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Gas (Exempt Supplies) Act
Mr. Duncan : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to lay an order to bring into force the Gas (Exempt Supplies) Act 1993 ; and if he will consider streamlining the handling of authorisations for the supply of propane and butane in the interim period.
Mr. Eggar : I expect to bring the Act into force by mid-1994. In the meantime when existing authorisations for the supply of propane and butane expire they will be extended by the Director General of Gas Supply. As regards new authorisations, applicants will simply have to demonstrate that they :
(a) had given the appropriate notice under the Pipelines Act 1962 ;
(b) had systems which had been installed/inspected by a company or individual belonging to the LP Gas Association or another properly qualified engineer ;
(c) operated, or planned to operate when supply commenced, either directly or via an agency agreement, an arrangement whereby immediate action to prevent reported gas escapes can be initiated by telephone on a 24 hour basis ; and
(d) had secured, or planned to secure when supply commenced, rights of entry to premises supplied in order to deal with gas escapes or other damages arising from the supply of gas to the premises. I am reviewing the Gas (Authorisation Application) Regulations 1986 and will revise them as necessary to reflect the reduced information requirements in support of applications for LPG supply authorisations.
Assisted Areas
Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 9 June, Official Report, column 254, if he will provide a regional breakdown of projects, spending and jobs created for each year.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 21 June 1993] : On re- examination of our computer records we have discovered that the information given in our earlier reply about the number of projects supported was incorrect. The figure should have been 378 and not 651 as previously stated. The amount of grant paid and the number of jobs, were not affected.
A breakdown of the information given in the earlier reply by region and for each year from 1987-88 is as follows :
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Region 1987-88 to 1990-91 to June
1989-90 1993
|Number of projects |Amount of assistance|Number of jobs |Number of projects |Amount of assistance|Number of jobs
|£ million |£ million
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Midlands |7 |0.7 |100 |20 |2.7 |534
North East |49 |3.7 |1,401 |104 |50.3 |5,738
North West |29 |2.4 |673 |70 |11.1 |2,358
South West |11 |2.9 |395 |9 |2.3 |489
West Midlands |3 |0.1 |111 |27 |6.9 |2,636
Yorkshire and Humberside |19 |1.7 |371 |32 |11.0 |3,463
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the criteria submitted by his Department to the European Commission in connection with the submission of the assisted areas map to the European Commission on 15 June ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 23 June 1993] : In order not to prejudice negotiation with the European
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Commission, no information on the proposed assisted areas map will be released until it has been agreed with the Commission.Mrs. Ewing : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he had with local authorities in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and
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(d) Scottish district and regional councils prior to the submission of the assisted areas map to the European Commission on 15 June ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 23 June 1993] : Ministerial colleagues in Scotland, Wales and my own Department and I myself have met a number of delegations from local authorities during the assisted areas map review. As the review is of assisted areas in Great Britain, there have been no discussions with local authorities from Northern Ireland.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Somalia
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in establishing police forces in Somalia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : During the first months of 1993, UNOSOM and UNITAF provided assistance for the establishment of auxiliary police forces in various parts of Somalia including Mogadishu, Baidoa, Bardera, Belet Huen and Kismayo. These forces, numbering 5,000 officers, were reconstituted as the Somalia Police Force on 4 May 1993. Local police forces also operate in Hargeisa and Bossaso. UNOSOM II is now preparing a plan for the establishment of police, prison and judicial systems throughout Somalia. The Overseas Development Administration's overseas police adviser will visit Somalia in July to determine how best Her Majesty's Government can support the development of police forces in the north-west.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the Government's and EC's programmes approved within the past year geared to the reconstruction of Somali society.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Our bilateral emergency relief assistance has supported the reopening of schools, provision of basic health, water and sanitation services, supply of seeds and tools for farmers and help for the reintegration of displaced persons. We continue to explore with relief agencies the potential for further support for rehabilitation activities and have offered funds and technical expertise for project identification missions.
EC assistance has supported a de-mining programme and the provision of veterinary services and water supplies. A joint EC/member states team plans to visit Somalia next month to identify potential areas for EC rehabilitation assistance to be funded from the special initiative for Africa, agreed at the 25 May Development Council.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made by (a) his Department and (b) the EC of the adequacy of their response to the Somali crisis since the beginning of 1992.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Her Majesty's Government and the European Commission were among the first to respond to the crisis in Somalia with the provision of food and non-food emergency assistance. Since January 1992 British bilateral humanitarian aid commitments have
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totalled over £27 million. EC commitments have totalled almost £100 million of which the United Kingdom share is £16.68 million. The capacity of all aid agencies to operate effectively continues to be constrained by prevailing security conditions. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development led an EC troika of Development Ministers in September 1992 to assess needs and has seconded an ODA official to the office of the United Nations Secretary-General's special representative to Somalia, Admiral Howe, to help plan the process of recovery and to provide advice on how we might assist. A joint EC/member states team plans to visit next month to assess the future EC aid programme.Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates over the last five years (a) the World Health Organisation, (b) the Food and Agricultural Organisation and (c) UNICEF have been operating in Somalia ; and what are their current activities.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Until 1991 WHO, FAO and UNICEF operated continuously in Somalia. From 1991 to date their provision of support for relief operations in Somalia has continued, although at various stages international staff have been withdrawn.
UNICEF activities include the provision of primary health care, food for mothers and children and restoration of water supplies. FAO supports the provision of emergency seeds, veterinary services and the re-equipping of farmers and fishermen. WHO is supporting the establishment of an epidemiological surveillance system, control of communicable diseases and the supply of essential drugs.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the policy of (a) UNITAF and (b) UNOSOM 2 in respect of disarming the warring factions in Somalia.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Broadly, UNITAF carried out disarmament when it was considered essential to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. The mandate for UNOSOM II granted by UNSCR 814 emphasised the crucial importance of disarmament and the urgent need to build on the efforts of UNITAF. This process has already begun.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United Nations about its civil reconstruction activities in Somalia since the UNITAF deployment.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have had frequent contact with the United Nations over the issue of civil reconstruction, must recently during the visit to New York earlier this month by my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development. We have also participated in the several UN-sponsored conferences that covered the issue, including the meeting in Nairobi on 22 June.
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NATIONAL HERITAGE
Rail Rover Tickets
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment he has made of the loss of income to the tourist industry which would result if rail rover tickets were not continued by private rail franchise operators.
Mr. Sproat : No such assessment has been made.
British Rail (Tour Ticketing)
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has held with representatives of the tourist industry about the impact of the loss of British Rail's present inclusive tour ticketing arrangements if these were not continued by private sector rail franchise operators.
Mr. Sproat : I am fully aware of the concerns of representatives of the tourism industry. On Monday 21 June I met the Council for Travel and Tourism, and noted its concerns regarding the continuation of tour ticketing arrangements. I am, however, confident that as these tickets are very popular with passengers the private sector will be keen to retain these products.
Public Bodies
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the names, occupations and current employers of those who currently hold positions in each public body to which he makes appointments ; if he will make a statement on the considerations taken into account when making such appointments ; and if he will list details of the posts and salaries or allowances payable which have changed since the publication of "Public Bodies 1992".
Mr. Sproat : The Department of National Heritage does not currently hold a central list containing the occupation, current employers and remuneration of public appointees and to assemble this information would involve disproportionate cost. Careful consideration is given to the specific skills and experience required for each appointment and to the personal qualities and background of the appointee.
Royal Palaces
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his reply of 25 May, Official Report, columns 482-83, if he will give a breakdown of (a) the categories of expenditure at each of the occupied royal palaces and (b) the amount spent on utilities, wages and other costs.
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 16 June 1993] : The figures for property services in 1992-93, broken down by palace where this information is kept separately, are as shown. The breakdown also shows expenditure on running costs (not broken down by palace), utilities and fire precautions.
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Breakdown of expenditure at each of the occupied Royal Palaces in
1992-93 in £000s
|£000 |£000
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Running costs (not possible to break down
this figure)-including salaries and other
administration costs such as auditors |1.109
Projects costing £150,000 or more
Buckingham palace |1.003
Windsor castle |8.586
St. James's palace and Clarence house |0.762
Kensington palace |0.041
Other |0.423
|-------
|10.815
|-------
Projects from £25,000 to £150,000
Buckingham palace |2.134
Windsor castle |0.341
St. James's palace and Clarence house |0.466
Kensington palace |0.472
Other |0.771
|-------
|4.184
|-------
Jobs costing less than £2,500
In-house labour (not broken down) |0.438
Contract labour
Buckingham palace |0.603
Windsor castle |0.188
St. James's palace and Clarence house |0.177
Kensington palace |0.096
Other |0.158
|-------
|1.660
|-------
Other |0.470
Recoveries |-0.719
Total maintenance |16.410
Furniture and equipment
Buckingham palace |0.066
Windsor castle |0.070
St. James's palace and Clarence house |0.121
Kensington palace |0.001
Other<1> |0.339
Recoveries |-0.020
|0.577
Utilities
Buckingham palace |0.889
Windsor castle |0.428
St. James's palace and Clarence house |0.180
Kensington palace |0.035
In-house water-Windsor |0.033
In-house water-other |0.023
Other |0.198
Recoveries |-0.131
|1.655
Other operational expenditure
Fire service
London-wages |0.096
London-other |0.164
Windsor-wages |0.128
Windsor-other |0.021
Fire officers inspection |0.008
|0.417
Functions, royal gardens, custody guard
services, etc. |2.135
Interest |-0.308
Windsor castle salvage |1.164
|-------
|23.159
|-------
<1>Includes a figure of £23,000 paid from moneys left from an
earlier year. Actual grant-in-aid provision for 1992-93 is £23,136.
HEALTH
NHS Budget
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the budget for the national health service in London in each year from 1991-92 to 1994-95 as a percentage of the total NHS budget.
Mr. Sackville : There are no budgets for most elements of family health services expenditure, which is primarily demanded and funded accordingly. Final cash limits (budgets) for district health authorities are set by regional health authorities and are not available centrally.
Isobutyl Nitrite
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will investigate the extent of abuse of isobutyl nitrite among school children ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Bowis : The Department funds the St. George's hospital medical school to produce annual reports on trends in deaths from volatile substance abuse, which includes deaths associated with abuse of alkyl nitrites. Copies of the latest report will be placed in the Library.
Social Work Training
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the future of social work training.
Mr. Bowis : On 21 June my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the appointment of a new chairman of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW), the body responsible for the promotion and regulation of social work training. At the same time, we published the Government response to a recent policy and financial management review of CCETSW, which emphasised that the main task of the central council must be to ensure that social services training of vocational, professional and post-qualifying levels properly equips staff to meet the needs of the 1990s. Copies of the report of the review and the Government's response will be placed in the Library.
NHS Meetings (Public Admission)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances an NHS authority or trust can exclude members of the public from its meetings ; what procedure has to be followed to provide for such exclusion and for publicising decisions affecting the public made at closed meetings ; and if she will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : The national health service should be as open as possible to patients and others who rely upon its services. The meetings of NHS authorities are governed by the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.
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The meetings of NHS trusts are governed by the NHS and Community Care Act 1990. All decisions on the level and and manner of providing health services should be made public, and decisions about significant changes are subject to formal consultation procedures.Post-operative Care
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce charges for post-operative care in the NHS ; and if she will make a statement.
Liverpool Women's Hospital
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the reorganisation of the women's hospital in Liverpool.
Mr. Sackville : Liverpool health authority approved proposals for the provision of a new women's hospital in 1991, following a positive response to public consultation. Construction of the new women's hospital is well under way and it will be operational in spring 1995. The hon. Member may wish to contact Ms J. Greensmith, chairman of Liverpool Obstetric and Gynaecology Services National Health Service Trust, for more details.
Matrons
Mr. Lord : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will now urgently reintroduce into all national health service hospitals, the title and traditional job specification of matron in order to improve the quality of nursing supervision.
Mr. Sackville : There remains a key professional leadership role for a senior nurse in all national health service hospitals. The exact titles and job specifications of senior nurses are best decided locally. The title "matron" may be used if this is felt to be appropriate by local managers.
Every national health service trust is required to have a senior nurse as an executive director.
UKCC for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visitors
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations she has received in the last five years from (a) nurses and (b) patients concerned with decisions made by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visitors professional conduct committee.
Mr. Sackville [holding answer 15 June 1993] : Two from patients' relatives since September 1991. Records prior to that date are not comprehensive.
SCOTLAND
Caledonian MacBrayne
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the contributions made from EC funds to the development of termini serving the Caledonian MacBrayne network in each of the past 10 years, stating existing ownership in each case.
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Mr. Stewart [holding answer 23 June 1993] : The information is not readily available in the format requested. The total contribution made from EC funds to the development of termini serving the Caledonian MacBrayne network during the past 10 years is given in the following table :
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Piers/Linkspans |Year of award |EC allocation |Total EC grant paid
|£ |£
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tobermory pier |1985 |110,000 |110,000
Gourock pier |1985 |175,000 |158,351
Rothesay pier |1985 |37,000 |33,306
Lochaline slipway |1987 |43,000 |43,000
Lochboisdale quay wall |1989 |200,000 |200,000
Oban pier construction |1985 |750,000 |750,000
Wemyss Bay pier |1988 |945,000 |943,548
Tarbert, Harris linkspan |1984 |750,000 |676,772
Colonsay linkspan |1988 |805,500 |802,250
Castlebay linkspan |1989 |950,000 |917,037
Kennacraig linkspan |1989 |150,000 |146,435
Coll and Tiree linkspan |1991 |2,331,931 |2,331,931
Mallaig linkspan |1993 |800,000 |-
Fionnphort berthing facility |1993 |40,000 |-
Brodick passenger terminal building |1993 |120,000 |-
Brodick berthing facility |1993 |120,000 |36,488
Kennacraig berthing facility |1993 |120,000 |-
Note: All these facilities are owned by Caledonian MacBrayne.
Public Appointments
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the names, occupations and current employersllowances payable which have changed since the publication of "Public Bodies 1992".
Miss Widdecombe : In view of the number of appointments made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Industrial Tribunals
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for employment how many applications have been made since 1979 to industrial tribunals for interim relief ; how many applications were successful ; and how many were rejected.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 23 June 1993] : I regret that figures for the years 1979 to 1991 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The provisional figures for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 are as follows :
|Number
---------------------------------------------------
Registered applications |94
Successful cases |2
Rejected cases |32
Settled withdrawn |24
Carried forward changed jurisdiction |36
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PRIME MINISTER
Political Parties (Funding)
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to require political parties that have received moneys from a source that has been shown to be criminal to return such funds to the appropriate body.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 21 June 1993] : I have no plans to do so.
EMPLOYMENT
Vocational Training Schemes
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps should be taken by individuals wishing to claim unemployment benefit while undertaking a nationally recognised vocational training scheme following the announcement in the Budget statement of 16 March.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. M. Fogden to Mr. Tim Devlin, dated 25 June 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about what steps should be taken by individuals wishing to claim unemployment benefit whilse undertaking a nationally recognised vocational training scheme following the announcement in the Budget statement of 16th March. This is something that falls within the responsibilities he has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
For Training for Work (TFW) participants, allowances are paid at the benefit level previously in payment but with an addition of £10 Premium. In cases where there is no entitlement to benefit or benefit has ceased, the £10 Premium only is payable. Information on joining TFW is available from all Employment Service local offices.
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For clients on Learning For Work (LfW), the situation will be slightly different with allowances at the benefit level previously in payment but with no Premium being payable. Where there is no entitlement to benefit or benefit has ceased, no allowance will be payable. The programme will be starting on 1 September 1993 in England and Wales and on 16 August 1993 in Scotland. Information on joining LfW will be available from Employment Service local offices. Unemployment benefit offers support whilst a person is unemployed and seeking work ; it is not intended as support for courses of vocational training or study. In order to receive unemployment benefit, people undertaking any type of training must remain available for and be actively seeking work, and be willing to rearrange their study, if necessary to evenings and weekends, to enable them to take up an opportunity of employment. Should this not be possible they would have to abandon the course in favour of employment. They must also continue to take reasonable steps to seek work. Participating in a course of vocational training may be regarded as one reasonable step but they would also be expected to take additional steps.I hope this is helpful.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Environmental Policy
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy on the purchase and use of (a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.
Mr. Goodlad : Within the overall objective of obtaining value for money, the policy of both diplomatic and aid wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the purchase of the items listed is : (a) to purchase recycled paper wherever cost-effective and where it meets operational requirements ;
(b) to replace standard light bulbs with high-efficiency, low-energy alternatives throughout all office accommodation and to ensure that all new and refurbished buildings are provided with such lighting ;
(c) to ensure that, as far as possible, all timber purchased is from sustainable sources, particularly in relation to teak and mahogany. No rosewood is used ;
(d) no peat or peat-based products are purchased. Advice for missions overseas is that loam-based composts should be used for containered plants ;
(e) to provide overseas posts and aid projects with petrol engined vehicles fitted with catalytic converters wherever unleaded fuel is readily available. The small UK fleet is exclusively diesel-engined.
Royal Family
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 7 June, Official Report, columns 82-83, what was the cost to the Department of each of the overseas visits by members of the royal family other than the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during the financial year 1992-93.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave on 24 June at col. 239.
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Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which officials of his Department attended the meeting on THORP, held at 1 Parliament street, London on 15 June.
Public Appointments
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names, occupations and current employers of those who currently hold positions in each public body to which he makes appointments ; if he will make a statement on the considerations taken into account when making such appointments ; and if he will list details of the posts and salaries or allowances payable which have changed since the publication of "Public Bodies 1992".
Mr. Goodlad : The information requested is as follows :
Changes in salary or allowances since publication of Public Bodies 1992--
Public body or name--
Britain-Russia Centre
Sir Curtis Keeble
Mr. Peter Temple-Morris, MP
Sir Russell Johnston, MP
Rt. hon. John Smith QC, MP
British Association for Central and Eastern Europe
Rt. hon. Paul Channon
Professor George Cushing
Mr. Giles Radice, MP
Mr. Alex Carlisle, QC, MP
British Council
Sir Martin Jacomb--£9,500
Lord Chorley
Rt. hon. T. Renton, MP
Mr. George Robertson, MP
Commonwealth Institute
Mr. R. A. Fyjis-Walker
Mr. D. A. Thompson
Mr. C. Shepherd
Mr. G. Oakes
Hon. David Douglas-Home
Sir Victor Garland
Miss Diana Warwick
Mr. J. S. Maclure
Sir Mark Russell
Mr. Cy Grant
Dr. Ann Robinson
Baroness Flather
Sir Michael Caine
Great Britain-China Centre
Mr. Graham Greene
Mr. Gerard Mansell
Sir John Swire
Lady Youde
Marshall and Commemoration Commission
Sir D. Tebbit
Sir James Ball
Sir Roger Bannister
Professor Christine Bolt
Sir Arthur Bryan
Professor Lord Desai
Professor H. T. Dickinson
Dr. K. J. R. Edwards
Ms. Sue McGregor
Westminster Foundation for Democracy
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