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Rural Schools
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many rural schools have been closed in each county in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : Information is not collected in the form requested. The available information is as follows :
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Number of maintained secondary schools<1>
|1979-80|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |34 |34 |34 |34 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33
Dyfed |35 |35 |35 |35 |34 |34 |34 |33 |33 |32 |31 |31 |31
Gwent |40 |38 |38 |35 |35 |35 |35 |33 |33 |34 |34 |34 |33
Gwynedd |23 |23 |24 |24 |24 |24 |24 |24 |24 |23 |23 |23 |23
Mid-Glamorgan |41 |41 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42
Powys |12 |12 |12 |12 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13
South Glamorgan |30 |30 |30 |29 |29 |29 |29 |29 |28 |28 |28 |27 |27
West Glamorgan |26 |26 |26 |27 |26 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27
Wales |241 |239 |241 |238 |236 |237 |237 |234 |233 |232 |231 |230 |229
<1> Includes Grant Maintained schools.
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Number of maintained secondary schools<1>
|1979-80|1980-81|1981-82|1982-83|1983-84|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |34 |34 |34 |34 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33 |33
Dyfed |35 |35 |35 |35 |34 |34 |34 |33 |33 |32 |31 |31 |31
Gwent |40 |38 |38 |35 |35 |35 |35 |33 |33 |34 |34 |34 |33
Gwynedd |23 |23 |24 |24 |24 |24 |24 |24 |24 |23 |23 |23 |23
Mid-Glamorgan |41 |41 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42 |42
Powys |12 |12 |12 |12 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13 |13
South Glamorgan |30 |30 |30 |29 |29 |29 |29 |29 |28 |28 |28 |27 |27
West Glamorgan |26 |26 |26 |27 |26 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27 |27
Wales |241 |239 |241 |238 |236 |237 |237 |234 |233 |232 |231 |230 |229
<1> Includes Grant Maintained schools.
Bathing Beaches
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to ensure that the bathing beaches at Kimnel bay and Rhyl comply with the mandatory coliform standards as laid down by the EC ; and when they are expected to meet these standards.
Mr. Redwood : As part of its major investment programme, Dwr Cymru is constructing a long sea outfall and a new sewage treatment works in the area which, on completion in 1995, should ensure compliance of the bathing waters at Kimnel bay and Rhyl with the mandatory bacteriological standards of the EC bathing waters directive.
Coastal Erosion
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to protect vulnerable areas of the Welsh coast from damaging erosion ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : District councils in Wales have spent over £32 million during the past 10 years protecting vulnerable areas of the Welsh coast from erosion, with some £21 million of this being provided by the Welsh Office as grant aid under the Coast Protection Act 1949.
Maritime district councils, the National Rivers Authority and other bodies whose interests involve coastal defence have formed themselves into coastal groups
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extending around the Welsh coast. These groups ensure that protection of the coastline is managed strategically. The Welsh office is working closely with these groups to co-ordinate a new survey of the complete Welsh coastline and its defences.Welsh Development Agency (Chairman)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to fill the vacancy of chairman of the Welsh Development Agency.
Mr. Redwood : I expect to make an announcement about Dr. Jones' successor shortly.
Autism
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales are known to suffer from autism ; what measures are being taken to provide support and treatment to those children in Wales who suffer from autism ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Although detailed information is not held centrally, it is believed that autistic disorders affect between 2, 500 and 5,000 people in Wales.
Financial assistance is provided, under the mental handicap strategy, for the development of services for people with autism where these have been identified as priorities by county joint planning teams.
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Public Bodies
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 24 May, Official Report, column 467, how many vacancies there are in Welsh non-departmental public bodies.
Mr. Redwood : As at 11 June, there were 18 vacancies among appointments which I make.
Tourism
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the contribution from tourism to the gross domestic product of Wales in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Current data do not allow such an assessment to be made, but the available information on expenditure by overnight and day visitors to Wales is listed as follows. Comparable figures prior to 1989 are not available.
Estimated expenditure by overnight and
day visitors to Wales
|£ million<1>
---------------------------------------
1989 |1,330
1990 |1,260
1991 |1,255
Source: Wales Tourist Board.
<1>To the nearest £5 million.
Estimated expenditure by day visitors
in 1988-89 is used for all years.
Details of Wales' gross domestic product at factor cost were published in the December 1992 edition of "Economic Trends" (No. 470), available in the Library of the House.
Regional Assistance
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether Aberconwy will be given priority in his discussions regarding allocation of objective 5(b) status in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : My overriding objective for the current review of the structural funds is to both retain and extend our present geographical coverage in Wales. The omission of Aberconwy from objective 5(b) status is widely recognised as an anomaly which needs to be rectified and my predecessor drew the attention of the relevant EC Commissioners to this fact earlier this year. I propose to continue to pursue vigorously its case for future eligibility.
Mental Health Act 1983
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people from Wales have been detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in each year since 1985.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information is in the following table :
Admissions to hospitals and units in Wales under section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983<1> Year ------------------ 1985 |275 1986 |357 1987 |329 1988 |320 1989 |327 1990 |415 1991-92 |380 <1> Prior to 30 September 1983 Section 2 was classified as Section 25 of the Mental Health Act 1959. The data collection system was revised in April 1991. Financial year figures are given for 1991-92.
NHS Staff
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) district nurses and (b) community midwifery staff have been employed by the NHS in Wales in each year since 1987.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Detailed breakdowns of nursing staff employed by health authorities and NHS trusts into occupational groups such as those requested are not considered reliable. However, information on the whole- time equivalent numbers of all nursing and midwifery staff is as follows.
Staff in post as at
30 September
|Number
----------------------
1987 |27,764
1988 |27,920
1989 |28,037
1990 |28,093
1991 |27,962
1992<1> |27,583
<1> In addition there
are about 1,000
student nurses who
have been
reclassified as
students from nurses
following the
introduction of
Project 2000 nursing
education reforms.
Trawsfynydd Lake
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the importance of Trawsfynydd lake as a centre for recreation in North Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Trawsfynydd lake is used for watersports, but has no particular significance as a centre for active recreation.
Market Testing
Ms Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his Department since November 1992 and indicate, in each case, whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision, or whether the service was contracted out.
Mr. Redwood : The contract for building management services previously undertaken by the Property Services Agency has been market tested and awarded to Kirkham, Williams and Lewis.
The catering service to the Welsh Office has also been market tested. The contract was retained by Forward Catering Service.
Landfill Sites
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many landfill sites have closed in Wales in each year since 1985 ; and what measures are being taken to prevent them leaking toxic liquids and explosive gases.
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Mr. Gwilym Jones : This information is not maintained centrally, but is available from the individual district councils.
Local Government
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many private representations he has so far received on the reorganisation of local government in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : It was made clear in the White Paper that all responses received would, unless otherwise requested, be placed in the Welsh Office's library and the Library of the House. No respondents sending in representations to the Welsh Office have indicated that they want their comments to be private.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what closing date he has set for comments on the White Paper on the reorganisation of local government in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : I have not set a formal closing date. But I have made it clear that I would find it helpful to receive comments by the end of June. That will be four months after the publication of the White Paper.
Cockle Pickers
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received from cockle pickers in Wales about access to cockles ; if he will seek to introduce legislation to license cockle pickers in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : None. Responsibility for managing inshore fisheries in Wales, including the licensing of cockle pickers, rests with sea fisheries committees, whose management regimes are enforced in accordance with byelaws which require my confirmation.
Minister for Women
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment so far of the consequences of his decision to designate, in his Department, a Minister having responsibilities for women ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : My right hon. Friend the Minister of State has had special responsibility for issue relating to women in Wales for some years. He has been a member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Women's Issues since April 1992 ; and prior to that was a member of the ministerial group on women's issues.
The present ministerial sub committee aims to focus Government thinking and policy on women's issues and allows my Department to contribute to the overall range of Government activity affecting women.
My right hon. Friend's role also ensures that policy measures across the wide spectrum of my Department's own responsibilities are co-ordinated to take full account of the needs of women in Wales.
Urban Investment Grants
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 11 June, Official Report, columns 346-48, if he will list the public bodies, other than the
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Welsh Office, which can offer urban investment grants ; what are the maximum thresholds of grants above which the Welsh Office has to give separate approval ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Redwood : Cardiff Bay development corporation is the only public sector body in Wales, other than the Welsh Office, which offers urban investment grants. Welsh Office approval is required if the development corporation proposes to make an offer of grant which is greater than the current delegation threshold for projects of £250,000. These delegation arrangements are no different from those which apply to other types of project.
Minister for Children
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will appoint a Minister for Children at his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Abattoirs
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in considering the practical implications of the new regulations concerning small abattoirs.
Mr. Soames : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales gave to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 27 May, Official Report, column 715.
Multi-annual Guidance Programme
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the minimum and maximum number of half days provided under the multi-annual guidance programme obligation and the average for each segment of the fleet ; and what relations those figures bear to the provisions made under the Sea Fish Conservation Act 1992 for (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland, and by each port.
Mr. Jack : The United Kingdom's multi-annual guidance programme is expressed primarily in terms of capacity. The United Kingdom's target is a 19 per cent. reduction in capacity--45 per cent. of which can be achieved by reductions in time at sea. Time at sea will be controlled on an individual basis and initially the Sea Fish Licensing (Time at Sea) (Principles) Order will restrict fishing patterns to 1991 levels.
Fish Catches (Monitoring)
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many EC fishery officers are employed to monitor fish catches in each EC country that possesses an ocean fishing fleet.
Mr. Jack : The most recent information on numbers of fisheries officers employed in member states with ocean fishing fleets is contained in a Commission report on
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monitoring implementation of the common fisheries policy, published in March 1992 a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.Floods
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to provide additional funding to help meet the costs resulting from the recent floods in Devon and Cornwall.
Mr. Jack : Local authorities that have incurred an exceptional financial burden as a consequence of the recent flooding events can apply to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment for activation of the Bellwin scheme of emergency financial assistance. Each case is considered on its merits. Grant aid is available to local authorities and the National Rivers Authority from the Ministry for new and improved flood defence works. Grant provision has increased in recent years and priority is given to flood warning and urban flood and sea defence works.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Shipping and Shipbuilding
10. Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures are under consideration to arrest the decline of the British shipping and shipbuilding industries.
Mr. Dorrell : Along with the rest of United Kingdom industry, ship owners and builders are operating with the lowest rate of inflation for 30 years ; the lowest interest rates in the EC ; and the lowest rate of corporation tax in the EC. My hon. Friend the Economic Secretary will be meeting the Chamber of Shipping shortly to examine their case for special measures.
Unemployment
12. Ms Short : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the public sector borrowing requirement of a halving of the rate of unemployment.
Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Lady to the reply given earlier to the hon. Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. O'Hara).
Any attempt to quantify the effect of changes in unemployment on the PSBR would depend on a large number of assumptions, and would be subject to great uncertainty. In particular, there are no reliable estimates of the effects of unemployment on tax revenues.
23. Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of Government economic policies on unemployment over the past year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The Government's success in bringing down underlying inflation to its lowest levels for 25 years has created a secure foundation for sustained recovery. Interest rates are at their lowest levels for 15 years, and manufacturing unit wage cost performance is the best on record. These developments ; combined with the measures for business and the unemployed in the March Budget,
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provide the basis for sustainable, non- inflationary growth and improving employment prospects, as recent labour market indicators show.Public Sector Pay
13. Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's intentions for public sector pay for 1993-94.
Mr. Portillo : As announced in the last autumn statement, public sector pay restraint, which limits all settlement within the range zero to 1.5 per cent., will be applied for one year. There can be no catching-up settlements following that. Public sector pay is an important part of public expenditure and will obviously have to be kept under tight control.
Manufacturing (Unit Wage Growth)
14. Mr. Spring : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest figures for unit wage growth in manufacturing in the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.
Sir John Cope : Over the last year unit wage costs in Britain fell by almost 3 per cent. In comparison, they rose by 9 per cent. in Japan and 10 per cent. in Germany.
Tax Changes
15. Mr. Wareing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact of recent tax changes on economic recovery.
Mr. Dorrell : I have every confidence that the measures announced in the Budget will ensure recovery is sustainable. They demonstrate the Government's commitment to low inflation and sound public finances.
Unemployed People (Tax Burden)
16. Mr. Cryer : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the direct and indirect tax burden is on a single person in receipt of unemployment benefit.
Mr. Dorrell : A single person receiving unemployment benefit with no other source of income will pay no income tax. The amount of indirect tax paid will depend on his pattern of spending.
Financial Policy
17. Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss financial policy.
21. Mr. Hanson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has recently held with the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss financial policy.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I meet the Governor from time to time to discuss a range of issues.
Taxation
18. Mr. Davidson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate he has about the income distribution of the direct and indirect tax burden.
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Mr. Dorrell : The latest information is given in the May 1993 edition of "Economic Trends".
11 Downing Street (Rental Value)
19. Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the rental value of the residential accommodation at 11 Downing street.
Sir John Cope : The Treasury is charged a rent of £139,359 per annum for No. 11 Downing street through the Government's internal charging, property repayment system. The residential element is not separately assessed.
G7 Summit
20. Mr. Luff : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he will be proposing at the G7 summit in Tokyo in July to enhance international economic growth.
Sir John Cope : The continuing weakness of the world economy is a serious cause for concern. Tackling the problem will require short-term national measures to boost confidence and promote recovery and medium-term measures to strengthen the sustainable rate of growth. The appropriate medium-term measures include a reduction of budget deficits and structural reform to make markets work better. However, the one single measure that will do most to promote non-inflationary growth is a successful outcome to the GATT negotiations.
Ministerial Responsibilities
22. Mr. Winnick : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reorganise the responsibilities undertaken by Ministers in his Department.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I have no plans at present.
Unemployment Benefit
24. Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the proportion of public spending accounted for by unemployment benefit.
Mr. Portillo : In 1992-93, unemployment benefit accounted for 0.7 per cent. of general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds.
VAT (Fuel)
25. Mr. Gapes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of VAT on domestic fuel on inflation ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : The extension of VAT to domestic fuel and power is estimated to add just under 0.4 per cent. to the retail prices index in 1994-95, and just over 0.4 per cent. further in 1995-96.
Government Borrowing
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he intends to take to reduce Government borrowing.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The economic recovery will reduce Government borr ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ynys Mo n (Mr. Jones) of 11 February 1993, Official Report, column 719, what reasons underlie the treatment of levels of debt of other countries as confidential ; and if such treatment has been requested by all the countries concerned.
Mr. Nelson : The answer to the hon. Member for Ynys Mo n related to bilateral debt reduction undertaken by all of the Paris club group of creditor countries. We do not hold details of bilateral obligations between all debtor and creditor countries. Moreover, on United Kingdom bilateral debt, the details of individual debtors' positions are confidential to the country concerned and we cannot publish these figures without the consent of the authorities.
Bank of England
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has recently held with the Governor of the Bank of England about the state of the economy.
Mr. Nelson : My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer meets the Governor from time to time to discuss a range of issues.
Income Tax
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the expected current annual yield from income tax at the basic, lower and higher rates ; what are the comparable figures for 10 and 15 years ago ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : Estimates of taxpayers' income tax liabilities at the various rate bands are as follows :
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