Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Mrs. Lait) of 7 July, Official Report, column 163, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (i) the existing enforcement of the common fisheries policy and (ii) the European Commission's present powers to ensure that Community rules are properly implemented ; what is her estimate of the scale of cheating and overcatching : and what analysis she
Column 241
has made of the effect on the effectiveness of fisheries policy enforcement of the new regulations coming into effect on 1 January 1994.Mr. Jack : The Commission's report on monitoring implementation of the common fisheries policy published in March 1992 identified various weaknesses in the present enforcement of fisheries policy in the EC. I agree with much of the Commission's assessment, and many of our concerns are being addressed by the proposed new control regulation expected to take effect from 1 January 1994. EC catch returns for 1992 show that there were 48 recorded instances of member states overfishing their individual quotas in Community waters but these do not refer to individual breaches of regulations by fishermen.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Mrs. Lait) of 7 July, Official Report, column 163 , what proportion of surface waters in north European waters are British territorial waters under the Fishery Limits Act 1976 ; which are the seven main species caught in those British waters ; what estimate she has made of the annual British catch in Icelandic waters ; and what provision has been made under the common fisheries policy as compensation for the loss of Icelandic fishing by the British fishing industry.
Mr. Jack : The United Kingdom fishery limits established by the Fishery Limits Act 1976 account for about 20 per cent. of the north Atlantic fishery limits of the 12 EC member states. The seven main species used in 1983 in the calculation of member states' shares--"relative stability"--were cod, haddock, plaice, whiting, saithe, mackerel and redfish or, for some purposes, herring. The United Kingdom secured 37 per cent. of the EC quotas for these species, a figure higher than our historical level of catches. Part of the calculation involved assessing the losses for each member state arising from the extension of fisheries jurisdiction by third countries in the 1970s and calculating compensation in fish stocks still available to the Community. The United Kingdom's losses at Iceland were calculated for this purpose at 133,927 tonnes cod equivalent.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment has been made of the extent to which (a) Dutch firms transporting live animals through the United Kingdom and (b) Dutch slaughterhouses dealing with British animals comply with relevant required EC and United Kingdom standards.
Mr. Soames : Spot checks on transport standards are carried out by local authority and Ministry inspectors. These have revealed some deficiencies which we have taken up with the member states concerned.
As regards slaughter, all member states are required to have implemented Council directive 74/577/EEC on the stunning of animals before slaughter. It is the responsibility of the EC Commission to ensure that member states fulfil their legal obligations ; if we became aware of any failure to comply by another member state we would notify this to the Commission and, if necessary, take the matter up with the other country. We are satisfied that the Netherlands has implemented the requirements of directive 74/577/EEC in its national laws.
Column 242
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many United Kingdom vessels have been engaged in (a) gill net fisheries and (b) tangle net fisheries in United Kingdom waters in each year since 1988.
Mr. Jack : Available information relates only to vessels with an overalll length exceeding 10 m. In 1992, 18 United Kingdom fishing vessels reported using tangle nets and 352 vessels reported using gill nets at least once. Corresponding figures for 1988 are 26 and 226 respectively. Information for all the years requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what length of (a) monofilament netting and (b) other fishing gear has been lost or discarded by United Kingdom fishermen in United Kingdom waters in each year since 1988 ;
(2) what measures her Department has adopted to monitor and regulate the loss and discard of fishing nets in United Kingdom waters.
Mr. Jack : No information is available about the quantities of netting or fishing gear lost or discarded. Discard of all types of fishing gear at sea is an offence unless undertaken in accordance with a licence under part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what measures her Department has adopted to monitor the impact of fisheries using set monofilament gill nets and tangle nets in United Kingdom waters on (a) target species and (b) non-target species including marine mammals ;
(2) what measures her Department has taken to monitor the distribution and effect of monofilament gill net and tangle net fisheries in the United Kingdom in order to qualify the risk of by-catches of marine mammals.
Mr. Jack : Fishing practice varies in the waters around the United Kingdom but monofilament gill nets and tangle nets are widely used. These fisheries are monitored for catch and effort by the fisheries departmentss and the results are included in the relevant stock assessments. MAFF has commissioned work to examine the distribution, character, catch and effort in gill and tangle net fisheries for both target and non-target species. On 1 January 1992, the fisheries departments introduced a voluntary scheme for fishermen to report incidental catches of marine mammals including the location of the incident and the type of fishing activity involved.
Sir Peter Emery : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the national asthma campaign to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 8 to 12 November.
Column 243
Mr. Scott : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to exploring parenthood to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 13 to 17 December.
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to encourage the conversion of derelict commercial properties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : Assistance is available through the urban programme, urban investment grant and the rural initiative capital grant scheme for building conversion schemes.
All local authorities in Wales are eligible to apply for urban programme-- strategic development scheme from 1 April 1994--assistance for areas which have been declared by the local authority as commercial or industrial improvement or renewal areas under the enabling legislation. The grants are intended to help stimulate economic regeneration and create or safeguard jobs. Grants are approved through local authorities to a maximum of 50 per cent. of eligible costs, with the private sector applicant meeting the balance. Urban programme allocations to Welsh authorities from 1990-91 to 1992-93 amount to nearly £9 million ; assisting the improvement of 912 premises. Urban investment grant is a property grant designed to promote the redevelopment of derelict sites in urban areas throughout Wales. It is available only to the private sector and is designed to bridge the gap between the gross development costs of a project and its end value. Since the scheme's introduction in April 1989 there have been 44 approvals, totalling some £16.3 million grant.
Since 1991, assistance under the rural initiative capital grant scheme has been available to fund a series of social, environmental and economic projects to help create a self-sustaining market economy in rural Wales. Under this scheme in 1991-92 and 1992-93, 11 conversion schemes have been funded.
The Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales also operate schemes to bring redundant buildings in rural areas back into beneficial business use. To date 473 projects have been assisted by the two agencies, at a total grant cost of approximately£4 million. In 1993- 94, the two agencies plan to spend £700,000 on conversion schemes.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to enhance the prospects of the steel industry in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The Government are committed to creating an economic framework in which the steel
Column 244
industry in Wales can prosper. To this end, we support the EC restructuring initiative which aims to reduce overcapacity elsewhere in Europe, much of it supported by state subsidies. It is for the Welsh steel industry to continue to reduce costs and improve efficiency.Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish copies of the agri-environment regulations zonal plan for Wales.
Mr. Redwood : My proposals for the implementation of the agri- environment regulations will be submitted, as part of the United Kingdom plan, to the EC Commission in Brussels by 30 July and I shall make an announcement at that time.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial assistance has been given to J.P.M. (Automatic Machines) Ltd. in each of the last five years by (a) the Industry Department of the Welsh Office and (b) the Welsh Development Agency.
Mr. Redwood : To comment on the Department's relationship with this, or any other individual company, would be a breach of commercial confidentiality.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many women in Wales worked 16 hours or more per week in paid employment at the last available count.
Mr. Redwood : It is estimated from the 1991 census that 390,500 female residents of Wales aged 16 or over worked 16 hours or more per week in paid employment.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what estimates he has on the average number of working days (1) lost per employee through sickness annually (a) by local authority area, (b) according to employment sector and (c) according to category of employee in each year in Wales since 1985 ;
(2) what has been the total number of days lost per year in Wales and the estimated annual cost to the Welsh economy of working days lost through sickness in each year since 1985.
Mr. Redwood : The information requested is not available centrally.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to place a statutory duty upon all local education authorities and future funding agencies in Wales to provide nursery education.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement outlining the main outcomes of his Department's consultation on bus deregulation guidelines
Column 245
indicating the main findings on (a) timetabling, (b) bunching of services, (c) travel card schemes, (d) parking at bus stops and (e) registration of services.Sir Wyn Roberts : The consultation document on the operation of local bus services outside London was issued by the Department of Transport. Responses from Wales were routed through the Department. All comments are being considered but it is too early to predict any conclusions.
Sir Dudley Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what offers in lieu of tax have been accepted or allocated since his last announcement of 25 May, Official Report, column 482.
Mr. Brooke : Since my last announcement on 25 May 1993 at column 482, I am pleased to inform the House that two paintings, "Le Dejeuner" and "Femme assise, tasse de cafe" by Edouard Vuillard, have been accepted in lieu of tax. Also, I have pleasure in announcing that a Charles I silver gilt standing cup and cover, accepted in lieu of tax, will be allocated to the Victoria and Albert museum.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the sites (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad where his Department stores depleted uranium ; and if he will make a statement on the safety precautions taken in storing depleted uranium.
Mr. Aitken : Depleted uranium is stored in a variety of forms at several Ministry of Defence sites in the United Kingdom. The main sites include those of the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, Burghfield and Cardiff ; the test and evaluation ranges at Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright ; and the Defence Research Agency site at Fort Halstead, together with a few minor holdings at other DRA sites. In addition it is held at a small number of military munitions stores and depots both in the United Kingdom and abroad. All materials are held in safe and secure facilities in accordance with the requirements for radioactive materials.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what methods of transport are used to move depleted uranium in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Aitken : Movement of non-military uranium within the United Kingdom is a matter for the Department of Transport. My Department for this purpose uses containers which are designed, manufactured and tested in conformity with the appropriate International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) transport regulations.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what documents are published by his Department containing information on quantities, locations and uses of depleted uranium owned or used by his Department (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad.
Mr. Aitken : Two documents have been published which refer to depleted uranium. The first is the memorandum on
Column 246
anti-armour ammunition, which was placed in the Library of the House in March 1979 ; the second is a publicity document produced by the then Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment at Chertsey--now part of the Defence Research Agency--entitled "Kirkcudbright Range Facilities", published in January 1986.Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 July, Official Report, column 317, what steps his Department plans to take to recover the additional costs incurred as a result of United Nations Security Council resolution 816 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) gave to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 21 May, Official Report, column 348.
Mr. Elletson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans have been made to ensure the safety of British forces in the event of the continuing use of noxious gas by Muslim forces in central Bosnia ; how far British forces were from the villages of Busovaca and Prosje when last week's alleged attacks by Muslims against Croats took place ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : Protective equipment and clothing are available to all British Army personnel wherever they deploy worldwide. The threats in a specific deployment area are kept under constant review and plans made accordingly. Busovaca and Prosje are within the British battalion's operating area and are often transited by United Nations personnel. We are not aware of any incident involving the use of noxious gas, although we are aware of an incident where a Bosnian-Croat soldier was treated, at a hospital in Novi Bila, for suspected gas poisoning. Following investigation at the alleged scene by the 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales Own Regiment, however, no trace of use of noxious gas was found.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he is giving to equipping Royal Navy warships with cruise missile-type weapons ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement gave the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 2 July at column 639.
Mr. Kynoch : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the outcome of the review announced on 21 October 1992, Official Report, columns 307-8, into arrangements for the co-ordination of the military response to search-and-rescue incidents ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Rifkind : On 21 October 1992, my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces announced our plans, following a review carried out in consultation with the Department of Transport, for the
Column 247
future deployment of the Royal Air Force search and rescue (SAR) helicopter service, employing a highly capable all- Sea King fleet. Under the terms of an agreement with the Department of Transport, RAF and Royal Navy SAR helicopters assist in the civil SAR task. Following a detailed review of arrangements for SAR co-ordination, I have concluded that these aircraft, and all military SAR operations, should be controlled from a single centre in the United Kingdom, to be located at RAF Pitreavie Castle in Fife. This national military rescue co-ordination centre (RCC) will be equipped with a comprehensive mission support system (MSS), comprising the most modern communications and computer equipment. The MSS will provide an intergrated communications and search planning capability, relieving RCC controllers of numerous routine tasks, and enabling the RCC to discharge its role in the most effective way possible.We intend that the new single RCC will be operational by the end of 1994. Once this RCC is fully proven, which should be during the first half of 1995, the existing second RCC, which is manned by service personnel at the maritime headquarters at Mount Wise in Plymouth, will close, releasing those personnel for other duties.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many references from general practitioners and optometrists to hospital ophthalmology out-patient clinics have been made since 1985.
Mr. Stewart : Information is available only for new out-patient referrals from general practitioners to ophthalmology out-patient clinics for the years ended March 1992 and 1993. The information for these two years is as follows :
|Number ------------------------- March 1992 |67,143 March 1993 |65,831
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines are issued to health boards for record keeping and collating statistics in hospital ophthalmic departments ; and what data health boards are required to collate from hospital ophthalmology departments.
Mr. Stewart : Information about hospital activities in Scotland, including information about the ophthalmology specialty, is published annually in sections 4 and 6 of the Scottish Health Statistics. A copy of the 1992 volume is in the Library. No special guidelines about record keeping are issued to health boards in respect of ophthalmology departments, which are expected to maintain the same standard as any other hospital department.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the incidence in Scotland of eye disease leading to blindness or NHS hospital treatment.
Mr. Stewart : Information is not held centrally on the incidence in the general population of eye disease which
Column 248
leads to blindness. The following table shows the main disorders responsible for admission to ophthalmology units in Scotland in 1992.All discharges of in-patients and day cases from the specialty ophthalmology for the year 1992 by diagnosis group Diagnosis |Discharges ------------------------------------------------------------------ Eye cancer |243 Diabetic eye disease |268 Retinal disorders |992 Glaucoma |2,125 Cataract |13,084 Corneal disorders |648 Disorders of conjunctiva |273 Disorders of eyelid |3,070 Strabismus |2,461 Other disorders of eye and lacrimal system |1,702 Injury to eye |788 Other disorders associated with eye disease |2,925 |---- Total eye disorders |27,579
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by each type of net in Scottish fisheries in each of the last 10 years ; and how many fish were taken by anglers in the same years.
Sir Hector Monro : The numbers of fish caught by the methods indicated are as follows :
Net and Coble Fixed Engine Rod and Line |Salmon |Grilse |Salmon |Grilse |Salmon |Grilse ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1983 |54,275 |82,029 |39,725 |113,479|51,961 |14,109 1984 |33,006 |68,412 |31,077 |129,124|43,130 |15,543 1985 |26,685 |55,348 |29,522 |85,015 |58,441 |17,649 1986 |51,154 |68,284 |37,801 |118,835|59,443 |15,742 1987 |27,136 |56,880 |23,792 |89,845 |53,066 |18,060 1988 |27,569 |52,199 |15,914 |69,090 |68,679 |27,809 1989 |29,409 |63,857 |16,139 |81,415 |58,338 |29,669 1990 |21,542 |28,013 |14,102 |33,715 |52,280 |19,366 1991 |9,528 |21,208 |10,529 |35,086 |45,136 |17,314 1992 |16,005 |28,942 |11,810 |44,863 |55,026 |27,871
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) salmon and (b) grilse were taken by each drift net fishery in Scotland in each of the last 10 years ; and what was the average weight of each category of such fish.
Sir Hector Monro : None. Drift netting for salmon anywhere in Scotland has been illegal since 1962.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what requirements are laid down on nursing homes with respect to (a) the provision of at least one sitting room for use by all residents and (b) the extent to which patients may be sedated.
Mr. Stewart : Regulation 13(2)(b) of The Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Regulations 1990 requires the provision, to an adequate standard, of
"accommodation and space for each patient in the home including, where appropriate, day-room facilities separate from sleeping accommodation".
Column 249
The amount of any sedation prescribed is a matter for the clinical judgment of the resident's general practitioner.Mr. Kynoch : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to oblige Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric to obtain more electricity from renewables sources ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang : Following publication of my Department's discussion document about a Scottish renewables obligation, the report of the Renewable Energy Advisory Group and the recent "Coal Review" White Paper (Cm2235), I have now reached a conclusion on how to encourage further the exploitation of energy from renewable sources in Scotland.
Government policy is to stimulate development of new and renewable energy technologies where they have prospects of being economically attractive and environmentally acceptable in order to contribute to diverse, secure and sustainable energy supplies, the reduction in the emission of pollutants, and the encouragement of the renewable energy industry.
There is already overcapacity in electricity supply in Scotland. Over 10 per cent. of Scottish demand for electricity is already derived from renewable sources. A number of interests have, however, drawn attention to the potential to develop renewables to a greater extent in the light of certain aspects of Scotland's geography and climate. The extent of that potential is being studied. In the meantime, I have decided that I should introduce a Scottish renewables obligation (SRO) in respect of Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric.
I currently expect the first order under the SRO to be for some 30-40 MW of new capacity. I will review that figure in the light of the quality and cost of the proposals received. I expect the order to comprise a number of technology bands and I am currently considering including wind power, hydro, landfill gas from existing sites, municipal and industrial waste, and energy crops and agriculture and forestry waste.
My current intention is that the first order would, subject to satisfactory discussions with the European Commission, run for 15 to 20 years with effect from November 1994. This should enable Scottish Power and Hydro- Electric to offer successful generators contracts for a similar period. I am considering the mechanism for passing on to electricity consumers the additional costs falling on Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric as a result of the order.
I am discussing certain aspects of my proposals with the Director General of Electricity Supply and with Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric, to which I shall in due course provide further guidance about my initial policy proposals in respect of the first order under the SRO. It is likely that bids for contracts from renewable energy electricity suppliers in Scotland will be called for in the late summer.
To enable interested parties to plan ahead, I am announcing now that I hope that it will be possible to announce two further orders under the SRO, in 1995 and 1997 respectively. These orders are likely to come into effect in 1996 and 1998. Fua competitive basis. The intention
Column 250
is that in the not-too-distant future the most promising renewables technologies will be able to compete without the need for special arrangements.Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the report of the Howie committee on curriculum and examinations in upper secondary education in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The issues raised in the report of the Howie committee are important and complex. They affect the education and employment opportunities of all young people in Scotland and the operation of a significant part of the Scottish education system. The committee's proposals would make radical changes to arrangements which have been in place in some form for over 100 years. There was a healthy response to consultation on the report and over 300 responses were received. We have made good progress in evaluating the proposals in the light of that response and will announce decisions later this year.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to widen opportunities for young people to make careers in the arts.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 5 July 1993] : My right hon. Friend is always concerned to encourage young people to enter careers which make a useful and productive contribution to, and match the demands of, society. It is chiefly for the arts organisations themselves, however, to consider what part they can play, in conjunction with other training providers, in providing career opportunities in that area. Where appropriate, young people may undertake training for careers in the arts through the Government's youth training programme, which in Scotland is delivered by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and their networks of local enterprise companies. The enterprise bodies have also provided a range of financial and other assistance to support the business objectives of a number of organisations involved in the arts.
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish details of total health board expenditure on the promotion of the recent campaign for water fluoridation in the Strathclyde regional council area ; if he will break this figure down by health board ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will publish details of the level of annual health board expenditure on promoting the case for the fluoridation of water in each of the last 15 years ; if he will break these figures down for each of the Strathclyde region health board areas ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) what was the cost to health boards in the Strathclyde regional council area of the publicity and lobbying campaign in favour of the fluoridation of water which was undertaken on their behalf by Michael Kelly Associates ; if he will break this information down by health board ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 9 July 1993] : Total health board expenditure, exclusive of VAT, on the promotion of
Column 251
the recent campaign for water fluoridation in the Strathclyde regional council area was some £108,000. Expenditure by individual health boards was as follows :|£ --------------------------------- Argyll and Clyde |18,000 Ayrshire and Arran |17,000 Greater Glasgow |50,000 Lanarkshire |23,000
The total expenditure included £26,900 paid to Michael Kelly Associates ; the breakdown of this expenditure by health board is as follows :
|£ --------------------------------- Argyll and Clyde |2,600 Ayrshire and Arran |2,200 Greater Glasgow |18,900 Lanarkshire |3,200
No other significant expenditure was incurred by the health boards on promoting the case for the fluoridation of water in Strathclyde during the last 15 years.
It is for health boards to decide their own priorities for health promotion within the resources they receive. Expenditure on the promotion of water fluoridation should be viewed in the context of the potential improvements in dental health and the consequent savings in the cost to the NHS and patients of dental treatment.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will identify, for each road authority area in Scotland, the bridges which would require treatment if the proposal to increase lorry loading from 38 to 44 tonnes is implemented.
Next Section
| Home Page |