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Scott Inquiry

Mr. Robin Cook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have at any time used copies of draft sections of Sir Richard Scott's report to prepare the Government's response to Sir Richard's report. [11887]

Mr. Kenneth Clarke: No decision about the response to Sir Richard Scott's report will be taken until the report has been received.

In considering issues relating to the Scott inquiry, all Departments naturally take account of material properly available to them.

Mr. Cook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if copies of draft sections of Sir Richard Scott's report are in the possession of Ministers or officials in his Department other than those to whom draft sections of the report were sent by Sir Richard Scott. [11886]

Mr. Clarke: In forwarding draft sections of Sir Richard Scott's report to Ministers and officials, the inquiry expressly stated that individuals could, at their discretion, make a copy for a legal or other adviser and another for the Department concerned.

Employment Statistics (Accuracy)

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new proposals he has to improve the accuracy of employment statistics. [9414]

Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 24 January 1996]: Central Statistical Office statisticians keep methods under constant review. A number of new initiatives have been put in place in recent years. Further initiatives will be implemented as appropriate.

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Mr. Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of people in each of the last three years in the north-west in (a) part-time employment and (b) temporary employment. [11601]

Mrs. Knight: The information requested is available from the labour force survey and is shown in the following table.

Employees in North West region: Summer of each year (thousands)(4)

YearPart-timeTemporary
1993555146
1994576164
1995580163

(4) Unadjusted.

Source:

CSO, Labour Force Survey.

Mr. Pike: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) 16-year-olds and (b) 17-year-olds were available for work in (i) Lancashire and (ii) the north-west at the latest date for which figures are available. [11602]

Mrs. Knight: The following table shows the latest available information from the summer (June to August) 1995 labour force survey.

16 and 17-year-olds in employment or ILO unemployed (summer 1995, not seasonally adjusted)

North-westLancashire
Thousands161716-17
In employment254216
Of which in FTE(5)172210
ILO unemployed(6)1611n/a

(5) In full-time education.

(6) Not in employment, but seeking work in past four weeks and available to start in the next two weeks.

n/a Not available, estimate below 10,000.

Earnings (Yorkshire and Humberside)

Mr. Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the average (a) weekly earnings, (b) total hours, (c) average hourly earnings and (d) median hourly earnings, including and excluding overtime, for (i) all part-time females and (ii) all part-time males on adult rates in (1) West Yorkshire, (2) South Yorkshire, (3) North Yorkshire, (4) Humberside and (5) Yorkshire and Humberside as a whole, broken down to show (A) manual and (b) non-manual workers; [10688]

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Mrs. Angela Knight: The information is contained in tables which I am placing in the Library.

Part-time Workers

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of (a) manual part-time workers and (b) non-manual part-time workers, broken down into men and women, work less than (i) eight hours a week and (ii) 16 hours a week. [10862]

Mrs. Angela Knight: Estimates from the labour force survey are shown in the table following.

Part-time manual and non-manual workers by the total number of hours they usually work Great Britain,summer 1995 (not seasonally adjusted)

Working less than 8 hours a week Working less than 16 hours a week
ThousandsPer cent.ThousandsPer cent.
Men
Manual part-time871623845
Non-Manual part-time931726448
Women
Manual part-time3031594447
Non-Manual part-time330111,07535

Employment (Maastricht Treaty)

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the effect on employment in the United Kingdom of the Maastricht treaty when full implemented. [9798]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The Government have made no estimates of the effect on employment in the United Kingdom of the convergence criteria under the Maastricht treaty when fully implemented. The UK opt-out from the social chapter means that the Maastricht treaty will have no adverse effect on employment via that mechanism. However, the Government will agree to join a single currency only if it is in our national interest to do so, given the circumstances at the time.

Manufacturing Industry

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact on manufacturing jobs of the United Kingdom adopting a common EU currency in its currently proposed form. [9805]

Mrs. Angela Knight: Protocol No. 11 annexed to the EC Treaty means that the United Kingdom shall not be obliged or committed to move to the third stage of economic and monetary union without a separate decision to do so by the Government and Parliament. The Government will only agree to take part in a single

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currency if it is in our national interest to do so, given the circumstances at the time. Clearly employment forms a vital part in the assessment of our national interest.

The Government have made no estimates of the impact on manufacturing jobs of the United Kingdom adopting a single currency. It is impossible to say at this stage what the impact will be. Studies by others have produced a wide variation of estimates.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

ISDN Lines

Mr. David Shaw: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to ensure that the price of integrated services data network lines falls in line with the real terms price reductions for all telecommunications services. [10426]

Mr. Ian Taylor: The detailed answer on the supply of ISDN lines which I gave my hon. Friend last November, 22 November 1995, Official Report, column 210, set out the variety of ways in which use of ISDN is being stimulated. The Director General of Telecommunications has now issued his consultation document on the BT price cap. This document discusses whether ISDN services should be brought within the price control regime, and Oftel has asked for responses by 2 February.

There will also be downward pressure on prices from the increasing competition in the supply of ISDN services with cable companies entering the market. In the future, radio fixed access systems at 10Ghz should also offer an alternative to the current services available from BT and Mercury. I was particularly pleased to learn of the deal between Energis and Research Machines which will allow many schools to access the Internet via ISDN at attractive rates.

Waste

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what (a) committees and (b) working parties his Department has set up to advise on (i) recycling, (ii) waste management and (iii) packaging; and in each case who are the current members. [11182]

Mr. Page: The Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment was set up in 1991 to provide a dialogue between Government and industry on environmental issues, including those of waste management and recycling, ACBE is currently reorganising under the chairmanship of David Davies--Johnson Matthey plc--and the membership of the new committee has yet to be established. A list of the membership of the previous committee, whose work finished in November 1995, follows: Membership of Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment


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A Government/industry scrap tyre working group was formed in June 1994 to advise and report on scrap tyre recovery and recycling and associated matters. Its current membership is:



    Mr. W. Pollock: Director, British Rubber Manufacturers Association
    Mr. R. Edy Director: National Tyre Distributors Association
    Ms S. Ikin Director: Retread Manufacturers Association
    Mr. P. Taylor: Director, Imported Tyre Manufacturers Association
    Mr. S. Norgrove: DTI
    Mr. J. Marsh: DTI (Secretary)

The producer responsibility group was set up by industry in response to the joint producer responsibility challenge from DTI and DoE Ministers in July 1993 to recover more value from package waste. It reported in November 1994 and wound itself up. A list of its former members is as follows:


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Mr. Sheerman: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what (a) advisory committees and (b) working parties have been established by his Department to advise him on the implications of changes in legislation regarding packaging, recycling and waste management. [11184]

Mr. Page: As far as the implication for legislation are concerned with regard to these matters, the Government consult widely and take into account the views of all interested parties. No committees or working groups have been set up specifically to address the implication of changes in legislation.

The Government are currently considering the recommendation by companies in the packaging chain at their meeting on 15 December 1995 that an advisory committee be established to advise on the drafting and implementation of the regulations and on arrangements for carrying out a review of the legal obligation, including consideration of actual burden on individual companies.

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