---

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when South Thames TEC was entered on to the high-risk register.

Mr. Paice: The Department does not maintain formal risk registers. The training and enterprise council's internal financial management is a matter for the TEC board. The high-risk assessment made by the Department related to the effectiveness of financial control systems in the TEC and was made in December 1993.

Training and Enterprise Councils

Mr. Enright: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what responsibilities his Department has to those firms which are put into bankruptcy as a result of the financial failure of TECs which renege on their debts.

Mr. Paice: Because training and enterprise councils are private companies, the Department has no legal responsibilities towards firms contracted with them.

Contracts between TECs and other parties are commercial, subject to company law and the law of contract, including that relating to insolvency.

The Department is concerned, where problems arise between TECs and suppliers of services under Government programmes, that steps are taken to minimise disruption to individuals.

Earnings Statistics

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of works on adult rates divided between manual and non-manual, male and female, and full and part-time have earnings less than £2.60, £3, £3.20, £3.40, £3.60, £3.80, £4, £4.40, £4.80, £5.20, £5.60, £6 and £8 per hour, including and excluding overtime, in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Humberside, Yorkshire/Humberside and the north region;

(2) what were the average gross weekly earnings, weekly hours and hourly earnings for part-time workers, manual and non-manual, in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) North Yorkshire, (d) Humberside, (e)

---

Column 182

Yorkshire/Humberside and (f) the north region; and what were the lowest and highest decile and median hourly earnings of these workers;

(3) what percentage of full-time workers on adult rates, male/female, manual/non-manual, are earning less than £160, £180, £200, £220, £300 and £340 per week, including and excluding overtime, in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Humberside, Yorkshire/Humberside and the north region.

Mr. Oppenheim: As the information is contained in a number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.

European Social Conference

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who will represent Britain at the European social conference held in Paris on 30 March.

Miss Widdecombe: A decision on Government representation at this conference will be taken nearer the date.

Women

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which Ministers have what responsibility in respect of matters of specific relevance to women; how they are co-ordinated; what have been the results of their work to date; what they are currently working on to improve women's lives; and if he will make a statement.

Miss Widdecombe: Every Minister takes account of sex equality issues within his or her area of policy responsibility. The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Women's Issues reviews and develops overall Government policy on issues of special concern to women; the Employment Department has lead responsibility within Whitehall for co-ordinating this policy. The United Kingdom's report for the United Nations fourth world conference on women, produced in October 1994, gives a recent overview of key achievements and priorities for action, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Forth Rail Bridge

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the responsibilities of the Health and Safety Executive in relation to the Forth rail bridge; and what is the conclusion of Mr. John Rimington's inquiry into the Forth rail bridge.

Mr. Oppenheim: The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate is responsible for the oversight of safety on all parts of the railway, including the safety of workers, the protection of passengers and the integrity of structures such as the Forth rail bridge.

I understand that Mr. Rimington wrote to the hon. Member about this matter on 25 January 1995. There is no present threat to the structural integrity of the bridge.

Structural Funding

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he is in a position to announce that the Auchmountain Glen restoration and training project, Greenock, will receive in 1995 financial support by way of the European Union's objective 3 structural funds; and if he will make a statement.

---

Column 183

Miss Widdecombe: No application for European social fund support under objective 3 has yet been approved. All applications are currently being considered by sector managers who represent the main organisations which receive ESF money. In accordance with European Commission requirements, all the selected projects will be presented to regional co- ordinating groups for their approval during March. The Department will then be able to issue formal approval letters to successful projects.

Training Providers

Ms Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his written answer of 30 January, Official Report, column 539 , if he will list the names and addresses of those training providers who have yet to receive a letter of comfort but whose case is still under investigation by the receiver.

Mr. Paice: I apologise to the hon. Member for the confusion caused by my answer of 30 January. This resulted from an administrative error made by the Department. A list of training providers who have yet to receive a letter of comfort but whose case is still under investigation by the receiver is now shown in the table:

List of South Thames TEC Employer Investment in

People Contractors which did not receive comfort letters QTAB

Business Development Consultancy

ETC Ltd.

Terry Smith

Training For Change

Trevor Holt Associates

Hambledon Group

My Fathers Business

Strand International

John Horwood Consultants Ltd.

Nick Zienau Consultancy and Training

ECO International Ltd.

Sandra Burrows Associates

Peter Austin

John Beecher

John Lawrence

FOTEC

Performance 2000

Genesis Development

Mountwood Consultants

Roger Ayscough

Roy Price Healthcare Consultant

PPC Ltd.

Central Management Services Ltd.

Latimer Chandler

Bridge Penines Ltd.

Statius Management Services

Scher Associates

LCD Associates

Partners in Innovation

L M Quality

Havenguard Financial Management Ltd.

Martyn Dawes Association

Chalk n Cheese

Chromacolour

Colebrook Bosson Saunders

Executive Cleaning Group

Executive Cleaning (Security)

Heymount Ltd.

London Research Centre

---

Column 184

Scotts of Stockwell

Skill National

South London Press

St. John's Angell Town CE

Surrey Cricket Club

TEC National Council

Telferscot Primary School

World Society for Protection of Animals

Cromwell Cleaning

EPS

Executive Cleaning Ltd.

Freemans

Leiths Good Food

Office Cleaning Services

Railtrack South West

SAS Services

Swirl Service

Alma Primary School

Anthony Gold Solicitors

(Ayscough Travel)

Battley Brothers

Book Aid International

Bredinghurst School

Chapter Group plc

Design Research Unit

DSL Software Ltd.

Fisher Meredith

Further Education Unit

(Hatcham Wood School)

Highshore School

Institute of Optometry

London Limousines

Martyn Dawes

Raymond Bushell

Robin Johnson

Sacred Heart School

Sitra

Southwark Counsell Corporate Policy

(St. Michaels Press)

St. Saviour's and St. Olave's School

Training for Change

Understanding Industry

Walter Coles

Walworth School

W. J. Boyle

ASRA Housing

Clapham Park School

Graham and Rose Colley

Major Hire

Melrose Film Productions Ltd.

Peries Solicitors

SM Distribution

St. Martin-in-the-Field School

St. Saviour's Primary School

St. Stephens Primary School

Vassel House

Medicines Control Agency

Railtrack South

Beormund Primary School

Bishop Thomas Grant

Charles Dickens Primary School

Cherry Garden School

Cleaning and Support Services

Eltham Green

Joseph Lancaster

Middle Park Junior

Nell Gwyn Nursery

Peckham Park Infants School

Plumstead Manor School

---