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Immigration
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were admitted as persons of independent means to the United Kingdom in each year from 1979 to 1993 ; of these, how many were admitted on the basis of remitting £500,000 ; and what character checks were made before the grant of clearance was given.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The information requested is not available.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department in relation to divulging to (a) the media and (b) other third parties any information concerning applications in the United Kingdom for political asylum ; and what assessment he has made of whether his Department's policy was properly observed in the case of Ms Tamara Norashkaryan.
Mr. Charles Wardle : It remains the normal policy not to divulge to any third party, including the media, the fact that an individual has applied for asylum or has been granted or refused asylum. However, where an applicant
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chooses for their own reasons to publicise details of their application, the nature of the consideration, or any decision made in respect of it, we reserve the right to comment publicly on their statements, if appropriate. I am satisfied that this policy is properly observed.Travel Information Manual"
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice and assistance has been offered by his officials to those who compile the "Travel Information Manual" used by British Airways and other airlines ; if he will arrange for his officials to ensure advice contained in the manual is in line with British immigration law ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Charles Wardle : The Immigration and Nationality Department routinely provides the publishers of the "Travel Information Manual" with factual information about United Kingdom passport, visa and other entry clearance requirements, but has no editorial control over the way in which this information is presented.
SCOTLAND
Sheep Premium Grants
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated number of farmers in Scotland entitled to receive sheep premium grants ; how many were settled by (a) 30 April, (b) 15 May and (c) 31 May and what each of those numbers of claims represents as a percentage of the estimated number of farmers in Scotland entitled to receive those grants.
Sir Hector Monro : Over 23,500 Scottish sheep producers currently hold quota and, provided they met the other requirements of the 1993 sheep annual premium scheme, were eligible to recieve premium under that scheme. Many farmers combine to form producer groups and the total number of 1993 claims received was 16,846. The number and percentage of those claims paid are as follows :
Advance payment Final payment
|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------
By 30 April |15,583 |92.5 |Nil |-
By 15 May |15,657 |92.9 |15,503 |92.0
By 31 May |15,657 |92.9 |15,503 |92.0
DEFENCE
Type 23 Frigate
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a decision on whether a company linked with Tricorp International of France can take over the contract to complete the work on the final type 23 frigate at Swan Hunter, Tyneside.
Mr. Aitken : Negotiations on the novation of the type 23 frigate contract continue with the owners of Constructions Me caniques de Normandie in respect of their prospective purchase of Swan Hunter Shipbuilders (in administrative receivership). These negotiations are
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commercially confidential to the company, but the outcome will depend on the owners of CMN purchasing the yard, who have stated that this would be conditional upon Swan Hunter winning the current competition for the refurbishment of the landing ship logistic, RFA Sir Bedivere.WALES
M4
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to resurface the eastbound carriageway of the M4 between junctions 45 and 44.
Sir Wyn Roberts : A scheme is in preparation for resurfacing the Morriston bypass--junctions 44 to 46. A start is expected later this financial year.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the total mileage of the M4 in Wales is fitted with side rumble markings ; and what plans he has to fit the whole of the M4 in Wales with such markings.
Sir Wyn Roberts : A total of 60 per cent. of the whole length of the M4 in Wales has side rumble markings. Rumble markings will be laid on the remainder during the next two to three years.
Departmental Management Plan
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the Welsh Office departmental management plan.
Mr. Redwood : No. The Welsh Office's departmental management plan is intended primarily for internal management and control purposes. Information on the Department's aims, objectives and priorities is included in the Welsh Office departmental report, which was published in March 1994.
Rough Sleepers and Beggars
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what instructions are given to security staff in his departmental offices in London for dealing with (a) those sleeping rough in departmental doorways and (b) beggars in the vicinity ; and how many problems have been experienced with each category in the last three months.
Mr. Redwood : None, none and none.
Cataract Surgery
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what (a) percentage discount rates and (b) special offers have been offered by each provider NHS trust in Wales to GP fundholders who place block orders for cataract surgery ; and if he will indicate the numbers of throughput thresholds at which the discount offered changes.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Information of the kind requested is not held centrally. Prices charged by NHS trusts should be calculated according to the principles established by the guidance on costing for contracting, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
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Marine Projects
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the 36 schemes referred to in section J2(2) on page 20 of supply estimates 1994-95, class XV, Wales ; and if he will indicate the rate of grant payable to each scheme.
Mr. Redwood : The list of schemes is set out as follows. Grant rates range between 35 per cent. and 75 per cent., but specific grant rates are available only for those schemes already approved.
Name of Scheme |Local Authority |Grant Rate
|Per cent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Llandudno West Shore |Aberconwy BC |70
Penrhyn Bay VO5 |Aberconwy BC |75
South Marine Terrace,
Aberystwyth |Ceredigion DC |51
Ceredigion Coastal Study |Ceredigion DC |55
Borth Preliminary Study |Ceredigion DC |55
Rhos on Sea/Penrhyn Bay |Colwyn BC |75
Pensarn Promenade Study |Colwyn BC |75
Dwyfor Coastal Study |Dwyfor DC |75
Porth Neigwl Preliminary
Study |Dwyfor DC |75
Llanelli Beach Phase I |Llanelli BC |70
Llanelli Beach Phase II |Llanelli BC |75
Meirionnydd Coastal Study |Meirionnydd DC |65
Aberavon Wall Phase I |Port Talbot BC |45
Aberavon Sea Wall
Reinstatement |Port Talbot BC |55
Aberavon Wall Phase IV |Port Talbot BC |55
Prestatyn Phase V |Rhuddlan BC |75
Prestatyn Phase VI |Rhuddlan BC |75
Prestatyn Phase VII |Rhuddlan BC |75
Cemaes Bay |Ynys Mon BC |55
Porth Diana |Ynys Mon BC |55
Llandudno North Shore
Phase I |Aberconwy BC |n/a
Aberystwyth Preliminary
Study |Ceredigion DC |n/a
Victoria Terrace Phase I,
Aberystwyth |Ceredigion DC |n/a
Aberaeron Harbour Pilot
Scheme |Ceredigion DC |n/a
Pensarn Beach, Colwyn |Colwyn BC |n/a
Kinmel Bay Model |Colwyn BC |n/a
Aberdyfi Dunes |Meirionnydd DC |n/a
Tywyn Sea Wall
Refurbishment |Meirionnydd DC |n/a
Pink Bay, Porthcawl |Ogwr BC |n/a
West Drive, Porthcawl |Ogwr BC |n/a
Amroth Phase I |South Pembrokeshire DC |n/a
Newquay Pier |Ceredigion DC |n/a
Dale |Preseli Pembrokeshire DC|n/a
Newport, Parrog |Preseli Pembrokeshire DC|n/a
Cwm Colhuw |Vale of Glamorgan BC |n/a
Beach Renourishment |Swansea City Council |n/a
Medical Consultants (Merit Awards)
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a list of the members of the Health Merit Awards Committee in Wales.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Copies of the membership of both the C awards committee and the higher awards committee for Wales have been placed in the Library of the House.
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Departmental Staff
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many permanent staff are employed in each of the 58 divisions indicated in figure 1.01 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1994-95 to 1996-97," Cm. 2515.
Mr. Redwood : The total number of permanent staff employed by my Department at May 1994 is 2,363.5.
The following table shows the numbers of permanent staff in each division.
In addition there are 45.5 senior staff and their immediate support staff and 118 staff mainly on unpaid or maternity leave who are not assigned to a division.
The figures do not include the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, which is a separate Government Department.
Permanent staff by division as full time equivalents
|Numbers
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Rural Tourism and Countryside Division |24.0
European Affairs Division |31.5
Urban Affairs Division |24.0
Policy Review and Development Division |12.5
Training Education and Intelligence Unit |12.0
Training and Enterprise Division |19.5
Contract Management and Financial Control Division |10.0
Further and Higher Education Division |13.0
Industrial Development Division |58.5
Business Services Division |28.5
Industrial and Regional Policy Division |45.5
Grants, Subsidies and Land Division |418.0
Fisheries and Animal Health Division |20.0
Commodities and General Agricultural Policy |17.5
Legal Division |55.5
Ministers Private Offices |29.0
Information Division |21.0
Cadw: Executive Agency |235.0
Central and Managaement Services Division 1 |207.5
Central and Management Services Division 2 |17.5
Personnel Management Division |64.5
Statistical Directorate |51.5
Economic Advice Division |6.0
Finance Services Division |62.0
Finance Programmes Division |23.5
Finance Local Government Division |19.0
Trust and Service Development Division |28.0
Organisation Development |25.5
Health Finance Management Division |24.0
Primary Health Care Division |25.5
Corporate Support Unit |3.5
Strategic Management Division |17.5
Public Health and Family Division |25.0
Health Policy and Resources Division |22.5
Community Care Division |20.0
Social Services Inspectorate |17.5
Architects and Surveyors Division |3.5
Housing Division |44.0
Nursing Division |9.0
Environmental Health Sub Group |3.0
Community and Primary Health Care Services Sub Group |22.0
Hospital Support Division |8.0
Dental Division |5.0
Pharmaceutical Division |3.0
Scientific Division |3.0
Network Management Division |43.0
Roads-North Wales |28.5
Roads-Construction |25.5
Roads Administration Division |65.0
Transport Policy Division |23.5
Planning Division |57.0
Estates Division |4.5
Environment Division |26.5
Local Government Reorganisation Division |23.0
Culture and Recreation Division |23.5
Schools Curriculum Division |18.0
Schools Administration Division |26.0
Departmental Circulars
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all circulars issued by his Department since 1985 on the investigation of serious untoward incidents affecting patients ; and if he will place a copy of each of those circulars in the Library.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The circulars involved are "Reporting accidents with and defects in medical products, buildings and plant, and other medical and non-medical equipment and supplies"--WHC(89)26--and an addendum to this circular issued in December 1989. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House, as will the revised version currently being developed.
National Rivers Authority
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what issues his advisory committee for Wales on National Rivers Authority functions has considered since the publication of its second annual report in December 1992.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The committee's third annual report has been published and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Arable Aid Scheme
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the aggregate loss of arable aid payments to farmers in less-favoured areas of Wales in 1994-95 as a result of the decision to divide Wales into two regions for arable aid on the basis of the LFA/non-LFA boundary, in comparison with what they would have received if Wales had been treated as one region ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 14 June 1994] : If Wales were treated as one region in 1994-95, the total payment for cereals to Welsh farmers in the LFA would be approximately £1.5 million . With Wales divided into two regions on the basis of the LFA/non-LFA boundary, the total payment available to Welsh farmers in the LFA in 1994-95 will be approximately £1.1 million , the same as in 1993-94. It is not fair to say that farmers have lost compared with some hypothetical figure : total cereals payments in 1994-95 will actually remain the same in the LFA as they were in 1993-94.
These figures assume :
(i) That the area of land on which arable aid payments for cereals are claimed in the 1994-95 marketing year is the same as that in 1993-94 ;
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(ii) That the proportions of LFA and non-LFA land on which claims are made in the 1994-95 marketing year remain the same as in 1993-94 ; and(iii) A green rate of £0.920969 per ecu, ie the current rate. Actual payments for the 1994-95 marketing year will depend on the green rate in force on 1 July 1994.
Arable Aid Scheme
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the aggregate loss of arable aid payments to farmers in Wales in 1994-95 as a result of the decision to treat England and Wales as two regions for arable aid, in comparison with what they would have received if England and Wales had been treated as one region ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Redwood [holding answer 14 June 1994] : If England and Wales were treated as one region in 1994-95 the total payment for cereals to Welsh farmers would be approximately £6.9 million . With Wales treated separately the total payment will be approximately £5.5 million . This compares with an actual total payment of £4.1 million last year, an increase of £1.4 million or more than one third. It is not sensible to call a comparison with some better hypothetical system a loss, when payments will go up.
These figures assume that the area of land on which arable aid payments for cereals are claimed in Wales for the 1994-95 marketing year is the same as that in 1993-94 and a green rate of £0.920969 per ecu, ie the current rate. Actual payments for the 1994-95 marketing year will depend on the green rate in force on 1 July 1994.
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