House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 Mar 1996 (pt 13)

Education and Library Boards

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what estimate he has made of the maintenance backlog of each education and library board in Northern Ireland; [19683]

(a)

(b)

(c)

(3) what action he has taken in response to the report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office "Education and Library Boards: Maintenance of Board Property". [19685]

Mr. Ancram: The current estimated maintenance backlog of each board is as follows:

Belfast: £33.6 million
North-eastern: £12.7 million
South-eastern: £30.3 million
Southern: £22.3 million
Western: £14.8 million

The extent of the maintenance backlog in any year is dependent on the previous level of investment by the boards and any additional demands which may arise. Estimates of the total maintenance needs for the three years ending 1999-2000 are not available.

The Northern Ireland Audit Office report has been considered in consultation with the education and library boards and a programme of action has been agreed to address the report's recommendations. This matter is the subject of on-going Public Accounts Committee consideration and my Department will be responding in detail to the PAC report in due course.

Public Bodies

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base, and which (a) publish their advice to Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [20094]

Sir John Wheeler: The information requested is in the table.

Advisory non-departmental public bodies Publish their advice to the Government Publish an annual report before Parliament Lay an annual report before Parliament Statutory requirement Voluntarily

Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights Yes Yes Yes Yes No

Boundary Commission Yes No No Yes No

Advisory Committee of the Therapeutic Professions Allied to Medicine No No No Yes No

Central Dental Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Central Medical Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Central Nursing Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Central Personal Social Services Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Central Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Charities Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Clinical Engineering and Medical Physics Services Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Clinical Imaging Services Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board for Northern Ireland No No No Yes No

Distinction and Meritorious Service Awards Committee for Northern Ireland No No No Yes No

Laboratory Services Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Poisons Board No No No Yes No

Drainage Council for Northern Ireland No No No Yes No

Northern Ireland Water Council No No No Yes No

Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland No No No Yes No

Northern Ireland Building Regulation Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside No No No Yes No

Historic Buildings Council No No No Yes No

Historic Monuments Council No No No Yes No

Industrial Development Board No No No Yes No

Training and Employment Agency (Advisory Board) No No No Yes No

Health and Safety Agency No No No Yes No

Statistics Advisory Committee No No No Yes No

Committees for the Employment of Disabled People No No No Yes No

Industrial Research and Technology Board No No No Yes No

Advisory non-departmental public bodies	Publish their advice to the Government	Publish an annual report before Parliament	Lay an annual report before Parliament	Statutory requirement	Voluntarily
Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Boundary Commission	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Advisory Committee of the Therapeutic Professions Allied to Medicine	No	No	No	Yes	No
Central Dental Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Central Medical Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Central Nursing Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Central Personal Social Services Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Central Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Charities Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Clinical Engineering and Medical Physics Services Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Clinical Imaging Services Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board for Northern Ireland	No	No	No	Yes	No
Distinction and Meritorious Service Awards Committee for Northern Ireland	No	No	No	Yes	No
Laboratory Services Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Poisons Board	No	No	No	Yes	No
Drainage Council for Northern Ireland	No	No	No	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Water Council	No	No	No	Yes	No
Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland	No	No	No	Yes	No
Northern Ireland Building Regulation Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside	No	No	No	Yes	No
Historic Buildings Council	No	No	No	Yes	No
Historic Monuments Council	No	No	No	Yes	No
Industrial Development Board	No	No	No	Yes	No
Training and Employment Agency (Advisory Board)	No	No	No	Yes	No
Health and Safety Agency	No	No	No	Yes	No
Statistics Advisory Committee	No	No	No	Yes	No
Committees for the Employment of Disabled People	No	No	No	Yes	No
Industrial Research and Technology Board	No	No	No	Yes	No

12 Mar 1996 : Column: 545

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [20111]

Sir John Wheeler: In respect of all advisory non-departmental bodies in Northern Ireland, the answers to questions (a), (d), (e) and (f) is nil. The information requested at questions (b) and (c) is as follows:

Advisory body

Body Conduct public consultation exercises Conduct public consultation exercises with outside interests

Law Reform Advisory Committee Yes No

The Northern Ireland Higher Education Council Yes on a voluntary basis No

The Northern Ireland Building Regulation Advisory Committee Yes on a voluntary basis No

The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland Invites representations on published Provisional Revised Recommendations for parliamentary constituencies; may hold public Local Inquiries, all as a matter of statutory requirement By convention holds talks with the main political parties in NI

Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights Yes for research purposes No

Body	Conduct public consultation exercises	Conduct public consultation exercises with outside interests
Law Reform Advisory Committee	Yes	No

The Northern Ireland Higher Education Council	Yes on a voluntary basis	No

The Northern Ireland Building Regulation Advisory Committee	Yes on a voluntary basis	No
The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland	Invites representations on published Provisional Revised Recommendations for parliamentary constituencies; may hold public Local Inquiries, all as a matter of statutory requirement	By convention holds talks with the main political parties in NI

Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights	Yes for research purposes	No

12 Mar 1996 : Column: 546

In respect of all other advisory non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland, the answer is nil.

Outstanding Payments

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. [20483]

12 Mar 1996 : Column: 547

Sir John Wheeler: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Outstanding Payments

Mr. Betts: To ask the Attorney-General what values of payments were outstanding within his Department on 5 March, which were beyond the date on the invoice and, if no date was specified, older than 28 days. [20473]

The Attorney-General: I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) on 19 December 1995, Official Report, column 1007.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Staff

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff work in (a) the Palace of Westminster and (b) each of the outbuildings. [19326]

Mr. Beith: Six hundred and thirty full-time and 80 part-time staff employed by the Commission work in the Palace of Westminster. Five hundred and forty-nine full-time and 82 part-time staff work in other buildings on the parliamentary estate.

Recycling

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what plans there are to discontinue the use of styrofoam cups in refreshment facilities in the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding office buildings. [19290]

Sir Colin Shepherd: This is a matter for the Director of Catering Services; I have ask her to write to the hon. Member.

Ms Anderson: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what plans there are to increase recycling facilities in the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding office buildings in the future. [19294]

Mr. Michael J. Martin: The policy of the two Houses of Parliament is to recycle waste whenever possible. Under the waste collection contract for the Palace of Westminster and parliamentary outbuildings the contractor is required to sort waste into its constituent streams. These waste streams are sent for recycling wherever practicable. This process is audited to ensure compliance. In addition, bulk waste paper from the Vote Office and Fees Office is collected separately for recycling.

Any further increases in recycling facilities would be subject to space and staffing constraints.

Ms Anderson: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee when the use of recycled stationery and envelopes began in the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding office buildings. [19295]

12 Mar 1996 : Column: 548

Mr. Martin: Stocks of recycled A4 size writing paper with the crowned portcullis embossed plain and in green, blue and red, together with recycled plain post-paid envelopes became available from the Serjeant at Arms Stores with effect from June 1991.

Ms Anderson: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee (1) what plans there are to ensure that all parliamentary stationery and envelopes are derived from recycled material; [19296]

(3) what steps have been taken to ensure that people working in the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding office buildings are aware of recycling initiatives; [19297]

(4) if he will set out the facilities currently available within the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding office buildings for the purpose of recycling; [19293]

(5) what is the average tonnage of (a) paper, (b) glass, (c) metal and (d) plastic from the Palace of Westminster and surrounding office buildings recycled each year; [19291]

(6) what studies have been undertaken to determine how much money could be realised through the collection and sale of recycled goods in the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding office buildings; [19289]

(7) if he will list the incentives currently in place in the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding office buildings to promote the use of recycling facilities. [19288]

Mr. Martin: These are matters for the Serjeant at Arms; I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Key: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what differences in cost would arise if all parliamentary stationery and enveloped were derived from recycled material; and if he will make a statement. [20233]

Mr. Martin [holding answer 11 March 1996]: At present prices it is estimated that the House would save £14,000 per annum if all paper and envelopes were from recycled paper. The hon. Member may be interested to note that recycled paper is now becoming more expensive than good quality paper, whereas 12 months ago it was the reverse, and costs are likely to change.

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