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EC Secondments
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons, and of what grade or level, have been seconded to (a) the European Commission and (b) UKREP.
Mr. Mates : From 1984 to the present time the Northern Ireland civil service has seconded the following officers to the European Commission :
1 at Unified Grade 5 level (Assistant Secretary)
4 at Unified Grade 7 level (Principal)
1 at Deputy Principal level (equivalent to Senior Executive Office)
2 at Administration Trainee level
1 Senior Agricultural Economist
1 Principal Statistician
1 Principal Economist
1 Industrial Accountant
1 Veterinary Officer
There has also been the following secondments to the office of the United Kingdom representative :
2 at Unified Grade 7 level (Principal)
1 at Deputy Principal level (equivalent to Senior Executive Officer)
Publicity
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 2 June 1992 to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), Official Report, column 439, what is his Department's (a) current outturn estimate for publicity expenditure for 1992-93 and (b) budgeted publicity expenditure for 1993-94.
Mr. Mates : [holding answer 25 February 1993] : Publicity expenditure figures are :
Year |£ ------------------------------- 1992-93 |6,446,300 <1>1993-94 |6,059,000 <1> Budgeted.
Prevention of Terrorism Acts
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were (a) arrested or (b) stopped and questioned under the terms of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act in 1990.
Mr. Mates [holding answer 3 March 1993] : The statistics relate to the total numbers of arrests under
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section 14 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 ; and of examinations for more than one hour, and detentions, under section 16 of that Act, rather than to the total numbers of individuals involved.In Northern Ireland in 1990, there were 1,764 arrests under section 14 of the Act, but there is no record of anyone being examined for more than one hour, or detained, under section 16.
Departmental Functions
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the work of the Department of Economic Development since 1982.
Mr. Atkins : [holding answer 18 March 1993] : The Department of Economic Development has policies to encourage inward investment ; to promote the competitiveness of local industry by identifying and removing obstacles to growth, building up management and work-force skills and supporting innovation ; to stimulate the development of an enterprise culture and the growth of small firms ; to ensure quality of opportunity in employment ; and to provide a sound regulatory framework for the conduct of business in Northern Ireland through legislation on companies health and safety at work, consumer protection and industrial relations.
Against the background of the Single European market, the Department adopted a new strategy which was set out in "Competing in the 1990s : The Key to Growth". The strategy focuses on activities designed to improve business performance and competitiveness and on helping to grow in a sustained and profitable manner.
All the DED businesses--Industrial Development Board, Local Enterprise Development Unit, Training and Employment Agency, Industrial Research and Technology Unit and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board--have published and are implementing new corporate plans within the framework of the overall strategy.
Since the inception of the Industrial Development Board, in September 1982, investment projects worth a total of £3,011 million have been secured, an overall total of 45,019 new jobs have been promoted and 71,157 jobs safeguarded.
Since 1982 the Local Enterprise Development Unit, LEDU, has offered over £210 million to small businesses in Northern Ireland. Under its local enterprise programme. LEDU has also assisted the establishment of a network of 34 local enterprise agencies which provide 1.3 million sq. ft. of workspace, housing more than 600 businesses employing 3,200 people.
Harland and Wolff plc was privatised in September 1989 and Short Brothers plc in October 1989.
On 2 April 1990 the Department launched the Training and Employment Agency. The agency's aim is to assist economic growth in Northern Ireland by ensuring provision of training and employment services which contribute to companies becoming more competitive and individuals obtaining the skills and competence needed to secure worthwhile employment.
Following a strategic review of tourism policy in 1989, a new strategy was implemented which aimed to maximise the potential of tourism as a generator of wealth and creator of employment. New tourism legislation came into
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force on 1 April 1992 which placed the Northern Ireland tourist board in the pivotal role to promote, market and develop Northern Ireland as a tourist destination.The Industrial Research and Technological Unit, established in 1993, has facilitated the establishment of high-quality research and development projects which are aimed at strengthening both the technological infrastructure of Northern Ireland, and the competitiveness of industry.
The Department has also published an energy strategy entitled "Engergy for the 1990s and Beyond". The document described Northern Ireland's strategic energy objectives against the rapidly changing energy scene in Northern Ireland.
The electricity industry was restructured during 1992. The generating stations were split from the remainder of Northern Ireland Electricity and sold to the private sector by means of trade sales. Plans for the flotation of NIE are well advanced.
The Government have considerably strengthened the law against unlawful discrimination in employment in Northern Ireland through the introduction of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989. It represents the most radical anti-discrimination law ever enacted in the United Kingdom. Through the monitoring information which has been gathered and published by the Commission, a clearer picture has emerged of the extent of the problem of inequality in the work force. Already, a small but helpful improvement in the situation is evident.
The Department has introduced a substantial volume of new health and safety at work legislation, including that required by EC directives. Consumer protection legislation has been introduced to enforce EC directives on product liability and price marketing. In 1985 the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland was established.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Vaccine Damage
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many awards under the terms of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act where pertussis vaccine was claimed to be the cause have been made for each year since 1988 ; and how many applications have been refused.
Mr. Scott : The information is not available in the form requested. The table lists all awards and disallowances since 1988.
Year |Awards |Disallowances -------------------------------------------------------- 1988 |5 |38 1989 |2 |53 1990 |- |40 1991 |2 |41 1992 |<1>16 |36 <1>The increase in awards for 1992 was due to a combination of factors and includes a number of awards for claims made in earlier years, some consequent upon vaccine damage tribunal findings.
Administrative Headquarters, Leeds
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the arrangements for recruiting personnel to work at the new administrative headquarters in Leeds.
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Mr. Burt : When a vacancy first arises in DSS in Quarry house in Leeds, consideration is given to staff who are available within the organisation. Vacancies for clerical posts which cannot be filled in this way are advertised in the local Employment Service jobcentre or local press. Vacancies in specialist posts are drawn to the attention of staff in other Government Departments, advertised in the national press or possibly filled by the use of executive search agencies.
Pneumoconiosis
Mr. Clapham : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many posthumous claims for pneumoconiosis were made in the last 10 years under the state scheme and under the mineworkers' pneumoconiosis compensation scheme.
Mr. Scott : This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The mineworkers' pneumoconiosis compensation scheme is a matter for British Coal.
Pensions
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the information about the transfer to the state retirement pension which is given to women who are in receipt of invalidity benefit, shortly before they attain the age of 60 years ; what interviews dealing with these matters are offered to such women ; and if he will place copies of the relevant documents in the Library.
Mr. Scott : The administration of invalidity benefit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 22 March 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if he will list the information about the transfer to the state Retirement Pension which is given to women who are in receipt of Invalidity Benefit (IVB) shortly before they attain the age of 60 years, and what interviews dealing with these matters are offered to such women.
Four months before pension age (age 60 for women, 65 for men) a Retirement Pension claims pack is automatically issued by one of our Area Computer Centres direct to the customers' address.
The claims package for women includes a Retirement Pension claim form (BR1), an information sheet (BR33) containing the rate of Retirement Pension the customer is entitled to at pension age and other advisory information, also a leaflet AC1 which gives the details of the option of having their Retirement Pension paid by Automated Credit Transfer (ACT) into their Bank/Building Society account.
Form BR1 advises customers requiring further information to get in touch with their local Social Security office, the same advice is given on form BR33. In addition form BR33 gives the Social Security Freeline number.
A woman aged 55-59 in receipt of IVB is issued with a letter 16 weeks before she reaches aged 60 advising her that as she is in receipt of IVB she may choose to elect to remain on that benefit rather than claim her Retirement Pension which may be at a lower rate than her IVB. It also explains that her choice may be affected by the fact that Retirement Pension is taxable but IVB is not.
The District Office would not as a matter of procedure offer an interview to women approaching age 60 who were in
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receipt of Invalidity Benefit. However the normal interview facilities offered by all offices would be available to these ladies if they approached their District Office for advice.I hope that you find this reply helpful. I enclose copies of relevant documents and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Industrial Waste
Mr. Roger Evans : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in phasing out the dumping of industrial waste at sea ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : I can confirm that, in accordance with my statement of 22 February 1990, this practice has now been brought to an end. The final licence for sea disposal of liquid industrial waste expired at the end of February and no further licences for disposal of industrial waste at sea will now be issued.
I have taken this action well ahead of our commitment under the London convention to phase out sea disposal of industrial waste globally by 1995. This action also anticipates new arrangements agreed last year under the Paris convention on the protection of the marine environment of the north- east Atlantic.
EMPLOYMENT
Labour Statistics
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people aged (a) 20 to 25 years, (b) 26 to 30 years, (c) 31 to 35 years, (d) 36 to 40 years, (e) 41 to 45 years, (f) 46 to 50 years and (g) 51 to 55 years are currently unemployed ; and what percentage of each group is currently seeking employment.
Mr. McLoughlin : Unemployment levels for pre-determined age bands, expressed as a percentage of the work force in those particular age bands, are available using either the International Labour Organisation measure of unemployment, obtainable from the quarterly labour force survey, or the monthly claimant count measure. To be included in either of these measures, an
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unemployed person should be available for work and actively seeking employment. The table gives the extent of the readily available data from both sources--claimant unemployment rates by age are available only nationally and on a quarterly basis.Labour force survey summer 1992 (Great Britain) Age Group |Unemployment rate ------------------------------------------------------ 20 to 25 |15.2 26 to 30 |10.5 31 to 35 |9.1 36 to 40 |7.7 41 to 45 |6.4 46 to 50 |6.2 51 to 55 |7.9 Note: Figures are not seasonally adjusted.
6 Claimant count January 1993 (United Kingdom) Age Group |Unemployment rate ------------------------------------------------------ 20 to 24 |17.5 25 to 29 |13.5 30 to 39 |10.2 40 to 49 |7.7 50 to 59 |10.0 Note: Figures are not seasonally adjusted.
EC Labour Statistics
Mr. Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish figures showing unemployment in each member state of the EC in 1975, 1985 and the latest date available, with the subtotals for youth unemployment.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Organisation for Economic Co-oporation and Development's internationally comparable unemployment rates for each member state of the European Community for which data are available for the dates requested are given in the table. Figures are not available for the subtotal of youth unemployment on this basis.
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OECD standardised unemployment rates percent
Annual Averages
|1975 |1985 |Latest Month
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EC Countries
Spain |3.6 |21.1 |19.5 |November
Ireland |n/a |17.0 |16.8 |February
United Kingdom |4.3 |11.2 |10.6 |<1>February
France |4.0 |10.2 |10.5 |December
Italy |5.8 |9.6 |9.9 |July
Belgium |5.0 |11.3 |8.4 |January
Netherlands |5.2 |10.6 |7.3 |December
Germany (FR)<2> |3.6 |7.1 |5.2 |December
Portugal |n/a |8.5 |4.2 |November
<1>Provisional
Source: 0ECD "Quarterly Labour Force Statistics, and "Main Economic Indicators".
There are no OECD standardised rates available prior to 1983 for Ireland and
Portugal, and none at all for Denmark, Greece and Luxembourg.
<2>There are no reliable standardised figures available as yet for a unified
Germany. The rate quoted relates to the former West Germany.
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Industrial Tribunals (Deposits)
Mrs. Wise : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial tribunal cases have involved payment of deposits since the introduction of the power to impose such deposits ; and how many of these were at the maximum sum of £150.
Mr. McLoughlin : The procedural regulations governing industrial tribunals will be amended following Royal Assent for the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill to give effect to the pre-hearing review and deposit procedure and any other changes then required.
Legislative Changes (Consultation)
Mr. Dowd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to review her Department's consultation procedures with local authorities and other public bodies with regard to the implications for them of any legislative changes, prior to their presentation to the House or implementation.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : We have no such plans.
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Unemployment Tax
Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what study her Department has made of the operation of the unemployment tax in the United States of America.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Department has made no study of the state unemployment tax.
Workplace Accidents
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish figures showing the number of reported workplace accidents in Wales in (a) 1990-91 and (b) 1991-92, indicating (i) the number of fatalities, (ii) the number of major injuries, (iii) the number of injuries causing absence from work for over three days and (iv) the number of days lost through accident or injury in the workplace ; and if she will indicate both the fatal accident rate and the injury rate per 2,000 employed.
Mr. McLoughlin : The available information concerning the numbers and rates of fatal and other injuries caused by workplace accidents in Wales in 1990-91 and 1991-92--provisional figures--is provided in the table. We do not regularly collect information on the number of days lost through accident or injury in the workplace.
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Occupational Injuries in Wales as Reported<2> to the Health and Safety Executive's Field Operations
Division Inspectorates and Local Authorities, 1990-91 to 1991-92<1>
Year<3> Employees
|Number |Rate<5> |Self Employed |Members of Public<4>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fatal Injuries
1990-91 |23 |0.05 |6 |9
1991-92 |16 |0.03 |7 |8
Major Injuries<6>
1990-91 |1,119 |2.31 |70 |474
1991-92 |885 |1.86 |49 |507
Over 3 Day Injuries<7>
1990-91 |8,026 |16.57 |87 |-
1991-92 |7,403 |15.56 |90 |-
<1>Provisional.
<2>Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985 (RIDDOR).
<3>Years commencing 1 April.
<4>Injured as a result of someone else's work activity. Over 3 day injuries to members of the public are not reportable under
RIDDOR.
<5>Rate per 2,000 employees.
<6>As defined under RIDDOR.
<7>Injuries causing incapacity for normal work for more than three days.
Pneumoconiosis
Mr. Clapham : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims have been made under the Pneumoconiosis, etc., (Workers Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations since 1979 in all the age bands in table A by disabled claimants ; and how many payments have been made to dependants in all age bands in table B of the regulations.
Mr. McLoughlin : The table shows the number of claims received from, and number of claims paid to, persons suffering from diseases covered by the Pneumoconiosis, etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 and dependants of persons who have died from these diseases up to the end of January 1993.
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|Claims received|Claims paid
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sufferers |5,105 |3,836
Dependants |1,997 |1,447
Total |7,102 |5,283
Unemployment
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many long-term unemployed people were registered on 1 March, or on the nearest available date, in (a) Lewisham, Deptford and (b) the London borough of Lewisham ; how many of these she expects to be offered the opportunity to participate in the learning for work scheme announced in the Budget ; and how many of these she expects to take part in the community action programme announced in the Budget.
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Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 19 March 1993] : On 14 January, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 3,834 claimants unemployed for over a year in the Lewisham, Deptford parliamentary constituency, and 8,901 in the Lewisham local authority district. The number of learning for work opportunities which will be available in each area from September will be determined in negotiations with local training and enterprise councils. Announcements will be made in due course of the number of opportunities, under community action, which the Employment Service will be making available in each area from the summer.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she intends to establish a work start pilot project in the constituency of Lewisham, Deptford, or the London borough of Lewisham.
Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 19 March 1993] : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State today announced that work start pilots will be run by Tyneside TEC, Devon and Cornwall TEC, and by the Employment Service in East Kent and in south and south-west London, which covers the boroughs of Southwark, Croydon, Bromley, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Merton and Sutton.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were unemployed for 12 months and more in Britain in May 1979 and on the latest available date.
Mr. McLoughlin : [holding answer 19 March 1993] : In October 1983, the earliest date for which comparable figures are available, 1,089, 060 claimants in Great Britain had been unemployed for over 12 months. This compares with 974,181 in January 1993. All figures are on the unadjusted basis.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people have started up their own businesses in (a) the London borough of Lewisham and (b) the constituency of Lewisham, Deptford, in the last year ; and how many more she expects to do so under the new business start-up scheme announced in the Budget.
Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 19 March 1993] : Information on the numbers of unemployed people starting up their own businesses in Lewisham and Deptford is not available from this Department in the form requested.
Wool Industry
Dr. Strang : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed at the latest available date in the wool industry in England and Wales.
Mr. McLoughlin [holding answer 19 March 1993] : Figures at the level of industrial and geographical detail specified are available only from the census of employment. The number of employees in employment in the woollen and worsted industry at September 1989 in England and Wales stood at 28,400. The results of the 1991 census of employment will be available from 8 April.
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ENVIRONMENT
Local Authority Debts
Mr. Moss : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the debt burden of the London borough of Harlow, Newcastle metropolitan district, Wellingborough district council and Huntingdonshire ; and what proportion of their respective budgets is attributable to interest payments on those debt burdens.
Mr. Robin Squire : The information is as follows :
Total external debt, including both temporary and long-term debt at 31 March 1992 is :
|£ million
--------------------------------------------
Harlow DC |41.3
Newcastle upon Tyne MDC |457.1
Wellingborough BC |44.7
Huntingdon DC |29.3
Budgeted external interest payments for 1992-93, expressed as a percentage of revenue expenditure, including HRA expenditure and that funded by sales, fees and charges and external interest receipts, is :
|Per cent.
--------------------------------------------
Harlow DC |6.5
Newcastle upon Tyne MDC |9.9
Huntingdon DC |3.5
Wellingborough BC |15.7
Homelessness
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have not provided details of the numbers of homeless families for inclusion in the most recent statistics on homelessness published by his Department this week ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Information on the number of households for whom local authorities accept responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act is reported in part E of the quarterly P1 return.
The statistics for the fourth quarter of 1992, published on 15 March 1993, were based on responses from 94 per cent. of English local authorities and included estimates for others which had not provided full information.
London
Islington
Newham
Redbridge
Wandsworth
Metropolitan districts
Leeds
South Tyneside
Non-metropolitan districts
Allerdale
Blyth Valley
Bolsover
Cambridge
Cannock Chase
Castle Morpeth
Craven
East Hertfordshire
Macclesfield
Nottingham
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