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Mr. Gwilym Jones : Information on activity is given in the table :
Completions of local authority and new town dwellings
and units
provided by housing associations
|Built for the|Total
|elderly
--------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |385 |3,525
1991-92 |396 |3,885
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest year-on-year figures for housing association housebuilding.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Information on activity is given in the table :
Total units
provided by housing
associations in
Wales
|Total
--------------------
1990-91 |3,060
1991-92 |3,548
Committee of the Regions
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had in relation to the functions of the Welsh Economic Council and proposals for a forum for membership of the Committee of the regions representing Wales ; and if he will make it his policy to make strict definitions of the purposes of the proposed council and forum to avoid duplication of functions.
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Mr. David Hunt : I have received 89 responses to my consultation paper on the Welsh Economic Council ; consultations are continuing.
Heads of the Valley Authority
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those organisations and individuals who made representations to him proposing a unitary authority based on Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil together with the community areas of Rhymney, Darran Valley and New Tredegar.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list those organisations and individuals who recommended to him the establishment of the proposed Heads of the Valleys unitary authority.
Mr. David Hunt : My proposal to establish a Heads of the Valley unitary authority was based upon my consideration of the large number of often conflicting representations I received about the possible boundaries of unitary authorities in the valleys. Copies of the representations I received, both to my consultation paper of June 1991 and to my statement to the House of 3 March 1992, are in the Library of the House.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a further statement on the application of the criteria of the community identity and traditional loyalty to which he made reference in Cm. 2155 "Local Government in Wales", to his proposed unitary authority based on Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, together with the community areas of Rhymney, Darran Valley and New Tredegar.
Mr. David Hunt : I am well aware of the strength of community identity that exists in these areas. I am confident that the proposed Heads of the Valleys authority, which is based on communities which share similar heritage, will be well able both to respond to the needs of local people and to ensure the provision of high quality services efficiently, economically and effectively.
NHS Expenditure
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been spent per head of the population on the national health service in Wales in each year since 1985 at (a) current and (b) outturn prices.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information requested is given in the table.
NHS (in Wales) Expenditure (Gross) per head
|(a) |(b)
|1992-93 prices|Outturn prices
|£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |508 |339
1986-87 |527 |363
1987-88 |552 |401
1988-89 |570 |445
1989-90 |578 |479
1990-91 |597 |536
1991-92<1> |640 |614
1992-93<1><2> |691 |691
<1>Using provisional mid-year population estimate for 1991.
<2>Using provision following spring supplementary
estimates.
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Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total budgets for each training and enterprise council in Wales for 1992-93 and the estimated budgets for 1993-94 ; and what are the amounts in each case for (a) youth training and (b) adult training.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested in respect of 1992-93 was given in my replies to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 10 November 1992.
Information relating to 1993-94 budgets is not available, as contracts with training and enterprise councils have not yet been finalised.
Regional Technology Centres
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to develop regional technology centres to establish delivery mechanisms for innovation and technology transfer and offer specific services to small and medium-sized enterprises in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : Colleges in Wales provide a regional network of centres of technology and, with the active support of the Government, many of these organisations including North East Wales institute (NEWI), Carmarthenshire college of technology and art (CCTA) and the university of Glamorgan, already deliver focused technology transfer services to Welsh industry, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). University colleges, and companies, in Wales make extensive use of the teaching company scheme and are involved in many of the LINK programmes.
The Welsh Development Agency also encourages technology transfer ; Imperial Park is being developed and this and other initiatives such as the Welsh relay centre and support under the European STRIDE and DTI college- industrial units programmes will build on existing strengths and make an invaluable contribution towards enhancing the innovative culture we are seeking to encourage within Welsh SMEs. Moreover, as I announced recently, the Government are reviewing the scope for transferring responsibility for a range of schemes for encouraging industrial innovation and technology transfer in Wales from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Welsh Office.
Far East Investment
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations have been made by his Department to companies and organisations in (a) Taiwan, (b) Hong Kong and (c) Singapore concerning the development of inward investment programmes in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : My Department, together with Welsh Development International, is in close touch with a number of companies in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore about the opportunities for investment in Wales.
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what time scale he proposes for the further consultation on the White Paper on local government reorganisation.
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Mr. David Hunt : I would welcome views from right hon. and hon. Members and all other interested parties as soon as possible.
School Music
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer of 9 March to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones), Official Report, columns 513-14 , what proposals he has to consult the chairman of the Welsh Arts Council in relation to the funding of school and county-level brass bands, youth choirs and orchestras.
Sir Wyn Roberts : None. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside on 9 March, columns 513-14.
Market Testing
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the consequences of market testing bids for civil service jobs in Wales for divestment of work out of Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : If such aspects arise, I will consider them in the context of each case.
National Museum Schools Service
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many county councils currently support financially the national museum schools service ; how many of them have indicated that they will cease to support that service after 1 April ; what assessment he has made over the impact of the future level of funding on the achievement of national curriculum history syllabus targets in primary and secondary schools ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Five local education authorities currently give financial support to the schools museum service. Three of them have indicated their intention to give some continuing support next year, but South Glamorgan and Gwynedd have said that they will withdraw support. The £150,000 grant from the Welsh Office which my right hon. Friend announced on 9 December 1992 should more than offset the reduced support from the local education authorities, and should allow the present service to be sustained. The total level of financial support will also depend on contributions from schools. No assessment of the effects of the reduced local education authority support can yet be made.
Regulations
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 8 February, Official Report, column 485 , if he has now finished compiling and has checked for accuracy and consistency of definition the comprehensive, provisional list of regulations for which his Department is responsible ; and when he intends to place the list in the Library.
Mr. David Hunt : Pursuant to the answer given on 8 February, I can now confirm that there are no such Wales-only regulations.
Health Staff (Bloodborne Diseases)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he will issue to Welsh health authorities in relation to prompt reporting to his Department of the
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present or past service of bloodborne virus- infected health professionals in their employ involved in invasive forms of treatment or surgery with a view to recall systems, counselling and, where necessary, redeployment away from invasive surgery.Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Welsh Office will be associated with the review of advice on procedures to be adopted by health authorities announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 11 March 1993.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has in relation to improvement of medical records database to enable accurate recall of ex-patients, where those patients were treated or their babies delivered by health professionals subsequently found to be suffering from AIDS or infected by HIV, Hepatitis B or other bloodborne viruses and diseases.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Welsh Office is supporting a project to improve the quality and consistency of the medical record which will help in the identification of patients who may have been treated by an infected health professional.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to Mid Glamorgan health authority's decision not to notify the public or to issue specific recall notices to patients treated by, or children delivered by or with the assistance of their late doctor employee, deceased suffering from AIDS.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : My right hon. Friend has received three representations about this matter.
Royal Naval Armaments Depot, Trecwn
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the terms of reference of the study that has been commissioned into the suitability and specific qualities of RNAD Trecwn for decommissioning munitions ; and what form the study will take.
Mr. David Hunt : The study is being managed jointly by the Welsh Development Agency, Dyfed county council and Preseli Pembrokeshire district council. It will be primarily a locational study, seeking to identify the specific advantages of RNAD Trecwn for decommissioning. The study will be carried out in parallel with a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation study into decommissioning munitions being carried out by the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA). The terms of reference of the RNAD Trecwn study are to analyse : skill availability ;
depot size and handling capacity in relation to information provided by the NAMSA study ;
security and administration ;
locational advantages and disadvantages, including transport and internal movements ; and
suitability for the methods of decommissioning required, as identified by the NAMSA study.
Youth Training
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the youth training budget for each of the seven Welsh training and enterprise councils for the 1993-94 financial year.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is not yet available. The training and enterprise councils have been given indicative budgets during the course of negotiations, but contracts for 1993-94 have not been finalised.
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the appointment of the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency.
Mr. David Hunt : I am considering a large number of applications received in response to advertisements for this appointment. This will not be completed in time for a new appointment to become effective before the end of this month and I have therefore asked the present chairman, Dr. Gwyn Jones, to continue in post until the end of June. I am pleased to say that Dr. Jones has told me that he has been able to adjust his commitments to enable him to do so. I will make a further announcement about the appointment in due course.
Ancient Monuments
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many ancient monuments in Wales are currently scheduled ; how many he estimates ought to be scheduled ; when he estimates the scheduling will be complete ; how many scheduled monuments have been damaged or destroyed in each of the last five years ; what were the causes of that damage or destruction, and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Responsibility for this subject has been delegated to Cadw : Welsh Historic Monuments. I have asked the chief executive, John Carr, to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. A. J. Carr to Mr. Eric Martlew, dated March 1993 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Wales about the scheduling of ancient monuments in Wales since the matters you raise are the responsibility of the Agency.
The identification and scheduling of monuments of national importance is a key activity for the Agency. An evaluation of all known archaeological remains in Wales is underway and currently 2,697 monuments have been scheduled. It is estimated that when this exercise is completed, the total number of scheduled monuments in Wales might be of the order of 5,500.
We have been considering how the Agency's work in this area might be accelerated and you will be interested to know that during the next financial year, Cadw will be supplementing the work of its Inspectorate by employing a contractor to work on the scheduling enhancement of Roman military sites in the Principality. We shall also be reviewing the way in which contractors could be used to further accelerate this work.
The Agency routinely monitors the condition of all scheduled monuments on a three year cycle, and where damage has been identified all such cases are investigated. Depending on the circumstances of each case our response has ranged from a warning to those involved to a prosecution of the offenders. In two cases a successful prosecution has been mounted and a further two cases have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Agency has no precise record of the number of scheduled monuments that may be damaged each year but from the monitoring arrangements I mention above this is kept under review. You might find it helpful to have details of
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those monuments descheduled in the last five years due to reasons of damage or destruction though you will see that in each case damage occured before 1988.1988-89
Y Gaer Camp, Clwyd :
The site has been levelled and landscaped removing any evidence of the monument when developed as a caravan park in the 1950s. 1989-90
Mount Sion Round Barrow, Dyfed :
This monument was situated in the middle of two gun ranges and was destroyed by gunfire in 1981.
Mynydd Llanybyther, alignment of standing stones, Dyfed : No remains of this monument survive. It was probably destroyed when the area was first planted by the Forestry Commission in 1957. Siemens Laboratory, West Glamorgan :
Demolished following grant of scheduled monument consent in 1987. 1990-91
Castell Dol Wlff :
The monument was lost when the site was levelled and a bungalow built over the site in 1983.
Rose Valley Barrow :
The remains of the barrow are thought to have been lost as a consequence of natural erosion. The original mound is thought to have been levelled when the site was brought into agricultural use and ploughed probably in the 1970s.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Royal Victoria Hospital
Dr. Hendron : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many beds for patients there are in the Royal Victoria hospital at present and how many there were during each of the last five years.
Mr. Hanley : The average numbers of available beds in the Royal Victoria hospital from 1987 to 1991-92 are as follows :
|Number
----------------------
1987 |1,008
1988-89 |1,019
1989-90 |977
1990-91 |939
1991-92 |879
Information on the number of available beds at present in the Royal Victoria hospital is not held centrally.
Dr. Hendron : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses will be employed at the Royal Victoria hospital at the end of 1993.
Mr. Hanley : It is not possible to state the number of nurses who will be employed at the Royal Victoria hospital at the end of 1993. This will be determined on the basis of service requirements at that time.
Dr. Hendron : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nurses have been employed at the Royal Victoria hospital for each of the last five years ; and what was the ratio of nurses to patients in each year.
Mr. Hanley : The information is set out in the table.
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Number of nurses Nurse (WTE)/Patient
Days ratio<2>
Year |Total |W.T.E<1>
---------------------------------------------
1988-89 |1,388 |1,085.70|1:266
1989-90 |1,408 |1,110.10|1:253
1990-91 |1,398 |1,107.88|1:243
1991-92 |1,475 |1,190.26|1:218
<1>W.T.E=Whole Time Equivalent.
<2>Nurse to patient ratios are calculated on
the basis of one nurse (whole-time
equivalent) to the number of patient days (
excluding out-patients).
Security-related Offences
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the annual number of arrests and convictions directly related to the security situation in Northern Ireland since 1969.
Mr. Mates : The number of arrests in Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts and the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts, and the number of convictions for scheduled offences tried by a judge without a jury in the Northern Ireland courts are readily available only from 1975. The available information is set out in the table.
Year |Number of Persons |Number of Persons
|arrested in NI |convicted for
|under the Northern|Scheduled Offences
|Ireland (Emergency
|Provisions) Acts
|and the Prevention
|of Terrorism
|(Temporary
|Provisions) Acts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1975 |4,149 |995
1976 |8,567 |900
1977 |6,040 |1,148
1978 |5,029 |837
1979 |4,769 |844
1980 |3,570 |550
1981 |5,043 |562
1982 |4,017 |744
1983 |2,873 |577
1984 |2,475 |464
1985 |2,068 |625
1986 |2,283 |567
1987 |1,951 |680
1988 |1,782 |487
1989 |1,670 |414
1990 |1,614 |440
1991 |1,788 |388
1992 |1,842 |354
Notes:
1. Figures included arrests under the NI (Emergency Provisions) Act, which
are available up to 30 September 1992 only and exclude arrests under
section 11 and section 13 of that Act prior to 1 June 1978, which are not
available.
2. Not all persons who are arrested are charged or convicted; and not all
findings of guilt are made the same year as the relevant arrest.
3. If an individual is arrested on more than one occasion, he/she will be
added to the statistics on each occasion.
4. An individual convicted at different trials is added to the statistics
on each occasion, and only once on each occasion whether or not he/she is
convicted of more than one offence at each trial.
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what has been the average length of sentence imposed on persons convicted for security-related offences in Northern Ireland in each year since 1969 ;
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(2) what has been the average length of sentence imposed by the courts since 1970 on a terrorist convicted of a Northern Ireland-related homicide in Northern Ireland ;(3) what has been the average length of sentence imposed by the courts since 1973 on a terrorist convicted of Northern Ireland terrorist-related activities, excluding homicide, in Northern Ireland.
Column 194
Mr. Mates : Statistics collected distinguish offences scheduled under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 and its predecessors, which are usually terrorist related, and tried at the Crown court sitting without a jury. They are readily available only from 1987 onwards and are as follows :
Sentences of imprisonment given to persons convicted of scheduled offences at the Crown Court sitting without a jury 1987-1991
|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life imprisonment
(number of persons) |10 |12 |11 |15 |11
Determinate prison sentence
(number of persons) |333 |257 |227 |241 |262
Average determinate prison
sentence (excluding life
sentences) |4 years 8 months |5 years 2 months |5 years 9 months |5 years 10 months|6 years 9 months
Note: Some persons were convicted of more than one offence.
Sentences of imprisonment given to persons convicted of murder* at the Crown Court sitting without a jury
|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life imprisonment
(number of persons) |10 |12 |11 |15 |11
Determinate prison sentence
(number of persons) |21 |10 |7 |16 |28
Average determinate prison
sentence |11 years 9 months|11 years 6 months|17 years 2 months|13 years 7 months|16 years 2 months
Notes:
1. Some persons were convicted of more than one offence.
2. Where a person was convicted of more than one offence, the most serious, or that receiving the longest sentence is recorded.
*3. The offence of murder in the above table also includes attempted murder, aiding and abetting murder and conspiracy to murder.
Sentences of imprisonment given to persons convicted of scheduled offences, excluding murder*, at the Crown Court sitting without a jury,
1987-91
|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life imprisonment |- |- |- |- |-
Determinate prison sentence
(number of persons) |312 |247 |220 |225 |234
Average determinate prison
sentence (i.e., excluding life
sentences) |4 years 3 months |4 years 11 months|5 years 5 months |5 years 4 months |5 years 8 months
Notes:
1. Some persons were convicted of more than one offence.
*2. For the purposes of the above table the offence "Murder" also includes attempted murder, aiding and abetting murder and conspiracy to
murder.
Labour Statistics
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the sectoral distribution of the Northern Ireland labour force in percentage terms in 1971, 1981 and 1991 in (a) agriculture, (b) manufacturing, (c) other industry, including construction, mining, transport and communication, gas, electricity and water, (d) private services, including distribution, banking and finance and
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miscellaneous services, but excluding security, (e) public services, including professional and scientific agencies, and public administration, but excluding security related activities and (f) security, including locally recruited armed forces and private security personnel, but excluding regular Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.Mr. Atkins : The sectoral distribution of the employed civilian labour force in Northern Ireland in percentage terms in 1971, 1981 and 1991 is as follows.
Sectoral distribution of Northern Ireland civilian employment, 1971, 1981, 1991
Employees in Self-employed
employment
|1971 |1981 |1991 |1971 |1981 |1991
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture 5.9 3.8 3.6 46.5
Manufacturing 35.2 24.0 19.1 2.0
Other industry 15.0 12.0 10.2 12.7
Private services ) |44.0 |60.3 |{ 32.2 |38.8 |39.0 |n/a
Public Services ) |{ 34.9 |0.0 |0.0 |0.0
|---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |100.0 |100.0 |100.0 |100.0 |100.0
Notes:
1. It is not possible to provide separate information for security personnel in the form
requested.
2. Figures for self employed have been obtained from the census of population, and are
not yet available by industrial sector for 1991.
3. Separate information on public and private sector services was not collected prior to
1983.
Regulations
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 4 March, Official Report, column 249, if he has now finished compiling and has checked for accuracy and consistency of definition the comprehensive provisional list of regulations for which his Department is responsible ; and when he intends to place the list in the Library.
Mr. Atkins : Work is proceeding as quickly as possible on checking my Department's list of regulations affecting business. A consolidated list of regulations for all Departments will be compiled by the central deregulation unit of the Department of Trade and Industry and placed in the Library as soon as possible.
Electricity
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the undertaking on rises in electricity prices given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Wiltshire, North (Mr. Needham) to the then hon. Member for Hartlepool on 16 October 1991 in evidence taken before the Energy Committee (HC No. 25 of 1991-92, page 5) remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Atkins : Yes, the mechanism described by the then Under- Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was implemented and remains in place.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of changes in the fuel cost element of electricity generating cost in Northern Ireland for each of the past three years for which records are available and the present year to date.
Mr. Atkins : The fuel costs incurred in the generation of electricity were :
|£ million
-------------------------------
1989-90 |105.3
1990-91 |106.1
1991-92 |96.7
<1>1992-93 |99.7
<1> To 28 February.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will sanction higher than inflation and fuel
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element-related increased charges by Northern Ireland Electricity to domestic and industrial consumers in Northern Ireland.Mr. Atkins : This is a matter for the Director General of Electricity Supply in Northern Ireland.
EMPLOYMENT
Training
15. Mr. Milligan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress there has been on the delivery of the youth training guarantee in Hampshire.
Mr. McLoughlin : Hampshire training and enterprise council and the careers service have been working extremely hard to ensure that the YT guarantee is met. I am pleased to say that there are now over 6, 000 young people on YT and that the number waiting for places has reduced dramatically in recent months.
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