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Employees (Sickness)
Mr. Elletson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many days off sick were taken by employees in the private sector in (a) 1990-91, (b) 1991-92, (c) 1992-93, (d) 1993-94 and (e) 1994-95 indicating (i) the total figures and (ii) the average for each employee. [3507]
Mrs. Angela Knight: I have been asked to reply.
| Days lost per week in quarter | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter | Total (millions of days) | Per employee (days) | |
| Spring 1994 | 2.1 | 0.13 | |
| Spring 1995 | 2.2 | 0.14 | |
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the organisations and governments consulted by Her Majesty's Government in compiling the British submission to the World court on the legality of nuclear weapons. [3988]
Mr. David Davis: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), on 28 February 1994, column 547, and 14 June 1994, column 405.
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many EU governments gave evidence to the World Court on the legality of nuclear weapons; how many asked the court to rule that they were legal; and how many asked the court to refuse to answer the question. [3989]
Mr. Davis: Eight EU Governments made written statements in relation to the requests for advisory opinions by the World Health Organisation and the UN General Assembly; four Governments also made oral statements. Six argued that the court should not answer the requests, five further arguing, on the substance, that the use or
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threat of use of nuclear weapons is not prohibited as such under international law. Copies of the written statements will be placed in the Library of the House. Transcripts of the oral statements can be obtained from the International Court of Justice.
Consultants
Mr. Fisher: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those (a) consultants, (b) outside organisations and (c) individuals employed by his Department in each year since 1990, indicating the purposes of their employment and the total payments made to them. [3967]
Mr. Hanley: (a) In answering this question the Department has used the definition of consultancy as set out in the efficiency scrutiny on the Government's use of external consultants.
For the year 1994-95 the diplomatic wing spent £76,887 on management consultants. The ODA spent £847, 545 on consultants assisting on management issues.
More detailed information on individual contracts and the previous years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
(b) The Department does not hold information on outside organisations in the form requested. Invoices from outside organisations are not broken down to distinguish between provision of services and goods. Therefore the information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
(c) Information on individuals employed by the Department can be found in the civil service staff post summary tables. These can be found in the House Libraries. The purpose of their employment is to assist the Department to attain its aims and objectives as set out in the departmental report. The costs of employing individuals can be found in the departmental report.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff are employed at the London office of the European Commission. [2989]
Mr. David Davis:
This information is available from the European Commission office at:
Mr. Davis:
The Commission office in London produces and circulates information about the European Union on its own authority. Resources for Commission
6 Dec 1995 : Column: 252
activities are agreed by the Council and European Parliament, acting as the budgetary authority.
Mr. Stewart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of Egypt concerning the activities of Islamic extremists based in London; and if he will make a statement. [3973]
Mr. Hanley:
My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed this with the Egyptian Government during his visit to Cairo on 10 to 11 November. We are concerned at the unwelcome presence of foreign extremists in the United Kingdom who abuse our traditional freedoms. We are in close contact with a number of foreign Governments who share our concern. Any evidence of violations of UK law will be passed to the police for action.
Mr. Betts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each scheme so far agreed under the private finance initiative (a) capital and (b) revenue costs to public funds (i) under PFI and (ii) estimated to have been incurred had the scheme been funded wholly within the public sector. [3821]
Mr. Hanley:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 November 1995, Official Report, column 694.
Mr. Betts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much capital expenditure is forecast to be included in the private finance initiative for the current financial year and the next five financial years. [3826]
Mr. Hanley:
I refer the hon. Member to table 6.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996-97, which was laid before the House on 28th November 1995.
Mr. Spearing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the text of the final revision of the report of the reflections group to be considered at the European Council in Madrid on 15 to 16 December to be (a) published and (b) widely available in the United Kingdom. [4469]
Mr. David Davis:
The final report of the study group was finalised on 5 December. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The report has been deposited for parliamentary scrutiny. Copies of the report are available on request from the European Union Department (Internal) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the report is available on the Internet from http://www.fco.gov.UK.
Mr. Patrick Thompson:
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the
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House of Commons Commission, if discussions have yet been concluded on a new long-term agreement with Her Majesty's Stationery Office for the printing and publication of House documents, as referred to in his written answer of 17 May 1995, Official Report, column 237; and what the consequences of that agreement will be for the sale prices of Hansard and other House papers. [4090]
Mr. Beith:
The Commission has now approved the terms of a new supply and service agreement between the House and HMSO, which will take effect on 1 January 1996. As a result, the House will no longer purchase its documents from HMSO at the face price but instead will make block payments based on production costs. The level of these block payments will be re-negotiated annually, in accordance with principles set out in the agreement. In calendar year 1996 the block payments will total £11,969,000, which is broadly similar to the total sums paid to HMSO by the Vote Office and other House Departments in respect of the documents in question in each of the previous two years.
The financial settlement for 1996 also provides for the following reductions in the sale price of House documents:
The reduction in the price of the weekly Hansard from £22 to £12, which was announced in my answer of 17 May and came into effect on 6 June, will continue to apply.
Mr. Thompson:
To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what consideration the House of Commons Commission has given to the possible safeguards that might be required to protect the future provision of printing services to Parliament in the event of the privatisation of HMSO? [4091]
Mr. Beith:
The Commission and the Finance and Services Committee have been giving the most active consideration to these matters and I hope to be able to give a more detailed reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what authority the London office of the European Commission produces and circulates pro-European Union information, with particular reference to circulation to schools; and if he will make a statement. [2990]
No. 8 Storey's Gate
LONDON
SW1P 3AT
Standing Committee Hansards will in future be priced on a scale according to page content, with a maximum price of £5 compared with the current fixed price of £7.50.
Daily Hansard: £5 instead of £7.50
Select Committee Reports: 20 per cent. reduction on current price scales
Bills: 10 per cent. reduction on current price scales
Weekly Information Bulletin: £1.50 instead of £2.30
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