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Executive Agencies

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Attorney-General what action heads of his Department's executive agencies are taking to safeguard the provision of pre-retirement courses; and if he will make a statement. [9144]

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The Attorney-General: The one agency for which I am responsible is the Government Property Lawyers. The GPL currently uses the pre-retirement courses provided by the Home Office, but keeps under review the possibility of using courses offered by other bodies.

Marchioness Accident

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Attorney-General what consideration the Crown Prosecution Service has given to initiating a prosecution in respect of the Marchioness accident since the inquest jury reached its verdict; and if he will make a statement. [9032]

The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service has received in November and December 1995 from the coroner transcripts of the evidence given at the inquest. These are being studied. Once they have been considered, together with the pre-inquest evidence and the results of any additional inquiries which may be necessary, a decision will be made as to whether further criminal proceedings should be instituted.

WALES

Cancer Registration

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his current estimate of the date of completion of the review of cancer registration and the management and organisation of the Wales Cancer Registry; and if he will make a statement. [8467]

Mr. Hague: Proposals for the future management of the registry submitted by the Velindre NHS trust and the Welsh combined centres for public health are currently under consideration. I expect the management of the registry to transfer early in the next financial year.

Electronic Mail

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the introduction of electronic mail for departmental press releases and for their transmission to the Library. [8465]

Mr. Hague: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on Tuesday 9 January 1996, Official Report, columns 109-10.

Water and Sewage

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the National Rivers Authority Wales area and the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation in relation to the corporation's proposals for water uses in the impounded lake behind the Cardiff bay barrage and proposed reductions in sewage pumping stations and interceptor sewers at Leckwith moors, Brindley road, Ferry road and Park street; [8462]

(2) what consultations he has had with the chairman of Cardiff Bay development corporation and of the National Rivers Authority Wales on the water use strategy for the impounded lake behind the Cardiff bay barrage, in relation to the types of immersion sports, water contact

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water sports and non-contact water sports that will be permitted; and if he will make a statement. [8461]

Mr. Hague: None. This is an operational matter for the Cardiff Bay development corporation.

Community Health Councils

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the membership of community health councils; if he will place a copy of all such representations in the Library; and if he will list the organisations or individuals who have made representations in favour of his proposed changes. [8466]

Mr. Hague: More than 150 responses to the consultation have been received, covering a wide spectrum of views. I will consider very carefully all comments before announcing what the next steps should be. At that stage, I will arrange for all the responses, apart from those where respondents have indicated that they would prefer their views not to be separately identified, to be placed in the Library of the House.

Literacy and Numeracy Centres

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for literacy and numeracy centres in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [9069]

Mr. Richards: Plans for raising standards of literacy and numeracy in schools in Wales are set out in the published "Bright Future" programme. Every primary school is to set targets for improvements. Some £3 million is to be devoted to schemes in support during 1996-97.

Disadvantaged Pupils

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to give extra support in the schooling of children from disadvantaged homes; and if he will make a statement. [9065]

Mr. Richards: My right hon. Friend announced his provisional local government revenue proposals for 1996-97 in the House on 28 November, Official Report, column 600. It is for individual local authorities to determine how the resources that are made available are allocated between services, including education, in the light of their statutory responsibilities and their perception of local needs and priorities.

Government Expenditure Report

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek payment from the central office of the Conservative party to recompense the Welsh Office for the time taken by civil servants on undertaking the recent report on the purported income and expenditure of all Government Departments in Wales, and in printing and publishing the report. [8636]

Mr. Hague: No. The report presents an objective assessment of Government expenditure on behalf of the population of Wales and revenue raised in Wales. The methodology used is clearly explained and open to scrutiny. I am satisfied that the report adds to public

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understanding of fiscal issues relating to Wales and that its preparation and publication at public expense is fully justified.

Education Standards

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the percentage of lessons consistently identified as poor by Ofsted included assessments of lessons given in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [9071]

Mr. Richards: No.

Mr. Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of failing schools in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [9070]

Mr. Richards: No such estimates are made. Whether a school is in need of special measures will depend on the findings of a full office of Her Majesty's chief inspector.

Mr. Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what cash he has earmarked to identify and improve failing schools; and if he will make a statement. [9072]

Mr. Richards: The costs of identifying failing schools are borne from within the overall budget for the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector. Those for improving failing schools will vary: they are not limited to a specifically earmarked sum.

Valleys Park

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to promote the establishment of a valleys park; and if he will make a statement. [8971]

Mr. Gwilym Jones: Under the programme for the valleys, my right hon. Friend is keen to encourage projects which will help to improve the quality of the environment of the south Wales valleys. I understand an application has been submitted to the Millennium Commission for the development of a valleys park.

Electricity and Water Industries

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the implications for employment of the proposed takeover of Swalec by Welsh Water. [8637]

Mr. Hague: This is a matter for the companies concerned.

Homework Centres

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homework centres he has established in each of the local education authorities of Wales; and if he will make a statement. [9064]

Mr. Richards: Establishment of such centres is a matter for individual schools. The "Bright Future" programme provides that each school in Wales should consider offering facilities for study after hours.

Adult Education

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning adult education. [9199]

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Mr. Richards: I refer the hon. Member to "People and Prosperity: An Agenda for Action in Wales". It is our policy in Wales to extend educational opportunity and choice, and improve standards, in all phases of education. This includes making good quality education accessible to adults to help them improve their qualifications and update their skills, and promoting a culture of lifelong learning.

Arts Centre

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the establishment of a national concert hall, opera house and centre for the performing arts is established in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [9313]

Mr. Hague: I am sympathetic to the development of a national opera house in Wales, but decisions on the provision of arts facilities are a matter for the funding bodies concerned.

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