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Ministerial Visits
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has attended a cultural or theatrical event in Wales since his appointment as Secretary of State; and if he will list them.
Mr. Redwood: I have attended three such events since I have been Secretary of State for Wales. They are as follows:
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a. July 1993: International eisteddfodb. July 1994: International eisteddfod
c. March 1994: Animated opera exhibition
Hip Replacements
Ms Gordon: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were on waiting lists for hip replacement surgery in each year from 1983 to 1993 in Wales.
Mr. Richards: Information on the total number of patients on waiting lists for hip replacements is not held centrally. However, since the introduction of the patients charter in 1992, information has been collected on the numbers of patients waiting over 18 months, as shown in the following table.
|At 30 September
|1992 |1993 |1994
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of patients waiting
over 18 months for hip
replacement surgery |71 |27 |1
British Coal Enterprise
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment of the number of jobs created by British Coal Enterprise in (i) Clwyd and (ii) the south Wales coalfield in each of the years since its inception; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: The information requested is not held centrally.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of the State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of British Coal Enterprise in Wales.
Mr. Redwood: The Government and British Coal are currently exploring options for the services provided by British Coal Enterprise. No final decisions have been taken about its future.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet leaders of the Coalfield Communities Campaign from Wales to discuss the future of British Coal Enterprise.
Mr. Redwood: I would be pleased to consider a request for a meeting.
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has had concerning the future of British Coal Enterprise in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: I have met with representatives of British Coal Enterprise on a number of occasions this year but have received no other representations.
Railtrack (Land)
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from local authorities and the Welsh Development Agency regarding land sought to be purchased from Railtrack; if he will discuss the projects with Railtrack; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The Vale of Glamorgan borough council wrote about the release of land required for access
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to the Barry marine development. The council was informed that the matter was one for the British Railways Property Board.Public Authorities (Rent)
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to collect information regarding the headquarters rent paid by public authorities; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: No. I expect all public bodies to achieve the best possible value for money in their accommodation.
Health Authorities Bill
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the reduction of public sector manpower in Wales arising from the provision of the Health Authorities Bill.
Mr. Redwood: I shall expect liaison committee in due course to submit detailed assessments of likely staffing requirements for my approval.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the estimated annual savings in NHS management costs from the Health Authorities Bill in Wales from (a) the merger of family health services authorities and district health authorities and (b) the geographical mergers of the health authorities.
Mr. Redwood: I have set a target of at least £3 million per year savings from the simultaneous DHA/FHSA and geographical mergers.
Correspondence
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many "Dear Accounting Officer" letters his Department has written to Welsh non- departmental public bodies in each year since 1984.
Mr. Redwood: "Dear Accounting Officer" letters are issued by the Treasury. Where appropriate, my Department draws the contents of "Dear Accounting Officer" letters to the attention of the non-departmental public bodies which it sponsors, and has done so in respect of the following number of letters in each year since 1984: 1984--22; 1985--18; 1986--17; 1987--10; 1988--9; 1989--9; 1990--3; 1991--8; 1992--20; 1993--10; 1994--7;
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 12 December, Official Report, column 515, to the hon. Member for the Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney), if he will list those companies in whose flotations or shares sales the Welsh Development Agency took part in share underwriting; if he will give the name of the merchant bank effecting the arrangements in each case; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: I will arrange for the chief executive of the agency to write to the hon. Member and for a copy of his letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mental Health
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to strengthen the guidelines for the
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care of those sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983, transferred to out-patient psychiatric care and care in the community prior to the ending of the time period covered by the section order.Mr. Redwood: Guidance already exists under the Mental Health Act Code of Practice, pursuant to section 118 of the Act, the most recent revision of which was published in 1993. Chapter 27 of the code details the responsibilities of those involved in the possible discharge from hospital of a patient who has previously been detained under the Act. In particular, section 117 of the Act places a statutory duty upon health and social service authorities to provide aftercare.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of 16 and 17-year-olds not in full-time education and without a job or training scheme (a) in spring 1994 and (b) on the most recent date for which figures are available.
Mr. Redwood: Reliable estimates are not available for spring 1994. The most recent information available is for autumn 1992 when the Welsh social survey estimated that approximately 4,500--with a confidence interval of 3,200 to 5,900--16 and 17-year-olds in Wales were not in full- time education and without a job or youth training scheme.
Share Issues
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney), 12 December, Official Report , column 515 , on what dates the Welsh Office sought approval for the underwriting of share issues in (a) Government privatisation stocks and (b) private share flotations; and on what dates approval was given.
Mr. Redwood: The acquisition of shares by the Welsh Development Agency is covered by the agency's investment guidelines. No specific approvals have been sought.
EDUCATION
Student Expenditure
Mr. Bryan Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the level of average per student expenditure on (a) maintenance awards, (b) student loans and (c) Higher Education Funding Council for England recruitment grant in 1993 94; and what are the projected levels for 1994 95 and 1995 96.
Mr. Boswell: The average net expenditure per student on maintenance grants paid as part of mandatory awards for students domiciled in England and Wales was £1,630--provisional--in the 1993 94 financial year, and is expected to be around £1,540 in 1994 95 and £1,410 in 1995 96. The net expenditure on student loans taken out by students similarly domiciled as an average of those taking out loans was £720-- provisional--in 1993 94, and is expected to be around £970 in 1994 95 and £1,230 in 1995 96.
The average per student expenditure on recurrent grant and tuition fees for the higher education sector in England
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was £4,480 in 1993 94, and is expected to be around £4,490 in 1994 95 and £4,500 in 1995 96.Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last session of Parliament were not answered on the ground that the information sought was not held centrally by the Department.
Mr. Boswell: The POLIS database records 50 answers given to parliamentary questions by the Department during the last session as including a reference to the information's requested not being held centrally, was 50.
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the original cost in 1990 of the property formerly owned by the National Curriculum Council which was sold at auction on 7 December at the NCC warehouse, Kettlestring lane, Clifton Moor, York, and the amount of money paid for this property at the auction.
Mr. Forth: Some 80 per cent. of the furniture and equipment of the former National Curriculum Council, including nearly all items of value and in good condition, was transferred to the Department, the Funding Agency for Schools and the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority. The residue, consisting of items for which the Department had no use, many of them in poor condition, was offered for auction on 7 December, and realised just over £12,000. The auctioneers estimated its value at purchase as £90,000 plus VAT.
Further Education Colleges
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which further education colleges have been found to be mismanaged by the Further Education Funding Council; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Boswell: On 17 November the Further Education Funding Council for England published reports on the governance and management of Derby tertiary college, Wilmorton and St Philip's Roman Catholic sixth form college, Birmingham. The funding council has recommended that my right hon. Friend should exercise her power under section 57 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to remove all the governors from both institutions and replace them with new governors. There is no evidence to suggest that the problems of mismanagement, identified as affecting these two colleges by the reports are widespread.
Primary Schools
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if she will make a statement on the funding for primary school provision;
(2) what additional financial assistance is given to areas of social deprivation to help with primary education; and if she will make a statement;
(3) what representations she has received on the future funding for nursery and primary school education; and if she will make a statement;
(4) what advice she gives to local education authorities on the formula for the funding for primary education; and if she will make a statement.
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Mr. Forth: My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations concerning the future funding of nursery and primary school education. An announcement on the further development of nursery education will be made once the work of the task force is complete.
Within the education standard spending assessment, some 20 per cent. of grant is distributed through the additional educational needs index, which reflects the higher cost of providing education in areas of relative deprivation.
At local level, the allocation of resources to individual schools will be determined by the local education authority's local management of schools funding formula, and the proportion of funding allocated to primary schools will depend substantially on the relative weightings assigned by the formula to pupils of different ages--which are a matter for the LEA to determine. LEA's formulae may make special provision for schools affected by social deprivation, provided that the factors used for this purpose are sufficiently objective and the formula as a whole complies with certain requirements as to the overall proportion of funding which must be distributed according to pupil numbers. Guidance to LEAs on these matters is contained in the Department's circular 2/94.
Reading Recovery Schemes
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions she (a) has had, or (b) plans to have, with those local education authorities which have failed to secure funding for existing reading recovery schemes through the single regeneration budget.
Mr. Robin Squire: My right hon. Friend has no plans to discuss individual single regeneration budget bids with local education authorities. Unsuccessful bidders have been invited to contact their regional Government office, if they have queries.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure the completion of training courses by existing reading recovery teacher trainees in local education authorities which have failed to secure funding for existing reading recovery schemes under the single regeneration budget.
Mr. Robin Squire: It is for local education authorities to take steps to ensure that teachers complete their reading recovery training course. Authorities are aware that funding for the three-year national pilot of reading recovery will end as planned in March 1995.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure the spread of good practice in reading recovery schemes to local education authorities which have had no previous involvement in the scheme.
Mr. Robin Squire: The Department is funding the reading recovery national network team at the institute of Education, university of London to provide information and advice on reading recovery to all LEAs.
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment has been made by her Department of the long-term financial implications of reading recovery schemes for schools operating such schemes.
Mr. Robin Squire: The reading recovery national network team at the institute of education, university of
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London, estimate that the cost of reading recovery to schools is £1,000 per child. An independent research project, sponsored by the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority, is also looking at the cost of reading recovery.It is for schools and local education authorities themselves to consider, in the light of their own circumstances, whether long-term savings resulting from successful reading recovery schemes are sufficient to offset those costs.
School Inspections
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make arrangements for all reports produced by the Office for Standards in Education inspection teams under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to be placed in the Library.
Mr. Forth: These are matters for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, who heads the independent Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.
University Students
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students commenced university in the current year; what was the figure five years ago; and what is his estimate for next year.
Mr. Boswell: Full statistics for this year are not yet available, but new entrants to full-time undergraduate courses in Britain have been projected at some 308,000. This compares with 197,000 in the academic year 1989 90. It is for universities and colleges to decide on how many new entrants to admit next year, in the light of the number of students continuing from the present academic year and the current need to consolidate total student numbers. But the Government's plans allow for the proportion of young people entering full-time higher education in Britain to remain above 30 per cent., compared with 17 per cent. in 1989 90.
DEFENCE
Equipment (Contracts)
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many light dumpers his Department will be purchasing from A/S Hydrema of Denmark under contract No. EM and DIA/92; how many United Kingdom contractors tendered for this contract; what consideration was given to lease of the equipment; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman: Twelve light dumpers will be purchased from A/S Hydrema under contract No. EM and DIA/92. One United Kingdom contractor was invited to tender for the contract but declined to bid. Leasing was not considered appropriate in this instance but will be considered for equipment and components on a case-by-case basis.
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons his Department is proposing to re-paint certain RAF VC10s; to what extent contractors will be involved in the proposed (i) structural corrosion
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survey, (ii) major maintenance and (iii) rectification of corrosion; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Freeman: The paint finish on military aircraft serves two functions. The colour scheme and type of paint are selected to camouflage the aircraft. In addition, the surface finish protects the underlying structure from the damaging effects of the environment and, in particular, acts as an anti-corrosion treatment. As paint deteriorates with age, it is necessary to repaint aircraft routinely.
The repaint contractor will not be involved in either the structural corrosion survey, which will be undertaken by RAF technicians, or the major maintenance, which is completed by the RAF at RAF St. Athan with the assistance of a contractor's working party. Corrosion identified by RAF technicians will be rectified during major maintenance.
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline current arrangements for repair and overhaul of marine diesel engines used by the Royal Navy, showing the extent of contractor involvement.
Mr. Freeman: Except for minor repair and maintenance work, the repair and overhaul of marine diesel engines used by the Royal Navy is undertaken by contractors, mostly appointed through competition.
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the contract for the ocean survey vessel will be awarded on the same basis as the landing platform, helicopters; and what differences there will be in the criteria used.
Mr. Freeman: As with the award of the contract for the design and build of the landing platform helicopter, the outcome of the current competition for the ocean survey vessel will be based on best value for money for the defence budget.
Royal Logistics Corps, Hereford
Mr. Temple-Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be able to make an announcement as to the future of the regional depot, Royal Logistics Corps, Hereford.
Mr. Soames: I am considering the proposals for the rationalisation of the Army's non-explosive storage facilities, including regional depot Hereford, and will be making an announcement in the near future.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last Session of Parliament were not answered on the grounds that the information sought was not held centrally by the Department.
Mr. Soames: Less than 1 per cent.
Western European Union
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 25 November, Official Report , column 459 , what consideration Her Majesty's Government are giving to the possibility that the Western European Union should become a formal pillar of the EU on the same basis as the Foreign Affairs Council and the common foreign and security policy.
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Mr. Soames: The Government's policy is to develop the Western European Union in the role defined for it in the declaration of WEU Ministers at Maastricht in 1991, and described in my reply to the hon. Member for South Shields.
Combat Reconnaissance Equipment
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British military aircraft are fitted with electronic combat reconnaissance equipment; what programme he has to extend the use of such equipment; and what assessment he has made of the capacity of British manufacturers to provide and fit such equipment.
Mr. Freeman: Some Tornado GR1 and Nimrod aircraft are equipped to undertake electronic combat reconnaissance tasks. We are currently considering a number of proposals to enhance existing equipment. We maintain regular contact with British industry to monitor developments in this area.
Salisbury Plain
Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilians and (b) military personnel are currently employed (i) on Salisbury plain training area and (ii) at Otterburn; and whether he expects these numbers to rise.
Mr. Soames: The information requested is as follows:
|Civilians|Military
----------------------------------------------
Salisbury Plain |240 |11
Otterburn |124 |7
There are no plans to increase the numbers on Salisbury plain, although it is possible that up to 15 additional civilian staff will be required at Otterburn in the future.
Nuclear-powered Submarines
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which docklands each of the strategic submarine nuclear, SSN, and strategic submarine ballistic nuclear SSBN, nuclear-powered submarines have been earmarked for storage afloat when they are withdrawn from operational service.
Mr. Freeman: The location of each nuclear-powered submarine that has left Royal Navy service is provided in the following table. All these submarines, except HMS Valiant and HMS Resolution, have completed the process of defuelling, de-equipping and lay-up preparations and are stored afloat in suitable berths. It is not our practice to reveal in advance details of decommissioning plans for nuclear-powered submarines currently in service.
HM Submarines |Location --------------------------------------------- Dreadnought |Roysth Warspite |Devonport Churchill |Rosyth Conqueror |Devonport Swiftsure |Rosyth Courageous |Devonport Revenge-SSBN |Rosyth Valiant |Devonport Resolution-SSBN |Rosyth
Departmental Dwellings
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vacant dwellings are owned by his Department in Plymouth.
Mr. Soames: As at 30 September my Department owned 302 vacant dwellings in Plymouth in the following categories:
Service married quarters--281
Former married quarters in the process of sale--16
Civilian houses--5
A large number of the vacant service married quarters were undergoing or awaiting major maintenance, held for future deployments, or formed part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the number of dwellings owned by his Department and (b) the number of dwellings owned by his Department which are currently unoccupied for (i) Devon and (ii) Cornwall.
Mr. Soames: As at 30 September, my Department owned the following dwellings in Devon and Cornwall:
|Stock |Vacant
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Devon
Service married quarters |3,040 |342
Former married quarters in the process of sale |16 |16
Civilian houses |9 |0
Former civilian houses in the process of sale |0 |0
Cornwall
Service married quarters |1,138 |259
Former married quarters in the process of sale |2 |2
Civilian houses |0 |0
Former civilian houses in the process of sale |1 |0
A large number of the vacant service married quarters were undergoing or awaiting major maintenance, held for future deployments, or formed part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families.
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings are currently owned by his Department.
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