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It is not possible to identify related staff costs. Expenditure figures for 1979-80 to 1986-87 are not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the provisions governing the granting of planning permission for floating helipads on rivers.
Mr. Baldry : There are no provisions governing the granting of planning permission which are specific only to floating helipads on rivers, as distinct from other development proposals.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the partnership for change conference to be held in Manchester later this year.
Mr. Howard : We intend to hold an international conference, "Partnership for Change", in Manchester in September on the implementation of the earth summit agreements. I have invited a small number of eminent people to join an international advisory group to advise me on the preparations for the conference, and in particular on themes, outputs and participants. The group is chaired by Dr. Martin Holdgate, director general of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The members are : Mr. Delmar Blasco, Mr. Claude Fussler, Dr. Hiroya Ichikawa, Mrs. Yolanda Kakabadse, Dr. Ashok Khosla, Ms. Rachel Kyte, Mr. Warren Lindner, Mr. Michael Ndubiwa, Professor Michael Scoullos, Mr. Youba Sokona and Mr. Jan- Olaf Willums.
The group held its first meeting on 8 and 9 February and I am considering its detailed recommendations. A report of the group's discussions is available from my Department.
Manchester city council also intends to host a complementary international event, Global Forum, for all sectors concerned with sustainable development and the environment. Manchester city council and I have agreed that "Partnership for Change" should go ahead in September and that Global Forum should follow in the first half of next year, thus maximising the opportunities for an exchange of experience of the implementation of sustainable development. Partnership for change will be a working conference of invited participants primarily from the local government, business and voluntary sectors on 20-22 September. Global Forum will be an open-access event encompassing many different activities over several days. My Department and Manchester city council will be working together closely in planning the two events.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent eligibility for the single person discount for council tax purposes is affected by the receipt of income from the independent living fund.
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 23 February 1993] : From 1 April 1993, payments to all those people who
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currently receive money from the independent living fund will be made from a new body, the independent living (extension) fund. Receipt of income from the fund will not affect eligibility for a single person discount for council tax purposes. A discount will apply to any single adult dwelling regardless of the resident's income.Payments from the independent living (extension) fund will be fully disregarded for council tax benefit purposes.
Ms. Corston : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the standing orders of each unit in all branches of the armed forces.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are over 2,000 ships and establishments within the armed forces and each is required to produce standing orders relevant to its own particular location and role. We have no objection in principle to publishing the standing orders for a specific ship or establishment, subject to security considerations, but to do so for every ship and establishment would entail disproportionate cost and effort.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current number of British soldiers deployed with UNPROFOR II ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : On 23 February 1993 there were 2,426 British soldiers deployed with UNPROFOR Bosnia-Herzegovina command.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, Official Report, column 255-56, to the hon. Member for Upminster (Sir N. Bonsor), what is the total number of personnel who will be replacing the forces currently deployed as part of UNPROFOR II in May.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The total number of personnel who will be replacing the British units currently deployed with UNPROFOR Bosnia- Herzegovina command is 2,188.
Mr. Roger Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the report by the review board for Government contracts on its seventh general review of the profit formula for non- competitive government contracts.
Mr. Aitken : The Government have accepted the overall target rate of return on capital employed as recommended by the review board in its report. The new rate will be 19 per cent. compared with the current rate of 21 per cent., both on the basis of historic costs. It will be effective from 1 March this year. There are other points in the report which officials will be discussing with the CBI as part of our continuing drive to secure maximum value for money from our defence contracts. The report is now being printed and copies will be placed in the Library in due course.
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Dr. Fox : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the review of United Kingdom secondary medical care in the armed forces has now been completed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The review of future requirements for secondary care in the armed forces has now been completed. It confirmed that the primary purpose of military hospital beds was to train armed forces medical services personnel for their roles in war. It concluded that around 1,500 hospital beds will be required in the United Kingdom. We aim to provide 1,100 to 1,200 of these in service hospitals and the remainder in wards staffed by armed forces personnel in NHS hospitals, subject to discussions with the NHS authorities concerned. There would then be a requirement for only four service hospitals in the United Kingdom.
Our aim in these discussions will be to examine the feasibility of establishing wards manned by armed forces personnel in hospitals in Salisbury and East Anglia, and at Plymouth, where such discussions are already in hand. we shall also be exploring the possibility of co-operating with the NHS in Catterick. In the light of the outcome of these discussions, we would aim to modernise and possibly extend the existing facilities in the service hospitals at Gosport, Aldershot and Wroughton. We would no longer require the service hospitals at Woolwich and Halton ; or at Plymouth where we are well on the way towards establishing the joint venture with the NHS. It is too soon to be certain of the implications for employment at the hospitals concerned but every effort will be made to reduce redundancies to a minimum and ensure offsetting employment wherever possible. We shall now consult the trades unions on details of our plans.
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom military contribution to the United States-led coalition operation in Somalia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : In the light of the significantly reduced requirement for relief flights, following the major improvement in the humanitarian situation in Somalia, it has been decided that the two RAF C130 aircraft deployed in support of the US-led humanitarian relief operation in Somalia should cease flying operations in theatre with effect from 28 February and return to the United Kingdom as soon as practicable thereafter. This decision reflects the scaling down of the US presence in Somalia in preparation for the formal handover to UNOSOM II and follows consultation with the US authorities. The RAF operation, which involved the delivery of some 3,000 tonnes of aid, was highly successful and played a key part in alleviating a major humanitarian problem. Those involved, both in theatre and in support, can be congratulated on the professionalism and effectiveness of the United Kingdom effort.
Sir Jim Spicer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the management of defence helicopter support.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : Specialist offices providing support for the helicopters used by the armed forces are currently located in London, Yeovilton, Harrogate and Andover. Following consultation with the trades unions I have concluded that these should now be brought together at Yeovilton to form the Defence Helicopter Support Authority. The new authority, which will comprise some 170 staff, will be in operation by April 1994. This rationalisation will bring both operational and financial advantages and will place the authority within the area of main military helicopter activity and closer to the helicopter industry. Just under 80 civilian posts will move to Yeovilton from the other locations. We wish to retain skilled staff where possible and steps will be taken to avoid or minimise redundancies. Where these prove unavoidable staff affected will receive the appropriate compensation and will be eligible for the services provided by the MOD redundancy counselling and outplacement service.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what practices have been agreed by the immigration Ministers of the EC states on burden of proof and interpretation of particular articles of the Dublin convention in relation to asylum.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Immigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community meeting in London on 30 November 1992 noted a report from officials on work towards the implementation of the Dublin convention and asked that work on outstanding matters should be taken forward. In current work under the Danish presidency particular attention is being given to means of proof.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what agreement has been reached by the immigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community on the calculation of time periods under the Dublin convention in relation to asylum.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Immigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community meeting in Lisbon on 11 June 1992 agreed conclusions on the calculation of periods of time under the Dublin convention. These stipulate that Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are to be counted.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the address and the name of the director of the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum ; which persons will have access to information supplied by the United Kingdom to CIREA ; what information is to be held by CIREA ; and what assessment CIREA has prepared of countries of origin of asylum seekers.
Mr. Charles Wardle : CIREA has no director. Its meetings are serviced by the General Secretariat of the Council. The information it receives is at present passed only to participants representing other member states of the European Community. Consideration is still being given to what information it should receive and circulate : it has concentrated initially on statistics and changes in
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national legislation. CIREA has not itself prepared any assessment of countries of origin of asylum seekers but will in due course discuss joint evaluations.Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given by EC immigration Ministers to the preparation of a manual of practice for applying the Dublin convention in relation to asylum ; and what aspects such a manual is intended to cover.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Consideration is currently being given to the preparation of a manual covering a range of practical questions.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions have been reached by the immigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community on the transfer of asylum applicants and their applications under the Dublin convention in relation to asylum.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Immigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community meeting in London on 30 November agreed conclusions on the transfer of asylum applicants and their applications. All transfers are to be carried out in accordance with national laws and procedures. An applicant who is liable to transfer to a second member state may travel on his own initiative or accompanied by an official of the first member state.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the document requested by the Strasbourg European Council of Home Affairs Ministers meeting on 8 and 9 December 1989, relating to the substantive law and procedural law of asylum in the EC states.
Mr. Charles Wardle : No. This was a working document not intended for publication, and some of its contents are now out of date.
Mr. Mike O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the report to his Department by Patricia Morgan on offending while on bail ; a survey of recent studies, in respect of the Northumbria police research into the subject ; and what changes he proposes to make in Government policies as a result of the report.
Mr. Jack : The report referred to, published early in 1992 as paper 65 in the Home Office research and planning unit series, drew together and reviewed research into offending on bail carried out by a number of police forces, including Northumbria.
The report referred to the desirability of establishing agreed methods of producing reliable data, on a national basis, about the incidence and extent of offending on bail. This point is currently being pursued by the Home Office in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers. The Northumbria police are also involved in this work.
As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-West (Mr. Butcher) on 28 January at column 789, the incidence of offending on bail is, of course, a matter for concern and work is in hand to tackle the problem, including action research in five areas which
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is designed to identify the scope for improving the bail decision-taking process, thus minimising the risk of offending on bail.Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic violence units there are in south Wales.
Mr. Charles Wardle : There are three family protection units covering the force area, which are responsible for both domestic violence and child abuse.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress with the establishment of the national criminal records system ; and when he proposes to publish the consultation document on the use of information to be held by the NCRS.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Progress is well in hand towards the implementation of the first phase of the national criminal records system-- the updating and retrieval of criminal records on the police national computer--in the spring of 1994. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to publish by the summer of this year a consultation document on the use of criminal records for employment and related purposes.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to establishing a national firearms board ; and when he expects to reach a decision.
Mr. Charles Wardle : A public consultation paper was issued last year proposing that firearms licensing should be administered by a new civilian firearms control board. My right hon. and learned Friend is currently in the process of consulting ministerial colleagues and will make an announcement as soon as possible.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a list of the current application of the know-how funds by (a) cost, (b) purpose of each project, (c) country where funds are to be used and (d) the British firms or institutions involved.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : A regularly updated list of know-how fund activities by country, cost, purpose and project status is already available from the libraries of the House. To break this down further to include details on each participating British firm and institution would involve disproportionate cost.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have received or will receive advice on privatisation programmes through the British aid programme.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Advice on privatisation is provided in response to Government requests and no central records are kept. However, the main beneficiaries of this advice have been and are likely to continue to be in eastern and central Europe and the former Soviet Union. Advice has been provided to Bulgaria, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
Advice on privatisation to developing countries has been on a smaller scale. Countries benefiting in recent years include Guyana, Jamaica, Pakistan, Tanzania and Zambia.
It is not possible to predict which countries will request advice in the future.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply dated 16 February to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West concerning the auditing arrangements of the Commonwealth development corporation.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I am arranging for the letter to the hon. Member from my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amounts of aid have been given to the Slovenian Government for the assistance of displaced people and refugees (a) as part of general European Community aid and (b) as direct British aid.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 23 February 1993] : Figures for direct European Community aid to the Slovenian Government for the assistance of displaced people are not readily available. The United Kingdom has not provided any direct aid to the Slovenian Government for the assistance of displaced people but we have instead provided support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees who co-ordinates the international community's response to the humanitarian crisis in the former Yugoslavia. In 1992 the UNHCR provided a total of US$10,137,464 for the assistance of displaced people and other victims of the conflict in Slovenia.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the number of displaced persons and refugees in Slovenia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 23 February 1993] : The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is responsible for co- ordinating the international relief effort to the former Yugoslavia. Her most recent report, dated 10 February, shows that there are about 75,000 displaced people and refugees in Slovenia.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if his Department will establish a campaign to promote cycling holidays.
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Mr. Key : My Department does not fund promotional activities itself. However, boosted by Chris Boardman's gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics, cycling is growing rapidly as a sport and leisure activity. The Manchester velodrome and national cycling centre are under construction. It is for the English tourist board to decide how Government funding of promotional activities is allocated.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his current estimate of the size of waiting lists in Wales for hospital treatments ; and what it was at the equivalent period in 1990, 1991 and 1992, respectively.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The latest available information for waiting lists as at 31 March in each year is published in table 4.1 of "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin 1992 No. 2" a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
A similar table, giving figures as at 30 September was published in "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin 1993 No. 1" on 24 February 1993.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of the Welsh family health services authorities concerning requests for help and information in relation to access to NHS dentists from April ; what information he has on the total number of requests received by Welsh family health services authorities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Secretary of State for Wales met chairmen of family health services authorities and district health authorities on 7 July 1992 when general dental services were discussed. A further meeting is planned for 15 April 1993.
According to the fortnightly returns submitted by family health service authorities the number of people seeking assistance in finding dental treatment is as follows :
Fortnight ending |Number of patients |contacting FHSAs --------------------------------------------------------- 14 August 1992 |742 28 August |754 11 September |715 25 September |644 9 October |681 23 October |673 6 November |714 20 November |632 4 December |569 18 December |582 1 January 1993 |183 15 January |766 29 January |777 12 February |733
The information given in these fortnightly returns is intended for general managerial purposes and is not statistically validated.
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Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current levels of outstanding community charge payments for each authority in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The latest available information for arrears of community charges relates to the position at 31 March 1992, and is given in the table.
Arrears of community charges at 31 March 1992<1> |£000 ---------------------------------- Alyn and Deeside |1,866 Colwyn |1,148 Delyn |983 Glyndwr |890 Rhuddlan |1,069 Wrexham Maelor |2,711 Carmarthen |467 Ceredigion |801 Dinefwr |393 Llanelli |978 Preseli Pembrokeshire |439 South Pembrokeshire |521 Blaenau Gwent |1,395 Islwyn |1,046 Monmouth |1,229 Newport |3,734 Torfaen |1,115 Aberconwy |596 Arfon |1,117 Dwyfor |230 Meirionnydd |353 Ynys Mon |1,113 Cynon Valley |1,072 Merthyr Tydfil |547 Ogwr |1,130 Rhondda |498 Rhymney Valley |1,822 Taff Ely |1,676 Brecknock |279 Montgomeryshire |325 Radnorshire |113 Cardiff |6,560 Vale of Glamorgan |1,131 Port Talbot |704 Lliw Valley |449 Neath |804 Swansea |3,057 <1> Including arrears for 1990-91 and 1991-92.
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total cumulative sales of local authority dwellings for each authority in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Information on the number of sales, following the reorganisation of local authority boundaries in 1974, is given in the following table.
Total Sales of local authority dwellings<1> Welsh Districts |1974-September 1992 -------------------------------------------------------------- Aberconwy |1,778 Alyn and Deeside |2,048 Arfon |1,496 Blaenau Gwent |2,556 Brecknock |1,507 Cardiff |9,079 Carmarthen |1,464 Ceredigion |1,668 Colwyn |1,042 Cynon Valley |1,618 Delyn |1,945 Dinefwr |960 Dwyfor |418 Glyndwr |1,292 Islwyn |3,813 Llanelli |3,562 Lliw Valley |2,020 Meirionnydd |957 Merthyr Tydfil |2,364 Monmouth |2,571 Montgomeryshire |1,636 Neath |2,620 Newport |5,387 Ogwr |4,827 Port Talbot |4,046 Preseli Pembrokeshire |2,524 Radnorshire |603 Rhondda |810 Rhuddlan |972 Rhymney Valley |3,937 South Pembrokeshire |1,106 Swansea |4,628 Taff-Ely |4,256 Torfaen |4,044 Vale of Glamorgan |3,724 Wrexham Maelor |3,795 Ynys Mon |1,728 |------- Wales<2> |94,852 <1> Excludes sales from New Towns. <2> Includes 51 dwellings sold in 1977 which cannot be attributed to a district. Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to use unemployment statistics from December in each year when making assessments associated with his Department's review of assisted area status in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : Because seasonal factors have differing effects in travel-to-work areas, the unemployment statistics used in the review of assisted areas are annual averages.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many contaminated land sites identified by his Department will also appear on the proposed new register of contaminated land sites.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Government are currently considering the outcome of the consultation exercise on contaminated land registers which was undertaken last year. An announcement on the way forward will be made as soon as possible. In advance of this it would not be appropriate to attempt to provide the information sought.
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the current levels of outstanding rents on council dwellings for each authority in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Local authorities' own forecasts of rent arrears for 31 March 1993 are as follows :
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Local Authority ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Aberconwy Borough Council |55,000 Alyn and Deeside District Council |210,000 Arfon Borough Council |97,000 Blaenau Gwent Borough Council |96,201 Brecknock Borough Council |65,400 Cardiff County Council |1,000,000 Carmarthen District Council |172,000 Ceredigion District Council |140,000 Colwyn Borough Council |95,000 Cynon Valley Borough Council |22,500 Delyn Borough Council |137,000 Dinefwr Borough Council |129,587 Dwyfor District Council |33,320 Glyndwr District Council |215,000 Islwyn Borough Council |110,000 Llanelli Borough Council |240,243 Lliw Valley Borough Council |174,000 Meirionnydd District Council |42,000 Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council |75,500 Monmouth Borough Council |185,000 Montgomeryshire District Council |80,000 Neath Borough Council |217,000 Newport Borough Council |620,000 Ogwr Borough Council |812,000 Port Talbot Borough Council |130,000 Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council |270,000 Radnorshire District Council |26,000 Rhondda Borough Council |281,000 Rhuddlan Borough Council |95,000 Rhymney Valley District Council |530,000 South Pembrokeshire District Council |177,000 Swansea County Council |1,299,915 Taff Ely Borough Council |427,000 Torfaen Borough Council |408,000 Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council |164,000 Wrexham Maelor Borough Council |292,000 Ynys Mon Borough Council |158,000 Source: Housing Revenue Account Subsidy Second Advance Claim Forms 1992-93.
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning council tax single occupancy discount ; what reply he has sent ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I have received several representations. Council tax bills are determined by the valuation band of dwellings, based on their market value at 1 April 1991. Bills also take account of the number and status of adult residents. It is thus a property tax with a personal element.
The personal element represents 50 per cent. of the full bill. If there are two adult residents, there is no reduction in the personal element. But if there is just one adult resident, there is a reduction of 50 per cent. in the personal element, which equates to 25 per cent. of the full bill.
These arrangements are a considerable advance on those which existed under rates, where single adult households received no discount at all.
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to increasing the single occupancy discount for council tax.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : None, since Parliament approved the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
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Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the members of training and enterprise councils presented to him when TECs were originally set up.
Sir Wyn Roberts : TEC members at the TECs operational dates are shown in the following table.
North West Wales TEC
Mr. Tefor Jones OBE
Mr. Barry Baynham
Mr. R. Hefin Davies MBE JP
Mr. Geoff Drake
Mr. Dilwyn Evans
Mr. Gwilym Humphreys
Mr. John R. Jones
Mrs. Sioned Llywelyn
Mr. Roy Luff LBE
Mr. George Newson MBE
Mr. Ioan Bowen Rees
Mr. Dafydd Roberts
Miss Enid H. Rowlands
Mr. Hugh Williams MBE
North East Wales TEC
John Troth
Kevin Lyden
Roland Blackburn
Pat Mansfield
Godfrey Williams
David Schwarz
Bett Symonds
Mike Pickering
Mervyn Phillips
Keith Evans
Harvey Davies
Charles Hogg
Tim Harris
Powys TEC
David Margetts BA
David Baird-Murray DL
Alan Barnish BComm IFPA
Mike Exton
Trevor Jones
Hon. Lindy Price
Mike Smith
Peter Swanson JP
Bernard Wakely BA
John Walker
Cyril Whitehurst
Roger Williams
Clair Coats BA
Gwent TEC
Geoffrey Canning
Geoffrey Drought
Jeremy Hallett
Steve Hoselitz
Roger Leadbetter
Allan Martin
Michael Perry
Pat Phillips
Stan Jackson
Bruce McDowell
Roger Jones
Alan Carr
Don Corbett
Leighton Quinn
Mid Glamorgan TEC
J. W. Phillips
J. Cornwall
D. W. Free
D. Morgan
R. J. Tree
R. Webster
R. Wilson
H. Thomas
Alderman R. Newman
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