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Mr. Jack: The following amounts have been spent on official hospitality in each year since 1990 91:
Department<1> ------------------------------------------ 1990-91 |£65,229.48 1001-92<2> |£89,014.54 1992-93 |£53,542.64 1993-94 |£78,436.40 1994-95<3> |£26,365.30 <1> Inclusive of agencies except where indicated in table. <2> Higher cost reflects the launching of both the ADAS and CSL agencies. <3> To end of September 1994.
G
Agencies
|PSD |VMD |CVL |CSL |ADAS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1992-93 |12,928.01|4,172.15 |9,672.00
1993-94 |379.66 |942.13 |16,720.85|4,744.80 |11,775.13
1994-95<3> |128.15 |699.00 |8,957.27 |6,123.78 |10,766.67
<1> Inclusive of agencies except where indicated in table.
<2> Higher cost reflects the launching of both the ADAS and CSL
Agencies.
<3> To end of September 1994.
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The principal items included in this expenditure were given on 27 October 1993, Official Report, column 659.Press Officers
Mr. Grocott: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of press officers currently employed by his Department who are normally based (a) in the Department in London, (b) in the House and (c) at each other location.
Mr. Jack: MAFF employs a chief press officer and six press officers, all of whom are based at the Department's headquarters in Whitehall place, London.
Milk Deliveries
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the figures for the amount of milk supplied to customers by doorstep deliveries in 1979, 1984, 1989 and the year to 30 June 1994, in terms of quantity in litres, value, and as a percentage of total milk sales.
Mr. Jack: The information for England and Wales is as follows:
|Percentage
|Doorstep |of total
Year |sales (million |household |Retail value
(ending 30 June) |litres)<1> |sales<1> |£ million<2>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |5,146 |89.3 |1,492
1984 |4,672 |85.8 |1,766
1989 |3,808 |74.3 |1,869
1994 |2,663 |53.8 |1,686
<1> National Dairy Council calculation based on Milk Marketing Board (England and
Wales) estimates. <2> National Dairy Council estimates. Absolute value.
Milk Marque
Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure equity of treatment in the transitional period before vesting day for milk producers who have contracted to Milk Marque and those who have not.
Mr. Jack: In the period between now and vesting day the milk marketing scheme remains in force. It would be unlawful for the milk marketing board to discriminate arbitrarily between producers. The ministry is continuing to monitor the board's activities as required by EC regulations.
TRANSPORT
M11 Link Road
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement about the damage done to the gas main outside Wanstead station by workers on the
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M11 link road and the consequences to the health of the local population of the resulting gas vapours;(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed M11 link road on rights in respect of the free movement of cattle in the Whipps Cross area; what proposals he has to restrict those rights; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris: These questions are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 25 October 1994:
The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Questions about the A12 Hackney Wick to M11 Link Road since they are operational matters for the Highways Agency.
We are not intending to restrict the rights in respect of cattle in the Whipps Cross area, indeed, links across Epping Forest will be improved as a result of the Link Road. The layout of the existing Green Man Roundabout is being revised to accommodate slip roads to and from the Link Road which will pass under the junction in tunnel. As well as providing a special bridge over the Underground railway for pedestrians, equestrians, cyclists and cattle, a separate tunnel under the roundabout will allow safe passage, segregated from traffic, between the northern section of Epping Forest and Bush Wood and beyond to Wanstead Flats. This is a significant improvement on the existing situation where busy roads must be crossed. These proposals were fully discussed at the 1987 Public Inquiry into the Link Road. In order to prevent cattle from straying on to the Link Road once it is opened, we are proposing to install cattle grids on the slip roads at the new Green Man Roundabout, having consulted the local authorities and the Conservators of Epping Forest.
The incident involving the gas pipe fracture at Mansfield Road was an unfortunate accident. The sub-contractor constructing a new sewer, was lowering a steel frame into a trench and hit a gas pipe at or close to a joint causing it to fracture. As a precautionary measure, British Gas sealed off the area, including Wanstead Station, while they repaired the pipe. It is our belief that there was little danger to the public as a result of the fracture, but we regret the inconvenience that was caused.
Official Hospitality
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total amount spent on official hospitality by (a) his Department and (b) his agencies for each year since 1990.
Mr. Norris: The information is as follows:
(a) Department of Transport
1990 91 -- £204,040
1991 92 -- £170,015
1992 93 -- £233,762
1993 94 -- £234,986
1994 95 -- £63,969
(b) Agencies
1990 91 -- £24,114
1991 92 -- £30,216
1992 93 -- £45,454
1993 94 -- £59,850
1994 95 -- £64,692
To 20 October 1994 only
To 30 September 1994 only
Transport Statistics
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department published the 1994
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edition of "Transport Statistics Great Britain;" what were the main trends established in the report; and to whom it has been circulated.Mr. Watts: The 1994 edition of "Transport Statistics Great Britain" was published on 28 September. Copies of the report were distributed widely, and also deposited in the Libraries of the House. The main trends established in the report were listed in the press notice which accompanied the publication of the report.
Railway Investment
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much Railtrack will invest in track and signalling maintenance and repair in 1994 95;
(2) how much will be invested in track and signalling renewals and new build schemes on the British railway network in 1994 95.
Mr. Watts: In 1994 95 Railtrack expects to spend some £550 million on investment in track and signalling, including some £100 million for channel tunnel services; and some £800 million for the maintenance of track, signalling and telecommunications.
British Rail
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (i) British Rail and (ii) Railtrack expect to spend this year on (a) lobbying Parliament and (b) press and public relations.
Mr. Watts: BR's headquarters public affairs department has a budget of £2.4m, but information in respect of individual business units, who have their own public affairs budgets as part of their overall management costs, is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Railtrack's headquarters press and public relations office has a budget of some £1 million. Neither has a special budget for lobbying Parliament.
Bedford-Bletchley Railway
Sir Trevor Skeet: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards the use of the Bedford-Bletchley railway; and if he will give figures of the number of passengers who use the service and the profitability rating, after county council subsidy, of the cross-country link.
Mr. Watts: About 800 passengers use the Bedford-Bletchley services each weekday. No notice of any proposal to withdraw these services has been given. The financial performance of the services is a matter for the British Railways Board.
MV Derbyshire
Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to undertake a complete camera inspection of the located wreck of MV Derbyshire'; and what assessment he has made of the relevance of such an inspection to future building and operational safety for ships of this type.
Mr. Norris: The marine accident investigation branch has been considering the sonar and video material supplied by the International Transport Workers Federation. We expect to receive a report from the chief
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inspector of marine accidents very soon. We will then consider what further action needs to be taken.Night Blindness
Sir Trevor Skeet: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider making it a condition for the grant of a motor vehicle licence that the applicant should be subject to a test for night blindness.
Mr. Norris: Complete night blindness is a very rare condition, and such a general test would not be appropriate. It is notifiable under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and is normally a bar to driving. However, special tests are used to see whether a person so affected is capable of adequate vision driving at night using vehicle headlights. Night blindness is not to be confused with night myopia which is more common and not notifiable as it is normally overcome by vehicle headlights and street lighting.
Nitric Acid
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 17 October, Official Report , columns 94 95 , if he is aware of any planned import of radioactive nitric acid by sea from the United States of America.
Mr. Norris: I understand that the United States subsidiary of British Nuclear Fuels plc has recently agreed a contract with the United States Department of Energy to recycle radioactive nitric acid from the Westinghouse Hanford site in Washington state. The acid will be carried in purpose-built containers which comply with all national and international regulations.
Channel Tunnel Link
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for not including a connection between the channel tunnel railway and crossrail in the tender documents recently issued to the four bidding consortia.
Mr. Watts: It will be for the private sector in taking forward the two railways to decide whether they want a connection and, if they do, to seek the necessary powers and to pay for it.
Traffic Regulation Orders
Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the temporary traffic regulation orders for which he has authorised an extension under section 15(5) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as amended by the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991, stating in each case (a) the name of the authority making the order, (b) the public rights of way stopped up by the order, (c) the duration of the extension and (d) why he granted the extension.
Mr. Norris: This information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Railtrack (Safety Objectives)
Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will set safety objectives for Railtrack in respect of level crossings.
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Mr. Watts: This is a matter for Railtrack who have undertaken to include a safety objective for level crossings in the railway group safety plan for 1995 96.
Personal Injury Accidents
Mr. Enright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 February, Official Report , columns 119--20 , if he will publish the latest figures for personal injury accidents involving minibuses and motor caravans by police area from 1990 to 1993.
Mr. Norris: The required information is shown in the table.
Personal injury accidents involving minibuses/motor caravans, by police force area: GB 1990-1993 Police area |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metropolitan police |114 |136 |133 |128 Cumbria |22 |28 |24 |32 Lancashire |37 |39 |48 |32 Merseyside |68 |77 |74 |86 Greater Manchester |109 |93 |82 |95 Cheshire |43 |37 |49 |29 Northumbria |24 |20 |18 |20 Durham |8 |17 |16 |9 North Yorkshire |56 |34 |44 |37 West Yorkshire |38 |30 |32 |36 South Yorkshire |48 |40 |42 |34 Humberside |28 |26 |25 |18 Cleveland |19 |11 |4 |8 West Midlands |51 |59 |55 |60 Staffordshire |28 |23 |21 |36 West Mercia |36 |18 |15 |22 Warwickshire |8 |9 |14 |12 Derbyshire |7 |6 |6 |11 Nottinghamshire |32 |20 |16 |31 Lincolnshire |40 |20 |27 |25 Leicestershire |58 |27 |40 |41 Northamptonshire |22 |25 |16 |7 Cambridgeshire |32 |40 |33 |26 Norfolk |51 |39 |26 |31 Suffolk |11 |18 |15 |25 Bedfordshire |13 |16 |17 |11 Hertfordshire |22 |18 |16 |16 Essex |42 |51 |49 |52 Thames Valley |52 |64 |65 |59 Hampshire |77 |74 |75 |81 Surrey |40 |26 |23 |25 Kent |78 |79 |56 |91 Sussex |63 |56 |63 |46 City of London |- |- |- |- Devon and Cornwall |58 |34 |47 |52 Avon and Somerset |31 |48 |27 |27 Gloucestershire |18 |23 |17 |18 Wiltshire |8 |6 |20 |16 Dorset |24 |27 |23 |29 North Wales |41 |44 |34 |46 Gwent |24 |25 |19 |29 South Wales |51 |57 |65 |102 Dyfed-Powys |27 |35 |32 |27 Northern |27 |31 |26 |27 Grampian |40 |18 |22 |21 Tayside |17 |15 |14 |9 Fife |20 |11 |11 |12 Lothian and Borders |21 |36 |20 |18 Central |9 |6 |14 |16 Strathclyde |122 |88 |76 |74 Dumfries and Galloway |11 |10 |5 |6 ------- |------- |------- |------- |------- Total |1,926 |1,790 |1,711 |1,801
Electricity Interconnector
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he plans to consider objections to the under-sea part of the proposed Scotland to Northern Ireland interconnector.
Mr. Norris [holding answer 15 July 1994]: The Department received an application for consent under section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949 to the laying of an under-sea power cable from Ayrshire to Island Magee. Section 34 is only concerned with obstruction or danger to navigation. The application was advertised. No objections were received. A consent solely for the purposes of section 34 was issued on 22 February 1994.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Press Officers
Mr. Grocott: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number of press officers currently employed by his Department who are normally based (a) in the Department in London, (b) in the House and (c) at each other location.
Mr. Heseltine: (a) Seventeen (b) None (c) None. Some agencies directly accountable to the Department also employ full or part-time press officers.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Hanson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many times during the 1993 94 Session information requested in parliamentary questions has been refused on the ground of commercial confidentiality.
Mr. Heseltine: My Department has refused information requested in parliamentary questions on the grounds of commercial confidentiality on 50 occasions during the 1993 94 Session.
Lord Archer
Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) who decided that his Department should make a public statement on 7 July that Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare was the subject of an inquiry into alleged insider dealing;
(2) what were the reasons for his Department's statement on 7 July that Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare was the subject of an inquiry into alleged insider dealing.
Mr. Heseltine: On 8 February 1994 I appointed two inspectors under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 to investigate possible insider dealing in relation to an agreed bid made by MAI plc for Anglia Television Group plc. On 7 July 1994 I was informed that The Times newspaper had informed my Department that it intended to publish the existence of the investigation and that Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare was concerned with the investigation. On the same day I was also informed that MAI plc had confirmed the existence of the investigation.
I took the decision to issue a statement in the light of these circumstances.
Mr. Harvey: To ask the President of the Board of
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Trade what has been the (a) budgeted and (b) total cost of the inquiry into the allegations of insider trading involving Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare.Mr. Heseltine: It is not my Department's practice to disclose details of individuals from whom legal advice is obtained. Both the advice and its source is regarded as confidential.
Aluminium Industry
Sir Cranley Onslow: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has made to the European Commission to investigate state aids to the aluminium producers Inespal of Spain and Pechiney of France; and what response he has received.
Mr. Eggar: My Department has drawn these cases to the Commission's attention. The Commission has investigated the claims, but has so far found no evidence to substantiate them. We will continue to monitor the situation carefully.
Sir Cranley Onslow: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has made to the EFTA surveillance authority to investigate state aids to the aluminium producer Austria Metal; and what response he has received.
Mr. Eggar: Following representations from my Department, the Commission agreed to draw this case to the attention of the EFTA surveillance authority. When we have a response I will write to inform my right hon. Friend of the result.
Konver Funding
Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether EU Konver funding will be available for the Doncaster area; and how this money will be administered and distributed.
Mr. Charles Wardle: The Government's view, conveyed to the European Commission on 1 August as it requested, is that the whole of South Yorkshire, including Doncaster, should be eligible for the renewed programme of Konver grants. The Commission's decision was due on 1 October.
Before any grants can be approved, the eligible areas have to be settled, a United Kingdom operational programme document has to be sent to the Commission and approved by it, and applications examined against the terms of the document. Administrative details will be settled in good time.
Post Office
Mr. Stern: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to support the recommendations of the Institute of Directors for full privatisation of the Post Office with no protected monopoly or uniform price guarantee.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been spent by his Department on preparations for the privatisation of the Post Office since he announced his review of its ownership and structure in the House in July 1992.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: The Government announced their intention to privatise Parcelforce on 15 July 1992 and announced the review of
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the structure and organisation of the Post Office on 29 July 1992. From those dates to 24 October 1994 a total of £1,613,002.28 has been spent on consultancy advice.Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been spent by the Post Office on making the case for its own privatisation since he announced his review of its ownership and structure in the House in July 1992.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: This is an operational matter for the Post Office.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines he has issued to the Post Office on expenditure incurred by it arguing for its own privatisation.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: No guidelines have been issued.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will instruct the Post Office board, with effect from the announcement of his review of the structure and ownership of the Post Office in July 1992, to embargo any moves of senior personnel from Post Office Counters to Royal Mail or Parcelforce if his plans go ahead.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: No.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the operation of the Post Office Investigation Department if he privatises Royal Mail but keeps Post Office Counters in the public sector.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: The Green Paper makes it clear that the future of activities which are not part of Post Office Counters, Royal Mail or Parcelforce will depend on the decisions reached overall.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account he has taken of a copy of a report by London Economics entitled "The Future of Postal Services - a critique of the Government's Green Paper", a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: We have read the London Economics report with considerable interest. In the Government's view it has not fully dealt with the difficulties in its proposals, but it is a worthwhile contribution to the debate.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account he has taken of a MORI poll conducted in August on the views of the Post Office managers on privatisation; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: We have taken full account of all considered responses to the Green Paper.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many individual submissions he received from sub-postmasters on his Green Paper, "The Future of Postal Services"; and what account he has taken of an opinion poll conducted by MORI in August on the views of sub-postmasters about privatisation.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: We have received very few responses from individual sub-postmasters. We are aware of the opinion poll referred to.
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to extend VAT to (a) contract parcels traffic undertaken by the Post Office and (b) Royal Mail letter and packet traffic.
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Mr. Eggar [holding answer 24 October 1994]: The Green Paper "The Future of Postal Services" made clear that the universal letter and parcels services, which under any option Royal Mail and Parcelforce will continue to provide, will remain exempt from VAT. It also made clear that the Government would be considering, in the light of EC law, the imposition of VAT on non-obligatory services, including contract parcels, provided by Royal Mail and Parcelforce. No decision has been taken.
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