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Prison Security

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy as to the placing of security


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cameras in the visiting areas of prisons in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Michael Forsyth: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 31 October 1994: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about security cameras in visiting areas of prisons.

The use of closed circuit television cameras in visits areas in prison can be a valuable security aid. The policy is for governors to install such equipment where they judge that the benefits in terms of improved security and control will justify the investment.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Sheep and Cattle

Mr. Harvey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the Government's long term policies regarding (a) sheep quotas and (b) suckler cow premiums.

Mr. Jack: In the long term the Government would like to see agricultural production regulated by price and not by quotas and similar devices, which impose a bureaucratic burden on farmers and prevent or inhibit the rational development of production in response to relative efficiency. In line with this policy the Government have, as a first step, called for the sheep and suckler cow quotas to be replaced by regional reference quantities, with the rate of premium being scaled down proportionately to any excess above the reference levels. Any such change would, of course, require farmers to be given an adequate period of notice before it was introduced.

Fishing

Sir Peter Emery: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actual or previous sums of money have been allocated to the British fishing industry under the PESCA initiative; what proportion of the total EU allocation is allocated to each of the receiving nations, approximately in each European nation; how much will be allocated per person employed in the fishing industry; and what are the funds to be made available in total and per person for Devon.

Mr. Harris: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list in pounds sterling the allocations from PESCA for the United Kingdom and the other eligible member states and the proposed allocations to the regions in the United Kingdom which are highly dependent on fishing;

(2) what is the basis for proposed allocations of PESCA funding for (a) member states and (b) regions which are highly dependent on fishing.

Mr. Jack [pursuant to the reply on 26 October column 620]: The reply should have read:


The commission has allocated PESCA       

funding between member                   

states as follows                        

               |£ million<1>             

-----------------------------------------

Belgium        |1.52                     

Denmark        |12.30                    

Germany        |17.44                    

Greece         |20.55                    

Spain          |31.46                    

France         |21.15                    

Ireland        |2.80                     

Italy          |25.55                    

Netherlands    |7.73                     

Portugal       |19.41                    

United Kingdom |25.70                    

<1>Converted at £1 = 1.319 ecu           

This breakdown is based on employment in the fisheries sector as a whole, and on the fleet reductions required by member states' multi annual guidance programmes.

My right hon. Friends have yet to take a final decision on the allocation of the United Kingdom's share of this and other Community initiatives between England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The allocations which have been notified to interested organisations in England are currently only provisional.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Mr. Harvey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's policy concerning the application of BSE safety regulations to animals born since 1 January 1991.

Mrs. Browning: The measures currently in force in Great Britain apply to all cattle irrespective of their date of birth. No change in this position is envisaged, but the European Commission is considering whether younger cattle should be excluded from the European Union rules for trade in bone-in beef from the United Kingdom and we are pressing for urgent action on this.

Copenhagen Agricultural Economics Institute

Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the report produced for the European Commission by the Copenhagen Agricultural Economics Institute.

Mr. Jack: I am not aware of any report produced for the European Commission by the Copenhagen Agricultural Economics Institute. However the hon. Member may be referring to the report of a study by a team of experts on behalf of the European Commission's DG II (Economy and Finance) and entitled "EC Agriculture Policy for the 21st Century". This report has yet to be published; when it is, copies will be placed in the Library.

Classical Swine Fever

Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of classical swine fever occurred in each year since 1985 in (a) England and (b) the European Union.


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Mrs. Browning: The following is the information:


           Number of                    

           Outbreaks                    

                    |European/          

Year      |England  |Union<1>           

----------------------------------------

1985      |-        |417                

1986      |10       |106                

1987      |1        |62                 

1988      |-        |30                 

1989      |-        |75                 

1990      |-        |244                

1991      |-        |22                 

1992      |-        |39                 

1993      |-        |125                

1994<2>   |-        |153                

<1> Including Spain and Portugal during 

the pre-accession period.               

<2> To 25-10-94.                        

Milk Quota

Mr. Tyler: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the allocation of responsibility for processing milk quota transactions to the Intervention board; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jack [holding answer 25 October 1994]: The problems faced by the Intervention board in processing milk quota transfer and leasing transactions have been overcome. In a press statement on 27 October, the board's chief executive explained that excellent progress had been made in recent weeks and that within a few days of vesting day--1 November--the board will have processed all acceptable quota movements received by 31 October. The Government have every confidence in the Intervention board's ability to cope with the task of administering milk quotas and have no plans to review the decision to transfer responsibility for that work to the board from the milk marketing boards.

Less Favoured Areas

Dr. Strang: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the total direct subsidies paid on cattle and sheep in the less-favoured areas of England since 1979.

Mr. Waldegrave [holding answer 24 October 1994]: The information requested for hill livestock compensatory allowances is as follows:


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          |Cattle   |Sheep              

Year      |£ million|£ million          

----------------------------------------

1979      |5.530    |7.969              

1980      |7.045    |11.358             

1981      |8.638    |12.838             

1982      |8.907    |13.205             

1983      |9.007    |13.555             

1984      |8.910    |13.814             

1985      |9.190    |14.760             

1986      |11.151   |16.142             

1987      |11.505   |16.934             

1988      |11.704   |17.374             

1989      |12.138   |17.907             

1990      |12.770   |19.733             

1991      |14.851   |22.386             

1992      |15.790   |22,584             

1993      |16.168   |17.245             

1994<1>   |12.711   |15.051             

<1> Incomplete                          

Payments in the less favoured areas under the Suckler Cow and Sheep Annual Premium Schemes are separately available only in the years detailed as follows:


Suckler Cow Premium Scheme (  

SCPS)                         

          |£ million          

------------------------------

1990      |12.040             

1991      |14.487             

1992      |15.612             


-

Sheep Annual Premium Scheme ( 

SAPS)                         

          |£ million          

------------------------------

1991      |57.491             

1992      |92.724             

1993<1>   |72.958             

1994<1>   |91.160             

<1>Figures for the 1993 and   

1994 Schemes are estimated.   

Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what effect the abolition of the milk marketing board will have on the prices of dairy products.

Mr. Jack: The effect on the price of milk products to the consumer under the new arrangements for the marketing of milk will depend on the circumstances of the market for each product.


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WALES

Channel Tunnel

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet representatives of Eurostar, Intercity and Regional Railways to discuss the effects of delays in London on travellers from south Wales using the channel tunnel services; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The timetabling of services is an operational matter for the railway operators. At present, Eurostar is operating only limited introductory services to Paris and Brussels. From early 1995, Eurostar will begin to operate services every two hours during the day, building to hourly services from Waterloo to both Paris and Brussels. As this service builds, the three trains from south Wales to Waterloo will provide good connections with the Eurostar services, in addition to the hourly service for most of the day from south Wales to Paddington.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, pursuant to his answer of 20 October to the hon. Member for Delyn, (Mr. Hanson), Official Report , column 311 , he will provide comparative figures for information refused in answer to parliamentary questions on grounds of commercial confidentiality for each parliamentary Session since 1979 80 which can be provided without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Mr. Redwood: Information provided to the hon. Member for Delyn (Mr. Hanson) was obtained following a manual search of parliamentary answers given in the 1993 94 Session. Information on previous years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

A449

Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the reconstruction of the northbound carriageway of the A449 between Raglan and Usk; and when it is likely to be completed.

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The estimated cost of the work is £6,400,000. The work is expected to be completed within the contract period, which ends in early January 1995, weather permitting.

Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the proposed reconstruction of the southbound carriageway of the A449 between Raglan and Usk; and when a decision will be made about proceeding with the contract.

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The estimated cost of the works is £5,000,000 at 1994 prices. A decision on the contract will be made by March 1995.

Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the proposed reconstruction of both carriageways of the A449 between Usk and the Coldra, Newport; and what is the time scale for this work.

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The estimated cost of the works is £13,000,000 at 1994 prices. The work is planned to be carried out during 1996 and 1997.


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Quangos

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to register the perceived political affiliation of present and prospective members of quangos in Wales.

Mr. Redwood: None.

Classical Swine Fever

Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of classical swine fever occurred in each year since 1985.

Mr. Gwilym Jones: No cases have occurred in Wales since 1985.

Press Office (Expenditure)

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total spent by his press office in each of the past five years.

Mr. Redwood: Welsh Office press office expenditure is as follows:


Year    |£            

----------------------

1990-91 |19,498       

1991-92 |34,499       

1992-93 |33,757       

1993-94 |23,538       

Figures for 1989-90   

were collected        

centrally and cannot  

be                    

separated.            

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount paid to all members of quangos in Wales in (a) allowances and (b) expenses in each of the past 12 years.

Mr. Redwood: This information is not held centrally.

Dairy Crest

Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what day he was informed that Dairy Crest intended to close their Whitland (Dyfed) creamery.

Mr. Gwilym Jones: In the interest of maintaining the essential flow of confidential information from private sector companies to the Welsh Office, it is the practice not to reveal details of this nature.

Lords Lieutenant

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost to public funds spent in each of the past 14 years to pay for the work of each lord lieutenant and each high sheriff in Wales.

Mr. Redwood: The total cost to public funds to pay for the work of each high sheriff and lord lieutenant in Wales in 1993-94 was as follows:


                |High      |Lord                 

                |Sheriff   |Lieutenant           

                |£         |£                    

-------------------------------------------------

Clwyd           |-         |440.62               

Dyfed           |87.00     |2,534.13             

Gwent           | 87.50    |3,307.46             

Gwynedd         |-         |239.31               

Mid Glamorgan   |189.50    |2,247.41             

Powys           |-         |2,370.70             

South Glamorgan |189.50    |4,481.25             

West Glamorgan  |189.50    |2,102.75             

The information in the form requested prior to   

1993 is not readily                              

available in respect of lords lieutenant,and     

could only be provided                           

in respect of high sheriffs at disproportionate  

cost.                                            

Grant-maintained Schools

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many copies of the videotape promoting opt-out schools have been distributed; to whom; and at what cost.

Mr. Richards: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education.

Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many copies of the videotape promoting opt-out schools have been ordered by his Department; and at what cost.

Mr. Richards: None.

Baglan Hospital

Mr. John Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been spent on the Baglan hospital, to date and in the current financial year.

Mr. Richards: Information provided by West Glamorgan health authority indicates expenditure of £5.1 million on the proposed Baglan hospital to 30 September 1994. This includes £214,000 in the current financial year.

Tuberculosis

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many TB cases were reported in Wales in each of the last five years.

Mr. Richards [holding answer, 28 October 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

TRANSPORT

A40/Westway Junctions

Mr. Butcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will investigate the phasing of traffic lights on the A40/Westway junctions between the London boundary and the Euston road; (2) if the phasing of traffic lights on the A40/Westway junctions within London are part of a traffic management scheme to prevent traffic from entering or leaving Central London.

Mr. Norris: These are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. John Butcher dated 31 October 1994:

You raised two questions in the House of Commons in July (numbers 129 and 135) about the phasing of traffic signals at the A40/Westway junctions. These have been passed to me for reply


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as they raise operational matters for which the Highways Agency is responsible.

I would first confirm that there is no traffic management scheme in operation on the A40/Westway junctions to prevent traffic entering or leaving Central London. Congestion does occur at these junctions but this is due entirely to the volume of traffic passing through them. Essential roadworks such as those recently undertaken along the A40, M25 to the A312, add to the congestion.

With regard to the actual phasing of the traffic signals, those at Long Lane have been bypassed by the improvement scheme which opened recently. The rest of the traffic signals on the A40 are within the North Circular Road and operate under Urban Traffic Control. This is a computer system which alters the timing of the signals at various times of the day so as to minimise the overall delay to traffic.

The Metropolitan Police can override this computer system and introduce alternative (contingency) plans if the level of traffic is severe and they consider it necessary.

Shipping Policy Division

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it remains his intention to transfer the shipping policy division to No. 11 Millbank.

Mr. Norris: This remains an option if the shipping policy division cannot be relocated into Great Minster, but a final decision must await further evaluation.

Privatisation

Mr. Grocott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the privatisations which his Department has promoted since 1979, indicating, in each case, the date of the sale, the proceeds of the sale, and the estimated current value of the company.

Mr. Norris: The information requested is as follows:


                                         |Net equity               

                                         |proceeds to              

                                         |Government               

Company                     |Date of sale|£ million                

-------------------------------------------------------------------

National Freight Consortium |1982        |5.0                      

Associated British Ports    |1983        |45.4                     

(secondary sale by HMT)     |1984        |51.0                     

British Airways             |1987        |853.0                    

British Airports Authority  |1987        |1,181.6                  

DVOIT (the former IT arm of                                        

  DVLA)                     |1993        |3.7                      

Information on the current value of private companies is not held  

by this Department.                                                

Departmental Offices (Disabled Access)

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all his Department's offices, indicating which have disabled access.

Mr. Norris: My Department does not keep a central record of the access arrangements for individual offices; there are more than 1,400 premises. Guidance has been issued to all property managers on planning for people with disabilities, including access to and within offices.

Vehicle Operator Licences

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of vehicles operating with heavy goods vehicle operator licences in each of the past six years and the number of vehicles operating with public service vehicle operator licences.


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Mr. Norris: The information requested is as follows:


             |Vehicles    |Vehicles                 

             |Specified on|Specified on             

             |HGV Operator|PSV Operator             

             |Licences    |Licences                 

----------------------------------------------------

1988-89      |461,600     |75,255                   

1989-90      |441,656     |77,067                   

1990-91      |453,139     |77,697                   

1991-92      |446,412     |78,098                   

1992-93      |406,443     |79,563                   

1993-94      |404,211     |81,130                   

Horse Riding (Safety)

Mr. Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the regulations governing safety clothing and safety markings for horse riders riding at night and in bad weather; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of these regulations.

Mr. Norris: There are no such regulations but we strongly advise riders to follow the detailed guidance contained in the highway code.

Motorways

Mr. Mills: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish his standing advisory committee on transport's report on generated traffic on motorways.

Mr. Watts: We will publish our response in due course.

Rolling Stock

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the indicative rolling stock leasing charges for the InterCity east coast and the Regional Railways north-east train operating units in 1994 95 were notified to the train operating units.

Mr. Watts: On 1 July 1994.

Cycle Safety

Mr. Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the regulations governing safety clothing and safety markings and lighting for cyclists riding at night and in bad weather; and what assessment he has made as to the adequacy of these regulations.

Mr. Norris: Cycle lighting is governed by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989. The lamps and reflectors specified in these regulations provide the cyclist with good conspicuity providing they are kept clean and well maintained. There are no regulations concerning safety clothing for cyclists. The highway code contains detailed advice on conspicuity for cyclists.

Driving Standards Agency

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) male and (b) female staff of each grade within the Driving Standards Agency have signed up to the agency's attendance bonus pay offer.

Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Driving Standards Agency. The chief executive has written to the hon. Member


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Letter from S. J. Ford to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 28 October 1994 :

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about the number of Driving Agency staff who have signed up to the Agency's attendance bonus pay offer.

To date 557 staff (32 per cent. of the total workforce) have responded to the Ballot, of which 317 have accepted the offer. The breakdown of this figure is attached.

Returns are still coming in from staff, and there is at present no formal closing date.


1994-1995 Pay Offer                         

Grade      |Gender    |Acceptance           

--------------------------------------------

SEO        |Male      |2                    

           |Female    |-                    

                                            

HEO        |Male      |6                    

           |Female    |1                    

                                            

EO         | Male     |3                    

           |Female    |4                    

                                            

AO         |Male      |8                    

           |Female    |17                   

                                            

AA         |Male      |15                   

           |Female    |28                   

                                            

PS         |Male      |-                    

           |Female    |2                    

                                            

TYP        |Male      |-                    

           |Female    |4                    

                                            

SGB        |Male      |7                    

           |Female    |2                    

                                            

ACDE       |Male      |1                    

           |Female    |-                    

                                            

SE         | Male     |17                   

           |Female    |-                    

                                            

SDE        |Male      |45                   

           |Female    |-                    

                                            

DE         |Male      |139                  

           |Female    |16                   

                                            

Total                 |317                  

Train Timetables

Mrs. Bridget Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the new train operating units' timetables and ticketing arrangements.

Mr. Watts: We have received 53 representations about timetable arrangements and 62 concerning ticketing since 1 April 1994.

Bus Deregulation

Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation he has made of the effects of bus deregulation outside London; and what plans he has to introduce deregulation in London.


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Mr. Norris: Bus deregulation outside London has resulted in more operators running more bus miles at lower cost than previously. While bus deregulation remains our long-term aim for London, we do not intend to bring forward legislation in the life of this Parliament.

Motorways (Tolling)

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his current policy on the tolling of motorways; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watts: The policy is as set out by the then Secretary of State for Transport on 2 December 1993, Official Report , columns 646 49 .

Bus Companies

Mr. Austin-Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the previously publicly owned transport undertakings which are now owned or controlled by Stagecoach or its associated companies.

Mr. Norris: The companies are as listed.

Bluebird Buses Ltd. - Aberdeen

Busways Travel services Ltd. - Newcastle upon Tyne

Cheltenham and Gloucester Omnibus Co. Ltd.

Cumberland Motor Services Ltd. - Whitehaven

East Kent Road Car Co. Ltd. - Canterbury

East London Bus & Coach Co. Ltd. - Ilford

East Midland Motor Services Ltd. - Chesterfield

Fife Scottish Omnibuses Ltd. - Kirkcaldy

Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport Co. Ltd.

Mainline Group Ltd. - Sheffield (20 per cent. shareholding) Midland Red (South) Ltd. - Rugby

Red and White Services Ltd. - Chepstow (formerly National Welsh Omnibus Services Ltd.) including The Valleys Bus Co. Ltd. - Pengam Eastern Valley Bus Co. Ltd. - Abergavenny Western Valleys Bus Co. Ltd. - Brynmawr Aberdare Bus Co. Ltd.

Ribble Buses Ltd. - Preston

South Coast Buses Ltd. - Lewes (formerly Southdown Motor Services Ltd/Hastings & District Transport Ltd.)

South East London and Kent Bus Co. Ltd. - London SE

Stagecoach (South) Ltd. (formerly Hampshire Bus Co. Ltd.) Sussex Coastline Buses Ltd. - Chichester/Worthing (formerly Southdown Motor Services Ltd.)

United Counties Omnibus Ltd. - Northampton

Western Scottish Buses Ltd. - Kirmarnock


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