| Previous Section | Home Page |
Consultants
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 9 March, Official Report , column 335 , how much in total was spent by his Department on consultancy in 1993 94; and if he will list the 10 most valuable consultancy contracts issued that year, indicating the nature of the work undertaken, the body awarded the contract and the fee paid in each case. [19996]
Miss Widdecombe: Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
South Thames Training and Enterprise Council
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when new arrangements will be in place in the South Thames TEC area. [21052]
Mr. Paice: I am very pleased to announce that contracts have now been signed with central London TEC to provide training and enterprise council services from
Column 355
24 April 1995 for the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark and with South London TEC to provide TEC services from 24 April 1995 for the London boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham. This will ensure the delivery of Government programmes in the area and provide a sound base for the future. I know that CENTEC and SOLOTEC are keen to play a full part in the wider economic regeneration of the area as soon as possible.EDUCATION
Departmental Report
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures the Department takes to assess the cost and staff implications of compiling material for the departmental annual report. [20199]
Mr. Forth: The production of the departmental report is co-ordinated by the finance and information branches of the Department. Much of the work, however, comprises relatively brief contributions from branches across the Department. This work is submerged in the annual financial planning of individual divisions and is not identified as a separate item in the Department's resource planning exercise.
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much staff time, and at what estimated cost, was put into compiling the departmental annual report; and what the figures were for each year for which figures are available since 1990. [20198]
Column 358
Mr. Forth: Figures are not available for staff time spent on preparing the departmental report. Work on the report takes place across the Department, and is submerged in the annual financial planning of individual divisions.
Free School Meals
Ms Estelle Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what proportion of children in voluntary aided schools are entitled to free school meals in each local authority; [20287]
(2) what proportion of children in grant-maintained schools are entitled to free school meals in each local authority; [20287] (3) what proportion of children in selective schools are entitled to free school meals in each local education authority; [20287] (4) what is the proportion of secondary age children who are entitled to free school meals in each local education authority. [20287]
Mr. Robin Squire: The percentages of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in each of the categories requested are shown in the table.
Column 357
Percentage<1> of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in voluntary aided schools, grant-maintained schools, selective schools
and all secondary schools for each local education authority and in England
January 1994
Voluntary aided Grant maintained Selective All secondary
schools<2> schools<3>
|Primary |Secondary |All |Primary |Secondary |All |schools<2 3 4>|schools
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporation of London |50.5 |- |50.5 |- |- |- |- |-
Camden |39.4 |28.3 |34.8 |- |14.2 |14.2 |- |26.9
Greenwich |31.2 |27.9 |29.9 |- |- |- |- |36.4
Hackney |45.7 |47.9 |46.7 |- |- |- |- |59.2
Hammersmith |36.0 |32.4 |34.4 |- |10.8 |10.8 |- |36.3
Islington |39.3 |39.4 |39.4 |- |- |- |- |51.7
Kensington and Chelsea |30.9 |33.7 |31.4 |37.5 |14.3 |22.2 |- |40.6
Lambeth |41.5 |- |41.5 |34.9 |41.4 |39.5 |- |51.4
Lewisham |32.1 |35.7 |33.2 |50.8 |- |50.8 |- |40.4
Southwark |37.3 |59.8 |41.7 |38.0 |39.5 |39.0 |- |55.9
Tower Hamlets |44.8 |53.0 |47.7 |- |24.6 |24.6 |- |64.0
Wandsworth |30.1 |- |30.1 |31.3 |32.2 |32.1 |- |34.5
Westminster |41.0 |35.3 |39.0 |- |- |- |- |44.1
Barking |17.9 |19.8 |18.6 |- |- |- |- |18.5
Barnet |10.3 |5.8 |9.3 |13.1 |11.7 |11.8 |2.1 |14.7
Bexley |8.4 |- |8.4 |8.1 |9.3 |9.2 |4.0 |10.9
Brent |27.8 |- |27.8 |31.7 |26.9 |27.2 |- |27.4
Bromley |17.1 |- |17.1 |5.2 |9.4 |9.1 |0.8 |13.0
Croydon |16.4 |9.7 |13.0 |15.7 |13.8 |14.2 |- |18.7
Ealing |21.6 |19.1 |20.7 |29.4 |29.1 |29.1 |- |29.8
Enfield |10.4 |11.3 |10.6 |17.2 |15.7 |15.7 |1.5 |18.5
Haringey |25.6 |32.6 |27.6 |- |- |- |- |40.2
Harrow |4.5 |11.7 |5.7 |- |10.6 |10.6 |- |13.8
Havering |8.9 |3.8 |6.9 |- |6.2 |6.2 |- |10.4
Hillingdon |4.7 |2.4 |4.1 |12.0 |12.9 |12.7 |- |13.0
Hounslow |16.9 |14.8 |16.4 |- |12.5 |12.5 |- |20.7
Kingston upon Thames |7.8 |- |7.8 |23.0 |8.9 |10.0 |2.3 |9.4
Merton |13.1 |10.9 |12.2 |- |- |- |- |18.6
Newham |29.5 |24.6 |27.3 |- |44.8 |44.8 |- |39.4
Redbridge |19.3 |7.5 |15.6 |- |17.2 |17.2 |3.3 |16.8
Richmond upon Thames |21.4 |39.2 |24.1 |- |- |- |- |16.3
Sutton |8.4 |- |8.4 |8.4 |3.7 |4.3 |1.8 |8.7
Waltham Forest |17.7 |24.5 |19.9 |- |12.3 |12.3 |- |34.1
Birmingham |31.8 |26.6 |30.5 |5.1 |20.1 |19.6 |5.4 |31.6
Coventry |28.2 |24.1 |26.8 |- |- |- |- |23.8
Dudley |19.2 |38.0 |23.8 |9.1 |16.4 |15.8 |- |16.7
Sandwell |23.6 |13.4 |21.6 |- |36.8 |36.8 |- |25.3
Solihull |14.0 |17.3 |15.1 |42.8 |- |42.8 |- |12.0
Walsall |17.0 |25.5 |20.1 |3.2 |11.9 |11.1 |3.0 |25.1
Wolverhampton |24.7 |16.3 |21.1 |- |24.9 |24.9 |3.1 |25.3
Knowsley |44.7 |57.8 |47.8 |- |55.1 |55.1 |- |51.8
Liverpool |38.4 |35.8 |37.4 |- |26.7 |26.7 |- |39.2
St Helens |22.2 |13.1 |19.7 |- |- |- |- |17.4
Sefton |24.7 |24.9 |24.7 |- |- |- |- |20.7
Wirral |28.3 |35.1 |30.2 |- |4.1 |4.1 |4.1 |25.8
Bolton |18.2 |11.3 |16.4 |24.7 |8.8 |11.0 |- |16.4
Bury |17.4 |8.9 |14.6 |21.6 |- |21.6 |- |13.5
Manchester |43.1 |38.4 |41.6 |- |- |- |- |43.4
Oldham |24.8 |9.5 |19.4 |- |- |- |- |53.5
Rochdale |22.0 |22.2 |22.1 |15.5 |16.9 |16.3 |- |28.9
Salford |30.8 |29.2 |30.5 |- |15.6 |15.6 |- |26.3
Stockport |13.6 |12.8 |13.4 |- |- |- |- |14.4
Tameside |18.9 |13.7 |17.6 |- |11.3 |11.3 |- |19.8
Trafford |14.7 |35.0 |16.2 |- |22.9 |22.9 |6.3 |20.0
Wigan |20.5 |12.5 |18.3 |- |- |- |- |17.5
Barnsley |16.8 |- |16.8 |- |- |- |- |22.8
Doncaster |19.0 |16.1 |18.2 |- |- |- |- |22.5
Rotherham |21.7 |19.5 |21.3 |- |- |- |- |18.5
Sheffield |24.7 |- |24.7 |12.0 |16.7 |15.6 |- |24.2
Bradford |21.1 |18.7 |20.3 |33.7 |21.3 |21.9 |- |31.2
Calderdale |15.8 |15.4 |15.8 |2.4 |9.4 |9.2 |7.0 |18.1
Kirklees |17.8 |12.7 |16.9 |- |6.2 |6.2 |4.0 |17.6
Leeds |16.4 |19.5 |17.3 |4.5 |7.6 |7.4 |- |18.7
Wakefield |14.7 |8.9 |13.2 |- |- |- |- |17.3
Gateshead |27.9 |27.0 |27.6 |- |- |- |- |24.9
Newcastle upon Tyne |34.4 |19.8 |28.7 |- |- |- |- |27.4
North Tyneside |22.9 |14.0 |20.9 |- |- |- |- |18.2
South Tyneside |29.6 |19.2 |25.4 |- |- |- |- |25.8
Sunderland |21.0 |13.4 |17.5 |- |- |- |- |25.8
Isles of Scilly |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |35.8
Avon |19.0 |12.3 |17.4 |- |9.4 |9.4 |- |15.5
Bedfordshire |15.6 |15.7 |15.7 |18.6 |12.4 |12.9 |- |16.6
Berkshire |10.0 |5.6 |8.7 |13.5 |8.1 |9.4 |4.5 |8.5
Buckinghamshire |2.6 |7.1 |3.5 |15.0 |8.4 |9.7 |1.5 |8.6
Cambridgeshire |18.1 |13.4 |17.7 |7.6 |12.8 |12.2 |- |13.1
Cheshire |15.5 |15.9 |15.6 |4.6 |12.0 |10.9 |- |12.0
Cleveland |25.6 |22.5 |24.4 |- |- |- |- |28.0
Cornwall |14.4 |- |14.4 |- |- |- |- |15.9
Cumbria |14.1 |11.5 |13.6 |10.7 |8.3 |8.7 |- |12.1
Derbyshire |14.2 |14.4 |14.3 |9.6 |10.3 |10.2 |- |13.5
Devon |17.2 |11.0 |16.0 |35.0 |9.7 |11.2 |5.3 |12.9
Dorset |6.0 |5.9 |5.9 |5.1 |9.4 |9.2 |7.4 |10.2
Durham |19.3 |13.0 |16.9 |- |- |- |- |17.4
East Sussex |19.0 |19.1 |19.0 |- |- |- |- |18.1
Essex |13.0 |12.3 |12.8 |14.2 |10.8 |11.5 |2.7 |12.3
Gloucestershire |10.2 |12.0 |10.5 |17.1 |9.5 |10.0 |4.4 |11.0
Hampshire |10.7 |13.5 |11.2 |15.1 |9.1 |10.3 |- |10.6
Hereford and Worcester |8.1 |4.9 |7.4 |- |7.1 |7.1 |- |9.6
Hertfordshire |9.6 |6.0 |8.7 |15.1 |7.9 |8.3 |- |9.6
Humberside |32.3 |15.6 |26.5 |10.3 |- |10.3 |- |17.3
Isle of Wight |24.9 |17.3 |22.1 |- |- |- |- |21.0
Kent |15.1 |14.9 |15.0 |15.5 |12.1 |12.4 |3.9 |13.2
Lancashire |19.5 |14.8 |18.5 |6.2 |7.3 |7.2 |2.7 |19.7
Leicestershire |10.6 |8.7 |10.1 |- |12.2 |12.2 |- |12.5
Lincolnshire |4.7 |4.6 |4.7 |8.2 |9.9 |9.4 |4.3 |9.8
Norfolk |15.0 |7.2 |13.1 |14.3 |12.6 |13.0 |- |10.7
North Yorkshire |8.9 |5.3 |7.3 |- |- |- |2.7 |7.4
Northamptonshire |10.3 |12.9 |11.5 |8.3 |15.0 |13.4 |- |12.5
Northumberland |11.6 |9.2 |10.9 |- |8.5 |8.5 |- |12.7
Nottinghamshire |16.4 |13.9 |15.3 |- |24.0 |24.0 |- |20.0
Oxfordshire |10.8 |13.9 |11.4 |2.5 |- |2.5 |- |9.8
Shropshire |14.0 |12.8 |13.8 |9.0 |14.4 |14.0 |0.7 |13.6
Somerset |8.8 |13.7 |9.2 |3.6 |1.5 |2.9 |13.2 |10.7
Staffordshire |16.2 |9.0 |14.0 |0.0 |14.1 |14.0 |- |13.3
Suffolk |10.7 |9.8 |10.4 |- |- |- |- |11.7
Surrey |9.2 |5.2 |8.3 |9.5 |6.0 |6.5 |- |7.2
Warwickshire |14.0 |5.5 |11.7 |- |9.6 |9.6 |1.7 |8.7
West Sussex |12.0 |8.8 |10.9 |- |- |- |- |9.2
Wiltshire |11.8 |14.7 |11.9 |19.9 |7.5 |9.1 |2.3 |9.8
England |19.9 |20.3 |20.0 |14.8 |12.5 |12.8 |3.7 |17.7
<1> Pupils known to be eligible for free meals in each category expressed as a proportion of day pupils in each category.
<2> Some voluntary schools are selective.
<3> Some Grant-maintained schools are selective.
<4> Schools which admit pupils wholly or mainly with reference to ability or aptitude-there are no schools of this type in the LEA.
Administration Costs
Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the average cost per local education authority school in Kirklees for administration in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95; and what is the forecast for 1995 96.
Mr. Robin Squire: The average LEA expenditure on administration per local authority maintained school in Kirklees is as follows:
|£
----------------------------------------
1993-94 (outturn figure) |13,480
1994-95 (budget estimate) |13,050
1995-96 (budget estimate) |14,245
These figures are derived from statements published by Kirklees LEA under section 42 of the Education Reform Act 1988 in respect of schools included in the authority's scheme for the local management of schools. For reasons of comparability the 1993 94 figure therefore excludes expenditure on administration for special schools which were formula funded under LMS from 1 April 1994. In 1993 94, the LEA expenditure on administration for special schools amounted to £30,030 per school according to LEA returns published under section 50 of the Education Reform Act.
No outturn figures for 1994 95 are yet available. No data for LEA nursery schools or pupil referral units are available.
Class Sizes
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage and how many primary school pupils were in classes of over 30 in January in each local education authority and in total; what was the change in numbers compared with January 1994 in each local education authority and in total; and what the change in numbers between January 1994 and January 1995 represents as a percentage change in each local education authority.
Mr. Robin Squire: Information on pupils in classes of 31 and over in maintained schools in January 1994 is shown in the table. Information for January 1995 will not be available until the autumn.
Column 362
Numbers and percentages of pupils in single teacher classes of
size 31 and over in maintained primary schools in each local
education authority in England-January 1994
|Number of pupils|Percentage<1>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
City |0 |0.0
Camden |542 |6.1
Greenwich |2,301 |13.3
Hackney |499 |3.7
Hammersmith |795 |11.1
Islington |892 |6.9
Kensington and Chelsea |454 |9.0
Lambeth |816 |5.2
Lewisham |1,318 |7.2
Southwark |2,331 |12.3
Tower Hamlets |638 |4.9
Wandsworth |1,666 |11.8
Westminster |428 |5.9
Barking |1,415 |9.9
Barnet |2,434 |11.6
Bexley |5,910 |32.0
Brent |2,157 |11.4
Bromley |10,385 |47.5
Croydon |4,896 |20.5
Ealing |4,146 |20.3
Enfield |7,237 |35.4
Haringey |732 |4.3
Harrow |3,544 |22.6
Havering |4,176 |22.1
Hillingdon |4,896 |27.5
Hounslow |5,319 |33.5
Kingston Upon Thames |5,484 |57,9
Merton |3,114 |25.3
Newham |1,317 |6.0
Redbridge |8,456 |52.8
Richmond Upon Thames |1,134 |11.4
Sutton |4,696 |40.1
Waltham Forest |3,200 |18.4
Birmingham |27,164 |28.4
Coventry |5,541 |21.9
Dudley |7,497 |31.1
Sandwell |10,175 |37.5
Solihull |6,711 |36.9
Walsall |5,577 |25.1
Wolverhampton |5,155 |24.1
Knowsley |5,915 |34.8
Liverpool |12,620 |26.6
St. Helens |5,437 |37.5
Sefton |8,258 |33.7
Wirral |5,928 |20.4
Bolton |9,046 |41.0
Bury |6,239 |40.0
Manchester |9,619 |23.4
Oldham |8,617 |41.1
Rochdale |8,020 |43.8
Salford |6,817 |30.6
Stockport |8,179 |33.8
Tameside |12,079 |56.4
Trafford |9,151 |49.6
Wigan |9,997 |38.2
Barnsley |5,656 |28.3
Doncaster |7,548 |28.4
Rotherham |2,569 |11.5
Sheffield |8,281 |21.9
Bradford |8.781 |27.3
Calderdale |5,268 |30.1
Kirklees |9,372 |29.9
Leeds |19,405 |32.7
Wakefield |9,996 |37.0
Gateshead |1,862 |11.2
Newcastle Upon Tyne |5,843 |28.5
North Tyneside |3,905 |26.0
South Tyneside |3,456 |23.9
Sunderland |4,244 |16.2
Isles of Scilly |31 |18.5
Avon |26,753 |35.5
Bedfordshire |9,064 |24.4
Berkshire |16,290 |28.9
Buckinghamshire |19,072 |33.3
Cambridgeshire |15,079 |27.2
Cheshire |30,193 |36.2
Cleveland |13,386 |23.2
Cornwall |13,441 |35.1
Cumbria |9,385 |24.2
Derbyshire |29,982 |39.9
Devon |21,175 |27.3
Dorset |18,142 |44.0
Durham |15,012 |28.9
East Sussex |19,297 |40.7
Essex |30,729 |25.8
Gloucestershire |11,123 |26.5
Hampshire |44.304 |34.2
Hereford and Worcester |9,910 |21.1
Hertfordshire |21,344 |27.7
Humberside |25,914 |33.4
Isle of Wight |1,862 |26.6
Kent |41,570 |33.6
Lancashire |45,112 |38.5
Leicestershire |14,433 |20.2
Lincolnshire |12,642 |26.6
Norfolk |11,175 |19.5
North Yorkshire |13,702 |24.8
Northamptonshire |9,590 |20.6
Northumberland |7,901 |41.4
Nottinghamshire |19,947 |24.2
Oxfordshire |5,850 |15.3
Shropshire |9,085 |27.2
Somerset |10,476 |30.1
Staffordshire |30,738 |35.3
Suffolk |5,608 |13.8
Surrey |13,741 |20.2
Warwickshire |12,740 |30.6
West Sussex |10,934 |21.6
Wiltshire |12,185 |26.5
England |1,076,173 |28.2
<1> Pupils in single teacher classes of 31 and over expressed as a
percentage of all pupils in single teacher classes.
Education Expenditure (Northamptonshire)
Mr. William Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent in total on education in Northamptonshire at constant prices in each of the last 20 years. [20275]
Column 364
Mr. Robin Squire: The table shows total expenditure by Northamptonshire local education authority from 1974 75 to 1993 94, the latest year for which provisional outturn figures are available. These figures have not been adjusted for any changes of function.
Northamptonshire County Council
|Gross expenditure
|(1994-95 prices)
|£ million
------------------------------------------------------
1974-75 |217.0
1975-76 |226.1
1976-77 |235.1
1977-78 |225.0
1978-79 |225.8
1979-80 |225.7
1980-81 |229.4
1981-82 |234.5
1982-83 |232.7
1983-84 |239.9
1984-85 |241.9
1985-86 |243.7
1986-87 |256.6
1987-88 |263.8
1988-89 |272.0
1989-90 |267.8
1990-91 |265.9
1991-92 |262.4
1992-93 |263.8
1993-94<1> |225.3
<1> Provisional.
Mr. William Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was spent in Northamptonshire in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each of the last 20 years at constant prices. [20274]
Mr. Robin Squire: The table shows expenditure in schools maintained by Northamptonshire local education authority on (a) pre-primary and primary pupils combined, and (b) secondary pupils, from 1974 75 to 1993 94, the latest year for which provisional outturn figures are available.
Northamptonshire County Council
Spending per
pupil (1994-95
prices)
|Nursery/Primary (£)|Secondary (£)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1974-75 |1,097 |1,960
1975-76 |1,109 |1,960
1976-77 |1,117 |1,972
1977-78 |1,051 |1,788
1978-79 |1,051 |1,773
1979-80 |1,168 |1,786
1980-81 |1,044 |1,573
1981-82 |1,086 |1,636
1982-83 |1,130 |1,652
1983-84 |1,165 |1,720
1984-85 |1,368 |1,883
1985-86 |1,169 |1,790
1986-87 |1,249 |1,950
1987-88 |1,281 |2,027
1988-89 |1,594 |2,188
1989-90 |1,376 |2,117
1990-91 |1,424 |2,087
1991-92 |1,481 |2,153
1992-93 |1,455 |2,200
1993-94<1> |1,553 |2,231
<1> Provisional
University Students
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money was spent on each university student by her Department in real terms in (a) 1979, (b) 1985 and (c) 1992. [19995]
Mr. Boswell: The information is not available in the form requested. The average funding council grant and income from tuition fees per higher education student for the financial years 1980 81, 1985 86 and 1992 93 in real terms at 1992 prices was about £6,800, £6,300 and £4,700 respectively.
The average maintenance grants received by mandatory award holders in the academic years 1980 81, 1985 86 and 1992 93 in real terms at 1992 prices were £2,400, £1,700 and £1,600 respectively. Since 1990 91, students, including those who do not qualify for mandatory awards, have had access to student loans. The average loan in England and Wales in the academic year 1992 93 was £700.
University Admission Procedures
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure that university admission procedures are not subject to racial discrimination. [20008]
Mr. Boswell: University admission procedures are a matter for the universities themselves. It is unlawful, under the provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976, for universities to discriminate on grounds of race in their admission procedures.
Pupil: Teacher Ratios
Ms Estelle Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will publish a table showing the pupil teacher ratio in (a) all public sector schools and (b) all non-maintained schools in each year since 1970. [19371]
Mr. Robin Squire: The available information is shown in the table.
Pupil:Teacher ratios (PTR) in Schools in England 1970-1994
Position in January each year
|<1>< 2> Maintained
|Nursery,
|Primary and |<1 ><3> Independent
|Secondary
|Schools |Schools
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1970 |n/a |13.7
1971 |n/a |13.7
1972 |n/a |13.6
1973 |n/a |13.6
1974 |20.7 |13.6
1975 |20.0 |13.5
1976 |19.8 |13.4
1977 |19.7 |13.2
1978 |19.4 |12.9
1979 |18.9 |13.0
1980 |18.7 |12.7
1981 |18.6 |12.5
1982 |18.5 |12.2
1983 |18.1 |11.9
1984 |17.9 |11.6
1985 |17.8 |11.4
1986 |17.6 |11.3
1987 |17.3 |11.3
1988 |17.0 |11.3
1989 |17.0 |11.1
1990 |16.9 |10.9
1991 |17.2 |10.8
1992 |17.4 |10.6
1993 |17.7 |10.4
1994 |18.1 |10.3
<1> Counting each part-time pupil as 0.5 full-time equivalents.
<2> This is the Overall PTR which includes the full-time equivalent of all
qualified teachers (including those not in schools and teachers providing short
term cover), student teachers, instructors and licensed teachers employed in
the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector, including
grant-maintained schools. Includes Sixth Form Colleges prior to 1994.
<3> Includes the full-time equivalent of all teachers employed by independent
schools, whether qualified or not. Includes CTCs and direct grant nursery
schools.
n/a Not readily available.
TREASURY
Medals and Decorations
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what firms tendered in each of the past five years for medals and decorations ordered by the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. [20257]
Mr. Nelson: The information requested is as follows:
{
Tendering firms |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95 |1995-96
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JW Barrett and Son |* |* |* |- |-
Collingwood |- |* |* |* |*
Thomas Fattorini |* |* |* |- |*
Firmin and Sons |- |- |- |- |*
Garrard |* |* |* |* |*
Royal Mint |* |* |* |* |*
Spink and Son |* |* |* |* |*
Toye, Kenning and Spencer |* |* |* |* |*
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the current costs of each medal awarded during the current year by the Central Chancery of Orders of Knighthood. [20256]
Mr. Nelson: The latest unit costs, including VAT, of the medals awarded in 1994 95 are:
Honour |£
---------------------------------------
GCB (Military) |3,031
GCB (Civil) |1,733
KCB (Military) |1,755
KCB (Civil) |1,527
CB (Military) |474
CB (Civil) |213
Order of Merit |3,650
Companion of Honour |199
Knights Bachelor |149
DSO |587
DBE |699
KBE |658
CBE |93
OBE (Ladies) |28
OBE (Gentlemen) |25
MBE (Ladies) |26
MBE (Gentlemen) |25
GCMG |3,231
KCMG |2,106
CMG |725
GCVO |1,363
KCVO |1,052
CVO |482
LVO |374
MVO |339
RVM (Ladies) |38
RVM (Gentlemen) |35
BEM |38
ISM |28
QGM |31
George Cross |247
George Medal |136
Queen's Police Medal |32
Queen Fire Service Medal |35
Some are returnable after the recipient has died and, after renovation, are re-used.
Taxation
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the changes made to (a) increase taxation and (b) decrease taxation since May 1992. [20064]
Sir George Young: Details of all recent tax changes are shown in successive editions of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", copies of which are in the Library of the House.
European Monetary Committee
Mr. Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the work of the European Union's monetary committee; for what reasons its activities are closed to the press; what is its policy regarding press inquiries about its activities; and if it is examining the design of notes and coins for the new monetary system. [17510]
Mr. Nelson: The present monetary committee was established under article 109c of the EC treaty. Its tasks include advising the Council and the Commission on EMU. Member states and the Commission each appoint two members of the committee.
Its policy regarding the press is a matter for the monetary committee. As part of its tasks in preparation for EMU, the committee helps prepare for ECOFIN's discussions on ecu notes and coins.
Earnings, Sutton and Cheam
Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the change in the proportion of total pay taken home in Sutton and Cheam by a single man in the bottom 10 per cent. of earnings (a) between 1979 and
Column 368
the latest year for which figures are available and (b) between 1974 and 1979. [19151]Sir George Young: No reliable figures are available for the lowest 10 per cent. of earnings in Sutton and Cheam.
However, the position of single men at the lowest decile of earnings in Great Britain has improved. The proportion of their gross earnings taken home, after income tax and national insurance contributions, has risen by just over four percentage points since 1978 79, compared with a fall of around three percentage points between 1973 74 and 1978 79. Real take-home pay for this group fell slightly between 1973 74 and 1978 79, but it has risen by around a quarter since then.
Inland Revenue Office, Leicester
Mr. Dewar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the estimated costs in each of the first three years of operation of the office in Leicester being established as a result of the decision to tax incapacity benefit; and if he will define the range of work being undertaken there and give the number of staff employed there. [19284]
Sir George Young: An Inland Revenue tax office, Leicester 4, has been opened to deal with the tax records of claimants in receipt of incapacity benefit who do not have another source of income currently subject to pay-as-you-earn and who therefore have a tax code applied to their benefit by the Benefits Agency.
About 10,000 recipients are expected to have tax deducted by the Benefits Agency. The Leicester office will also maintain records in 1995 96 for around 100,000 claimants who are not expected to have a tax liability for that year, but whose tax position may change in future years.
The office will review the tax codes operated, finalised those claimant's tax liabilities each year, and deal with inquiries. It will also act as a liaison office with the Benefits Agency. There are presently 34 staff, but the final figure for 1995 96 will be dependent on the number of claimants whose records are handled by that office.
The projected running costs for the first three years of operation are as follows, but are subject to the number of records which are handled by the office and the number of staff employed:
1995 96: £593,100
1996 97: £788,900
1997 98: £963,900
Crown Estate Commission
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the proceeds received by the Crown Estate Commission in the last year for which figures are available; from what sources they derived; how they are distributed; and to which bodies. [20055]
Mr. Aitken: The Crown Estate Commissioners operate under the provisions of the Crown Estate Act 1961. They do not distribute their proceeds. Under the terms of the Civil List Act 1952, their surplus revenue, after deducting
Column 369
operating costs, is surrendered direct to the consolidated fund each year. In 1993 94, the amount was £78.9 million. Details of the Crown Estate's financial performance is contained in the commissioners' annual report to Parliament, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.WALES
Inward Investment
17. Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs have been created in Wales since 1979 as a result of inward investment from (a) Japan, (b) The European Union and (c) the United States of America. [18738]
Mr. Redwood: Figures in the form requested are not readily available. However, over 68,000 people are now employed by overseas-owned manufacturing companies in Wales. Almost 30,000 of these are employed by companies from the United States; over 14,000 by companies from the European Union and almost 12,500 by companies from Japan.
Casualty and Surgical Services
18. Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his strategy for casualty and surgical services in Wales. [18739]
Mr. Richards: The provision of casualty and surgical services in Wales is a matter for health authorities and individual trusts. However, a Welsh office working group is reviewing accident and emergency provision across Wales. Advice from this group should assist health authorities and provider trusts in planning future services.
Cardiff Bay Barrage
19. Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of the Cardiff bay barrage. [18740]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Good progress has been made to meet the target my right hon. Friend has set the corporation of completing 54 per cent. of the construction of the barrage by 31 March 1996. The current final cost forecast of the barrage project is £191 million. After allowing for £15.4 million for preliminary design work and the presentation of the Bills to Parliament and £5.7 million for bird compensation measures, this forecast is consistent with the costs indicated to Parliament in October 1992 converted to outturn prices.
Manufacturing Skills
20. Sir Wyn Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of suitably qualified young people to meet the needs of manufacturing industry in Wales. [18741]
Mr. Redwood: Improving the supply of suitably qualified young people to meet the needs of manufacturing industry in Wales is one of my priorities. My plan to strengthen the supply of skilled workers at
Column 370
both craft and technician levels is set out in "People and Prosperity--an Agenda for Action in Wales", which was published on 20 March.Deprivation Payments
Mr. Rhodri Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with (a) chairmen of the Welsh family health services authorities, (b) representations of the medical profession and (c) community health councils concerning the relative merits of postcodes and electoral wards as the basis for awarding deprivation payments to general practitioners; [19875] (2) what representations he has received concerning the relative remits of postcodes and electoral wards as the basis for awarding deprivation payments to general practitioners. [19876]
Mr. Redwood: I have held no specific consultation with the three bodies mentioned, nor have I received any representations from them. I have recently received seven representations from individual GPs in South Glamorgan.
The present deprivation payments scheme was negotiated and agreed with the representative body of the profession in Wales. My officials have discussed the merits of the scheme with representatives of family health services authorities on several occasions. My officials have also been involved in discussions between health departments and the negotiating team of the General Medical Services Committee about the deprivation index. Both parties put forward evidence to the independent Doctors and Dentists Review Body on pay and the Government have accepted its recommendation that payments should be based on the 1991 census Jarman scores.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to base deprivation payments to general practitioners on electoral wards. [19877]
Mr. Redwood: Since the inception of the deprivation payments scheme in 1990, payments to GPs in Wales have been based on the under-privileged area scores relating to electoral wards in accordance with an index of deprivation that was negotiated and agreed with the representative body of the profession in Wales. With effect from April 1995, payments to GPs will be updated using the 1991 census data.
Swine Vesicular Disease
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of swine vesicular disease were reported in each year since 1985. [19728]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: No cases of swine vesicular disease have occurred in Wales since 1985.
Glaucoma
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated number of people aged over 17 years with glaucoma in Wales. [19731]
Mr. Richards: The information requested is not held centrally.
Column 371
Planning Policy Guidance
Mr. Gareth Wardell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress he has made in respect of the introduction in Wales of planning policy guidance operating at present in England but not in Wales. [19895]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Work continues on the preparation of draft planning policy guidance for Wales and consultation with Welsh interests will follow.
General Development Order
Mr. Gareth Wardell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to issue a consolidated version of the General Development Order of the Town and Country Planning Act 1988. [19896]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Two separate orders, the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 and the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995, were laid before Parliament on 6 March 1995 and come into force on 3 June 1995.
Dental Services
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each district council area (a) the list of all dentists in Wales and (b) those dentists accepting NHS patients. [20044]
Mr. Richards: The information is not available centrally in the form requested. Family health services authorities maintain local directories of general dental practitioners and are best placed to provide up-to-date information on the availability of NHS dental services in their areas.
Ambulance Trusts
Mr. Gareth Wardell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what mechanism exists to enable the newly established ambulance trust to absorb Powys in order that coterminosity is established with the new geographical boundaries of the health authorities. [19932]
Mr. Richards: Either or both of the NHS trusts concerned may propose to me a reconfiguration of their boundaries. Neither has yet done so. Any such proposals would be subject to public consultation under existing legislative arrangements.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will institute a review into the operational boundaries of the South East Wales ambulance trust and the Mid Glamorgan ambulance trust. [20527]
Mr. Redwood: I have no plans to do so and have received no such request from either of the NHS trusts concerned.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the South-East Wales ambulance trust and the chairmen of the South Glamorgan, Gwent, and Powys health authorities concerning cash transfers from the health purchasers to the ambulance trust with respect to reassessment of the financial set-up costs of the trust; and if he will make a statement. [20529]
Mr. Redwood: None. I understand that the trust has reached agreement with Gwent, South Glamorgan and Powys health authorities. Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for
Column 372
Wales what representations he has had concerning the financial viability of the South-East Wales NHS ambulance trust. [20528]Mr. Redwood: None. The financial performance of all NHS trusts in Wales is the responsibility of the trusts and is monitored by my Department.
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit the Alyn and Deeside district council office to discuss the future of chief officers and their staffs consequent upon the 1996 reform of local government; and if he will make a statement. [20342]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: My right hon. Friend and I have no such plans. The future of staff depends mainly on decisions to be taken by the new authorities. The Staff Commission for Wales has a duty to advise the Secretary of State on the steps necessary to safeguard the interests of staff.
Religious Education
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools in Wales have changed their religious tuition following his request for an increased Christian content in the curriculum. [20024]
Mr. Redwood: In accordance with my statement, I have asked the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales to prepare guidelines for the revision of locally agreed religious education syllabuses. The guidelines will assist local authorities and their standing advisory councils on religious education over the next statutory syllabus reviews. They will also reflect the important place that Christianity holds in the religious traditions of this country.
Union Flag
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools in Wales flew the Union flag following the advice of his predecessor. [20025]
Mr. Richards: The information is not held centrally.
Rural White Paper
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for what reason section 19 of "This Common Inheritance--UK Annual Report 1995", on rural White Papers, refers to Scotland and England, but not to Wales. [19804]
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 21 April 1995]: The Welsh Office's rural policies were brought together in December 1991 in the publication "The Rural Initiative" which set out the Department's principal policy objectives for rural communities in Wales. Those objectives remain valid and continue to inform the activities of the Department and its agencies.
I am keeping in close touch with the development of the White Paper in England and Scotland and Welsh Office officials are fully informed on the discussions which are under way. I will be considering whether any further consequential action is required in Wales in the light of progress in England.
| Next Section
| Home Page |