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Mr. Moss: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange a reply to be given. Letter from Alec Wylie to Mr. Clifford Forsythe, dated 18 May 1995:
I have been asked to reply to your three recent Parliamentary Questions relating to National Insurance numbers.
I should first explain that all National Insurance records for the United Kingdom are held centrally in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Northern Ireland National Insurance numbers are not held separately from the rest of the United Kingdom. The information you require is not readily available and to disaggregate the National Insurance numbers for Northern Ireland would incur disproportionate costs. I can, however, tell you that at July 1994, for the United Kingdom as a whole, there was 8.8 million National Insurance numbers being held as a record following the death of the owner. This can be for a number of reasons including to support payment of a Widow's Pension. At July 1994, again for the United Kingdom as a whole,
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there were 6.1 million National Insurance numbers which referred to owners living abroad.Finally, from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995, there were 10,421 National Insurance Numbers cancelled in the United Kingdom.
I am sorry that I cannot provide the information in the format you require but I hope that the information I have given you will be helpful.
Roman Catholic Council for Maintained Schools
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 9 May, Official Report , column 433 , if he will make a statement on the role of the Roman Catholic Council for Maintained Schools. [24667]
Mr. Ancram: The functions of the Roman Catholic Council for Maintained Schools are set out in part IX of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, a copy of which is available in the Library.
National Lottery Grants
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what occasions he as used his powers under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 to direct the administrators of lottery grants to withhold grants to groups; and what proposals he has to use these powers in future. [24601]
Mr. Ancram: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has not to date used his powers under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 to prohibit the distribution of money to any group and has at present no proposals to do so.
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Suicides
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent available percentage suicide rate for employed 18 to 65-year-olds in Northern Ireland. [24555]
Sir John Wheeler: Information on the number of employed people who have committed suicide is not available. At death registration, informants are asked for the last occupation rather than the employment status of the deceased.
Education and Library Boards
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how many pupils in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland the area board has a responsibility to provide services. [24666]
Mr. Ancram: Details of the services provided for pupils by the education and library boards are contained in their annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library.
Pupil Numbers
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of children enrolled in (a) maintained, (b) voluntary, (c) integrated and (d) independent schools in each area board in Northern Ireland. [24668]
Mr. Ancram: The information requested is as follows:
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s
|Belfast |Western |North-Eastern|South-Eastern|Southern |Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maintained |28,149 |37,149 |20,348 |17,105 |38,789 |141,540
Voluntary |15,652 |8,528 |9,234 |7,580 |8,674 |49,668
Integrated:
Grant-maintained |1,050 |918 |512 |1,028 |665 |4,173
Controlled |167 |- |51 |155 |266 |639
Independent |100 |65 |109 |552 |117 |943
Public Health Notices
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public health notices have been issued by each district council in respect of properties between 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1995; and what were the reasons for such notices. [24745]
Mr. Moss: The service of public health notices is a statutory duty of district councils. The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many home improvement grant applications were approved as a result of public health notices issued by each district council in Northern Ireland since 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1995; what were the budgetary amounts allocated; and if each application fulfilled the criteria for unfitness as laid down in the Housing (NI) Order 1992. [24750]
Mr. Moss: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. However, the chief executive has provided in the table, for each district council area, the
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numbers of repairs grants approved on foot of the service of public health notices and the amount of grant paid for the period April 1993 to March 1995. Applications for grant aid resulting from the service of public health notices do not have to fulfil the criteria for unfitness as laid down in the Housing (NI) Order 1992.
Numbers of repairs grants approved and amount of grant paid, by
district council area, between April 1993 and March 1995
District council |Repairs grants |Amount of grant paid
|approved
|£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast |2,479 |769,492
Newtownabbey |23 |13,071
Carrickfergus |48 |14,651
Larne |12 |2,120
Ballymena |6 |3,466
Moyle |- |-
Antrim |7 |10,083
Coleraine |10 |9,956
Ballymoney |4 |3,453
Derry |10 |7,277
Magherafelt |6 |714
Strabane |7 |5,468
Limavady |- |-
Omagh |82 |110,809
Dungannon |254 |330,486
Cookstown |15 |31,519
Fermanagh |137 |116,308
Newry and Mourne |625 |946,749
Banbridge |373 |467,318
Craigavon |913 |1,154,827
Armagh |951 |1,290,249
Lisburn |246 |284,237
Down |39 |50,852
North Down |157 |140,218
Castlereagh |90 |75,810
Ards |203 |137,955
|-------- |--------
Totals: |6,697 |5,977,088
Downpatrick Regeneration Project
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will fill the vacant project officer position in the Downpatrick regeneration project. [24746]
Mr. Moss: The Department is actively seeking to fill the vacant post and it is hoped that an appointment will be made shortly.
Conservation Area Grants
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations have taken place about increasing the level of conservation area grants. [24747]
Mr. Moss: Consultations about increasing the level of conservation area grants have taken place with the Historic Buildings Council. In the light of these, it was decided that grants should remain unaltered.
Housing Executive
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to sell off the Housing Executive's stock to the private sector, and if he will make a statement. [24748]
Mr. Moss: There are no plans to sell off the Housing Executive's stock to the private sector. The executive, however, does have powers to sell houses to the private sector to complement its own developments or to tenants under its house sales scheme.
Planning Applications
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations took place about the recent price increase in respect of certain planning applications. [24751]
Mr. Moss: It is Government policy to achieve full recovery of the costs of processing applications and current planning fees do not meet these costs. The recent increase was designed to close this gap and external consultations were not considered appropriate.
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Disclosure in Criminal Cases
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the consultation paper on disclosure in criminal cases in Northern Ireland; and if the consultation period will conclude after 31 July. [25176]
Sir John Wheeler: My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State published such a paper on 19 May, seeking comments by 31 July.
Miss Markievicz Gorman
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the shot which wounded Markievicz Gorman was fired before the stolen car in which she was a passenger had passed the Army patrol. [22917]
Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 9 May 1995]: It has not been established at what stage Miss Gorman received her wound. Miss Gorman herself did not appear to have realised at what stage she received her injury and in fact became aware that she was injured only after the shooting had stopped and she was removed from the car by Army personnel.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Inquests
32. Ms Hoey: To ask the Attorney-General what criteria he uses when deciding to exercise his discretion under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 to grant a fresh inquest. [23914]
The Solicitor-General: The Attorney-General considers whether an application to the High Court would have a reasonable prospect of establishing that it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice for a fresh inquest to be held.
Private Lee Clegg
33. Sir Michael Neubert: To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his oral answer of6 February, Official Report , column 13, what further representations he has received on the case of Private Clegg. [23915]
The Attorney-General: The Law Officers have received 42 individual representations since 6 February and two petitions, one bearing 18 names and the other 45.
Stefan Kiszko Case
34. Mr. Mullin: To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to appeal against the decision of Rochdale's stipendiary magistrate to drop charges of perverting the course of justice in the Stefan Kiszko case against former Superintendent Richard Holland and Mr. Ronald Outteridge; and if he will make a statement. [23916]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service is carefully considering and taking counsel's advice on the possibility of an appeal.
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War Crimes Act 1991
35. Mr. John Marshall: To ask the Attorney-General what recent representations he has received about the workings of the War Crimes Act 1991. [23917]
The Attorney-General: With regard to second world war crimes, following initial advice from Treasury counsel, further inquiries are in hand in relation to certain potential defendants. Decisions as to possible prosecutions will be taken as soon as all the relevant evidence has been fully considered and analysed.
Treasury Counsel
Mr. Byers: To ask the Attorney-General how many barristers on the panel of Treasury counsel received more than £200,000 in fees from public funds for the latest year for which information is available. [25055]
The Attorney-General: There are two Treasury counsel retained for Government civil work. A supplementary panel of counsel is also maintained and used in suitable cases. Both Treasury counsel received more than £200,000 in fees from public funds in the financial year 1994 95.
There were 14 Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court to represent the Crown in serious criminal cases until Easter 1995, when three resigned having accepted appointments as Her Majesty's counsel. On the information currently available, seven of those received in excess of £200,000 from the Crown Prosecution Service over the same period. However, criminal Treasury counsel are not exclusively retained by the Crown Prosecution Service and may work for other Government Departments and undertake legal aid defence work. Information on fees from those sources can be determined only at disproportionate cost.
The information referred to is based on payments made inclusive of value added tax.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Attorney-General how many barristers are presently on the panel of the Treasury counsel. [25056]
The Attorney-General: There are two Treasury counsel retained for government civil work. A supplementary panel of counsel is also maintained and used in suitable cases.
There are at present 11 Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court to represent the Crown in serious criminal cases.
Majority Shareholdings
Mr. Byers: To ask the Attorney-General if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which (a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25714]
The Attorney-General: There are no companies in which the Attorney- General is a majority shareholder and no such companies have been wound up in the past five years.
Electro-shock Batons
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement about the outcome of the investigation
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by the Crown Prosecution Service relating to British Aerospace and the export of electro-shock batons. [25567]The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service does not itself conduct investigations. The relevant police investigation is not yet concluded.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Majority Shareholdings
Mr. Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which (a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25710]
Parliamentary Council
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the role of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in relation to (a) public Bills, (b) private Bills and (c) private Members' Bills; how this has changed over the past 20 years, with specific instances; and if he will make a statement. [24132]
Mr. David Hunt: Parliamentary counsel are responsible for drafting Government Bills, except common form ones and those relating exclusively to Scotland. Parliamentary counsel advise on all aspects of parliamentary procedure in connection with these Bills. On the instructions of sponsoring Departments, they are responsible for drafting Government amendments and a procedural and other motions. The Office is not involved in the production of private Bills. It may, however, provide drafting assistance on private Members' Bills on the instructions of Departments acting with the authority of Ministers.
There has been no change in the role of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel over the past 20 years.
Science Budget
Mr. Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library the Director General of the Research Councils' review of the science budget published at the press briefing on Tuesday 16 May, together with accompanying press releases and press pack; and if he will make a statement. [25688]
Mr. David Hunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight) on 16 May, Official Report , column 123 .
I have today deposited in the Libraries of theHouse the press pack issued at the press briefing on16 May. The text of the director general'sreview is also available on the Internet through http: //www.open.gov.uk/ost/osthome.htm.
Civil Servants
Mr. McAllion: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the grade on entry to the civil service of all current permanent secretaries, including
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those officials nominally graded at permanent secretary level. [25067]Mr. Horam: The following list gives details of all current permanent secretaries, including those nominally graded, within the home civil service and their grade on entry to the civil service:
Name |Entry grade ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Adye Sir J. A. |Executive Officer Battishill Sir A. M. W. |Assistant Principal Bichard M. G. |Grade 2 Brown Sir A. P. |Principal Budd A. P. |Grade 1A Burns Sir T. |Grade 1A Butler Sir F. E. R. |Assistant Principal Calman K. C. |Grade 1A Chilcot Sir J. A. |Assistant Principal Culpin R. P. |Assistant Principal Davies D. E. N. |Grade 1A Gregson Sir P. L. |Assistant Principal Hart G. A. |Assistant Principal Hillhouse Sir R. R. |Assistant Principal Hosker Sir G. A. |Legal Assistant Jenkins J. C. |Assistant Parliamentary Counsel Langlands A. |Grade 2 Lankester Sir T. P. |Principal Legg Sir T. S. |Legal Assistant McIntosh Dr. M. K. |Grade 1 Mills Mrs B. J. L. |Grade 2 Mottram R. C. |Assistant Principal Mountfield R. |Assistant Principal Packer R. J. |Inspector of Taxes Partridge Sir M. J. A. |Assistant Principal Phillips G. H. |Assistant Principal Rimington J. D. |Assistant Principal Scholar M. C. |Assistant Principal Stewart J. M. |Assistant Principal Strachan Mrs. V. P. M. |Assistant Principal Turnbull A. |Assistant Principal Vereker J. M. M. |Assistant Principal Wicks Sir N. L |Assistant Principal Wilson R. T. J. |Assistant Principal
In July, Professor Tim Holt will take up the post of director at the Central Statistical Office. This appointment was made following an open competition. He will join the civil service directly as a grade 1A.
Forward Look" 1995
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to publish the "1995 Forward Look of Government Funded Science, Engineering and Technology" and the report of the technology foresight steering group. [25769]
Mr. David Hunt: I am today publishing the report of the technology foresight steering group and the "1995 Forward Look of Government Funded Science, Engineering and Technology". Copies of both reports are being placed in the Library and summaries are available from the Vote Office.
The report on technology foresight is from an independent steering group chaired by the Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir William Stewart. I am grateful to Sir William and his colleagues for their report. This builds on those of the 15 technology foresight sector panels, all of which have already been published by my Department. They have been widely welcomed. The steering group report provides an overarching assessment
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of the broad areas of science, engineering and technology that will help the UK capture national and global markets over the next 10 to 20 years. The report also makes recommendations concerning basic research, skills, finance and regulation.The Government will respond vigorously to the steering group and panel reports. Their recommendations will inform policy and priorities in Government, the research councils and universities. My Department, in partnership with the DTI, will also be undertaking a major campaign to spread awareness of foresight findings throughout industry.
The key to success will be to get industry and the science and engineering base working in partnership to address the opportunities which foresight has identified. To stimulate this, I am announcing today a foresight challenge. This will be financed through an extra £40 million of public money which I will make available over the next three years, for collaborative initiatives which address foresight priorities. The challenge will be based on existing mechanisms for industry/science base collaboration, in particular the successful LINK scheme. It will attract matching funds from industry--making £80 million of new resources. I intend to consult the scientific and business communities about the detailed arrangements for the challenge.
Further details of the Government's plans for the next stage of the foresight exercise are set out in the 1995 "Forward Look". This report provides an up-to-date statement on the ways in which public funds for science, engineering and technology are being spent throughout Government and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Particular emphasis is given to the ways in which Government Departments and the research councils are refocusing their programmes in support of wealth creation and quality of life in line with the policy objectives of the 1993 White Paper "Realising our Potential". Taking account of technology foresight, the Government will continue to work towards a much closer coupling between publicly funded research and development and the wealth-creating private sector, to help deliver the goals of enhanced national prosperity and quality of life.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Food Labelling
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he plans to introduce to ensure that food labelling is truthful and accurate about its impact on animal welfare and the environment; and if he will make a statement. [24065]
Mrs. Browning: The Food Safety Act 1990 already requires that food labelling shall neither falsely describe the food nor mislead as to the nature or substance or quality of the food concerned. Statements on food labels concerned with animal welfare must therefore comply with those requirements. I have no plans to introduce any more specific requirements; advice I received from the Independent Food Advisory Committee indicated that it would not be appropriate so to do and there are no proposals at European Community level to introduce any such requirement.
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Foxes
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fox destruction clubs or societies are registered in England; what is the level of assistance they currently receive; what guidelines he issues on how these clubs and societies destroy foxes; what guidelines he issues on the numbers of foxes to be destroyed; how the fox population is assessed; and if he will make a statement. [24129]
Mrs. Browning: Fox destruction clubs or societies are neither required to be registered with nor are they financially assisted by the Ministry and information is not collected on the number of such organisations.
Responsibility for the control of foxes rests with those who most benefit from such control, that is, individual landowners and occupiers. The actual method of control is also at the discretion of individual landowners and occupiers, provided that the method does not contravene current legislation, such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.
Plant Labelling
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are in place to ensure that containerised and container-grown decorative house plants destined for sale in supermarkets which also sell food are clearly labelled with any potential dangers associated with their natural features or pesticide treatments by growers or suppliers; what further measure he plans to introduce; and if he will make a statement. [24160]
Mrs. Browning: The risks associated with the sale of potentially hazardous plants by supermarkets and other outlets is a matter which has been considered in a horticultural industry initiative. A voluntary code of practice on handling, retailing and labelling of poisonous plants has been drawn up for adoption. This is a good example of self-regulation. The risk of contamination of food by pesticides used on ornamental plants sold in the same store is extremely small. We have no plans to require growers or suppliers to label plants with the treatments applied.
Fish Imports
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the economic impact of cheap fish imported from non-EEC countries on the livelihoods of east coast fishermen. [24153]
Mr. Jack: No specific assessment has been made in relation to the situation on the east coast of England, but last year's broad-based analysis by the European Commission indicated that underlying structural problems rather than non-EU imports were responsible for the generally depressed state of the fish market within the European Union. The EU market depends increasingly on imports for its supplies and fish processors in particular depend heavily on imported raw material because their needs cannot be met from EU resources.
Live Animal Exports
Sir Terence Higgins: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer
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of 18 April, Official Report , columns 103- 104 , regarding the conformity of the vessel Northern Star to the provisions of the Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1994, by what authority his Department takes the view that point 18 of schedule 3 to the order, which implements EC directive 91/628, does not apply to roll-on roll -off ferries. [24441]Mrs. Browning: My previous answer to which my right hon. Friend refers gave the view which the Department takes when assessing roll-on roll -off ferries for compliance with the law.
Mr. Olner: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 11 May, Official Report , column 581 , when he expects his Department's consideration of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' latest legal advice on the export of live animals to be completed. [24779]
Mr. Waldegrave: I have now received advice from lawyers on the opinion from Mr. Gerald Barling QC entitled "Welfare of Calves: Lawfulness of Export Restrictions".
My legal advice in the light of that opinion remains: namely, that a ban on calf exports--whether a blanket ban or a selective ban on exports to certain countries or to rearing units using veal crates--would be at serious risk of successful challenge under European law.
There are also policy considerations. By far the best outcome, which I believe is achievable, would be EU measures to prohibit the use of the veal crate across Europe. That, I am sure all would agree, would be the best way of achieving a real increase in the sum of animal welfare. A unilateral restriction on exports from the UK--if it could be made to stick--would be only a gesture in terms of animal welfare: continental rearers would carry on using veal crates, and would obtain calves from alternative, more distant, sources from which they would probably be transported in conditions less humane than those we impose on our own exports. There would be no net gain across Europe in animal welfare terms.
In addition, to attempt to introduce a unilateral ban would be counter- productive in relation not only to the chances of getting a Euro-wide ban, but to the very delicate negotiations on welfare in transit in general. We would have antagonised other member states, some of them at present our allies, and might indeed give them a pretext for declining to take matters further, pending resolution of the legal issues. These are strong reasons for not introducing a ban, even if I thought--as I do not--that I had discretion to do so in legal terms. The fact is that I am still being advised that I do not have that discretion.
Mr. Barling's opinion does, however, raise an interesting new point in highlighting the fact that the provisions of Community directive 91/629 on the welfare of calves fail to reflect those of appendix C to the recommendation on cattle which the Council of Europe adopted under the European convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. As I have said, this does not alter the legal position in respect of a unilateral ban on calf exports. However, I am, as the House will know, already pressing the Council of Ministers to revise directive 91/629 so as to prohibit the use of the veal crate
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throughout the Community. In support of this aim, I intend drawing Mr. Barling's argumentation over the Council of Europe texts to the Commission's attention. I hope it will see this as a powerful reason for it to make proposals to the Council for the Community's own rules to be brought into line with the rules to which the Community has subscribed in the Council of Europe.I believe that the RSPCA--and other animal welfare organisations--can play an important role in our efforts to achieve changes in the Community rules. I am today conveying to it my views in the light of Mr. Barling's opinion, and inviting it to meet me to discuss how matters can now be taken forward.
Head of EC Tobacco Sector
Mr. Marlow: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the result of the Belgian police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suicide of the former head of the tobacco sector of the EC. [24867]
Mr. Jack: The Belgian police investigated the immediate circumstances surrounding the death of the former head of the tobacco sector of the EC, with the assistance of the Commission, and concluded that he took his own life. They did not carry out a further investigation into the alleged case of fraud. The Commission, from its own internal investigation, passed dossiers of information to the Italian and Greek authorities, and the state prosecutors in Rome and Athens are now pursuing their own inquiries with the full assistance of the Commission's anti-fraud squad.
Public Bodies
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which non-departmental public bodies within the responsibility of his Department are subject to scrutiny by (a) the ombudsmen, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the Audit Commission and (d) other monitoring officers, which are covered by citizens charters, in which performance indicators apply, and in which members are liable to surcharge. [23965]
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