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Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for diversion of vehicles from the route of the newly constructed Cockburnspath bypass during abnormally high wind conditions ; and what alternative roads would be used in any such diversion.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 May 1993] : In common with other exposed section of trunk road, the embankment section of the new Cockburnspath bypass now has signs warning drivers of high-sided vehicles of the danger of crosswinds. A comparative study of the pattern of wind speeds and directions at this location and the nearby section of A1 at Thorntonloch is being undertaken by Strathclyde university and the results will determine a strategy for the use of automatically triggered diversion signs. In the event of their use, the diversion route will be along the former trunk road through Cockburnspath.
A1
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the currently identified parts of the A1 between Newcastle and Edinburgh which are identified as being subjected to abnormally high winds ; and what the wind velocities are in such cases.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 May 1993] : Sections of the A1 between Newcastle and Edinburgh which have been identified and signed as being subject to abnormal winds which can cause difficulties for drivers of high sided vehicles are : (a) River Coquet Bridge, Felton Bypass ;
(b) River Tweed Crossing, Berwick Bypass ;
(c) Cockburnspath Bypass ;
(d) Thorntonloch, north of Dunglass ; and
(e) Dunbar Bypass.
The study of wind speed at Cockburnspath and Thorntonloch is ongoing and meaningful results are not yet available. Wind velocities have not been measured at the other locations.
Appointments
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for the Scottish Tourist Board, the Higher Education Funding Council and the Scottish Sports Council the names of the chairman and board or council members, their occupation or profession and the allowances and remuneration payable in each case.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 10 May 1993] : The information requested is given in the tables.
Column 487
Scottish Sports Council
Name |Occupation |Annual Remuneration
|£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairman
Mr. Graeme M. Simmers, OBE |Businessman |12,468
Council Members
Mr. G. Malcolm Murrary (Vice Chairman) |Chief Executive (Insurance Company) |4,465
Mr. Michael Barron |Chief Executive (Local Government) |Nil
Mr. Alan Blackshaw |Business Consultant |Nil
Mr. Peter Jim Fairlie |Company Director |Nil
Miss Lesley Grant |Retired Headteacher |Nil
Mr. Alan Grosset |Solicitor |Nil
Mr. John Loughray |Director and Consultant |Nil
Mr. Fred Nelson |Engineer |Nil
Dr. Myra Nimmo |Senior Academic Faculty of Education Strathclyde University|Nil
Mr. John N. M. Frame |Stockbroker |Nil
Mrs. Alison Ramsay |Solicitor |Nil
All council members are entitled to claim expenses incurred as a result of their attendance at council meetings or SSC sponsored.
Column 489
Scottish Sports Council
Name |Occupation |Annual Remuneration
|£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairman
Mr. Graeme M. Simmers, OBE |Businessman |12,468
Council Members
Mr. G. Malcolm Murrary (Vice Chairman) |Chief Executive (Insurance Company) |4,465
Mr. Michael Barron |Chief Executive (Local Government) |Nil
Mr. Alan Blackshaw |Business Consultant |Nil
Mr. Peter Jim Fairlie |Company Director |Nil
Miss Lesley Grant |Retired Headteacher |Nil
Mr. Alan Grosset |Solicitor |Nil
Mr. John Loughray |Director and Consultant |Nil
Mr. Fred Nelson |Engineer |Nil
Dr. Myra Nimmo |Senior Academic Faculty of Education Strathclyde University|Nil
Mr. John N. M. Frame |Stockbroker |Nil
Mrs. Alison Ramsay |Solicitor |Nil
All council members are entitled to claim expenses incurred as a result of their attendance at council meetings or SSC sponsored.
Column 489
Scottish Sports Council
Name |Occupation |Annual Remuneration
|£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chairman
Mr. Graeme M. Simmers, OBE |Businessman |12,468
Council Members
Mr. G. Malcolm Murrary (Vice Chairman) |Chief Executive (Insurance Company) |4,465
Mr. Michael Barron |Chief Executive (Local Government) |Nil
Mr. Alan Blackshaw |Business Consultant |Nil
Mr. Peter Jim Fairlie |Company Director |Nil
Miss Lesley Grant |Retired Headteacher |Nil
Mr. Alan Grosset |Solicitor |Nil
Mr. John Loughray |Director and Consultant |Nil
Mr. Fred Nelson |Engineer |Nil
Dr. Myra Nimmo |Senior Academic Faculty of Education Strathclyde University|Nil
Mr. John N. M. Frame |Stockbroker |Nil
Mrs. Alison Ramsay |Solicitor |Nil
All council members are entitled to claim expenses incurred as a result of their attendance at council meetings or SSC sponsored.
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each of the newly incorporated further education colleges the names of the chairman and board members, their occupations or professions and the level of allowances or remuneration payable.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 May 1993] : I shall arrange for the information held centrally on
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members and chairmen of boards of management to be sent to the hon. Member. A copy will also be placed in the Library of the House. Membership of a board of management does not attract remuneration. Boards of management may pay allowances and expenses to members within such criteria as the Secretary of State may determine. The criteria which have been set are the same as those applicable to members of local authorities.Column 491
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for Scottish Homes and for each of the new town development corporations the name of the chairman and board members, their occupations or professions and the salaries, allowances or other type of remuneration payable.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 10 May 1993] : The information requested is set out in the table :
Column 491
Name |Occupation |Salary (£)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scottish Homes
Sir James Mellon, KCMG, (Chairman) |Former Diplomat |36,350
John Richards, CBE, PPRIAS, (Deputy Chairman) |Architect, John Richards Associates |16,515
Mrs. Frances McCall, MBE |Member, Management Committee, Calvay Co-op |6,310
Professor Duncan Maclennan, MA, MPhil, FRSA |Professor of Economics and Director, Centre for Housinger Sheerin, OBE |Co-Director, family owned retail carpetbusiness
Mrs. Daphne M. W. Sleigh |Freelance Market Researcher |6,310
Cameron H. Parker |Non-executive Vice-Chairman, Lithgows Ltd. |6,310
Professor John R. Small |Deputy Principal Heriot Watt University and Professor of Accountancy and Finance|6,310
Peter McKinlay (ex-officio member) |Chief Executive Scottish Homes |70,527
Glenrothes Development Corporation
Professor C. Blake, CBE (Chairman) |Former Chairman of William Low & Co. plc |21,540
David B. B. Smith (Deputy Chairman) |Director and Chief Executive of Dunfermline Building Society |9,790
Mrs. Frances Havenga |Exports Director |4,420
John MacDonald, JP |Leader of Fife Regional Council |4,420
Douglas C. Mason |Freelance Journalist |4,420
Iain A. McCrone, CBE |Chairman and Managing Director of McCrone Farmers |4,420
James A. G. Fiddes |Senior Partner, Ryden Property Consultants and Chartered Surveyors |4,420
Mrs. Jane Buchanan, JP |Travel Agent |4,420
Robert J. Taylor |Lecturer in Industrial Studies |4,420
East Kilbride Development Corporation
J. Allan Denholm, CBE (Chairman) |Company Director |21,540
Harley Marshall, JP (Deputy Chairman) |Company Managing Director |9,790
Mrs. Elaine McDonald |Chartered Accountant |4,420
James R. Mowat |Engineer |4,420
Iain J. A. Dyer |Lecturer, Glasgow University |4,420
John A. A. Spiers |Chartered Accountant and Chartered Surveyor |4,420
Stewart Crawford |East Kilbride District Councillor: Provost |4,420
Colin Robb |Leader of East Kilbride District Council |4,420
Dr. David M. Sanderson |Convener of Strathclyde Regional Council |4,420
Cumbernauld Development Corporation
David Mitchell, CBE (Chairman) |Joint Managing Director M & N Norman Timber Ltd. |21,540
Tom M. Barrie, JP (Deputy Chairman) |Member, Strathclyde Regional Council |9,790
John A. Dawson |Professor of Marketing, Edinburgh University |4,420
Mrs. Rose Mary McKenna, JP |District Councillor |4,420
James M. Burnett |Chartered Surveyor |4,420
John S. Moreland, OBE |Director, Scottish Nuclear |4,420
P. G. Lockett |Chartered Accountant |4,420
Robert R. C. Taylor |Chairman and Managing Director Robert Taylor Holdings Ltd. |4,420
Ian R. Young |Managing Director, Archibald Young (Brass Founders) Ltd. |4,420
Livingston Development Corporation
R. S. Watt, CBE (Chairman) |Computer Systems Consultant |21,540
Brian A. Meek, OBE, JP (Deputy Chairman) |Vice President, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Association |9,790
Mrs. Isobel Brydie, JP |Member, West Lothian District Council |4,420
William R. V. Percy |Member, Lothian Regional Council |4,420
John S. Young |Former Chairman of Berkley Computer Systems |4,420
Ian Ivory |Investment Manager |4,420
Keith Geddes |Lothian Regional Councillor |4,420
Gordon S. Milne |Retired Managing Director of Scottish Metropolitan |4,420
Charles A. Boyle |Former Director of Manchester Ship Canal Co. |4,420
Irvine Development Corporation
Maurice Crichton (Chairman) |Retired Chartered Accountant |21,540
Mrs Jeannette M. Mason |Former member of Strathclyde Regional Council |9,790
Jack Carson, JP |Convener of Cunninghame District Council |4,420
David Jerdan |Chartered Surveyor |4,420
Alan Jones |Vice President and Area Manager, Beechams |4,420
Archibald G. O. Walker |Chartered Accountant |4,420
William B. Miller, OBE |Chairman, Prestwick Holdings plc |4,420
Thomas H. Colyer |Member of Strathclyde Regional Council |4,420
Charles Maclean |Company Director |4,420
All the above appointments, except the chief executive, Scottish Homes, are held on a part-time basis. For Scottish Homes, the estimated time commitment is half a day per week for members, one and a half days per week for the deputy chairman and three days per week for the chairman. For the new town development corporations, the expected time commitment is half a day per week for members, one day per week for the deputy chairman and two days per week for the chairman.
Fords
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fords there are in Scotland where public roads cross watercourses ; how many fatal or serious accidents have occurred in each of the last 10 years as a result of vehicles failing to negotiate water on fords on public roads ; if he will list fords which have been closed to traffic following such accidents ; and what is his Department's policy towards fords and the provision of warning to motorists when water conditions may be dangerous.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 6 May 1993] : Information is not held centrally as to the number of fords in Scotland on public roads, the number of fatal or serious accidents at fords, nor the number of fords closed to traffic following such accidents.
Roads authorities have a duty to manage and maintain the roads for which they are responsible, including any fords on these roads, to allow for the safe and convenient movement of traffic.
There are prescribed signs to warn of the existence of a ford and of the depth of water. Roads authorities are at liberty to instal such signs without seeking the Secretary of State's consent. Where it is felt that particular circumstances require further warning signs to be erected, roads authorities may seek the Secretary of State's authorisation for non- standard signs.
Examinations
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are to introduce a more comprehensive system of moderation of the internal elements of examination under the auspices of the Scottish Vocational Education Council and the Scottish Examination Board ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 7 May 1993] : The Scottish Vocational Education Council and
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the Scottish Examination Board both give a high priority to the quality of external and internal assessment, and to moderation of their awards. They have in place quality assurance and review procedures to ensure that acceptable standards are maintained. The Howie committee included in its report proposals for a quality assurance system to underpin the validity of the new Scottish upper secondary awards which it has recommended. The proposals contained in the Howie committee's report and all the comments received upon these propopals are under consideration.Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are to alter the continual assessment element of ScotVec qualifications ; what representations he has had regarding the quality and acceptability of ScotVec modules ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 7 May 1993] : ScotVec qualifications are evolved in consultation with all interested parties and an independent review conducted by the Scottish Council for Research in Education in 1991 reported that employers favoured the assessment techniques used in ScotVec national certificate modules.
The success of the Scottish wider access programme in enabling students to enter higher education is evidence of acceptance of ScotVec's assessment methods and quality assurance. The Scottish Universities Council on Entrance, along with other national bodies, has also recently recognised groupings of ScotVec modules for entrance to higher education.
Local Government Reform
Mr. Davidson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 14 April, Official Report, column 587, what plans he has to improve the structures and systems of accountability to elected local authorities by non-elected agencies and non-governmental organisations following his proposed reforms of the local government system in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 11 May 1993] : There are no plans to amend the present arrangements for ensuring the accountability of non- departmental public bodies in the context of the Government's proposals for local government reform in Scotland.
Column 495
EDUCATION
Testing
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total cost, at the latest date for which figures are available, of (a) materials used or to be used in the scheduled standard assessment tasks for 1993 and (b) advertisements relating to testing and commending these tests to parents.
Mr. Forth : The total cost of producing and distributing all the materials for this year's tests of seven and 14-year-olds is estimated at £6.5 million. This is borne entirely by the School Examinations and Assessment Council. There is no direct cost to schools.
It is estimated that the cost of advertising the leaflet "How is Your Child Doing at School ?" which provides information to parents about this summer's tests is £415,000.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what date he expects his policy in regard to standard assessment tasks to be fully operational.
Mr. Forth : I refer the right hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend made to the House on 11May, Official Report, columns 651-60.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from secondary schools in Abingdon concerning the operation of his system of national testing of school pupils.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend has received various oral and written comments from secondary schools in Abingdon. These have concerned various aspects of the tests for 14-year-olds. The review being conducted by Sir Ron Dearing will consider such comments about the tests, with the aim of improving the assessment and testing arrangements in the future.
Teachers' Dispute, Wandsworth
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was his response to the letter of 23 April from the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers requesting a meeting to discuss the dispute between the union and the London borough of Wandsworth.
Mr. Forth : My right hon. Friend's private secretary replied on his behalf on 30 April. She advised the NASUWT that it should make its concerns and views known to Sir Ron Dearing who is conducting a review of the national curriculum and assessment arrangements. She said that meanwhile there was no justification for abandoning this summer's tests or for a boycott of the tests, which would damage pupils' education and hamper the achievement of a more streamlined curriculum and assessment framework.
Column 496
Higher Education
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of students entering higher education for each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : The table gives the number of first-year students on higher education courses at publicly funded higher education institutions in Great Britain from 1979 onwards. It includes both UK and overseas domiciled students.
Academic Year |Student numbers
|(000s)
------------------------------------------------
1979 |327.4
1980 |340.4
1981 |355.4
1982 |356.9
1983 |365.4
1984 |370.3
1985 |391.2
1986 |410.3
1987 |415.4
1988 |438.3
1989 |473.2
1990 |511.5
1991 |587.3
The number of students in higher education has expanded even faster than the rate of growth envisaged in the 1991 higher education White Paper. Over one in four young people were entering higher education in 1992. Government spending plans provide for an increase of 104,000 or 13 per cent. in higher education student numbers during the next three years. This will allow the current record levels of participation to be maintained and give institutions a period during which to consolidate their recent achievements.
Special Schools
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many pupils in (a) England and (b) each local education authority are educated in (i) local authority-maintained special schools, (ii) non- maintained special schools and (iii) independent special schools ;
(2) how many pupils in (a) England and (b) each local education authority have boarding places in (i) local authority-maintained special schools, (ii) non-maintained special schools and (iii) independent special schools.
Mr. Forth : The information requested for maintained and non- maintained special schools is shown in the table.
Information on independent special schools can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Column 495
Number of pupils and boarding pupils in maintained and non-maintained special
schools for each LEA in England (including hospital special
and general hospital schools).
January 1992
Maintained Non-maintained
|All pupils |Boarders(1)|All pupils |Boarders(1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |0 |0 |0 |0
Camden |372 |62 |0 |0
Greenwich |742 |56 |0 |0
Hackney |651 |150 |0 |0
Hammersmith |436 |55 |0 |0
Islington |335 |26 |0 |0
Kensington and Chelsea |87 |86 |0 |0
Lambeth |843 |98 |0 |0
Lewisham |466 |59 |0 |0
Southwark |491 |61 |0 |0
Tower Hamlets |511 |41 |0 |0
Wandsworth |715 |195 |0 |0
Westminster |168 |29 |0 |0
Barking |161 |0 |0 |0
Barnet |365 |50 |0 |0
Bexley |272 |0 |0 |0
Brent |353 |0 |0 |0
Bromley |358 |0 |44 |41
Croydon |515 |14 |0 |0
Ealing |459 |0 |0 |0
Enfield |429 |0 |0 |0
Haringey |342 |0 |0 |0
Harrow |220 |0 |0 |0
Havering |225 |0 |0 |0
Hillingdon |402 |0 |89 |34
Hounslow |391 |0 |0 |0
Kingston upon Thames |231 |0 |0 |0
Merton |249 |0 |0 |0
Newham |342 |0 |0 |0
Redbridge |382 |0 |9 |0
Richmond upon Thames |149 |0 |0 |0
Sutton |311 |0 |0 |0
Waltham Forest |777 |20 |0 |0
Birmingham |3,015 |222 |0 |0
Coventry |820 |65 |0 |0
Dudley |571 |0 |0 |0
Sandwell |819 |43 |0 |0
Solihull |277 |0 |0 |0
Walsall |575 |25 |0 |0
Wolverhampton |501 |8 |0 |0
Knowsley |625 |53 |0 |0
Liverpool |1,585 |94 |147 |80
St. Helens |470 |0 |0 |0
Sefton |428 |0 |165 |97
Wirral |772 |0 |69 |32
Bolton |483 |9 |37 |12
Bury |298 |23 |0 |0
Manchester |1,849 |106 |0 |0
Oldham |593 |0 |0 |0
Rochdale |503 |28 |0 |0
Salford |451 |0 |0 |0
Stockport |448 |37 |323 |102
Tameside |422 |0 |0 |0
Trafford |398 |0 |0 |0
Wigan |868 |66 |0 |0
Barnsley |158 |0 |0 |0
Doncaster |710 |36 |308 |244
Rotherham |628 |0 |0 |0
Sheffield |878 |133 |0 |0
Bradford |962 |7 |0 |0
Calderdale |199 |0 |54 |54
Kirklees |645 |74 |30 |22
Leeds |1,019 |16 |113 |81
Wakefield |635 |16 |0 |0
Gateshead |364 |24 |0 |0
Newcastle upon Tyne |792 |69 |156 |96
North Tyneside |439 |0 |121 |20
South Tyneside |346 |0 |0 |0
Sunderland |695 |0 |0 |0
Isles of Scilly |0 |0 |0 |0
Avon |2,065 |228 |0 |0
Bedfordshire |1,143 |81 |0 |0
Berkshire |1,649 |79 |239 |234
Buckinghamshire |1,582 |275 |0 |0
Cambridgeshire |984 |77 |0 |0
Cheshire |1,505 |333 |171 |163
Cleveland |1,415 |58 |0 |0
Cornwall |298 |57 |0 |0
Cumbria |306 |0 |0 |0
Derbyshire |1,356 |97 |98 |48
Devon |1,787 |185 |344 |250
Dorset |1,104 |57 |76 |35
Durham |1,068 |127 |0 |0
East Sussex |1,366 |65 |438 |324
Essex |2,609 |147 |160 |73
Gloucestershire |1,320 |108 |65 |33
Hampshire |3,688 |178 |279 |279
Hereford and Worcester |1,260 |38 |172 |172
Hertfordshire |1,911 |275 |63 |63
Humberside |1,240 |121 |0 |0
Isle of Wight |252 |0 |44 |42
Kent |3,346 |559 |514 |418
Lancashire |3,258 |218 |159 |112
Leicestershire |1,104 |165 |0 |0
Lincolnshire |1,145 |159 |0 |0
Norfolk |896 |83 |0 |0
North Yorkshire |1,007 |197 |202 |170
Northamptonshire |1,158 |17 |28 |26
Northumberland |488 |62 |0 |0
Nottinghamshire |1,718 |80 |93 |65
Oxfordshire |839 |48 |130 |127
Shropshire |550 |14 |77 |77
Somerset |609 |23 |61 |43
Staffordshire |2,222 |181 |0 |0
Suffolk |792 |123 |0 |0
Surrey |1,783 |325 |636 |578
Warwickshire |1,301 |148 |0 |0
West Sussex |1,233 |123 |90 |58
Wiltshire |753 |175 |22 |15
|------- |------- |------- |-------
England |92,101 |7,442 |5,826 |4,320
(1) Boarders are included in total pupils figures.
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average annual cost of (a) boarding and (b) day places in (i) local authority-maintained special schools, (ii) non-maintained special schools and (iii) independent special schools.
Mr. Forth : This information is not collected centrally.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for grant-maintained status have been approved since 1 December 1992 (a) without modification and (b) with modification in respect of (i) admission numbers, (ii) admission policy and (iii) incorporation date.
Mr. Forth : Since 1 December 1992, 70 applications for grant- maintained status have been approved without modification, and 118 with modification. Of this latter group, 26 applications were approved with modification in respect of admission numbers, 95 in respect of admission policy, and 10 in respect of incorporation date. Some applications were approved with more than one modification.
Disabled People
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list by local education authority the number of (a) teachers, (b) nursery nurses and (c) teachers' aides employed who are disabled.
Mr. Boswell : The information requested is not centrally recorded.
Column 500
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Mongolia
15. Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals he has to improve relations with Mongolia.
Mr. Goodlad : Relations with Mongolia are very good. January marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. This year has seen the introduction of a bilateral aid programme for Mongolia of £2.7 million over the next three years. This is aimed at helping the Mongolians with their economic reform programme, being carried out in the face of considerable hardship. A bilateral round table meeting is scheduled for this October in London.
Somalia
16. Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the prospects for Somalia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The deployment of foreign troops has radically improved the relief situation, although security remains a major problem. Somali military factions have agreed to a ceasefire, disarmament and the formation of a transitional government.
Yugoslavia
17. Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about developments in Bosnia and the Balkans.
19. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in former Yugoslavia.
Column 501
28. Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Bosnia.
34. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European Community counterparts on the conflict in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement.
36. Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about Government policy on Bosnia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The rejection of the Vance-Owen peace plan by the Bosnian Serb Assembly is a serious set-back but should not be seen as the last word on the agreement. We are pursuing a twin-track policy: to continue planning for implementation of the plan, while at the same time increasing pressure on the Serbs to accept and implement the peace plan and to desist from further attacks. We are already intensifying sanctions, and are consulting closely with our partners and allies on the possibility of stronger measures if the Serbs do not comply.
A political settlement in Bosnia would ease tensions in the region and reduce the risk of possible spillover into other parts of the former Yugoslavia.
20. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of sanctions against Serbia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Sanctions are having an increasingly harsh effect on the Serbian economy. Inflation is running at over 225 per cent per month. Over 70 per cent of the work force are unemployed or idle. Per capita gross domestic product has fallen to the 1969 level and severe shortages are apparent in all sectors of the economy. The provisions of United Nations Security Council resolution 820 and the tighter enforcement measures being taken will have a major impact on the effectiveness of the sanctions regime.
37. Ms Lynne : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government have taken to ensure the release of the women held in Bosnian rape camps ; if he will initiate steps to have rape classified as a war crime ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on 27 April Official Report , column 372 . Rape is already a war crime since it is specifically prohibited by article 27 of the fourth Geneva convention.
Middle East
18. Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the middle east peace negotiations.
21. Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the middle east peace process.
35. Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is
Column 502
being made towards a peace settlement between the Palestinians and the Israeli Government ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Douglas Hogg : The bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Arab parties resumed in Washington on 27 April. We welcome the resumption. We continue to urge the parties to negotiate seriously to produce early visible progress towards lasting settlement on the basis of United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.
Denmark (Referendum)
22. Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for avoiding the isolation of Denmark in the event of a second no vote in its referendum.
Mr. Hurd : We do not expect the Danes to vote no.
Japan
23. Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom/Japanese relations.
Mr. Goodlad : As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs confirmed during his visit to Japan on 6 to 7 April, relations between the United Kingdom and Japan are excellent. We are maintaining a high level of ministerial contact so as to develop our co-operation in all fields including political dialogue, trade, investment, science and technology and broader cultural and educational exchanges.
30. Mr. Hague : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Japanese Foreign Minister to discuss bilateral relations.
Mr. Goodlad : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met the new Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Kabun Muto, on 7 April during his visit to Tokyo. He had also met on 6 April the acting Foreign Minister, Mr. Yohei Kono, and had with him a fruitful discussion on how to develop further the excellent bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Japan.
Cyprus
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the Cyprus issue with the Turkish Government ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Mr. Cetin in London on 23 November, he made clear our expectation that Turkey would use her significant influence to encourage the Turkish Cypriot community to work actively towards a settlement to the dispute. We use every opportunity to reiterate to the Turks our desire for a solution to the Cyprus problem and will do so again in the run-up to the resumed intercommunal talks in New York on 24 May.
Column 503
Iran
24. Mr. Fabricant : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings he has had with members of the Government of Iran concerning hostages and detained persons in the middle east ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last met the Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Velayati, in New York on 25 September 1992. He met the Iranian charge d'affaires in London on 26 January 1993 and I met him on 5 May 1993. The Iranian Government are well aware of our views on hostages.
Open Government
25. Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he expects to make to the open government initiative.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told the House on 12 March, we will be publishing a White Paper on openness during the present Session. I have no wish to anticipate its recommendations.
Sudan
26. Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy on the current troubles in Sudan.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : A root cause of the misery in Sudan is the civil war. We welcome the reconvening of peace talks under the auspices of the Nigerian Government and are discussing with our EC partners, the US and others what further the international community can do to alleviate the suffering.
We shall maintain strong pressure on the Government of Sudan to improve their performance in areas of concern to us, especially human rights and the alleviation of the humanitarian crisis. We were one of the first to respond at the outset of the present crisis in November 1990, and have since then committed over £63 million in humanitarian aid. This makes us one of the leading donors to Sudan.
Eritrea
29. Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards Eritrea following its referendum.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We warmly welcome the outcome of the referendum on Eritrea's status. United Nations observers have confirmed their satisfaction with the process. This opens the way for recognition of Eritrea. The Eritreans have announced that their independence will be formally declared on 24 May. Accordingly, we plan to announce our decision on recognition by that date.
Cyprus
31. Mr. Waterson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to encourage an amicable resolution on the island of Cyprus ; and if he will make a statement.
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