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Medical Research Council
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what council funds have been earmarked for (a) "realising our potential" awards and (b) other schemes in each of the last 10 years (i) in cash terms and (ii) as a proportion of the Medical Research Council budget. [14721]
Mr. Ian Taylor: (a) The following additional allocations have been made to the Medical Research Council--MRC--for the first year costs of new realising our potential awards, ROPA, grants:
| Cash terms (£ million) | Proportion of MRC budget (per cent.) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| 1995-96 | 2.6 | 0.9 |
| 1994-95 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
13 Feb 1996 : Column: 540
In most years, there have in addition been allocations for less specific programmes, such as the support of studentships and responsive mode grants, and allowances for the ongoing costs of new initiatives started in previous years.
Mr. Hughes:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much money the Medical Research Council has been allocated in each of the last 10 years. [14720]
Mr. Taylor:
The allocations made to the Medical Research Council from the science budget over the last 10 years are as follows:
1996-97: £281.9 million
1995-96: £278.0 million
1994-95: £269.2 million
1993-94: £256.9 million
1992-93: £227.6 million
1991-92: £200.4 million
1990-91: £185.7 million
1989-90: £176.3 million
1988-89: £146.7 million
1987-88: £139.8 million.
Electricite de France
Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been paid to Electricite de France under the fossil fuel levy from its introduction to date. [14757]
Mr. Page:
Electricite de France does not receive payments from the fossil fuel levy.
13 Feb 1996 : Column: 541
Mrs. Anne Campbell:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on core research funding for the public sector research establishments. [14643]
Mr. Ian Taylor:
Public sector research establishments provide a wide variety of scientific and technical services for their customers within Government, the research councils, academia and industry. These are supported by a varying mixture of "core funding" for a range of facilities or services, and funds for specific activities, often awarded on a competitive basis.
The 1993 White Paper "Realising our Potential" made clear our intention that Government research contract should be awarded wherever possible by a competitive process, as a means to ensure an efficient and effective service is obtained. The progress of Departments and research councils in implementing this policy is reported annually in the statistical supplement to the "Forward Look".
Mr. Burden:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish the firework injury statistics relating to November 1995. [14913]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
The fireworks injury statistics are collected from all hospital accident and emergency departments in Great Britain. As soon as all this information has been received, collated and checked, which should be some time in March, the figures will be published.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many written parliamentary questions were passed for answer to executive agencies and non-governmental departments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [14987]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
The information requested in respect of the DTI's executive agencies is set out in the list. The answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 15 January 1996, Official Report, column 357, explains the basis on which this information has been prepared.
No parliamentary questions have been passed to the non-departmental public bodies for which the DTI is responsible.
1991-92: 0
1992-93: 4
1993-94: 0
1994-95: 2
1995-96: 1 (Year to date).
Electricity Industry
Mr. Pike:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what power stations have been closed by (a) National Power and (b) PowerGen since privatisation; and what proceeds have accrued to public funds as a result of each sale. [14937]
13 Feb 1996 : Column: 542
Mr. Eggar:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Small Business, Industry and Energy to his similar question of 5 February 1996, Official Report, column 18.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion the statutory minimum wage contributes to the average national wage in (a) each EU state, (b) USA, (c) Japan, (d) Australia, (e) Canada and (f) New Zealand. [14973]
Mr. John M. Taylor:
This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Limited and somewhat dated evidence is available from the OECD jobs study, from which the table is taken.
| Men | Women | Both sexes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | |||
| Netherlands, 1989, lowest level, (adults) | 0.627 | 0.777 | -- |
| Canada, 1988, 0-8 years of education | 0.356 | 0.544 | -- |
| United States, 1987, 8-11 years of schooling | 0.362 | 0.579 | -- |
| Occupation | |||
| France, 1991: | |||
| Blue-collar workers (ouvriers) | 0.657 | 0.805 | 0.685 |
| White-collar workers (employee) | 0.603 | 0.667 | 0.639 |
| Senior managers (cadres) | 0.246 | 0.310 | 0.257 |
| Age | |||
| Netherlands, 1989: | |||
| 15-22, average youth MW | 0.538 | 0.622 | -- |
| (15-22, adult minimum wage) | (1.021) | (1.182) | -- |
| Canada, 1988: | |||
| 16-19 | 0.565 | 0.607 | 0.583 |
| 20-24 | 0.443 | 0.510 | 0.470 |
| France, 1987: | |||
| 15-19 | -- | -- | 1.164 |
| 20-24 | -- | -- | 0.747 |
| United States, 1987: | |||
| 16-24, workers paid hourly rates | 0.682 | 0.794 | -- |
| 16-19, full-time wage and salary earners | 0.697 | 0.795 | -- |
| 20-24, full-time wage and salary earners | 0.496 | 0.564 | -- |
Note:
1. The youth minimum is estimated as the simple average of the seven specific youth rates.
Sources:
Netherlands: 1989 Wage Survey (submission from the Statistical Central Bureau);
Canada: Market Activity Survey (submission from Statistics Canada);
United States: Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Labour Force Statistics Derived From the Current Population Survey"
1948-87. 1988 (for age) and tabulations from the CPS from Prof. L. Katz (for education).
France: 1987, Declarations annuelles de donnees sociales (DADS); 1991,
"L'Evolution des salaries", Dossiers statistiques du travail et de I'emploi.
No. 87, 1993.
Taken from OECD Jobs Study (1994), table 5.26, page 49. OECD, Paris.
13 Feb 1996 : Column: 543
Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer given on 15 January, Official Report, columns 476-77, if he will list the figures for purchasing power parity on a common basis, indicating the figures per hour; and if he will give the equivalent figures for minimum wage levels and purchasing power parity exchange rates for (a) Australia, (b) Canada, (c) New Zealand and (d) those EU countries excluded from the answer. [14969]
Mr. Taylor: The table shows the minimum wage in a number of countries, calculated as an hourly rate, and translated into sterling using purchasing power parity exchange rates.
| Minimum wage level (hourly rate) | At PPP(16) exchange rates | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Own currency | Sterling |
| Belgium | BF 249.9 | £4.32 |
| France | FF 36.98 | £3.61 |
| Greece | Dr 667.2 | £2.20 |
| Luxembourg | LF 252.37 | £4.07 |
| Netherlands | HfL 12.6 | £3.83 |
| Portugal | Esc 300 | £1.64 |
| Spain | Pts 374.54 | £1.99 |
| USA | US$ 4.25 | £2.75 |
| Japan(17) | Y 554 | £1.98 |
| Canada | C$ 6.25 | £3.26 |
| New Zealand | NZ$ 6.25 | £2.68 |
All minimum wages converted to hourly rates, assuming a standard 40 hour week, 8 hour day.
(16) Wage Rates converted to UK equivalent using 1994 purchasing power parities from OECD National Accounts, 1996.
(17) The lowest regional rate.
Mr. Meacher: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the work force is covered by the minimum wage in respect of (a) Australia, (b) Canada, (c) New Zealand, (d) all EU countries, (e) USA and (f) Japan. [14970]
Mr. Taylor: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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