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Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with other members of the United Nations Security Council about the statement by Edwin Bollier and Ulrich Lumpert, Swiss manufacturers of timing devices, about the circumstances of the Pan Am 103 disaster over Lockerbie and the policy of sanctions against Libya.
The Prime Minister : The exchange of information with the authorities of other Governments involved in the Lockerbie investigation is a matter for my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate. He has made it clear that he cannot comment on the details of the available evidence while criminal proceedings are pending. We have regular discussions with the other members of the Security Council about Libya. They are clearly of the view that Libya has not complied with Security Council resolutions 731, 748 and 883.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 17 May.
Sir Peter Tapsell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 17 May.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.
Mr. Byers : To ask the Prime Minister for how long his predecessor visited Malaysia on 6 August 1988 ; who she met during her visit and by whom she was accompanied
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during her meetings ; what subjects were discussed during the meetings ; and on what date it was decided that she should visit Malaysia on 6 August 1988.The Prime Minister : My predecessor decided in June 1988 to visit Malaysia in August on her return from Australia. During a two hour stop- over in Kuala Lumpur on 6 August, she met the Malaysian Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his Foreign Minister, the Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry and two other officials. The British high commissioner and the Prime Minister's foreign affairs private secretary were also present. A wide range of subjects was discussed, including aid, air services, Cambodia, defence sales, and arrangements for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malaysia in 1989.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by Her Majesty's prison and remand home/centre for the latest date he has figures available, the number of inmates whose place of residence is South Yorkshire ; and what were the figures (a) 12 months and (b) 24 months ago.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 17 May 1994 :
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of inmates in Scottish penal establishments whose place of residence is South Yorkshire for the latest date available and the figures for 12 months and 24 months ago.
I regret that the information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) for which hospital contracts in Scotland Scottish Office advice has been given that they lie outside the scope of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations ; and for which contracts advice has been given that they fall within the scope of TUPE ;
(2) what advice was given by the national health service management executive about the applicability of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to contracts for domestic and portering services at Glasgow Royal infirmary, the Royal maternity hospital and Yorkhill hospital.
Mr. Stewart : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 May, Official Report , column 365 .
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parliamentary questions, in the period November 1992 to March 1993, were answered with the response that the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate
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cost ; how many were referred on to an agency chief executive ; and, in each case, what percentage of the total number of questions asked this constituted.Mr. Lang : The information requested is as follows :
|Number |Percentage ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total number of Parliamentary Questions answered in the period November 1992 to March 1993. |<1>1,321 |- Number (and percentage of Parliamentary Questions which received responses that information requested is not held centrally and/or could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. |<1>43 |3.26 Number (and percentage of Parliamentary Questions referred to Agency Chief Executives for reply. |10 |0.76 <1> Source Polis
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Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by sex, and by year for the last 10 years, the average number of police officer days lost for reasons of sickness in each police authority.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information is set out in the table.
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Average number of Figures for days Male/Female not available before 1991 lost per officer for reasons of sickness |1993 |1992 |1991 |1990 |1989 |1988 |1987 |1986 |1985 |1984 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Central Male |9 |9 |12 |11 |11 |7 |10 |13 |11 |10 Female |13 |12 |18 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Dumfries and Galloway Male |10 |10 |13 |11 |11 |11 |11 |9 |9 |9 Female |11 |5 |7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Fife Male |8 |9 |11 |11 |12 |8 |11 |10 |12 |11 Female |12 |11 |12 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Grampian Male |5 |6 |<1>12|10 |9 |7 |8 |8 |10 |8 Female |9 |11 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Lothian and Borders Male |10 |11 |<1>8 |12 |13 |10 |11 |9 |13 |10 Female |13 |16 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Northern Male |9 |9 |14 |12 |10 |11 |8 |8 |11 |11 Female |8 |12 |12 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Strathclyde Male |15 |15 |<1>16|19 |14 |11 |14 |15 |14 |15 Female |17 |20 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Tayside Male |12 |10 |4 |8 |8 |7 |9 |11 |9 |10 Female |11 |10 |7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- <1> Figures for Male/Female not available
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the members of all further education college boards in Scotland and their relevant qualifications for this position.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : I have placed in the Library of the House the information held by my Department on the membership of boards of management of further education colleges in Scotland. Members of the boards of incorporated colleges are appointed in accordance with criteria set out in schedule 2 of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992. Schedule 6 of the Act provided that, with the exception of the staff and student representatives, the initial appointments to the boards were made by the Secretary of State. Subsequent appointments are for the boards themselves.
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Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines the Government give to hospital trusts about openness and accountability.
Mr. Stewart : My noble and learned friend the Minister of State last month issued codes of conduct and accountability covering issues such as openness and accountability to all members of health boards and NHS trusts. Each board has been asked to adopt these codes at its next formal meeting. For new members, acceptance of the codes will be a condition of appointment. Arrangements have been made for copies of the codes to be available in the Library of the House.
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the advantages for the Scottish ambulance service of becoming a trust and the disadvantages of remaining as it is at present.
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Mr. Stewart [holding answer 13 May 1994] : In signifying an interest in trust status the Scottish ambulance service has indicated that this will allow it to make much faster progress towards the achievement of its four main objectives which are :
(a) improving the quality of service to its patients ;
(b) improving relationships with health boards and NHS trusts as purchasers of ambulance services ;
(c) improving the motivation and ability of its staff to deliver better services ;
(d) achieving better value for money.
These advantages will be explained in more detail in the Scottish ambulance service trust application which is to be issued for public consultation on 18 May and a copy will be sent to the hon. Member.
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes are proposed to the composition of prison visiting committees ; which individuals and organisations were consulted before such changes were proposed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 16 May 1994] : Under The Prison (Scotland) Rules 1952, as amended, appointments to prison visiting committees are made by every local authority in whose area prisoners might have their homes. As a result some committees are extremely large--the Barlinnie visiting committee for example has 35 members--and members have to travel long distances. As currently drafted, under the new Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules only those local authorities within which the prisons lie would appoint members to visiting committees. The position would then be as set out in table 1.
In the new draft rules it is also proposed that half the membership of visiting committees should come from outwith the elected membership of the appointing authorities. It would therefore be open to the latter to appoint whoever they considered appropriate. These proposals were the subject of consultation last September, when views were sought from the organisations and individuals listed in table 2.
No firm view has yet been taken on the final shape of the new rules. We are considering carefully the representations made during the formal consultation process. Thereafter the new rules will be laid before this House.
Name of prison and |Numbers of Names of appointing |members to authorities |be appointed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aberdeen Grampian Regional Council |3 City of Aberdeen District Council |5 |-- |8 Barlinnie, Glasgow Strathclyde Regional Council |10 City of Glasgow District Council |15 |-- |25 Cornton Vale, Stirling Central Regional Council |4 Stirling District Council |5 |-- |9 Dumfries Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council |3 Nithsdale District Council |5 |-- |8 Dungavel Strathclyde Regional Council |3 East Kilbride District Council |5 |-- |8 Edinburgh Lothian Regional Council |5 City of Edinburgh District Council |12 |-- |17 Friarton Tayside Regional Council |3 Perth and Kinross District Council |5 |-- |8 Glenochil Central Regional Council |4 Clackmannan District Council |10 |-- |14 Greenock Strathclyde Regional Council |3 Inverclyde District Council |5 |-- |8 Inverness Highland Regional Council |3 Inverness District Council |5 |-- |8 Longriggend Strathclyde Regional Council |5 Monklands District Council |3 |-- |8 Low Moss Strathclyde Regional Council |4 Strathkelvin District Council |6 |-- |10 Noranside Tayside Regional Council |3 Angus District Council |5 |-- |8 Penninghame Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council |3 Wigtown District Council |5 |-- |8 Perth Tayside Regional Council |3 Perth and Kinross District Council |5 |-- |8 Peterhead Grampian Regional Council |3 Banff and Buchan District Council |5 |-- |8 Shotts Strathclyde Regional Council |5 Motherwell District Council |12 |-- |17
List of Consultees
Advisory Committee on Prisoners' Management
Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland
Association of Directors of Social Work
The Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments
Church and Nation Committee, Church of Scotland
Citizens Advice, Scotland
Consultative Committee on Clinical Psychology in Penal Establishments in Scotland
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Crown Agents
Faculty of Advocates
The Gateway Exchange
The Institute of Professionals, Manager and Specialists HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
Home Office
The Howard League for Penal Reform
The Howard League (Scotland)
The Joint Prison Chaplaincies Board
The Law Society for Scotland
Local Review Committees
National Union of Civil and Public Servants : Governors' Committee Northern Ireland Office
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
Parole Board for Scotland
The Principal Clerk of Sessions and Justiciary
Prison Reform Trust
Scottish Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders Scottish Association for the Study of Delinquency
Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals
Scottish Council for Civil Liberties
Scottish Legal Action Group
Scottish Parliamentary All Party Penal Affairs Group
Scottish Prison Officers' Association
Scottish Prison Service Trade Union Side
The Scottish Prison Social Workers
Sheriffs Association
Sheriffs Principal
University of Dundee Department of Law
University of Edinburgh Department of Criminology
University of Edinburgh Department of Social Policy
Visiting Committee Chairmen
Women's National Commission
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department has taken to constitute a voluntary early retirement scheme applicable to former Manpower Services Commission staff seconded to the local enterprise companies or previously seconded ; and what undertakings have been sought in relation to applicants from among such secondees that they were taking early retirement.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 13 May 1994] : On the establishment of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise former Department of Employment staff in Scotland were seconded to those bodies--rather than to the local enterprise companies--and were entitled to
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exercise a right to take up an offer of employment from the body in question until the termination of their secondment on 31 March 1994. Former Department of Employment staff who accepted an offer of employment from Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise became subject to the terms and conditions of service of these bodies, which are subject to approval by my right hon. Friend. A number of former Department of Employment secondees subse-quently accepted voluntary severance or early retirement under those terms and conditions as part of a general programme of staff reduction within Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Detailed arrangements relating to voluntary severance and early retirement are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise but the terms of these arrangements did not include any conditions applicable solely to former Department of Employment secondees.Department of Employment secondees remained eligible, until they took up an offer of employment, for any applicable early retirement schemes offered by that Department ; the detailed arrangements are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is the practice of his officials to prohibit the use of nets between 70 and 90mm in the United Kingdom nephrops fishery where the square mesh panel is fitted forward of any flapper as an alternative to placing it three flapper lengths to the rear of the flapper.
Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 12 May 1994] : Article 4(1) and (2) of the Sea Fish (Specified Sea Areas) (Regulation of Nets and Other Fishing Gear)(Variation) Order 1991, as amended, sets out the requirements for the use of square mesh panels in nets of between 70-90mm mesh size used for nephrops fishing in ICES area IV (north Sea).
Guidance to Fishery Officers was issued in December 1993 to confirm that square mesh panels should be sited either in the cod-end or in any extension piece, or immediately in front of any cod-end or any extension piece, as required by article 4(1)(c). Article 4(1)(f) sets out additional requirements in relation to any flappers that may be used, and allows the panel to be placed forward of any flapper.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made as to the availability of quality, modern, open-plan office space in the Edinburgh area ; and what plans he has to address any shortfall.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 12 May 1994] : My right hon. Friend has made no such assessment. Data may be available, of course, from private sector interests and publications and other sources. Local enterprise companies generally have a responsibility to work with the market to ensure that business development is not constrained by a lack of suitable accommodation. I understand that Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited conducted a major audit of the Lothian property market last winter.
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The hon. Member may therefore wish to approach the chairman of Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited to seek further information about the audit and about its present activities in this area.Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the value of central (a) administrative, (b) financial, (c) legal, (d) personnel and (e) information technology services provided to each of the (i) police, (ii) fire, (iii) water and (iv) sewerage departments by Strathclyde regional council in the latest available financial year.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 13 May 1994] : The information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the unweighted average of official development assistance of (a) EC countries and (b) Development Assistance Committee countries, as a proportion of gross national product in (i) 1992 and (ii) 1993 ; how much the United Kingdom spent by the same measure ; and by how much the United Kingdom would have needed to increase its assistance in cash terms in those years to have reached (1) EC and (2) DAC average expenditure.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Figures for official development assistance are not yet available for 1993. In 1992, the unweighted average official development assistance as a proportion of gross national product for EC countries and DAC countries was 0.45 per cent. and 0.48 per cent. respectively--the weighted averages are 0.44 per cent. and 0.33 per cent. respectively.
The United Kingdom official development assistance as a proportion of gross national product in 1992 was 0.31 per cent. In cash terms, the United Kingdom would have needed to increase its assistance by £844 million and £1,012 million to have reached the unweighted average expenditure levels for EC countries and DAC countries respectively.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of British aid was spent on (a) primary health care, (b) nutrition, (c) basic education, (d) family planning and (e) safe water and sanitation in (i) 1992 and (ii) 1993 ; and how much in cash terms would need to have been spent in each year in order to increase the amount spent on those basic needs to 20 per cent. of official development assistance.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Figures for official development assistance are not yet available for 1993. In 1992, the specified sectors as a proportion of the United Kingdom's bilateral official development assistance that can be allocated to a sector was :
|Per cent. ------------------------------------------ Primary health care |4.7 Nutrition |0.06 Education |20.4 Family planning |0.4 Safe water/sanitation |2.9 |------- Total |28.0
Our bilateral aid programme also includes a large amount of assistance which cannot be allocated by sector, such as debt relief, economic reform programmes and humanitarian assistance, but which also helps the poorest.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much British aid was spent in the least developed countries in (a) 1992 and (b) 1993 ; how much this was as a proportion of gross national product ; and by how much British official development assistance to the least developed countries would have needed to increase in cash terms in those years in order to meet the level recommended by the 1990 United Nations programme of action for the least developed countries.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Figures for official development assistance for 1993 are not yet available. In 1992, the United Kingdom gave £610.7 million to the least developed countries. This amounted to 0.10 per cent. of gross national product. To meet the 1990 United Nations programme of action for the least developed countries target, an increase of £278 million would have been needed. It should be noted however that the United Nations' category of least developed countries excludes states such as India and Pakistan, which are as poor as many least developed countries and are major recipients of United Kingdom aid.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of its official development assistance the United Kingdom spent in sub-Saharan Africa in 1992 and 1993 ; and what was the change in percentage terms between those years, giving the figures for (a) bilateral aid, (b) multilateral aid and (c) in total.
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