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                                                                                                                           |Value of work                                                                    
Financial year                           |Agency                                  |Nature of work                          |(estimated)                                                                      
                                                                                                                           |£                                                                                
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 1990 to March 1990               |Contributions Agency                    |Night time security                     |1,349,000                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
April 1990 to March 1991                 |Benefits Agency                         |Security                                |725,000                                                                          
                                         |Contributions Agency                    |Day time security                       |1,031,000                                                                        
                                         |Information Technology Services         |Computer Operations Management          |12,931,000                                                                       
                                         |  Agency                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
April 1991 to March 1992                 |Benefits Agency                         |Estates Management (London)             |1,155,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Estates Management (London)             |508,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
April 1992 to March 1993                 |Child Support Agency                    |Accommodation and Office Services       |2,313,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Audit                                   |309,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Training                                |547,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
April 1993 to March 1994                 |Information Technology Services         |Audit                                   |1,264,000                                                                        
                                         |Agency                                                                                                                                                             
                                         |DSS Headquarters                        |Accommodation and Office Services       |761,000                                                                          
                                         |Contributions Agency                    |Cleaning                                |771,000                                                                          
                                         |Benefits Agency                         |Travel Services                         |211,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Storage/Archives                        |516,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Accommodation and Office Services       |884,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Training for various areas/offices:     |540,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                           |679,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                           |646,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                           |683,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                           |637,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                           |616,000                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
April 1994 to March 1995                 |Information Technology Services         |Security Guarding                       |436,000                                                                          
                                         |Agency                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                  |Area Computer Centre                    |6,297,000                                                                        
                                         |Benefits Agency                         |Publishing Services                     |4,466,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Accommodation and Office Services for                                                                                     
                                                                                  |various sites:                                                                                                            
                                                                                  |Building management and cleaning                                                                                          
                                                                                  |services                                |905,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Facilities management                   |3,952,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Typing and secretarial                  |945,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Facilities management                   |789,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Security services                       |192,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Office Support                          |1,402,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Facilities management                   |1,375,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Office Support                          |1,444,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Building and facilities management                                                                                        
                                                                                  |services                                |1,517,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Security, messengerial, stewards,                                                                                         
                                                                                  |reprographics and post opening          |646,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Typing, secretarial, telephonists and                                                                                     
                                                                                  |building management                     |2,875,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Post opening, telephonists, typing,                                                                                       
                                                                                  |stationary and distribution             |838,000                                                                          
                                                                                  |Facilities management                   |4,251,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Postal, security and consumable services|2,265,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Building and facilities management      |1,193,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Facilities management                   |5,547,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Building management services            |1,010,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Facilities management                   |5,613,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Facilities management                   |5,275,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Typing, word processing, switchboard                                                                                      
                                                                                  |and reprographics                       |2,459,000                                                                        
                                                                                  |Local accommodation facilities                                                                                            
                                                                                  |management                              |1,654,000                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                             
April 1995 to July 1995                  |Information Technology Services         |Computer operations management and                                                                                        
                                         |Agency                                  |distributed IT implementation and                                                                                         
                                                                                  |support services                        |231,400,000                                                                      

Housing Benefit and Family Credit

Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will bring forward proposals to take account of the value of capital assets by way of property other than the main residence, in applications for family credit.     [37089]

(2) if he will introduce proposals to take account of the value of capital assets by way of property other than the main residence, in applications for housing benefit.      [37092]

Mr. Roger Evans: In the income related benefit schemes, taking capital assets, such as property other than the home, into account is the norm. With effect from 2 October 1995, regulations have been amended to restore the policy intention that, in general, tenanted properties should also be taken into account as a capital asset.

War Pensions

Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the latest annual expenditure of the treatment section of the War Pensions Agency; and what cash limits apply to this expenditure,      [37088]


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(2) how many war pensioners are currently receiving financial help from the Pensions Agency treatment section in respect of (a) travel costs for treatment and (b) private treatment not available on the NHS.     [37084]

Mr. Heald: The information is not available in the format requested.

However, in the year ended 31 March 1995, 4,925 payments were made to meet the travel costs of war pensioners attending hospital for treatment for disablement in respect of which war pension is payable. In the same year 8,389 payments were made for treatment not available under the national health service--including remedial treatment, dental treatment, chiropody and other private treatment such as osteopathy and physiotherapy.

Total expenditure in the year ended 31 March 1995 was £8,337,770.

Housing Benefit Subsidy

Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the payments of housing benefit subsidy by his Department to each London borough and metropolitan district in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will list those financial penalties imposed as a result of non-compliance with regulations.     [37111]


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Mr. Roger Evans: The information is set out in the tables.


London Authorities                                                 
               |Subsidy paid|Subsidy paid                          
               |for non-HRA |for rent    |Subsidy                  
               |rent rebate |allowance   |penalties                
               |expenditure |expenditure |incurred                 
               |1993-94     |1993-94     |1993-94                  
Authority      |£           |£           |£                        
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Barking        |0           |6,355,827   |0                        
Barnet         |2,320,996   |31,407,483  |0                        
Bexley         |315,858     |14,211,026  |0                        
Brent          |2,170,702   |66,579,836  |0                        
Bromley        |853,129     |37,150,509  |0                        
Camden         |2,334,989   |50,110,032  |0                        
City of London |34,652      |512,846     |0                        
Croydon        |944,009     |36,764,101  |0                        
Ealing         |1,451,433   |46,387,342  |0                        
Enfield        |1,879,740   |22,110,066  |0                        
Greenwich      |2,195,119   |19,370,751  |0                        
Hackney        |12,127,983  |49,971,026  |0                        
Hammersmith    |2,271,817   |34,374,285  |0                        
Haringey       |1,757,001   |69,423,145  |0                        
Harrow         |407,633     |18,049,007  |0                        
Havering       |0           |9,124,385   |0                        
Hillingdon     |1,171,542   |15,247,872  |0                        
Hounslow       |1,603,733   |22,687,110  |0                        
Islington      |1,155,175   |30,038,272  |0                        
Kensington and                                                     
  Chelsea      |1,323,709   |43,448,050  |0                        
Kingston upon                                                      
  Thames       |2,643,633   |8,413,307   |0                        
Lambeth        |2,482,802   |53,201,704  |0                        
Lewisham       |446,516     |33,636,229  |0                        
Merton         |72,112      |17,178,195  |0                        
Newham         |6,039,682   |56,981,242  |0                        
Redbridge      |84,763      |28,287,889  |0                        
Richmond upon                                                      
  Thames       |1,267,410   |12,478,354  |0                        
Southwark      |1,469,200   |31,511,360  |0                        
Sutton         |265,735     |11,149,812  |0                        
Tower Hamlets  |4,866,915   |17,890,177  |0                        
Waltham Forest |1,053,839   |29,348,006  |0                        
Wandsworth     |2,355,688   |45,354,684  |0                        
Westminster    |1,251,400   |74,463,340  |0                        

Metropolitan authorities                                           
               |Subsidy paid|Subsidy paid                          
               |for non-HRA |for rent    |Subsidy                  
               |rent rebate |allowance   |penalties                
               |expenditure |expenditure |incurred                 
               |1993-94     |1993-94     |1993-94                  
Authority      |£           |£           |£                        
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Barnsley       |320,405     |7,238,878   |0                        
Birmingham     |0           |75,161,007  |808,405                  
Bolton         |300,876     |12,027,988  |0                        
Bradford       |280,087     |32,830,162  |0                        
Bury           |1,284,583   |7,338,627   |0                        
Calderdale     |656,648     |8,465,058   |0                        
Coventry       |766,696     |21,825,790  |0                        
Doncaster      |27,288      |10,203,816  |0                        
Dudley         |89,094      |7,157,873   |0                        
Gateshead      |27,757      |10,643,184  |0                        
Kirklees       |1,538,545   |15,083,052  |0                        
Knowsley       |26,305      |7,245,949   |0                        
Leeds          |274,447     |43,366,356  |0                        
Liverpool      |657,053     |57,289,298  |0                        
Manchester     |3,127,525   |72,273,662  |0                        
Newcastle upon                                                     
  Tyne         |356,293     |22,576,129  |0                        
North Tyneside |121,067     |10,420,023  |0                        
Oldham         |539,851     |11,008,362  |0                        
Rochdale       |859,235     |10,924,769  |0                        
Rotherham      |57,795      |7,716,837   |0                        
Salford        |1,911,307   |15,882,162  |0                        
Sandwell       |17,515      |10,281,120  |0                        
Sefton         |319,051     |18,869,832  |0                        
Sheffield      |805,338     |23,815,044  |0                        
Solihull       |42,283      |4,475,569   |0                        
South Tyneside |530,190     |8,391,289   |0                        
St. Helens     |107,903     |7,072,757   |0                        
Stockport      |145,624     |12,986,302  |0                        
Sunderland     |402,524     |14,660,492  |0                        
Tameside       |1,053,548   |9,958,030   |0                        
Trafford       |175,092     |11,162,270  |0                        
Wakefield      |289,146     |8,714,297   |0                        
Walsall        |94,590      |7,790,772   |0                        
Wigan          |1,502,261   |7,854,034   |0                        
Wirral         |96,094      |23,564,463  |0                        
Wolverhampton  |64,045      |11,094,765  |0                        

Water Charges

Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the designated amount for water charges included in the calculation of income support levels.     [37480]

Mr. Roger Evans: Income support does not designate separate amounts for particular items in the household budget.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Outsourcing Contracts

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many outsourcing contracts were granted by her Department or agencies in each year since 1990, indicating the nature and value of each contract; and if any additional work was added and of what value to (a) Hoskyns/Cap Gemini Segeti, (b) AT and T Istel, (c) EDS, (d) Sema Group, (e) Datasolve, (f) ITN Net, (g) Andersen Consulting, (h) Centre File, (i) BIS, (j) Telecom Capita, (k) ICL, (l) Digital Equipment, (m) CFM, (n) Siemens, (o) Nixdorf, (p) CMG and (q) Logica.     [37002]

Mr. Robin Squire: Departmental records show that no outsourcing contracts have been awarded to any of the companies listed.

Quality Assurance Document

Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment by what date responses are required to the paper entitled "Quality Assurance Regime for Institutions"; and if she will place copies of the responses in the Library.


Column 109

Mr. Robin Squire: Responses to the quality assurance consultation document are to be sent to the Department by 13 October 1995. There are no plans to place any of these responses in the Library.

Grant-maintained Schools

Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will list for each grant-maintained school the number of pupils permanently excluded during each year since the school became grant-maintained;     [36645]

(2) if she will list for each grant-maintained school the number of pupils excluded during each year since the school became grant- maintained.     [36167]

Mr. Robin Squire: This information is not available centrally.

Education and Training Report

Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the OECD survey of education and training in the United Kingdom; and if she will provide a refutation of its claim that departure from principles extant in public education since 1870 until 1992 are inappropriate.     [37381]

Mr. Robin Squire: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State issued the Department's comments on the OECD report in a Departmental press notice on 27 July 1995--Ref: 167/95. My right hon. Friend has no plans to comment further on the report.

Teacher Training

Mr. Rooker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the proportion of school leavers from (a) the independent sector and (b) the maintained sector entering degree or teacher training courses in higher education institutions at the latest date for which figures are available.     [37478]

Mr. Robin Squire: The information requested is not available centrally.

Unemployment

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will give a breakdown in percentage terms of the numbers of unemployed people for each quarter since 1990 to the present who have been unemployed for (a) up to and including six months, (b) six months up to and including a year, (c) from between a year up to and including two years and (d) over two years who have (i) academic qualifications, (ii) vocational qualifications and (iii) no qualifications.     [32367]

Mrs. Angela Knight: I have been asked to reply.

This information is available from the "Labour Force Survey" for Great Britain, annually until 1991 and quarterly from spring 1992 onwards, and can be obtained via the Quantime LFS service available in the Library.


Column 110

Earnings

Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average weekly earnings are of (a) full-time female workers, (b) part-time female workers, (c) all female workers and (d) all male workers.     [31998]

Mrs. Angela Knight: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is given in the following table:


Employees on all rates whose earnings  
were not                               
affected by absence: April 1994        
                  |£ Week|£ Hour       
---------------------------------------
Part-time females |98.0  |5.06         
Full-time females |259.2 |6.83         
All females       |197.7 |6.43         
All males         |343.9 |8.46         
Note:                                  
The weekly earnings of all female      
employees relative to all male         
employees is distorted by a greater    
proportion of female part-time         
workers.                               

Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of employees in each G7 country are earning at or below the equivalent of £2.50 per hour.     [23313]

Mrs. Knight: I have been asked to reply.

Information on proportions of employees earning less than £2.50 in each G7 country is not available.

Second Jobs

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of people with a second job.     [32818]

Mrs. Angela Knight: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is published in table 2 of the "Labour Force Survey" quarterly bulletin, No. 12, June 1995. A copy of the publication is available in the Library.

WALES

Farm Data

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of farms of the size (a) 1 25 hectares, (b) 26 50 hectares, (c) 51 75 hectares, (d) 76 100 hectares, (e) 101 150 hectares, (f) 151 200 hectares and (g) 201 or more hectares for (i) the last available year and (ii) 1985.     [36432]

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information requested is given in the following table:


Farm sizes in Wales                                                      
Holding size                      |1985        |1994                     
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.1 to less than 1.0 hectares     |238         |342                      
1.0 to less than 26.0 hectares    |13,395      |14,145                   
26.0 to less than 51.0 hectares   |6,958       |6,216                    
51.0 to less than 76.0 hectares   |3,784       |3,574                    
76.0 to less than 101.0 hectares  |2,033       |2,037                    
101.0 to less than 151.0 hectares |1,821       |1,924                    
151.0 to less than 201.0 hectares |679         |749                      
201.0 hectares and over           |900         |923                      
All main holdings                 |29,808      |29,910                   
Note:                                                                    
These figures exclude minor holdings.                                    

Outsourcing Contracts

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many outsourcing contracts were granted by his Department or agencies in each year since 1990, indicating the nature and value of each contract; and if any additional work was added and of what value to (a) Hoskyns/Cap Gemini Segeti, (b) AT and T Istel, (c) EDS, (d) Sema Group, (e) Datasolve, (f) ITN Net, (g) Andersen Consulting, (h) Centre File, (i) BIS, (j) Telecom Capita, (k) ICL, (l) Digital Equipment, (m) CFM, (n) Siemens, (o) Nixdorf, (p) CMG and (q) Logica.     [36954]

Mr. Hague: My Department has granted no outsourcing contracts to any of the listed companies since 1990. Information on all agencies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ely Hospital

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he received the full resettlement plan for Ely hospital residents; and when he expects to make his decision on the plan.     [37201]

Mr. Hague: I have yet to receive a full resettlement plan for Ely hospital residents.

In-patient Activity

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 11 July, Official Report, column 514 , if he will make a statement on the comparative benefits of the use of finished consultant episodes relative to deaths and discharges as the basis for remuneration of hospitals by (a) general practitioner fund holders and (b) health authorities, for in-patient activity.     [37385]

Mr. Hague: As a basis for purchasing treatment and care from hospitals, whether by GP fundholders or health authorities, both measures have strengths and weaknesses.

Finished consultant episodes have the advantage over deaths and discharges of allowing the cost of treatment to be associated with the consultant responsible for providing it. The major drawback of finished consultant episodes is that definitions can vary both within and between hospitals, making comparisons difficult whether in terms of activity or cost. By contrast, the definition of an entire episode of treatment or care is more straightforward in the case of deaths and discharges.

Public Appointments

Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales have been approached in the last two years with regard to service on quangos; how they were selected; how many indicated they were members of (a) the Labour party and (b) the Conservative party; and


Column 112

how many (i) Labour party members and (ii) Conservative party members who expressed a willingness to serve were subsequently appointed.     [37211]

Mr. Hague: I and my predecessor have made 597 appointments to non- departmental public bodies since 1 September 1993. Details of all appointments by Welsh Office Ministers are held in the Library of the House and updated quarterly. Appointments are made on merit. Candidates are drawn largely from the Welsh Office register of candidates. In addition to self- nominations, names of people willing to serve on a public body are regularly canvassed through advertisements in Welsh newspapers and by letters to professional, public sector and community organisations. I welcome candidates from all sources. Candidates are not currently required to declare any political affiliation: information is not therefore available in the form requested.

Welsh Development Agency

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proposals he has to reinstate levels of Government grant in aid to the Welsh Development Agency to remove conditionality on receipts from the European regional development fund for 1996 97.     [37203]

Mr. Hague: None. As I confirmed to Commissioner Wulf-Mathies on 4 October, European funding is not a factor in determining the level of grant in aid to the WDA.

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the European Union Commissioner responsible for the European regional development fund; concerning the suspension of ERDF funds to the Welsh Development Agency; and when he expects to reach agreement on the balance between ERDF grant and United Kingdom Government grant-in-aid to the Welsh Development Agency.     [37207]

Mr. Hague: I met Commissioner Wulf-Mathies on 4 October. I confirmed that European funding was not a factor in determining the level of the Welsh Development Agency's grant in aid. We agreed that officials should consider ways of improving the transparency of these arrangements. I also volunteered to provide an account of my Department's general procedures for the management and monitoring of European programmes. We agreed to complete this work within two weeks to enable early clearance of outstanding applications.

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to compensate the Welsh Development Agency for loss of receipts from the European regional development fund, following a suspension of ERDF payments to the Welsh Development Agency; and if he will make a statement.     [37202]

Mr. Hague: None. I expect early agreement with the European Commission to allow clearance of outstanding applications.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what subsidies were paid out for environmentally sensitive areas in Wales for (a) 1992 93, (b) 1993 94,


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(c) 1994 95, (d) 1995 96; and how many individuals were recipients of these payments in these years.     [37127]

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The amount of subsidies paid out for environmentally sensitive areas in Wales was:

1992 93: £1,503,000

1993 94: £1,542,000

1994 95: £1,536,000

Provision for 1995 96 is £6,971,000 as shown in the 1995 96 Main Supply Estimates, Class XV, Vote 1 (CM 271-XV).

Information on the number of recipients receiving payments by financial year is not held.

The number of live management agreements at the end of each financial year was:

31 March 1993: 857

31 March 1994: 794

31 March 1995: 883

The number of current management agreements as at 31 August 1995 was 1,111.

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what area, in hectares and percentage terms, of environmentally sensitive areas in Wales is made up of productive, or potentially productive, agricultural land.      [37126]

Mr. Jones: The following is the information:


                   |Hectares       |Percentage of                  
                   |productive land|total area                     
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Cambrian Mountains |118,780        |77.3                           
Lleyn Peninsula    |41,304         |90.9                           
Radnor             |91,769         |91.6                           
Ynys Mon           |66,063         |92.5                           
Preseli            |113,878        |94.2                           
Clwydian Range     |25,725         |92.3                           
                                                                   
                   |457,519        |88.1                           

The figures quoted exclude urban areas, mineral workings, open water and rivers, unvegetated land and coniferous forests which are within the respective environmentally sensitive areas.

Regional Selective Assistance

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the latest out-turn estimate for expenditure on regional selective assistance in Wales for the year 1994 95.     [37200]

Mr. Hague: £56.95 million.

Cardiff Bay Opera House Trust

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the most recent allocation of grant in aid to the Cardiff Bay development corporation to cover the administrative running costs of the Cardiff Bay Opera House trust; if he will specify how it relates to previous estimates of the trust's running costs for


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1995 96 and previous allocations of grant in aid; and if he will make a statement.     [37494]

Mr. Hague: There is no grant-in-aid allocation given to the Cardiff Bay development corporation specifically to cover the administrative running costs of the Cardiff Bay Opera House trust. The question of specific payments to the trust is an operational matter for the corporation and I have therefore asked the chief executive to give those details.

18th Birthday Greeting Letters

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales;

(1) how many responses have been received to 18th birthday greeting letters sent out by Welsh Office Ministers in their ministerial capacity;     [37466]

(2) what has been the cost to public funds of the practice of Welsh Office Ministers sending 18th birthday greetings in their ministerial capacity to members of the public in each of the last three years and in the current year to date;     [37468]

(3) when the policy of Welsh Office Ministers sending 18th birthday greetings to 18-year-olds outside their own constituencies and in their ministerial capacities was initiated;     [37467]

(4) how many letters of birthday greetings to young people reaching the age of 18 have been sent out by himself and his Ministers in 1994 and 1995 in their Welsh ministerial capacity.     [37469]

Mr. Hague: There have been no such communications issued from my Department and hence no costs to public funds.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the rights of individual members of the public to make complaints to any of the appropriate ombudsmen about services or projects funded through the private finance initiative in his department.     [36780]

Mr. Hague: Members of the public have the same rights to make complaints to the ombudsman concerning a project funded through the private finance initiative in my Department as they would have had if the project had been publicly funded.

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications are awaiting departmental approval in principle under the private finance initiative in (a) the health sector, (b) transport sector and (c) other sectors; if he will list each one and its estimated capital value, if he will give his current estimate of the number likely to be approved for actual commencement in this financial year; and if he will make a statement.      [37493]

Mr. Hague: The Welsh Office examines all of its capital expenditure programmes to identify projects that


Column 115

might be taken forward under the initiative. Some projects, such as an energy management scheme at Llandough hospital and a combined heat and power scheme at Withybush hospital, are already in place. Twenty-five projects, with a combined capital value of about £750 million are being examined at the moment with a view to taking them forward under the initiative. There projects in health, transport, Welsh Office administration and other sectors. I hope to make announcements on some of these in the next few months.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Central Science Laboratory

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list by grade the current establishment at his Ministry's site at Sand Hutton, north Yorkshire; what is the current funding; what percentage of the funding is for salaries; and what were the equivalent figures 12 months ago;     [32996]

(2) if he will list the types of work currently being carried out at his Ministry's site at Sand Hutton, north Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.     [32997]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Science Laboratory to reply direct.

Letter from P. I. Stanley to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 16 October 1995:

THE STAFFING, FUNDING AND WORK OF THE CENTRAL SCIENCE LABORATORY, SAND HUTTON, N. YORKSHIRE

You asked two questions about the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) laboratory at Sand Hutton and it may be helpful if I first of all explain the present situation. [32996 & 32997]

The Central Science Laboratory (CSL) was first launched as an executive agency of MAFF in April 1992 and was re-launched as an enlarged agency two years later following its merger with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) Food Science Laboratories.

CSL provides a wide range of scientific services to its major customer, MAFF including policy advice, technical support and training, underpinned by research and development (R&D) in the areas of plant health, the authenticity, safety and nutritional value of the food supply; pesticide safety: veterinary residues; the control of pests and diseases of growing and stored foodstuffs; wildlife management and the impact of food production on the environment and the consumer. In addition CSL offers R&D and advice to other Government Departments and public and private sector organisations on a commercial basis.

CSL is currently located at five major sites in Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Norfolk and Grampian and at several smaller sites throughout the Country. It is planned to relocate the major part of the Agency in summer 1996 to Sand Hutton, N Yorkshire, where a new purpose-built laboratory is at present under construction. The types of work carried out at existing CSL sites and described above will also be carried out at the new site. Precise information about grades and salaries at Sand Hutton are not yet available but I expect that in total about 450 staff will be employed at the new laboratory.

CSL income in the 1994/95 financial year was £26.267K and staff costs amounted to £14.414K (55%). In the previous financial year respective figures were £16.908K and £9.427K (56%). The increase in income and costs in 1994/95 was the direct result of the enlargement of the Agency following its merger with the MAFF Food Science Laboratories at Norwich and Aberdeen. CSL's published Annual Reports and Accounts give full details and copies should be available in the House Library.


Column 116

Consultants

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many contracts and for what total sum were let out by his Department and agencies for which it is responsible to (a) Coopers and Lybrand and its subsidiaries, (b) Peat Marwick and its subsidiaries, (c) Ernst and Young and its subsidiaries, (d) Arthur Andersen and its subsidiaries, (e) Price Waterhouse and its subsidiaries, (f) Grant Thornton and its subsidiaries, (g) Stoy Hayward and its subsidiaries, (h) Robson Rhodes and its subsidiaries, and (i) Pannell Kerr Forster and its subsidiaries, for privatisation, market testing, management advice, accounting, audit, consultancy and other services in 1993 94 and 1994 95.      [33921]


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