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Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995 :Question 13, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995
1. Your parliamentary question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what reports he has received confirming the detection of chemical weapons use during the 1990 91 Gulf War; and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.
3. Although during the 1990 91 Gulf conflict there were unconfirmed reports of the detection of chemical warfare agents, no confirmed reports of the detection of chemical warfare agents have been received.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the report by the Ministry of Defence of Czech Republic stating that chemical weapons were used by Iraq during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: This matter is for the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:
QUESTION 14, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995
1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what assessment he has made of the report by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic stating that chemical weapons were used by Iraq during the Gulf War, and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.
2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.
3. The report made by the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic described the participation of the Czechoslovak anti-chemical unit in the Persian Gulf conflict. The Czech report stated that:
"On the basis of the stated facts it is possible to pronounce the conclusion that the event cannot be linked in any way with the use of chemical weapons, that is, their application in combat actions and that harm to individuals of the Czechoslovak anti-chemical unit influenced by toxic combat substances could not have occurred". In addition, we are aware that the United States Department of Defence has reviewed carefully the reports of the Czech detections. The US Department of Defence has recently concluded that they were unable to validate the Czech reports and state that the Czechs themselves never were able to identify the source of their detections. The UK conclusion continues to be that chemical weapons were not used by Iraq during the Gulf conflict.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussion he has had with his Czech counterpart concerning the use of chemical weapons during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames: This matter is for the Chemical, and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, CBDE to write to the hon. Member. Letter from Graham Pearson to Dr. David Clark, dated 14 March 1995:
QUESTION 15, ORDER PAPER 9 MARCH 1995
1. Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what recent discussion he has had with his Czech counterpart concerning the use of chemical weapons during the Gulf
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War; and if he will make a statement, has been passed to me to answer as Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.2. The role of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment is to carry out work to ensure that the UK Armed Forces are provided with effective protective measures against the threat that chemical and biological weapons may be used against them.
3. There have been bilateral discussions between representatives of the Ministry of Defence and representatives of the Czech Republic in late 1994. In discussions with the Chief of the Czech Chemical Troops, it was said that it was improbable that a cloud could have blow from the Iraqi facilities to reach the Czech detectors and further that the trace amounts which had been detected by the Czech equipments could not have had any effect on the health of Service personnel. There was therefore no evidence that Iraq had used chemical weapons in the Gulf conflict.
Service Personnel (Suicide)
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans of the Gulf war in (a) the Army, (b) the RAF and (c) the Royal Navy have committed suicide in each of the years since the Gulf war.
Mr. Soames: Since the Gulf war, one naval Gulf war veteran has committed suicide, in 1991. There have been no suicides by Army veterans of the Gulf war. The figures for the RAF are as follows: 1991: 2
1992: 0
1993: 2
1994: 1
These numbers related only to those veterans of the Gulf war who were still serving with the armed forces at the time of their suicide.
Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of (a) the Army, (b) the RAF and (c) the Royal Navy have committed suicide in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Soames: The numbers of service personnel confirmed by the coroner to have committed suicide in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available are as follows:
|Royal Navy <1>|Army |RAF
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |2 |18 |9
1985 |5 |19 |7
1986 |7 |19 |13
1987 |4 |15 |8
1988 |6 |28 |8
1989 |4 |26 |6
1990 |9 |23 |16
1991 |7 |26 |10
1992 |6 |22 |7
1993 |1 |22 |10
<1> includes the Royal Marines
University Bursaries Scheme
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those who took advantage of his Department's university bursaries scheme subsequently resigned before the minimum return of service period had expired for each year since 1979.
Mr. Soames [holding answer 3 March 1995]: The numbers of students awarded Royal Navy and Royal Air Force bursaries who resigned before completing their
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university course are given in the table. The number of students awarded Army bursaries who resigned before completing their university course or during their initial officer training are also given. The figures provided are those available for the years since 1979. No information is held centrally on the numbers who left the services after initial officer training, but before completing the required return of service, or of those in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force who left during initial officer training. No records are kept for civilians as, in common with other industry schemes, students are not required to complete any return of service.Column 523
Royal Navy Army Royal Air Force
Calendar year |Number withdrawn|Financial year |Number withdrawn|Financial year |Number withdrawn
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|1983-84 |2
1985 |5 |- |- |1984-85 |1
1986 |6 |- |- |1985-86 |7
1987 |6 |- |- |1986-87 |3
1988 |2 |- |- |1987-88 |6
1989 |10 |- |- |1988-89 |4
1990 |8 |1989-90 |23 |1989-90 |2
1991 |8 |1990-91 |27 |1990-91 |11
1992 |8 |1991-92 |23 |1991-92 |6
1993 |7 |1992-93 |28 |1992-93 |3
1994 |10 |1993-94 |24 |1993-94 |8
1995 |<1>3 |1994-95 |<1>28 |1994-95 |<1>5
Note:
<1>To date.
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the cost of his Department's university bursaries scheme for each year since 1979.
Mr. Soames [holding answer 3 March 1995]: Expenditure on university bursary awards by my Department, in those years since 1979 for which figures are available, is as shown in the table:
Financial |Royal
year |Royal Navy|Army |Air Force
|£ |£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------
1979-80 |- |101,700 |-
1980-81 |- |99,900 |-
1981-82 |- |121,500 |18,900
1982-83 |- |134,100 |30,600
1983-84 |- |136,800 |45,900
1984-85 |- |163,800 |48,600
1985-86 |- |163,800 |67,500
1986-87 |- |212,400 |92,700
1987-88 |- |189,000 |106,200
1988-89 |108,000 |542,400 |90,900
1989-90 |158,400 |483,600 |278,400
1990-91 |156,000 |555,600 |141,300
1991-92 |153,600 |519,600 |236,400
1992-93 |121,200 |478,800 |298,800
1993-94 |90,000 |444,000 |265,200
1994-95<1> |81,000 |606,000 |250,000
It is not possible separately to identify comparable figures for my Department's civilian staff. Figures are available, however, which include bursary awards, running costs for MOD student engineer training centres, salaries during pre university year and vacation placements with MOD, travel and subsistence on MOD duty and the production of MOD training literature. The figures are as follows: 1992 93: 3,149,400
1993 94: 2,610,200
1994 95: 2,256,000
Note: Figures are estimates.
Mr. Fatchett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of bursaries awarded to university students under his Department's arrangements for officer entry by ethnic status and gender in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Soames [holding answer 3 March 1995]: Details of bursary awards by ethnic origin are not held. A breakdown of bursary awards by gender, for those years since 1979 where information is available, is as follows:
Financial
year Royal Navy Army Royal Air Force Civilian
|Male |Female |Male |Female |Male |Female |Male |Female
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
79-80 |- |- |113 |0 |- |- |- |-
80-81 |- |- |102 |9 |- |- |- |-
81-82 |- |- |132 |3 |- |- |- |-
82-83 |- |- |145 |4 |- |- |- |-
83-84 |- |- |138 |21 |- |- |- |-
84-85 |- |- |168 |14 |- |- |- |-
85-86 |- |- |160 |22 |- |- |- |-
86-87 |- |- |208 |28 |- |- |- |-
87-88 |- |- |193 |17 |- |- |- |-
88-89 |- |- |180 |14 |- |- |- |-
89-90 |- |- |168 |16 |- |- |- |-
90-91 |- |- |145 |34 |77 |9 |- |-
91-92 |- |- |151 |21 |87 |5 |- |-
92-93 |- |- |137 |14 |64 |7 |77 |10
93-94 |- |- |139 |15 |40 |18 |75 |9
94-95 |45 |9 |174 |26 |70 |7 |68 |7
Hospital Units
Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made on the choice of location for his Department's two new hospital units.
Mr. Soames: Taking account of a range of Defence-related factors, and in consultation with the Department of Health and the NHS, we have selected as the sites for the new Ministry of Defence hospital units the Frimley Park Hospital NHS trust in Surrey and the Peterborough Hospitals NHS trust in Cambridgeshire. Final contractual negotiations will now begin with the trusts concerned. We shall aim to have units fully established at these locations by April 1996.
WALES
Road Schemes
Mr. Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Welsh parliamentary constituencies in which lies each scheme in the Welsh Office's road programme.
Mr. Gwilyn Jones: Details of the forward trunk road programme were published in "The Departmental Report 1995 Welsh Office (The Governments's Expenditure Plans 1995 96 to 1997 98)". Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The information requested is as follows:
Major trunk road improvements
Scheme |Parliamentary
|constituency
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In progress
M4 Second Severn Crossing |Newport, East
Approach Road
M4/A4042 Brynglas |Newport, West
Tunnels/Malpas
Relief Road
A5 Glyn Bends |Clwyd, South-West
A465 Aberdulais-Glynneath |Neath
A470 Pentrebach-Cefn Coed |Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
A4042 Llantarnam Bypass |Torfaen/Monmouth
Programmed<1>
M4 Magor-Coldra Widening |Newport, East
A40 Carmarthen Eastern Bypass |Carmarthen
A40 Fishguard Western Bypass |Ceredigion and Pembroke, North
A40 Robeston Wathen Bypass |Pembroke
A40 Whitland Bypass |Carmarthen
A55 Llanfair PG-West of |Ynys Mon
Bryngwran
A55 West of Bryngwran- |Ynys Mon
Holyhead
A55 Pont Dafydd-Waen |Clwyd, North-West
A470 Lledr Valley:
Stage 1 (Concoed-Minffordd) |Meirionnydd Nant Conwy
Stage 2 (Dolwyddelan- |Meirionnydd Nant Conwy
Pont yr Afanc)
A477 Sageston-Redberth |Pembroke
Bypass
A494/A550 Deeside Park- |Alyn and Deeside
Drome Corner
A550 Deeside Park Interchange |Alyn and Deeside
A550 Deeside Park-Ledsham |Alyn and Deeside
A4060 Mountain Hare-Dowlais |Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Top
in preparation<2>
M4 Castleton-Coryton |Newport, West/Cardiff, North
Widening
M4 Relief Road (Magor- |Newport, East/Newport, West
Castleton
A55/A494 Ewloe Interchange |Alyn and Deeside
A55 Ewloe-Northop Widening |Alyn and Deeside
A458 Buttington Cross- |Montgomery
Wollaston Cross
A465 Abergavenny-Hirwaun |Monmouth/Blaenau
|Gwent/Merthyr Tydfil and
|Rhymney/Cynon Valley
A470 Llangurig-Wern Villa |Montgomery
A470 Llanrwst Bypass |Meirionnydd Nant Conwy
A470 Pontypridd-Cardiff |Pontypridd
A479 Talgarth Bypass |Brecon and Radnor
A483 Llandeilo Eastern Bypass |Carmarthen
A487 Llanwnda-South of |Caernarfon
Llanllyfni
A487 |Caernarfon
Porthmadog/Minffordd/Tremadog
Bypass
A494 Drome Corner-Ewloe |Alyn and Deeside
Interchange
Longer term consideration<3>
A5 Bethesda Bypass |Conwy
A5 Corwen Bypass |Clwyd, South-West
A5 Halfway Bridge |Conwy
A5 Pont Padog Approaches |Meirionnydd Nant Conwy
A40 Abergavenny Western |Monmouth
Bypass
A44 Aberystwyth Bypass |Ceredigion and Pembroke, North
A470 Builth Wells Bypass |Brecon and Radnor
A470 Commins Coch Bypass |Montgomery
A483 Newtown Bypass |Montgomery
A487 Caernarfon-Bontnewydd
| Bypass
A487 Furnance Bridge- |Ceredigion and Pembroke, North
Eglwys Fach
A494 Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd |Clwyd, South-West
Bypass
A494 Mold-Ewloe |Delyn/Alyn and Deeside
A4042 Llanellen Bypass |Monmouth
A4042 Penperlleni Bypass |Monmouth
Notes:
<1>High priority schemes on which it is planned to start work in the three years covered by
the government's expenditure plans i.e. before April 1998.
<2> Schemes which are being taken forward but are unlikely to start before April 1998 because
of outstanding design and statutory procedures.
<3> Schemes on which resources are not being committed to bring them to a start of works.
These schemes will be reviewed annually with consideration given to adding them to the above
categories or deleting them from the programme.
Peripatetic Teachers
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total grant awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 per local education authority to support Welsh peripatetic teachers during (a) 1992 93, (b) 1993 94 and (c) 1994 95.
Mr. Richards: The relevant figures are shown the following table:
£
Local education
authority |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |182,000 |185,000 |204,500
Dyfed |180,000 |183,000 |183,500
Gwent |205,000 |328,000 |328,500
Gwynedd |207,000 |210,000 |210,500
Mid Glamorgan |224,000 |227,000 |227,500
Powys |162,000 |175,000 |185,000
South Glamorgan |170,000 |170,000 |180,500
West Glamorgan |209,000 |212,100 |212,500
Totals |1,539.000 |1,691.100 |1,732.500
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh peripatetic teachers were supported per local education authority under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during (a) 1992 93, (b) 1993 94 and (c) 1994 95.
Mr. Richards: The relevant figures are shown in the following table:
(a) Welsh peripatetic teachers supported under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 Local education |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95 authority -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clwyd |7 |7 |8 Dyfed |7 |7 |7 Gwynedd |8 |8 |8 Gwent |10 |<1>25 |<1>25 Mid Glamorgan |8 |8 |8 Powys |9 |9.5 |10 South Glamorgan |10 |10.5 |10.5 West Glamorgan |10 |7 |7 <1>Figures for Gwent local education authority for 1993-94 and 1994-95 include support teachers (athrawon cynnal).
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount of grant awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 to support Welsh peripatetic teachers during 1995 96.
Mr. Richards: £1,970 has been allocated to local education authorities in Wales under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 for 1995 96, £20,000 more than in 1994 95. In accordance with the authorities' priorities, 77 per cent. of this--£1,519,000--has been earmarked for peripatetic teachers.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many Welsh peripatetic teachers will be supported per local education authority by section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1995 96.
Mr. Richards: For 1995 96, £1,519,000 has been awarded to support teams of peripatetic teachers in local education authorities in Wales. This will support a total of approximately 70 full-time equivalent posts, but an exact figure for each local authority is not possible as grade structures vary from county to county.
Welsh Language
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1992 93 (a) per local education authority (b) to the Welsh Joint Education Committee, (c) to other bodies (d) to the Welsh Language Education Development Committee for distribution to produce (i) Welsh resources, first and second language and (ii) subjects taught through the medium of Welsh and (e) to support the administrative costs of the Welsh Language Education Development Committee.
Mr. Richards: The relevant figures are as follows:-
(a) shown in the following table; (b) £1,437,000 (including £98, 950 for Welsh resources administered by the Welsh Language Education Development Committee and £284,144 for the administrative costs of the Welsh Language Development; (c) £1,264,000, (d) (i) £98,950 (ii) Nil; (e) £284,144.
Local education |£
authority
------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |281,000
Dyfed |257,000
Gwent |245,000
Gwynedd |231,000
Mid Glamorgan |271,000
Powys |209,000
South Glamorgan |197,500
West Glamorgan |238,500
Total |1,930,000
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the grants under section 3(3) of the Welsh Language Act 1993 which are awarded by the Welsh Language Board have drawn from section 21 of the Education Act 1980; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Richards: The Welsh Language Board's allocation for grants under section 3(3) of the Welsh Language Act 1993 for 1995 96 includes £68,000 formerly paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.
Column 529
Education Funding
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the Welsh Office contributions under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during (a) 1992 93, (b) 1993 94 and (c) 1994 95.
Mr. Richards: The relevant figures are as follows: (a) £4,631, 000; (b) £4,675,000; (c) £2,475,000. For 1994 95, allocations of £1,900,000 and £180,000 were made to the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales and the Further Education Funding Authority for Wales respectively from moneys previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the total Welsh Office contribution under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1995 96.
Mr. Richards: £1,970,000 has been allocated to local education authorities for 1995 96. In addition, £370,000 in grants formerly paid by the Department under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 has been transferred to ACAC, the Welsh Language Board, the Arts Council for Wales and the Further Education Funding Council for Wales.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 for 1995 96 (a) per local education authority, (b) to the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales, (c) to the Welsh Language Board (d) to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales (e) to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, (f) to the Welsh Office and (g) to other bodies to support the posts of Welsh peripatetic teachers.
Mr. Richards: The relevant figures are as follows: (a) shown on the following table; (b) nil, but the authority's allocation for 1995 96 includes £132,000 which was previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (c) nil, but the board's allocation for 1995 96 includes £68,000 which was previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (d) nil, but the council's allocation for 1995 96 includes £25,000 which was previously paid by the Welsh Office under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (e) nil; (f) nil; (g) nil.
Local education |£
authority
------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |259,500
Dyfed |261,500
Gwent |329,500
Gwynedd |214,000
Mid Glamorgan |262,500
Powys |192,000
South Glamorgan |210,500
West Glamorgan |240,500
Total |1,970,000
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what were the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1993 94 (a) per local education authority, (b) to the Welsh Joint Education Committee and (c) to the Welsh Language Education Development Committee for distribution to produce(i) Welsh resources, first and second language and(ii) subjects taught through the medium of Welsh
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(d) to support the administrative costs of the Welsh Language Education Development Committee/Pwyllgor Datblygu Addysg Gymrueg and (e) to other bodies; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Richards: The relevant figures are as follows: (a) shown in the table; (b) £1,366,000 (includes £288,406 paid to the Welsh Language Development Committee); (c) nil. Grants for these purposes were paid direct to the various organisations concerned; (d) £288, 406; (e) £1,382,000.
Section 21 grants 1993-94
Local education |£
authority
------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |240,000
Dyfed |235,000
Gwent |334,000
Gwynedd |233,500
Mid Glamorgan |253,000
Powys |190,500
South Glamorgan |201,000
West Glamorgan |240,000
Total |1,927,000
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what were the amounts awarded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 during 1994 95 (a) per local education authority (b) to the Welsh Joint Education Committee, (c) to the Further Education Funding Council, (d) to the Higher Education Funding Council, (e) to the Welsh Language Board for educational developments and (f) to the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales.
Mr. Richards: The relevant figures are as follows: (a) shown in the table; (b) £36,861; (c) nil, but the council's funding for 1994 95 included £180,000 which was previously paid by the Department under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; (d) nil; (e) nil; (f) nil but the authority's funding for 1994 95 included £1,900,000 which was previously paid by the Department under section 21 of the Education Act 1980.
Local education |£
authority
------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |262,900
Dyfed |242,500
Gwent |344,500
Gwynedd |227,000
Mid Glamorgan |257,100
Powys |204,000
South Glamorgan |204,500
West Glamorgan |247,500
Total |1,990,000
Schools
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many (a) voluntary controlled schools, (b) voluntary aided schools and (c) county schools there are in each of the counties in Wales.
Mr. Richards: Data on denomination of schools, for primary and secondary sectors, are shown in the following table. Data are as at January 1994.
|Church in Wales |Church in Wales
|voluntary controlled|voluntary aided |Voluntary Roman
Primary schools |schools |schools |Catholic schools |County schools (a)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |24 |15 |10 |196
Dyfed |35 |8 |8 |262
Gwent |11 |3 |17 |182
Gwynedd |23 |3 |4 |161
Mid Glamorgan |1 |5 |11 |288
Powys |22 |7 |2 |77
South Glamorgan |5 |16 |17 |121
West Glamorgan |0 |3 |9 |152
Wales |121 |60 |78 |1,439
(a) County schools include five "other" denomination schools.
|Church in Wales |Church in Wales
|voluntary controlled|voluntary aided |Voluntary Roman
Secondary schools |schools |schools |Catholic schools |County schools
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |0 |0 |3 |29
Dyfed |2 |0 |1 |28
Gwent |0 |0 |2 |31
Gwynedd |0 |0 |0 |23
Mid Glamorgan |0 |1 |3 |38
Powys |0 |0 |0 |13
South Glamorgan |0 |2 |4 |20
West Glamorgan |0 |0 |2 |25
Wales |2 |3 |15 |207
Source:
Schools Census (1994).
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions parliamentary questions from the hon. member for Cardiff, West in relation to non-departmental public bodies have been answered in the form of a request to the relevant chairman or chief executive of that body to write to the hon. Member (a) since 1 January 1995 and (b) between the beginning of the current parliamentary Session and December 31 1994; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: The figures are (a) seven and (b) one.
Hospital Waiting Times
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for what reasons the list of medical specialties included in the February 1995 issue of the waiting times information bulletin published by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority omitted neuro-surgery, dermatology and spinal surgery; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood: Information published in the bulletin relates to procedures, not specialties. The procedures included are those identified by general practitioners as being most useful in helping patients to choose a consultant. No requests have been made for the inclusion of procedures in neuro-surgery, dermatology or spinal surgery. As the intention is to extend the range of procedures covered by the bulletin, any broadly based demand by general practitioners for additional information would be welcomed and acted on.
School Transport
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the legal responsibilities of local education authorities which hire
Column 532
vehicles for the transport of children to and from school which are not driven by licensed taxi drivers.Mr. Richards: It is for local education authorities to make satisfactory arrangements for the health and safety of pupils including those for whom they provide transport.
Homelessness
Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many households have been accepted as homeless by local authorities in rural areas in Wales in each year since 1979.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Information on homeless cases accepted by local authorities in rural areas in Wales is provided in the following table:
Homeless cases accepted by local authorities in rural areas<1> Years |Cases -------------------- 1979 |874 1980 |883 1981 |821 1982 |786 1983 |794 1984 |833 1985 |1,012 1986 |1,001 1987 |1,311 1988 |1,295 1989 |1,329 1990<2> |3,387 1991 |1,625 1992 |1,691 1993<3> |1,821 1994 |1,770 Notes: <1>Aberconwy, Arfon, Brecknock, Carmarthen, Ceredigion,Colwyn, Delyn, Dinefwr, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd, Monmouth, Montgomeryshire, Preseli, Pembrokeshire, Radnorshire, South Pembrokeshire and Ynys Mon district councils. <2> Figures include estimates of 2,000 households made homeless in Colwyn as a result of the major flooding incident in February 1990. <3> Figures include estimates of 237 households made homeless in Aberconwy as a result of the major flooding incident in Llandudno in June 1993. Source: Local authority returns.
Link
Mr. Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in reviewing Link.
Mr. David Hunt: I have today placed in the Library of the House the report of the recently completed review of Link.
Link is an important initiative which supports research projects undertaken in partnership between industry and the science base. The review report makes a number of recommendations to improve the operation of the Link mechanism. These include proposals to streamline approval mechanisms; to increase flexibility and to facilitate and encourage the exploitation of knowledge generated in the Link projects. The Government intend to implement these recommendations, further enhancing Link's effectiveness and its contribution to wealth creation and improvements in the quality of life.
We expect Link to be an important mechanism for implementing the outcomes of the technology foresight programme, in partnership between industry, the research base and Government. In announcing the allocation of the science budget on 2 February, I earmarked £3 million in 1995 96 to fund the research council's contribution to new Link programmes. With contributions from other Government Departments and industry these new programmes will target key areas of promise and importance identified by technology foresight.
I am establishing a new Link board, replacing the existing Link steering group, to advise Government on the operation of Link. The board's principal role will be to take an independent strategic overview of the Link initiatives and its portfolio of programmes. Its membership will be:
Dr. John Parnaby CBE FEng (Chairman)
Susan Bird
Dr. Alan Calder
Dr. Ashok Ganguly
Professor Stan Mason
Professor John Mavor FEng FRSE
Herb Nahapiet
Dr. Brian Richards CBE
Phillip Ruffles FEng
Professor David Wallace FRS
Dr. Robert Whelan
The Department of Trade and Industry, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the
Column 534
Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council will be represented on the board at a senior level.ENVIRONMENT
Newtown Harbour
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Newtown river to be designated under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance.
Mr. Atkins: Newtown harbour site of special scientific interest forms part of the potential Southhampton water and Solent Ramsar site. English Nature expects to recommend listing of this site to the Department, following public consultation, within a year.
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