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Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of state foe Defence what would be the financial cost to the Department of a total ban on the production, stockpiling, sale and use of anti-personnel mines.
Mr. Freeman: Since there is no such ban, we have made no assessment of what the financial consequences might be.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the precise principles and criteria which UK military commanders must use when complying with article 3, paragraph 3 of protocol II of the UN's inhumane weapons convention which prohibits the indiscriminate use of mines.
Mr. Soames: The UK would not use land mines indiscriminately. Minefields have to have a specific military purpose, and must be clearly marked using the correct NATO marking system. The location of mines is recorded to facilitate subsequent de-mining operations. The set rules and procedures that have to be followed are taught as part of the courses for Royal Engineers and any other soldiers who are responsible for mine laying and mine clearance.
Service Accommodation
Sir Peter Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has the results of the audit work on official service residences; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: In his written answer of 4 July 1994, Official Report , column 85 , my predecessor, my right hon.
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Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), described the audit work that we had set in hand on official service residences following the discovery of significant overspends on the refurbishment of Haymes Garth, currently the residence of the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command. He undertook to make a full report at the conclusion of this work. The external investigation of circumstances surrounding Haymes Garth was carried out by Ms Sheila Masters of KPMG Peat Marwick, building on earlier work by the Ministry's internal auditors. Her report establishes the sequence of events, identifies the failures of control which occurred, and makes recommendations for the future. The latest estimate of expenditure on Haymes Garth is £380,000. It is our intention to dispose of the property as soon as practicable, subject to the availability of suitable alternative accommodation for the AOCinC.Internal auditors have, as my right hon. Friend indicated, also been conducting a wider examination of expenditure on official service residences, covering a selection of properties in each of the three services.
The general conclusion is that management of a majority of residences was generally satisfactory, but there were significant failures of control in some cases, including Haymes Garth. The Ministry's established procedures for the devolution of budgetary powers and responsibilities did not always operate as intended. The reports make it clear that this was partly due to lack of agreed standards for official service residences, which meant that too much was left to subjective judgements. There was also evidence that some staff have an incomplete understanding of the relevant procedures. Obligations to consult were sometimes ignored. This is not acceptable.
There are no findings of illegality or culpable impropriety, but failures of control imply individual failures in management and responsibility. The reports we now have, call into question the judgment of a number of individuals to a degree which may require action by the appropriate authorities. This is in hand.
Meanwhile, budget holders have been reminded that normal budgetary disciplines apply to expenditure of this kind, and that financial oversight at senior level should be maintained at all times. Steps to remedy the system defects which have come to light are being vigorously pursued. The effect will be to define most closely the standards of provision for residences and their furnishings and to ensure improved reporting of actual expenditure. Residences are provided to enable the occupant to do his job; provision should be limited to what is necessary for this purpose.
Beyond this, as I reported to the House on 18 October 1994, Official Report , columns 159-60, it was felt appropriate that the wider question of representational entertainment in the armed forces should be examined, and Sir Peter Cazalet agreed to carry out the investigation. As well as examining the requirement for senior officers to entertain, he is considering whether there are most cost-effective ways of doing so than the use of official residences and similar quarters, and in the light of that whether any properties can be sold. Future policy on the use of official service residences including Haymes Garth will be formed in the light of his recommendations.
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I am placing a paper concerning the financial management of official service residences in the Library of the House.EMPLOYMENT
Training Scheme Leavers
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the number and proportion of trainees who six months after leaving were (a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full- time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another Government training programme, (g) on a full-time education or training course, (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else, as shown in the results of the youth training leavers survey for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, for the period April 1993 to March 1994, for all leavers and separately for male and female, for each ethnic group, and for those with a disability or health problem;
(2) what are the results of the training for work leavers survey for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, for the period between April 1993 and March 1994, for all leavers and separately for male and female, for each ethnic group, and for those with a disability or health problem, broken down to show the number and proportion of training for work leavers who (a) have been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) had obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification and (d) were awaiting their results; what was the number and proportion of training for work leavers who six months after leaving were (i) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (ii) in a full- time job with another employer, (iii) employed in their own business, (iv) in a part-time job, (v) in voluntary work (vi) on another Government training programme, (vii) on a full-time education or training course, (viii) unemployed and claiming benefit, (ix) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (x) in a job club and (xi) doing something else; and what is the number and proportion of training for work leavers who had completed the training agreed in their initial action plan.
Mr. Paice: As this information is contained in a large number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the results from the training for work leavers survey for the period December 1992 to January 1994 for each training and enterprise council area in England and Wales and each local enterprise company area in Scotland broken down to show the number and proportion of leavers who (a) had been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) had obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification and (d) were awaiting their results; what was the number and proportion of training for work leavers who six months after leaving were (i) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (ii) in a full-time job with another employer, (iii) employed in their own business, iv) in a part-time job, (v) in voluntary work, (vi) on another Government training programme, (vii) on a
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full-time education or training course, (viii) unemployed and claiming benefit, (ix) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (x) in a job club and (xi) doing something else; and what was the number and proportion of training for work leavers who had completed the training agreed in their initial action plan;(2) what are the results of the youth training leavers survey for the period December 1992 to January 1994 for each training and enterprise council area in England and Wales and each local enterprise company area in Scotland broken down to show the number and proportion of youth training leavers who were (a) in full-time work with the same employer, (b) in full- time work with a different employer, (c) in part-time work, (d) on a full- time course at a college or training centre, (e) on another youth training scheme, (f) doing something else, (g) unemployed and (h) had obtained a vocation qualification; and what was (i) the number of questionnaires issued, (ii) the usable percentage response and (iii) the percentage of respondents who were early leavers.
Mr. Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I placed in the Library on 13 January in answer to questions tabled by the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman).
Employment Service
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the internal working group was set up in Scotland to develop Employment Service services for Employment Service clients living in rural areas.
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from A. G. Johnson to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence on business of the Chief Executive, to reply to your question about when the internal working group was set up in Scotland.
The working group was established to address issues concerning the provision of Employment Service programmes and services in rural areas and to look at ways in which improvements could be made to assist our clients in these areas. The first meeting was held on 25 November 1994.
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list by region those areas which have access to Employment Service freephone services in Scotland;
(2) if he will list by region the number of mobile jobcentres operating in Scotland;
(3) if he will list by region which press and radio are used to publicise Employment Service services in Scotland.
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from A. G. Johnson to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence on business of the Chief Executive, to reply to your questions about Scotland concerning the areas which have access to Employment Service (ES)
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freephone services, the number of mobile Jobcentres, and press and radio used to publicise ES services.The information you require is listed, by Regional and Island Council Authorities, in the following tables.
I hope this is helpful.
Table 1: Freephone services for clients in Scotland
Regional authority |Jobcentre |Area served
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strathclyde |Campbeltown |Kintyre
|Islay
|Jura
|Gigha
|Oban |Lochgilphead
|Inverary
|Tarbet
|Coll
|Colonsay
|Iona
|Mull
|Tiree
|Kilmarnock A } |Irvine Valley
|Kilmarnock B } |Stewarton
|Kilmaurs
|Kilwinning |Dalry
Borders |Eyemouth } |Roxburgh
|Hawick } |and
|Kelso } |Berwickshire
|Galashiels |Ettrick
|Lauderdale
|Peeblesshire
Shetland Islands |Lerwick |Shetland Isles
Council
Lothian |Portobello |Craigmillar
Highland |Inverness |Inverness
|Ullapool
|Drumnadrochit
|Gairloch
|Aviemore
|Grantown on Spey
|Black Isle
Table 2: Mobile jobcentre for clients in Scotland
Regional authority |Jobcentre |Area served
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fife |Cupar |Auchtermuchty
|Newburgh
|Leven |Anstruther
|Kirkcaldy |Burntisland
|Dunfermline |Dalgety Bay
|Valleyfield
|Rosyth
|Kincardine
|Cowdenbeath |Cardenden
|Kinross
|Lochore
Table 3: Press and radio publicity in Scotland
Regional authority |Press/Radio
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strathclyde |Gryffe Weekly News
|Paisley Gazette
|Paisley Express
|Lanark Gazette
|Wishaw Press
|Motherwell Times
|Lanarkshire People
|Lanarkshire World
|Clyde Weekly News
|Daily Record
|Glasgow Herald
|Glasgow Evening Times
|Drumchapel News
|County Reporter
|Oban Times
|The Star
|Lennox Herald
|Irvine Times
|Irvine Herald
|Cumnock Chronicle
|Ayr Advertiser
|Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald
|Troon Times
|Carrick Herald
|Kilmarnock Standard
|Ayrshire Leader
|Ayrshire Post
|Arran Banner
|Largs and Millport Weekly
|Garnock Herald
|Greenock Telegraph
|Clyde Post
|The Buteman
|Dunoon Observer
|Glaswegian
|East End Independent
|Hamilton Advertiser
|Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser
|East Kilbride News
|Wishaw Press
|Rutherglen Reformer
|Lanarkshire World
|Southside Extra
|Castlemilk Free Press
|Scottish Jobs
|East End Independent
|Cumbernauld News
|Kirkintilloch Advertiser
|Radio Clyde
|Q96
|West Sound Radio
Borders |Southern Reporter
|Pebblesshire News
|Borders Telegraph
|Hawick News
|Berwickshire News
Tayside |Courier and Advertiser (Dundee)
|Evening Telegraph (Dundee)
|Perthshire Advertiser
|Blairgowrie Advertiser
|Arbroath Herald
|Montrose Review
|Tayside Business News
|Radio Tay
Fife |Fife Free Press
|Courier and Advertiser (Fife)
|East Fife Mail
|Fife Leader
|Dunfermline Press
|Dunfermline Extra
|Central Fife Times
|Dunfermline Herald and Post
Dumfries and Galloway |Dumfries and Galloway Standard
|Galloway Gazette
|Wigtown Free Press
|Dumfries Courier
|Annandale Herald
|Annandale Observer
Central |Stirling Observer
|Falkirk Herald
|Alloa Advertiser
Lothian |Edinburgh Evening News
|Wester Hailes Sentinel
|Portobello Advertiser
|East Lothian Toun Crier
|Craigmillar Festival Society News
|Midlothian Advertiser
|Lothian Times
|Lothian News
|Lothian Courier
|Herald and Post
|Musselburgh News
|Radio Forth
|Hailes FM (Wester Hailes)
Highland |Press and Journal
|Northern Scot
|Highland News
|Ross-shire Journal
|Lochaber Life
|John O'Groats Journal
|Fort William Star
|Moray Firth Radio
|BBC Highland
|Moray Firth Radio
|Nevis Radio
Grampian |Press and Journal
|Evening Express
|Fraserburgh Herald
|Buchan Observer
Shetland Islands Council |Shetland
|Shetland Radio
Western Isles Island |Stornoway Gazette
|Radio FM
Orkney Islands Council |The Orcadian
|BBC Radio Orkney
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the timetable for linking (a) libraries, (b) community centres and (c) other focal points in rural communities to the Employment Service computer network;
(2) what system is in place to ensure that vacancy displays in post offices, libraries, community centres and
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other focal points in rural communities are regularly updated.Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from A. G. Johnson to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 10 February 1995.
The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence on business of the Chief Executive, to reply to your questions about the systems used to update vacancy displays in rural locations and the timetable for linking such locations to the Employment Service (ES) computer network.
The currency of vacancies in Jobcentres is one of the standards of performance outlined in the ES Jobseeker's Charter. Our aim is that when clients look at our job vacancy boards, they will find the vacancies up to date and available.
Where vacancies are displayed at locations other than Jobcentres such as libraries or community centres, this aim may be achieved by way of local agreements with the relevant organisations who, on our instruction, remove old vacancies and replace them with new ones. Alternatively, one of my officers will travel to visit the location to update the displays. In some cases, depending on the distances between the Jobcentre and the vacancy display, both activities will take place.
There are no plans to link these outside locations to our present computerised vacancy handling system, "Supervacs".
Jobsearch Plan
Ms. Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will withdraw question 18 on page 10 from the draft jobsearch plan.
Miss Widdecombe: No. The draft jobsearch plan has been designed to enable jobseekers to set out information to help them prepare for the discussions with an employment adviser about their jobseeker's agreement. The jobsearch plan form will ask for details of availability for work, the sort of work being sought and how the jobseeker intends to find it. Questions relating to the level of pay being sought are relevant to these matters.
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, in response to question 18 on page 10 of the draft jobsearch plan which requires the jobseeker to state the lowest wage that he or she is willing to work for, he would expect a person from an ethnic minority to state a lower wage rate than a white person.
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, in response to question 18 on page 10 of the draft jobsearch plan which requires the jobseeker to state the lowest wage that he or she is willing to work for, he would expect women to state a lower wage rate than men.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the status of the jobsearch plan under the Jobseekers Bill; and what sanctions can be imposed upon claimants if they refuse to sign the jobsearch plan.
Miss Widdecombe: The jobsearch plan has no status under the Jobseekers Bill. It will be used to gather information to help draw up the jobseeker's agreement. No sanctions will be imposed for not signing the plan.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to introduce a minimum level for the lowest wage a person needs to
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declare under the draft jobsearch plan under the Jobseekers Bill.Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment at what interval the jobsearch plan will be renewed by an individual claimant under the Jobseekers Bill.
Miss Widdecombe: The jobsearch plan will be used to gather information to help the employment officer and jobseeker to draw up an initial jobseeker's agreement. A new jobsearch plan might in some cases be appropriate to help the employment officer and the jobseeker vary a jobseeker's agreement during a claim.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which questions contained within the jobsearch plan are at present contained in a signed document; and what is the sanction for failing to declare or making a false declaration.
Miss Widdecombe: Nearly all of the information which it is proposed should be gathered by the new jobsearch plan form is at present collected on forms which are signed by the claimant. The order and phrasing of some of the questions has been altered in the current draft of the plan. The section on efforts to find work, in particular, has been re-designed to help the jobseeker set out his jobsearch plans in more detail.
There will be no sanctions for failing to fill in a new jobsearch plan form. It is, however, an offence for a jobseeker to make a statement or representation he knows to be false and we propose to continue this under the jobseeker's allowance.
Regulated Economies
Ms Quin: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her oral answer of 10 January, Official Report, column 7, if she will list the international evidence that more regulated economies are less successful in creating jobs.
Mr. Oppenheim: There is a growing body of work--much of it through international comparisons--on the
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effect of regulation on labour markets. This work was recently summarised in the OECD jobs study, "Evidence and Explanations Part II: The Adjustment Potential of the Labour Market", Chapter 6, pages 63 100. Among its conclusions are"the employment/population ratio . . . tends to be lower in countries with high levels of job security"
measured by the strictness of statutory employment security provisions. The OECD jobs study drew heavily on recent work including:
D. Grubb and W. Wells, "Employment Regulation and Patterns of Work in EC Countries", OECD Economic Studies No. 21, winter 1993; W. Wells, "Does the Structure of Employment Legislation Affect the Structure of Employment and Unemployment?", paper at United Kingdom EC Presidency Labour Market Conference, Glasgow, November 1992;
Other studies of the effects of labour market regulation include: S. Bentolila and G. Bertola, "Firing Costs and Labour Demand: How Bad is Eurosclerosis?" Review of Economic Studies, 1990;
S. Bentolila and G. Saint-Paul, "The Macroeconomic Impact of Flexible Labour Contracts, with an Application to Spain", European Economic Review, 1990;
G. Bertola, "Job Security, Employment and Wages", European Economic Review, 1990;
M. Emerson, "Regulation or Deregulation of the Labour Market: Policy Regimes for the Recruitment and Dismissal of Employees in the Industrialised Countries", European Economic Review, 1988;
E. Lazear, "Job Security Provisions and Employment", Quarterly Journal of Economics, 1990;
OECD Employment Outlook, 1993, chapter 3, section D;
OECD Employment Outlook, 1994, chapter 4, section D.
Wages
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in each English region and for Wales and Scotland earn (a) less than £1.50 an hour, (b) between £1.50 and £2.00 an hour, (c) between £2.00 and £2.50 an hour, (d) between £2.50 and £3.00 an hour, (e) between £3.00 and £3.50 an hour and (f) between £3.50 and £4.00 an hour.
Mr. Oppenheim: Estimated numbers of both full and part-time employees are given in the following table:
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Estimated numbers of full and part-time employees (in thousands rounded to the nearest 10,000). Estimated number with gross hourly earnings: Region |Less than 1.50|£1.50-£2.00 |£2.00-£2.50 |£2.50-£3.00 |£3.00-£3.50 |£3.50-£4.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- South East region |20 |30 |40 |110 |300 |400 East Anglia region |- |- |10 |30 |60 |70 South West region |10 |10 |10 |50 |160 |150 West Midlands region |10 |10 |20 |50 |170 |180 East Midlands region |10 |10 |20 |50 |140 |150 Yorkshire and Humberside region |10 |10 |20 |50 |160 |180 North West region |- |10 |30 |60 |180 |200 North region |- |- |20 |30 |100 |110 Wales |10 |- |10 |30 |80 |100 Scotland |10 |10 |20 |40 |160 |190 Notes: -denotes estimate less than 5,000. Source: 1994 New Earnings Survey and Employees in Employment for June 1994.
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