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Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the specific representations he has received opposing the inclusion of Llanelly in the proposed new unitary authority of Powys ; and when each representation was made.
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Mr. Redwood : Since publication of the Local Government (Wales) Bill, I have received the following specific representations opposing the inclusion of Llanelly in the proposed Powys unitary authority : Cllr. Bernard Assinder, leader of Blaenau Gwent borough council December 1993
Cllr. Bernard Assinder, leader of Blaenau Gwent borough council January 1994
Cllr. Bernard Assinder, leader of Blaenau Gwent borough council March 1994
Cllr. Bernard Assinder, leader of Blaenau Gwent borough council March 1994
Cllr. Bernard Assinder, leader of Blaenau Gwent borough council April 1994
Llanelly community council December 1993
Monmouth Conservative Association March 1994
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 29 March, Official Report, column 625, if he will cite the precise reference and form of words in the representation he has received from Cardiff city council which indicates the authority favouring the inclusion of Pentyrch in the proposed new unitary authority of Cardiff.
Mr. Redwood : In a joint letter to me dated 26 January 1994, the Leaders of Cardiff city council and Vale of Glamorgan borough council said
"We would, therefore, wish to re-affirm our support for the proposals as outlined in the Bill. The proposed new unitary authorities present by far the best solution for the people of our areas, best for the people of the wider region and best for the local government in Wales."
Miss Lestor : To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to Lancashire artists, "A History of Salford Mining", to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
Mr. Michael J. Martin : I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 11 July to Friday 15 July.
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Lord President of the Council when the provision of compensation for Ministers who resign from office or are dismissed commenced ; what factors occasioned it ; how often it has been refused by any ex-Minister since 1979 ; and what representations he has received arguing that ex-Ministers should not publish memoirs of their time in office for a given period after leaving office.
Mr. Newton : Severance payments were introduced for Ministers in the House of Lords by section 13 of Parliamentary Pensions Act 1984, and extended to those in the House of Commons by the Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991. These payments were introduced following recommendations by the Top Salaries Review Body ; Reports No. 20, Cmnd 8881 of May 1983, and No. 26, Cm 362 of May 1988 respectively. They compensate for the abrupt loss of earnings which Ministers face immediately on leaving office. I am not
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aware of a severance payment ever having been refused. I have received no representations proposing a moratorium on the memoirs of ex-Ministers.Mr. Ian Bruce : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many statutory instruments were (a) made by Ministers and (b) approved by Parliament in (i) 1992 and (ii) 1993.
Mr. Newton : In 1992, there were a total of 3,359 statutory instruments made by Ministers ; of these, 127 were laid before the House and approved. In 1993, the figures were 3,279 and 172 respectively.
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Lord President of the Council how much his Department's computer-aided facilities management systems cost ; from whom they were purchased ; how many person hours were required to commission them ; what the estimated and actual saving has been from their operation ; and to what extent the use of such systems accounts for the apparent rise in theft noted in his answer to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) of 16 February, Official Report , column 774 .
Mr. Newton : The Privy Council Office has no computer-aided facilities management systems.
As to theft, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr.Campbell) on 16 February, which records that no equipment has been stolen from the Privy Council Office in the last three years.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many letters were received from, and written to, hon. Members by him in February.
Mr. Newton : I received 23 letters from hon. Members in February and wrote to 16.
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimate of the number of households comprising individuals of pensionable age (a) living alone and (b) living with another individual or individuals also of pensionable age.
Mr Hague : In 1990-91--the latest year for which information is available--an estimated 3.34 million persons over pension age lived in households alone and 2.12 million households comprised persons over pension age living with one or more others over pension age. These estimates derive from the 1990-91 family expenditure survey.
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Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information technology consultants his Department has employed, for what purpose and at what total cost for each of the last five years.
Mr. Hague : The Department has employed IT consultants and contractors over the past five years to assist the permanent civil service IT specialists to provide IT services to the DSS group, Northern Ireland Social Security Agency, the Employment Service and Department of Health. All aspects of IT are covered including business analysis, development, implementation and service delivery. Details of these services, including expenditure for IT consultants and contractors, are in the table.
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