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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Consultants
Mr. Fisher: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. [3962]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: (a) This information has not been held centrally, and figures for the years before 1992-93 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. On the best information currently available, for the years 1992 to 1995 the following numbers of external consultants have won contracts, with the total spend on external consultancy as specified:
| 1992-3 | 1993-4 | 1994-5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers of consultants | 34 | 63 | 69 |
| Total spend | £1.2 million | £1.4 million | £1.5 million |
(b) The answer to this question could be provided only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
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(c) Copies of the civil service staff post summary tables from 1990 to 1995 can be found in the House Libraries and numbers of individuals employed by the Department may be found therein.
The purpose of each individual's employment is to assist the Department to attain its aims and objectives, as set out in the departmental report, which also details the relevant costs.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe mission in Chechnya. [4961]
Mr. David Davis:
The OSCE assistance group continues to operate in Chechnya. We receive regular reports on its activities from the OSCE. It continues to play a valuable role in promoting a peaceful settlement to the conflict, and has our full support in this work.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress on the establishment of a peacekeeping force for Nagorno-Karabakh under OSCE auspices. [4960]
Mr. David Davis:
The Budapest ministerial conference of the OSCE--7 to 8 December--decided that the signing of a political agreement on cessation of the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh would enable the OSCE permanent council to take a decision on the establishment of the OSCE peacekeeping operation. The co-chairman of the Minsk group reported to the conference that the parties to the conflict have declared their commitment to continue respecting the ceasefire, and to establish direct contacts to achieve agreement on the principles governing the resolution of the conflict.
A high-level planning group has produced an initial report on the technical aspects of a peacekeeping operation and will make further recommendations.
Mr. Fatchett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will outline (a) his Department's position in relation to trade with Burma and (b) that of other EU members; and if he will make a statement. [4774]
Mr. Hanley:
There is no obstacle to United kingdom firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union arms embargo. I set out to the House in some detail on July 19 the Government's policy towards Burma, including trade, Official Report, columns 1638- 45.
We regularly discuss policy towards Burma with our EU partners, but do not have details of their policy on trade.
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Mr. Fatchett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received regarding the use of forced labour in Burma; and if he will make a statement. [4776]
Mr. Hanley:
We have received representations about human rights abuses in Burma, including the use of forced labour, from a wide variety of sources including Church groups, non-governmental organisations and members of the public.
Officials have consistently expressed our concern about the use of forced labour in Burma, both in international forums and directly to the ruling military regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council. We will continue to do so.
Mr. Fatchett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has provided in the last three years to United Kingdom companies interested in trade with Burma, or in operating in Burma; what is the cost of this assistance; and if he will make a statement. [4775]
Mr. Hanley:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade today.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been held in detention on St. Helena as a result of allegations of non-payment of debts; how long they were held before their cases were heard in court; and what sentence they received. [4871]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
The power of arrest arises only where an alleged debtor is about to leave St. Helena and has failed to furnish security for his appearance before a court. In the one instance during the last five years when the power was exercised, the alleged debtor was held for three hours and five minutes and was released on security being given. No question of sentence arises in such cases.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with the Director General of Passenger Rail Franchising in relation to preservation of InterCity services west of Cardiff in the event of a franchise grant to the BR Western Region management and First Bus consortium. [5416]
Mr. Watts:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with the franchising director. The franchising director has specified those InterCity services west of Cardiff which, in his opinion, needed to be protected in the Great Western passenger service requirement. The franchise operator will be contractually obliged to provide these services. InterCity services west of Cardiff are also provided by Cross Country and will be included in the PSR for that franchise when it is developed in due course.
11 Dec 1995 : Column: 458
Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to revise the objectives, instructions and guidance issued to the franchising director under section 5 of the Railways Act 1993. [5434]
Sir George Young:
I am today writing to the franchising director amplifying his instructions in relation to risk sharing in franchise agreements, the funding of services in passenger transport executive areas and the provision of concessionary travel for railway employees. I am placing a copy of my letter in the Library.
Mr. Whittingdale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for liberalising tourism signposting. [5656]
Mr. Watts:
We shall be laying a statutory instrument tomorrow to amend the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 as they apply in England, Wales and Scotland.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November, Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives. [5075]
Mr. Watts:
It is the policy in my Department to ensure that we do not gold-plate European directives by the addition of unnecessary burdens when implementing them in the United Kingdom. We will take every opportunity to look at existing legislation in light of this policy.
Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the reasons for the difference between the figures for the effects of privatisation on the national railways' external financial limits in 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98 in his Department's press notice No. 380 of 28 November and by the equivalent figures in table 2 of "Transport Report 1995"; and if he will provide an equivalent figure for 1998-99. [5194]
Mr. Watts:
The figures for the effects of privatisation given in both publications referred to are the same, except in 1996-97 where rounding in the press notice to the nearest £10 million accounts for the small difference between the figures. A figure for 1998-99 is not yet available.
Mr. Clifton-Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the award of the contracts for the A419 Latton bypass and the A417 Cirencester/Stratton bypass.[4838]
Mr. Watts:
I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
11 Dec 1995 : Column: 459
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated 11 December 1995:
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