| Previous Section | Home Page |
Welsh Economic Model
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has agreed to contribute to the funding of a model of the Welsh economy by the Cardiff Business School Welsh economic research unit.
Mr. Redwood : The Welsh Office has made no contribution.
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funding the Welsh Development Agency received and from what sources in each year since 1979.
Mr. Redwood : The information is set out in the following table :
£ million
|Grant in aid |<1>Total gross
|expenditure
------------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |45.1 |62.6
1980-81 |65.1 |88.0
1981-82 |74.0 |88.1
1982-83 |53.7 |78.2
1983-84 |37.1 |67.9
1984-85 |32.1 |70.0
1985-86 |30.3 |63.5
1986-87 |31.7 |72.0
1987-88 |52.3 |98.6
1988-89 |61.9 |115.1
1989-90 |69.8 |133.4
1990-91 |81.2 |149.2
1991-92 |87.2 |158.3
1992-93 |78.4 |165.2
1993-94 |<2>69.6 |<2>160.6
<1> Gross expenditure is funded from grant in aid, receipts,
public
dividend capital and borrowings.
<2> Forecast outturns.
Column 866
Statutory Sick Pay
Mr. Ingram : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide figures for the amount his Department has been reimbursed by the Department of Social Security in respect of statutory sick pay provision for each of the past three years.
Mr. Redwood : The amounts reimbursed were :
|£
-------------------------------
1992-93 |91,153.57
<1>1993-94 |84,661.12
<1>April to December.
Figures for previous years are not available.
Milk
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dairy farmers in Wales have already signed and returned contracts to Milk Marque.
Mr. Redwood : The number of producers signed up by Milk Marque and other potential buyers is a matter for those concerned.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current timetable for the introduction of the Milk Marque scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The Milk Marketing Board has said that it intends to submit amendments to its scheme of reorganisation. One of these is to propose 1 November 1994 as vesting day for Milk Marque. In order for this to be possible, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I would need to make an order extending the present deadline of 1 October for the revocation of the current milk marketing scheme.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has granted nature conservation orders for the protection of sites of special scientific interest under section 29 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 ; how many are still in operation ; how many he has refused in Wales since 1982 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Since 1982, five orders have been made of which two are still in operation. Two have been refused.
Wales in Europe
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the publicity material of the Welsh Development Agency, in respect of the Wales in Europe campaign, the Wales European Centre in Brussels and the accords signed with Catalonia, Baden-Wu"rtemberg, Lombardy and Rho ne-Alpes.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy were reported on farms in Clwyd in 1992
Column 867
and 1993 ; and if he will give the number of beasts affected, indicating the local authority district/borough area.Mr. Redwood : The number of reported cases of suspected bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the county of Clwyd in 1992 was 752, of which 570 cases were subsequently confirmed. In 1993, 730 suspected cases were reported and 542 subsequently confirmed. The figures for 1993 are necessarily incomplete as the basis of the statistics is confirmed cases by report in the appropriate period. It is not possible to indicate the local authority except at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of whether every precaution is taken to ensure that the human food chain remains free of infection by BSE.
Mr. Redwood : The Government are advised on matters relating to spongiform encephalopathies by the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee. The Government are advised that the measures introduced since BSE was identified, which are based on independent scientific advice, prevent any risk of transmission to humans.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research he has initiated into the potential link between BSE and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : A wide-ranging research programme on BSE is in place, based on the recommendations of the consultative committee on research into spongiform encephalopathies. This committee was reconstituted as the spongiform encephalopathies advisory committee, which reports regularly to the Government. Its last report was issued in June 1992.
Doctors are asked to report every suspected case of
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease to the national CJD surveillance unit in Edinburgh. The circumstances of each case are recorded fully and in particular all cases are examined for possible sources of transmission and any occupational factor. The unit was established in 1990 and provided reports in 1992 and 1993.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning BSE and the human food chain, including his advice concerning meat by-products.
Mr. Redwood : The Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health in May 1990 advised :
"Beef can be safely eaten by anyone, both adults and children, including patients in hospital".
This has been repeated by his successor, Dr. Calman. Dr. Calman further stated that he was confident that all necessary action is being taken to safeguard public health.
Touche Ross
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.
Column 868
Health Promotion Authority for Wales
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level and frequency of participation in overseas conferences and seminars of the director and staff of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The chief executive and staff of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales may take part in overseas conferences and visits to the extent that this assists their work in promoting better health in Wales and in generating income for this purpose. The former chief executive of the authority was also professor of health promotion and health education and head of the institute of health promotion at the university of Wales college of medicine and undertook overseas visits in that connection until 2 February 1994.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales concerning the value and volume of consultation work carried out in Brazil ; and what evaluation he has carried out or will carry out in relation to such work.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Health Promotion Authority for Wales has not carried out or funded any consultation work in Brazil.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : In recent weeks, I have received two letters from the hon. Member.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the duties of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales in relation to the promotion of better health in Latin America.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The primary function of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales is to undertake health promotion activity in Wales. It may only engage in international work where there is a tangible benefit to Wales from that activity. Such activity has not so far included South America.
Epidemiological Research
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for extensive epidemiological research ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The Welsh Office will continue to support United Kingdom-wide epidemiological research in collaboration with other Government Departments--notably the Department of Health--and the research councils.
Teachers
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each local education authority how many full-time equivalent teachers were employed in January 1993.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is contained in "Statistics of Education and Training in Wales : Schools", No. 2, 1994-- table 6.02--published on 2 February 1994.
Column 869
Right-to-repair Scheme
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of Wales whether the new right- to-repair scheme for council tenants will apply in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, laid before the House on Monday 31 January the Secure Tenants of Local Housing Authorities (Right to Repair) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994/133) which will introduce the new right-to-repair scheme in both England and Wales.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction on 31 January 1994, Official Report, column 477.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Senior Science Posts (Women)
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many female applicants there have been for senior science posts in the public service, Government Departments, agencies and the research councils at civil service grades 3, 4 and 5 and above in the period 1 January 1993 to 18 January 1994 ; how many female appointments have been made to these grades, by grade ; and what assessment he has made as to the consistency of these figures with the policy outlined in the White Paper "Realising our Potential ;" (2) how many females have been appointed to grade 3 science posts in Government Departments, agencies and the research councils in the past 12 months ; and what steps the Chancellor will be making to encourage the appointment of women to these senior posts following the publication of the White Paper. "Realising our Potential".
Mr. Waldegrave : Over the last 12 months, there have been six senior science posts--grade 5 and above--within the civil service advertised through open competition and 10 such posts within the research councils.
For the six posts filled through open competition, there were 21 female applicants--out of a total of 317--none of whom were successful. For the 10 research council posts, there were only two female applicants, and again neither was successful.
For the 12 months to the end of September 1993, there were 24 senior science posts at grades 3, 4 or 5 filled by internal appointees ; no females were appointed. In December, Mrs. Helen Williams was appointed to a grade 3 post as head of the Transdepartmental S and T group in the Office of Science and Technology--OST.
The White Paper on science, engineering and technology describes women as the country's biggest single most under-valued and therefore under-used human resource. The Office of Science and Technology will shortly be publishing a report by an independent working group of eminent scientists on how to make greater use of the talents of women in science, engineering and technology.
Column 870
Executive Agencies
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list each executive agency which has been established since the "Next Steps" initiative commenced ; and if he will list any which existed before this initiative.
Mr. David Davis : The executive agencies established under the next steps initiative are as follows. No executive agencies existed previously.
Next Steps Agencies established to date
Agency |Launch date
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accounts Services Agency |1 October 1991
ADAS |1 April 1992
Army Base Repair Organisation |1 April 1993
Building Research Establishment |2 April 1990
Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments) |2 April 1991
Central Office of Information |5 April 1990
Central Science Laboratory |1 April 1992
Central Statistical Office |19 November 1991
Central Veterinary Laboratory |2 April 1990
Chemical and Biological Defence
Establishment |1 April 1991
Chessington Computer Centre |1 April 1993
Civil Service College |6 June 1989
Companies House |3 October 1988
Compensation Agency |1 April 1992
Defence Accounts Agency |1 April 1991
Defence Analytical Services Agency |1 July 1992
Defence Animal Centre |1 June 1993
Defence Operational Analysis Centre |1 July 1992
Defence Postal and Courier Services |1 July 1992
Defence Research Agency |2 April 1991
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |2 April 1990
Driver and Vehicle Licensing (NI) |2 August 1993
Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency |1 April 1992
Driving Standards Agency |2 April 1990
Duke of York's Royal Military School |1 April 1992
DVOIT<1> |1 April 1992
Employment Service |2 April 1990
Fire Service College |1 April 1992
Forensic Science Service |1 April 1991
Government Property Lawyers |1 April 1993
Historic Royal Palaces Agency |1 October 1989
Historic Scotland |2 April 1991
Her Majesty's Prison Service |1 April 1993
HMSO |14 December 1988
Hydrographic Office |6 April 1990
Insolvency Service |21 March 1990
Intervention Board |2 April 1990
Laboratory of the Government Chemist |30 October 1989
Land Registry |2 July 1990
Medicines Control Agency |11 July 1991
Meteorological Office |2 April 1990
Military Survey |2 April 1991
National Physical Laboratory |3 July 1990
National Weights and Measures Laboratory |18 April 1989
Natural Resources Institute |2 April 1990
Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation |1 April 1992
NEL |5 October 1990
NHS Estates |1 April 1991
NHS Pensions Agency |20 November 1992
Northern Ireland Child Support Agency |5 April 1993
Occupational Health Service |2 April 1990
Ordnance Survey |1 May 1990
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland |1 April 1992
Patent Office |1 March 1990
Paymaster |1 April 1993
Pesticides Safety Directorate |1 April 1993
Planning Inspectorate |1 April 1992
Public Record Office |1 April 1992
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre |6 July 1989
Queen Victoria School |1 April 1992
Radiocommunications Agency |2 April 1990
RAF Maintenance |2 April 1991
Rate Collection Agency |1 April 1991
Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency |2 April 1991
Registers of Scotland |6 April 1990
Royal Mint |2 April 1990
Royal Parks Agency |1 April 1993
Scottish Agricultural Science Agency |1 April 1992
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency |12 April 1991
Scottish Office Pensions Agency |1 April 1993
Scottish Prison Service |1 April 1993
Scottish Record Office |1 April 1993
Security Facilities Executive |15 October 1993
Service Children's Schools (North West
Europe) |24 April 1991
Social Security Agency |1 July 1991
Social Security Benefits Agency |2 April 1991
Social Security Child Support Agency |5 April 1993
Social Security Contributions Agency |2 April 1991
Social Security Information Technology
Services Agency |2 April 1990
Social Security Resettlement Agency |24 May 1989
Teachers' Pensions Agency |1 April 1992
The Buying Agency |31 October 1991
Training and Employment Agency |2 April 1990
Transport Research Laboratory |2 April 1992
United Kingdom Passport Agency |2 April 1991
Valuation and Lands Agency |1 April 1993
Valuation Office |30 September 1991
Vehicle Certification Agency |2 April 1990
Vehicle Inspectorate |1 August 1988
Veterinary Medicine Directorate |2 April 1990
Warren Spring Laboratory |20 April 1989
Wilton Park |1 September 1991
Customs and Excise (31 Executive Units)<2> |1 April 1991
Inland Revenue (31 Executive Offices)<2> |1 April 1992
<1> Subsequently privatised on 17 December 1993.
<2> Departments operating fully on Next Steps lines.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Illegal Immigrants (Employment)
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what report he has received at his Queen Anne's gate office concerning the employment of suspected illegal immigrants ; when his authority was sought to apprehend such employees ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend is routinely advised of proposed enforcement operations of a major or sensitive nature, but his authority has not been sought to apprehend suspected immigration offenders employed at the Home Office, Queen Anne's gate.
Gatwick Passengers
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for a nationwide operation this week to track down passengers who arrived at Gatwick on 21 December and who were given leave to enter the United Kingdom as visitors ; how many such operations he has authorised over the past year, to date ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Where there is reason to believe that a passenger from the flight is in breach of the immigration laws, the case will be followed up in the usual way. No nationwide operation is planned, nor was such an operation conducted in 1993.
Column 872
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, columns 329-30 , what is the total cost, to date, of removing passengers on flight ULE966, which landed at Gatwick on 21 December, who were refused entry to the United Kingdom, or granted temporary admission pending removal and removed including the costs of flights and escorts ; what was the total cost of detention ; where they were detained ; if any third party is liable for meeting all or part of the costs of removal or detention ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) pursuant to his answer of 25 January, Official Report, columns 162-63, what has been the total cost, to date, of removing from the United Kingdom passengers on flight BA1262 (KT310) which arrived at Gatwick on 15 December, including the costs of flights and escorts ; what was the total cost of detaining other of those passengers ; where they were detained ; if any third party is liable for meeting all or part of the costs of removal or detention ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Those passengers refused entry from flights ULE966 and BA1262 and not removed on the charter flight on 15 December were removed under arrangements made directly by the inbound carrier or its agents and the costs are a matter for them. The total detention cost is still being calculated. Those detained were held in detention accommodation at Gatwick, Newhaven and Campsfield house. Police and Prison Service accommodation was also used.
Where the carrying company or its agents are given directions under paragraph 8 of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 to remove a passenger or to make arrangements to do so, they are responsible for all the costs involved, including those of any necessary in-flight escorts.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received, to date, from the Jamaican high commission in London concerning flight BA1262 (KT310) arriving at Gatwick on 15 December and flight ULE966 arriving at Gatwick on 21 December ; what was the nature of those representations ; what discussions have taken place between him and his officials and representatives of the high commission ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The Immigration Service at Gatwick was in touch with the Jamaican high commission on the days of arrival of both flights.
As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 11 January at column 147 the high commission has maintained a close interest in the treatment of its nationals who were refused entry. A representative of the high commission was among a delegation I met on 18 January.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 329-30, what are (a) the names, (b) the ages and (c) the sex of the passengers on flight ULE966 arriving at Gatwick on 21 December who have absconded from temporary admission ; what were the terms of the temporary admission which they were granted ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : It is normal practice not to disclose the names of individual passengers. Of the six referred to in my earlier reply, five are females aged 14, 16,
Column 873
20, 23 and 25 and one is a male aged 16. One further female refused entry, aged 33, failed to report back from temporary admission on 26 January. A woman aged 25 also absconded from temporary admission before a decision was reached in her case.Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what period those Jamaican citizens who arrived at Gatwick on 21 December on flight ULE966 and were given leave to enter the United Kingdom were allowed to enter.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The majority sought entry as visitors and were given leave to enter for six months ; 20 were given leave to enter until 17 January 1994.
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 329-30, what were the ages and sex of the children aged 16 years or under who arrived on flight ULE966 who were refused entry ; if any were travelling unaccompanied ; were any of the 10 who were removed from the United Kingdom were travelling unaccompanied ; what is the age and sex of the child who has absconded from temporary admission ; and if the child was accompanied.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Of the 14 children referred to in my earlier reply seven are male and seven are female. Details of their ages are as follows :
3 aged 16
1 aged 14
2 aged 13
1 aged 12
3 aged 11
1 aged 9
1 aged 8
1 aged 4
1 aged 3.
Four were unaccompanied. Four of the 10 children so far removed were unaccompanied. Three children have now absconded, a male aged 16 and two females aged 16 and 14, one of whom arrived unaccompanied.
Disclosure of Information
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report , column 331 , what was the nature of the disclosure of information to a newspaper which may have taken place ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The investigation relates to the possibility of unauthorised disclosure to a newspaper of information about an operation conducted by the police and the Immigration Service enforcement directorate.
Immigration Officers (Powers)
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discretion immigration officers may exercise in deciding what period of leave to grant ; and for how long those granted leave to enter may lawfully remain in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The immigration rules provide certain periods for which a person seeking entry in various categories should normally be admitted. A person who has lawfully obtained leave to enter will normally be allowed to remain, provided he or she complies with any conditions attached to the leave, until the end of the period granted or the expiry of any variation of that leave.
Column 874
Touche Ross
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department or any agencies for which he is responsible has engaged the services of the firm Touche Ross or any of its partners since 1 July 1993.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The Home Office has let five contracts to Touche Ross since 1 July 1993.
Telemillion Scheme
Ms Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been carried out into the status in terms of the Lottery and Amusements Act 1976 of the telemillion scheme operated by Interactive Telephone Services Group plc.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Any investigation of allegations of criminal offences under the 1976 Act would be a matter for the police.
Immigration Powers
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 329, under what powers, apart from the Immigration (Carriers Liability) Act 1987, he can demand any third party to defray all or part of the costs of (a) detention, (b) escorting and (c) removing from the United Kingdom (i) any person refused entry to visit the United Kingdom and (ii) any person granted temporary admission pending removal who is removed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Those contained in paragraph 19 of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971.
Exclusion Order (Withdrawal)
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now arrange for the exclusion order issued against the president of Sinn Fein to be withdrawn ; and if he will make a statement.
Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the planned expenditure on the criminal injuries compensation scheme for each future financial year to 1997-98 at 1993-94 prices.
Mr. Maclean : Forecast expenditure on criminal injuries compensation, including the costs of administration, in the next three financial years is currently as follows :
| Next Section
| Home Page |