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Radon
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he proposes to take on radon in homes; and if he will make a statement. [10247]
Mr. Clappison: Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate in homes and increase the risk of lung cancer.
My Department has had a long-established programme to identify those most at risk, and to advise them on what action to take in order to protect their health. In England, 250,000 homes have had their radon levels measured under the Government-funded measurement scheme; cost-effective methods of preventing radon from entering new and existing homes have been developed by the Building Research Establishment; changes have been made to the building regulations to prevent radon becoming a problem in new homes; and financial assistance is available to enable the most needy householders to take remedial action.
The next phase of the radon programme will take place in early February, when 200,000 invitations to have a free radon measurement will be sent to those householders in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire most likely to have high radon levels in their homes. All householders in these counties have, over the past eight years, been offered free measurements. The results obtained so far have enabled the National Radiological Protection Board to identify with far greater precision the areas within those counties where homes are most likely to have high radon levels. This allows measurement invitations to be targeted more accurately and efficiently. The offer of free measurements will therefore now be based on invitations to individual householders, and the current arrangements for free measurement will be discontinued from 29 February.
The NRPB is currently completing a mapping exercise of the whole of England. This will be published later in the year and will indicate more precisely than before those areas with high radon levels.
Radon is a serious problem, but one that is amenable to simple, relatively inexpensive solutions, developed primarily by the Department's Building Research Establishment. We shall continue to advise householders in high radon areas what action they should take. Local authorities have discretion to give grants to low-income private owners for radon remedial works.
Mr. Callaghan:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effectiveness of sprinklers and other fire protection measures in (i) hospitals and (ii) homes for the elderly. [9478]
16 Jan 1996 : Column: 493
Mr. Clappison
[holding answer 15 January 1996]: My Department has commissioned a number of studies from the Building Research Establishment on sprinklers and other fire protection measures in connection with hospitals and residential care establishments, including old people's homes. Reports are evaluated by my officials, who make recommendations to Ministers on the work's significance and any practical implications, for example for building regulations, flowing from it.
I am sending the hon. Gentleman a list of these studies, some of which have been published.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Prime Minister how many Conservative hon. Members have received knighthoods since 1979; and if he will list them by name. [9666]
The Prime Minister:
A total of 127 Conservative Members have received knighthoods since 1979. The names of the recipients have been published in the London Gazette.
Dr. Wright:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will define "political services" and "public and political services" in the context of the honours list. [9607]
The Prime Minister:
Political services relate to those who give service to a political party. Political and public service is an appropriate description for those who have some other form of public service to their credit in addition to their political work.
Mr. Austin Mitchell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the goal of the Government's economic policy. [9794]
The Prime Minister:
The Government's overall economic objective is to promote sustained economic growth and rising prosperity. We will continue with the policies which have given this country the lowest mortgage rates for 30 years, the lowest basic rate of tax for over 50 years and the longest period of low inflation for 50 years.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will initiate joint action by the relevant Departments of Her Majesty's Government to determine the domicile of those persons, and their dependants, who (a) have refugee status, (b) have been given exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom or (c) have outstanding applications for refugee status; and if he will (i) publish and (ii) place in the Library the numbers of (1) such persons and (2) their dependants (x) by local authority area and (y) by parliamentary constituency. [8251]
The Prime Minister:
I have no plans to do so.
Mr. Alan Williams:
To ask the Prime Minister what legal costs arising from the Scott inquiry have been incurred by the Government in relation to (a) himself,
16 Jan 1996 : Column: 494
(b) his predecessor and (c) his or her officials and advisers. [8743]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 15 January 1996]: The Treasury Solicitor provides legal advice to the Prime Minister and his officials on a range of issues as part of his normal duties. The cost of his advice in relation to the Scott inquiry is not quantifiable. No other legal costs have been incurred in connection with the Scott inquiry on behalf of myself, my predecessor or my officials or advisers.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the allocation of the science budget. [10078]
Mr. Lang:
I have discussed the allocations with the Director General of Research Councils and have decided that, subject to parliamentary approval of the Supply estimates in due course, the science budget of £1,312.390 million should be allocated as follows:
| Allocation | Planning figures | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
| BBSRC | 176.31 | 176.89 | 179.98 |
| ESRC | 63.08 | 63.62 | 65.64 |
| EPSRC | 375.95 | 373.46 | 376.78 |
| MRC | 281.89 | 282.96 | 286.86 |
| NERC | 164.65 | 162.32 | 167.90 |
| PPARC | 191.68 | 191.73 | 194.90 |
| International subscriptions reserve | 15.04 | 18.00 | 18.00 |
| CCLRC | 1.45 | 1.45 | 1.45 |
| Research Council Pensions Supplement | 9.87 | 11.53 | 12.97 |
| Royal Society | 21.82 | 22.27 | 22.62 |
| Royal Academy of Engineering | 3.12 | 3.37 | 3.44 |
| OST Initiatives | 2.53 | 2.78 | 2.85 |
| Foresight Challenge | 5.00 | 10.00 | 13.00 |
| High-performance computing | -- | 10.00 | -- |
| Total | 1,312.39 | 1,330.39 | 1,346.39 |
These allocations will enable the research councils and other funded bodies to consolidate and develop the new initiatives announced in February 1994 to take forward the policies set out in the 1993 White Paper "Realising Our Potential: A Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology". Further details are set out in the paper "Allocation of the Science Budget 1996-97", which I have placed in the Library of the House.
National Weights and Measures Laboratory
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the forthcoming prior options study of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory. [10079]
16 Jan 1996 : Column: 495
Mr. John M. Taylor: The Government announced on 29 September 1995 that all public sector research establishments would be subject to prior options reviews.
A review of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory has begun. Bearing in mind the extensive studies carried out leading to the decision in 1994 that NWML should remain an executive agency of the DTI, and my right hon. Friend's recently announced decision that it should move to a net expenditure control basis from 1 April 1996, the forthcoming review is likely to draw extensively on this material; the review will also consider NWML's relationship with public sector research establishments.
I should welcome comments from interested parties. Comments should be sent by 16 February 1996 to Charles Cruickshank, Department of Trade and Industry, 151 Buckingham Palace road, London SW1W 9SS.
Mr. Byers:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the Government have paid to trade unions towards the costs of conducting postal ballots under legislation in each year since their introduction. [9812]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
The costs of the trade union ballot refunds for the scheme, by calendar year since its inception, are as follows:
1980: No applications
1981: £12,935
1982: £26,149
1983: £85,072
1984: £72,498
1985: £1,392,982
1986: £738,301
1987: £1,158,801
1988: £869,448
1989: £1,339,582
1990: £2,636,766
1991: £4,082,383
1992: £4,259,860
1993: £3,382,803
1994: £1,899,955
1995: £1,095,236.
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