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Column 350
Bolton Council
Mr. Knapman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has concluded his consideration of the response from Bolton metropolitan borough council to the notice served on the authority on 29 October 1992 under section 19A of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : My right hon. and learned Friend has now completed his careful consideration of the response which Bolton has made to the notice served on the authority on 29 October 1992, and has today given a direction under section 19B of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980. The effect of the direction is that the authority is required to demonstrate to the Secretary of State's satisfaction that before the current arrangements come to an end in March 1995, the tendering conditions set out in section 9(4) of the Act, have been complied with before any of this building maintenance work is again assigned to the direct labour organisation.
Council Tax Capping
Mr. Booth : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how local authorities have budgeted for 1993-94 ; what decisions in the light of those budgets he has reached on council tax capping for 1993-94 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : This year, the first years of the council tax, all but a tiny minority of authorities have set affordable budgets and council taxes. Only three of 419 English authorities have in my opinion set budgets which are excessive or represent an excessive year-on-year increase.
I have designated these three authorities--Castle Point, Gloucestershire, and Harlow--for capping and I have proposed caps as shown in the table.
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~
|Authority's 1993-94 |Proposed cap |Original council tax|Council tax
|budget |for 2 adult band D |reduction implied
|dwelling |by proposed cap for
|2 adult band D
|dwelling
|£ million |£ million |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Castle Point |8.470 |7.97 |625 |18
Gloucestershire |316.889 |306.61 |(474-636) |55
Harlow |17.953 |11.20 |987 |288
The principles that I have adopted for selecting these authorities broadly give effect to the provisional criteria which I announced to the House on 26 November 1992.
I consider, on the basis of all the available information, that my proposed caps are reasonable, appropriate and achievable in all the circumstances of the authorities concerned. If the authorities accept my proposed caps new lower bills will be able to be issued without delay.
Authorities have 28 days in which to accept or challenge my proposed caps. In the latter case, they must specify an alternative cap, together with their reasons for it. In such circumstances, it is open to me to set the final cap at the level originally proposed or some different
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amount. If an authority does not accept my proposed cap I have to set the final cap by order, a draft of which must be approved by the House of Commons.Local Income Tax
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will exemplify, for a single person on average earnings, what would be the annual liability and the rate in the pound under a local income tax system for each local authority area in England in 1993-94 assuming (a) the budgets which local authorities have set for that year and (b) full resource equalisation.
Mr. Robin Squire : I will write to my hon. Friend.
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Toxic Waste (Transport)
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he has taken to (a) monitor and (b) prevent the import of toxic waste cargo containing dioxin TCDD from Hamburg through Hull to Pontypool ;
(2) when he now intends to implement a ban on the import of toxic waste from developed countries ;
(3) what information he has about the proposed importation of toxic waste containing dioxin TCDD from Hamburg through Hull to Pontypool.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 26 March 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) on 30 March, Official Report, column 138.
The Government intend to use the EC waste shipments regulation after it applies in May 1994 to reduce, as far as possible, the amount of waste imported for final disposal.
EDUCATION
Private Finance Initiative
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to implement the private finance initiative announced in the autumn statement on 12 November 1992 and in the Treasury private finance guidance published on 9 December 1992.
Mr. Forth : The reply that I gave to my right hon. Friend on 17 December 1992, Official Report, column 347, set out the Department's role in supporting the introduction of private finance in schools, further and higher education. The Department is now examining the scope for involving the private sector in the ways suggested by the interim guidance published by the Treasury on 9 December 1992, and the further published guidance on contract energy management--17 February 1993--and joint ventures--16 March 1993.
Sex Education
Lady Olga Maitland : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans he has to allow the introduction of condoms in schools ;
(2) if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that sex education in schools embraces a moral code and the responsibilities of parenthood.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has no such plans. Section 46 of the Education (No 2) Act 1986 already requires that any sex education which schools provide--whether or not it is required as part of the national curriculum--should be given in such a manner as to encourage pupils to have due regard to moral considerations and the value of family life.
Testbourne School, Whitchurch
Sir David Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to take a decision on the application of Testbourne school, Whitchurch, Hampshire, for grant-maintained status ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has approved the application for the acquisition of grant-maintained status by Testbourne school with effect from 1 September 1993.
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Staff-Student Ratios
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the latest staff-to-student ratios in further and higher education colleges and universities.
Mr. Boswell : Data for student to staff ratios in further and higher education and universities are shown in the table for the academic year 1991-92.
|1991-92
----------------------------------------------
LEA Maintained establishments
Futher education |11.9
Higher education<1> |9.1
PCFC Institutions |17.0
Universities (Great Britain) |<2>12.5
<1> Following the transfer of polytechnics
and colleges of higher education to the
Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (
PCFC) in 1989 higher education forms only a
small part of the provision in maintained
establishments.
<2> Provisional.
Teachers' Pay
Mr. Mark Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about teachers' pay in 1993-94.
Mr. Patten : On 12 February, the Prime Minister announced that the Government proposed to implement, with modifications, the recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body for teachers' pay in England and Wales for 1993-94. After careful consideration of the representations I have received from the local authorities, the teachers' associations and others, I remain convinced that the restructuring recommended by the STRB is the right way forward, and I intend to implement it on 1 September 1993. In the light of the observations that have been made to me, I have decided to ease the introduction of the new pay spine by offering some flexibility in the assimilation arrangements, where this proves necessary.
Firstly, there will be cash safeguarding to ensure that no teacher will be worse off under the new arrangements on 1 September than if the old structure had been left in place. This safeguarding will be lifted as soon as a teacher's points entitlement under the new system overtakes the safeguarded salary.
Secondly, while LEAs and schools are expected to implement the new structure, they may, if necessary, preserve the discretionary inner London supplement for one more year as a separate allowance of £822 for the teachers who now hold it, instead of converting it into an extra spine point. No new payments will be authorised, but the new system will permit a third point on the spine to be awarded for recruitment or retention in inner London schools.
Thirdly, discretionary scale points may also be preserved for one more year at their 31 August cash value, instead of being converted automatically into new spine points. There will be no new awards of discretionary scale points. The new structure will permit up to three spine points to be awarded for excellence, which in many cases will overtake the discretionary scale points from 1 September.
1.5 per cent. range for pay settlements in the public sector. In response to requests for clarification of entitlement to the mandatory spine point for teachers of pupils in ordinary schools with special educational needs, I have decided that the new school teachers' pay and conditions document will define such entitlement in terms of those wholly or mainly teaching pupils with statements of special educational needs.
I am today laying before Parliament a pay and conditions order bringing into force the new rates of pay which will apply from 1 April, and providing for lump sum payments of £90 to be made to qualified classroom teachers in May. Copies of this order, and details of the revised arrangements for the introduction of the new pay spine in September, are being sent to all maintained schools, to all local education authorities and to the teachers' and employers' associations.
Drafts of the school teachers' pay and conditions document 1993, which will set out the details of the new pay structure which is to apply from 1 September and will provide for assimilation from the old structure to the new, and of the associated circular of guidance, will shortly be sent to the relevant teachers' and employers' associations and to representatives of the governors of voluntary schools and grant-maintained schools.
Violence in Schools
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment has been made of the change in the incidence of violence in schools since the abolition of corporal punishment.
Mr. Forth : The Department has not commissioned any such studies.
Physical Education
Ms Hoey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average number of hours per week allocated to physical education in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.
Mr. Forth : This information is not available.
Undergraduates (Suicides)
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students at English universities have committed suicide in each of the last three years ; and how many were male and how many female.
Mr. Boswell : The table shows numbers of deaths in England and Wales from suicide for full-time students aged 18 and over.
|1989|1990|1991
--------------------------
Men |73 |57 |64
Women |15 |15 |21
|-- |-- |--
Total |88 |72 |85
The suicides in the three years represent approximately 11 per 100, 000 of the full-time student population in further and higher education aged 18 and over.
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NATIONAL HERITAGE
Royal Parks
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made towards establishing the royal parks as an executive agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brooke : I am pleased to announce that the Royal Parks Agency will be established today. The royal parks are London's most important recreational areas. They are important historic landscapes which make a vital contribution to the character of the city alongside its great buildings. The aims and objectives of the agency are set out in a framework document, copies of which will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. I am confident that the managerial freedoms granted to the chief executive in the framework document will enable the Royal Parks Agency to provide the highest standards of excellence and customer service. The key targets which I have set the agency for its first year of operation are : Conservation
1. To prepare up-to-date condition surveys and prepare renovation and forward maintenance programmes for trees, buildings and horticulture.
2. To develop and institute during 1993-94 an independent assessment of the horticultural quality of each of the Royal Parks. Visitors
3. To develop and carry out surveys of visitors to the Royal Parks to identify their views and to develop a basis for setting and publishing targets relating to visitor satisfaction for future years.
Financial
4. To introduce charges for car parking in Hyde Park and Regent's Park by September 1993, and to increase by 5 per cent. income from all other sources, except for recharges and VAT refunds.
Citizen's Charter
5. To complete the implmentation of the Citizen's Charter in the Royal Parks. In particular, to publish a Charter standard statement, by the end of November, setting out quantifiable levels of customer service and to report regularly and publicly on performance against these standards.
Efficiency
6. To make efficiency savings of 1.5 per cent. on running costs. 7. To finalise an Information Technology strategy for the Agency, agree a phased programme for implementation and commence implementation in accordance with the programme.
Market Testing
8. To complete the market testing of the management of the works programme by June 1993, and to prepare a report to Ministers, by December 1993, on what further scope there is in the Agency for market testing work.
The chief executive, Mr. David Welch, will be directly accountable to me for the performance of the Royal Parks Agency. An independent advisory group will advise me on the agency's strategy and performance.
Bletchley Park
Mr. Allason : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on what grounds he has refused to add Bletchley park and the historic huts sited in its grounds to the statutory list ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Key : My decision not to list the huts at Bletchley park was based on advice from English Heritage, my statutory professional advisers.
The great historical importance of the events which took place at Bletchley park is fully appreciated, but English Heritage's advice is that the huts are of no architectural significance in themselves and do not illustrate the events that took place there. No original machines or other fixtures survive.
Bletchley park house, the headquarters building of the operational centre, is a listed building ; and the whole of the site has been designated a conservation area. This means that demolition of any of the huts would require consent from the local planning authority.
TRANSPORT
Congestion Charging Technology
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the review of congestion charging technology commissioned by his Department as part of the London congestion charging research programme.
Mr. MacGregor : I am pleased to announce that this report, produced by the university of Newcastle upon Tyne, was published yesterday. It describes the main technical options and provides an initial assessment. Copies have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Private Finance Initiative
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to implement the private finance initiative announced in the autumn statement on 12 November 1992 and in the Treasury private finance guidance published on 9 December 1992.
Mr. MacGregor : I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 29 March, Official Report, column 5.
Regional Air Services
Mr. Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those United Kingdom regions that satisfy the criteria under article 9 of the EC Council Regulation No. 95/93 allowing slots at major airports to be reserved for regional air services ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : There are no plans to apply the provisions of article 9, and consequently no assessment has been made of which regions, if any, would meet the criteria specified in the article.
Air Charter Services
Mr. Haselhurst : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those countries which operate controls on the number of charter services operating from the United Kingdom.
Mr. Norris : From the information available to us, a number of countries place restrictions on the number of charter services operating from the United Kingdom.
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Canada and Australia limit the number of airports which may be served in their territory. Cyprus and to a lesser extent Malta limit the airports in the United Kingdom from which charters may operate. Iceland, Israel and Russia tend not to allow charter services to operate on routes which are already served by a scheduled service.Car Immobilisers
Sir Ivan Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to introduce legislation making it obligatory for motor car manufacturers to make car immobilisation devices standard features ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : There is a legal requirement under the Type Approval (Great Britain) Regulations 1984 for cars to be fitted with an immobilising device. This normally is a steering column lock acting as an electrical and a mechanical immobiliser. Car thieves have, however, found ways of defeating such devices made to current legal standards and some manufacturers are fitting more sophisticated devices. We are also working with our EC partners to improve the legal standards for immobilisers.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many first registrations were handled by the DVLA for 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : DVLA handles the first registration of all vehicles in Great Britain. The information requested is as follows :
|1990 |1991 |1992
--------------------------------------------------
January |256,550 |188,430 |150,627
February |200,750 |146,148 |142,183
March |193,385 |146,751 |143,290
April |217,345 |199,569 |169,824
May |228,331 |141,076 |148,494
June |190,645 |137,605 |152,987
July |117,109 |98,825 |115,559
August |382,829 |300,698 |307,375
September |226,536 |204,270 |185,437
October |207,341 |148,461 |137,795
November |139,734 |126,352 |129,778
December |87,436 |84,496 |107,834
|------- |------- |-------
Totals |2,447,991|1,922,681|1,891,183
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the DVLA has, in bidding for the register of seamen and shipping, to move the work to Swansea.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The invitations to tender for the services provided by the register of shipping and seamen have yet to be issued. If the DVLA is invited to tender and a decision is taken to bid for the work, all the associated issues will be fully addressed in the agency's tender document.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in which parliamentary constituency each DVLA office is situated.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The information requested is as follows :
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Office |Parliamentary
|constituency
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberdeen |Aberdeen, South
Bangor |Conwy
Birmingham |Birmingham, Ladywood
Bounemouth |Bournemouth, West
Brighton |Brighton, Pavilion
Bristol<1> |Northavon
Cardiff |Cardiff, North
Carlisle |Penrith and The Border
Chelmsford |Chelmsford
Chester |City of Chester
Coventry |Coventry, South East
Croydon |Croydon, South
Dudley |Dudley, East
Dundee |Dundee, West
Edinburgh<1> |Edinburgh, Pentlands
Exeter |Exeter
Glasgow |Glasgow, Hillhead
Gloucester |Gloucestershire, West
Guildford |Guildford
Haverfordwest |Pembroke
Huddersfield |Huddersfield
Hull |Hull, West
Ilford |Ilford, South
Inverness |Inverness
Ipswich |Ipswich
Leeds |Leeds, Central
Leicester |Leicester, South
Lincoln |Lincoln
Liverpool |Liverpool, Riverside
London Central |Southwark and Bermondsey
(Great Marlborough Street) |City of London and Westminster, South
London Enforcement Office-Sidcup |Old Bexley and Sidcup
Luton |Luton, South
Maidstone |Maidstone
Manchester<1> |Stretford
Middlesborough |Middlesborough
Newcastle |Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North
Northampton |Northampton, South
Norwich |Norwich, South
Nottingham<1> |Nottingham, South
Oxford |Oxford, West and Abingdon
Peterborough |Peterborough
Portsmouth |Portsmouth, South
Preston |Preston
Reading<1> |Reading, East
Sheffield |Sheffield, Central
Shrewsbury |Shrewsbury and Atcham
Sidcup |Old Bexley and Sidcup
Stanmore |Harrow, East
Stoke |Stoke-on-Trent, Central
Swansea<2> |Swansea, East
Swindon |Swindon
Taunton |Taunton
Truro |Truro and St. Austell
Worcester |Worcester
<1>Including area office.
<2>DVLC and VRO.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list, for each year that the agency has existed, the income generated by the DVLA, the numbers of staff by grace in the driver and vaehicle licensing centre, Swansea, and the numbers of staff by grade in the agency outside Swansea ;
(2) what proportion of the DVLA's income has gone to the Treasury in each year since its establishment.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The total revenue and other income collected by the DVLA in the two complete financial years since it became an agency was :
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[NL] |£'000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Vehicle Excise Duty (net of refunds) passed to the Consolidated Fund |2,930,361|2,930,645
(ii) Fees and other Receipts passed to the Consolidated Fund |48,799 |68,438
(iii) Receipts Appropriated to the DVLA |16,082 |21,142
[NL] |£'000
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Vehicle Excise Duty (net of refunds) passed to the Consolidated Fund |2,930,361|2,930,645
(ii) Fees and other Receipts passed to the Consolidated Fund |48,799 |68,438
(iii) Receipts Appropriated to the DVLA |16,082 |21,142
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those areas of work that the DVLA intends to bid for, or is at present bidding for, following the changes in the framework document.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The DVLA framework document came into force on 2 April 1990 and has not been subject to revision. In order to spread overheads and improve efficiency the agency's policy is to explore opportunities to enhance and expand the range of services provided in the light of the wishes of customers and in keeping with Government policy. Details of the DVLA's current bids for work are classified as commercial in confidence.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many females are employed in the DVLC, Swansea.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : At the end of March 1993 there were a total of 2,448 females employed in the DVLC, Swansea of whom 496 were part-time or job-sharing employees. This total represents just over 70 per cent. of the Swansea work force.
Road Schemes
Mr. Mans : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on taking forward road schemes using design and build contracts.
Mr. MacGregor : The success of the trial schemes at Thetford and Yellowham has encouraged us to move on to
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bigger projects and I am pleased to announce that four more schemes are to be taken forward this way. My hon. Friend the Minister for Roads and Traffic has today announced the decision to go ahead with the A45 Stonebridge improvement scheme to the east of Birmingham. The aim is to seek tenders for this £10 million scheme in May and to start work early next year.Also in the spring of next year, and subject of course to completion of statutory processes, we propose to initiate our largest design and build scheme to date. The £85 million widening of the M25, within highway boundaries, to dual four lanes between junctions 8 and 10 will provide contractors with ample opportunity to demonstrate their skills to build this 14-mile length of road with minimum disruption to users of the motorway.
We intend appointing a contractor to design and build replacement viaducts at the A38 Marsh Mills interchange in Plymouth. Our aim is to select a contractor later this year with a view to work starting in early 1994.
We are preparing also a contract to trial design and build on a major maintenance scheme for M25 between junctions 2 and 3. We expect to invite tenders in May with a view to an award of contract in August.
This package of schemes illustrates the Government's commitment to reducing congestion on our roads by harnessing the initiative of contractors to secure the most up-to-date and cost-effective methods. The taxpayer will also benefit from greater certainty over timing and cost.
Railway Pension Schemes
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake to conduct a ballot of railway pensioners before imposing any revised scheme for the management of their pension fund.
Mr. Freeman : It is for the trustees, trade unions, pensioners' bodies and individuals to make representations on the basis of the consultative document "Railway Pensions after Privatisation". They have done so extensively.
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