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8. Title of research projectForecasting Employment in London and the South East (Stage 2) Name of contractor: Cambridge Econometrics/Oxford Economic Forecasting/Centre for Economic and Business Research
Budget for research project: £5,300 from DoT
Estimated completion date: Completed February 1995
9. Title of research project
Evaluation of the London Docklands Development Corporation and the Isle of Dogs Enterprise Zone
Name of contractor: ECOTEC Ltd
Budget for research project: £340,000
Estimated completion date: December 1998
10. Title of research project
Non-Work Peak Trips in London
Name of contractor: Transport Research Laboratory
Budget for research project: £75,000 from DoT
Estimated completion date: March 1995
11. Title of research project
Comparative Study: Comparison of London with its major international competitors
Name of Contractor: Contract yet to be awarded
Estimated completion date: October 1995
Councillors' Declarations
Sir John Gorst: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the application of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to local authority resolutions to require councillors to declare memberships of clubs, unions and societies as well as directorships and shareholdings in companies. [15193]
Mr. Robert B. Jones [holding answer 21 March 1995]: Regulation 3 and the schedule to the Local Authority (Members' Interests) Regulations 1992, made under section 19 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, detail the prescribed direct or indirect pecuniary interests which each elected member is required to declare. DOE circular 9/92 provides further advice on the information which members are required to give, and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fisheries Protection Staff
Mr. Harvey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fisheries protection staff speak more than one of the officially recognised European Union languages.
Mr. Jack: Twenty-eight fisheries inspectors employed by the UK fisheries department have a working knowledge of more than one European Union language and a further 20 have basic communication skills. Similar information in relation to British sea-fishery officers of the Royal Navy's fishery protection squadron is not readily available. All UK fishery protection vessels engaged in inspecting foreign vessels carry language cards for boarding purposes.
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Administration and Policy Formulation
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money was spent on central administration and policy formulation by his Department in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if he will make a statement. [14255]
Mr. Jack: Details of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's running costs for the years 1989 90 to 1997 98 are contained in the table at annexe 5 of the Ministry intervention board departmental report, CM 2803, copies of which are available in the House.
Organic Fluorides
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the herbicides, insecticides and fungicides approved by his Department which are organic fluorides, together with their contents of chloride. [14557]
Mrs. Browning: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Ministers approve the marketing or use of a pesticide only if thorough evaluation establishes that it is effective, humane and poses no unacceptable risk to human beings, non-target species or the wider environment.
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Wareing Bros.
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what factors he will take into account in assessing the current application for an increased milk quota by Wareing Bros., the Breck, Barrow hill, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. [14559]
Mr. Jack: The Ministry has no record of an application by Wareing Bros. for an increased milk quota.
Agricultural Tenancies
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to develop the monitoring of agricultural tenancies by area and ownership. [14922]
Mr. Jack: My Department regularly reviews its requirements for statistics, and is considering how best to monitor the new farm business tenancies which will be available from 1 September this year.
Food and Drink Statistics
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the United Kingdom food and drink deficit or surplus (a) in total and (b) with the other countries of the EU for each year from 1990 to 1994. [14929]
Mr. Jack: Imports and exports of food and drink, as recorded in the overseas trade statistics in the years 1990 to 1994, are shown in the table.
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|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |Jan-Sept 1994
|provisional |provisional
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total: |Imports |12,298 |12,262 |13,406 |13,841 |10,868
|Exports |6,352 |6,827 |7,521 |8,053 |6,435
|Crude trade gap|5,946 |5,435 |5,886 |5,789 |4,433
EU: |Imports |8,030 |8,019 |8,862 |8,381 |6,510
|Exports |3,632 |4,293 |4,736 |4,730 |3,885
|Crude trade gap|4,398 |3,726 |4,127 |3,651 |2,625
Source:
Central Statistical Office.
Note:
Because of differences in valuation principles, the crude trade gap overstates the contribution of food, feed and drink to the
deficit on visible trade in the balance of payment statistics by about 15 per cent.
EDUCATION
Administration and Policy Formulation
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money was spent on central administration and policy formulation by her Department in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if she will make a statement. [14246]
Mr. Robin Squire: Details of the Department's running costs and administrative spending for the years 1989 90 to 1997 98 are contained in table 1, annexe A and table 22, chapter 8 of the Department's annual report, Cm 2810, copies of which are available in the Library.
Education, Bedfordshire
Sir David Madel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent in total on education in Bedfordshire in each of the last 10 years at constant prices. [14893]
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Mr. Robin Squire: The table shows total expenditure by Bedfordshire local education authority from 1974 75 to 1993 94, the latest year for which provisional outturn figures are available. These figures have not be adjusted for any changes of function.
Bedfordshire County Council
|Gross expenditure
|(1994-95 prices)
|£ million
------------------------------------------------------
1974-75 |251.2
1975-76 |259.7
1976-77 |269.2
1977-78 |n/a
1978-79 |258.8
1979-80 |254.0
1980-81 |255.5
1981-82 |257.9
1982-83 |242.1
1983-84 |243.0
1984-85 |241.5
1985-86 |240.1
1986-87 |246.4
1987-88 |263.1
1988-89 |267.1
1989-90 |261.4
1990-91 |255.1
1991-92 |277.9
1992-93 |292.9
1993-94<1> |242.8
<1> Provisional. n/a = Not applicable.
Sir David Madel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the pupil-teacher ratio in Bedfordshire (a) in lower schools, (b) in middle schools and (c) in upper schools in each of the last 20 years. [14894]
Mr. Robin Squire: The available information is shown in the table.
Pupil:teacher ratios within maintained primary, middle and
secondary schools in Bedfordshire LEA position
in January each year
|Primary |Secondary<1>
Year |(excluding middle)|Middle |(excluding middle)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1975 |22.2 |17.9 |16.9
1976 |21.5 |17.8 |16.1
1977 |21.7 |18.0 |15.9
1978 |21.9 |19.0 |16.0
1979 |21.6 |19.9 |15.9
1980 |21.7 |19.8 |15.9
1981 |22.3 |20.1 |15.8
1982 |21.8 |20.0 |15.6
1983 |22.9 |20.8 |16.4
1984 |23.3 |20.7 |16.2
1985 |23.1 |20.3 |16.2
1986 |22.5 |20.6 |16.2
1987 |22.0 |20.0 |16.1
1988 |22.0 |20.2 |15.6
1989 |21.5 |20.3 |15.3
1990 |21.5 |20.4 |15.5
1991 |21.6 |19.8 |15.6
1992 |21.6 |19.5 |15.9
1993 |21.7 |19.6 |16.0
1994 |22.0 |19.5 |16.1
<1> Excludes Sixth Form Colleges which ceased to be classified as schools from 1 April 1993.
Pupil Rolls
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make it her policy to apply the same educational standards to schools with fewer than five children as apply to those with higher numbers. [14986]
Mr. Robin Squire: The educational standards required by the national curriculum and the statutory national curriculum assessment and testing arrangements apply to all five to 16 year olds in every maintained school,
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regardless of the numbers of pupils on roll. The national curriculum and testing are already raising standards in these schools.Independent schools, and independent establishments catering for fewer than five children aged five to 16 are not required to follow the national curriculum, although many independent schools choose to do so. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to alter the existing statutory requirements.
Education Standard Spending Assessment
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what account is taken of the needs of schools as assessed by Her Majesty's inspectorate prior to decisions on the education standard spending assessment being taken; and what account was taken on the results of Her Majesty's inspectorate's work in determining standard spending assessment limits for Coventry; [15045]
(2) what assessment she has made of (a) the unpaid efforts of teachers and parents and (b) the financial contribution of parents, on the level of education standard spending assessment awards. [15041]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Government take account of a wide range of factors affecting local authorities and schools when deciding the appropriate level of education standard spending. My right hon. Friend welcomes the commitment which teachers and parents bring to the education service.
University Students
Mr. Sherman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many university students dropped out of courses before completion in each of the last 10 years. [14837]
Mr. Boswell: The wastage rates of full-time and sandwich students from first degree courses in former University Funding Council funded United Kingdom universities and former English and Welsh polytechnics are shown below:
Academic year:
1983 84: 14 per cent.
1984 85: 15 per cent.
1985 86: 14 per cent.
1986 87: 16 per cent.
1987 88: 17 per cent.
1988 89: 14 per cent.
1989 90: 16 per cent.
1990 91: 15 per cent.
1991 92: 17 per cent.
1992 93: 17 per cent.
Drop-out covers all those leaving degree courses because of exam failure, ill health, personal and other reasons. It includes those switching to a lower level course but it excludes students transferring between degree courses or subjects. The rate for each academic year reflects the progression of students through the whole length of the course. The calculation for the polytechnic drop-out rate is necessarily approximate because of significant limitations in the underlying data.
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NORTHERN IRELAND
Portaferry-Strangford Bridge
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to commission a viability report into a bridge linking the villages of Portaferry and Strangford. [14836]
Administration and Policy Formulation
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much money was spent on central administration and policy formulation by his Department in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if he will make a statement. [14245]
Sir John Wheeler: Details of the Department's running costs and administrative spending for the years 1989 90 to 1997 98 are contained in table 11.1 of the Department's annual report, Cm 2816, copies of which are available in the Library.
Out-patients
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients failed to attend out-patient appointments in Northern Ireland in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [15112]
Mr. Moss: The number of patients who did not attend out-patient appointments and failed to give advance warning to the hospital is as follows:
1991 92: 246,924
1992 93: 243,181
1993 94: 228,092
The number of non-attenders in 1993 94 represents 14 per cent. approximately of those who had appointments in that year. The Department of Health and Social Services is taking steps to ensure that the number of non -attenders is reduced considerably in future. Health and social services boards have been asked to review critically all aspects of out-patients waiting list management and later this year the Department will be launching a major publicity campaign aimed specifically at reducing non- attendances.
Braidside Integrated Primary School
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on what basis the post of a religious education teacher for Braidside integrated primary school was advertised to include the ability to teach Roman Catholic religious education; and if he will make a statement. [14939]
Mr. Ancram: The advertisement is entirely a matter for the school authorities and reflects the school's aim of providing equitably for both religious traditions among its enrolment.
Chief Electoral Officer
Mr. Elletson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the report of the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland for 1993 94. [16057]
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Sir Patrick Mayhew: The Chief Electoral Officer's report has been laid before Parliament today. Copies are available in the Library.
Construction Industry
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to implement the Latham report on the construction industry. [14433]
Mr. Moss: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is taking the lead in the implementation of the Latham report, which contained a number of recommendations aimed at improving contractual relationships within the construction industry and between the industry and its clients. He has established the Construction Industry Board which oversees and co-ordinates the various working groups and will carry forward the implementation process, including the provision of advice on any legislation which might be necessary.
My officials maintain close contact with colleagues in the Department of the Environment on all aspects of implementation. Any consultations on proposals for legislation will include interested parties in Northern Ireland. Should legislation be proposed for Great Britain, I will give consideration to how such proposals could be given effect to in Northern Ireland.
Civil Servants
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of civil servants employed by (a) his Department, (b) the agencies under his Department's responsibility and (c) public and other bodies under his Department's responsibility, for each year since 1979, divided into (1) full-time equivalents, (2) overtime, (3) casuals and (4) other; and whether he will also provide for each year his estimates of (A) civil service job reductions due to privatisations, (B) civil service job reductions due to contracting out,(C) civil service job reductions resulting from other transfer of responsibilities, (D) the total of all other staff undertaking work for the Department or its agencies without being categorised as civil servants, including external consultants, researchers, agency secretarial staff and staff substitution and (E) total manpower expenditures, in 1994 prices. [15093]
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 20 March 1995]: The civil service covers the permanent staff of central Government Departments and next steps agencies. The staff of other bodies are outside the civil service.
Details of staff numbers within the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments from 1989 90 onwards, divided into full-time equivalents, overtime and casuals are given in table 12.7 of the Northern Ireland departmental report, Cm 2816. Table 11.1 gives details of the running costs of the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments from 1989 1990 onwards.
"Public Bodies", published annually since 1982, contains staffing information for those bodies not covered by the Northern Ireland departmental report.
Copies of both of these publications are available in the Library. The remaining information sought could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
UNESCO
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from organisations and individuals regarding rejoining the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. [15163]
Mr. Douglas Hogg: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received 38 letters from Members of Parliament, organisations and members of the public in the last six months about the United Kingdom rejoining UNESCO. In addition, there have been 11 parliamentary questions in the same period. We are continuing to keep this issue under review, but no decision has been taken.
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review the decision on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and rejoin this organisation. [15162]
Mr. Douglas Hogg: The prospects for a United Kingdom return to UNESCO remain under review, but no decisions have been taken. In considering the question, we have to take into account existing financial pressures and other priority demands for resources as well as progress UNESCO has made on reform.
Spain
Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current position of the United Kingdom's relationship with Spain. [15357]
Mr. David Davis: The United Kingdom and Spain are allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and fellow members of the European Union and the Western European Union. We have frequent and close contacts on a wide range of issues. Our relations are generally very good.
Turkey
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Turkey about the arrest of members of the Turkish Parliament and defence lawyers. [15340]
Mr. David Davis: We take every opportunity, at ministerial and official level, bilaterally and with our EU partners, to express our concerns to the Turkish Government about their overall human rights record. We did so most recently during the European Union's Association Council with Turkey on 6 March. Our representations have included specific references to the trial and sentencing of deputies from the Democracy party. Our views on this were reflected in an EU statement of 9 December 1994 expressing concern and seeking an explanation from the Turkish Government. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs subsequently raised the issue with the Turkish Foreign Minister on 19 December 1994 and on 2 February.
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Administration and Policy Formulation
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money was spent on central administration and policy formulation by his Department in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if he will make a statement. [14253]
Mr. Goodlad: Details of the FCO's running costs and administrative expenditure for the years 1989 90 to1997 98 are contained in tables 1 and 2 of the FCO's 1995 departmental report, a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House.
High Commissions and Embassies
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total cost of maintaining UK high commissions in 1993 94; what are the projections for (a) 1994 95 and (b) 1995 96; and if he will make a statement. [14252]
Mr. Goodlad: Details of the actual and projected costs of maintaining UK high commissions are provided in the following table:
£ million Year |Cost ------------------ 1993-94 |81.3 1994-95 |83.8 1995-96 |86.7
The figures include the costs of deputy high commissions. Further information can be found in the FCO's 1995 departmental report, a copy of which is placed in the Library of the House.
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