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EDUCATION
Agency Teachers
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what action he is taking to ensure that teachers recruited through commercial teacher recruitment agencies are properly vetted by the police prior to their taking up their teaching posts ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what steps he is taking to inform head-teachers recruiting agency teachers about the status of overseas teachers with respect to their qualifications ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Department is currently consulting other Government Departments with a view to preparing a code of practice for teacher employment agencies and detailed guidelines to schools on the employment of teachers through agencies.
School Tests
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of schools in each local education authority did not carry the recent tests for 14-year-old pupils.
Mr. Robin Squire : This information is not available.
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of hours per week teachers are occupied in marking test papers for pupils aged (a) seven, (b) 11 and (c) 14 years.
Mr. Robin Squire : The information is not available in the precise format requested. On average, teachers of seven-year-olds should be able to administer this Summer's tests in English, mathematics and science in a total of roughly 24 hours. This excludes the time taken to test pupils' ability to read aloud. Teachers have discretion to spread out these tests between half-term in the spring term and four weeks before the end of the summer term.
Tests for 11-year-olds are not yet mandatory. One of the main purposes of this summer's pilot of prototype tests for this age group is to shed light on what is manageable for teachers including marking times.
Based on experience in the trials, it is estimated that a subject teacher with a typical class of 27 14-year-olds, might spend roughly seven to 11 hours marking the mathematics tests ; just over 11 hours marking the science papers, between 11 and 13.5 hours marking the English papers, and 7.5 hours on the technology papers.
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Teacher Training
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on his proposal to train primary school teachers on 12-month courses ; what assessment he has made of how the quality of training will compare with conventional teacher training courses ; and what salary structure he expects teachers trained by this scheme to receive.
Mr. Robin Squire : My right hon. Friend has recently issued for consultation proposals for new one-year courses for the training of specialist nursery and infant teachers. Entry to such courses would be restricted to mature people, with considerable experience of working with young children, who possess the qualifications for entry to higher education and are capable of attaining the required competences within one year. My right hon. Friend has invited views about the nature, organisation and content of such courses, which would complement and not replace existing routes into primary teaching. Those successfully completing the courses would receive specialised qualified teacher status which entitled them to teach pupils up to the end of key stage 1. Qualified teachers are paid in accordance with the scales and other provisions set out in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document.
Parents Charter
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the independent market research among parents on their views on the parents charter referred to on page 12 of the first report on the citizens charter, column 2101.
Mr. Robin Squire : The market research was carried out to enable officials to prepare advice for Ministers. It is not the usual practice of my right hon. Friend to publish either officials' advice or the research underlying it.
Further Education Colleges
Mr. Chisholm : To ask the Secretary of State for education how much money was given to further education colleges in 1992-93 to prepare them for incorporation ; and what provision was made in the conditions of grant for bonuses to senior staff.
Mr. Boswell : Transitional funding of some £18.3 million was made available in 1992-93 by the Further Education Funding Council to institutions joining the further education sector in England. All colleges in England received a minimum of £35,000, which they could use for any purpose that directly assisted with their preparations for independence. The position in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Bursaries
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will announce the postgraduate bursary and studentship rates payable by his Department for the academic year 1993-94.
Mr. Boswell : The main maintenance rates under the Department's own postgraduate awards scheme for certain professional and vocational courses in the academic year 1993-94 will be as follows--1992-93 rates are shown in brackets :
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|£ |£
--------------------------------------
Bursaries
London |3,170 |(3,085)
Elsewhere |2,500 |(2,435)
Parental home |1,890 |(1,840)
Studentships
London |5,340 |(5,195)
Elsewhere |4,245 |(4,130)
Parental home |3,130 |(3,045)
These represent increases of 2.75 per cent. on the current year's rates. The relevant supplementary allowances will be increased broadly in line.
EMPLOYMENT
Building Workers (Training Levy)
Mrs. Anne Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what complaints he has received on the imposition of a training levy on building workers with 714 or SC60 certificates ; and if he will make it his policy that such deductions should be halted forthwith.
Miss Widdecombe : We have received no complaints about the imposition of a training levy from building workers who have identified themselves as having 714 or SC60 certificates. Under the legislation the liability to pay Industry Training Board levy lies with the employer. If the employer attempts to pass the levy on to the employee or sub contractor, there is no legal obligation for them to pay it.
Part-time Work
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) males and (b) females were working part-time in Great Britain in April 1992 ; and what proportion of these workers earned between (a) £5.20 and £5.50 per hour, (b) £5.50 and £5.60 per hour, (c) £3.90 and £4 per hour and (d) £3.20 and £3.30 per hour.
Miss Widdecombe : Estimates of the numbers of employees in employment at March 1992 in Great Britain were 1,048,000 part-time men and 4,709,000 part-time women.
The corresponding information for the distributions of hourly earnings can be found in the table.
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Part time employees on adult rates-pay
unaffected by absence
Proportion with gross hourly earnings
between the following amounts
April 1992
|Males |Females
|Per cent.|Per cent.
---------------------------------------------
£3.20 to £3.30 |3.2 |3.9
£3.90 to £4.00 |3.7 |3.0
£5.20 to £5.50 |2.6 |3.6
£5.50 to £5.60 |1.0 |1.0
Source: New Earnings Survey.
WALES
Taf Merthyr Colliery
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he and the agencies in Wales he supports financially intend to take to alleviate the problems arising from the closure of the Taf Merthyr colliery, Bedlinog.
Mr. Redwood : A regeneration programme for those areas affected by the coal review valued at £43 million was announced by my predecessor last October. This includes a wide range of measures for the Taff Merthyr area by my Department, the Welsh Development Agency, the relevant training and enterprise councils and the Employment Service, in addition to significant initiatives taken by British Coal Enterprise.
ing the closure of Taff Merthyr colliery, I am relaxing eligibility conditions of the Government's adult training programmes to allow immediate entry to training, retraining and business start up for ex-colliery employees and others within the affectextMr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many NHS staff were employed as (a) general/senior managers and (b) administrators and clerical staff in Wales in each year since 1989-90.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 18 January, at column 57. The validated 1992 figure for clerical and administrative staff is 8,347.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the numbers of NHS nursing and midwifery staff by pay grades within the groups of senior nursing and midwifery staff, educational staff, clinical nursing and midwifery staff, learners and other staff ; and if he will list the number of Project 2000 nursing students in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992, and the percentage change between each year.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The requested information is given in the table.
Column 219
Staff in post as Percentage change
at 30 September
(whole-time
equivalents)
|1989 |1990 |1991 |1992<1> |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92<1>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Learner nurses:
NA21 |Pupil nurse |288 |176 |137 |74 |-38.3 |-22.2 |-46.0-
NA31 |Student nurse |2,830 |2,891 |2,774 |1,872 |2.2 |-4.1 |-32.5
NA41 |RGN/RSCN |- |8 |23 |23 |n/a |193.7 |1.3
Project 2000 student bursaries:
NB21 |Under 26 years |- |- |- |62 |n/a |n/a |n/a
NB31 |26 years and over |- |- |- |37 |n/a |n/a |n/a
Day nursery staff:
NM11 |Nursery assistant |- |- |1 |- |n/a |n/a |-100.0
| (19 and over)
NM21 |Nursery nurse-NNEB |2 |3 |6 |10 |32.2 |140.7 |53.0
NM41 |Deputy matron |- |- |1 |1 |n/a |n/a |0.0
NM61 |Matron |1 |1 |2 |2 |0.0 |100.0 |0.0
Clinical grades:
NP01 |Grade A (under 18) |5 |6 |2 |5 |21.1 |-62.7 |126.4
NP06 |Grade A (18 and over) |5,899 |5,607 |5,530 |5,897 |-4.9 |-1.4 |6.6
NP16 |Grade B |1,162 |1,414 |1,476 |1,440 |21.7 |4.4 |-2.4
NP21 |Grade C |1,247 |986 |872 |758 |-20.9 |-11.5 |-13.0
NP26 |Grade D |3,317 |3,370 |3,177 |2,924 |1.6 |-5.7 |-8.0
| (2nd level enrolled nurse)
NP31 |Grade D |1,023 |1,201 |1,504 |1,854 |17.4 |25.2 |23.3
| (1st level registered nurses)
NP36 |Grade E |5,178 |5,262 |5,339 |5,511 |1.6 |1.5 |3.2
NP41 |Grade F |1,820 |1,860 |1,868 |1,955 |2.2 |0.5 |4.7
NP46 |Grade G |3,755 |3,764 |3,728 |3,611 |0.2 |-1.0 |-3.1
NP51 |Grade H |568 |600 |631 |670 |5.6 |5.2 |6.1
NP56 |Grade I |410 |424 |383 |347 |3.3 |-9.7 |-9.4
Education staff:
NR01 |Grade 1 |51 |61 |50 |34 |21.1 |-17.7 |-32.6
NR11 |Grade 2 |244 |250 |263 |237 |2.4 |5.4 |-10.2
NR21 |Grade 3 |39 |42 |28 |10 |7.7 |-33.3 |-64.3
NR31 |Grade 4 |18 |20 |29 |43 |11.1 |45.0 |48.3
NR41 |Grade 5 |2 |1 |2 |6 |-50.0 |100.0 |200.0
NR51 |Grade 6 |4 |5 |2 |1 |25.0 |-60.0 |-50.0
NR61 |Grade 7 |- |1 |2 |2 |n/a |100.0 |0.0
Senior nurses<2>:
NT11 |Senior nurse 6 |36 |11 |1 |- |-69.8 |-92.6 |-100.0
NT16 |Senior nurse 5 |14 |15 |1 |- |7.1 |-93.3 |-100.0
NT21 |Senior nurse 4 |35 |30 |5 |1 |-14.3 |-83.3 |-80.0
NT26 |Senior nurse 3 |16 |18 |4 |2 |12.5 |-77.8 |-50.0
NT31 |Senior nurse 2 |8 |8 |3 |- |0.0 |-60.7 |-100.0
NT36 |Senior nurse 1 |9 |7 |4 |4 |-22.2 |-42.9 |0.0
NT41 |Senior nurse 1+ |1 |- |1 |- |-100.0 |n/a |-100.0
Senior nurses/midwives<2>:
NX01 |District/unit |- |- |59 |79 |n/a |n/a |33.9
NX02 |District/unit |- |- |4 |3 |n/a |n/a |-25.0
NX11 |Unit-1st level |- |- |30 |34 |n/a |n/a |13.3
NX12 |Unit-1st level |- |- |2 |1 |n/a |n/a |-50.0
NX21 |District-1st level |- |- |3 |3 |n/a |n/a |n/a
NX31 |Region |- |- |1 |1 |n/a |n/a |n/a
Obsolete grades<2>:
NW |Senior nurse-education |10 |6 |2 |- |-40.0 |-66.7 |-100.0
NC |Nursing officer |2 |- |- |- |-100.0 |n/a |n/a
ND |Director of nurse education |39 |40 |9 |5 |2.6 |-77.5 |-44.4
NF |CANO |4 |5 |2 |- |25.0 |-60.0 |-100.0
Project 2000 nursing students<3> - - - 421 n/a n/a n/a
n/a=Not applicable.
<1> The 1992 figures exclude about 64 Wte nursing and midwifery staff employed by Pembrokeshire NHS Trust on local payscales to whom the standard pay grades do not apply. In addition to the figures shown there were about 1,000 student nurses at 30 September 1992 who had been reclassified as students following the
introduction of Project 2000 nursing education reforms.
<2> Since 1 January 1991 staff on "obsolete" grades shown and senior nurse payscales have been eligible to transfer to new senior nurse payscales (NX).
<3> As at 31 March.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the numbers of health service directly employed staff by main staff group for each year
Column 222
from 1987 to 1992 ; and if he will give the changes between each year and over the whole period in numbers and percentages.Mr. Gwilym Jones : The reqested information is shown in the table :
Column 223
Staff in post as at 30 September
(whole-time equivalents)
|1987 |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical and Dental |2,471 |2,545 |2,602 |2,691 |2,708 |n/a
Nursing and Midwifery |27,764 |27,920 |28,037 |28,093 |27,962 |<1>27,583
Professional and Technical |4,993 |5,111 |5,318 |5,452 |5,788 |5,877
Administrative and Clerical<4> |7,087 |7,279 |7,565 |8,069 |8,733 |9,195
Ambulance staff |1,589 |1,566 |1,579 |1,548 |1,565 |1,547
Ancillary staff |9,810 |9,117 |8,644 |8,239 |7,631 |7,312
Works staff |476 |447 |415 |388 |335 |362
Maintenance staff |1,692 |1,609 |1,576 |1,545 |1,504 |1,436
Unknown<2> |- |- |- |- |42 |237
Column 223
Change
1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1987-92
|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical and Dental |74 |3.0 |57 |2.2 |89 |3.4 |17 |0.6 |n/a |n/a |237 |<3>9.6
Nursing and Midwifery |156 |0.6 |117 |0.4 |56 |0.2 |-131 |-0.5 |-379 |-1.4 |-181 |-0.7
Professional and Technical |118 |2.4 |207 |4.1 |134 |2.5 |336 |6.2 |89 |1.5 |884 |17.7
Administrative and Clerical<4> |192 |2.7 |286 |3.9 |504 |6.7 |664 |8.2 |462 |5.3 |2,108 |29.7
Ambulance staff |-23 |-1.4 |13 |0.8 |-31 |-2.0 |17 |1.1 |-18 |-1.2 |-42 |-2.6
Ancillary staff -693 -7.1 -473 -5.2 -405 -4.7 -608 -7.4 -319 -4.2 -2,498 -25.5
Works staff |-29 |-6.1 |-32 |-7.2 |-27 |-6.5 |-53 |-13.7 |27 |8.1 |-114 |-23.9
Maintenance staff |-83 |-4.9 |-33 |-2.1 |-31 |-2.0 |-41 |-2.7 |-68 |-4.5 |-256 |-15.1
Unknown<1> |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |195 |464.3 |n/a |n/a
n/a=Not available.
<1> In addition there are about 1,000 student nurses who have been reclassified as students following the introduction of Project 2000 nursing education
reforms.
<2> Staff paid on locally devised payscales who can no longer be allocated to a specific staff group. This affects the comparability of 1991 and 1992 figures
for all staff groups.
<3> 1987 to 1991.
<4> Including general and senior managers.
Nurses and Midwives
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the numbers of whole-time equivalent NHS nursing and midwifery staff employed on each grade and pay point of the clinical grades, educational grades and senior nursing and midwifery pay spine in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Due to the complex nature of the data requested, I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of the information in the Library of the House.
Column 224
Nursing Education
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the numbers of entrants to initial pre-registration nursing education by course of study and by the academic qualifications possessed by entrants in each year since 1989.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The number of initial entrants to
pre-registration nursing education is shown in the table. Information on the qualifications possessed by these students is not readily available.
Column 223
|1989-90<1> |1990-91<1> |1991-92<1> |1992-93<1><2>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nursing qualification to which initial
training leads:
Registered General Nurse |786 |788 |269 |-
Bachelor of Nursing |34 |39 |- |-
Enrolled Nurse (General) |47 |74 |- |-
Registered Mental Nurse |140 |142 |53 |-
Enrolled Nurse (Mental) |- |- |- |-
Registered Nurse Mental Handicap |33 |41 |18 |-
Enrolled Nurse (Mental Handicap) |- |- |- |-
Registered Sick Children's Nurse |- |- |- |-
Registered Midwife |- |- |10 |15
Registered Health Visitor |- |- |- |-
Project 2000<3>: Adult Nursing |n/a |n/a |277 |699
Mental Health |n/a |n/a |53 |138
Mental Handicap |n/a |n/a |- |35
Children's Nursing |n/a |n/a |42 |73
Total |1,040 |1,084 |722 |960
n/a=Not available.
<1>1 April to 31 March.
<2>Provisional.
<3>Courses phased in from September 1991.
Source: Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Annual Reports.
Student Statistics
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount spent on each student in the university of Wales and university of Glamorgan respectively, in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The total amount spent on each student in the university of Wales, since 1979-80 is as follows. Information relating to 1991-92 is not yet available. Equivalent information for the university of Glamorgan is not available centrally.
University of Wales: annual expenditure<1> per full time
equivalent
student
|Expenditure<1> per
|full time student
|(£ per thousand)
---------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |2,131.6
1980-81 |2,807.7
1981-82 |3,013.0
1982-83 |3,363.0
1983-84 |3,946.1
1984-85 |4,058.0
1985-86 |4,248.9
1986-87 |4,444.1
1987-88 |4,530.3
1988-89 |4,891.2
1989-90 |4,996.2
1991-92 |5,241.3
<1> Expenditure is defined as that relating to all cost
centres including departmental recurrent expenditure (
specific expenditure and that from general income) and
that on departmental equipment. Annual expenditure per
student is derived by dividing the expenditure by the
total full-time equivalent student load.
Source:
1979-80 "Statistics of Education; Vol. 6 Universities"
published by University Grants Committee. 1980-81
onwards "University Statistics; Finance" published
annually by Universities' Statistical Record.
Consultants
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the mean age at which doctors achieve consultant status in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The mean age at which doctors in Wales, in post at 30 September 1991, achieved consultant status was 37.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to include specific references to equality of opportunity in the annual strategic and planning guidance issued by his Department to training and enterprise councils in Wales.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The importance of equality of opportunity is already recognised in the guidance given to Welsh training and enterprise councils by the Welsh Office, and we will ensure that it continues to be so.
Column 226
Coastal Water (Pollution)
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what regular or recent monitoring his Department carries out of background levels of hydrocarbons and other pollutants in Cardigan bay and other Welsh coastal waters.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Welsh Office does not carry out such monitoring. However, monitoring for a wide range of contaminants, including hydrocarbons, is undertaken at various locations off the Welsh coastline by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the National Rivers Authority and the Countryside Council for Wales.
Radon
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many grants have been approved for households which have recorded radon concentrations (a) over 200 becquerels per cubic metre and (b) up to 200 becquerels per cubic metre in Wales and postal district SA since 1989.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information is not held centrally.
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is now in a position to announce the appointment of the new chairman of the Welsh Development Agency.
Mr. Redwood : I am pleased to announce that I am appointing Mr. David Rowe-Beddoe to be the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency with effect from 1 July.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Assisted Areas
13. Mr. McFall : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he is going to publish the revised assisted areas map.
Mr. Sainsbury : I hope to announce the new assisted areas map before the House rises for the summer recess.
Mr. Morley : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to make an announcement on the future of assisted area status for Glanford and Scunthorpe.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 7 June 1993] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) on 17 June, Official Report, column 715.
Aerospace Industry
15. Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the future prospects for the British aerospace industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : My Department has a close and continuing dialogue with the industry on the challenges it is facing, and the most appropriate ways for the Government to help.
Column 227
Pit Closures
16. Mr. Mullin : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many of the pits originally scheduled for closure have been closed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : British Coal has decided it no longer wishes to operate 18 of these pits, and coaling has ceased at them. British Coal has given a commitment to offer all such pits to the private sector and has so far invited bids for nine of them. I understand that British Coal will be offering the remainder in the next few weeks.
Shipbuilding Industry
17. Mr. Byers : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to assist the shipbuilding industry.
Mr. Sainsbury : The shipbuilding industry continues to receive assistance from the shipbuilding intervention fund and the home credit guarantee scheme.
Industrial Competitiveness
18. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the competitive position of United Kingdom industry has changed in the last 12 months.
Mr. Sainsbury : The competitive position of United Kingdom industry has strengthened considerably in the 12 months to April this year, during which period manufacturing productivity has increased by nearly 8 per cent.
Lithuania
19. Mr. Colvin : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what Government-backed export credit arrangements there are for Lithuania.
Mr. McLoughlin : Cover for short-term credit is available from NCM Credit Insurance Ltd. under tight conditions and with 100 per cent. reinsurance by the Export Credits Guarantee Department. Cover is not available for exports on medium-term credit, although the position is currently under review.
Northern France
20. Mr. David Shaw : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the availability of measures taken by the French Government which encourage relocation of business in northern France in preference to east Kent.
Mr. Sainsbury : I understand that a range of assistance is available. It includes grants for job creation and a variety of tax concessions at both local and national levels.
Regional Policy
21. Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are his plans for further changes in regional policy.
Mr. Sainsbury : The effectiveness of regional policy is kept under continuous review.
24. Mr. John Evans : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's plans for regional policy.
Column 228
Mr. Sainsbury : We are currently reviewing the assisted areas map and hope to make an announcement before the House rises for the summer recess.
Manufacturing Industry
22. Sir David Knox : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade meets the president and director-general of the CBI regularly to discuss a wide range of issues. He last visited the CBI on 17 June and met a number of CBI representatives.
26. Mr. Hawkins : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the performance of manufacturing industry in the north-west during the past year.
Mr. Sainsbury : Manufacturing industry in the north-west has shared in the national improvement in the economy in the last year benefiting from the fall in interest rates to the lowest level for 16 years. In the three months from January to April 1993, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the region fell by 6,500.
30. Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received on the decline in numbers of jobs in manufacturing industry over the last five years.
Mr. Sainsbury : My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has received a number of representations about the decline in manufacturing jobs over the last five years. Improved competitiveness remains the key to growth in manufacturing employment.
31. Mr. Turner : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the prospects for manufacturing industry in the black country and the west midlands in the next two years.
Mr. Sainsbury : The prospect for manufacturing industry throughout the west midlands are constantly assessed by my Department through the work of the west midlands regional office.
Political Parties (Donations)
23. Mrs. Mahon : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to review the Companies Act 1985 in relation to those sections dealing with political contributions.
Mr. Neil Hamilton : I have no plans to review these sections.
Government Purchases
25. Mr. Barry Field : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the measures he is taking to ensure that purchases by Government are of British manufacture.
Mr. Sainsbury : Government purchasing is based on value for money. The role of my Department is to ensure that competition for Government purchases from overseas is fair. The Treasury's central unit on purchasing advises Government purchasers on the best purchasing practices to ensure that the advantages of competition are secured.
Column 229
Northern Cyprus
27. Mr. Miller : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current trade deficit with northern Cyprus.
Mr. Needham : I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 19 May 1993, Official Report, column 238.
33. Ms Janet Anderson : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to meet representatives of the Turkish republic of northern Cyprus in order to discuss the prospects for trade with the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham : None. We do not recognise the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". The timing of any possible meeting must be carefully considered in the light of the continuing inter-communal negotiations on Cyprus under United Nations auspices.
Mr. Barnes : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to meet his counterpart in northern Cyprus to discuss bilateral trade arrangements.
Mr. Needham : None. We do not recognise northern Cyprus. The timing of any such meeting can only be carefully considered in the light of the continuing inter-communal negotiations on Cyprus under United Nations auspices.
Norway
28. Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was (a) the value of imports from Norway last year and (b) the projected value for the current year.
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