992. No accounts were received and on 16 November a letter warning that the accounts were overdue was issued to the company at its Registered Office. No response was received and on 29 December 1992 a notice was issued to Mr David Scott at his home address warning him that if the document was not received within the next 28 days, criminal proceedings would be instituted against him.
However, on 19 January the Registrar received a copy of an order for the compulsory winding up of the company. The Official Receiver is now dealing with the liquidation and in the circumstances, Companies House will not pursue the outstanding accounts. The role of Companies House is to maintain an up-to-date company register, to ensure that companies comply with the filing requirements of the Companies Act 1985 and to make this information available to the public. Companies House does not investigate the reasons for late filing once the document in question has been filed. It is not the responsibility of Companies House to scrutinise accounts filed beyond establishing that they comply with legal requirements. The records that Companies House make available to the public exist to provide anyone doing business with a limited company, information about its structure, ownership and financial standing. The absence of statutory documents on the file should be a warning to potential creditors.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is proposing to take following the collapse of Scotts Greys Travel Ltd.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 27 January 1993] : Scotts Greys Travel Ltd. was wound up by the court on 7 January 1993. The Official Receiver, who is also the liquidator, has a duty to investigate the causes of the company's failure and report any misconduct to the Secretary of State.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of how many customers have been affected by the collapse of Scotts Greys Travel Ltd.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 27 January 1993] : The Official Receiver has not yet obtained details of the total number of customers who have been affected by the liquidation of this company.
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Offshore Licences
Mr. Ainger : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Pembroke of 21 January, Official Report , column 336 , if he will give details of the special conditions that have been agreed with the Department of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Joint Nature Conservation Council relating to blocks 103/2, 103/3, 103/6, 103/7, 106/25, 106/29, 107/21, 104/16, 104/17, 104/18, 104/19 and 104/21 ;
(2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Pembroke of 21 January, Official Report , column 336 , if he will now place in the Library copies of the advice he received from the Countryside Council for Wales and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on blocks 103/2, 103/3, 103/7, 106/25, 106/29, 107/29, 107/21, 104/16, 104/17, 104/18, 104/18, 104/19, and 104/21 prior to their inclusion in the 14 round of offshore drilling licensing.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 27 January 1993] : Consultation with other Departments and interested bodies, such as the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Countryside Council for Wales, was on the basis that the information they provided would be treated in confidence. As I have already indicated in my answer of 21 January, their comments were taken into account, and are reflected in conditions to be attached to these blocks if awarded. A copy of the indicative conditions for blocks 103/2, 103/3, 103/6, 103/7, 106/25, 106/29, 107/21, 104/16, 104/17, 104/18, 104/19 and 104/21 will be placed in the Library of the House.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Parliamentary Expenses
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the information available to him on the (a) salary, (b) various office costs allowances, (c) travel allowances and entitlements, (d) postage and telephone allowances, (e) entertainments allowances and (f) other free or subsidised facilities available to elected members of the parliamentary assemblies of (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) Germany, (iii) France, (iv) the United States of America, (v) Australia, (vi) Spain, (vii) Eire, (viii) Denmark and (ix) the European Parliament, basing his comparison on the exchange rates at the close of business on 1 January.
Mr. Newton : The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, last year the review body on top salaries carried out a review of the House of Commons office costs allowance (Report No. 32, Cm 1943, July 1992) which included in appendix E
"The secretarial, research and office accommodation and expenses of legislators in thirteen countries : a comparative survey 1991". Calculations for this survey were based on the rate of exchange prevailing on 15 April 1991. This report is available in the House of Commons Library.
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Select Committee Reports
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the (a) titles and (b) publication dates of reports by Select Committees which have not yet been debated by Parliament ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Newton : Details of the debates on select committee reports are given in the Sessional Returns for each Session from 1987-88 to 1991-92, copies of which are in the Library.
The substantive reports from departmentally-related select committees this Session up to 25 January 1993 are as follows :
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Committee |HC Paper No. |Title |Date of formal |Date of Publication
|report (in Votes
|and Proceedings)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture
First |258 |Arrangements for the importation of bananas into |9 December 1992 |12 January 1993<1>
| the United Kingdom-interim report
Defence
First |218 |Statement on the Defence Estimates 1992 |11 November 1992 |30 November 1992
Second |306 |Britain's Army for the 90s: |14 January 1993 |[not yet published]
| Commitments and Resources
Employment
First |308 |Employment in the horseracing industry and the new |9 December 1992 |16 December 1992
| VAT regime after 1 January 1993
Second |263 |Employment consequences of British Coal's |13 January 1993 |21 January 1993
| Proposed Pit Closures
Foreign Affairs
First |205 |Europe after Maastricht-interim report |4 November 1992 |19 November 1992
Health
First |321 |NHS Trusts-interim conclusions and proposals for |30 November 1992 |16 December 1992
| further inquiries
Second |221 |The European Commission's Proposed Directive on |14 December 1992 |20 January 1993
| the Advertising of Tobacco Products
Home Affairs
First |265 |Accountability of the Security Service |14 December 1992 |13 January 1993
National Heritage
First |249-I |Export of Works of Art |3 November 1992 |11 January 1993<2>
Second |249-II |Export of Works of Art |12 November 1992 |11 January 1993
Third |389 |National Lottery etc. Bill |14 January 1993 |20 January 1993
Science and Technology
First |228 |The policy and organisation of the Office of Science and Technology|10 December 1992 |17 December 1992
Social Security
First |189 |The operation of pension funds-the recovery of |15 December 1992 |12 January 1993
| assets
Second |359 |Low income families 1979-1989 |15 December 1992 |14 January 1993
Transport
First |375 |Future of the Railways in the Light of the |13 January 1993 |20 January 1993
| Government's White Paper Proposals: Interim
| Report
Treasury and Civil Service
First |210 |The 1992 Autumn Statement and the conduct of |16 December 1992 |13 January 1993
| economic policy
<1> Published in typescript on 9 December 1992.
<2> Published in typescript on 3 November 1992 and in printed form in one volume with Second Report.
The following select committee reports have been debated this session:
1. Second Report of the Environment Committee 1991-92 HC 17 on Coastal Zone Protection debated on Estimates day on 10 December 1992.
2. Public Accounts Committee: 36th to 43rd Reports 1990-91, 1st to 24th Reports 1991-92 and 1st to 11th Reports 1992-93 on 28 October 1992.
3. Report of the Sittings of the House Committee 1991-92 HC 20-I on 13 July 1992.
4. Members' Interests: First Report 1990-91 and Second Report 1991-92 on 23 June 1992.
In addition, the following committee reports have been listed as relevant for debate on the Order Paper on the dates shown below:
Treasury and Civil Service Committee: 6 November 1992; BCCI Bingham Report, Second Report (HC26 1991-92) and Fourth Report
(HC177 1991-92), Third Special (HC302 1991-92), First Special Report (HC178 1992-93), Second Special (HC248 1992-93)
National Heritage Committee: 25 January 1993: Third Report on the National Lottery etc. Bill.
There remain in the current session two and a half Estimates days on which select committee reports will be debated.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Ozone-depleting substances
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what proportion of his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances become controlled waste in terms of section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 ;
(2) what action has been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances consumed by his Department are identified as controlled wastes when they are no longer in use.
Mr. Atkins : The Environmental Protection Act 1990 does not extend to Northern Ireland. Ozone-depleting substances which become waste are disposed of in an environmentally acceptable way.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many catastrophic leaks of ozone-depleting substances have occurred within his Department's buildings in the last five years.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many chlorofluorocarbon domestic fridges are contained within his Department's buildings ;
(2) how many CFC and HCFC installations are contained within his Department's buildings.
Mr. Atkins : The information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances in use by his Department, identified as controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, do not reach the atmosphere.
Mr. Atkins : All relevant equipment is checked for leakage during routine planned maintenance.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for the recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals within depart-mental buildings.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide details from the maintenance and servicing record of the quantity and type of ozone-destroying chemicals used annually in his Department's refrigeration and air conditioning equipment for servicing and in leakages ; and what proportion is removed for recycling.
Mr. Atkins : The information sought is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated or
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spent to specifically deal with measures to reduce his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting sub-stances.Mr. Atkins : Funding is not specifically allocated for measures to reduce the Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances. Where plant can be modified or is replaced zero or low
ozone-depleting substances are used.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which current uses of ozone-depleting chemicals by his Department are considered essential.
Mr. Atkins : Use in certain refrigeration plant and refrigerators which have not yet reached the end of their useful lives.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the quantity of ozone-depleting substances recycled within his Department and returned to the manufacturer ; (2) what quantity of HCFC 22 is purchased by his Department per annum ;
(3) what the latest figures are for his Department's total purchase of CFCs and HCFCs.
Mr. Atkins : The information sought is not available.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what date his Department's use of ozone-depleting chemicals will conform with EC regulations on limits on these chemicals.
Mr. Atkins : The Department's policy is to eliminate the use of ozone depleting chemicals if possible in advance of the dates set out in the EC regulation and the Montreal protocol.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain CFCs or HCFCs for his Department.
Mr. Atkins : Department policy is to purchase only those fridges which contain ozone-friendly refrigerants.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance has been sought and received on alternatives or substitutes to the ozone-destroying chemicals in use by his Department.
Mr. Atkins : Guidance on alternatives or substitutes to ozone- destroying chemicals is obtained from the chemical and refrigeration industries, appropriate professional institutions, relevant official publications and the Building Research Establishment.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many portable halon fire extinguishers are contained within departmental buildings ; and what measures are being taken to ensure their recycling and replacement.
Mr. Atkins : Information on the number of Halon fire extinguishers is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
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Where a Halon extinguisher has been discharged, damaged or reached the end of its recommended working life it is replaced with a carbon dioxide extinguisher.Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many refrigeration and air conditioning systems in his Department are equipped with automatic leak detection systems.
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the Departmental green Minister has promoted protection of the ozone layer with specific policy measures ; which possible measures have been considered and rejected ; and on what grounds.
Mr. Atkins : I have promoted protection of the ozone layer by specific policy measures relating to the recovery and recycling of ozone- depleting chemicals. Other measures to reduce the use of these chemicals, or products containing them, include a purchasing requirement--whether for goods or services--to seek out and use suitable substitutes. A measure which has been rejected is the complete replacement of existing plant or supplies containing these substances, which would be cost prohibitive.
Environmental Information
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to introduce legislation to transpose EC directive 90/313 on freedom of access to information on the environment into law.
Mr. Atkins : Regulations to introduce the directive will be introduced on 1 March 1993.
Prevention of Terrorism Acts
Mr. Bell : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are at present excluded from Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts.
Mr. Bell : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been excluded from Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts in each year since 1974.
Mr. Mates : The information is as follows :
Number of persons excluded from NI under section 6 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1989 (or its predecessors) Year |Numbers ------------------------ 1974 |- 1975 |- 1976 |- 1977 |- 1978 |- 1979 |- 1980 |1 1981 |6 1982 |- 1983 |- 1984 |- 1985 |- 1986 |- 1987 |1 1988 |- 1989 |1 1990 |- 1991 |- 1992 |-
School Pupils
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many pupils are at each of (a) the primary and (b) the secondary schools in the constituency of Newry and Armagh in (i) the maintained, (ii) the controlled and (iii) the integrated sectors of education ;
(2) how many pupils are at each of (a) the primary and (b) the secondary schools in the constituency of Strangford in (i) the maintained, (ii) the controlled and (iii) the integrated sectors of education.
Mr. Hanley : I refer the right hon. Gentleman to answers that I gave him on 15 and 16 June 1992, Official Report, columns 382-83 and 465-67. I will write as soon as the information in respect of 1992-93 becomes available.
Local Authority Performance Indicators
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make local authorities publish performance indicators ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The Local Government Auditor will issue a consultation paper to all district councils in February 1993 setting out proposals for the introduction and use of performance indicators. Once decisions have been taken on the indicators to be used, councils--in common with local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland--will be required to publish the results. It is anticipated that publication of the first results will relate to the financial year 1993-94. I am convinced that the publication of such information will benefit councils and ratepayers alike. Councils will set standards and targets to be achieved and ratepayers will be able to assess the performance not just of their own council but also how it compares with other councils.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Local Government Finance
Ms. Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to disregard all income from compensation payments paid to people who had been held in Nazi concentration camps in calculations for community charge benefit and council tax benefit.
Mr. Burt : People who have suffered from National Socialist persecution already receive special recognition in all of the income- related benefit schemes, including community charge benefit and, from April 1993, council tax benefit. The first £10 a week of the pension they receive as a consequence of their persecution is completely ignored. We have no plans to change these rules.
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