| Previous Section | Home Page |
space what steps the Government are taking to encourage mast sharing am -2XZ Mr. Baldry : I will write to my hon. Friend
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects the European Environment Council to agree to implementation of the Commission's proposed directive on early phase-out of HCFCs ;
(2) what is the United Kingdom's position regarding the European Commission's proposed directive on early phase-out of HCFCs ; and what representation he has received from the refrigeration industry regarding the cost implications of this directive.
Mr. Yeo : I will write to the hon. Member.
National Rivers Authority
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are his plans for market testing or privatisation of the laboratory service of the National Rivers Authority ;
(2) what plans he has for the closure of laboratories used by the National Rivers Authority ; and what critera are to be used to select laboratories for closure ;
(3) if he will list the areas served by each chemical laboratory used by the National Rivers Authority ;
(4) what representations his Department has received regarding the timetable of the market-testing exercise for National Rivers Authority laboratories and their reliability of financial information on which their exercise is based ;
(5) what internal audit there has been in respect of the liability of financial information relating to the market testing of National Rivers Authority laboratory services ; and what were the results of that internal audit ;
(6) what assessment he has made of the implications of closing or sharing National Rivers Authority laboratories for the investigation and prosecution of pollution incidents ; and what representations he has received from external legal advisers on the subject.
Mr. Yeo : I will write to the hon. Member.
Housing Associations
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing whether the public have a statutory right to (a) attend all board or committee meetings, (b) inspect the minutes of meetings,
Column 490
(c) inspect the annual reports, (d) inspect the annual accounts and (e) inspect a register of members' interests of housing associations.Sir George Young [holding answer 2 November 1993] : The Housing Corporation has the statutory responsibility to fund and supervise registered housing associations. As part of its supervisory role, the corporation receives the associations' annual accounts and requires associations to provide a wide range of information on a regular basis covering the performance and management of associations, including the disclosure of committee members' interests. These returns are available to members of the public and may be viewed at the corporation's headquarters.
Docklands Light Railway
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names of the chair and other non-executive directors of the Docklands Light Railway, with their remuneration and entitlement to pension and other expenses and allowances ; and what other public appointments and other directorships each of them holds.
Sir George Young [holding answer 3 November 1993] ; The chairman of the Docklands Light Railway is Sir Peter Levene ; his remuneration is £27,000. Now that he has become chairman and chief executive of Canary Wharf, Sir Peter will step down from the chairmanship of the railway when a successor is in place. Sir Peter retains his post as adviser to the Prime Minister on efficiency and effectiveness. The non-executive directors are Bryan Martin, Robert Rankin, Sir Robert Reid and Eric Sorensen. Three directors draw no salaries, one is paid in the range of £10,000 to £15,000. Non-executive directors have no pension entitlement. Reasonable costs incurred by directors when they are working on the company's behalf are reimbursed. A register of the directors interest is kept by the Docklands Light Railway and can be consulted at the company's headquarters in Castor lane, Poplar, London E14.
Energy Conservation
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a breakdown of the budget allocated for energy conservation.
Mr. Yeo : The budget for the Energy Efficiency Office for 1993-94 is £69.1 million. This is allocated as follows :
Programme |£ million/annum
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Practice programme |15.3
Low Income Households (including Home Energy Efficiency Scheme) |41.5
Energy Management Efficiency Scheme |1.7
Information and Publicity (including Helping the Earth Begins at Home) |8.8
Local Energy Advice Centres |1.8
The local energy advice centres are being administered by the Energy Saving Trust, implementing a partnership between the Government and electricity and gas industries. The trust is also developing other energy efficiency programmes, not financed by Government.
Column 491
The Government have also made available £3 million of supplementary credit approvals for local authorities to invest in energy efficiency on a capital partnership basis.Several other Government initiatives also promote energy efficiency. These include the energy-related environmental issues programme which has a budget of £1.1 million in 1993-94.
The green house demonstration programme awards supplementary credit approvals for replicable demonstration projects on energy efficiency measures in council housing. A further £5 million is being allocated to 27 more schemes in 1993-94, bringing the overall total to £60 million.
Local authorities already spend a large proportion of the improvement budgets on energy related work. Housing renovation grants are often used to implement energy efficiency measures, but energy efficiency may be only one element of the work and is, therefore, less quantifiable.
Development Below the Low Water Mark"
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he published the departmental paper, "Development Below the Low Water Mark", reviewing regulation in England and Wales ; how many copies have been printed ; at what cost ; and to whom it has been distributed.
Mr. Yeo : The consultation paper, "Development Below the Low Water Mark", was published on 18 October 1993. A total of 735 copies were printed at a cost of £1,258. The paper has been distributed to port authorities, sea fisheries committees, marine and conservation societies, libraries, university departments, local planning authorities, the Sports Council and members of the public, as well as other bodies with an interest.
Old Mine Workings
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will commission an environmental impact study into the consequences of the ceasing of pumping operations from old mine workings in County Durham.
Mr. Yeo : No. The National Rivers Authority has already carried out an assessment of the problem with the assistance of consultants. The consequences of cessations of pumping are a matter for British Coal to consider in consultation with the National Rivers Authority and other regulatory authorities.
Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (i) if he will list the statutory consultees who (i) submitted objections to THORP during the second consultation period and (ii) called for a full public inquiry into the operation of THORP ;
(2) if he will list those local authorities and non-governmental organisations who (i) submitted objections to THORP during the second consultation period and (ii) called for a full public inquiry into the operation of THORP.
Mr. Yeo : Responses to the consultation are still being assessed. Detailed information about the responses will be made available once they have all been considered.
Column 492
Sustainable Development and Planning
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to meet non-government organisations to discuss sustainable development and planning.
Mr. Yeo : There is constant dialogue about sustainable development between non-governmental organisations and my Department at all levels, and planning issues are very often raised in those discussions.
Sellafield
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment has been carried out by his Department concerning the detriment to the health of the United Kingdom, Europe and the world resulting from each year of discharge from BNFL's Sellafield installation.
Mr. Yeo [holding answer 22 October 1993] : Information was provided by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution during the public consultation on the proposed review of the Sellafield authorisation. In addition, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment requested the National Radiological Protection Board to assess the doses to the populations of the United Kingdom, Europe and the world arising from one year's proposed discharges from BNFL Sellafield including THORP and non-THORP releases. A copy of this report is in the Library.
EDUCATION
School Inspections
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he intends to take to monitor the procedures used for tendering for school inspection work.
Mr. Robin Squire : The arrangements for inspecting schools under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 are a matter for OFSTED. I have asked Professor Sutherland to write to the hon. Member.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide a breakdown of the activities to be funded at the Grant-maintained Schools Centre Ltd. in 1993-94.
Mr. Robin Squire : My right hon. Friend is making grant available to the Grant Maintained Schools Centre in 1993-94 to support the following activities :
1. dissemination of factual information about self-governing status to schools considering or in the process of applying for such status, including through the establishment and operation of regional advice centres ;
2. the provision of a secretariat and support services for the Grant Maintained Schools' Standing Advisory Committee ; and 3. provision of information and advice to grant-maintained schools through the GMSC's Schools Subscription Scheme.
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 24 May 1993, Official Report , columns 388-404 , if he will update the information on direct and central maintenance grants to grant-maintained schools.
Column 493
Mr. Robin Squire : The information requested has been placed in the Library. The cash figures and percentages given may in some cases have changed since the reply that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Schools, the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire (Mr. Forth), gave on 24 May 1993, Official Report , columns 388-404 , as grants may be redetermined where, for example, schools qualify under their former maintaining LEA's local management of schools scheme for contingency payments.
Special Schools
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many hospital schools have been proposed for closure since April 1991 ; and what was the decision of his Department when the closure proposals were referred to him ;
(2) if he will list by local education authority area the hospital schools accepting children (a) in 1988 and (b) at the latest year for which figures are available, giving the number of places available in each school, the number filled and the specific special educational role of each school ;
(3) how many children in each local education authority in (a) the primary and (b) the secondary level have not been placed in schools or other establishments designated to meet special educational needs in each of the last five years ; and what were the alternative educational arrangements made in each case ;
(4) how many special schools catering for children with emotional and behavioural problems have been proposed for closure since April 1991 ; and what was the decision of his Department when the closure proposals were referred to him ;
(5) if he will list by local education authority area the special schools accepting children with emotional and behavioural problems (a) in 1988 and (b) at the latest year for which figures are available, giving the number of places available in each school and the number of places filled ;
(6) if he will publish the amount spent by each local education authority on meeting the special educational needs of children together with the percentage of the authority's budget represented by this sum.
Mr. Forth : I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits for inspection or advice have been made by HMI/OFSTED in each of the last five years to special schools principally serving children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Mr. Forth : I will write to the hon. Member with the information he requests up until 31 August 1992. Arrangements for inspecting schools became a matter for OFSTED from 1 September 1992 and I am, therefore, asking Professor Sutherland to write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits for inspection or advice have been made by HMI/OFSTED in each of the last five years to hospital schools.
Mr. Forth : I will write to the hon. Member with the information he requests up until 31 August 1992. Arrangements for inspecting schools became a matter for OFSTED from 1 September 1992 and I am, therefore, asking Professor Sutherland to write to the hon. Member.
Column 494
City Technology Colleges
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what is the total cost to date (a) to public funds and (b) to private funds of the city technology college programme ;
(2) if he will list the city technology colleges currently in operation indicating in each case, the amount of capital expenditure which came from (a) public and (b) private funds ;
(3) if he will list the amount of money promised from private companies towards the city technology college programme and the amount of money actually received.
Mr. Robin Squire : I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire (Mr. Forth), gave to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on 29 June 1993, Official Report , columns 463-68 .
Asbestos
Ms Estelle Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make extra finance available to local education authorities so that asbestos can be removed from school buildings.
Mr. Forth : It is for local education authorities to determine their own priorities within the substantial recurrent and capital funds at their disposal.
Student Loans
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will discuss with the Student Loan Company and the Committee of Vice Chancellors, means of improving the application procedure and facilities, and the subsequent processing of students' applications for loans.
Mr. Boswell : I have periodic discussions with the Student Loans Company. The company also has periodic liaison meetings with representatives of the higher education institutions. The company is planning to introduce an improved application procedure for existing borrowers in the academic year 1994-95. The company aims to pay loans within 21 days of receipt of a completed application form.
Public Bodies
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing for each of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department, whether the public has a statutory right to attend all board or committee meetings, and to inspect (a) the minutes of meetings, (b) the annual reports and (c) the annual accounts.
Mr. Boswell : I will write to the hon. Member.
Teacher Vacancies
Mr. Jacques Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish final figures for teacher vacancies at January 1993.
Mr. Robin Squire : Final details of teacher vacancies in England at January 1993 have been placed in the Library.
Column 495
The overall total is unchanged from the provisional total for 1993 which my right hon. Friend provided in reply to a question from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 14 May 1993, Official Report , column 578 .Sex Education
Mr. Thurnham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether (a) abortion and (b) contraception will be considered as biological or other aspects of human sexual behaviour in his Department's forthcoming guidance to schools on sex education ; (2) what definition will be given within his Department's forthcoming guidance to schools on sex education to help teachers distinguish between biological and other aspects of human sexual behaviour.
Mr. Forth : I will write to my hon. Friend.
Student Grants
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the university vice-chancellors on the level of student grants.
Mr. Boswell : My right hon. Friend and I last met the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals on Monday 25 October. We had a useful and interesting exchange of views on a number of current issues in higher education.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Peterlee Police
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Attorney-General how many cases have been received by the Crown Prosecution Service from the Peterlee sub-divisional police in each year since 1990 ; and how many have resulted in prosecution.
The Attorney-General : Figures for Peterlee sub-division are included in the total for Northumbria-Durham, and are not available separately.
The number of cases received by the Crown Prosecution Service, which include cases sent to the CPS by the police for pre-charge advice, for criminal proceedings, and for some non-criminal proceedings were as follows :
|Number
----------------------
1990 |72,825
1991 |69,409
1992 |68,475
<1>1993 |33,816
<1> January to June.
Note: The number of
cases received during
a particular period
does not equal the
number finalised in
that period, as
incomplete cases will
be carried over.
Of the cases received for criminal prosecution the numbers which proceeded to a hearing in the magistrates court, namely a summary trial, a guilty plea or committal proceedings, were as follows :
|Number
----------------------
1990 |52,400
1991 |50,914
1992 |50,060
<1>1993 |24,359
<1> January to June.
Cases received for criminal prosecution would not proceed to such a hearing if the defendant could not be traced by the police, the court imposed a bind over or adjourned the case sine die or the CPS discontinued proceedings.
Police Cautions
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish the guidelines and policy on cautions for juvenile offenders which operate from the Crown Prosecution Service for the Metropolitan police.
The Attorney-General : Cautioning is a matter for the police. The Crown Prosecution Service does not issue guidelines to the police on cautioning, nor would it be appropriate for the CPS to do so. Guidance to crown prosecutors on the prosecution, or other disposal, of cases involving juvenile offenders is contained in the code for crown prosecutors, which is a public document.
Gibraltar
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on progress made to date by the RUC and the Director of Public Prosecutions Northern Ireland in their efforts to obtain information in Gibraltar relating to George Finbar Ross and the International Investments Ltd. Gibraltar--in liquidation--fraud.
The Attorney-General : I refer to the answer given by my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor General on 21 July 1993, Official Report, column 242, when he stated that :
"As a result of a Letter of Request for evidence in relation to the affairs of International Investments Ltd--in liquidation--issued by Belfast Magistrates' Court on 1 November 1990, the Supreme Court of Gibraltar made an Order on 16 June 1993 requiring witnesses named in the Letter of Request to attend before a Special Examiner on 12 July 1993 to give evidence on oath and produce documents.
A hearing took place on 12 and 13 July 1993. A number of witnesses were examined and their depositions recorded. The hearing has been adjourned to allow consideration to be given to certain documents which have now become available. It is anticipated that the hearing will recommence in October 1993."
The hearing recommenced on 19 October 1993 and continued on 20 and 22 October 1993. A number of further witnesses were examined and their depositions recorded.
The formal proceedings in Gibraltar are now complete. The Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland is presently awaiting receipt of the depositions which were recorded at the hearing before the special examiner. Following the hearing in Gibraltar a number of further inquiries remain to be undertaken.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Pension Fund
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Lord President of the Council what assessment he has made of whether the fees for management of the parliamentary contributory pension fund paid to the public trustee are adequate to ensure timely preparation of the annual accounts.
Mr. Newton : The management fees charged by the public trustee and agreed by the managing trustees are
Column 497
considered sufficient to enable the public trustee to complete his contribution to the work on the annual accounts within a timescale acceptable to the managing trustees.Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Lord President of the Council why the accounts of the parliamentary contributory pension fund for the year ended 31 March 1992 were not printed until June 1993.
Mr. Newton : As a consequence of pension awards arising from the general election in April 1992, the Fees Office was not able to agree to the foreword to the accounts and certain parts of the accounts for 1991-92 until 23 September 1992. The public trustee sent the final accounts, which had been substantially audited, for certification by the Comptroller and Auditor-General on 3 December 1992. Further work was undertaken by the National Audit Office such that the accounts were not certified until 18 March 1993 and were subsequently published on 6 April 1993.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to ensure that the accounts for the parliamentary contributory pension fund are produced within five months of the financial year end in future years.
Mr. Newton : Steps have already been taken to ensure earlier production of the accounts. The current aim is six months, against a seven- month deadline recommended by the Pension Law Review Committee under the chairmanship of Professor Goode, which we fully expect to achieve for years after 1992-93.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will ensure that the accounts of the parliamentary contributory pension fund are prepared in accordance with best practice in the private sector and adopt appropriate accounting policies and presentation.
Mr. Newton : The format of the accounts is a matter for the managing trustees in conjunction with the Comptroller and Auditor-General. Discussions are taking place to ensure that the accounts are prepared in accordance with best practice. It should be noted, however, that even though they are not covered by the disclosure requirements of the Occupational Pensions Scheme (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 1986, nor by statement of recommended practice 1, disclosure and other relevant information has been made by the managing trustees to all Members.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Lord President of the Council how long after the end of the accounting period the audit for the parliamentary contributory pension fund was completed ; and what were the reasons for the time taken.
Mr. Newton : The audit of the 1992-93 accounts is not yet completed, but it is expected to be so within the next week. Whilst the six-months objective will not have been achieved, extra work had to be undertaken by the National Audit Office because of the pensions awarded as a result of the general election at the beginning of that year.
Lords Amendments
Mr. Allen : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the occasions since 1979 on which the House has agreed to Lords amendments to Bills once they had been rejected by the Commons on a prior occasion.
Column 498
Mr. Newton : The records show two examples of the House of Commons not insisting on its disagreement with the House of Lords on Lords amendments :
1. 12th June 1984 re Housing and Building Control Bill. 2. 5th November 1986 re Housing and Planning Bill.
| Next Section
| Home Page |