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Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I am delighted to be able to tell my hon. Friend that the Employment Service placed 312,000 unemployed people in the first quarter of 1992 ; 350,000 in the second quarter ; 379, 000 in the third quarter ; and 367,000 in the fourth quarter. This is 10 per cent. more than the planned level. The agency is well on course to achieve its 1992-93 target of more than 1.4 million job placings by March this year.
21. Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures for Cornwall.
Mr. McLoughlin : In December 1992 there were 28,606 claimant unemployed people in the county of Cornwall. This figure is on the unadjusted basis.
22. Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of unemployment in the Carlisle travel-to-work area.
Mr. McLoughlin : In December 1992 there were 4,133 unemployed claimants in the Carlisle travel-to-work-area. This figure is on the unadjusted basis.
23. Mr. Gapes : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unemployed in Ilford, South in January 1979, January 1990, January 1991, January 1992 and January 1993 ; and how many registered job vacancies there were on the same dates ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Unadjusted claimant unemployed in the Ilford, South constituency was 1,762 in January 1990, 2,615 in January 1991 and 4,259 in January 1992. The corresponding numbers of jobcentre vacancies were 102, 42 and 42 respectively. However, the latter represent only a minor proportion of the total number of jobs available to the unemployed of Ilford, South.
25. Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the United Kingdom ; and if she will provide a breakdown by age.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : In December 1992, on the seasonally adjusted basis, there were 2,973,500 unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom. In October 1992, the latest date for which figures by age are available, those aged 24 and under, and those aged 40 and over each constituted just under one third of the total. More details can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Lambeth have been unemployed for (a) more than six months, (b) more than 12 months and (c) more than two years.
Mr. McLoughlin : The information requested is contained in the table and can also be obtained from the NOMIS database system in the Library.
Duration of unemployment in the Lambeth local authority district (October 1992) Duration of |Number of Claimant Unemployment |Unemployed --------------------------------------------------------- Over 6 months |15,119 Over 12 months |9,824 Over 2 years |4,225 Note: Claimant unemployment figures by duration are available on a quarterly basis for the months of January, April, July and October and are not adjusted for seasonal influences.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the (a) number and (b) rate of long-term unemployed for more than one year in the Blyth Valley area.
Mr. McLoughlin : In October 1992, the latest date for which claimant unemployment figures by duration are available, 1,243 people--or 33 per cent. of all unemployed claimants--in the Blyth Valley parliamentary constituency had been unemployed for over one year. An official unemployment rate is not available.
Inward Investment
15. Mr. Ancram : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate has been made of the effect of United Kingdom employment legislation on inward investment.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No such estimates have been made. However, we believe that the United Kingdom's employment legislation is one of many factors contributing to our good record in attracting inward investment.
Unemployment (Greater London)
16. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives she has taken this year specifically aimed at reducing unemployment in Greater London.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Employment Service and training and enterprise councils deliver a wide range of employment, enterprise and training programmes to help unemployed people find the best and quickest route back to employment. These programmes are available for unemployed people in Greater London, as elsewhere.
Prince's Youth Business Trust
18. Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much her Department has given to the Prince's Youth Business Trust in each of the last three years ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Expenditure by the Department on the Prince's Youth Business Trust was £2.7 million in 1989-90, £4 million in 1990-91 and £3.2 million in 1991-92. The Department's expenditure matches funding raised by the private sector.
Competitive Tendering
19. Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps she is taking to investigate the effect on wages and conditions of employees of companies which win contracts for public services under the compulsory competitive tendering regulations.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : None ; pay and conditions in private companies are matters for the employers and employees concerned.
Employment Growth
20. Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made as to which sectors of employment show the most potential for employment growth in 1993.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Government do not forecast employment or unemployment.
Training and Enterprise Councils
24. Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the levels of funding for training and enterprise councils in London in 1993-94.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The regional director for London is currently discussing levels of funding for 1993-94 with the London TECs.
Unemployed People
26. Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when she last met a representative group of unemployed workers.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : During the course of our work, my ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet, or receive representations from, individuals and organisations concerned with the problems of unemployment and those it affects.
Job Advertisements (Pay)
27. Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it a requirement for job centres to include in all job advertisement details of pay.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Details of rates of pay are important to jobseekers considering vacancies. Jobcentres always encourage employers to state the rates of pay, together with other information about the job. However, some employers prefer to discuss and agree exact rates of pay with the applicant and I believe they must have this flexibility.
Youth Training
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what monitoring has taken place (a) in London and (b) elsewhere of young people graduating from youth training schemes to establish how useful these schemes have been in enabling young people to find employment.
Mr. McLoughlin : A variety of information is collected about what happens to young people after leaving their youth training scheme. Information is collected from both training providers and from the trainees themselves. Local training and enterprise councils--TECs--may collect further information about their trainees but this is not held centrally. A regular monthly report containing information at national and regional level about the success of youth training trainees obtaining employment and qualifications is placed in the Library.
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Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what statistics her Department collates with respect to youth training schemes.
Mr. McLoughlin : Responsibility for the organisation of youth training lies with TECs and information about individual training schemes is not held centrally. TECs are required through their contract with the Secretary of State to provide only summary information. A copy of this contract is available in the Library. Although information on schemes is not available, information about trainees and their training is collected and held centrally.
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made of whether youth training schemes nationwide are achieving the goals for which they were established ; and what criteria the Government use to determine the success or failure of youth training schemes.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Department's annual report, Cm2205, explains the objectives of YT and how progress towards achieving these is measured. A copy of the current report is available in the Library.
Mrs. Bridget Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in (a) London and (b) England are currently registered on youth training schemes.
Mr. McLoughlin : At December 1992, the latest date for which information is available, it is estimated that there were 19,300 people registered on youth training in London and 242,000 people registered on youth training in England. Both figures include youth credits.
Industrial Accidents
Mr. Bill Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer of 2 December 1992, Official Report, columns 221-22, how many accidents were reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the provisions of regulation 5(1) of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1984 in each year since 1984 ; and if she will list for each accident the dangerous substances involved and for each substance the number of accidents in which it was involved ; in which accidents members of the public were (a) requested to remain in their homes or (b) asked to leave their homes for the duration of the incident ; and in which accidents restrictions were placed on (i) the consumption of foodstuffs, (ii) the consumption of drinking water and (iii) the use of water for agricultural or industrial purposes.
Mr. McLoughlin : The table shows the number of accidents which occurred between 1985 and 1992 that were reported to the Health and Safety Executive--HSE--under the provisions of regulation 5(1) of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 and the dangerous substances involved in each accident :
Year |Accident |Dangerous substances
|involved in
|accident
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |1 accident:
|this involved: |methane
1986 |7 accidents:
|2 involving: |cholorine
|1 each involving: |isoprophylalcohol and methylalcohol
|hydrogen peroxide
|ethylene oxide and isobutane
|toluene
|compound fertilisers containing super
|phosphate and ammonium nitrate
|substances
1987 |5 accidents
|1 each involving: |hydrogen gas, petroleum gas and
|hydrocarbon liquids
|propylene oxide
|petroleum liquids and spirits
|carbon disulphide
|methane
1988 |2 accidents:
|1 each involving: |300 different chemicals including
|oxidising materials, highly flammable
|liquids, chlorinated hydrocarbon
|solvent
|ortho-nitro-benzaldehyde
1989 |3 accidents:
|1 each involving: |ammonium nitrate fertilisers
|ammonia
|propane
1990 |6 accidents:
|1 each involving: |2, 4, dichloronitrobenzene, potassium
|fluoride, dimethylacetamide,
|tetramethylammonium chloride and
|xylene
|isobutane and hydrofluoric acid
|white phosphorus
|toluene
|natural gas/methane
|propane, propylene, butane and
|butylene
1991 |5 accidents:
|2 involving: |methane
|1 each involving: |acetone
|naphtha
|dimethyl aniline, toluene, dimethyl
|amino acid
1992 |4 accidents:
|1 each involving: |azodiisobutyronitrile (AZDN),
|ammonium persulphate and sodium
|persulphate
|hydrogen fluoride, chlorine, hydrogen
|chloride and trichloro-trifluoroethane
|ethylene
|aluminium silicate catalyst gave rise to
|hydrogen light hydro-carbon gases and
|carbon monoxide
The additional information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Youth Statistics
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people aged 16 and 17 years old in Walthamstow are (a) on youth training schemes, (b) in full-time education and (c) in employment.
Mr. McLoughlin : Information on the status of young people in Waltham Forest is not available from the Department in the form requested.
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Tribunal Decisions
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what time the 10 and 90 percentiles and median cases for (a) industrial tribunal and (b) employment appeal tribunal decisions took from first application, in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. McLoughlin : I regret that the information is not readily available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The average length of time for an appeal to come to hearing at the employment appeal tribunal in England and Wales is two years and in Scotland five months. The table shows the percentage of cases coming to first hearing at the industrial tribunals in various given periods of time for the 12 months ended 31 March 1992 :
Percentage Less than |England and Wales|Scotland ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 weeks |10 |8 12 weeks |20 |24 16 weeks |41 |55 20 weeks |61 |75 26 weeks |80 |90
Engineering
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what figures she has for the numbers employed in the engineering sector.
Mr. McLoughlin : The available information is as follows :
Employees in employment in the engineering industries
in Great Britain: November 1992
(Not seasonally adjusted)
|Thousands
----------------------------------------------------------
Mechanical engineering |626
Electrical and electronic engineering |471
Instrument engineering |88
Statutory Instruments
Ms. Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department in each year since 1980.
Mr. McLoughlin : The number of statutory instruments laid before Parliament by the Department of Employment in each year of the years 1980 to 1992 is as follows :
Year |Total number of
|Statutory
|Instruments
------------------------------------------------
1980 |41
1981 |48
1982 |49
1983 |34
1984 |29
1985 |31
1986 |25
1987 |30
1988 |40
1989 |41
1990 |30
1991 |35
1992 |41
DEFENCE
Naval Engineering College, Manadon
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-engineering Royal Navy officers attended courses at Manadon in maritime technology in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : In the academic year 1992-93,
45non-engineering Royal Navy officers and one Royal Marines officer are studying courses in maritime technology.
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current student enrolment at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon ; what was the annual intake in 1992-93 ; what is the current complement of (a) civilian and (b) service personnel ; and what are the current annual running costs categorised as appropriate.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : For the academic year 1992-93 there are 444 students at Manadon, excluding students who attended short courses of less than one year's duration. The new intake comprised 291 students, excluding short courses. The current complement of the college is 176 civilians--67 industrials and 109 non-industrials--and 148 service personnel--102 officers and 46 ratings. The current annual running costs are £10million broken down as follows :
|£ million
----------------------------------------------------------------
Service pay |4.00
Civilian pay |2.40
Duty travel and subsistence |0.20
Utilities and fuels |0.50
Education fees |0.30
Office machinery, stationery and telephones |0.15
Works |1.20
Repairs/maintenance |0.60
Accommodation services |0.80
Computer software, stores and miscellaneous |0.05
|-------
|10.20
Less income from research |0.20
|-------
Total |10.00
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign students are currently enrolled at Manadon ; and what was the fee income from such students in the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As at 9 February 1993 there were 53 foreign and commonwealth students enrolled at Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon. The income from the tuition of foreign students in the financial year 1991-92 was just under £500,000.
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Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what higher-level degrees or their equivalent are awarded as a result of study at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon ; how many were awarded in 1991-92 ; and what is the normal period of study for such degrees.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon awards two MSc degrees--the advanced marine engineering
course--AMEC--and the advanced marine defence technology course--AMDTC. Fourteen AMEC and seven AMDTC degrees were awarded in the academic year 1991-92. The normal period of study for MSc degrees is 54 weeks, including leave periods.
Sandhurst
Sir Nicholas Bonsor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total student intake into Sandhurst in academic year 1991-92 ; what were the target intakes for (a) school-leavers and (b) graduates at each point of entry in academic year 1992-93 ; what have been the actual figures to date ; how much has been spent on unprogrammed advertising for entrants to Sandhurst in 1992-93 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Archie Hamilton : The total student intake into Sandhurst in academic year 1991-92 was 808. Since September 1992 when the common commissioning course was introduced officer recruiting targets are set for the year as a whole and do not distinguish between graduates and school leavers. A total of 537 officer cadets entered Sandhurst during 1992-93 against an annual entry target of 611. No money has been spent on unprogrammed advertising for entrants to Sandhurst in 1992-93, although £186,000 was spent last November on an advertising campaign directed at the May intake.
Quangos
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other insititutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Oil and Pipelines Agency is the only Ministry of Defence executive non-departmental public body which has powers --under the Land Powers Act 1958--to compel third parties to carry out its instructions and to raise fees, in connection with preparation and organisation, for the directed work.
Tay House, Glasgow
Sir John Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what day a conditional missive was finalised between his Department and the vendors of Tay House, Glasgow ; and if a financial penalty to his Department is incurred if the purchase is not completed.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : No conditional missive has been finalised, nor any other form of legal agreement reached,
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with the vendors of Tay House or any other building in Glasgow or elsewhere which might meet the Army personnel centre requirement. No binding agreement on any building will be reached until consultation has been completed and final decisions have been made. There would be no financial penalty if, in the event the final decision were not to locate the centre in Glasgow. All speculation to the contrary is mistaken.Barracks
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the potential additional accommodation available to soldiers in barracks which are not currently used by the Regular Army ; and which barracks these are.
Mr. Archie Hamilton [holding answer 11 February 1993] : In general, empty barrack accommodation in the United Kingdom is either not required and therefore in the process of disposal, or is being prepared for, or awaiting occupation by, incoming units. In addition, barracks at training camps will be empty from time to time when no units are undergoing training at those sites. As at 12 February 1993 the following barracks were empty :
Barracks |Remarks
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotland
Edinburgh |Redford |Under refurbishment
Lanark |Winston |Awaiting disposal
Kirkcudbright |Kings |Awaiting disposal
Eastern
Strensall |Training Camp
Wathgill Camp |Training Camp
Southern
Deepcut |Alma/Dettingen |Under consideration
Aldershot |Lands Yard |Awaiting refurbishment
Aldershot |Mons |Awaiting refurbishment
Arborfield |Rowcroft |Under consideration
Dover |Old Park |Awaiting disposal
Tidworth |Mooltan |Under refurbishment
Wales and West
Crickhowell |Training Camp
London
Horse Guards |Under refurbishment
Windsor |Victoria |Under refurbishment
Small Firms Research Initiative
Mr. Waterson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the small firms research initiative.
Mr. Aitken : My Department has for many years used the services of small firms, particularly to aid its applied research programme. One vehicle developed to foster such connections was the small firms research initiative--SFRI--launched in 1987 as part of the Government's small firms initiative and with an annual budget of some £1million. Since then, however, a number of developments have occurred, in particular the formation of the Defence Research Agency--DRA. This organisation is already being run under commercial disciplines, introducing primary competition and more significantly
secondary--sub-contract--competition.
The DRA has recently launched a new scheme, Pathfinder, through which it invites industry to put
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forward research proposals that meet both MOD customer needs and firms' own research priorities for up to 100 per cent. funding. The aim is to achieve a better return on the total research expenditure made by MOD and industry, to mutual benefit. Pathfinder embodies the concept of strategic alignment with industry and aims to improve the capability of industry as a supplier of defence equipment while simultaneously providing a degree of competition at research team level to stimulate cost efficiency.The Government's policy on the support of small firms remains unchanged. But in the particular circumstances no useful purpose would be served by continuing with the SFRI given the launching of the new Pathfinder scheme, and no further funds will be allocated to it.
ENVIRONMENT
Council Property
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each local authority (a) the amount spent on council house repairs and maintenance, (b) the number of council-owned properties and (c) the average spent on repairs and maintenance per council-owned property in the latest available year.
Mr. Baldry : I have deposited a copy of a table showing the information requested by the hon. Member in the Library of the House. The table shows for 1992-93 each authority's estimated expenditure on repairs and maintenance debited to the housing revenue account including, where applicable, any expenditure via the housing repairs account ; the average number of properties owned by each council during 1992-93 ; and the amount of repairs and maintenance expenditure per property.
Housing Investment, Waltham Forest
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the housing investment programme allocation for the London borough of Waltham Forest for each of the last 10 years, expressed at constant prices.
Mr. Baldry : The information requested is given in the table. The figures for 1990-91 and subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of the revisions to the capital finance system introduced in April 1990.
Housing investment Programme (HIP) allocations by Waltham
Forest borough council and capital expenditure, 1983-84 to 1992-93
£ thousands
HIP Housing capital
allocations<1> expenditure
|Cash |1992-93 prices<2>|Cash |1992-93 prices<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983-84 |8,627 |14,323 |13,279 |22,047
1984-85 |8,945 |14,134 |16,135 |25,495
1985-86 |8,270 |12,391 |12,739 |19,087
1986-87 |7,971 |11,571 |14,462 |20,993
1987-88 |7,600 |10,458 |18,568 |25,550
1988-89 |9,651 |12,379 |21,881 |28,065
1989-90 |6,926 |8,335 |35,921 |43,231
New capital finance system<3>
1990-91 |17,138 |19,101 |23,744 |26,463
1991-92 |13,859 |14,448 |<4>18,881 |<4>19,683
1992-93 |17,752 |17,752 |<5>24,827 |<5>24,827
<1> Allocations for the years up to and including 1989-90 are final allocations, i.e., the initial
allocation plus any increases to the initial allocation made in-year. The allocations figures for 1990-91
and subsequent years are the HIP allocations (housing annual capital guidelines plus specified capital
grants) issued prior to the start of the financial year. These figures do not include any supplementary
credit approvals issued during the year.
<2> Cash figures have been converted to 1992-93 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation
as measured by the GDP market prices deflator.
<3> From 1990-91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation is an assessment or relative
need for housing capital expenditure rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now
conveyed by the single, all service, basic credit approval.
<4> Provisional.
<5> Estimated.
Local Authority Housing
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the responses to the consultation paper "Local Authority Housing in England-Voluntary Transfer".
Sir George Young : Approximately 200 responses to the consultation paper have been received to date, some of which were submitted in confidence. A list of the responses will be placed in the House Libraries this week. The responses will be held for six months in the Department's central library, where inquirers may get access to them.
Primary and Secondary Education (Funding)
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the basis for the difference between funding of primary and secondary children ; what weight he gives to different age children in determining education standard spending assessments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : The methods used for calculating the standard spending assessment (SSA) for primary and secondary children are set out in the "Local Government Finance Report (England) 1993-94" which was approved by the House on 3 February--copies are in the Library.
Quangos
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.
Mr. Howard : None of the NDPBs sponsored by my Department has this combination of powers. Within the Department, however, Her Majesty's chief inspector of pollution exercises powers of this kind in the authorisation and regulation of industrial processes and of the use, storage and disposal of radioactive material.
Departmental Annual Report
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of his departmental annual report 1993, Cm 2207, have been printed ; at what cost ; and to whom it has been distributed.
Column 194
Mr. Howard : A total of 3,750 copies of the Department of the Environment annual report 1993 (Cm 2207) were printed. The costs of printing and publication were borne by HMSO, which aims to recover its costs from sales revenue. In addition to commercial sales and distribution within Parliament, copies of the report were sent to the chairmen and chief executives of the Department's non-departmental public bodies, to the chief executives of every English principal local authority and to a number of other interested bodies.
Leicestershire Structure Plan
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the validity of the advice from Leicestershire county council to his Department's inspector for the Leicestershire structure plan inquiry in October and November 1992 to consider the planning and transport submission as a whole rather than individual road schemes ; what further action is planned ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, it is for a county planning authority to select matters for disucssion at an examination in public of its structure plan, in consultation with the chairman of the EIP panel. It is then for the county council to consider the report of the panel before deciding whether to modify the plan. In the recent EIP for its replacement structure plan, Leicestershire county council chose to examine its overall strategy for transport rather than any individual road schemes. The Department was not requested to intervene in the matter and will not be further involved until the county council publishes its proposed modifications later this year.
Empty Properties (Manchester)
Mr. Eastham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage of empty properties in Manchester's housing stock.
Mr. Baldry : Based on Manchester city council's most recent housing investment programme return, 5.4 per cent. of council housing stock was empty at 1 April 1992.
Construction Industry
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 762 when the proposed Government/industry review of contracting and procurement arrangements in the construction industry is expected to report.
Mr. Baldry : Once an independent expert is appointed and begins work, I hope the report will be available within 12 months.
Property Services Agency
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what type of computing system is used by the Property Services Agency accounts department ; when it was installed ; at what cost ; and how has it affected the time taken to deal with accounts.
Mr. Redwood : The PSA services runs the Ross systems integrated accounting package on a developed DEC VAX
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hardware platform. The new systems, providing fully auditable commercial and vote accounting, went live on a phased basis for resource accounting between January and April 1991. Works bill payment and recovery was also transferred onto the Ross systems from the agency's centralised accounts division on a phased programme, which was completed in February 1992. The full strategic accounting system project cost £10.3 million ; the later works bill payment project cost £1.5 million.The new systems enable the PSA businesses to operate on an autonomous basis and improve financial discipline in PSA. The advantages of the new devolved accounting systems include the improved quality of local invoicing and the elimination of any delay in moving paperwork to a central location. Improvements in the payment cycle rely as much on the certification procedures and handling processes involved as on the systems themselves. The businesses are working to ensure that subcontractors are paid within 30 days of validation.
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