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that advertising of goods fits into such a category. Packet radio provides both in the UK and, indeed, throughout the world an immensely useful tool for the dissemination of information, the seeking of help and advice and the publication of radio related news. The Amateur Radio Licence was compiled with this in mind and hence advertising is not currently allowed. In addition, there are already numerous outlets available for buying and selling of amateur equipment, for example through amateur radio magazines and amateur radio rallies.Question 175 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when the RIS last carried out a site inspection of GB3NA and GB3SY at Barnsley ; what abuse was found ; and what action he is taking.
GB3NA was last inspected on 13 September 1990. No contraventions were found. No inspections have been carried out of GB3SY. Question 176 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many repeaters used by amateur radio operators have on-air remote control providing for immediate shut-down. The Agency is prepared to consider representations from any repeater group requesting on-air remote control. One application has been granted to date and one application is under consideration. Question 177 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans he has to change the repeater franchise scheme presently held by the Radio Society of Great Britain ; and if he will make a statement.
A decision has been made in principle to change the present arrrangement. From 1 April 1993, authority for these stations to operate will be granted by the issue of Notices of Variation to the repeater keeper's personal Amateur Radio Licence. Further details will be announced shortly.
Question 178 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what consideration he has given to the introduction of a no-code high frequency licence for licensed radio amateurs. The International Radio Regulations require that a licence to operate on frequencies below 30 MHz can be granted only to radio amateurs who have proved their ability to send and receive Morse code signals. The Agency is consulting widely on this issue and initial responses indicate that there are strong opinions both for and against this requirement.
Question 182 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many amateur licences have been revoked or modified in the last 12 months.
One amateur radio licence has been revoked and two re-applications have been refused during the last 12 months. During this period one amateur radio licence has been modified by the issue of a Notice of Variation.
Question 183 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what action he is taking to prevent yachtsmen using pirate call signs on 14313 MHz and conducting illegal phone-patch traffic back to the United Kingdom.
Where complaints have alleged licence contraventions by United Kingdom amateurs, the Agency has an arrangement to pass details to the Radio Society of Great Britain's Amateur Radio Observation Society (AROS) to inquire into the matter in the first instance. AROS will decide in the light of its findings, whether to report the matter to the Agency for possible further investigation.
Question 186, tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what consideration he has given to abolishing the requirement for log-keeping by amateur radio operators using low power FM.
A radio amateur is required to keep a permanent record (a log) of all transmissions with the exception of transmissions from low power devices as defined in sub-clause 2(4)(b) of the amateur radio licence.
Question 187 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many inspections of repeater sets in respect of radio operators have been carried out in the last 12 months ; how many licence violations were found ; what was the most common violation ; and what action he is taking to reduce violations. There have been 27 inspections of amateur repeaters in the current financial year to the end of February. These revealed
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5 licence contraventions. There were two instances each of removal of attenuators and unauthorised unattended operation and one instance of spurious emissions.The Agency's priorities are set by Ministers. Top priority is given to tackling interference which could endanger lives and to helping those whose business operations are disrupted as a result of interference. Other complaints, including those relating to hobby radio, are dealt with after higher priorities have been met. Within this limitation, the Agency has devoted considerable effort to tackling repeater abuse. In addition to the programme of site inspections, actions taken in response to complaints have included imposing restrictions on individuals' use of repeaters, requiring attenuators to be fitted to reduce coverage, limiting the hours in which repeaters operate and, where necessary and justified in the public interest, prosecuting. Prosecution usually requires extensive monitoring to obtain supporting evidence.
Question 188 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations he has received regarding the abuse of repeaters by amateur radio operators in London.
Since the beginning of 1992, the Agency has received a total of 8 representations from 3 individuals complaining about abuse of repeaters in London and one letter objecting that measures taken by the Agency to combat the abuse were excessive.
Question 189 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what regulations govern the fees for amateur radio licences.
The current amateur radio licence fee is set by the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/542) as amended by the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/362). These Regulations are made under Sections 1 and 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 and the fees are set out within the limitations set out in Part V of the Schedule 1 and Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Department of Trade and Industry (Fees) Order 1988 (S.I. 1988/93).
Question 192 tabled on 9 March 1993 : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many people have been prosecuted for amateur radio related offences in each of the last five years ; what has been the budget of the Radio Investigation Service in each of the last five years ; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the monitoring and enforcement activities of the services. Statistics on prosecutions are published annually in the Agency's report. I am enclosing a copy for your attention. The figures for the last five financial years are 3 (1987-88), 7 (1988-89), 3 (1989-90), 5 (1990-91), and 4 (1991-92). All resulted in convictions. Total expenditure by the Radio Investigation Service (RIS) since the Agency was created was £5.51 million in financial year 1990- 91 and £5.99 million in financial year 1991-92. These figures are net of receipts and do not include overheads. Comparable figures for previous years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Effectiveness of the Agency's monitoring and enforcement activities is assessed against the enforcement quality of service targets set by Ministers and published in the Agency's annual report. In 1991-92, the targets were to handle 100 of safety of life complaints within 24 hours, to handle 95 of business complaints within 5 working days and to handle 95 of domestic complaints within 1 month. The RIS succeeded in meeting or surpassing all these targets, which have been made even more demanding for the current financial year. Performance figures will be published in the Agency's next annual report. I enclose a full set of the Agency's amateur radio information sheets for your information and hope this is all helpful.
Air-cooled Diesel Engines
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what developments he has funded in the industrial research and production of air -cooled diesel engines optimised for emission minimisation.
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Mr. Eggar : My Department has not funded research and development specifically of air-cooled diesel engines, although considerable funds have been given to encourage research into cleaner diesel engines generally.
Plastic
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what communications he has received from the European Centre for Plastics in the Environment concerning its work on eco-balance analysis of plastic production and recycling.
Mr. Eggar : Officials in my Department's Environment Division have had frequent contact and correspondence with the centre over several years on plastics recycling issues, including a number of major reports on plastics waste management to which the centre has contributed.
Petrol Stations
Mrs. Lait : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate has been made of the costs of implementing stage 2 of draft EC directive 8348/92 for (a) urban petrol stations, (b) rural petrol stations, (c) independently owned petrol stations and (d) petrol stations owned or franchised by the oil companies.
Mr. Eggar : The Commission has yet to make a proposal on stage 2 VOCs controls during car refuelling.
Mrs. Lait : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate has been made of the cost of implementation of draft EC directive 8348/92, stage 1, to petrol stations in rural areas.
Mr. Eggar : The costs of implementation of stage 1 VOCs emissions controls at rural petrol stations is currently being reviewed with industry.
Offshore Oil and Gas Industry
Dr. Godman : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many (a) males and (b) females have been employed in the offshore oil and gas installations, rigs and vessels in each of the past 10 years.
Mr. Eggar : An annual survey carried out by the Inland Revenue estimated that the total employed in offshore oil and gas installations, rigs and vessels in 1992 was some 29,500. These surveys do not distinguish between male and female. Estimates from previous surveys are given in my Department's reports to Parliament, the "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom" (the Brown Book), copies of which are available in the Library. The 1993 edition of the Brown Book will be available by the end of April.
Trawsfynydd Power Station
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement regarding the discovery of broken rods in Trawsfynydd nuclear power station's reactor 2.
Mr. Eggar : Nuclear Electric discovered in 1992, during routine inspection work of reactor 2's core restraint system, that two tie rods had failed. A similar inspection of reactor 1 revealed no failures. The company subsequently
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carried out a structural analysis of the reactors' core restraint systems. This is currently being evaluated by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate as part of its assessment of the case for the return to service of the Trawsfynydd reactors.Biofuels
Mr. Flynn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to encourage an increase in the production of biofuels in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave on 1 February 1993, Official Report , column 57 .
Coal Industry
Mr. Lester : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to publish the report he commissioned on 23 December from John T. Boyd on the 10 collieries.
Mr. Heseltine : I announced on 23 December that I had appointed John T. Boyd to report on the 10 pits proposed for closure last October and currently subject to a consultation process between British Coal and the mining unions. I asked Boyds to consider in particular whether British Coal's criteria for closure (loss making and no prospect of viability in the foreseeable future) were met in relation to all or any of them. I also asked Boyds to report on whether the fabric of those pits was being preserved in accordance with assurances that British Coal had given.
Boyds sent its draft report to British Coal, the mining unions and my Department for comment on 22 February in accordance with the terms of reference, and were required to take account of comments received in finalising their report. As I indicated to British Coal and the unions on 3 March, my Department, as a matter of policy, did not comment on the draft report.
Boyds's final report has been sent to British Coal, the mining unions and myself today. I have placed copies in the Library, and I am arranging for the report to be made available to the public shortly.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Contracting Out
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those services or functions that have been contracted out from his Department since November 1991 without market testing an in-house bid against external competition, with, in each instance the successful contractor and the reasons for the decision to exclude an in-house bid.
Mr. Curry : There have been no decisions to exclude in-house bids in any market tests of existing departmental services or functions.
Set-aside Land
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had about the application of the EC set-aside policy to the United Kingdom in comparison with its application to other EC members.
Mr. Curry : I receive requests from time to time for information about levels of uptake in the United Kingdom
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and other EC member states under the various EC set-aside arrangements. I have also received a number of representations about the possible impact of a GATT settlement on the set-aside requirement for the arable area payments scheme.Archaelogical Monuments
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is his policy to refuse grant aid if the payment will result in damage to archaeological monuments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : In England it is a condition of grant under the farm and conservation grant scheme, which provides capital grants to farmers on a range of investments of benefit to conservation and the environment, that English Heritage is consulted on any work to be submitted for grant aid which might affect a scheduled ancient monument or listed building. Similar arrangements apply elsewhere in the United Kingdom. It is most unlikely that grant would be paid on any work to which English Heritage or its equivalents had objected.
Paper Sludge Recycling
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment the Agricultural Development Advisory Service has made of the safety of the recycling of paper sludge on agricultural land.
Mr. Gummer : ADAS have carried out work in this area on a commercial basis. The matter is therefore one in which ADAS have delegated responsibility and I have asked the ADAS chief executive to reply direct.
Letter from Dr. J. M. Walsh to Mr. Nicholas Winterton, dated 15 March 1993 :
I am responding on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to your Parliamentary question regarding assessments made by ADAS of the safety of the recycling of paper sludge on agricultural land.
1. ADAS have been commissioned by a number of paper producers to investigate the application of paper sludge waste to land. All of these materials originate from different paper manufacturing processes. This means that the chemical and physical characteristics of the waste derived from each source is different.
2. All of the paper wastes investigated by ADAS have been analysed chemically and microbiologically for the presence of plant nutrients and toxic materials. Plant growth studies and field experiments have also been undertaken to assess their suitability for recycling to land as a beneficial material.
3. The safety of the recycling of paper sludge on agricultural land is dependant on the nature of the material and the way in which it is used. Generalised comments relating to the safety of any material cannot be given without qualification.
4. In each of the above cases, the material was found to be suitable for recycling to land for the purpose of fertilising or otherwise beneficially conditioning. Recommendations have been given to ensure that the wastes are applied to land according to all relevant Acts of Parliament and Codes of Practice.
5. ADAS have been engaged as consultants to undertake on-going monitoring of field recycling operations for one particular client. Each field to receive the sludge is investigated and the soil analysed prior to the deposit. The material is not re-cycled to unsuitable fields. Those fields which receive the waste are re-visited, to ensure that the material has been applied according to a specified Codes of Practice, formulated by ADAS.
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Haddock
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what efforts he is making to restrict the landing of North sea haddock to avoid early closure of the fishery ; (2) if he will ensure that the organisations responsible for the management of quotas act to reduce the present glut of haddock.
Mr. Curry [pursuant to his reply, 19 February 1993, c. 370-71] : We have now written to producers organisations (POs) about measures to improve the management of annual quotas with particular reference to the cod, haddock and whiting fisheries in areas IV and VI. In our discussions with POs we had proposed a system of quarterly catch limits for cod, haddock and whiting and the periodic closures of individual fisheries to PO vessels where a PO had exceeded a quarterly catch limit by more than 10 per cent. in any quarter during the year.
In response, POs made it clear that they would prefer to be allowed to manage their sectoral allocations according to their particular circumstances and the needs of their members. After very careful consideration we have agreed that POs should continue to manage their sectoral allocations for cod, haddock and whiting without imposing the tighter discipline of quarterly catch limits, but I must emphasise that in retaining flexibility to manage sectoral allocations POs must take full responsibility for the actions of their members and the impact on markets. It is in the best interests of POs and their members that fishing activity and landings should be organised so as to provide for orderly marketing and to avoid any repeat of the early closures of fisheries which occured in 1992.
Archaelogical Monuments
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from which grant schemes his Ministry provides payments for the management and protection of archaeological monuments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : Farmers participating in the environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) scheme must ensure that their farming practices do not damage any archaeological monuments or other historic features on their land. Under recent revisions of the scheme I have introduced additional payments for particular works to protect archaeological monuments and other historic features.
Biofuels
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to increase the area of set-aside land that is used for producing raw materials for biofuels.
Mr. Curry : Any set-aside land can be used for producing suitable raw materials for biofuels, provided the grower has a contract with a processor and complies with the Community rules on the scheme. We are continuing to press the Commission to introduce rules for non-rotational set-aside this year. This will allow perennial crops to be grown for biofuels on set-aside land.
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Coppicing
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to extend the total area of land now used for coppicing.
Sir Hector Monro : I have been asked to reply.
The Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme provides grants for the establishment of new areas of coppice and was recently extended to include short-rotation coppice.
WALES
Care Programmes
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the health authorities and local authorities in Wales who do not provide care programmes for those people in their area and living in the community who are under the care of a consultant psychiatrist.
Committee of the Regions
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place a copy in the Library of his note to Plaid Cymru specifying the minimum of Welsh representatives in the United Kingdom delegation of the Committee of the European Regions ; what consultations he has had and what undertakings he has given in relation to separate party political affiliation in the Welsh representation ; what mechanism he proposes for selection or election of such separate party political representation ; and when he will make a statement.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had in relation to the setting up of a forum for interchange of views with those representing Wales on the Committee of the European Regions ; what provisions he envisages for frequency of its meetings, for funding for its secretariat and other support services ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I am considering a range of representations.
Radon Levels
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the results of the Radiological Protection Board survey of Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The results of the next phase of the survey of radon levels in Wales are expected in spring 1994.
Dental Services
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many private and how many national health dental practices there are in Welshpool ; how many there were in 1989 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Information received from Powys FHSA indicates that there are two dental practices in Welshpool treating NHS patients at the present time and that there were two in 1989. No information is available centrally on the number of private dental practices.
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Temporary Classrooms
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Portakabin classrooms there are in Wales ; how many there were in 1979, 1985 and 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Statutory responsibility for the provision of school buldings rests with local education authorities, and this information is not held centrally.
Nuclear Fuel (Transport by Sea)
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the demands that would arise from local authorities and other public and environmental protection services of a ship being grounded on the Welsh coast while transporting spent nuclear fuel ; if he will list the organisations he has consulted regarding such an event ; and what plans he has to require and inter-agency exercise involving his Department and all other relevant organisations in Wales to identify and plan for such an event.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Within the United Kingdom, the Department of Transport is responsible for the regulations governing, and for assessing the safety of, all radioactive material transports. Stringent safety requirements mean that the flasks containing spent nuclear fuel are designed and tested to such a standard that it is extremely unlikely they would be damaged if a ship carrying them ran aground. The carriers of such flasks also have comprehensive contingency plans, regularly tested in exercises, for all stages of a ship's journey ; and these include the safe recovery of flasks in any marine accident.
In the unlikely event of a ship carrying radioactive cargo running aground off the Welsh coast, the Department of Transport would inform the Welsh Office and other relevant Departments. Other local interests would be informed and involved as appropriate ; and established civil emergency arrangements brought into action as required.
Anglesey Mining
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the offer of regional selective assistance to Anglesey Mining is still outstanding ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I announced an offer of regional selective assistance to Anglesey Mining plc in October 1991. Further details about the project are commercially confidential.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the orders establishing the environmentally sensitive areas announced in June will be laid before the House.
Mr. David Hunt : The orders relating to the proposed Anglesey and Radnor environmentally sensitive areas will be laid before the House shortly. I plan to lay the orders relating to the proposed Preseli and Clwydian Range environmentally sensitive areas later this year.
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Biofuels
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to encourage the expansion of the total of jobs in Wales in the production of biofuels.
Mr. David Hunt : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ceredigion and Pembroke, North (Mr. Dafis) on 1 February at column 57, by my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy.
Energy Forestry
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to encourage an increase in the area of land in Wales used for short rotation coppicing and other energy forestry uses.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The group which I have set up to promote the future development of forestry in Wales will consider short-rotation coppicing and other energy forestry uses in the course of their work. In the meantime, the Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme already provides grants for the establishment of new areas of coppice.
Nature Reserve
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funding and legal procedures he proposes for mitigation and compensation measures at Redwick and Goldcliff in the county of Gwent for the possible loss of inter-tidal feeding grounds at Cardiff Bay ; what consultations he has had with the Cardiff Bay development corporation and the Countryside Council for Wales in relation to the capital and revenue funding for this proposed national nature reserve at these two sites on the Gwent Levels ; what consultation procedures he proposes with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and other local wildlife interests ; what comparable measures of compensation and mitigation he proposes for the loss of coastal fisheries, arising from the proposed barrage ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : My officials have held a series of consultations with the Countryside Council for Wales, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and Cardiff Bay development corporation about the funding and acquisition of the proposed reserve. All three bodies, together with my Department, are represented on the steering group which oversaw the feasibility study. The steering group will continue in existence to consider details of design, planning permission and acquisition of the sites.
A range of local wildlife interests were consulted during the feasibility study, and this consultation will continue as the process of design continues. Fishing piers on the seaward side of the barrage will compensate for the loss of existing sea angling sites within Cardiff bay.
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Welsh Development Agency in relation to the Touche Ross report on regularity and propriety of financial arrangements in the agency.
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Yale Sixth Form College
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to assist in the relocation of Yale sixth form college to the Grove Park school/War Memorial hospital site in Wrexham.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 responsibility for securing the provision of further education, including provision in sixth form colleges, will pass from the local education authorities to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales (FEFCW) on 1 April.
The FEFCW has established a group to consider, and to provide it with advice about, further education requirements in Wrexham and what accommodation arrangements are needed. The group, which includes representatives from Yale sixth form college, the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education and the North East Wales training and enterprise council will consider all options including the relocation of the college to the Grove Park school/War Memorial hospital site.
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