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Baltic States
Mr. Wareing : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a breakdown of import and export trade with (a) Latvia and (b) Estonia since those countries became independent.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 10 June 1993] : Figures for trade between the United Kingdom and the Baltic states have been available since January 1992. Exports and imports for Latvia and Estonia are :
£ million
|United Kingdom|United Kingdom
|exports |imports
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1992
Estonia |5.6 |10.4
Latvia |7.8 |25.9
January to April 1993
Estonia |2.7 |8.7
Latvia |2.6 |17.2
A detailed breakdown of these figures is published monthly in the Central Statistical Office Business Monitor "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom with countries outside the European Community (Extra-EC Trade)", a copy of which is available in the Library.
Column 409
Offshore Oil
Mr. Ainger : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those offshore oil extraction projects that have been subject to an environmental impact assessment under the provisons of article 4(2) of EC directive 85/337.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 7 June 1993] : No offshore oil extraction projects requiring an environmental impact assessment have been brought forward since 1985.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what criteria and thresholds have been established by his Department to determine which United Kingdom offshore sector oil and gas extraction activities should be subject to an environmental impact assessment under article 4(2) of EC directive 85/337 ;
(er 7 June 1993] : For any oil and gas development within 25 miles of the coast or in an environmentally sensitive area, preparation of an environmental impact assessment is a condition of the grant of a licence.
Oil Exploration, Wales
Mr. Ainger : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what money his Department is making available for a comprehensive survey of seabird populations in Cardigan bay, St. George's channel and the Bristol channel before all drilling activity is permitted in these areas.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 10 June 1993] : The Department of Trade and Industry is a contributing member to the Joint Nature Conservancy Committee's "Seabirds at Sea" survey. Since 1990, phase 4 has investigated the seabird populations from the Irish sea to the Dover straits which includes the Cardigan bay, St. George's channel and Bristol channel areas. The Department's contribution to this phase is £32,000 annually.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has to carry out or support a survey of background levels of hydrocarbons in Cardigan bay, St. George's channel and the Bristol channel before any oil drilling is permitted.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 10 June 1993] : The Department has no such plans at present.
Oil and Gas Licences
Dr. Twinn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the results of the 14th off-shore oil and gas licensing round.
Mr. Eggar : I am able to inform the House that I received a total of 97 applications for 128 of the 484 blocks offered in the three stages of the 14th offshore licensing round. These applications involved 62 companies, either as sole applicants or in various consortia. Following careful examination of all applications, I am prepared to offer licences for 110 of the blocks applied for. This has been the largest round, in terms of the number of blocks on offer, since the 4th round in 1972 ; and the
Column 410
largest in terms of the number of blocks awarded since the 11th round in 1989. This provides ample evidence of the high level of continuing interest in United Kingdom offshore oil and gas resources.I have already announced the award of licences for 12 of these blocks, seven in Cardigan bay and five west of the Shetlands ; in these cases, an early announcement has enabled the successful applicant to proceed promptly with exploration of potentially major new basins.
The other awards cover acreage in both new and mature areas. It was particularly refreshing to see innovative proposals for further investigation of areas such as the southern North sea, which has already been extensively explored ; it is clear that such areas are mature only at particular geological horizons and that further reserves may be identified at levels previously considered unprospective.
In total, 33 of the blocks awarded have not been licensed in the past. There was particularly keen competition for blocks in the English channel, the Solway firth and the North channel which were offered for licensing for the first time. There was also strong interest in areas of St. George's channel and the Peel basin which have been lightly explored in the past.
In making decisions on the round, I have been particularly mindful of the environment. Many of these areas are close to shore and environmentally sensitive, and stringent conditions will be attached to licences to ensure that licensees take due care when exploring these blocks. The industry nominated a further 35 highly sensitive blocks for inclusion in this round but for which satisfactory safeguards could not be agreed, and these blocks were not offered for licensing. A full environmental impact assessment will be required before a licensee may develop any find within 25 miles of the coast or in other sensitive areas further offshore ; and the general public will have access to the companies' environmental appraisal reports on request, in line with the EC freedom of access to environmental information directive.
Where companies applied for blocks in environmentally sensitive areas, they were asked to assess the environmental resources in these areas and to identify the steps they planned to take to avoid or minimise environmental impact, should they be awarded the block. The degree of environmental awareness and the quality of environmental presentations provided was taken into account when considering awards in these areas. I am happy to say that most companies demonstrated their awareness of environmental issues and many had carried out high-quality pre-application work. I am taking steps to ensure that companies awarded licences do not lose sight of their environmental commitments. My officials will
require licensees to report on local consultation at a set time ; require licensees to discuss plans for seismic activity and drilling before these activities are carried out ;
stipulate that, at the Department's discretion, Government observers may be present at some operations ;
require a post-operational return to indicate how licence conditions have been met.
These steps will ensure that the 14th round does more to safeguard the environment than any previous round.
The results of this round show the continuing commitment of the international oil and gas industry to the United Kingdom continental shelf. I am, however, particularly pleased to note the success of a number of British independent companies in the round, both as partners and as operators. The re-evaluation of mature
Column 411
areas and the opening up of new basins as a result of this round should ensure that the UKCS remains an important oil and gas-producing province well into the next century.OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Aid
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the top 10 beneficiaries of United Kingdom overseas aid in each year since 1987.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The top 10 recipients of United Kingdom external assistance for the financial years 1987-88 to 1991-92 are shown in the table.
Top ten recipients of United Kingdom external assistance 1987-88-1991-92 (£ thousand) 1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) India |India |India |India |India (2) Malawi |Kenya |Nigeria |Bangladesh|Bangladesh (3) Kenya |Bangladesh|Poland |Zambia |Zimbabwe (4) Tanzania |Malawi |Bangladesh|Kenya |Ghana (5) Ghana |Mozambique|Kenya |Pakistan |Kenya (6) Bangladesh |Ghana |Malawi |Tanzania |Pakistan (7) Uganda |Tanzania |Ghana |Malawi |Zambia (8) Sri Lanka |Sudan |Pakistan |Jamaica |Indonesia (9) Pakistan |Pakistan |Uganda |Nigeria |Tanzania (10) Mozambique |Sri Lanka |Sudan |Zimbabwe |Uganda
Kenya
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the aid projects in Kenya which are at present receiving financial assistance from the United Kingdom Government.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [pursuant to his answer, 8 June, c. 198-99] : A corrected version of the table showing current capital and technical co- operation projects supported through the United Kingdom bilateral aid programme in Kenya is as follows :
Project |Total cost of
|project
|£'000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture and Livestock
Rehabilitation of South Nyanza Sugar Factory |4,660
Agricultural Information Centre |945
Tea Research Foundation/Natural Resources Institute Collaboration |28
National Agricultural Research Project |7,640
Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute |1,391
Forestry
Indigenous Forest Conservation |4,860
Conservation
Protected Areas and Wildlife Services |3,661
National Museum of Kenya Plant Conservation and Propagation Unit |467
Energy
Geothermal Energy Project |1,295
Department of Mines and Geology |331
Construction
Technical Co-operation for Ministry of Public Works |183
Roads
Molo-Litein |12,080
Tea Roads Feasibility Study |416
Silibwet Forest Road Design |198
Highways Sector Field Manager |39
Railways
Kenya Railways Phase II |9,647
Ports
Kenya Ports Authority |11,327
Small Scale Enterprise
Assistance to Youth Polytechnics |157
K-Rep Juhudi Credit |967
Public Administration and Good Government
Kenya Institute of Administration |1,441
Kenya Institute of Management |580
Office of Controller and Auditor General |243
Assistance to Department of Government Investments and Public Enterprises |82
Machakos Environmental Management Study |20
Education
Thames Polytechnic/Kenya Polytechnic Link |800
Moi University/Oxford Forestry Institute Link |530
University of Nairobi Microcomputer Project |710
National Programme for Student Communication Skills in Universities |820
Kenyatta University English Department |282
Kenyatta University Science Faculty |1,650
Moi University Library |8,373
Moi Faculty of Information Sciences |911
Strengthening of Primary Education |3,325
Teachers Resource Centres |96
Health and Population
World Bank Third Population Project |4,601
Moi University Faculty of Health Sciences |185
Isiolo Hospital Immediate Support |549
Senior Health Planner/Economist |180
Family Planning Services |2,000
AMREF Health Care Support Unit |262
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's aid policy to Kenya.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We continue to provide substantial development aid and humanitarian assistance to Kenya. In addition, we are prepared to pledge new fast disbursing balance of payments assistance once the international financial institutions assess that Kenya has made satisfactory progress in implementing the recently agreed IMF-monitored economic reform programme and subject to the political environment being acceptable.
Eastern Bloc (Training)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to publish a progress report on the Chancellor of the Exchequer's financial sector scheme for training and experience in western insurance banking and finance for former eastern bloc country management and civil servants.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Chancellor's financial sector scheme is open to countries of the former Soviet Union and the Baltic states, not eastern Europe. Officials will review progress with the scheme in July. Conclusions will be summarised in the know-how fund's annual report, which will be published in early 1994.
Column 413
EDUCATION
Standard Assessment Tasks (Class Size)
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the correlation between achievement in standard assessment tasks taken by children at key stage 1 and class size.
Mr. Robin Squire : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Schools gave to the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Gapes) on 17 May at column 23.
School Meals
Mr. Wicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the average price of a school meal in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in cash and real terms in each year since 1979.
Mr. Forth : Information is collected on the fixed charges for a standard meal in schools operating a dining centre and on the amount allowed, the "authorised spend", for each pupil receiving a free meal in schools operating a cash cafeteria system.
This information--in both cash and real terms--for each year since January 1990 is shown in the table. Information for earlier years is not readily available.
Average fixed charge or authorised spend
on school meals in maintained nursery,
primary and secondary schools in England:
January 1990-92 (cash and real terms)
|Pence
|1990 |1991 |1992
-------------------------------------------
Primary (including nursery)
Cash terms:
Fixed charge |62 |73 |83
Authorised spend |63 |75 |88
At 1992-93 prices:
Fixed charge |74 |81 |86
Authorised spend |75 |83 |91
Secondary
Cash terms:
Fixed charge |65 |78 |89
Authorised spend |74 |82 |94
At 1992-93 prices:
Fixed charge |78 |86 |92
Authorised spend |88 |91 |97
Note: The cash terms figures have been
re-priced into 1992-93 prices using the
latest GDP (Market Prices) Deflator Index.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing the number and proportion of children receiving school meals broken down into (a) paid and (b) free in (i) primary school, (ii) secondary schools and (iii) special schools in each year since 1987- 88.
Mr. Forth : Information on school meal arrangements in each local education authority in January 1992--the latest date for which information is available--is shown in the table. Similar information for January 1989 and subsequent years is published annually in the "Statistics of Education (Schools)" volumes, copies of which are available in the Library. Information for earlier years is not readily available.
Column 413
Numbers and percentages of day-pupils taking paid and free school meals in maintained schools in England
January 1992
Primary Secondary Special
(including nursery)
Local education Paid Free Paid Free Paid Free
authority |Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |84 |38 |91 |41 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Camden |3,491 |33 |3,291 |31 |2,055 |20 |1,762 |17 |73 |25 |143 |48
Greenwich |7,096 |33 |5,727 |27 |3,302 |24 |2,204 |16 |238 |35 |250 |36
Hackney |4,927 |30 |6,567 |40 |1,463 |19 |2,443 |31 |135 |27 |222 |44
Hammersmith and Fulham |3,403 |36 |2,929 |31 |1,755 |29 |1,236 |21 |156 |41 |145 |38
Islington |5,273 |36 |5,094 |34 |1,102 |14 |1,806 |23 |115 |37 |131 |42
Kensington and Chelsea |2,345 |36 |1,980 |31 |1,389 |37 |741 |20 |0 |0 |1 |100
Lambeth |6,112 |32 |6,720 |35 |1,685 |27 |1,607 |26 |219 |29 |324 |43
Lewisham |5,784 |28 |5,188 |26 |1,673 |16 |2,257 |21 |148 |36 |154 |38
Southwark |5,455 |26 |7,162 |34 |1,448 |16 |2,433 |27 |101 |28 |160 |45
Tower Hamlets |5,305 |26 |9,179 |45 |1,378 |13 |4,406 |40 |74 |16 |269 |57
Wandsworth |6,111 |36 |4,822 |28 |2,960 |31 |1,903 |20 |29 |42 |202 |39
Westminster |3,278 |36 |2,949 |32 |1,422 |20 |1,992 |28 |43 |32 |63 |47
Barking |4,015 |26 |2,330 |15 |1,380 |15 |665 |7 |73 |45 |30 |19
Barnet |7,524 |31 |2,738 |11 |8,385 |45 |1,467 |8 |142 |45 |56 |18
Bexley |5,570 |30 |2,030 |11 |3,075 |21 |714 |5 |117 |43 |88 |32
Brent |5,805 |26 |4,574 |21 |1,449 |12 |1,789 |15 |141 |40 |119 |34
Bromley |5,437 |27 |2,257 |11 |4,996 |31 |1,165 |7 |142 |40 |65 |18
Croydon |7,588 |29 |4,217 |16 |5,734 |37 |1,466 |9 |219 |44 |157 |31
Ealing |4,978 |18 |4,830 |17 |3,202 |29 |1,831 |16 |173 |38 |138 |30
Enfield |6,095 |27 |3,096 |14 |4,768 |28 |1,548 |9 |161 |38 |137 |32
Haringey |4,815 |26 |4,992 |27 |2,286 |26 |2,240 |26 |93 |27 |116 |34
Harrow |356 |2 |1,277 |7 |2,220 |27 |536 |7 |84 |42 |40 |20
Havering |4,952 |26 |1,560 |8 |3,784 |24 |724 |5 |87 |39 |51 |23
Hillingdon |1,552 |8 |1,436 |7 |3,142 |23 |938 |7 |156 |39 |86 |21
Hounslow |5,604 |29 |2,942 |15 |5,565 |42 |1,600 |12 |173 |44 |90 |23
Kingston upon Thames |352 |3 |705 |7 |1,569 |21 |340 |5 |99 |43 |37 |16
Merton |2,986 |20 |1,982 |13 |1,784 |24 |706 |10 |79 |32 |64 |26
Newham |4,563 |18 |5,758 |23 |1,032 |8 |2,429 |18 |120 |35 |130 |38
Redbridge |6,692 |37 |1,981 |11 |4,657 |33 |1,081 |8 |204 |53 |73 |19
Richmond upon Thames |2,216 |21 |824 |8 |2,026 |28 |560 |8 |70 |47 |30 |20
Sutton |3,138 |24 |1,122 |9 |3,975 |37 |552 |5 |84 |34 |54 |22
Waltham Forest |5,496 |28 |4,355 |22 |2,833 |23 |2,102 |17 |336 |44 |214 |28
Birmingham |29,766 |27 |32,673 |30 |21,990 |34 |15,042 |23 |885 |32 |1,327 |48
Coventry |6,774 |23 |6,863 |23 |3,545 |19 |2,600 |14 |287 |38 |281 |37
Dudley |7,180 |26 |3,780 |14 |4,662 |26 |1,711 |10 |222 |39 |183 |32
Sandwell |7,199 |23 |6,727 |21 |3,080 |17 |2,329 |13 |276 |36 |328 |42
Solihull |6,464 |34 |2,572 |13 |5,324 |37 |892 |6 |107 |39 |81 |29
Walsall |9,939 |35 |5,823 |20 |5,627 |30 |2,786 |15 |230 |42 |207 |38
Wolverhampton |4,980 |20 |5,445 |22 |1,918 |12 |1,870 |12 |173 |35 |187 |38
Knowsley |2,455 |13 |6,867 |37 |1,836 |21 |2,544 |29 |126 |22 |312 |55
Liverpool |9,833 |19 |15,828 |31 |4,959 |17 |6,888 |24 |374 |26 |670 |46
St. Helens |5,710 |32 |3,379 |19 |5,012 |41 |1,310 |11 |167 |36 |169 |36
Sefton |5,092 |19 |4,850 |18 |5,298 |28 |2,308 |12 |166 |39 |163 |38
Wirral |7,140 |23 |7,391 |24 |6,363 |30 |3,849 |18 |243 |31 |305 |40
Bolton |8,251 |30 |4,766 |17 |5,860 |34 |1,823 |11 |172 |36 |166 |35
Bury |6,538 |39 |2,334 |14 |3,880 |37 |806 |8 |95 |38 |99 |40
Manchester |12,286 |26 |18,506 |40 |5,245 |22 |6,154 |26 |405 |23 |734 |42
Oldham |8,808 |37 |5,461 |23 |5,415 |34 |2,519 |16 |240 |40 |201 |34
Rochdale |6,894 |31 |4,915 |22 |4,134 |33 |2,049 |16 |187 |39 |173 |36
Salford |7,348 |31 |6,748 |29 |3,351 |26 |1,686 |13 |169 |37 |160 |35
Stockport |8,511 |33 |3,588 |14 |8,189 |45 |1,495 |8 |156 |38 |118 |29
Tameside |8,695 |38 |4,408 |19 |4,824 |34 |1,637 |12 |160 |39 |143 |35
Trafford |4,063 |21 |2,942 |15 |4,656 |42 |1,186 |11 |141 |35 |102 |26
Wigan |7,465 |25 |5,061 |17 |6,243 |30 |1,795 |9 |291 |36 |318 |40
Barnsley |6,878 |32 |4,197 |20 |4,368 |36 |1,442 |12 |75 |47 |63 |40
Doncaster |14,345 |49 |6,568 |22 |6,287 |30 |2,699 |13 |280 |42 |259 |38
Rotherham |7,439 |30 |4,798 |19 |3,898 |22 |1,723 |10 |230 |37 |245 |39
Sheffield |11,147 |24 |9,924 |21 |6,918 |29 |3,278 |14 |222 |31 |315 |45
Bradford |13,333 |33 |8,984 |22 |14,344 |32 |9,588 |21 |343 |36 |310 |32
Calderdale |8,409 |44 |3,528 |18 |3,659 |29 |1,403 |11 |100 |50 |50 |25
Kirklees |13,329 |37 |6,185 |17 |8,378 |32 |2,742 |10 |260 |46 |205 |36
Leeds |17,582 |31 |9,398 |17 |16,014 |31 |7,099 |14 |425 |42 |326 |33
Wakefield |13,174 |45 |4,707 |16 |6,312 |30 |2,184 |11 |236 |43 |215 |39
Gateshead |6,429 |35 |4,640 |26 |1,349 |12 |1,360 |12 |129 |38 |141 |41
Newcastle upon Tyne |6,211 |27 |7,605 |33 |5,436 |33 |2,716 |16 |229 |32 |269 |37
North Tyneside |5,850 |36 |3,017 |18 |5,345 |36 |1,526 |10 |211 |48 |161 |37
South Tyneside |5,306 |33 |4,584 |28 |2,645 |29 |1,376 |15 |148 |43 |137 |40
Sunderland |9,852 |32 |7,611 |25 |3,370 |18 |2,651 |14 |216 |31 |266 |38
Isles of Scilly |70 |40 |8 |5 |16 |17 |23 |25 |- |- |- |-
Avon |20,636 |26 |12,852 |16 |15,179 |28 |4,496 |8 |640 |36 |575 |32
Bedfordshire |17,237 |41 |6,053 |14 |14,398 |32 |4,629 |10 |433 |41 |293 |28
Berkshire |15,817 |25 |5,350 |9 |16,480 |37 |2,018 |4 |663 |42 |336 |21
Buckinghamshire |2,356 |4 |3,392 |6 |6,004 |17 |1,366 |4 |428 |33 |322 |25
Cambridgeshire |13,552 |23 |6,768 |12 |8,637 |21 |2,907 |7 |364 |40 |212 |23
Cheshire |21,990 |25 |11,950 |13 |23,421 |37 |5,033 |8 |578 |49 |291 |25
Cleveland |25,120 |39 |15,336 |24 |10,648 |27 |5,650 |14 |422 |31 |548 |40
Cornwall |10,654 |27 |5,846 |15 |11,331 |39 |3,058 |11 |105 |44 |101 |42
Cumbria |13,643 |32 |5,205 |12 |13,626 |44 |2,002 |7 |122 |40 |76 |25
Derbyshire |45,598 |54 |11,351 |13 |35,585 |63 |4,662 |8 |556 |44 |375 |30
Devon |17,797 |23 |11,598 |15 |22,238 |40 |4,763 |8 |573 |36 |434 |28
Dorset |463 |1 |2,995 |7 |10,389 |27 |2,423 |6 |442 |42 |243 |23
Durham |26,426 |45 |11,724 |20 |11,192 |30 |3,968 |11 |350 |37 |402 |43
East Sussex |12,699 |26 |7,282 |15 |9,251 |27 |3,071 |9 |466 |36 |384 |30
Essex |27,727 |23 |14,808 |12 |21,427 |22 |5,890 |6 |874 |35 |583 |24
Gloucestershire |7,809 |19 |4,774 |11 |6,768 |21 |1,905 |6 |471 |39 |351 |29
Hampshire |24,561 |19 |15,169 |12 |20,504 |25 |4,579 |5 |1,110 |32 |864 |25
Hereford and Worcester |4,605 |10 |3,848 |8 |10,959 |23 |2,776 |6 |503 |45 |274 |24
Hertfordshire |29,653 |36 |7,643 |9 |21,183 |32 |3,744 |6 |688 |42 |387 |24
Humberside |31,231 |37 |13,969 |17 |22,085 |38 |6,339 |11 |445 |40 |382 |34
Isle of Wight |1,894 |27 |1,314 |19 |3,167 |31 |1,425 |14 |79 |31 |68 |27
Kent |32,177 |26 |15,577 |13 |28,554 |29 |6,838 |7 |993 |36 |665 |24
Lancashire |32,048 |25 |23,320 |18 |30,920 |37 |10,430 |13 |1,066 |35 |1,102 |36
Leicestershire |22,325 |28 |10,669 |14 |19,303 |32 |4,604 |8 |465 |50 |300 |32
Lincolnshire |1,355 |3 |2,812 |6 |11,686 |33 |2,104 |6 |311 |33 |263 |28
Norfolk |15,454 |25 |7,511 |12 |9,716 |25 |2,394 |6 |335 |41 |183 |23
North Yorkshire |18,652 |33 |4,944 |9 |19,643 |45 |2,012 |5 |353 |44 |162 |20
Northamptonshire |398 |1 |4,441 |9 |4,187 |10 |3,160 |7 |378 |33 |237 |21
Northumberland |8,569 |40 |3,210 |15 |12,933 |45 |2,403 |8 |171 |40 |119 |28
Nottinghamshire |25,810 |29 |15,939 |18 |17,321 |28 |6,981 |11 |682 |42 |517 |32
Oxfordshire |10,228 |25 |3,843 |9 |7,746 |23 |2,011 |6 |281 |36 |155 |20
Shropshire |12,536 |36 |4,924 |14 |10,779 |41 |2,088 |8 |204 |38 |176 |33
Somerset |3,274 |9 |3,132 |9 |7,225 |26 |1,726 |6 |224 |38 |161 |27
Staffordshire |33,629 |36 |13,618 |15 |16,793 |25 |4,946 |7 |897 |44 |623 |31
Suffolk |11,382 |27 |4,535 |11 |12,197 |26 |3,019 |6 |339 |51 |128 |19
Surrey |27,512 |36 |5,821 |8 |14,990 |35 |1,338 |3 |709 |49 |273 |19
Warwickshire |10,842 |24 |4,660 |10 |7,863 |32 |1,310 |5 |343 |30 |361 |31
West Sussex |15,262 |30 |4,922 |10 |10,308 |26 |1,910 |5 |475 |44 |205 |19
Wiltshire |8,986 |20 |4,676 |10 |9,433 |29 |1,987 |6 |247 |43 |145 |25
England |1,131,050|27 |681,167 |16 |865,313 |30 |294,297 |10 |31,435 |37 |26,504 |32
Nursery Education
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he has on the numbers and proportion of eligible children who are in (a) local authority nursery schools and (b) reception classes in primary schools, broken down by social class.
Mr. Robin Squire : Information is not collected centrally on the numbers of pupils in reception classes in primary schools. In January 1992- -the latest date for which information is available--the total number of pupils of all ages in maintained nursery schools in England was 52,204. A breakdown of this figure by social class is not available.
Teacher Redundancies
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has of the numbers of qualified teachers who have (a) taken voluntary redundancy or (b) been made compulsorily redundant, in each of the years 1991 and 1992.
Mr. Forth : The table shows the number of teachers aged 50 and over who retired prematurely by reason of redundancy from maintained schools in England and claimed their superannuation benefits during the financial years 1990-91 to 1992-93. Information on other redundancies of teachers is not centrally recorded.
Year to March |Teachers ------------------------------------------ 1991 |<1>1,587 1992 |<1>1,464 1993 |<1>2,028 <1> Teachers prematurely retired by reason of redundancy: maintained schools in England.
Teachers' Conferences
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on his recent visits to the national conferences of teachers' organisations.
Mr. Robin Squire : My right hon. Friend accepted invitations from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the Secondary Heads Association and the National Association of Head Teachers to address their annual conferences. Copies of the texts of these addresses have been placed in the Library.
Column 418
University Funding
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations and information he has received about funding at the university of Essex ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : My right hon. Friend has received no such representations. Funding for individual universities is a matter for the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
VAT (Fuel)
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the level of student grants will be adjusted to reflect the forthcoming value added tax on energy.
Mr. Boswell : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) on 24 March at column 603. The rates of student support for the academic year 1993-94 were announced last month, and those for 1994-95 will be announced next spring.
School Playing Fields
Mr. Hoon : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the consultation letter on the sell-off of school playing fields.
Mr. Forth : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 13 May 1993 at columns 526-27.
Undergraduate Courses (Fees)
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what representations he has received from university directors regarding the introduction of a system of top-up fees for undergraduate courses ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) what representations he has received regarding the introduction of a system of top-up fees for undergraduate courses ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : Recent press publicity has led to one or two representations from members of the public about the introduction of top-up fees for undergraduate courses. No such representations have been received recently from the heads of universities, although my right hon. Friend is aware of current discussions within the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, about the future funding of higher education.
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English
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many representations he has received on the subject of the proportion of coursework in the assessment of GCSE English ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : During the past year my right hon. Friend received 76 letters about GCSE coursework in English. The 40 per cent. limit for coursework for English is higher than that for most other GCSE subjects, because we recognise that some aspects of achievement in the subject are better assessed through extended tasks than through a terminal examination. However, there must be a limit on coursework assessment if we are to have confidence in the reliability and consistency of GCSE grades.
Access Funds
Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the amounts to be allocated to each of the access funds in England for 1993-94 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : A total of £23.78 million will be available for the access funds for the 1993-94 academic year, which represents a 9.6 per cent. increase over 1992-93. This generous increase will enable colleges and universities to offer access funds to more students who face severe financial difficulties which might prevent them from pursuing their courses. I am sure that all concerned will welcome the extra help this represents.
The total sum is being allocated between the three funds as follows :
£ million
|1993-94|1992-93
-----------------------------------------------
Undergraduate fund |13.15 |11.99
Postgraduate fund |6.03 |5.50
Further education fund |4.60 |4.20
|-------|-------
Total |23.78 |21.69
Note: The figures for 1992-93 have been
derived from those announced earlier to bring
them onto a comparable basis with those for
1993-94, having regard to the new framework
for higher and further education established
in April 1993.
These funds for 1993-94 will be allocated by the appropriate funding council.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Chile
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications Her Majesty's Government have had with Dr. Carlos Cardoen of Chile since 1985 over the procurement of British machine tools for the production of armaments in Chile.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : We have no record of communications between Her Majesty's Government and Dr. Carlos Cardoen about such procurement. I also refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Foreign and
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Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones), to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers) on 21 April 1993 at column 107.Iran
Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Iranian Government concerning its reported violation of Iraqi airspace on Tuesday 25 May in an air attack on bases of the Mujaheddin oune at column 84.
Social Charter
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to press for an increase in the membership of the Committee of Independent Experts on the working of the Council of Europe's social charter.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The amending protocol envisages an increase in the membership of the Committee of Independent Experts to "not less than nine". We support such an increase.
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recommendation 1168 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the revitalisation of the Council of Europe's social charter.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : Recommendation 1168 is an important contribution to the current consideration within the Council of Europe of changes to the European social charter.
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to press for the revision of voting arrangements under the Council of Europe's social charter so that only representatives of those Governments who subscribe to the charter are able to vote on matters raised under it.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : It has now been agreed that, as envisaged by the amending protocol, only those states which have ratified the charter shall vote when the Committee of Ministers is acting as part of the supervisory machinery of the charter.
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have subscribed to the Council of Europe's social charter, but have not ratified the amending protocol opened for signature on 21 October 1991 ; and if he will make it his policy to encourage those who have not ratified the protocol to do so.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The following countries have ratified the social charter, but have not ratified the amending protocol : Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Decisions on ratification are a matter for individual Governments.
Column 421
Israel
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the Arab boycott of Israel ; and what recent initiatives his Department has taken.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have always condemned the boycott as iniquitous and incompatible with the spirit of the peace process. We continue to seek Arab agreement to end it--we initiated an EC de marche last autumn under our presidency. The response to this de marche, and to numerous bilateral approaches made by the United Kingdom, has been uneven. But we are encouraged by signs that some Arab countries are enforcing the requirements of the boycott less rigorously, and in particular by recent reports that Kuwait will cease to apply the boycott to third countries.
Channel Islands and Isle of Man
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Channel islands and the Isle of Man with the European Community.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The relationship of the Channel islands and the Isle of Man with the European Community is governed by article 227(5)(c) of the treaty of Rome--and the equivalent provisions in the ECSC and Euratom treaties--and by protocol 3 to the Act signed on 15 January 1972 concerning the conditions of United Kingdom accession to the Community. The islands chose in 1972 to remain essentially outside the Community. The broad effects of the treaty provisions is that the islands are included in the Community solely for customs purposes and for certain aspects of the common agricultural policy and free movement of goods. The islands neither contribute to, nor are eligible to benefit from, Community funds.
Northern Cyprus
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to impose restrictions on trade between Britain and the illegal northern Cyprus Government.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The question of imports to the United Kingdom from northern Cyprus is the subject of a case pending before the European Court of Justice.
Bosnia
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from United Nations authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina in respect of attacks by Muslim forces on Croat villages and atrocities committed against the Croat population ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have seen reports from the United Nations and the European Community monitor mission on Muslim attacks on Croat communities, particularly around Travnik. It is clear that there have been many casualties. Ethnic cleansing is taking place. We continue to deplore aggression and human rights abuses, whichever party is responsible.
Column 422
Entry Clearance
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions have been given to entry clearance officers in British consulates in European Community member states to enable them to fulfil their obligations to provide non-Community national spouses of British citizens residing in other member states with entry clearance to allow them to travel to and settle in the United Kingdom in accordance with the requirements of article 3 of Council directive 68/360/EEC.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Following a European Court of Justice ruling in July 1992, instructions were issued to posts about procedures for dealing with entry clearance applications from non-EC spouses of British citizens who wish to return to the United Kingdom with their non-EC spouse, after residing in another member state.
Any such entry clearance applications are currently referred to the Home Office for a decision, pending the issue of further guidance to posts.
European Court of Justice
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1983 Her Majesty's Government have been judged by the European Court of Justice to have been in breach of European Community directives ; and what that number represents as a percentage of (a) cases brought against the United Kingdom and (b) cases won by a plaintiff or plaintiffs.
Mr. Douglas Hogg [holding answer 8 June 1993] : The United Kingdom was held to be in breach of the relevant directives in six out of 12 direct actions--50 per cent.--brought before the European Court of Justice by the Commission since 1983, in accordance with article 169 of the treaty of Rome, involving allegations that the United Kingdom was in breach of its obligations under EC directives. Further details of cases brought against the United Kingdom are contained in the six-monthly White Papers on developments in the European Community, which also contain details of references to the European Court of Justice from United Kingdom courts under article 177 of the treaty.
Japan
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he or other Ministers or officials of his Department have had with Japanese counterparts since 1990 regarding (a) the application of international safeguards to and (b) the implications for non-proliferation of the export of plutonium from the United Kingdom to Japan.
Mr. Eggar : I have been asked to reply.
All plutonium in Japan is subject to full-scope international safeguards. Japan has made clear its commitment to the goal of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and is a non-nuclear weapons state party to the non-proliferation treaty. Appropriate assurances are obtained from the Japanese Government before any plutonium is exported there from the United Kingdom,
Column 423
but otherwise Her Majesty's Government have not discussed the matters referred to by the hon. Member with the Japanese authorities.HEALTH
Mental Health
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the number of people with mental health problems in each region.
Mr. Bowis : This information is not available centrally. A national survey assessing the extent of psychiatric morbidity in Great Britain is currently being carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. The survey, the results of which will be available in 1995, will provide information both nationally and regionally on the nature and extent of psychiatric illness amongst adults.
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of NHS mentally ill patients in non-NHS hospitals, by region in each of the last five years.
Mr. Bowis : This information is not available centrally.
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