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Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the percentage of university or polytechnic students entitled to (a) full maintenance grant and (b) no maintenance grant in each year since 1979. [20369]
Mr. Ancram: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the backlog of building repair and maintenance work at universities. [30365]
Mr. Ancram: The current backlog of building repair and maintenance work for academic buildings in the two Northern Ireland universities is estimated to cost £76 million. This figure is derived from an accommodation condition survey conducted in early 1992.
The Department of Education in Northern Ireland has spent £7 million during the past three years on grants for backlog maintenance, and universities themselves have spent £8 million during the same period. It is planned to continue to provide support towards £18 million of further work over the next three years. The remaining less urgent work will need to be funded by institutions themselves.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the (a) average cost and (b) marginal cost, of university students in 1995 96. [30373]
Mr. Ancram: The average recurrent grant and income from tuition fees per university student in Northern
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Ireland for the financial year 1995 96 is estimated to be approximately £4,570. No information is available on the marginal costs.Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of students in higher education in 2000. [30304]
Mr. Ancram: Figures for students in Northern Ireland institutions of higher education are not available for academic years beyond 1997 98.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average level of student loan for university students in 1994 95. [30308]
Mr. Ancram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Further and Higher Education earlier today.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total Government expenditure on university and polytechnic maintenance grants, for each year since 1974 75 in 1994 prices. [30367]
Mr. Ancram: The information is not available in the form requested. The available information is as follows:
Government expenditure on maintenance grants to mandatory
award holders and on student loans in Northern Ireland
£ million (real
terms)<1>
|Student Maintenance|Student Loans<3>
|Grant<2>
|(Financial Year) |(Academic Year)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |31.9 |-
1987-88 |33.3 |-
1988-89 |34.1 |-
1989-90 |36.1 |-
1990-91 |36.8 |1.5
1991-92 |41.8 |3.0
1992-93 |45.5 |4.5
1993-94 |48.3 |6.2
<1> In 1994-95 prices based on the retail price index (excluding mortgage
interest payments) in September of each academic year.
<2> Expenditure in grants to mandatory award holders normally domiciled in
Northern Ireland.
<3> Expenditure on loans to higher education students studying in Northern
Ireland.
Mr. Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the total number of university students with a student loan, in each year from 1987 88 to 1997 98. [30310]
Mr. Ancram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Further and Higher Education earlier today.
ENVIRONMENT
Negative Equity
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households in each local authority area in England are estimated to have had negative equity as of (a) the end of September 1994 and (b) the end of March. [28713]
Mr. Robert B. Jones [holding answer 15 June 1995]: Estimates of negative equity are not calculated by local authority area. For the latest national estimates, I refer the
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hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn), Official Report, column 138 .Homelessness
Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of providing accommodation for the homeless in Kirklees in (a) bed and breakfast hotels and (b) hostels in each of the last five years. [29092]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The net costs of housing homeless households in bed-and-breakfast accommodation, as reported by Kirklees on its revenue outturn returns, for the years 1990 91--the first year in which this information was collected on the revenue outturn return--to 1993 94 were as follows:
|£000s
--------------------
1990-91 |464
1991-92 |248
1992-93 |177
1993-94 |126
Data on local authorities' expenditure on bed and breakfast and on hostel accommodation are also published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in its annual "Homelessness Statistics Actuals" publication. Copies of these publications, which are available for all years since 1989 90 are in the Library
Microlight Aircraft
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the proposal by Aylesbury Vale district council to give permission for microlight aircraft to operate from Merrymead farm, College road, Aston Clinton. [30415]
Sir Paul Beresford: The Secretary of State has received a number of letters concerning this proposal and on 15 June 1995 served an article 14 direction on Aylesbury Vale district council which prevents it from granting planning permission without his consent. This action provides the Secretary of State with the opportunity to look at the proposal and to judge whether or not he would be justified in using his powers of call-in in this case.
As this matter is under consideration, I am sure that the hon. Member will understand that I cannot comment upon the merits, or otherwise, of the proposal.
Birmingham Northern Relief Road
Mr. Mike O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how long the inquiry into the Birmingham northern relief road has now lasted; and what is the average time taken for major road inquiries. [30606]
Sir Paul Beresford: Since 21 June 1994, when it opened in Walsall. It is not possible to give an average time for major road inquires. Each is dependent on the complexity of the issues involved and the level of representations received.
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Sellafield
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what request Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has made of Nirex UK Ltd. to make public HMIP's safety assessment of Nirex's capability to prepare a full safety case for the proposed nuclear waste disposal facility at Sellafield; with what result; and if he will make a statement. [30606]
Mr. Atkins: HMIP has made no assessment of Nirex's capability to prepare a full case for the post-closure safety of an underground repository. Nirex has not submitted an application for such a facility.
Under an agreement with Nirex, HMIP has reviewed information which that company has provided voluntarily and has classified as commercial in confidence. Nirex has a right of confidentiality regarding such material. HMIP continues to press Nirex to review its position concerning the restrictions the company has placed on the release of such reports.
Montreal Protocol
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to ratify the Copenhagen amendments to the Montreal protocol. [31034]
Mr. Atkins: The United Kingdom ratified the Copenhagen amendment to the Montreal protocol on 4 January 1995.
Water
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the responses to his consultation paper "Using Water Wisely". [30457]
Mr. Atkins: The Government's response to "Using Water Wisely" will be published within the next week or so.
Mrs. Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider extending additional safeguards to protect low-income households, large families and people with disabilities requiring high use of water, who live in properties which are compulsorily metered. [30460]
Mr. Atkins: Such customers are safeguarded by a code a practice for customer and a code of practice and procedure on disconnections which are part of every water company's instrument of appointment.
Mrs. Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider setting up a special body in conjunction with the industry and other interested parties to promote the installation of water-saving devices in domestic homes. [30459]
Mr. Atkins: The Government have tabled an amendment to the Environment Bill that places a duty on water companies to promote the efficient use of water by its customers, and provides the Director General of Water Services with powers to determine and publish standards of performance.
Mrs. Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from the industry or other interested parties with regard to the installation of water-saving devices in domestic homes. [30458]
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Mr. Atkins: My right hon. Friend has received no such representations. My officials have from time to time received suggestions about the installation of water-saving devices in the home.
Mrs. Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations that have submitted responses to his consultation paper "Using Water Wisely". [30456]
Mr. Atkins: I have today deposited a list of the organisations that submitted responses to the consultation paper "Using Water Wisely" in the House Library.
Mrs. Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that people in new homes may choose whether to pay for their water and sewerage by metered charge. [30504]
Mr. Atkins: It is for water companies to decide the most appropriate method of charging in their areas.
Security Services
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reason the final regulations laying down the compulsory competitive tendering by local authorities for security services have not yet been published; and what advice he gives to local authorities in the interim. [31136]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: I explained to the House on the 2 November, Official Report, column 1608 609, that we intend to exclude from security work CCT work entailing the enforcement of byelaws which cannot be undertaken by private contractor staff. It is important to get the scope of the exemption right, and to that end we have consulted the local authority associations in framing a suitable draft. We intend to lay the order shortly.
Local authorities have been aware of our intention to bring forward an exemption since guidance was published last December, over a year in advance of the contract start date for security work CCT of 1 January 1996. Authorities ought therefore to have been preparing, and to continue to prepare, for CCT on that basis.
Building Research Establishment
Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the current key performance targets for the Building Research Establishment. [31480]
Mr. Robert B. Jones: The Building Research Establishment is working to the following key targets for 1995 96:
£90,000 net contribution to the Exchequer
income to cover full economic costs on a trading basis gross non-Exchequer income of £3.5 million
the average daily cost of commissions to be at 1994 95 levels, with costs of major management initiatives met through efficiency savings.
Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the application of compulsory competitive tendering to those authorities he has selected for a further review by the Local Government Commission. [31481]
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Mr. Jones: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on Thursday 22 June 1995, O fficial Report , column 353 , that the Local Government Commission has been asked to carry out further reviews of 21 shire districts in 12 separate counties. Their selection for a further review should not of itself affect the continued operation of CCT, and I would urge all to continue to operate contracts for blue collar services already subject to CCT, and to continue with preparations for the extension of CCT to housing management and white collar services.
In the event of Ministers accepting a recommendation made by the Commission for a change in an authority's structure or function, I intend that our existing policy for authorities changed following review should apply to both the district and county council concerned. In summary this means that:
the "except window" which suspends the re-tendering of blue collar work and the implementation of housing management CCT will apply to both the district and county council from the date at which the Order providing for reorganisation comes into force until 18 months--or, in some cases, 24 months after the changes have taken effect;
the timetable for the extension of CCT to white collar services in the district and county councils concerned will be determined by the date on which changes take effect. I anticipate that this will be 1 April 1997. On this basis, CCT for the first of the new white collar services will bite from 1 April 1999; and
the extension of CCT to the further manual services--security work, management of vehicles and management of on-street parking--will take effect from 1 October 1998, again on the basis of changes in structure or function taking effect from 1 April 1997.
Authorities which remain unchanged following the further review will be expected to follow the timetable I announced on 29 March of this year, Official Report , column 644 .
These exemptions are designed to provide space for reorganised authorities to rethink the way in which they deliver local services, and to adopt the model of an enabling authority. This will provide new opportunities in due course for external contractors to make an effective contribution to local services, and offset the short term disadvantages which the temporary suspension of CCT brings.
Volatile Organic Compounds
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government will issue its response to the first report of 1994 1995 from the Environment Committee on volatile organic compounds, House of Commons paper No. 39. [31494]
Mr. Atkins: I have now sent a memorandum to the Select Committee setting out the Government's response to their report on volatile organic compounds.
The Government have welcomed the Committee's report as a thorough and thoughtful analysis of a complex subject. The report makes a valuable contribution to the development of policy and to influencing the further development of the strategy which the Government have in place for tackling the adverse health and economic effects of these substances.
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NATIONAL HERITAGE
Royal Opera House
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what sum has been made available from public funds directly or indirectly to the Royal Opera House since 1980 in 1994 prices; what was the amount per seat; and what research he has carried out as to the beneficiaries of this expenditure. [29998]
Mr. Dorrell: Details in the form requested of annual grants from the Arts Council to the three Royal Opera House companies--the Royal Opera, the Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet--are set out in the table. In addition, the Royal Opera House has received £259,000 under the national heritage arts sponsorship scheme--formerly the business sponsorship incentive scheme--since 1984. Neither my Department nor the Arts Council has carried out audience research, although the Royal Opera House itself undertakes such research on a regular basis.
Grants to Royal |Grant per Opera |Grants at |attendances House |Grants total|1994 prices |Attendances |1994 Year |£ million |£ million |Thousands |£ million ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1980-81 |7.711 |17.92 |724 |24.75 1981-82 |9.535 |19.02 |678 |28.06 1982-83 |10.578 |19.00 |706 |26.91 1983-84 |11.527 |19.24 |686 |28.05 1984-85 |11.505 |18.34 |734 |24.69 1985-86 |13.475 |20.41 |621 |32.86 1986-87 |13.097 |18.76 |674 |27.83 1987-88 |13.227 |18.22 |601 |30.32 1988-89 |13.991 |18.18 |580 |31.35 1989-90 |14.382 |17.34 |658 |26.35 1990-91 |16.397 |18.02 |565 |31.89 1991-92 |18.702 |19.62 |606 |32.38 1992-93 |19.88 |20.22 |706 |28.64 1993-94 |20.396 |20.40 |644 |31.67 1994-95 |20.421 |19.83 |699 |28.37
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy that money provided by the national lottery will not be used directly or indirectly to subsidise the Royal Opera House. [29999]
Mr. Dorrell: It is for the distributing bodies to decide on the allocation of the proceeds of the national lottery.
National Lottery
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if grants made under the auspices of the national lottery can be used for matching purposes for grants made to organisations and projects by government departments. [30998]
Mr. Iain Sproat: Grants from national lottery proceeds are made by 11 independent distributing bodies in response to individual applications. Applicants are required to provide an element of partnership funding which can come from a variety of sources, including public funding.
Column 599
Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what has been the total cost of the establishment and administration of the national lottery and the related scratch card competition to date; and what proportion of the income this represents. [30026]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 22 June 1995]: Total costs associated with the establishment of the national lottery fall (a) to Camelot Group plc, (b) to the Office of the National Lottery, (c) to my Department and (d) to lottery distributors.
Details of costs incurred by Camelot Group plc are a matter for Camelot. I have asked the Director General of the National Lottery to write to the hon. Gentleman with information about the costs of establishing and administering Oflot and to place copies of his response in the Library of the House.
The cost of setting up and administration of the national lottery distribution branch, within the Department of National Heritage, was £247,000 to 31 March 1995. This cost was met from the national lottery distribution fund. Other costs of national lottery division were met from the Department's administration vote. For the year ending 31 March 1995, these come to approximately £251,000. Funds drawn down from the NLDF by the 11 lottery distributors to cover administration costs totalled £5.049 million for the period to 31 March 1995.
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of the revenues collected from ticket sales for the national lottery came from outlets in Wales. [28123]
Mr. Dorrell: Figures are not currently available for the individual countries of the United Kingdom. I have asked the Director General of the National Lottery to write to the hon. Gentleman to explain the position more fully.
Dramatic Arts, Manchester
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he last visited the Greater Manchester area to discuss funding for the dramatic arts. [30979]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 26 June 1995]: On Friday 23 June 1995.
Museums and Galleries
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how he intends to meet the need for the repair and refurbishment of museums and art galleries. [30978]
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 26 June 1995]: The museums and galleries sponsored by the Department of National Heritage have now all submitted their corporate plans to my Department. The information in these plans, including any information on proposed repair and refurbishment, will be considered in the course of the current public expenditure round. The Government's spending plans will be announced on Budget day.
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Leicestershire Museums, Arts and Records Service
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will ensure that the Leicestershire museums, arts and records service will be maintained as an integrated operation after the coming into effect of local government reorganisation in Leicester. [30672]
Mr. Dorrell: The decision on how best to provide services for arts, museums and records is for the authorities concerned. However, my Department will shortly be issuing guidance to all authorities involved in reorganisation on the provision of suitable services in all these fields.
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the future on a country- wide basis of the Leicestershire museums, arts and records service is not adversely affected by any orders presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for the Environment concerning the reform of local government in Leicestershire and the city of Leicester. [30668]
Mr. Dorrell: My officials are in close contact with the Department of the Environment about issues affecting services in which my Department has an interest. My Department is issuing guidance to all authorities involved in the reorganisation.
Women's Football
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what new proposals he has to promote women's association football. [30033]
Mr. Sproat: Responsibility for the development of women's football rests with the Football Association. The FA is committed to the development of female football and has recently produced a strategy document which sets out its aim to
"increase the involvement of women in football at all levels, and in all functions and roles".
The England women's football team is to be congratulated on reaching the quarter-final stage for the second women's world cup which took place recently in Sweden.
Leeds Parish Church
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assistance his Department is giving to restore the parish church of Leeds, West Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement. [30475]
Mr. Dorrell: Government funding for repairs to historic buildings is channelled through English Heritage, which is currently considering an application for grant aid to assist with repairs to the roof of Leeds parish church.
Welsh Fourth Channel
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the subsidies made available annually from public funds to S4C by source and amount. [30522]
Mr. Dorrell: S4C receives an annual payment from my Department. The level of the payment is fixed by a formula set out in the Broadcasting Act 1990 guaranteeing S4C an annual payment equivalent to 3.2 per cent. of the
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total terrestrial television revenues from advertising, sponsorship and subscription in the previous year. The amount paid for 1995 was £63.8 million.Concessionary Television Licences
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what representations he has received from residents of St. Tydfil Court, Merthyr Tydfil, regarding concessionary television licences; and if he will make a statement; [30779]
(2) if he will review the regulations governing concessionary television licences to cover cases in which the warden does not live on the same floor as the residents. [30780]
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