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Insurance Risk Assessment
Mr. Denham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the use of post codes by insurance companies to assess risk of exposure to (a) crime and (b) subsidence; and if he will make a statement. [31930]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Postal codes are widely used by insurance companies as a tool in assessing premiums. It is the commercial judgment of insurance companies that the premiums charged for any particular area can be expected to reflect the claims experience for that area.
Mr. Denham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has made to regulate the use of post codes by insurance companies to assess insurance risk. [31931]
Mr. Evans: None. The Secretary of State's powers under the Insurance Companies Act 1982 are primarily concerned with the solvency of insurance companies and, except where such matters are concerned, he does not intervene in their day to day business.
Military Exports (Nigeria)
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the number and type of export licences issued for military equipment for use by (a) the Nigerian police force and (b) the Nigerian UN peace keeping corps for 1994 and for 1995 to date. [31779]
Mr. Ian Taylor: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to reveal details of export licences or applications for licences unless the requirements of confidentiality are outweighed by the public interest.
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Insolvency Practitioners
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many insolvency examiners have been dismissed since 1990 for failing to achieve the relevant accountancy qualifications. [32609]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Four examiners have been dismissed as a result of failing to pass the required accountancy examinations during their two- year probationary period.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the method by which, after a meeting of creditors has failed to appoint a trustee in bankruptcy or a liquidator of a company in liquidation the Secretary of State determines the identity of the insolvency practitioner who is to be appointed as a trustee or a liquidator under (a) section 295 or (b) 137 of the Insolvency Act 1986, with particular reference to whether the insolvency practitioner who is appointed is required to be located within the same region as the bankrupt or the company in question. [32320]
Mr. Evans: Each official receiver maintains a rota of insolvency practitioners within the locality of his office who are willing to accept appointments by the Secretary of State. The criteria for entry on to the rota are that the insolvency practitioner should have a permanently staffed office with insolvency personnel in regular attendance within the locality of, or conveniently accessible to, the local court. Generally speaking, where no trustee or liquidator is nominated at a meeting of creditors and if the official receiver considers it desirable that one be appointed, he will seek that appointment by reference to his local rota.
During 1994 a special unit was set up in Manchester, on a temporary basis, to complete the administration of cases remaining open as a result of the high level of insolvencies of earlier years. In such cases where, some time after the making of the order, there were sufficient assets to enable a distribution to creditors to be made, local practitioners were appointed to carry out that work.
Bankruptcies and Liquidations
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what future trends he expects in the number of bankruptcy orders and winding up orders over the next five years. [32589]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Insolvency Service does not publish forecasts of insolvencies although for planning and resource allocation purposes as part of the MINIS process it bases its business plan on an expected number of cases in the following financial year. For 1995 96 the service's business plan is based on a total of 25,000 cases comprising 20,000 bankruptcies and 5,000 compulsory liquidations.
Insolvency Service
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the total annual salary costs of the staff of the Insolvency Service of grades B and above, both in absolute terms, and as a percentage of the total wage bill of the Insolvency Service. [32325]
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Mr. Jonathan Evans: Some £3.1 million was incurred in 1994 95 on the salary costs of Insolvency Service staff of grades B and above. This amount represents approximately 8 per cent. of the total pay costs of the Insolvency Service for 1994 95.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many man days were lost in the Insolvency Service due to sick absence for each year since 1986. [32308]
Mr. Evans: Details of the number of man-days lost to the Insolvency Service due to sick absence is available only for the years since 1991. The details are as follows:
Year |Days --------------------- 1991 |17,270 1992 |18,168 1993 |23,082 1994 |21,324
Prior to March 1990, when the Insolvency Service became an executive agency, details of sick absences were combined with those of the Department.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current policy of the Insolvency Service regarding the circumstances under which staff are required to transfer involuntarily between official receivers' offices. [32311]
Mr. Evans: The Insolvency Service endeavours to fill vacancies in its offices by transferring staff on a voluntary basis. If, exceptionally, mobile staff are transferred compulsorily the costs directly associated with such a transfer are paid within agreed limits.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what procedures and provisions are in place to enable staff to relocate voluntarily or involuntarily between official receivers' offices; and what changes are planned to these procedures in the event of the contracting out of some of the functions of the official receiver. [32310]
Mr. Evans: The Insolvency Service endeavours to fill vacancies in official receivers' offices on a voluntary basis. Staff may apply for transfer to another office at any time and such requests will be considered on their merits. They will normally be agreed subject to the existence of a suitable vacancy. Where a transfer is a compulsory one or where a voluntary transfer involving relocation is in the service's interest the costs directly associated with the relocation are reimbursed within agreed limits.
No changes are planned to these procedures.
Weapons Exports
Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the overseas countries in which British weaponry may be sold. [31497]
Mr. Ian Taylor: Anywhere where there is no embargo, in which respect I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 16 January 1995, Official Report , column 283 .
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Decisions on export licence applications are, however, taken in light of established criteria to which we are committed, including those agreed by the European Union, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the permanent five members of the United Nations Security Council.Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those countries in which an embargo on selling British weaponry has been lifted during the last 12 months. [31496]
Mr. Taylor: Haiti and Syria, with a UN call for voluntary restraint- -not an arms embargo--on the supply of military equipment to Yemen also lapsing during the year.
Chemical Weapons Convention
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many responses his Department received to the consultation document "Industry and the Chemical Weapons Convention" by the close of the consultation period on 31 March; and what progress has been made in assessing the responses. [31122]
Mr. Heseltine: Over 2,500 copies of the discussion document were issued widely to industry, largely through trade organisations. We received 33 responses. Of these, 15 were from trade organisations, who were responding on behalf of their membership. The responses, overall, supported the approach my Department proposes to adopt in implementing the convention. The results of the consultation were included in a speech given to the House on 24 April, Official Report, columns 638 42, by my hon. Friend, the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Technology.
Astra plc
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations have been made by ministers or officials of his Department to the receiver of Astra plc concerning access to and availability of documentary material returned to the company by the Ministry of Defence Police. [31433]
Mr. Jonathan Evans [holding answer 30 June 1995]: It is for the administrative receivers of Astra Holdings plc to decide what access they allow to the company's papers. Before my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade appeared before the Trade and Industry Select Committee on 28 June, officials informally raised with the receivers the question of disclosure to the Select Committee and were informed that legal advice had been sought.
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list by convenient category the documents removed from Astra plc and its subsidiaries which are restrained by his Department. [31432]
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Mr. Evans [holding answer 30 June 1995]: The papers of Astra Holdings plc are now held by the administrative receiver. The inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of the company made and retained copies of documents relevant to their investigation. These principally comprise certain statutory material, financial and accounting records and information, correspondence, internal and external memoranda and reports.
Export Licence Applications
Mr. Wilson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his statement of 13 June, Official Report , column 597 , what percentage of the rise in export licence applications related to (a) high-tech exports and (b) arms exports. [31434]
Mr. Ian Taylor [holding answer 30 June 1995]: Export licence applications received in the years 1984 and 1987 were broken down as follows:
?
|Per cent.
|1984 |1987 |increase
---------------------------------------------------------------
Military |14,398 |17,590 |22
Industrial and nuclear |34,428 |70,031 |<1>103
Other |9,215 |10,221 |<2>11
Total |58,041 |97,842 |68
<1> No breakdown by `high' and `low' technology is available.
<2> Primarily metallic scrap and heritage items.
United Arab Emirates
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of United Kingdom visible and invisible trade with the United Arab Emirates. [31530]
Mr. Needham [holding answer 29 June 1995]: Information on visible trade is published in Central Statistical Office business monitor MM20, available in the Library of the House. Information on invisible trade with the United Arab Emirates is not available.
BMARC Ltd.
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library all documents held by his Department in relation to the trading activities of BMARC Ltd. and if he will make a statement. [30232]
Mr. Ian Taylor [holding answer 26 June 1995]: No. The hon. Member has asked for a very large number of documents, which could be put together only at disproportionate cost.
There are particular issues concerning the release of documents obtained by inspectors under compulsory powers. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) by my hon. Friend the Minister for Corporate and Consumer Affairs on 27 June 1995, Official Report , columns 570 71 . Nevertheless, I recognise the great public interest in the trading activities of BMARC and I welcome the decision of the Trade and Industry Select Committee to inquire into the affairs of BMARC. My Department will be co-operating fully with the Committee's inquiry.
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Scott Inquiry
Mr. Byers: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many civil servants in his Department are 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. [28861]
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 15 June 1995]: A Scott inquiry unit was established in DTI in December 1992. Currently the unit consists of two posts. The approximate cost of the unit to date, excluding the cost of the provision of papers, is £247,000.
Arms Export Licences
Mr. Hain: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff in his Department were responsible for monitoring and approving arms export licences for each year since 1979. [29334]
Mr. Ian Taylor [holding answer 19 June 1995]: The table below shows the number of staff within the Department responsible for the processing of arms export licence applications from 1989 to 1995, including, where necessary, monitoring compliance with licence conditions. The figures prior to 1989 could be made available only at disproportionate cost. Technical advice on military licensing matters is available from the DTI's sensitive technologies unit. Applications are also routinely assessed by advisers from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence. Enforcement of export controls--including controls on military goods is carried out by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
Year |Number of Staff ------------------------------------------------ 1989 |15 1990 |29 1991 |27 1992 |29 1993 |32 1994 |35 1995 |39
SCOTLAND
Privatisation
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those parts of his Department or departmental agencies which were privatised without an in-house bid; if he will indicate the expertise which was absent in his Department or departmental agencies which prevented an in -house bid taking place; which future parts of his Department or departmental agencies he intends to privatise; and which of them do not have the necessary in-house expertise to mount an in-house bid. [29425]
Mr. Lang: It is my aim to ensure that the services undertaken by my Department and its agencies are provided and managed so as to give better service to the public in Scotland and optimum value for money to the taxpayer. That is the policy which underpins the decisions
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I have taken to contract out strategically certain services provided by my Department and its agencies. The broad reasons for contracting out without an in-house bid are set out in Taking Forward Continuity and Change --Cm 2748. These include, for example, when my Department judges that the private sector is better equipped to deliver a specific service, has a better understanding of market needs or a greater capacity to invest in new technology. A strategic decision to contract out might also be taken where an activity may be relatively small in size and peripheral to a department's core functions.No parts of my Department or departmental agencies were privatised without an in-house bid. The following activities within my Department and its agencies have been strategically contracted out without an in-house bid since April 1992.
Activities Strategically Contracted Out
Marine Laboratory Estate Management
Maintenance of New National Health Service Radio Systems Superannuation Services
Audit of NHS Boards
Animal House, Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
Facilities Management at Victoria Quay
Audit of 1st Wave NHS Trusts
Audit of 2nd Wave NHS Trusts
Audit of 3rd Wave NHS Trusts
Data Preparation Services
Historic Scotland Patrolmen at Edinburgh Castle
Prison-based education, Scottish Prison Service
Scottish Office Pensions Agency Pensions Administration System Security at Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
Publications distribution and sales
Additional typing services
Mainframe Applications Support
My Department and its agencies have not yet identified any activities for future privatisation or contracting out without an in-house bid.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many ministerial visits by Ministers of his Department were made to Scottish parliamentary constituencies since 1 May 1994.
Mr. Lang: Scottish Office Ministers have made 362 visits to Scottish parliamentary constituencies since 1 May 1994.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many ministerial visits have been made by himself and his Ministers to the parliamentary constituencies of (a) Tayside, North, (b) Kincardine and Deeside, (c) Edinburgh, Pentlands, (d) Dumfries, (e) Aberdeen, South, (f) Stirling, (g) Ayr, (h) Galloway and Upper Nithsdale, (i) Perth and Kinross and (j) Eastwood since 1 May 1994. [29588]
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Mr. Lang: The information requested is set out in the table:
|Number of
Constituency |visits made
-----------------------------------------------------------
(a) Tayside North |3
(b) Kincardine and Deeside |2
(c) Edinburgh, Pentlands |3
(d) Dumfries |9
(e) Aberdeen, South |6
(f) Stirling |13
(g) Ayr |7
(h) Galloway and Upper Nithsdale |15
(i) Perth and Kinross |8
(j) Eastwood |1
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which parliamentary constituency in Scotland received the most ministerial visits by Ministers of his Department since 1 May 1994. [29589]
Mr. Lang: Since 1 May last year, Edinburgh, Central has received the largest number of ministerial visits by Scottish Office Ministers.
Heavy Vehicles (Bans)
Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the existing powers of local authorities to ban heavy vehicles from minor roads in urban areas; and what pressure he has had for changes to the existing position. [29850]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Powers are available to local traffic authorities under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to make or revoke traffic regulation orders preventing the use of roads by vehicular traffic of a kind or in a manner which is unsuitable having regard to the character of the road. Mandatory restrictions can cover small lengths of road or large area networks and can be based on gross vehicle weight, axle weight, length, height or width or any other readily understood characteristic of the vehicles. A local traffic authority may also include provisions for specifying through routes for heavy goods vehicles. My right hon. Friend has received no representations about changing the existing powers.
Local Government Finance
Sir David Steel: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will increase Ettrick and Lauderdale district council's non-housing revenue account consent for 1995 96. [30036]
Mr. Lang: All resources currently available for capital investment in housing in 1995 96 have been fully allocated. I will take account of the needs of Ettrick and Lauderdale district council should additional resources become available later in the year.
Locate in Scotland
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of inward investment attracted to the city of Glasgow in 1994 95 by Locate in Scotland; how many jobs this created or safeguarded; and if he will make a statement. [30960]
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Mr. Kynoch: During 1994 95, Locate in Scotland and the Scottish Office Industry Department helped attract to Glasgow eight inward investment projects involving planned investment of nearly £30 million and the expected creation or safeguarding of over 1,300 jobs.
Sheep Scabs
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the recorded level of sheep scab in each of the last five years. [31245]
Sir Hector Monro: The numbers of confirmed cases of sheep scab in Scotland during the period 1990 to June 1992 were as follows:
Number ------------------------ 1990 |4 1991 |5 1992 (to 30 June) |17
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the Government's financial plans for the further education sector over the next few years. [31318]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Information on the plans for the provision for further education colleges and agencies is given in the departmental report of March 1995, "Serving Scotland's Needs"--Cm 2814--as follows:
1995 96: £251 million
1996 97: £249 million
1997 98: £243 million
The figures for 1996 97 and 1997 98 are provisional and subject to review in the annual public expenditure surveys.
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what capping measures have been imposed on certain types of courses in further education colleges; and for what reason. [31319]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: Following a period of rapid expansion of higher education level courses in further education colleges, my right hon. Friend decided to consolidate the number of new full-time entrants to higher education courses in 1995 96 at the level achieved in each college during 1994 95. There are a number of specific exceptions and colleges are free to develop new programmes and to decide the number of students to recruit for particular programmes within the consolidated ceiling. No restrictions are applied to part-time higher education students or to students taking non-advanced courses.
The consolidation is required on grounds of affordability and is broadly consistent with the approach over recent years within the higher education institutions.
University of Paisley
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the academic contribution made by the university of Paisley to the social, industrial and economic life of Scotland since it
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earned its new status; what plans he has to ensure the security of the university in its preparation for future development; and if he will introduce further measures to develop higher education in the Paisley area. [31390]Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The university of Paisley has made a great deal of progress since the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 introduced new arrangements for the constitution and funding of higher education institutions in Scotland. The academic achievements and diversity and scale of provision of the university were recognised in the granting of permission to use university title in June 1992, and of powers to award its own degrees in September 1992. I also approved in July 1993 the merger with Craigie college of education, and welcomed then the commitment to develop and strengthen the vocational mission of the new university. Evidence of the teaching quality of the university is given in the published reports of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's assessment of teaching quality, and the report of the Higher Education Quality Council in April this year on its audit of the university arrangements for academic quality assurance.
Allocation of funds for the teaching and research of higher education institutions is now the responsibility of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. Each institution has been required to submit annual strategic plans and financial forecasts, as well as strategies for estates and research, to SHEFC. It is for SHEFC to determine appropriate allocations to individual institutions in the light of the information it receives and its assessment of the needs of the sector as a whole.
Dounreay
Mrs. Fyfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee concerning the treatment of waste at Dounreay in accordance with modern standards, and on the history of how waste particles came to be found over a period of years on the Dounreay foreshore; and if he will make it his policy that there will be regular, independent, and public reviews of progress in the decontamination of the area affected in the vicinity of Dounreay. [29796]
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