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Government Bonds (Payment)

Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure that a present purchaser of Her Majesty's Government's bonds with a redemption date after 1999 will receive payment in pound sterling. [13615]

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Mrs. Angela Knight: The presidency conclusion from the European Council on 15 to 16 December 1995 in Madrid state that, on the assumption that the third stage of EMU starts on 1 January 1999, in participating member states,


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Protocol No. 11 annexed to the EC treaty means that the United Kingdom shall not be obliged or committed to participate in the third stage of economic and monetary union without a separate decision to do so by the Government and Parliament. We will agree to take part in the single currency only if it is in our national interest to do so, given the circumstances at the time.

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HOUSE OF COMMONS

Visitors' Facilities

31. Mr. Flynn: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission what new proposals he has to improve facilities for visitors to the House. [13049]

Mr. Beith: On 12 July 1994, the House approved a recommendation from the Catering Committee that the area currently occupied by the Westminster Hall cafeteria should be converted into a visitors' centre.

Cleaning Contracts

Mr. Key: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission which company holds the cleaning contract in respect of common areas, kitchens and men's and women's lavatories, and rooms other than Members and Members' staff rooms, at 7 Millbank; when it commenced; when it will terminate; what is its value; and if it was awarded by competitive tender. [14467]

Mr. Beith: The cleaning contract for the parliamentary estate, including 7 Millbank is held by ISS London Ltd. The contract commenced in August 1992 and will terminate in August 1997. The value of the contract is subject to commercial confidentiality, but the annual cost of contract cleaning at 7 Millbank, excluding the rooms of Members and their staff, is £190,000. The contract was awarded by competitive tender.

Job Advertisements

Mr. Janner: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many jobs have been advertised in each grade in each Department of the House during the last three months for which records are available; and how many people have been applied for each such job. [13894]

Mr. Beith: In the three months ending 31 January 1996 details of recruitment exercises held to fill vacancies in Departments of the House, together with the number of applicants for each, are as follows:

Vacancy DepartmentNumber of applications
Legal Assistant (Grade 8-10)Clerk's48
Secretary (Grade 3)Serjeant at Arms33
Network Planning Officer (Grade 7)Serjeant at Arms24
Doorkeeper (Grade 12)Serjeant at Arms1,002
Word Processing Assistant (Grade 13)Official Report66
Foreman (DEL1)Parliamentary Works Directorate6
Fitter (DEL3)Parliamentary Works Directorate18
Storekeeper (DEL4)Parliamentary Works Directorate14
Craft Auxiliary (DEL6)Parliamentary Works Directorate5
Heating Attendant (DEL6)Parliamentary Works Directorate19
Assistant Financial Controller (Grade 10)Refreshment13
Income Control Clerk (Grade 13)Refreshment5
Food and Beverage Control Clerk (Grade 13)Refreshment14
Chefs (7 vacancies)Refreshment28

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Westminster Hall (Media Use)

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he will assess the advantages of allowing live media use of Westminster Hall. [13054]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: The authorities controlling Westminster Hall have already agreed that permission may be granted to film interviews in the Hall before 9.30 am on sitting Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and during recesses.

Filming is also permitted in any of the six interview rooms off the Hall, and in the Jubilee Room.

Photocopiers

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what are the rules governing the use of photocopiers owned and maintained by the House authorities; what assessment he has made of the extent to which photocopiers are being used to excess; and what measures are being pursued to prevent such abuses. [13051]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: Photocopiers owned and maintained by the House are intended for use by hon. Members in connection with their parliamentary duties. They are not intended to be used for work in connection with hon. Members' party political or non-parliamentary work outside Parliament. Detailed guidance on their use is given in a notice adjacent to each photocopier.

As a result of a recent study into control systems to prevent abuse of photocopying facilities, the Administration Committee approved a trial of overprinted photocopy paper in 7 Millbank, to run from the return of the House from the Christmas adjournment, until its rise for the Easter adjournment. The results will then be considered in order to establish what effect the introduction of this paper has had on consumption, and will enable the Committee to decide on any further action.

Catering Facilities

Mr. Hain: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what plans he has to upgrade catering facilities for visitors to the Palace of Westminster. [13052]

Sir Colin Shepherd: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 15 January, Official Report, column 350.

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what additional provision he plans to make for additional catering facilities at the House of Commons in the next financial year. [13056]

Sir Colin Shepherd: There are no additional catering facilities planned in the next financial year.

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However, the refurbishment of existing outlets will continue, which will update and improve the facilities currently available to hon. Members and all others who work in the Palace.

Legionnaire's Disease

Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he will make a statement on the measures taken to combat the presence of Legionnaires' disease. [13060]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: I refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave on 15 January, Official Report column 350.

EU Decision Making

38. Mr. Barnes: To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to improve parliamentary scrutiny of European Union decision making; and if he will make a statement. [13064]

Mr. Newton: Scrutiny procedures are kept under review, but I have no specific plans for change at present. Careful consideration will be given to any proposals emerging from the Select Committee on European Legislation intergovernmental conference inquiry.

Lockerbie

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 15 January, Official Report column 365, what factors preclude him from setting up a Select Committee on the destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie. [13063]

Mr. Newton: There have already been a number of investigations and inquiries including the fatal accident inquiry, the Transport Select Committee and the US presidential commission. It is difficult to see what further areas a Select Committee on the destruction of Pan Am 103 could look at without encroaching on evidence which can properly be addressed only in the context of a criminal trial of the two Libyans accused.

All-night Sittings

Mr. Skinner: To ask the Lord President of the Council how many all-night sittings there have been in the period since the Jopling report recommendations were introduced. [13062]

Mr. Newton: None.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Departmental Publications

Dr. Wright: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which is his Department's administrative manuals and internal guidance are now made public; and which remain private. [14037]

Mr. Boswell: In accordance with paragraph 3(ii) of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information", we have already made available the great majority of the Ministry's administrative guidelines on our dealings with the public. These are as listed. The remainder, some

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chapters in the "Instructions for Regional Service Centres and Instructions for Veterinary Officers", will be made available as soon as possible.

Where guidance contains information which should properly be kept confidential under the code, relevant sections have been removed and each has been marked to this effect.

Guidelines released to date:


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