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Mr. Waldegrave : I hope to be able to publish the White Paper before the summer recess.
Public Services (Complaints)
40. Mr. Mark Robinson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans his Department has to improve complaints procedures in the public services as part of the citizens charter.
Mr. Davis : We will shortly be announcing a citizens charter complaints task force with the aim of ensuring that all public services adopt the key principles of good complaints systems. People need to know how to complain and they must have confidence that their complaint will be dealt with quickly and fairly.
Dr. Wright : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to place a statutory obligation on public services to operate a formal complaints procedure for service users.
Mr. Waldegrave : I have no plans to place statutory obligations on public services in respect of complaints procedures. It is for individual organisations to ensure that their complaints systems conform to citizens charter principles. I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 17 March, when I indicated that we were going to establish a citizens charter complaints task force to encourage and support organisations in this aim. We will be making an announcement about this very shortly.
Dr. Wright : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the complaints mechanisms for public service users contained in the citizens charter programme have an independent element ; and if he will list them.
Mr. Waldegrave : One of the principles of the citizens charter is that public service organisations should have well publicised and easy to use complaints procedures with independent review wherever possible. Many public service organisations have an independent element in their own complaints procedures or are in the process of
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introducing one. By "independent" in this context, I mean a review procedure which is not part of the management hierarchy of the organisation concerned. Those which are known to my Department are : Benefits Agency War Pensions Unit : War Pensions Committees ; British Gas : Gas Consumers' Council and OFGAS ;British Rail : Area Transport Users' Consultative Committee (co-ordinated through the Central Transport Consultative Committee) ;
British Telecom : OFTEL with recourse to a service provided by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators ;
British Waterways Board : plans have been announced for the appointment of an independent ombudsman ;
14 Electricity Companies : Electricity Consumers Committees and OFFER ;
HM Prison Service : Prisons Ombudsman ;
Home Office Immigration and Nationality Department : Complaints Audit Committee ;
Housing Corporation : plans have been announced for the appointment of an independent ombudsman to deal with complaints from tenants of housing associations ;
Inland Revenue : Revenue Adjudicator ;
Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce : Agency Complaints Adjudicator ;
London Buses and London Underground : London Regional Passengers Committee ;
Department of National Savings : Adjudicator for National Savings ;
Police Service : Police Complaints Authority (England and Wales) ; Procurator Fiscal Service (Scotland) ;
Post Office : Post Office Users' National Council with recourse to a service provided by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators ; Probation Service : Area Probation Committees ;
Thirty-two Water Companies : Regional Customer Service Committees and OFWAT ;
These mechanisms are principally concerned with complaints about quality of service or misconduct and do not investigate disputes about decisions relating to entitlement, for which there are separate, and in some cases independent, procedures of appeal, for example, tribunals.
I also understand that many local authorities have set up internal "independent" complaints units.
None of these arrangements affects the rights of individuals to pursue their complaints through the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, the Health Service Commissioners or the Commissioners for Local Administration.
Relocation and Amalgamations
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the sections and organisations within his Department for which there are plans for relocation or amalgamation.
Mr. Waldegrave : It is planned to move a limited number of staff from the Horse Guards road building in central London to enable refurbishment work to proceed. It is also planned to relocate most of the London office of CCTA, the Government Centre for Information Systems, to Norwich by 1994.
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NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received on the issue of social responsibility and the proposed national lottery with specific regard to (a) young people and (b) low-income groups ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sproat : The Department has received a number of letters which reflect the views of the Jubilee centre, calling for controls on advertising to ensure that the lottery will not target young people or those on low incomes. The Government are confident that the operators who will bid to run the lottery will take a responsible approach to marketing and advertising which will be reflected in their resT Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the sections and organisations within his Department for which there are plans for relocation or amalgamation.
Mr. Sproat : Most of my Department has recently moved to a new headquarters building in central London. The rest of the Department will move to a building nearby later this year.
The Royal Parks Agency has also recently moved to new headquarters at Hyde Park.
There are no other significant plans for relocation.
Market Testing
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the cost to date and the expected future cost of his Department's market -testing programme ; how many staff are engaged full time in work relating to market testing ; which firms of consultants have been used in connection with the market-testing programme ; and how they were selected.
Mr. Sproat : My Department has spent £173,682 to date on its own market-testing programme. Future costs are likely to be considerably less. The Royal Parks Agency and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency have spent £147,833 and £9,000 respectively since becoming the responsibility of my Department in April 1992. The Royal Parks and HRPA expect future costs of £20,000 and £10,000 respectively. No staff are engaged full-time in work relating to market testing in the Department or its agencies.
The Department employed PE International as its consultant. The Royal Parks Agency employed Cluttons and Watts and Partners and the HRPA employed Land Use Consultants. All were selected by competitive tender.
Museums and Galleries Commission
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures he is taking to promote and support the work of the Museums and Galleries Commission.
Mr. Sproat : The Department of National Heritage provides regular funding to the Museums and Galleries
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Commission, £8.9 million in the financial year 1993-94. This helps to support the work of the commission in continuing to promote excellence in the museum community.ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Relocation and Amalgamations
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the sections and organisations within his Departments for which there are plans for relocation or amalgamation.
The Attorney-General : The Crown prosecution service has plans to relocate some of its headquarters functions from London to York. It is also currently amalgamating its former 31 areas covering England and Wales to form 13 enlarged areas. There are no plans for relocation or amalgamation in the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department or the Serious Fraud Office.
Foreign Travel
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Attorney-General what is the annual cost of Law Officers' foreign travel.
The Attorney-General : The cost of Law Officers' foreign travel during the financial year 1992-93 was £7,353.
PRIME MINISTER
French Security Services
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has made to his French counterpart in relation to activities by the French security services in relation to British companies.
The Prime Minister : It is not Government policy to comment on security and intelligence matters.
UN Conference on Women
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Prime Minister (1) what consultation process has been set up to enable women to make an input to the formal United Kingdom report to be presented at the UN conference on women in 1995 ; and what sums have been budgeted to encourage full consultation and to inform people of the United Kingdom's participation ;
(2) if he will make a statement on the implementation in the United Kingdom of the UN convention on the elimination of discrimination against women ;
(3) who is responsible for compiling the formal United Kingdom report to be presented at the UN conference on women in Beijing in 1995 ; and who will represent the United Kingdom Government at the conference.
The Prime Minister : The Government will be responsible for compiling the United Kingdom report to the UN world conference on women in 1995. The draft report will be considered by the ministerial sub-committee on women's issues. Details of the consultation process are being finalised. The views of the Women's National Commission will be taken into account at an early stage and other organisations will be invited to contribute. The
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costs of the consultation and information will be absorbed in normal Government expenditure. United Kingdom representation for the 1995 conference has yet to be decided.The United Kingdom ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) in 1986 and reports to the UN on its implementation every four years. The second report, made in 1991, was updated in presentation to CEDAW in January 1993. It explained that since ratification we have continued to make much progress in the fields of the articles of the convention. Recent developments contributing to equality include the introduction of the national curriculum, the investment of some £45 million to support child care for school age children, the introduction of targets for action to address health issues that particularly affect women, and action aimed at increasing women's representation at all levels in public and private employment and the decision-making processes. The United Kingdom has now been able to withdraw two reservations, those relating to the married man's tax allowance and the employment of women in underground work in mines.
Human Rights (India)
Ms Walley : To ask the Prime Minister if he will raise the subject of human rights violations with the Vice-President of India during his visit to London ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I raised the subject of human rights in India with the Vice-President of India during my meeting with him on 24 May.
UN Conference on Environment and Development
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what actions have been taken by Her Majesty's Government in fulfilment of commitments made by the United Kingdom at the United Nations conference on environment and development in June 1992 ; and if he will place in the Library a report of work undertaken towards meeting those commitments.
The Prime Minister : The Government are taking a leading role in the follow-up to the conference in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. We have prepared a progress report which we shall be putting to the new United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development before its first meeting later this month. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to arrange for full copies of any statement made by Government Ministers to the Scott inquiry to be placed in the Library.
The Prime Minister : No. The general rule is that the statements are matters between the individual Minister concerned and Lord Justice Scott.
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Northern Ireland
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the names, in date order, of all those who have died in the United Kingdom and Europe as a result of the troubles in Northern Ireland since 5 October 1968, giving the location in each case.
The Prime Minister : A comprehensive list of people who have been killed as a result of the security situation in Northern Ireland, as well as those who have died in related incidents in Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and, since 1978, in mainland Europe, is currently being compiled and will be placed in the Library in due course. The list will include the cause and location of each death.
Nuclear Industry
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to introduce a citizens charter for the nuclear industry.
The Prime Minister : The nuclear industry sells its products and services to other industries, not directly to the public. There are no plans to introduce charters for industries of this kind.
Arms Exports
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Prime Minister if he will now make it the policy of the Government to give substantive answers to parliamentary questions relating to the actions of Ministers and officials between 1984 and 1992 in relation to the export of arms to Iraq.
The Prime Minister : No. These issues are being investigated by Lord Justice Scott, and it would be wrong for the Government to comment on them before publication of his final report.
Lord Justice Scott is free to call for any papers and to call any Minister or civil servant to give evidence to his inquiry. It is the Government's policy that all Ministers and officials called to give evidence should co- operate fully. The Government are, therefore, making all the relevant facts available to the inquiry, and it is right that we should wait for Lord Justice Scott to present his conclusions before commenting publicly.
Nuclear Proliferation
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what matters in regard to nuclear proliferation were discussed during his recent visit to Paris.
The Prime Minister : Nuclear proliferation was not discussed.
European Court of Human Rights
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 24 May, Official Report, column 372, if Her Majesty's Government intend to support proposals for a single-tier European Court of Human Rights at the Council of European Heads of State summit in October ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The Ministers' Deputies Meeting on 28 May agreed by consensus the mandate for a draft protocol amending the control machinery of the European
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convention on human rights (UCHR). The Council of Europe steering committee for human rights will now draft the amending protocol. The United Kingdom will participate fully in the drafting process. Our position at the heads of state summit in October must depend on progress made by the steering committee.Regional Development Assistance
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Prime Minister who will be the United Kingdom's lead Minister in the discussions on objective 1 status within the European Community.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 27 May 1993] : My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.
TRANSPORT
Driving Tests
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications for driving tests have been made to his Department's test centre at Norris Green, Liverpool ; how many applicants have subsequently passed the test ; and what percentage the passes represent of those tested, in each month since May 1991.
Mr. Key : Information on the applications for tests at individual test centres is not available. The numbers of tests conducted and passed are as follows :
Year and month |Number of tests |Number passed |Percentage passed
|conducted
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991
May |963 |491 |51
June |1,088 |518 |48
July |864 |427 |49
August |941 |410 |44
September |1,063 |464 |44
October |892 |478 |54
November |810 |388 |48
December |849 |347 |41
1992
January |589 |267 |45
February |617 |263 |43
March |1,038 |452 |44
April |630 |290 |46
May |850 |454 |53
June |815 |386 |47
July |800 |369 |46
August |721 |376 |52
September |801 |348 |43
October |778 |335 |43
November |803 |343 |43
December |698 |306 |44
1993
January |953 |403 |42
February |718 |288 |40
March |748 |307 |41
April |658 |260 |40
May figures not yet available
Note: The data for each month refer to the four or five full weeks of which the Saturday
fall in the month stated.
Bypasses
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bypass roads have been constructed since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Key : One hundred and sixty-two bypasses have been constructed on the national road network since 1979. Most of the 250 other road schemes constructed since 1979 have also removed traffic from local communities.
Agencies
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the consideration exercises and panel reviews on each of the agencies within his Department, and their framework documents ; and when he will make an announcement on his intentions for the future of each agency.
Mr. MacGregor : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) on 27 May 1993, Official Report, columns 685-86.
Heavy Goods Vehicles
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has commissioned into the impact of increases in the maximum tonnage for heavy goods vehicles ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key : The road wear implications of heavier gross vehicle weights have been known for some time and were reported on in 1980 by the then Transport and Road Research Laboratory. The Department recently commissioned further research from the laboratory to examine the likely impact of the changes in weight limits due to take place in 1999 under EC regulations. The first report from this study was published on 4 June 1993.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the number of roadside checks on heavy goods vehicles in the Greater London area in the period January to April.
Mr. Norris : In the period 1 January to 31 March 1993 the latest financial year quarter for which figures are available--the Vehicle Inspectorate conducted checks on 5,079 heavy goods vehicles in Greater London. Of these, 1,237 were conducted for the purpose of enforcing roadworthiness, while 3,842 were for the purpose of traffic enforcement-- which included operators' licence checks, driving licence checks, drivers' hours checks and vehicle weight checks.
Market Testing
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost to date and the expected future cost of his Department's market- testing programme ; how many staff are engaged full-time in work relating to market testing ; which firms of consultants have been used in connection with the market-testing programme ; and how they were selected.
Mr. Norris : The current approximate costs to date are some £540, 000, including consultancies, since November 1991. The future costs will depend on the size and scope of the forward programme which is not yet finalised. The equivalent of eight full-time staff are assigned to the market-testing programme. The consultants used by the Department since November 1991 are :
(a) Coopers and Lybrand Management Consultants.
(b) Ernst and Young Management Consultants.
(c) KPMG Management Consultants.
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(d) Capita Management Consultants.(e) Mindworks Management Consultants.
(f) Shreeveport Consultants.
The Department's policy is to select consultants on the basis of competitive bids.
Red Routes
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expenditure on red route-related works to side roads leading to such ; what formula is applied for this ; and how much will be spent on each red route in 1993-94.
Mr. Norris : The latest estimate of expenditure on approved works on roads adjacent to the pilot red route is £2,784,000. The implementation of the remainder of the priority (red) route network is expected to start in the summer of 1994. Measures in side roads will be eligible for funding by the Traffic Director for London where he is satisfied they offer value for money and comply with the requirements of his network plan.
Rail Freight
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the approximate tonne-mileage of freight traffic carried by British Railways in respect of (a) minerals, (b) liquids, (c) containers and (d) other general freight in each year since 1988 ; and what is the estimate for 1993.
Mr. Freeman : Statistics are not collected in precisely this form. Data for the transport by rail in 1991 of minerals, petroleum products and chemicals, expressed in terms of billion tonne kilometres, can be found in table 1.10 of Transport Statistics Great Britain 1992. A copy has been placed in the Library. Table 1.9 (a) contains figures for the years 1981-91 for petroleum products ; earlier figures for minerals and chemicals may be found in earlier editions. Figures for the transport of containers are not available. These are the latest available statistics.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral statement of 24 May, Official Report, column 712, concerning the extent to which certain contracts for rail freight were covering operating costs, if he will outline the basis of the calculations he has made in relation to the scheme of paying up to 100 per cent. of the track, or overhead costs, of future freight on rail.
Mr. Freeman : The administrative guidelines for the new track charges grant scheme are being considered.
Details will be published in time for the introduction of the scheme, which is subject to the enactment of the Railways Bill.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution he expects his Department to make to the achievement of Britain's commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emission levels to the 1990 level in the year 2000 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Members for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) and for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) on 24 May 1993 at column 417.
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