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Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to increase sheep annual premiums to compensate for any losses resulting from the change in the sheep retention period. [42179]
Mr. Boswell: The sheep annual premium is fixed by the European Commission, taking into account the difference between the basic Community price for sheepmeat and the average price prevailing on the Community market throughout the year. The final rate of premium for the 1995 scheme will not be determined until
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February 1996. A first estimate of the rate of premium for 1996 will be made by the Commission in the spring of 1996. It is not open to member states to fix the rate of premium themselves.Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42309]
Mr. Boswell: I shall write to the hon. Member.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
National Lottery
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make it her policy to make available figures on (a) the sale of national lottery tickets by region and (b) the distribution of national lottery proceeds by region. [41238]
Mr. Sproat: My Department produces a monthly report of the distribution of lottery proceeds. Included in this report are details of the awards made each month and the total since the lottery began, for each region of the United Kingdom. Copies of this report are placed in the Libraries of the House. Figures on the sale of lottery tickets by region, are an operational matter for
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Camelot Group plc. I have therefore asked the Director General of the National Lottery, who is responsible for regulating the operation of the lottery, to write to the hon. Member, placing copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the total lottery moneys to date collected from each of the English regions, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [41233]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 6 November 1995]: This is an operational matter for Camelot Group plc. I have therefore asked the Director General of the National Lottery, who is responsible for regulating the operation of the Lottery, to write to the hon. Member, placing copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Colvin: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much money has been allocated under the national lottery to applicants in the New Forest district council and Test Valley district council areas. [41847]
Mr. Sproat: Figures for national lottery funds broken down by district council areas are not currently available.
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the emoluments or salaries of members and senior officials of the lottery distributary bodies. [38747]
Mr. Sproat: I have set out as follows, in bands of £5,000, the salaries of all senior officials where these are £40,000 and above and all chairmen and board members.
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Body |£
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Lottery Charities Board |Chairman and Members |Nil
|Chief Executive |80,000-84,999
|Director of Finance |60,000-64,999
|Director of UK and Corporate Planning |50,000-54,999
|Director of England |50,000-54,999
|Director of Scotland |45,000-49,999
|Director of Personnel and Administration|40,000-44,999
|Director of Communications |40,000-44,999
Millennium Commission |Chairman and Members |<1>Nil
|Director |80,000-84,999
|Director of Projects |65,000-69,999
|Director of Finance |60,000-64,999
|Director of Corporate Affairs |45,000-49,999
National Heritage Memorial Fund |Chairman and Members |Nil
|Director |<2>-
Arts Council of England |Chairman and Members |Nil
|Secretary General |60,000-64,999
|National Lottery Director |45,000-49,999
|Seven other Senior Officials-Total<3> |£305,000
Scottish Arts Council |Chairman and Members |Nil
|Director |40,000-44,999
Arts Council of Wales |Chairman and Members |Nil
|Chief Executive |50,000-54,999
Arts Council of Northern Ireland |Chairman |10,000-14,999
|Vice-Chairman |0-4,999
|Chief Executive |45,000-49,999
Sports Council |Chairman and Vice Chairmen<3> |50,000-54,999
|Chief Executive |60,000-64,999
|Acting Director |60,000-64,999
Scottish Sports Council |Chairman |20,000-24,999
|Vice Chairman |0-4,999
|Chief Executive |50,000-54,999
Sports Council for Wales |Chairman |(15,000-19,999)
|Vice Chairman |(5,000-9,999)
|Chief Executive |50,000-54,999
Sports Council for Northern Ireland |Chairman |(10,000-14,999)
|Vice Chairman |(0-4,999)
|Chief Executive |40,000-44,999
Salaries in brackets are not met from National Lottery funds. With the exception of the senior officials and members of the National Lottery Charities Board and the Millennium Commission and the Arts Council of England Lottery Director, the salaries set out above are not fully charged to lottery funds. Salaries are met from grant in aid and lottery funds in proportion with the duties carried out by the officers or members concerned. Charges in respect of these salaries will therefore vary from year to year and specific details will be included in the annual accounts for each body prepared at the end of each financial year.
The Secretary of State for National Heritage (Chairman of the Millennium Commission) and the Deputy Prime Minister (a member of the Millennium Commission) receive salaries in respect of their duties as a Cabinet Ministers.
The new Director of the National Heritage Memorial Fund is due to take up the post in December 1995. The vacancy was advertised with a salary of £70,000.
Only a very small proportion of the salaries of these officials is charged to the Lottery.
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Dr. Moonie: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if, as at 31 August, Camelot plc had reached its 12-month national lottery revenue target as projected in its tender to the Office of the National Lottery; and by how many months it is ahead of its target as at 7 November; [42331]
(2) by what percentage Camelot plc's national lottery revenues had, for the period from commencement of the national lottery to the latest date for which information is available, exceeded those projected in its tender to Oflot. [42332]
Mr. Sproat: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Millennium Commission
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will give the number of projects by each English county which are bidding for support from the Millennium Commission. [41274]
Ms Mowlam: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many projects from Northern Ireland are currently under consideration by the Millennium Commission. [41909]
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, further to her letter dated 3 November and placed in the Library, what is the earliest date for commencement of the second round of applications for financial support to the Millennium
Commission. [42214]
Dr. John Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what regional criteria are used for deciding the distribution of Millennium Commission grants; [41227]
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(2) what regional criteria will be used to decide on the allocation of Millennium Commission bursaries to individuals. [41225]Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall reply to the right hon. and hon. Members in my capacity as chairman of the commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the application of the negative leverage principle with respect to applications for assistance from the national lottery millennium fund. [38760]
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley [holding answer 23 October 1995]: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
European Court Decisions
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to the oral answer of the Attorney-General of 30 October, Official Report , column 12, relating to decisions of the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights, if she will list those European Court decisions relating to responsibilities of her Department over the past two years; and if she will further indicate the estimated annual cost to public funds of each decision. [41209]
Mr. Sproat [holding answer 2 November 1995]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis) on 7 November, Official Report, columns 698-702.
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Brynmawr Rubber Factory
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action she has taken to date in conjunction with the Welsh Office, to preserve the Brynmawr rubber factory; and if she will make a statement. [40949]
Mr. Sproat: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Under- Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones), on 7 November, Official Report, column 798 .
English Heritage
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the implementation of English Heritage's policy for the local management of the historic properties she has placed in its care. [42364]
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: Since the launch of its forward strategy at the end of 1992, English Heritage has established agreements with partners who can bring local commitment and resources, in conjunction with English Heritage funding, towards improving the presentation and preservation of historic sites. Agreements have now been established in respect of nearly 80 of the 406 properties in English Heritage's care, with partners such as the National Trust, local authorities and local community groups. The agreements include clear safeguards for the care of the property. Given the success of its approach, I have agreed with English Heritage that it may enter into new management agreements, within agreed framework, but without in future seeking my specific approval. My Department will continue to monitor the implementation of this policy and I look forward to its successful extension to further appropriate sites.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by her Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42320]
Mr. Sproat: I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many persons in his office are on the public payroll or employed as consultants or advisers and work on a part time or a full time basis in relation to the Scott inquiry; if he will list the names and how much each is paid.
Mr. Newton: No one in my Department is wholly employed on matters relating to the Scott inquiry, and it would not be possible to specify the number involved on an occasional basis. No payments have yet been made for external advice.
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Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many persons have been authorised to have access to documents held by his office relating to the Scott inquiry; and if he will list such persons.
Mr. Newton: Ministers, officials and other advisers have access to material relating to the inquiry as necessary in order to carry out their responsibilities.
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above.
Mr. Newton: I shall write to the hon. Member.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Members (Ethnic Minorities)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Lord President of the Council what percentage of hon. Members are of ethnic minority background.
Mr. Newton: There is no monitoring of the ethnic background of hon. Members.
Written Answers
Mr. McMaster: To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the current disproportionate cost threshold for written parliamentary questions; and if he will publish a table showing the amount of such questions unanswered for that reason expressed as (a) a total number and (b) a percentage of those submitted to each Government Department or office by right hon. Members during the last and current parliamentary sessions. [39292]
Mr. Newton: The current disproportionate cost threshold for written parliamentary questions is £450.
It would not be possible, except at disproportionate cost, to supply the further information requested.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Prosecution Files
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Attorney-General what is the recommended retention period for prosecution papers by the Crown Prosecution Service. [40788]
The Attorney-General: Area offices of the Crown Prosecution Service retain files relating to cases finalised in the magistrates' courts for a minimum of 12 months after the final court date and those finalised in the Crown court for a minimum of three years. Cases handled in CPS headquarters are retained for a minimum of five years. Where there is a conviction, all case files are retained until the expiry of the sentence if it exceeds the usual retention period. Arrangements also exist to identify those prosecution files worthy of permanent preservation and to transfer them to the Public Record Office.
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Advisers and Press Officers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the Attornery-General how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by the Law Officers Departments; and what is the total annual salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42318]
The Attorney-General: No special advisers are employed by the Law Officers Departments. A total of nine press officers are employed, seven by the Crown Prosecution Service and two by the Serious Fraud Office. I shall write to the hon. Member with details of salary costs.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Specialist Advisers
Mr. Bayley: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many (a) specialist advisers and (b) press or public relations officers are employed by his Department; and what is the total salary bill for (a) and (b) above. [42326]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: At 1 November, the Department employed 19 press officers, at an estimated annual salary bill of £637,000. It is unclear to whom the hon. Member refers in his reference to "specialist advisers".
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many persons in his Department and in the Export Credits Guarantee Department are on the public payroll or employed as consultants or advisers and work on a part-time or full-time basis in relation to the Scott inquiry; if he will list their names; and how much each is paid. [42053]
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 7 November 1995]: The number of staff in my Department wholly employed on matters relating to the Scott inquiry is five, and their direct annual salary cost is £133,065. It is not possible to identify the number of people involved on a part-time or occasional basis within the Department or as external consultants or advisers. It is not the practice to name staff or external advisers. The amount spent by my Department on external advice, principally on the provision of legal advice to DTI witnesses to the inquiry, is £294,000 since the inquiry began in 1992. This information does not include the members of Sir Richard Scott's inquiry team.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the ratio of the Department of Trade and Industry's funding of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux to the funding of citizens advice bureau by local authorities over the last five years. [42231]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: In each of the last five years funding by my Department of NACAB has been:
- Year |£ million ------------------------------ 1991-92 |11.032 1992-93 |11.699 1993-94 |12.252 1994-95 |12.353 1995-96 |<1>11.916 <1> Agreed to date but may change by the end of the financial year.
Individual citizens-advice bureaux are funded by individual local authorities. My Department does not hold information about the level of that funding.
European Framework Programme IV
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out how the allocation of the additional costs of the European framework programme IV was divided between Government Departments in 1994 95. [41884]
Mr. Ian Taylor: No allocation of the costs of European framework programme IV were made in the UK financial year 1994 95, since this programme was first implemented in the Community's financial year 1995.
Companies House, Edinburgh
Mr. Nigel Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the retained functions of Companies house, Edinburgh, after contracting out. [42238]
Mr. Oppenheim: The functions to be retained are:
the granting of extensions of filing dates for annual returns, the striking off, dissolution and restoration of companies in accordance with the Companies Acts,
processing cases passed by the contractor where there has been an objection to the use of a company name,
processing cases passed by the contractor which may lead to prosecution, pursuing possible breaches of the Companies Acts.
Mr. Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number of staff necessary to carry out the retained functions of Companies house, Edinburgh. [42237]
Mr. Oppenheim : It is envisaged that five staff will be retained to carry out retained functions.
Mr. Griffiths: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the terms of confidentiality which will apply to contractors seeking to bid for the contract to run Companies house, Edinburgh. [42236]
Mr. Oppenheim: All persons invited to tender are subject to confidentiality obligations as part of the tender documentation. The Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994--under which an order was made to permit statutory functions to be carried out by a contractor--ensures that the same requirements as regards confidentiality will apply to contractor and his staff as apply at present to Companies house. In addition, confidentiality requirements will form part of any contract.
Wincanton Co., Clwyd
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what intervention he will make according to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981, on behalf of the Wincanton Co. milk lorry drivers based at Pentre, Queensferry, Clwyd, who have lost their jobs
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consequent upon Wincanton failing to keep their contract; and if he will make a statement. [42208]Mr. Jonathan Evans: Questions concerning the dismissal of employees in connection with the transfer of an undertaking, or part of one, to which the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 apply, are matters for an industrial tribunal to determine.
Pay Increases
Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many employees he estimates have had pay increases below the rate of inflation in each of the last 10 years. [41581]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The information requested is not available.
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However, the new earnings survey shows that, since 1985, there have been significant increases in employees' real earnings at all levels of the earnings distribution.Small Businesses
Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the type and the number of grants made by his Department to small businesses in the Sheffield area for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [42160]
Mr. Page: Information in respect of DTI grants currently available in the Sheffield travel-to-work area, which covers part of north Derbyshire, is given on the attached table.
If any small firms wish to know whether they are eligible for grants, they should contact Business Link, Sheffield on 0114 281 3813.
Financial year
|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regional Selective Assistance
Offers |22 |25 |15 |20 |45
Amount offered |£2.5m |£1.7m |£1.8m |£1.2m |£1.8m
Regional Investment Grants
Offers |144 |77 |44 |47 |-
Amount offered |£1.3m |£720k |£428k |£511k |-
Regional Innovation Grants
Offers |16 |14 |41 |68 |85
Amount offered |£328k |£333k |£931k |£1.7m |£2.1m
Spur
Offers |- |2 |2 |1 |3
Amount offered |- |£179k |£189k |£150k |£348k
Smart
Offers |1 |5 |2 |2 |2
Amount offered |£50k |£220k |£117k |£81k |£97k
1. Regional Investment Grants ceased to be available in Sheffield TTWA on 1 August 1993, but were re-introduced in certain wards in the TTWA, w.e.f 1 April 1995, as part of the coalfield regeneration measures.
2. SPUR was introduced in February 1991.
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America (Investment)
Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total number of (a) Sheffield and (b) United Kingdom firms investing in the United States of America in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [42163]
Mr. Nelson: There is no central register of investments in the USA by Sheffield or other UK companies. To attempt to obtain this information could be done only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
North West Water/Norweb Merger
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many hon. Members sought a meeting with him to discuss the merger of North West Water and Norweb; [42181]
(2) when the hon. Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) last met him to discuss the merger with Norweb; [42307]
(3) how many representations he received from (a) hon. Members and (b) others urging him (i) to refer and (ii) not to refer the proposed merger between North
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West Water and Norweb to the Monopolies and MergerCommission. [42182]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: Around 30 representations were received by this Department concerning the proposed merger between North West Water and Norweb; about a third of these were from hon. Members. Most of the correspondents were opposed to the merger or wished to see it referred to the Monopolies and Merger Commission. The correspondence was copied to the Office of Fair Trading so that the Director General of Fair Trading could take account of it in formulating his advice to my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade. My right hon. Friend held no meetings with hon. Members to discuss the merger. He received one request for a meeting, from the all-party parliamentary water group.
Burnley and Pendle Buses
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance the Office of Fair Trading has given to Pendle council concerning the proposed sale of the council's stake in Burnley and Pendle Buses. [42201]
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Mr. Jonathan Evans: As a general principle, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and the Office of Fair Trading never disclose whether confidential guidance has been sought or the nature of any guidance given.
Business Links
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the cost to public funds of business links in each year since they came into being. [42262]
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