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Sir Wyn Roberts : Some £3.6 million has been allocated to training and enterprise councils in Wales for the implementation of modern engineering apprenticeships in the current financial year. That will support a total of 550 apprenticeship places and contribute to the training of some 1,400 people as specialist workplace trainers. Some £2.2 million of the total is being made available to colleges of further education to buy engineering equipment. Allocations have been made on the basis of TEC areas. North East Wales TEC, which includes Alyn and Deeside within its area, has been allocated 50 apprenticeship places, 112 trainer training places and £225,000 for college equipment.
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Training
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his training for work programme with respect to Alyn and Deeside.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The objective of the training for work programme throughout Wales is to help long-term unemployed people to find jobs and to improve their work-related skills through the provision of appropriate training and structured work activity in line with assessed needs. It is delivered in Alyn and Deeside through North East Wales training and enterprise council.
Home Building
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the total numbers of homes built by (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations in each of the last five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information is given in the table.
@
New dwellings completed
|Local |Housing
|authorities |associations<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------
1989 |566 |1,663
1990 |610 |1,685
1991 |418 |2,463
1992 |133 |2,459
1993 |172 |2,849
<1> Excludes acquisitions, rehabilitation and hostel spaces.
Live Animals (Transport)
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what measures he has taken since 1990 to ensure that live farm animals being transported to the continent are adequately cared for with respect to (a) horses, (b) cattle, (c) sheep and (d) pigs ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what is his policy concerning the transportation of live farm animals ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : The Government are actuely aware of the great strength of feeling in this country on animal welfare, and are strongly committed to ensuring that the welfare of animals is properly safeguarded. The Government have strict rules to protect animals exported from this country. Where there has been evidence of infringements, prompt action has been taken to rectify the situation and, where appropriate, offenders have been prosecuted.
The EC directive on the protection of animals in transit sets Community standards for the transportation of all animals over 50 km. It requires animals to be fed, watered and rested at appropriate intervals, not exceeding 24 hours. It also required the European Commission to produce a report and, where appropriate, proposals on certain detailed issues, including feeding and watering intervals, rest periods and maximum journey times. Pending adoption of the measures, member states have been able to apply national rules in those areas, and in the United Kingdom the Government are currently applying a maximum feeding and watering interval of 15 hours for all livestock and 12 hours for poultry. For horses, the directive provides
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for national rules to remain applicable and our national minimum value arrangements continue ; there are no proposals at present which affect this.At the Agriculture Council meeting on 20 June, proposals representing a significant improvement on those which the Government blocked in December last year were put forward. However, it became clear that further improvements could be made and the Commission has committed itself to bringing forward further proposals on journey limits by 1 July 1995.
Air Quality
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment of air quality on the A548 Queensferry to Connah's Quay ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Monitoring of air quality in the vicinity of the A548 Queensferry to Connah's Quay is the responsibility of the local district council. I understand that Alyn and Deeside district council carries out regular monitoring in the area and that none of its readings to date have exceeded European guidelines.
Water Quality
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment of the measures taken designed to improve water quality on the beaches of Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Dwr Cymru--Welsh Water--is currently engaged in a £230 million investment programme designed to ensure that all bathing waters in Wales identified under the European bathing water directive consistently meet its mandatory bacteriological standards. There has been a major improvement in the quality of the bathing waters on the Welsh coastline and last year 84 per cent. of identified waters met the standards, compared with 48 per cent. in 1986. The majority of the improvement programme is expected to be completed by 1995, with the remainder due to be completed by the end of 1997.
Council Tax
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by council tax collection authority area, the number of outstanding banding appeal cases and the proportion they represent of all liable properties in that area, as at 1 April.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The position in Wales on 1 April 1994 was as follows :
|Outstanding |Percentage of
Billing authority |banding appeal cases|liable properties
area
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberconwy |892 |3.6
Alyn and Deeside |896 |3.0
Arfon |778 |3.2
Blaenau Gwent |406 |1.3
Brecknock |1,254 |6.8
Cardiff |2,841 |2.4
Carmarthen |1,808 |7.4
Ceredigion |3,196 |10.6
Colwyn |805 |3.2
Cynon Valley |608 |2.2
Delyn |806 |2.9
Dinefwr |1,349 |7.9
Dwyfor |632 |4.4
Glyndwr |869 |4.7
Islwyn |487 |1.8
Llanelli |761 |2.4
Lliw Valley |671 |2.5
Meirionnydd |549 |3.1
Merthyr Tydfil |373 |1.5
Monmouth |1,797 |6.0
Montgomeryshire |956 |4.0
Neath |625 |2.3
Newport |627 |1.1
Ogwr |1,157 |2.1
Port Talbot |494 |2.3
Preseli Pembrokeshire |1,700 |5.5
Radnorshire |824 |7.4
Rhondda |226 |0.7
Rhuddlan |518 |2.1
Rhymney Valley |614 |1.5
South Pembrokeshire |933 |4.7
Swansea |2,313 |3.0
Taff Ely |820 |2.1
Torfaen |566 |1.5
Vale of Glamorgan |1,427 |3.0
Wrexham Maelor |1,191 |2.5
Ynys Mon |1,208 |3.8
Blood Transfusion Service, Cardiff
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority about the closure of the Dominion arcade blood transfusion centre for plasma donors in Cardiff ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The decision to close the Dominion arcade blood transfusion centre was taken by the board of the authority following wide consultation with donors. Arrangements have been made for them to use the plasma suite at the blood transfusion service headquarters at Rhydlafar.
DEFENCE
Troop Location
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink), of 23 June 1994, Official Report , columns 247-48 , if he is now in a position to announce the location for the second additional infantry battalion ; and what other plans he has for Army use of the defence estate.
Mr. Hanley : I have now decided that Oakington barracks, Oakington, which is currently the home of the 1st Battalion the Cheshire Regiment, should be retained as a permanent infantry barracks to cater for the second of the two additional infantry battalions announced on 3 February 1993, Official Report , column 320. The Gurkhas will move from Church Crookham to Elizabeth barracks, Pirbright around the end of 1996, not the end of 1994 as indicated in my previous answer of 23 June 1994, Official Report , columns 247-48 . Under current plans, the Black Watch will remain in Pirbright until mid-1996. In addition, we have decided that RAF Hullavington, currently being used as temporary accommodation of 9 Supply Regiment Royal Logistic Corps should be retained in the defence estate for
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the time being as the home of 9 Supply Regiment RLC which will now not move to Aldershot as previously planned.Ferranti/ISC
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library those reports he has commissioned or received into the effect on the defence interests of the United Kingdom of the collapse of Ferranti/ISC.
Mr. Aitken : No. It is not my Department's practice to disclose internal papers which contain classified or commercially sensitive information.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list and place in the Library a copy of those memoranda and authorisations from Government Departments which preceded and accompanied the merger of Ferranti and ISC ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Aitken : No. Any advice which my Department offers in connection with proposed mergers is confidential.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all those charged with offences relating to the Ferranti/ISC fraud ; and if he will list in each case the pleas entered and the sentences imposed.
Mr. Aitken : This is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.
Merchant Banks
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which merchant bank is the adviser to his Department ; and if he will list all the fees and commissions paid to banks by his Department each year since 1988.
Mr. Hanley : My Department does not employ any one merchant bank as a permanent adviser. In fact, since 1988, only one centrally held record exists for the employment of a merchant bank. This was a contract placed with Kleinwort Benson Investment Trust Ltd. for a project in connection with the contractorisation of the royal dockyards in August 1993. To protect commercial confidentiality, the value of this contract cannot be released. It is likely that a number of other, lower-value contracts will have been placed with banks by subordinate budget holders from time to time during the period in question. The details of such contracts are not held centrally, however, and details could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Puma
Mr. Spellar : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedure was adopted for the contract for Puma modifications ; and whether royal naval aircraft yard Fleetlands was invited to tender for any part of the contract.
Mr. Aitken : There have been many contracts for the modification of the Puma helicopter to maintain its operational effectiveness since it entered service. Royal naval aircraft yard--RNAY--Fleetlands, which is part of the naval aircraft repair organisation defence agency, is regularly tasked by my Department with embodiment of modification kits into service aircraft, and consideration
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has been given to RNAY Fleetlands carrying out such work on the Puma helicopter. Fleetlands is permitted to respond to MOD invitations to tender.Falkland Islands
Mr. Hunter : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the measures which have been taken to clear the Falkland Islands of mines and other lethal debris of war and the extent to which these measures have succeeded.
Mr. Hanley : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes) on 8 February, Official Report, columns 239-40.
Training Flights (Plymouth Airport)
Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the instructions given to MOD personnel involved in training flights from Plymouth airport in the event of engine failure immediately after take-off.
Mr. Hanley : A pilot can take a number of actions in the event of an engine failure immediately after take-off. If there is sufficient space ahead, the pilot will land on the airfield. If, however, there is insufficient space remaining, the pilot will by that time have gained sufficient height or speed or both to enable him to turn towards a suitable clear area to land or to turn back to the airfield to land. The decision as to which procedure is adopted is a matter for the professional judgment of the pilot at the time of the incident. Experienced aircrew, well versed in the engine failure procedure, are on board all training flights from Plymouth airport. The engine failure procedure is also practised regularly as part of routine flying, with the turn-back procedure normally being practised away from the airfield to reduce noisy disturbance. Over its 30 years operating experience at Plymouth airport, the Royal Navy has maintained an excellent safety record.
Defence Bases
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) details, (b) plans and (c) inventories of defence bases have been supplied to Crown Ridge Industries in (i) 1993 and (ii) 1994.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is not held centrally. In addition to being available from other sources, details of surplus defence bases are widely disseminated by officials to many companies and individuals. As far as can be ascertained, however, no details, plans or inventories have been supplied to Crownridge Industries with the exception of details of Royal Navy armaments depot, Trecwn supplied to Mr. R. Philipps in his capacity as a director of Crownridge Industries in 1994.
Bases (Sales)
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 June, Official Report , column 443-45 , if he will list for each base sold, intended to be sold or currently marketed the date (a) on which the decision to close was made, (b) on which the decision to sell the base was made and (c) on which expressions of interest were first invited.
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Mr. Hanley : The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Royal Navy Armaments Depot, Trecwn
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answers of 27 June, Official Report , column 445 , on RNAD Trecwn, on what date the decision was made that no further military use could be found for RNAD Trecwn and that the base should be sold.
Mr. Hanley : As part of my Department's normal procedure concerning redundant land, expressions of interest in RNAD Trecwn from other MOD organisations were sought on 28 February 1992. No firm military requirement for the site was identified however, and details of the site were then circulated to some 25 other Government Departments on 13 July 1992. Again, no interest was shown, and the site was declared surplus to requirements on 1 August 1992.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 June, Official Report , column 445 , on the supply since July 1991, of information relating to RNAD Trecwn, if he will list individuals or organisations to whom his Department is aware that details at the facilities in RNAD Trecwn were supplied, together with the month in which the material was supplied.
Mr. Hanley : The individuals and organisations to whom my Department is aware that details of the facilities in RNAD Trecwn were supplied are :
Organisation/Individual
Slough Estates plcO'Rion London Ltd.Fairfield PropertiesMr. R. A. HallidayOtto PropertiesPearl & Coutts Ltd.Mr. K. B. HobdayThe County EchoLands Improvements Group Ltd.Dwr Cymru Welsh WaterMr. M. ScraceDyfed AntiquesMiss E. A. StokesMaltsword Ltd.Mr. JacquesSt. Modwen PropertiesQueensway Land & Property Ltd.Mr. K.
WilliamsDocument Storage Co.BDC Building & Civil EngineeringSouth Pembrokeshire District CouncilDave Harris TransportPark Investments Management Ltd.Economic Development Section, Preseli Pembrokeshire District CouncilProperty Services, Preseli Pembrokeshire District CouncilThe Cleveland TrustMs T. J. SimpkinsWest Wales Task ForceMr. EdwardsWelsh Development AgencyVulcan Firework UK LimitedDyfed County Planning DepartmentAcer Wallace Evans
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London & County DevelopmentMr. M. RowlandsMr. D. Morris, MEPCooke & ArkwrightA. G. Edwards & SonsMr. P. MorganMr. T. TwomeyEvans & Roach & Co.DTZ Debenham ThorpeMr. H. N. GriffithsMr. S. W. Buckley Mr. W. D. BerryMr. RiazMr. SinnettMr. B. FreidMr. P. HunterMr. A. BiltonMr. J. HagerWGSs, LeedsHutchings & ThomasM. J. Barrett PropertiesMr. J. GoodwinMr. M. J. HendyBroxtead ConsultingDavron Business ParkCheetham & MortimerMr. J. W. MolayClare House LandshippingUnicorn EstatesRhos LandscapesMr. J. TownsendThe Western TelegraphMr. M. DanzeyMr. HughesPembroke Design Ltd.Hon. R. PhilippsGulfstream (Pembrokeshire) Ltd.Strutt & ParkerMr. M. OliverDr. C. SmithICI Nobel ExplosivesTGWUMr. D. T. JonesHilderbrand & GlickerMs S. MorrisMr. R. F. GrantGlassclean ServicesRichard EllisMr. J. AmbreyMr. A. JamesT. G. Jones & AssociatesMr. N. Ainger, MPMr. P. JonesMr. R. MurrayMr. McHaleThe various dates on which this information was released is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Vacant Married Quarters
Mr. Tyler : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide a regional breakdown of the numbers of vacant married quarters at the end of March 1992, 1993 and 1994, with an estimate of the proportion of the total that the figures for each region represent.
Mr. Hanley : The regional breakdown of vacant married quarters at 31 March 1992, 1993 and 1994 and the percentage of the total stock which was vacant is as follows :
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31 March 1992 31 March 1993 31 March 1994
Region |Per cent. |Per cent. |Per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yorkshire |596 |11.6 |532 |9.8 |427 |7.9
Northern |88 |13.6 |55 |8.7 |116 |16.4
North West |126 |13.7 |192 |19.1 |144 |15.1
South East |3,684 |12.9 |3,326 |12.6 |3,407 |13.2
South West |1,594 |12.3 |1,985 |13.5 |2,089 |14.3
East Anglia |566 |10.6 |632 |12.1 |1,145 |21.2
East Midlands |707 |17.5 |638 |16.8 |670 |18.5
West Midlands |322 |11.9 |342 |12.5 |389 |14.5
Wales |230 |9.5 |347 |14.5 |452 |18.1
Scotland |954 |14.5 |745 |11.5 |736 |11.3
Northern Ireland |497 |16.4 |372 |12.5 |307 |10.2
|---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |9,364 |12.9 |9,166 |12.8 |9,882 |13.9
Many of these vacant married quarters were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work, held for unit deployments or already allocated to service families who were due to move in shortly. In addition, the following vacant surplus married quarters were in the process of being sold :
Period |Number ---------------------------- 31 March 1992 |1,889 31 March 1993 |1,861 31 March 1994 |1,519
Unfortunately, these figures are not maintained in a form which enables them to be readily broken down by regions.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
Mrs. Golding : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what definition of arts and sports his Department is using to decide resourcing from the national lottery.
Mr. Brooke : In accordance with section 23 of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, the Arts Council and Sports Council will distribute lottery proceeds for expenditure on or connected with the arts and sport respectively. They are responsible for defining those terms, taking into account their existing charter powers.
Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will include the National Playing Fields Association and Play Wales as consultees with regard to the distribution of national lottery funds.
Mr. Brooke : In accordance with section 26(5) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993, I and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland consulted the bodies responsible for the distribution of lottery proceeds before giving them policy directions under section 26(1) and (2) of the Act. Those bodies will also be consulted before receiving financial directions under section 26(3) and (4). In relation to applications for lottery funds, it will be for the distributing bodies to decide from whom they should seek advice.
Royal Palaces
Ms Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report, column 346, how much of the figure given for
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utilities, salaries and ancillary costs of the occupied royal palaces in 1994-95 is spent on utilities ; how much is spent on salaries, and for how many staff ; and what ancillary costs are involved.Mr. Sproat : The £6.469 million to be spent on utilities, salaries and ancillary costs at the occupied palaces is broken down as follows :
|£
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Utilities |1.573 million
Salary costs of 149.2 staff |3.331 million
Ancillary costs:
Rates |638
Other operational costs eg custody guard service,
preparation for official functions etc. |225
Furniture and equipment |209
Fire branch equipment, uniforms etc. |182
Training, stationary, computers, recruitment,
minor consultancies |153
Garden costs, seeds, vehicle and equipment
maintenance etc. |144
Craftsmen materials |14
Total |6.469 million
Television Licence Fees
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish his estimate of the cost of BBC revenues of a 25 per cent. reduction of television licence fees for all single pensioners living alone in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) Wales.
Mr. Brooke : The estimated cost in lost television licence revenue of introducing a 25 per cent. reduction in televison licences for all single pensioners living alone in the United Kingdom would be £63 million. Separate estimates by country are not available.
Spectrum Radio Persian Programme
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether he will call for a report from the Radio Authority into allegations of attempted interference by the Iranian Government in the Spectrum Radio Persian programme.
Mr. Brooke : No. Under the Broadcasting Act 1990, independent radio stations are responsible for their own programme content and for observing the terms and conditions of the licences issued to them by the Radio
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Authority. The authority investigates the written complaints that it receives about programming and advertising on independent radio and publishes a quarterly bulletin.Regulations
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 May, Official Report, columns 12-13, if he will publish a table listing each of the more than 90 regulations grouping them in the seven main sections ; with which Department he is considering each regulation ; what is the intended modification to each regulation ; and what is the estimated target date for each modification.
Mr. Sproat : I shall write to the hon. Member with a list of the 90 regulations which have been drawn to my attention by the tourism industry. The seven areas identified by my inquiries as being of particular concern to the industry, and the Departments with which I have discussed these areas, are :
Food hygiene :
Department of Health
Fire safety :
Home Office and Department of Trade and Industry
EU Package Travel Directive :
Department of Trade and Industry
Electricity at Work Regulations :
Employment Department
Public entertainment licensing :
Home Office
Signposting to tourist attractions and facilities :
Department of Transport
Price indications :
Department of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In the case of the electricity at work regulations, fresh guidance has been issued for tourist accommodation businesses and in the case of food hygiene, the Department of Health has proposed an improved set of regulations which have been the subject of a public consultation exercise. Consideration has been given, or is being given, to the other five areas and where appropriate proposals for changes in regulations or for improved guidance will be brought forward in due course.
Public Bodies
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to consult before legislation proposals ; and in respect of which bodies the Government must publish their response to advice supplied by them.
Mr. Sproat : There are no advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department which the Government are required to consult before legislation proposals, and none to whose advice the Government must publish a response.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to publish their advice to Government.
Mr. Sproat : None of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department is required to publish the advice that it gives to Government.
Column 180
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are required to lay their annual reports before Parliament.
Mr. Sproat : My Department sponsors only one advisory non- departmental public body, the Royal Fine Art Commission. This produces an annual report, although there is no requirement for it to do so or to lay it before Parliament. The report for the 1993 calendar year has just been published and presented to Parliament.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the advisory bodies which he has set up in his Department since the publication of "Public Bodies 1993".
Mr. Sproat : No advisory non-departmental public bodies have been set up under the sponsorship of my Department since publication of "Public Bodies 1993".
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to produce annual reports.
Mr. Sproat : My Department sponsors only one advisory non- departmental public body, the Royal Fine Art Commission. It produces an annual report, although there is no requirement for it to do so. The report for the 1993 calendar year has just been published and presented to Parliament.
Tourism
Ms Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many of his Department's officials are engaged in duties relating to tourism ; and what is the total salary bill for their employment.
Mr. Sproat : There are currently 18 staff in my Department directly engaged in duties relating to tourism ; including one who works part time. The estimated total salary bill for their employment in the current financial year is £476,363.
Staff Surveys
Mr. Radice : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what surveys of the views, opinions and attitudes of the staff of his Department have been carried out in the last two years ; and if he will place copies of the findings in the Library.
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