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Mr. Michael Forsyth : Some 41 improvement notices have been issued by the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive since taking over responsi-bility for offshore safety. The companies and installations are listed in the following tables :
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Improvement notices 1 April 1993 to 28 February 1994 Number |Date |Name of company |Installation/vessel --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. | 2 April 1993 |ETPM Services UK Ltd. |ETPM Laybarge LB200 2. |10 June 1993 |Amoco (UK) Exploration |49/27C 3. |12 August 1993 |Shell UK Exploration |Shell/Esso 49/24K 4. |18 August 1993 |Sedco Forex Drilling |Sedco Installations 5. |26 August 1993 |Amoco (UK) Exploration |Amoco 23/21A 6. | 8 September 1993 |Dolphin Drilling |Borgny Dolphin 7. |24 September 1993 |Shell UK Ltd. |Brent Delta 8. |20 October 1993 |Conoco (UK) Ltd. |All installations 9. |20 October 1993 |Conoco (UK) Ltd. |All installations 10. |20 October 1993 |Conoco (UK) Ltd. |All installations 11. |20 October 1993 |Conoco (UK) Ltd. |All installations 12. |20 October 1993 |Conoco (UK) Ltd. |All installations 13. |28 October 1993 |Phillips Petroleum |Maureen Alpha 14. |28 November 1993 |Phillips Petroleum |Maureen Alpha 16/29a 15. | 8 November 1993 |Amerada Hess Ltd. |Foating Pro Facility AH001 16. | 8 November 1993 |Amerada Hess Ltd. |Floating Pro Facility 17. |25 November 1993 |Mobil North Sea Ltd. |Beryl Alpha 18. | 6 December 1993 |Texaco North Sea |Tartan Alpha 19. |16 December 1993 |Shell UK Ltd. |Auk A 30/16 20. |15 December 1993 |Santa Fe Drilling |Auk A 30/16 21. |28 January 1993 |Marathon Oil |Brae B 22. | 3 February 1994 |Agip UK Ltd. |Tiffany 16/17
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Improvement notices
1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993
Number |Date |Name of company
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. |29 April 1992 |Elf Enterprise Caledonia
2. |20 May 1992 |EE Caledonia Ltd.
3. | 8 June 1992 |Texaco North Sea UK Co.
4. | 8 June 1992 |Shell UK Ltd.
5. |16 June 1992 |Dolphin Drilling Ltd.
6. |15 October 1992 |Sonat Offshore
7. | 3 November 1992 |Global Marine Drilling
8. | 3 November 1992 |Global Marine Drilling
9. | 5 November 1992 |BP Exploration
10. | 5 November 1992 |BP Exploration
11. | 6 November 1992 |Emerald Field Contracting
12. | 6 November 1992 |Emerald Field Contracting
13. |11 November 1992 |Shell UK Ltd.
14. | 9 December 1992 |Hamilton Oil Co. Ltd.
15. |21 December 1992 |Sedco Forex
16. |21 December 1992 |Sedco Forex
17. |20 January 1994 |Elf Enterprise Caledonia Ltd.
18. | 3 March 1993 |Elf Enterprise Caledonia Ltd.
19. | 3 March 1993 |Elf Enterprise Caledonia Ltd.
1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992
Nil improvement notices
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many recommendations for prosecution under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive has instigated ; and if he will list the companies and installations to which such recommendations have applied.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : Since 1 April 1991, prosecutions have been instigated by the procurator fiscal in Scotland in 22 cases, following receipt of a report from the Health and Safety Executive. One of these was subsequently abandoned. One case has been prosecuted in England. Details are set out in the following tables :
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Table 1 Year |Company |Installation |Date of offence |Date convicted ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1991-92 |Allseas Marine Contractors|Lorelay | 7 August 1990 |15 May 1991 1991-92 |Smedvig Ltd. |NW Hutton | 9 September 1990 | 9 March 1992 1991-92 |Amoco (UK) Exploration |NW Hutton | 9 September 1990 | 9 March 1992
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Table 2 Year |Company |Installation |Date of offence |Date convicted ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1992-93 |Atlantic Drilling |Benreoch |10 December 1990 |21 April 1992 1992-93 |Stena Offshore Ltd. |DSV Seaspread |10 June 1990 | 9 May 1992 1992-93 |Employee DSV Seaspread |DSV Seaspread |10 June 1990 | 8 May 1992 1992-93 |Sedco Forex Drilling Services|Sedco 703 |31 January 1992 |22 July 1992 1992-93 |ETMP Services (UK) |LB200 |18 April 1992 |26 November 1992 1992-93 |BP Exploration |Miller |20 June 1992 |17 December 1992 1992-93 |Amoco UK |DSV British 1992-93 Stena Offshore Enterprise V unsuccessful
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Table 3 Year |Company |Installation |Date of offence |Date convicted ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1993-94 |Shell UK Exploration and Production|Brent Delta | 5 March 1993 |Awaiting court hearing 1993-94 |Smedvig Ltd. |West Sigma | 7 January 1993 |Awaiting English court hearing 1993-94 |BP Exploration and Production |Forties Bravo |16 March 1993 | 4 November 1993 1993-94 |Sedco Forex Drilling Ltd. |Sedco 704 |24 July 1992 |17 May 1993 1993-94 |Cape Scaffolding Ltd. |Bruce |28 December 1992 |16 May 1993 1993-94 |Heeremac |DB102 |12 March 1993 |Abandoned 1993-94 |Rookwater |DSV Regalia |8 June 1993 |24 September 1993 1993-94 |Dolphin Drilling |Borgny Dolphin |24 August 1993 |24 February 1994 1993-94 |Arco British Ltd. |Ocean Odyssey |22 September 1988 |24 September 1993 1993-94 |Odeco Drilling (UK) Ltd. |Ocean Odyssey |22 September 1988 |10 August 1993 1993-94 |Hamilton Oil Co. |Deepsea Pioneer |28 October 1992 | 8 October 1993 1993-94 |Santa Fe |Santa Fe Magellan |20 July 1993 |11 February 1994 1993-94 |Odeco UK Ltd. |Ocean Victory | 7 November 1990 |29 November 1993
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many improvement notices, prohibition notices and pending prosecutions were outstanding when the offshore safety division of the Health and Safety Executive took over responsibility for those matters from the Department of Energy ; which (a) companies and (b) installations they applied to ; and how many are still outstanding.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : No improvement notices or prohibition notices were outstanding when the Health and
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Safety Executive took over responsibility for offshore safety. In England, no pending prosecutions were outstanding at that time. Decisions on prosecutions in Scotland are solely the responsibility of the procurator fiscal and the Crown Office for Scotland.Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further changes he proposes to make to improve health and safety on offshore installations.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Health and Safety Executive is reviewing a large number of safety cases and
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discussing with individual owners and operators of installations any improvements which may need to be made.In addition, the Health and Safety Commission has put in hand a review of offshore health and safety legislation with the aim of modernising and streamlining provision, and replacing or revoking existing prescriptive requirements. New goal-setting regulations are being developed, in line with Lord Cullen's recommendations, to cover fire and explosion, emergency response, management and administration ; and design and construction.
Consultants
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will provide a table showing the contracts currently being worked on for his Department by Coopers and Lybrand, Ernst and Young, Price Waterhouse, KPMG Peat Marwick, Grant Thornton, Robson Rhodes, BDO Binder Hamlyn, Levy Gee, Hacker Young, Pannell Kerr Forster and Stoy Harward.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Jobplan Workshops
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what monitoring arrangements of the standard of jobplan workshop courses is in place ; what complaints about such courses have been received ; if he will summarise the nature of the complaints ; what arrangements there are for complaints to be made and taken into account in the running of the workshops ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Mr. A. G. Johnson to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 30 March 1994 :
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about arrangements to monitor Jobplan Workshops and the nature and handling of complaints about their delivery. I am replying in the Chief Executive's absence.
It may be helpful if I explain that Jobplan is designed to help people who have been unemployed for some time compete for jobs and opportunities. During the workshop, which lasts for one week, clients are able to take a fresh look at their situation, review their strengths and skills and set themselves clear and achievable job goals. The workshop was developed to accommodate people with varying experiences and backgrounds. During the workshop, people have the opportunity for personal reviews as well as undertaking group work. Since April 1993, over 270,000 people have attended Jobplan. Jobplan is delivered by organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors on the Employment Service's (ES) behalf. Contracts are awarded following a competitive tendering exercise.
A full specification is issued to all prospective contractors. This specification, and a manual which sets out how the programme is to be run, forms the basis against which subsequent monitoring and assessment of the provider is undertaken.
At the end of each workshop, management information is collected and sent to the ES. This covers the number of people
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who have taken part in the workshop and the action they have decided to take at the end. This information is used by people in the ES to assess the performance of the provider and the value for money that is being achieved. Participants are issued with review sheets at the end of the workshop and invited to comment on the delivery of the workshop. These provide us with further information about the quality of the workshop.A schedule of monitoring visits is drawn up for each contract to ensure that workshops are inspected regularly. We will observe workshop sessions and assess whether the provider is delivering the workshop to the appropriate standard and quality. The findings of these visits are discussed with the provider and their leaders and where remedial action is required, the provider will be asked to take the action within a specified time. We will later review to ensure that any problems have been put right.
As part of the Citizens Charter we have established, in the Jobseekers Charter, a suggestions and complaints procedure which enables people to comment on the quality of the service they have received. Providers are contractually obliged to follow the principles of the Jobseekers Charter, which amongst other things, requires them to have posters and leaflets on display so that people who wish to complain or make suggestions may do so easily. The responsibility for answering these lies initially with the provider who is required to reply to the person within seven days. Should someone who has complained feel that their complaint has not been satisfactorily answered, they can approach our local managers for redress. Where complaints are made to the provider or to the local manager the focus is on setting things right locally. We do not collect statistics centrally but, of course, the contract managers pay close attention to the number and nature of complaints when workshops are re-tendered. In some cases complaints are also made through an MP or directly to the Secretary of State for Employment. We have central statistics on these. Since April 1993, seven people have written to complain about the standard of delivery of the workshop and three have written to say that they felt that the workshop was not helpful to them. I am sure you will agree that as a proportion of the 270,000 people who have taken part, this number of complaints is remarkably low.
I am also encouraged that a number of people who have attended workshops have written to say how useful the workshops have been in their search for work and how positive they found the experience. I am attaching a sample of the comments that have been made about Jobplan.
I hope this is helpful.
What people say about Jobplan
"Very helpful--I was lost and stranded until I attended Jobplan." "I was dubious about what Jobplan could offer but found the workshop of immense benefit to me--full marks--it was just what I needed."
"The personal interview was the most helpful thing I've had. There are courses I didn't know about and I've applied for one of them." "I found it to be rewarding and enlightening and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone seeking work."
"I wish this had been offered to me a year ago."
"It's a lot better than I thought. I'm glad we can make choices for ourselves."
"I was really nervous before I came here, but now I'm glad I was told about it."
Departmental Staff
Mr. Janner : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage of officers in each of grades 1 to 7 and overall in his Department are (a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities or (c) disabled, respectively.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is set out in the following table :
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Staff in the Employment Department (ED) Group
Grade Women staff at Ethnic minority Registered
disabled staff
|1 April 1993 |staff at 1 April|at 1 July 1993
|1993
|Number |Percentage |Number |Percentage |Number |Percentage
|G1-G7 |G1-G7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 1 |0 |0.0 |0 |0.0
Grade 2 |1 |20.0 |0 |0 |0.0
Grade 3 |1 |4.0 |0 |0.0 |<2>2.0 |0.7
Grade 4 |0 |0.0 |0 |0.0
Grade 5 |22 |20.2 |0 |0.0
Grade 6 |17 |12.0 |1 |0.7
Grade 7 |182 |23.7 |7 |0.9 |3.0 |0.4
All Staff |42,659 |67.2 |3,669 |<1>6.2 |2,020.5 |3.4
<1> Figure represents respondents to the ethnic origin survey.
<2> Separate information by grade for registered disabled staff is not available above Grade 7. Registration is voluntary therefore the
ED Group employs more disabled people than are counted.
Manufacturing Industry
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 3 March, Official Report, column 861, what is his assessment of the reasons for the fall in the number of hours worked ; and what effect he expects economic recovery to have on this fall.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The fall in total hours worked by manufacturing operatives since 1989 is due to two main factors. First, a short-term, cyclical fall in demand for labour due to the economic recession. Secondly, the longer-term movement of jobs away from manufacturing and into services. The Department does not forecast changes in hours worked.
WALES
Agricultural Development Advisory Service
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh farmers asked the Agricultural Development Advisory Service for advice in the year (a) before and (b) after fees were introduced.
Mr. Redwood : This is a matter for the ADAS agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. M. Walsh to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 30 March 1994 :
The Minister of State for Wales has asked me to reply to your Question on how many Welsh farmers asked the Agricultural Development Advisory Service for advice in the years (a) before and (b) after fees were introduced.
Part (a) of your question refers to the ADAS financial year 1986-87 (1 April to 31 March). Up to and including this period ADAS did not keep records of how many Welsh farmers asked ADAS for advice.
Part (b) of your question refers to the financial year 1987-88 during which ADAS first charged some of the beneficiaries of its services as a result of a policy decision to make ADAS more financially accountable.
Management Information Systems were new and undeveloped at this time and information is therefore limited. I am only able to tell you that out of 13,000 full time farm holdings in Wales (source : 1993 Agricultural Census) ADAS issued approximately 7,000 invoices to Welsh customers.
I would also estimate that there was no significant fall in customers after charging was introduced as our evidence indicates that charging for our consultancy services "added value" in the perception of some of our customers and certainly attracted a new type of farming customer to complement existing customers.
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M4
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of (a) introducing variable text signs on the M4 in south Wales and (b) employing a road manager for the M4.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The cost of upgrading the motorway signed infrastructure to provide variable text signs, as seen on the M25, would be between £8 million and £10 million. On the issue of road management, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 14 March, Official Report, column 526.
Housing
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how his proposals for access to local authority and housing association tenancies will ensure that decisions over housing tenancies will remain under the control of local authorities.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Local authorities exercise nomination rights by agreement over elements of the housing association stock. In allocating their own tenancies, councils are expected to take account of relevant legislation and of good practice advice. Similar considerations would apply under the Government's recent proposals for change.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the extent to which rent bonds and guarantees increase in the private housing sector when private sector landlords know that local authorities will be responsible for such payments.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : These schemes are run by local authorities. No such indications have been reported to the Welsh Office.
Official Entertainment
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost of official entertaining in his Department in each year since 1990-91 ; if he will list the receptions held in each year at his Department's expense ; and what was the cost of each reception.
Mr. Redwood : The amounts spent by the Welsh Office on official hospitality were :
|£
-------------------------
1990-91 |45,419
1991-92 |35,982
1992-93 |38,382
<1>1993-94 |26,375
<1>To 25 March 1994.
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The number and cost of individual receptions could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Sheep Annual Premium
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what date he expects all applications for sheep annual premium in the current year to be paid out.
Mr. Redwood : Almost 90 per cent. of claimants for the 1993 sheep annual premium in Wales have received the two advances of payments. The balance of the premium should be paid by June. Most of the unpaid claims await the resolution of queries and some require farm visits. Priority is being given to clearing these cases as quickly as possible.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by county how many applications for payment of sheep annual premium he has received in the current year ; and what proportion in each county remained unpaid on 1 March.
Mr. Redwood : The information, which is available only on an administrative area basis, for the week ending 4 March, is as follows :
|Gwynedd/ |Dyfed |Powys/
|Clwyd |Gwent/
|Glamorgans
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Application for 1993
premium |5,701 |5,101 |6,676
Proportion unpaid on
1 March 1993 (per cent.) |9 |20 |9
Oscar Ceremonies
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek from the respective chairmen of (a) the Welsh Development Agency, (b) the Welsh Tourist Board, (c) S4C and (d) BBC Wales the number of their respective employees who visited the recent Oscar ceremonies in Los Angeles ; what was the cost in each case for the staff visits to Los Angeles ; and if the cost will be borne by the Exchequer or in the case of (d) be a charge on the television licence.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : No. Such operational matters are for the respective organisations concerned.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give a table showing the amount of (a) Welsh Office grant and (b) self- generated income which financed each TEC in each year since their inception in (i) cash prices and (ii) 1993-94 prices.
Mr. Redwood : The amounts of income received by the seven TECs in Wales for delivering their training and enterprise activities under contract with the Welsh Office together with other income generated for the three years 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93 are shown in the published audited annual accounts of TECs, copies of which are in the Library of the House. The figures for 1993-94 are not yet available.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was (a) the budget and (b) the outturn for each of the TECs for each year since their inception in (i) cash prices and (ii) 1993-94 prices.
Mr. Redwood : Much of the information requested has been provided to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short), in my letter dated 10 February 1994, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House. I will write to the hon. Member in the new financial year when the further information requested is available.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many training weeks were undertaken by each of the TECs in each year since their inception ; and how many training weeks are expected to be undertaken in the current year.
Mr. Redwood : The information requested is in the table. The statistics for 1993-94 refer to planned training weeks, whereas the figures for earlier years are training weeks delivered. Training for work replaced employment training and employment action in April 1993.
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Training weeks provided 1991-92 to 1993-94
1991-92
TEC |Youth |Employment |Employment |Total
|Training |Training |Action
|and Credits
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gwent |156,778 |82,826 |2,656 |242,260
Mid Glamorgan |193,746 |98,734 |6,228 |298,708
North East Wales |91,426 |38,157 |145 |129,728
Targed |104,581 |45,351 |0 |149,932
Powys |35,798 |17,886 |107 |53,791
South Glamorgan |93,619 |63,572 |1,302 |158,493
West Wales |228,064 |139,704 |3,861 |371,629
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1992-93
TEC |Youth |Employment |Employment |Total
|Training |Training |Action
|and Credits
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gwent |128,673 |107,639 |12,338 |248,650
Mid Glamorgan |151,215 |99,273 |25,702 |276,190
North East Wales |82,357 |36,506 |6,185 |125,048
Targed |106,611 |53,961 |12,118 |172,690
Powys |35,513 |15,077 |3,762 |54,352
South Glamorgan |89,729 |61,071 |14,910 |165,710
West Wales |218,017 |146,367 |19,181 |383,565
1993-94
TEC |Youth |Training for|Total
|Training |Work
|and Credits
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Gwent |160,000 |95,000 |255,000
Mid Glamorgan |170,040 |100,000 |270,040
North East Wales |98,240 |36,000 |134,240
Targed |122,000 |54,600 |176,600
Powys |35,000 |17,000 |52,000
South Glamorgan |98,751 |65,650 |164,401
West Wales |225,122 |134,000 |359,122
Source:
1991-92 and 1992-93 TEC Management Information Statistics.
1993-94 TEC Plans.
Neighbourhood Watch Schemes
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many neighbourhood watch schemes there are in operation in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : At 31 December 1993 there were 5,748 neighbourhood watch schemes operational in Wales.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many neighbourhood watch schemes were initiated in each year since 1989.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information is included in the table.
|Total |Initiated
|schemes |in-year
----------------------------------------
1989 |2,856 |n.a.
1990 |3,162 |306
1991 |3,857 |695
1992 |4,971 |1,114
1993 |5,748 |777
European Charter on Minority Languages
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Government will decide whether or not to become a signatory to the European charter on minority languages ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The Government will make a decision on this matter in due course.
Health Service Expenditure
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the projected expenditure for each (a) health authority, (b) family health services authority and (c) national health service trust for 1994-95 ;
(2) on which date spending levels for 1994-95 were communicated to each (a) health authority, (b) family health service authority and (c) national health service trust ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : My right hon. Friend announced the provisional cash allocations for 1994-95 for health
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authorities and family health services authorities and the provisional external financing limits for NHS trusts on 16 March. Health authorities and family health services authorities will provide information relating to their income and expenditure planning intentions for 1994-95--indicating how these will be contained within the cash allocations notified--in their final health plans which are due for submission to the Department by 16 April. NHS trusts will similarly provide information relating to their expenditure plans in their final 1994-95 operational plans which are due for submission by 30 April.Water Pollution
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make a statement concerning the discharges into the Irish sea, Liverpool bay and the Dee estuary from industries and the impact upon beaches and health and safety of local communities of these discharges ;
(2) if he will prepare and publish a report on the discharge by dangerous and impure substances into Liverpool bay and the River Dee estuary ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Discharges into inland and coastal waters are controlled by the National Rivers Authority under the Water Resources Act 1991 and by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Under this legislation, details of consents and authorisations, and the results of subsequent monitoring, are kept on public registers.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food monitors contaminants in the aquatic environment and the latest results are published in Aquatic Environment Monitoring Reports Nos. 36 and 38. Waters on the United Kingdom coastline that are popular for bathing come within the scope of the EC bathing water directive 76/160/EEC which sets water quality standards intended for the protection of public health. The water industry is currently undertaking a major investment programme to improve its discharges into coastal waters to ensure that bathing waters consistently meet these standards.
Local Government Boundaries
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the area of the pre-1974 counties of Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire and the present county of Powys will be included within the boundaries of the counties of the same name proposed in the Local Government (Wales) Bill [Lords].
Mr. Redwood : All the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The present county of Powys would be wholly included in the new county of that name.
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National Health Service Staff
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified NHS nurses and midwives, unqualified NHS nursing staff and nursing learners there
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were in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of the total NHS nursing and midwifery staff.Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information requested is given in the table.
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Nursing and midwifery staff in post (whole-time equivalents) as at 30
September<1>
Qualified Unqualified<2> Learners<3>
|of total |of total |of total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |17,850 |63.7 |7,069 |25.2 |3,118 |11.1
1990 |17,986 |64.0 |7,031 |25.0 |3,075 |10.9
1991 |18,010 |64.4 |7,019 |25.1 |2,934 |10.5
1992<4> |18,096 |66.0 |7,355 |26.8 |1,970 |7.2
1993<5> |17,912 |68.3 |7,220 |27.5 |1,033 |3.9
<1>Includes staff employed by the Welsh Health Common Services
Authority.
<2>Staff paid as grade A, B or nursery staff.
<3>Since the autumn of 1991 student nurses have been reclassified as
students and are no longer included in the NHS staff figures. Staff
included here are students finishing courses begun before this date.
However at 1 October 1993 there were about 1,900 Project 2000 nursing
students in Wales.
<4>Excludes staff paid on local payscales whose staff group cannot be
identified centrally.
<5>In addition there are 72 whole-time equivalent nursing staff for
whom no grade details are known centrally. The percentage shown do not,
therefore, add to 100 for 1993.
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation and with Balfour Beatty Costain Construction consortium in relation to the start date of the barrage construction contract and the complaints by the environment directorate of the European Union, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the World Wide Fund for Nature regarding the Cardiff bay barrage and the Cardiff bay site of special scientific interest.
Mr. Redwood : I have had no such discussions with Balfour Beatty Costain. The chairman of the development corporation has been kept fully informed of the position regarding the complaint to the European Commission.
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial controls he proposes should apply to councils during the suspension of compulsory competitive tendering because of local government reorganisation.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The suspension of compulsory competitive tendering does not affect the duty for councils to achieve a specified rate of return under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, or my right hon. Friend's powers to take action in cases of failure to achieve the rate of return.
The suspension of CCT means that, for principal councils in Wales, there would be no requirement to achieve a specified financial objective, or any sanctions in case of failure, for work which is currently a "defined activity" for the purposes of the Local Government Act 1988.
The Government propose to bring forward an amendment to the Local Government (Wales) Bill to provide that, notwithstanding the suspension of CCT, authorities should continue to be under a duty : --to keep accounts for this work ;
--to submit returns to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State ; and
--to achieve a specified financial objective.
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