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Mr. French: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the differences between Inland Revenue leaflet IR56/N139 and previous leaflets since 1979 as they relate to the criteria for determining whether a person is employed or self-employed. [28340]
Sir George Young: Leaflet IR56/N139 has been updated on a number of occasions since its introduction in 1985. The latest version was published on 31 May 1995 and contains additional criteria relating to short-term engagements in the light of recent case law
Public Sector Borrowing
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the impact on his forecasts of the public sector borrowing requirement in (a) 1995 96, (b) 1996 97 and (c) 1997 98 of a 0.25 per cent. annual reduction in the Treasury forecast of the rate of growth of United Kingdom gross domestic product for the aforementioned years. [28157]
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Mr. Aitken [holding answer 14 June 1995]: Tables 4.10 and 4.11 in the 1995 96 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" illustrate the sensitivity of projections for the public sector borrowing requirement to alternative growth paths.
Retirements and Redundancies
Ms Hodge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of (a) the Treasury and (b) agencies for which the Treasury is responsible (i) took early retirement, (ii) took voluntary redundancy, (iii) took compulsory redundancy and (iv) were retired on medical grounds in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95; and what are the projected figures for 1995 96. [25418]
Mr. Nelson: The information for the Treasury is as follows:
T
Voluntary
redundancy
|Early |Other early|Compulsory
|retirement |Severance |retirement |redundancy |Medical
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |5 |2 |11 |2 |3
1994-95 |6 |10 |11 |0 |11
1995-96 |<1>14 |<1>3 |<1>1 |<1>0 |<1>1
<1> Figures for 1995-96 are those known at 1 May 1995. The Treasury is not
responsible for any agencies.
Ms Hodge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost to the Department of staff leaving under redundancy or early retirement schemes to incorporate (i) added years lump sum payment(ii) redundancy payments (iii) pension payments including enhancements and (iv) any other special arrangements for (a) 1993 94, (b) 1994 95, and projected for (c) 1995 96 and (d) 1996 97. [25637]
Mr. Nelson: Staff leaving the Treasury under redundancy or early retirement schemes are eligible for compensation payments under the principal civil service pensions scheme. The scheme distinguishes between early retirement, with immediate payments of pensions benefits, and early severance, with immediate payment of lump sum compensation and pension benefits preserved for payment at age 60. Individual payments are age, salary and service related.
The cost to the Department of staff leaving under these schemes are a mixture of benefits payable immediately, which may include compensation lump sum and/or pension, plus cost arising over a longer term--for example, the annual compensation to staff under the age of 60. The table separately identifies these immediate and longer-term costs, so far as they can be determined.
|1993-94 |1994-95 |1995-96
|£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------
Immediate costs
Lump sum compensation |130,302 |432,195 |827,534
Enhancement to lump sum |49,983 |64,050 |235,266
Longer term costs
Enhancement to pension<1> |16,659 |21,346 |78,420
Cost of paying pension
per-age 60 |729,789 |949,143 |2,933,485
<1 >£ rate p.a.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Indonesia
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the nature of the work involved in the steel bridging (phase 1) aid and trade provision project in Indonesia; what equipment and materials were supplied under the project; what is the location of the bridging; which Indonesian companies were involved; and what date the project was
completed. [28298]
Mr. Baldry: Phase 1 of the steel bridging project was undertaken to help meet Indonesia's requirements for steel bridging on major roads.
The equipment and materials supplied under the project consisted of 397 spans of 30.5m Bailey bridging, 80 tool kits, 397 sets of spare components, 30 sets of jacking equipment and 30 sets of erection equipment.
The bridging is located in the following provinces: Irja, Maluku, Sulsel, Sulteng, Sultera, Sulut, DKL, Jakarta, Jabar, Jateng, Sumut, Sumbar, Sultra, Riau, Jatim, Aceh, Bengkulu, Kalbar, Kalsel, Kalteng, Kaltim and Sumsel.
The roads and highways department of the Ministry of Public Works BINA MARGA--was responsible for project implementation.
The project was completed in July 1988.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of1 March, Official Report , column 574 , on what date the case for the shortwave radio transmitters project in Indonesia was submitted by the Department of Trade and Industry to the sub-committee for aid and trade; on what date the project was approved by the sub-committee for aid and trade; and on what date the project was approved by the Minister for Overseas Development. [28330]
Mr. Baldry: The project was submitted to the sub-committee for aid and trade in November 1990. It was approved in the same month by both the SCAT and my right hon. and noble Friend, the Minister for Overseas Development.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the nature of the work involved in the steel bridging (phase 2) aid and trade provision project in Indonesia; what equipment and materials were supplied under the project; what is the location of the bridging; which Indonesian companies were involved; and on what date the project was completed. [28299]
Mr. Baldry: Phase II of the steel bridging project supplied demountable steel bridging for an on-going bridge repair programme. Approximately 5,000m of steel bridging and spares were supplied. The bridging is located in the following provinces: South Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, North Sumatera, South Sumatera, West Sumatera, Bengkulu, Riau, West Java, Irian Jaya and Maluku.
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The roads and highways department of the Ministry of Public Works--BINA MARGA--was responsible for project implementation. The project was completed in April 1992.Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of1 February, Official Report , column 704 , to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor), regarding the Indonesian tropical forest management project: sub 4, how many persons were trained at each of the training centres listed in his answer; what private sector bodies submitted personnel for training under the project; and who the Government engaged to carry out the training. [27833]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 14 June 1995]: Sub-project 4 (training) trains teachers who work at regional centres. One hundred and seventy five teachers have received basic instruction in methodology and curriculum development in Indonesia while a further 37 have received advanced training in the UK.
Member companies of APHI--Indonesia Association Forest Business--also sent personnel for training under the project.
The training of teachers is undertaken by LTS International Ltd in association with the University of Wolverhampton.
Sarawak
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help he gives to schemes developing the use of rattan in Sarawak. [26335]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 13 June 1995]: Under the aid programme, we are helping the Government of Malaysia to develop a better understanding of the use of rattan in two main ways. Our support for the Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia includes research on the mapping and conservation of rattan. Under the UK/Malaysia memorandum of understanding on forestry, we are helping to establish forest management systems that include rattan and other non-timber forest products.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Homelessness
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons presented themselves as homeless to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each district council area in each of the last five years. [28217]
Mr. Moss: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive whose chief executive has advised me that the figures are as shown in the table.
Persons presenting as homeless to Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Council Area |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |1993-94 |1994-95
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antrim Borough |65 |44 |140 |181 |211
Ards Borough |481 |461 |478 |412 |488
Armagh District |173 |147 |134 |241 |271
Ballymena Borough |237 |265 |286 |356 |389
Ballymoney
Borough |113 |148 |127 |142 |103
Banbridge District |157 |139 |118 |133 |153
Belfast City |2,501 |2,656 |2,558 |2,310 |2,428
Carrickfergus
Borough |99 |148 |193 |161 |201
Castlereagh
Borough |364 |350 |364 |290 |272
Cookstown District |166 |213 |131 |183 |146
Coleraine Borough |150 |142 |181 |199 |275
Craigavon Borough |265 |318 |303 |263 |266
Derry City |832 |771 |710 |858 |920
Down District |363 |491 |589 |439 |476
Dungannon District |152 |199 |186 |200 |197
Fermanagh District |192 |209 |224 |250 |304
Larne Borough |173 |191 |263 |267 |203
Limavady Borough |197 |222 |145 |206 |184
Lisburn Borough |803 |1,104 |968 |848 |860
Magherafelt District |96 |70 |91 |124 |129
Moyle District |65 |59 |57 |45 |59
Newry and Mourne
District |421 |467 |656 |618 |551
Newtonabbey
Borough |561 |567 |552 |452 |355
North Down
Borough |211 |322 |239 |221 |222
Omagh District |223 |314 |318 |240 |277
Strabane District |127 |64 |88 |92 |128
Total |9,187 |10,081 |10,099 |9,731 |10,068
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total cost to public funds in each of the past three years of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools; and what proposals he has to reduce this cost. [28219]
Mr. Ancram: The information is as follows:
1992 93: £922,906
1993 94: £1,110,986
1994 95: £1,260,932
I am satisfied that the council's allocation are essential to enable it to carry out its responsibilities and I do not have any proposals at present to reduce its level of funding.
Mental Patients
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring Northern Ireland legislation on the compulsory detention of mental patients into line with that in Great Britain following the Brian Doherty case; and if he will make a statement. [28221]
Mr. Moss: There are no plans at present to amend the Northern Ireland legislation relating to the compulsory detention of mentally disordered people. The Western health and social services board has set up an independent inquiry into the Brian Doherty case and its report will be studied closely to see what action may be necessary to prevent similar recurrences.
HIV
Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on programmes in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years aimed at preventing the spread of HIV; what proportion of these amounts was aimed specifically at homosexuals, bisexuals and lesbians; what plans he has to review the overall budget
Column 636
in the light of the increase in foreign tourism to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [28223]Mr. Moss: The information is not available in the form requested. Measures to prevent HIV/AIDS are undertaken as part of a wider effort to promote sexual health.
Expenditure by the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland on the promotion of sexual health and the prevention of HIV/AIDS, and grants from the Department of Health and Social Services to voluntary agencies working in this area, were as follows in each of the past five years.
1990 91: £140,703
1991 92: £175,786
1992 93: £242,100
1993 94: £313,095
1994 95: £279,752
The Department of Health and Social Services published its strategy on HIV and AIDS in 1994. The strategy will be kept under review in the light of changing circumstances.
Primary School Closures
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the decision first was taken to close Clare and Ballydougan primary schools and to replace Bleary primary school. [28366]
Mr. Ancram: A scheme to close Ballydougan primary school was approved in April 1966 and the school closed in August 1966. A scheme to close Clare primary school was approved in December 1970 and the school closed in April 1971. A proposal to provide a new replacement school for Bleary primary school was approved by my Department in November 1982.
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the proposal that a new Bleary primary school to cater for those previously served by Clare and Ballydougan primary schools ceased to be classed as a rationalisation scheme. [28367]
Mr. Ancram: The capital scheme for the replacement of Bleary primary school has never been classified as a rationalisation scheme within my Department's school capital planning arrangements which were introduced in 1991.
School Meals
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number and percentage of children receiving (a) free school meals and (b) parentally paid-for school meals in each of the last 10 years. [28378]
Mr. Ancram: The information is as follows:
|Pupils receiving
|free meals |Pupils paying for
|Pupils taking |(percentage of |meals (percentage
Year |meals |pupil meals) |of pupil meals)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |161,096 |93,974 (58) |67,122 (42)
1985-86 |160,435 |94,891 (59) |65,544 (41)
1986-87 |164,756 |98,233 (60) |66,523 (40)
1987-88 |165,387 |100,144 (61) |65,243 (39)
1988-89 |153,638 |73,458 (48) |80,180 (52)
1989-90 |155,769 |74,416 (48) |81,353 (52)
1990-91 |164,194 |77,005 (47) |87,189 (53)
1991-92 |167,582 |80,882 (48) |86,700 (52)
1992-93 |178,271 |83,761 (47) |94,510 (53)
1993-94 |181,116 |85,327 (47) |95,789 (53)
Information Services
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the gifts declared by (a) the head of information services at the Northern Ireland Office and (b) all other press officers at the Northern Ireland Office. [28368]
Sir John Wheeler: The information is as follows:
(a) A Panasonic RF B65D portable radio presented in July 1993 by Downtown Radio to the director. It is for official use within the information service and is held on the inventory of office equipment.
(b) None.
Mr. Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what request has been made by the head of information services, Northern Ireland Office, for the monitoring of journalists' telephones. [28369]
EDUCATION
Education Assistance
Mr. Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total current annual cost to public funds of the various Government schemes for sending children to private or independent schools. [27054]
Mr. Robin Squire: The Department's expenditure on the assisted places scheme and the music and ballet schools scheme--which provide means- tested fee remission for certain pupils attending participating independent schools--in England in the financial year 1994 95 was £101.5 million and £6.8 million respectively. Outturn capital and recurrent expenditure in the same year on the 15 city technology colleges--which are also independent schools--was £50.1 million. These figures do not include the purchase of places by local authorities, whether for pupils generally or for those with special educational needs, in independent schools or in nursery establishments. Questions about comparable provision elsewhere in the United Kingdom, or for the children of service men and diplomatic staff, are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State responsible for those areas.
Minority Languages (GCSE)
Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure that examining boards continue to offer minority languages at GCSE level, with particular reference to eastern European languages. [28478]
Column 638
Mr. Forth: GCSEs in modern foreign languages for courses starting in September 1996 will be subject to regulations and subject criteria published by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority in March 1995 and designed to align the GCSE with the requirements of the national curriculum.
The Government have been mindful of the implications of the new GCSE criteria for the availability of syllabuses in the less-commonly studied languages, including those from Eastern Europe. The Secretary of State therefore agreed in principle that special arrangements could be made in certain cases, to give the examining groups scope to continue to offer a suitably wide range of language syllabuses. The SCAA is discussing with the examining groups the detailed arrangements that could be made for individual languages. The decision on what syllabuses to offer is ultimately one for each examining group. An announcement will be made shortly about the range of languages to be offered at GCSE.
Christian Primary School, Croxteth
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State if she will make a statement on the current situation in respect of the proposals to provide a Christian primary school on the Croxteth county park estate in Liverpool. [28704]
Mr. Robin Squire: My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to announce a decision on these proposals in the near future.
Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Hutton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the fees charged by each independent school for post-16 years education under the assisted places scheme in 1994 95; and what were the comparable figures for LEA schools, grant-maintained schools and Further Education Funding Council-funded colleges. [28706]
Mr. Robin Squire: Tuition fees for sixth-form pupils supported by the Department's assisted places scheme in each participating school in the academic year 1994 95 are shown a table drawn from the Department's records, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Comparable unit costs are not separately available for pupils aged 16 to 19 in local education authority maintained schools,
grant-maintained schools or Further Education Funding Council-funded institutions.
Advisory Group on School Improvement
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what will be the membership of the new advisory group on school improvement; and if she will make a statement. [29477]
Mr. Forth: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 25 May a wide-ranging programme designed to raise standards in all our schools. The programme brings together the work of Government Departments and other agencies of central and local government, and also the resources of universities and schools. I will chair an advisory group which will carry this work forward. Its membership will be as follows:
Column 639
Mr. Sandy Adamson--Director of Planning at the Funding Agency for SchoolsProfessor Michael Barber--Professor of Education, Keele University
Ms Julie Barton--Headteacher, Cambridge Special School, Hammersmith
Mrs. Patricia Clarke--Headteacher, Avondale Park Primary School, Kensington
Mrs. Pat Collarbone--Headteacher, Haggerston School, Hackney Mrs. Heather Du Quesnay--Director of Education, Hertfordshire Mr. Jim Rose--Director of Inspection, Office for Standards in Education.
Mr. Brian Stevens--Director of External Relations at the British Bankers' Association.
Ms Frankie Sulke--Head of Policy, Teacher Training Agency The group will assist in co-ordinating the work of the different agencies, and advise the Secretary of State on possible further action to improve schools. The members are appointed for one year, at which point the Secretary of State will review progress made.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of parliamentary questions, which would have been answered directly by her or her ministers prior to the establishment of executive agencies, are now referred to the chief executive of such an agency. [28487]
Mr. Boswell: Ministers are accountable to Parliament for all matters concerning their agencies. Written parliamentary questions concerning matters which have been delegated to the chief executive of an executive agency in its framework document normally receive a reply from the Minister to the effect that he or she has asked the chief executive to reply direct to the Member by letter. The chief executive's letter is published in Hansard after the Minister's reply.
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many written parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by her Department in each of the past five years; how many of these were not answered because the information (a) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, (b) was not held centrally and (c) was not normally disclosed; how many of these could now be answered now due to computerisation, more effective and efficient operational systems or more open government; and if she will list each question along with the name and constituency of the right hon. or hon. Member who originally tabled it. [28506]
Mr. Boswell: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Teacher Training
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total cost and the average cost per student of the BEd/BAQTS in (a) year one, (b) year two, (c) year three and (d) year four on courses in England and Wales. [27994]
Column 640
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The Teacher Training Agency has notified institutions in England of allocations totalling £104.9 million for the provision of courses of undergraduate initial teacher training in the 1995 96 academic year. This represents an average allocation of £2,610 for each full-time undergraduate place the institutions are contracted to provide. In addition, institutions receive course fees, covered for most students by mandatory awards. In 1995 96, classroom-based undergraduate courses will attract a fee of £750 and laboratory-based courses £1, 600. Total fee income for undergraduate courses of initial teacher training is estimated to be £45.5 million, an average fee of £1,140. Courses are funded on the same basis for each year of study. These figures do not include the costs of student support. Questions about the funding of initial teacher training in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total cost and the averagecost per student of the PGCE courses in England and Wales. [27995]
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 12 June 1995]: The Teacher Training Agency has notified institutions in England of allocations totalling £48.6 million for the provision of courses of full-time postgraduate initial teacher training in the 1995 96 academic year. This represents an average allocation of £2,850 for each full-time postgraduate place the institutions are contracted to provide. In addition, institutions receive course fees, covered for most students by mandatory awards. In 1995 96, postgraduate courses will attract a fee of £1,600. Total fee income for postgraduate courses of initial teacher training is estimated to be £27.2 million, an average fee of £1,600.
These figures do not include the costs of student support. Questions about the funding of initial teacher training in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Byers: To ask the Attorney-General how many civil servants in his Department are currently working on matters related to the Scott inquiry; if a dedicated unit has been established; and what is the estimated cost to date of civil servants dealing with matters relating to the Scott inquiry. [28864]
The Attorney-General: Work on matters related to the Scott inquiry is undertaken by staff in my Department as part of their normal duties and it is not, therefore, possible to estimate the overall cost. The costs of staff in the Treasury Solicitor's Department providing legal services to client departments in connection with the inquiry are included in charges invoiced to departments. No dedicated units have been established in my Department.
Column 641
Mr. Bermingham: To ask the Attorney-General what legal advice he has sought from solicitors or barristers in respect of draft conclusions reached by the Scott inquiry; what is the estimated cost of such legal expenses to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [28897]
The Attorney-General: The Government do not consider it right to publish the nature or cost of any advice which may have been given to individual witnesses to the Scott inquiry. This is a matter of confidence between them and any legal advisers they may have retained.
Crown Immunity
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Attorney-General if he will list all areas within (a) his Department, (b) agencies under his Department's control and (c) organisations for which he has ministerial responsibility to which Crown immunity applies; what consideration he has given to removing this; and if he will make a statement. [28643]
The Attorney-General: The reference to Crown immunity in the question is understood to refer to legislation which does not apply to the Crown. There are no areas covered by such legislation for which I have responsibility.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Pets
Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice was given by Her Majesty's Government during the consideration of policy relating to the Council of Europe proposals in regard to pet animals; and what is official policy on this matter. [27916]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: The United Kingdom is not a party to the Council of Europe convention for the protection of pet animals, and no decisions have been taken on whether it would be right to accede to the convention. In deciding this issue, the Government will take full account, among other considerations, of the potential consequences of the resolutions agreed at the recent multilateral consultation of parties to the convention.
Nuclear Bunkers
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by location the nuclear bunkers that are still waiting to be disposed of; what is the estimated value of each bunker; and if he will list the money raised for each nuclear bunker that has been disposed of. [28264]
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