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Automatic Train Protection
Mrs. Browning : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received British Rail's report on automatic train protection ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Sir Bob Reid has sent my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State a report setting out the results of the BR's work evaluating the technical trials, costs and benefits of ATP systems. No decisions have yet been taken on implementation. My right hon. Friend has asked the Health and Safety Commission and Railtrack for their views on the report. The HSC's advice is expected in the autumn.
The report's findings will be made available by Railtrack in the next few weeks. Copies of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.
Rail Franchising Director
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what directions he has given to the Franchising Director in respect of payment of subsidy, where services do not operate.
Mr. Freeman : My right hon. Friend has given no directions to the Franchising Director on this issue.
London Underground (Fires)
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fires have occurred (a) on London Underground property and (b) in London Underground stations in each of the last 10 years ; which stations they were in ; and how many of them involved escalators.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 27 June 1994] : The information is not held in the form requested. Figures are readily available only from 1990 onwards, and are not held for individual stations.
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Z
Confirmed Fire Incidents on London Underground 1990 to date
Year |In Stations |On Escalators |Other Property|Total
|(excluding |(track and
|escalators) |rolling stock)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990 |658 |136 |1,830 |2,624
1991 |80 |73 |993 |1,146
1992 |59 |46 |525 |630
1993 |56 |11 |365 |432
1994 to date |13 |5 |52 |70
Safety
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department gives to value-for-money performance indicators for transport safety measures ; and what research has been undertaken by his Department into such indicators.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 27 June 1994] : My Department strongly supports the use of value-for-money criteria in the consideration of transport safety measures and the need for systematic assessment of costs and benefits in the introduction of safety legislation. A range of research has been commissioned by the Department into the valuation of safety benefits, particularly in relation to road safety. The public transport operators also commission research in which the Department takes a close interest.
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions officials of his Department have had with the National Audit Office concerning value-for-money performance indicators for transport safety measures.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 27 June 1994] : Officials from my Department participated in the National Audit Office seminar in July 1993 and have more recently had a number of informal discussions on performance measures for transport safety.
Mr. Illsley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions are given to public inquiries after transport disasters regarding (a) the prioritisation of any recommendation produced by such inquiries and (b) the estimation of the costs of implementing any recommendations produced by such inquiries.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 27 June 1994] : The Department believes it important that consideration is given to the costs as well as the likely benefits of implementing any recommendations produced by public inquiries after major transport disasters. This is reflected in the terms of reference of Lord Donaldson's inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping which required that due consideration should be given to the economic implications of any new measures. The Department attaches importance to ensuring that any future inquiries also include this requirement. The Department has not issued specific instructions about the prioritisation of recommendations.
Air Misses
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the number of category A air misses between civilian and military aircraft for each year since 1989.
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Mr. Norris [holding answer 24 June 1994] : According to the information supplied by the National Air Traffic Services' joint air miss section, the number of category A air misses between civilian and military aircraft for each year since 1989, are as follows :
Year |Total ------------------ 1989 |12 1990 |12 1991 |8 1992 |9 1993 |4
PRIME MINISTER
Government Ministers
Q9. Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he has given to reducing the total number of Government Ministers.
Disabled People
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the legislative measures for the benefit of disabled people which were introduced during the period that he served as Minister with responsibility for disabled people ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : During the relatively short period when I was Minister for disabled people--September 1986 to June 1987--the Government introduced a number of legislative measures, including those which improved local authority services for disabled people bringing them additional rights of assessment ; requiring authorities to consider the needs of carers ; and improving information and consultation.
Since I became Prime Minister disabled people have benefited from many more important initiatives such as the introduction of the disability living and working allowances, the access-to-work scheme and improvements to promote the integration of disabled pupils within mainstream schools. I have also made clear our commitment to do still more.
Corfu Summit
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what proposals on environmental protection the United Kingdom has submitted to the European Union Heads of Government summit in Corfu.
The Prime Minister : The United Kingdom did not submit any specific environmental protection matters for discussion.
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Japan (Nuclear Weapons)
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what communications he has had with his Japanese counterpart, Mr. Hata, in regard to his statement to the Japanese Diet on 17 June that Japan has the capacity to build nuclear weapons.
The Prime Minister : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office today.
Value Added Tax
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has made statements in the House on whether he had plans to increase value added tax, both in terms of scope and rate, since he assumed office.
The Prime Minister : I have made statements in the House concerning VAT on numerous occasions, details of which are available in the Library of the House.
AGIP (Africa) Ltd.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Prime Minister (1) whether he will appoint an independent committee, like that of Lord Justice Scott, to investigate all aspects of money laundering by AGIP (Africa) Ltd ; (2) whether, further to his correspondence with the hon. Member for Great Grimsby, he has initiated inquiries into money laundering involving AGIP (Africa) Ltd.
The Prime Minister : As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales investigated the allegations of misconduct on the part of its members and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to justify bringing a disciplinary case against them.
Union Flag (Public Buildings)
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Prime Minister what action he will take to promote the presence of the Union flag in Government and local government offices, institutions and law courts.
The Prime Minister : The Union flag is flown on Government buildings on approximately 20 occasions each year at Her Majesty's command to highlight days of national celebration. Other than that there are no restrictions ; local authorities and other organisations are free to display the Union flag as often as they wish, both inside and outside their buildings. While I have no plans to regulate further the display of the Union flag I would welcome its more frequent use as a symbol of our national pride and unity.
Roberto Calvi
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Prime Minister what inquiries he has made in connection with the Banco Ambrosiano official Roberto Calvi.
The Prime Minister : None. The circumstances of Mr. Calvi's death were fully investigated by the police.
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Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 28 June.
Sir Peter Tapsell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 28 June.
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.
Jill Rutter
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Prime Minister in what grade Ms Jill Rutter is employed as a civil servant ; and what are her responsibilities.
The Prime Minister : Ms Rutter is a grade 5 civil servant, seconded to the policy unit from Her Majesty's Treasury. Her responsibilities cover transport, among a range of other issues.
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Prime Minister in what capacity Ms Jill Rutter attended a meeting of the Railtrack board on 17 June ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : Ms Rutter has never attended a Railtrack board meeting. On Friday 17 June, she attended a meeting of officials at the Department of Transport, at the invitation of Department of Transport officials, part of which was attended by some Railtrack employees.
EDUCATION
Further and Higher Education
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 25 February, Official Report, column 502, what is his current policy on the holdback of grants from the Further Education Funding Council ; and whether the grant will be paid to the council to allow it discretion over payments to the individual colleges when they have satisfied its conditions.
Mr. Boswell : My right hon. Friend's policy on this matter is unchanged. He will reach a decision in due course.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to prevent colleges of further and higher education from withholding (a) pay increases, (b) references, (c) in-service training and (d) special benefits to those seeking early retirement and other means of pressure on to staff who refuse to sign the College Employers' Forum contract ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : It is for each college to decide what action it will take in respect of the introduction of new contracts.
Student Loans
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many representations he has received in the last two years on the subject of student loans ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : Since June 1992 my right hon. Friend has received 175 letters from hon. Members and members of
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the public on the subject of student loans. In addition my right hon. Friend has received a number of letters on the issue of student support generally. It is not possible to say how many of these mentioned student loans.Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will establish a permanent organisation for investigation of accusations in respect of (a) nepotism, (b) preferential contract deals, (c) conflicts of interest and (d) other forms of corruption by principals and governors of colleges of further and higher education and universities ; and how many investigations of individual colleges he has ordered to date.
Mr. Boswell : My right hon. Friend sees no need for a permanent organisation for the investigation of complaints.
In the case of an institution in the further education sector my right hon. Friend may intervene under section 57 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 in the event of mismanagement, on the advice of the Further Education Funding Council, or breach of duty. He has requested the FEFC to carry out investigations into the governance and management of two institutions in the further education sector.
Under section 81 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, if it appears to my right hon. Friend that the financial affairs of any institution within the higher education sector have been mismanaged, he may, after consulting the Higher Education Funding Council and the institution, make directions to the council about the provision of financial support in respect of the activities carried out by the institution. No such direction to the council has been made in respect of any higher education institution.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 3 March, Official Report, column 805, on new contracts for staff of colleges of further education, what authority the Further Education Funding Council has to bring pressure or offer inducements to colleges to move existing staff on to new contracts ; and how it proposes to secure uniformity of conditions in colleges.
Mr. Boswell : The FEFC has asked each college to sign a declaration that contracts for new staff satisfy the two conditions that I set out in the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 16 February, Official Report, column 842. It is for each college to decide what form of contract it wishes to introduce for new staff and whether it can then sign the declaration.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what instructions or advice his Department offers to firms auditing the accounts of colleges of further and higher education for reporting on staff privileges, membership of private health insurance paid for by the colleges or for the detection of fraud, nepotism or sweetheart contracts by governors and principals.
Mr. Boswell : Colleges of further education are required by their instruments of government to appoint auditors and to carry out audit work in accordance with the requirements of the Further Education Funding Council. The Further Education Funding Council Unit, the precursor of the Further Education Funding Council, issued in July 1992 advice on external audit, including guidance on the appointment of auditors, scope of audit
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and reporting arrangements. The Comptroller and Auditor General and the Council both have powers to inspect colleges' accounts where they consider this appropriate.Colleges of higher education are subject to the auditing requirements of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The Council's audit code of practice was issued in July 1993. Higher education institutions funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England are required, from 1994 -95, to disclose the actual total emoluments of the vice-chancellor, director or principal, including benefits in kind valued as cash.
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) pursuant to his answer of 25 February, Official Report, column 503, whether his Department has asked any colleges for explanations about the forms of contract they have agreed with staff, or approved any contract offered by any college ;
(2) what explanation he has sought from Manchester college of arts and technology about its new contract terms for staff.
Mr. Boswell : The Department has asked Manchester college of arts and technology to explain how its agreement with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education allows it to sign the declaration to the FEFC that its new contract of employment for lecturing staff is significantly different from its current contract of employment. It has not sought an explanation from any other college.
Universities
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to include the bonds proposed to be issued on behalf of universities in the public sector borrowing requirements ; and what factors he intends to take into account to assess whether such inclusion was required.
Mr. Boswell : Universities are classified as private institutions and loans they raise from the private finance sector do not add to the PSBR. The definition of the public sector is essentially a matter for the Central Statistical Office.
Special Educational Needs
Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the effect of his Department's funding for special educational needs grants for education support and training on other education budgets.
Mr. Forth : The GEST programme prioritises less than 2 per cent. of overall LEA expenditure. In 1994-95, there are five SEN grants which total £23.7 million of the overall budget for GEST of £270.6 million.
It is for LEAs themselves to decide how much of their overall education budget to spend respectively on special educational needs and other areas of education.
Nursery Classes
Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many full-time equivalent pupils in designated nursery classes in January 1993 were born between (a) 1 September 1987 and 31 December 1987, (b) 1 January 1988 and 31 March 1988 and (c) 1 April 1988 and 31 August 1988 in each local education authority ;
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(2) how many full-time equivalent pupils in primary schools, though not in designated nursery classes, in January 1993 were born between (a) 1 September 1987 and 31 December 1987, (b) 1 January 1988 and 31 March 1988 and (c) 1 April 1988 and 31 August 1988 in each local education authority.Column 484
Mr. Robin Squire : The number of pupils aged four at the beginning of the school year 1992-93 being taught in nursery and infant classes in maintained primary schools in each local education authority in England is shown in the table.
Column 483
Full Time Equivalent<1> of pupils aged 4 in maintained primary schools in each Local
Education Authority in England
January 1993
Pupils aged 4
born between:-
1 September 1 January 1988-31 1 April 1988-31
1987-31 December March 1988 August 1988
1987
LEA |Nursery |Infant |Nursery |Infant |Nursery |Infant
|classes |classes |classes |classes |classes |classes
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |0.0 |8.0 |0.5 |5.0 |6.5 |5.0
Camden |0.0 |509.0 |1.0 |364.0 |18.0 |580.0
Greenwich |1.0 |1,050.0 |9.0 |782.0 |411.0 |229.0
Hackney |0.0 |871.0 |1.0 |560.0 |449.5 |229.0
Hammersmith |0.0 |477.0 |2.0 |363.0 |174.5 |220.0
Islington |0.0 |746.0 |1.5 |568.0 |363.5 |293.0
Kensington and Chelsea |1.0 |313.5 |0.0 |246.5 |128.5 |93.0
Lambeth |0.0 |951.0 |12.0 |736.0 |326.5 |254.0
Lewisham |0.0 |974.0 |2.5 |798.5 |412.0 |237.0
Southwark |4.0 |1,112.0 |9.0 |771.0 |503.5 |366.0
Tower Hamlets |21.0 |969.0 |36.0 |685.0 |472.0 |290.0
Wandsworth |0.0 |791.0 |0.0 |609.5 |0.0 |1,071.5
Westminster |4.0 |469.0 |4.0 |332.0 |161.0 |153.0
Barking and Dagenham |0.5 |750.0 |1.0 |559.0 |2.0 |896.0
Barnet |0.5 |1,120.5 |0.5 |831.0 |8.0 |1,401.5
Bexley |0.0 |890.0 |0.5 |808.0 |173.5 |206.5
Brent |57.0 |960.0 |42.0 |732.0 |73.5 |1,232.0
Bromley |0.0 |1,156.0 |0.5 |938.0 |27.5 |225.5
Croydon |0.0 |1,287.0 |0.0 |1,005.5 |0.5 |1,788.0
Ealing |11.0 |1,172.0 |7.5 |905.0 |15.0 |1,437.0
Enfield |1.0 |1,081.0 |0.0 |871.5 |1.0 |1,447.5
Haringey |0.0 |943.0 |1.0 |671.0 |5.5 |1,116.0
Harrow |1.0 |855.0 |0.5 |622.0 |0.5 |1,015.5
Havering |0.0 |967.0 |1.0 |745.0 |2.5 |747.5
Hillingdon |1.0 |964.0 |341.0 |49.0 |590.5 |15.5
Hounslow |1.0 |841.0 |3.0 |697.0 |14.5 |1,087.5
Kingston upon Thames |0.0 |502.0 |13.5 |363.5 |5.5 |376.5
Merton |0.0 |695.0 |0.0 |511.5 |200.5 |359.0
Newham |0.0 |1,206.0 |379.5 |3.0 |522.5 |0.0
Redbridge |0.0 |953.5 |40.5 |655.5 |184.5 |520.0
Richmond upon Thames |0.0 |569.0 |0.0 |209.0 |0.5 |375.5
Sutton |0.0 |702.0 |186.5 |34.0 |308.0 |15.0
Waltham Forest |1.0 |981.0 |13.5 |785.0 |445.0 |192.0
Birmingham |1.0 |4,907.0 |5.0 |3,618.0 |14.5 |6,263.5
Coventry |0.5 |1,411.0 |0.0 |1,053.0 |1.0 |1,762.0
Dudley |0.0 |1,293.0 |1.5 |1,060.0 |460.0 |246.0
Sandwell |23.0 |1,404.0 |16.5 |1,048.0 |26.0 |1,732.0
Solihull |0.0 |909.0 |0.0 |681.0 |0.0 |1,152.0
Walsall |0.0 |1,186.0 |0.0 |923.0 |0.5 |1,533.0
Wolverhampton |0.0 |1,132.0 |0.0 |849.0 |2.0 |1,463.0
Knowsley |0.0 |808.0 |0.0 |642.0 |2.0 |955.0
Liverpool |1.0 |2,268.0 |5.0 |1,691.0 |8.5 |2,841.0
St. Helens |0.0 |775.0 |0.0 |604.0 |2.5 |1,003.5
Sefton |0.5 |1,171.5 |1.5 |927.0 |5.0 |1,503.0
Wirral |0.0 |1,419.0 |0.0 |1,169.0 |0.0 |1,907.0
Bolton |3.5 |1,226.0 |0.0 |934.0 |3.0 |1,599.0
Bury |1.0 |771.0 |1.0 |584.0 |4.0 |1,010.5
Manchester |6.5 |2,186.0 |24.0 |1,611.0 |1,660.5 |779.0
Oldham |0.0 |1,070.0 |0.0 |825.0 |1.0 |1,356.5
Rochdale |1.0 |1,005.0 |0.0 |787.5 |0.0 |1,303.0
Salford |10.0 |968.0 |14.0 |785.0 |24.0 |1,377.0
Stockport |8.0 |1,268.0 |9.5 |927.0 |20.5 |1,529.0
Tameside |0.0 |1041.0 |0.0 |817.0 |2.0 |1,337.0
Trafford |0.0 |929.0 |0.5 |666.0 |20.0 |1,141.0
Wigan |0.0 |1,406.0 |0.0 |1,028.5 |0.0 |1,673.5
Barnsley |0.5 |983.0 |0.5 |773.0 |399.0 |293.0
Doncaster |0.0 |1,325.0 |0.0 |1,023.0 |0.0 |1,723.0
Rotherham |0.0 |1,098.0 |0.5 |966.0 |542.5 |195.0
Sheffield |1.0 |2,135.0 |11.5 |1,712.5 |759.0 |660.5
Bradford |0.0 |2,392.0 |3.0 |1,895.0 |524.0 |1,715.5
Calderdale |0.0 |929.0 |0.0 |751.0 |0.0 |1,139.0
Kirklees |0.0 |1,782.0 |13.0 |1,304.0 |486.0 |1,027.0
Leeds |1.0 |3,056.0 |1.5 |2,422.0 |1,049.5 |1,152.0
Wakefield |1.0 |1,414.0 |2.0 |1,092.0 |462.0 |718.5
Gateshead |0.0 |820.0 |0.0 |585.0 |0.0 |1,058.0
Newcastle upon Tyne |1.0 |1,089.0 |1.0 |810.0 |1.0 |1,375.0
North Tyneside |0.0 |828.0 |0.0 |581.5 |0.5 |1,063.0
South Tyneside |0.0 |727.0 |1.0 |534.0 |0.0 |849.0
Sunderland |0.0 |1,321.0 |0.0 |1,050.0 |0.0 |1,685.0
Isles of Scilly |0.0 |10.5 |0.0 |4.0 |0.0 |9.5
Avon |3.0 |3,763.5 |1.5 |2,877.5 |4.5 |5,017.5
Bedfordshire |42.5 |2,480.5 |416.0 |999.0 |695.0 |936.0
Berkshire |6.5 |3,102.0 |386.5 |510.5 |725.5 |107.0
Buckinghamshire |2.0 |2,666.0 |4.0 |1,395.5 |387.5 |541.0
Cambridgeshire |0.0 |2,840.0 |0.0 |2,251.5 |2.0 |3,631.5
Cheshire |0.0 |4,159.0 |0.0 |3,196.5 |6.5 |5,138.0
Cleveland |12.0 |2,702.0 |7.0 |2,085.0 |22.5 |3,478.0
Cornwall |1.0 |1,956.0 |2.0 |1,450.5 |117.5 |1,322.0
Cumbria |0.0 |1,947.5 |0.0 |1,501.0 |0.0 |2,478.5
Derbyshire |2.5 |3,841.5 |15.5 |3,090.5 |1,129.0 |1,688.0
Devon |0.0 |3,854.0 |4.5 |3,030.5 |434.5 |1,249.5
Dorset |0.0 |2,260.5 |0.0 |1,463.0 |7.5 |1,507.5
Durham |1.0 |2,554.5 |3.0 |1,941.0 |93.0 |2,808.5
East Sussex |1.0 |2,556.0 |1.0 |2,083.5 |58.0 |1,705.5
Essex |0.5 |6,178.0 |18.0 |5,067.0 |454.5 |1,542.5
Gloucestershire |0.0 |2,121.5 |0.0 |1,705.5 |0.0 |2,720.0
Hampshire |0.0 |6,538.0 |0.5 |5,356.0 |236.0 |1,444.5
Hereford and Worcester |0.0 |2,676.5 |0.0 |2,081.0 |363.5 |444.0
Hertfordshire |0.0 |4,066.5 |29.5 |3,362.0 |1,139.0 |1,377.0
Humberside |0.0 |4,068.0 |7.0 |3,081.0 |1,285.5 |2,347.5
Isle of Wight |0.0 |474.0 |0.5 |357.0 |0.0 |598.0
Kent |0.5 |6,256.0 |1.0 |4,594.5 |46.0 |6,649.0
Lancashire |0.0 |6,245.0 |0.5 |4,835.0 |1.5 |7,884.0
Leicestershire |21.0 |3,923.5 |389.5 |2,432.0 |1,233.0 |1,463.0
Lincolnshire |0.0 |2,271.0 |0.0 |1,786.5 |31.0 |3,126.5
Norfolk |0.0 |2,776.5 |1.5 |2,134.0 |18.5 |2,460.5
North Yorkshire |11.0 |2,694.0 |20.0 |2,146.0 |285.0 |2,787.0
Northamptonshire |1.0 |2,615.0 |4.0 |2,015.5 |4.5 |3,435.5
Northumberland |0.0 |1,227.0 |1.5 |959.0 |15.0 |1,566.5
Nottinghamshire |3.0 |4,438.0 |687.5 |1,620.5 |1,831.0 |364.5
Oxfordshire |8.0 |2,235.0 |176.0 |559.5 |284.0 |169.0
Shropshire |0.0 |1,677.0 |2.0 |1,303.0 |313.5 |605.0
Somerset |0.0 |1,807.5 |0.0 |1,423.5 |5.5 |2,414.0
Staffordshire |2.0 |4,404.0 |0.0 |3,576.0 |65.5 |5,594.0
Suffolk |16.0 |2,546.5 |10.5 |2,010.5 |680.5 |615.5
Surrey |1.0 |3,503.5 |2.5 |2,749.0 |421.5 |1,087.5
Warwickshire |0.0 |1,972.0 |0.0 |1,536.0 |3.0 |2,541.0
West Sussex |0.0 |2,639.0 |1.0 |2,031.0 |42.5 |832.5
Wiltshire |0.0 |2,447.0 |0.0 |1,954.5 |96.0 |1,311.0
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |301.0 |200,781.5|3,417.0 |146,100.0|25,027.0 |155,592.0
<1>Part-time pupil=0.5.
Obscene Publications Branch
Dr. Spink : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department has issued to head teachers or governors on computer pornography in schools ; how his future plans for tackling it have been affected by the possible closure of the obscene publications branch at Scotland Yard ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The National Council for Educational Technology is developing guidance for parents and schools on access to computers. This will include advice on computer pornography and will be available later this year. The review of the obscene publications branch is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, but I understand that there are no plans to reduce police effort in this area.
Dr. Spink : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultation there has been with teachers' unions on the future of the obscene publications branch at Scotland Yard.
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Professor Tim Brighouse
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much public money has been paid, or will be paid, to cover costs incurred by him as a result of Professor Tim Brighouse's successful High Court action against him.
Student Loans Company
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list each chairman of the Student Loans Company since its inception, the date of their appointment and who made it, the salary they received and the companies of which they were directors at the time they were also chairman of the Student Loans Company.
Mr. Boswell : The shareholders have appointed three chairmen to the Student Loans Company : Mr. John
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Vereker was appointed, unpaid, on 21 December 1989 and was also a director of the Institute of Manpower Studies ; Mr. Malcolm Hurlston was appointed on 6 September 1991 at a salary of £12,000 and was a director of Registry Trust Ltd. and ESOP Centre Ltd. and Mr. Kenneth Young was appointed on 28 July 1992 at a salary of £12,000 and has served as deputy chairman of the Post Office, chairman of Post Office Counters Ltd., Girobank plc and Subscription Services Ltd. and is a non-executive director of FBG Pensions Ltd. and FBG Pensions Investments Ltd.National Youth Agency
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the future of the National Youth Agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell : A policy review of the National Youth Agency is under way. Contributions to an assessment of the general effectiveness of the agency have been invited from interested bodies. My right hon. Friend plans to announce the outcome of the review in the autumn. Meanwhile, I will be placing in the Library today a copy of the letter of consultation to interested bodies which includes details of the terms of reference of the policy review.
Educational Achievement
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will conduct research into the levels of educational achievement attained by different ethnic groups.
Mr. Robin Squire : Research evidence is already available on the levels of educational achievement attained by different ethnic groups. The reasons why some groups achieve better than others were examined in detail by the former Swann committee of inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups. Lord Swann concluded that there would be little to be gained in studying the causes further and that the focus should now be on efforts to counter underachievement. The Government have been doing this, through a variety of measures to raise the educational achievement of all pupils, whatever their ethnic background.
Special Schools
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of statutory age pupils attended a special school in each local education authority ; and what was the national average, for the latest year for which information is available.
Mr. Forth : The percentage of pupils aged five to 15 attending maintained special schools in England in January 1993 was 1.31 per cent.
Information on attendance at maintained special schools in each local authority in England is given in the table.
Percentage of pupils of compulsory school age
attending maintained special schools
in each Local Education Authority in England
January 1993
Local education |Percentage of
authority
|pupils attending
|special schools
---------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |0.00
Camden |1.76
Greenwich |2.11
Hackney |2.75
Hammersmith |2.55
Islington |1.60
Kensington and Chelsea |0.78
Lambeth |3.21
Lewisham |1.68
Southwark |1.59
Tower Hamlets |1.72
Wandsworth |3.32
Westminster |1.14
Barking |0.69
Barnet |0.77
Bexley |0.89
Brent |1.14
Bromley |0.99
Croydon |1.26
Ealing |1.32
Enfield |1.06
Haringey |1.30
Harrow |0.79
Havering |0.61
Hillingdon |1.24
Hounslow |1.39
Kingston upon Thames |1.45
Merton |1.22
Newham |0.74
Redbridge |1.30
Richmond upon Thames |0.85
Sutton |1.13
Waltham Forest |2.37
Birmingham |1.72
Coventry |1.83
Dudley |1.36
Sandwell |1.87
Solihull |0.90
Walsall |1.21
Wolverhampton |1.36
Knowsley |2.45
Liverpool |2.16
St. Helens |1.73
Sefton |0.96
Wirral |1.57
Bolton |1.14
Bury |1.18
Manchester |2.33
Oldham |1.30
Rochdale |1.55
Salford |1.28
Stockport |0.99
Tameside |1.27
Trafford |1.28
Wigan |1.85
Barnsley |0.43
Doncaster |1.50
Rotherham |1.56
Sheffield |1.27
Bradford |0.89
Calderdale |0.48
Kirklees |1.14
Leeds |0.91
Wakefield |1.29
Gateshead |1.28
Newcastle-upon-Tyne |1.96
North Tyneside |1.49
South Tyneside |1.40
Sunderland |1.39
Isles of Scilly |0.00
Avon |1.63
Bedfordshire |1.36
Berkshire |1.59
Buckinghamshire |1.66
Cambridgeshire |1.00
Cheshire |0.92
Cleveland |1.46
Cornwall |0.42
Cumbria |0.34
Derbyshire |0.89
Devon |1.33
Dorset |1.37
Durham |1.24
East Sussex |1.65
Essex |1.18
Gloucestershire |1.74
Hampshire |1.63
Hereford and Worcester |1.21
Hertfordshire |1.40
Humberside |0.89
Isle of Wight |1.23
Kent |1.43
Lancashire |1.56
Leicestershire |0.80
Lincolnshire |1.35
Norfolk |0.89
North Yorkshire |1.04
Northamptonshire |1.18
Northumberland |1.12
Nottinghamshire |1.07
Oxfordshire |1.06
Shropshire |0.85
Somerset |1.02
Staffordshire |1.36
Suffolk |0.84
Surrey |1.58
Warwickshire |1.65
West Sussex |1.37
Wiltshire |0.99
England |1.31
ENVIRONMENT
Habitats Directive
Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be laying the draft regulations for the implementation of the EC habitats directive before the House.
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the Government's detailed response to the EU habitats directive ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The Government are firmly committed to the transportation of the directive into United Kingdom law. I expect to lay draft regulations under the affirmative procedure before the House shortly.
Council House Sales
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of local authority capital receipts from council house sales set aside as provision to meet credit liabilities.
Mr. Baldry : Returns from local authorities indicate that the total amounts set aside as provision to meet credit liabilities at 31 March 1993 was £6.2 billion. No figures are available within this total for the amounts set aside from capital receipts arising from the sale of council houses.
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been (a) the total number of council house sales and (b) the number as a percentage of stocks in each district council area for the period since 1980.
Column 490
Sir George Young : A table showing the available information on the total number of council dwelling sales in each English local authority for every financial year since 1979-80 and a cumulative total to December 1993 is in the Library. The table also gives data on the cumulative total of sales expressed as a percentage of the estimated stock at 1 April 1979.
Ponds
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider carrying out a survey into the desirability of pond preservation orders, similar to tree preservation orders ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : Results from a special analysis of the countryside survey 1990 on ponds are expected shortly. Environmental schemes, such as countryside stewardship, protect environmental features including ponds and encourage their creation. Against this background I have no plans to introduce specific statutory protection for ponds.
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