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doing so themselves. In such cases the fact that the civil servant is reading the Minister's text is made clear. These have been the practices of successive Governments.FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts are currently being made by his Department to encourage threshold states to accede to the nuclear non- proliferation treaty prior to the 1995 review conference.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We continue to encourage non-parties to the non- proliferation treaty to accede to the treaty at the earliest possible date.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy to advocate the indefinite extension of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty at the 1995 review conference and at all preparatory meetings.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We will continue to reiterate in all appropriate fora the importance we attach to securing the unconditional and indefinite extension of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty at the 1995 extension and review conference.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts are currently being undertaken by his Department to encourage state parties to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty to attend the 1995 nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Prior to the first preparatory committee to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty extension and review conference in May this year, with the co-depositaries to the treaty--the United States and the Russian Federation--we lobbied all states party to come to the Prepcom. Over three-quarters attended. We shall undertake similar exercises before the remaining three Prepcoms and the 1995 conference itself, as well as taking other opportunities to emphasise the importance we attach to maximum attendance in 1995.
Kenya
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice is currently offered by his Department to persons proposing to visit Kenya ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Foreign and Commonwealth Office consular travel advice for Kenya is :
"Incidents of mugging and violent crime occur throughout Kenya. Do not go about Nairobi or coastal towns on foot at night, and avoid empty beaches. There has been an increase in the incidence of armed car hijackings especially in the Nairobi area.
There have also been recent disturbances in Mombasa old town but the main tourist areas at the coast remain peaceful. Even when escorted, traffic using the Malindi/Garsen/Lamu road is vulnerable to attack by bandits. The road should not be used.
Game reserves remain generally calm, but travel to North East Province or the Isiolo or Marsabit districts of Eastern Province is potentially dangerous, except to Samburu Game Reserve or with tour operators to Shaba Game Reserve. Exercise particular care when travelling in out-of-the-way places."
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Overseas Staff and Premises
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost for the current financial year of his Department having (a) premises and (b) personnel overseas ; and what were the comparable figures for (a) 12, (b) 24, (c) 36 and (d) 48 months ago.
Mr. Goodlad : The cost of (a) premises and (b) personnel overseas for the FCO--including the ODA--for the current and the previous four financial years is as follows :
|Premises |Personnel
|£ million|£ million
----------------------------------------
1989-90 |113.9 |197.4
1990-91 |112.0 |212.2
1991-92 |118.2 |224.8
1992-93 |129.3 |239.4
1993-94 |132.8 |245.7
The figures for premises include the cost of notional rent for properties owned by Her Majesty's Government, as required by Her Majesty's Treasury. For 1993-94 this figure is £38.9 million.
Inhumane Weapons
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress towards ratification by Her Majesty's Government of (a) the 1977 additional protocols to the Geneva convention and (b) the 1981 inhumane weapons convention.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : (a) We have reached a decision to ratify the additional protocols, and we plan to do so as soon as the necessary legislation can be enacted in domestic law.
(b) We are now able to turn our attention to the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention, and we hope to reach a decision soon on ratification of that convention.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fisheries Inspectors
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will give details of the number of fisheries inspectors employed by each EC member.
Mr. Jack : The most recent information on numbers of EC fisheries officers employed in member states is contained in a Commission report on monitoring implementation of the common fisheries policy, published in March 1992. Details are as follows :
|Port-based |HQ-based
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |Duties carried out by Naval |1
| Authorities and Maritime
| Police
Denmark |145 |n/a
Germany |47 |n/a
France |Carried out by Maritime Police|n/a
Ireland |n/a |n/a
Netherlands |180 |n/a
Portugal |Carried out by Customs, Navy |12
| and others
Spain |Carried out by Marine Civil |<2>42
| Guard, defence forces and
| others
United Kingdom |142 |<1>26
<1> Figures updated from more recent information obtained this year.
<2> Includes recruitment of 25 inspectors (of which 15 were planned when data were collected).
n/a = Not available.
Common Agriculture Policy
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated total cost of the common agricultural policy in (a) 1993 and (b) 1994 ; and what was the actual total in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Mr. Jack : The information for CAP guarantee expenditure is as follows :
|Mecu |£ million
----------------------------------------
1990 |27,041 |19,197
1991 |31,950 |22,357
1992 |32,177 |22,770
<1>1993 |35,352 |27,836
<2>1994 |36,465 |28,448
<1>Revised budget.
<2>Draft budget.
Year |Exchange rates --------------------------------------------- 1990 |£1=1.4086 ecu 1991 |£1=1.4291 ecu 1992 |£1=1.4131 ecu 1993 |£1=1.2700 ecu 1994 |£1=1.2818 ecu
Intervention Beef
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of storing one tonne of intervention beef for one year at the last date for which figures are available.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Responsibility for this matter is delegated to the Intervention Board executive agency and I have asked the chief executive to reply to the hon. Gentleman direct.
Letter to Mr. Elliot Morley from Guy Stapleton, dated 22 October 1993 :
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your priority written Parliamentary Question (2136) tabled for answer on 19 October 1993 :--
"To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the cost of storing one tonne of intervention beef for one year at the last date for which figures are available".
Intervention beef is stored in commercial cold stores. The rates paid by the Agency are determined by open competition and
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vary in line with changes in the demand for cold storage. Over the past twelve months, the average cost of storing intervention beef for one year, including inspection receipt, handling and delivering-out charges, has been around £120 per tonne (exc. VAT).I am sending a copy of this letter to the House of Commons Library and the Public Information Office.
Fishing
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what investigation her Department has carried out regarding alleged smuggling of undersized fish by other EC countries in British waters ; and if she will make a statement ;
(2) what discussions she intends to have with other EC member states with regard to breaches in EC fishing regulations within British waters.
Mr. Jack : The rules of the common fisheries policy are enforced on vessels of all nationalities in United Kingdom waters through an extensive programme of inspections, both at sea and in port. Prosecutions in the United Kingdom of infringements by other member states' vessels are notified to the flag state. There is close liaison between United Kingdom fishery officers and the enforcement authorities in a number of other EC states, and we are working to strengthen and extend these further. I raised the question of undersize fish and enforcement issues when I met the EC Fisheries Commissioner Yannis Paleokrassas on 12 October 1993.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to raise the matter of alleged Spanish pirate fishing fleets operating in British waters with the Spanish Government and the EC ; if she will give details of the actions her Department will take ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : I sent a copy of the television programme in which the allegations were made to the EC Fisheries Commissioner and the Spanish Fisheries Minister. I subsequently met the Commissioner on 12 October and was much heartened by his very positive response. He shares my concern to secure more consistent enforcement of fisheries policy throughout the Community and to find new ways in which there could be co-operative joint efforts to ensure that all member states give a higher priority to effective enforcement provisions. I shall be continuing to press this matter with my colleagues in other member states.
Mr. Patrick Doyle
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between her Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training ; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence ; what plans she has to meet no plans to meet.
Milk Marketing Board
Mr. Brazier : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she will consult on the Milk Marketing Board's reorganisation scheme.
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Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I and the Secretary of State for Wales have today invited comments from interested organisations in England and Wales on the scheme of reorganisation submitted to us by the Milk Marketing Board for England and Wales (MMB) under the Agriculture Act 1993.
The MMB has proposed in its reorganisation scheme that the milk marketing scheme should end on 1 April 1994. On that day certain of the MMB's assets would be transferred to a voluntary co-operative, Milk Marque, membership of which would be open to all producers in England and Wales. The scheme also provides for the flotation of the MMB's commercial subsidiary Dairy Crest. Eligible producers would receive shares in Dairy crest and certificates of entitlement in Milk Marque. Certain assets and liabilities would be retained by the MMB, which would continue in residuary form after the end of the milk marketing scheme to wind up its affairs.
We have asked to receive comments by 29 November 1993.
Fertilisers
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what precautionary instructions and advice have been issued to farmers in respect of safeguarding the storing of fertilisers ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : I have been asked to reply.
The Health and Safety Executive has issued a range of guidance relating to the storage of fertilisers and most recently this subject has been covered in its publication entitled "Farmwise". Agriculture inspectors also advise farmers on the safe storage of fertilisers during their site visits.
Fishing Vessels
Mr. Cox : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the number of fishing vessels registered at ports in the United Kingdom on 1 June 1979 and on 1 June 1993.
Mr. Norris : I have been asked to reply.
There is no information on the numbers on 1 June 1979. The most relevant information available is as follows :
|Number
----------------------------
December 1979 |15,161
June 1993 |10,166
WALES
Toll Roads
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to ensure adequate consultations on and evaluation of toll road proposals at all key stages.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 the procedures for authorisation of a toll road are similar to those of the Highways Act 1980 that apply to publicly financed roads ; there will therefore be a similar approach to public consultation and public inquiry.
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Any scheme which was taken forward by means of individual legislation would be subject to detailed scrutiny by Parliament.Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines for the development of toll road proposals.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Privately financed toll roads can be provided only in accordance with the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, or by individual legislation. Guidelines on the Act were contained in a circular issued to local authorities by the Department of Transport and the Welsh Office in March 1992. Evaluation of a prospective concessionaire's proposals will be a matter for the highway authority, but a statement is published with a draft toll order, under the 1991 Act, setting out the key points of a concession agreement.
Environment Wales Initiative
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the first report of the environment Wales initiative was published ; how many copies were printed ; to whom it has been circulated ; and if he will make a statement on further initiatives he plans following the lessons learned from the environment Wales programme.
Mr. Redwood : The environment Wales first annual report was published in August 1993. Five hundred copies were printed and received a wide distribution including the chief executives of district and county councils in Wales, the voluntary environmental sector, companies in the private sector including Business in the Community, selected media interests and of course Welsh Members of the House. I have arranged for additional copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
The initiative is now half way through its second very successful year. The report speaks for itself ; it reflects the degree of commitment and innovation shown by all those involved. In particular it indicates the success that the organisations participating in the initiative have had in generating funds, in addition to the Welsh Office grant, especially from private sector sources. A review of the initiative will be carried out next year which will consider its future direction in the light of experience during the first three years of its operation.
Team Care Valleys Project
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what follow-up action he proposes to capitalise on the findings of the team care valleys project ; what consultations he has had on the lessons learnt ; what proposals he has to publish the results ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The team care valleys project ended on 31 August 1993 and the report of an independent assessment of its performance is awaited.
The successor valleys health group is preparing a business plan. It will be guided by an advisory board which will include senior health care professionals and academics. It will also take into account the views of the independent assessors, when they are available.
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Trawsfynydd Power Station
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the result of the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station entry in the Wales tourist board's annual competition in the best newcomer category ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Trawsfynydd nuclear power station's visitor centre was one of the 30 entries in the "Best Newcomer" category of the Wales tourism awards. It did not, however, win an award.
Local Development Projects
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what local development projects have been undertaken in Wales in the last five years ; and what are their costs.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 16 July 1993] : I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 4 August and placed a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Nursery and Higher Education
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many training places have been (a) made available and (b) filled for nursery teachers and nursery nurses in Wales in each year from 1985 ;
(2) what proportion of 18 and 19-year-olds entered full-time higher education in Wales in each year since 1986.
Sir Wyn Roberts [holding answer 22 and 23 July 1993] : I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 16 September and placed a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Moats
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the (a) surveys and (b) excavations that are currently being carried out of moated sites of archaeological interest in England and Wales.
Mr. Brooke : English Heritage's monuments protection programme is reviewing moated sites as part of the exercise to evaluate all known archaeological remains in England. It is not possible to provide a comprehensive list of all sites where surveys or excavations are currently being carried out because such activities can be undertaken by many different organisations and for a variety of reasons. Any works to a moated site which is a scheduled monument would require prior scheduled monument consent.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for archaeological matters in Wales.
Mr. Patrick Doyle
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training ; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence ; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Brooke : The Department of National Heritage has been in existence only since April 1992. Since that time we have not held any meetings, nor entered into correspondence, with Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Expenditure
Sir Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has as to the effect on social security expenditure of all kinds, including passport benefits, of raising the income tax threshold to £100 per week.
Mr. Burt : The effect would be a reduction of around £160 million per year.
It is not possible to estimate the effect this change would have on the NHS low income scheme.
Computerisation
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the cost of computerising the administration and payment of benefits by his Department's local offices and within the central administration.
Mr. Burt : The latest estimate of the total cost of computerising the administration and payment of benefits by the Department is in the table.
|£ billion
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total cost of the Operational Strategy 1985-86 to 1998-89 |2.64
Total costs incurred by end of the financial year 1992-93 |1.55
Social Security Appeal Tribunals
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what meetings the president of the social security appeal tribunals has had, and with whom, on the admittance of late appeals in the last five years.
Mr. Burt : This is a matter for the president of the independent tribunal service, his honour, Judge Thorpe, and he will be writing to the hon. Member direct on this matter.
Maintenance Payments
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average increase in maintenance payments since the introduction of the Child Support Agency ; and what percentage of absentee parents have not been traced.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter to Mr. Peter L. Pike from Ros Hepplewhite, dated 22 October 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary
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Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is the average increase in maintenance payments since the introduction of the Child Support Agency ; and what percentage of absentee parents have not been traced.The Child Support Act provides for maintenance to be assessed by means of a standard formula that produces predictable and realistic amounts. However, as the Agency has only been operating since April this year it is too early to be able to say what overall effect the Agency has had on the level of maintenance payments. It has always been made clear that the amount of maintenance worked out by the Agency under the formula may be higher than a previous court order in some cases. Average maintenance payments were £25 to £30 a week and under the formula the average is expected to be £45 to £50 a week. At the end of August, in less than one per cent. of cases where an application form had been returned has completed tracing action, so far, been unable to locate the absent parent.
I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Invalidity Benefit
Mr. Jenkin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the findings of the research into invalidity benefit carried out by his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The Department's research into invalidity benefit consists of five studies, all of which have now been published. Copies of the reports have been placed in the Library.
The reports make clear that other countries are also experiencing growth in long-term incapacity benefits, that the GP's present role does not always sit easily within the current system, and that questions of incapacity for work tend not to be decided by medical criteria alone but are allied to a range of other social factors. We are considering the findings carefully within the context of our review of social security.
"Invalidity Benefit : A Preliminary Qualitative Study of the Factors Affecting Its Growth" and "GPs and IVB" were published on 3 September ; "Invalidity Benefit, A Survey of Recipients" and "Invalidity Benefit, An International Comparison" on 29 September ; and "Invalidity Benefit, A Longitudinal Survey of New Recipients" on 15 October.
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply over sickness benefit to his letter of 7 September written to the Secretary of State for Health and transferred : reference 4/3644/36.
Mr. Scott : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State wrote to the hon. Member yesterday.
Mr. Patrick Doyle
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training ; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence ; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : We have no record of any contact with Mr. Doyle and have no plans to meet.
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Benefits Agency
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) those buildings in Leeds currently used by Benefits Agency staff and (b) the date at which the office space was bought or leased.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter to Mr. Derek Fatchett from Michael Bichard, dated 21 October 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions raised about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if he will list (a) those buildings in Leeds currently used by Benefits Agency staff and (b) the date at which the office space was bought or leased. The following is a list of those buildings in Leeds occupied by staff of the Benefits Agency. The date shown in the right hand column is the date from which the office space was bought or leased.
|Date
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Government Buildings, Otley Road, Lawnswood, Leeds Built 1926-49
Royal Exchange House, Leeds<1> |1 February 1967
Royal Exchange House, Leeds<1> |20 April 1967
Leeds North Outstation, Tower House, Merrion Way 1 October 1970
Royal Exchange House, Leeds<1> |12 January 1973
44/60, Richardshaw Lane, Leeds |7 May 1973
Priestley House, Leeds (lease 1) |24 June 1973
Techno House, Horsforth, Leeds (lease 1) |1 October 1973
Royal Exchange House, Leeds<1> |30 November 1973
Leeds West, Century House, Church Lane,
Pudsey, Leeds |29 September 1974
Priestley House, Leeds (lease 2) |9 January 1975
Techno House, Horsforth, Leeds (lease 2) |11 February 1975
Leeds North West, 21/22, Park Place, Leeds |25 June 1976
Leeds South, 72, Merrion Street, Leeds |10 December 1978
Liverpool Victoria House, Otley Road, Leeds |15 January 1979
Leeds South, 89/92, Merrion Street, Leeds |17 May 1979
City House, Leeds (lease 1) |1 June 1979
Leeds South PCO, 76/80, Commercial St,
Rothwell Leeds (lease 1) |1 December 1979
Leeds South PCO, 76/80, Commercial St,
Rothwell Leeds (lease 2) |1 December 1979
Warwick House, Wade Lane, Leeds |29 September 1980
Springwood House, Horsforth, Leeds (lease 1) |1 June 1981
Springwood House, Horsforth, Leeds (lease 2) |1 June 1981
City House, Leeds (lease 2) |25 March 1985
Leeds East, Southern House, 529, York Road, Leeds 1 October 1985
Royal Exchange House, Leeds<1> |25 March 1988
Leeds North, Hume House, Tower House
Street, Leeds |26 March 1989
Royal Exchange House, Leeds<1> |23 April 1990
37/39, St. Paul's Street, Leeds |26 December 1990
Morley PCO, 8, Wesley Street, Morley, Leeds |1 April 1992
Quarry House, Wuarry Hill, Leeds |6 July 1992
1 Trevelyan Square, Boar Lane, Leeds |20 September 1992
<1> Six separate leases
I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
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