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Outstanding Payments
Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what values of payments were outstanding within his Department on 5 March, which were beyond the date on the invoice and, where no date was specified, older than 28 days. [20479]
Mr. Hanley: We are committed to the Confederation of British Industry prompt payment code, which requires all invoices to be paid within the agreed credit period, or within 30 days of receipt where no credit period has been agreed. Details of the past performance of the FCO was given in a reply to the hon. Member on 14 December 1995, Official Report, column 754.
Figures for outstanding payments within the FCO on 5 March could be made available only at disproportionate cost.
Capita Managed Services
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the (a) facilities management consortia, (b) private finance initiative bids, (c) management buy-out consortia, (d) contractorisation schemes and (e) market-testing schemes in his Department in respect of which (i) Capita Managed Services and (ii) Lusis Business Solutions are currently involved in bidding. [19911]
Mr. Hanley [holding answer 8 March 1996]: Capita Managed Services and Lusis Business Solutions are not currently involved in bidding to the FCO for any of these services.
EU Working Time Directive
Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to implement the European Union's working time directive; and if he will make a statement. [20332]
Mr. John M. Taylor: I have been asked to reply.
I have no intention of implementing any part of the working time directive in advance of the decision by the European Court of Justice on the UK's legal challenge to the directive.
PRIME MINISTER
Government Policies (Lichfield)
Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the impact of Government policies on the people of the city of Lichfield. [18422]
The Prime Minister: Lichfield has benefited fully from the Government's policies, which have given this country a stronger recovery than any other large European country and the longest run of low inflation for almost 50 years. Unemployment in Lichfield has fallen by 40 per cent. since its peak.
Department of Employment
Mr. Burden: To ask the Prime Minister what functions of the former Department of Employment have been transferred to (a) the Department of Trade and Industry,
12 Mar 1996 : Column: 534
(b) The Department for Education and Employment and (c) other Government Departments; and what plans he has for the further transfer of such functions. [20338]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the press notice released by No. 10 Downing street on 5 July 1995, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House. It was subsequently decided that the Department for Education and Employment would have responsibility for work permits.
I have at present no plans for the further transfer of functions.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 12 March. [18979]
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 12 March. [18980]
The Prime Minister: This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Children (Exploitation)
Mr. Alison: To ask the Prime Minister what invitations he has received from the Swedish Government for United Kingdom governmental participation in the world congress against commercial exploitation of children, to be held in Stockholm in August; what response has been made to the invitation; and which individuals will represent the United Kingdom. [20399]
The Prime Minister: We intend to take part in this congress in response to an invitation I have received from the Swedish Prime Minister. The British embassy is in close touch with the organisers in Stockholm, but a final decision has still to be made on the composition of the United Kingdom delegation.
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Mr. Sykes: To ask the Prime Minister what changes he has made to the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the parliamentary assembly of the OSCE. [20659]
The Prime Minister: My hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) has resigned as a substitute delegate to the assembly and will be replaced by my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks). This change takes effect from today.
Conservative Party Functions
Mr. Hall: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions upon which Government-owned premises were used for Conservative party functions in 1995, including details of the purposes for which each event was held, the name of each event's host and the date, time and place of each event. [17614]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 1 March 1996]: This information is not held centrally.
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EU Legislation
Mr. Steen: To ask the Prime Minister how many EU regulations have been passed; how many of these have altered United Kingdom law; and how many have been the subject of the fiche d'impact in each of the last five years. [18649]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 11 March 1996]: The table provides a breakdown of the number of European Community regulations introduced since 1991.
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council(15) | 335 | 383 | 319 | 274 | 242 |
| Commission(16) | 1,107 | 1,125 | 1,055 | 963 | 748 |
Source:
(15) Annual general reports of the activities of the European Communities from 1991-95.
(16) Commission's CELEX database of Community legislation. The figures exclude short-term or temporary regulations--eg. those measures relating to day-to-day management of agricultural matters. for 1995, the figures include regulations adopted up to 12 December 1995; full year figures are not yet available.
All European Community regulations are directly applicable in United Kingdom law. Information on how many proposals have been the subject of a fiche d' impact is not held centrally. However, it is the Government's policy to press for all proposals for Community legislation which may have a significant impact on business to be accompanied by a fiche d'impact.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Remand Prisoners
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of remand prisoners (a) nationally and (b) in the Greater Manchester area who have been held in custody for a period in excess of three months. [18255]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Jim Callaghan, dated 12 March 1996:
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The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking for the current number of remand prisoners (a) nationally and (b) in the Greater Manchester area who have been held in custody for a period in excess of three months.
The latest information is for 30 June 1995. On that date, 4,230 remand prisoners in England and Wales had first been remanded to custody more than three months previously. This figure includes both those who are awaiting trial and those who have been convicted and are awaiting sentence. The period since first remand into custody includes any intervening time spent on bail into prison. 265 of these remand prisoners were held in either Manchester prison or Hindley remand centre.
Departmental Equipment and Furniture
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that (a) have been stolen and (b) are otherwise unaccounted for from his Department and its agencies in each of the past five years, listing by name any such items valued at £5,000 or more, and showing information technology material separately. [19036]
Mr. Howard: The cost and number of items of equipment and furniture that have been stolen or are otherwise unaccounted for in each of the past five years are:
| Value £ | |
|---|---|
| 1991-92 | |
| Equipment/Furniture | |
| 4 items below £5,000 | 7,615 |
| Information Technology (IT) Equipment | |
| 3 items below £5,000 | 3,270 |
| 1992-93 | |
| Equipment/Furniture | |
| 6 Items below £5,000 | 3,482 |
| IT Equipment | |
| 1 item below £5,000 | 1,000 |
| Items stolen costing £5,000 or more | |
| 23 heat lamps | 7,050 |
| Horsebox and tools | 6,500 |
| Total | 13,550 |
| 1993-94 | |
| Equipment/Furniture | |
| 7 items below £5,000 | 7,283 |
| IT Equipment | |
| 3 items below £5,000 | 5,127 |
| Items stolen costing £5,000 or more | |
| 3 computer systems and equipment | 5,000 |
| Computer system | 5,000 |
| Total | 10,000 |
| 1994-95 | |
| Equipment/Furniture | |
| 6 items below £5,000 | 5,272 |
| IT Equipment | |
| 13 items below £5,000 | 15,517 |
| 1995-96 | |
| Equipment/Furniture | |
| 6 items below £5,000 | 6,435 |
| IT Equipment | |
| 6 items below £5,000 | 11,000 |
| Items stolen costing £5,000 or more | |
| 4 Computer systems | 6,000 |
| Computer components | 55,000 |
| Total | 61,000 |
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