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Red Deer (Culling)
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what monitoring he has undertaken of the culling methods of red deer on the Balmoral and Dalnadamph estates. [17900]
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Mr. Raymond S. Robertson [holding answer 1 March 1996]: The Red Deer Commission provides advice to land owners and their representatives in Scotland on deer matters and the Commission has been involved in discussions from time to time in connection with the Balmoral and Dalnadamph estates. In addition, the Deer (Scotland) Act 1959 prescribes the permitted methods for culling red deer in Scotland.
Experimental Nuclear Reactor Sites
Mr. Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on land ownership and lease arrangements applying to the experimental nuclear reactor sites operated by the Scottish universities research and reactor centre at the former national engineering laboratory in East Kilbride. [18065]
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 4 March 1996]: Ownership of the site of the former National Engineering Laboratory at East Kilbride now rests with Scottish Enterprise. The lease arrangements which apply to that site are an operational matter for that organisation. I will ask the chairman of Scottish Enterprise to write to the hon. Member.
European Social Fund
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the funding contribution (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of total funding from the European social fund to each local enterprise company for the (i) youth training, (ii) youth credits, (iii) modern apprenticeships and (iv) training for work programmes.[18745]
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 4 March 1996]: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
WALES
Drug-related Deaths
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many heroin-related deaths have occurred in each of the past five years in Wales; and if he will make a statement; [17529]
- (2) how many deaths have occurred in Wales in each of the past five years as a result of Ecstasy use; and if he will make a statement; [17515]
(3) how many deaths have occurred in Wales in each of the past five years as a result of LSD use; and if he will make a statement. [17557]
Mr. Richards: The table, provided by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from information on death certificates, shows the number of deaths to residents of Wales registered between 1990 and 1994 with mention of heroin, Ecstasy and LSD.
| Heroin | Ecstasy | LSD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
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Investors in People
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employers, and of what size, hold investor in people status; and what percentage of all employers of that size these constitute (a) in Wales and (b) in Mid Glamorgan [17931]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The Welsh Office's records show that, in Wales, 142 organisations employing fewer than 200 people and 54 organisations with 200 employees or more have achieved the investors in people standard. The equivalent figures for Mid Glamorgan are 24 and 13 organisations respectively.
These achievements represent 18 per cent. of eligible organisations in Wales employing 200 or more people and almost 20 per cent. in Mid Glamorgan. Percentage figures for those with fewer than 200 employees are not yet available.
Sea Empress Incident
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to compensate the local seafood sector following the tanker disaster in Milford Haven; and if he will make a statement. [17597]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement made by my right hon. Friend on 29 February 1996, column 1024-98.
Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the loss of life among each species of wild bird for the spillage from the Sea Empress; what support he is providing for those agencies seeking to save the bird populations; and if he will make a statement; [17938]
Mr. Jones: The latest estimate--28 February--on bird kills and birds oiled, by species is given on the following list. Compensation for cost incurred as a result of the oil pollution damage from the Sea Empress is available from the shipowners insurer and from the International oil pollution compensation fund, which is funded by levies on the oil industry.
| Species | Dead total | RSPCA rescued |
|---|---|---|
| Manx Shearwater | 1 | 0 |
| Fulmar | 1 | 0 |
| Great Northern Diver | 4 | 4 |
| Black Throated Diver | 1 | 1 |
| Red Throated Diver | 8 | 35 |
| Little Grebe | 0 | 0 |
| Great Crested Grebe | 2 | 1 |
| Red necked Grebe | 0 | 4 |
| Slavonian Grebe | 0 | 0 |
| Shag | 1 | 10 |
| Cormorant | 27 | 0 |
| Grey Heron | 0 | 0 |
| Little Egret | 0 | 0 |
| Mute Swan | 0 | 9 |
| Canada Goose | 0 | 0 |
| Shelduck | 1 | 0 |
| Scoter | 1,202 | 2,452 |
| Velvet Scoter | 0 | 1 |
| Eider | 0 | 9 |
| R-B Merganser | 0 | 1 |
| Oystercatcher | 6 | 3 |
| Turnstone | 2 | 0 |
| Black-H Gull | 2 | 1 |
| Common Gull | 1 | 0 |
| Lesser B-B Gull | 0 | 0 |
| Herring Gull | 2 | 7 |
| Great B-B Gull | 0 | 0 |
| Kittiwake | 2 | 2 |
| Guillemot | 643 | 418 |
| Razorbill | 160 | 21 |
| Unidentified | 142 | 0 |
| Total | 2,208 | 2,979 |
Notes:
These are minimum figures as the complete data set is not yet available. There may also be birds which have been picked up and cared for my members of the public, or taken to other bird hospitals which are not included in the RSPCA figures.
Many dead birds will remain at sea, or come ashore in inaccessible places, and not be counted.
Caution should also be noted with regard to the identification of oiled birds.
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 275
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional financial assistance he will make available to maritime local authorities in Wales to enable them to minimize the pollution impact of the Sea Empress disaster. [17885]
Mr. Hague: While local authorities are responsible for the clean-up of any oil which comes ashore, the clear principle is that the polluter must pay. The costs will be reimbursed by the ship's insurers and by the International oil pollution compensation fund. In the intervening period, as I said on 29 February Official Report, column 1033, the Welsh Office will consider sympathetically any representations from local authorities about covering costs incurred.
South-East Wales Ambulance Trust
Mr Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what severance payments have been made to the former chief executive of the South-east Wales ambulance trust. [18080]
Mr. Richards: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) on 28 February 1996, Official Report, columns 603-04.
Higher Education Inquiry
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what involvement his Department will have in the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education; and if he will make a statement. [18450]
Mr. Richards: My right hon. Friend will be fully involved in deciding on the composition of the committee, and on its terms of reference. The Welsh Office will ensure that the committee is fully appraised of the features
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of the higher education sector in Wales. It will be for the committee to decide on its methods of proceeding but the Welsh Office will be involved in presenting evidence and information to the committee. In due course, my right hon. Friend will be involved in deciding on the Government's response to the committee's report.
German and French Companies
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed by (a) German and (b) French companies in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [18266]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: French-owned manufacturing companies employ 4,620 people in Wales and German-owned manufacturing companies in Wales employ 5,630 people in Wales. They make a valuable contribution to the Welsh industrial base.
Wind Farms
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received since 1990 (a) for and (b) against proposals for wind farm developments in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [18268]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Since 1990, my right hon. Friend has received numerous representations about proposals for wind farm developments. The majority of representations have been against the proposals.
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