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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 13 March 1996
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Departmental Equipment and Furniture
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [19034]
Mr. Hanley: The following items of equipment have been reported stolen or unaccounted for in the past five years:
| Stolen | £ |
|---|---|
| 1991 | |
| 7 general items | 865 |
| 1992 | |
| 4 general items | 380 |
| 1993 | |
| 3 general items | |
| 3 items of IT equipment | 9,350 |
| 1994 | |
| no general items | |
| 22 items of IT equipment | 45,177 |
| These included: | |
| 9 computers, 1 printer and miscellaneous hardware and software | [23,835] |
| 4 Applemac computers | [5,180] |
| 1 portable computer | [5,000] |
| 4 IT items (laptop PCs, desktop PCs, printer) | [5,065] |
| 1995 | |
| no general items | |
| 9 items of IT equipment | 21,106 |
| These included: | |
| 8 IT items (Desktop PCs, laptop PC, monitor, printer) | [9,106] |
| computer chips | [10,000] |
| Unaccounted for: | |
| 1994 | |
| 1 general item and 4 items of IT equipment | 6,090 |
| These included: | |
| 4 laptop computers | [6,000] |
| Total | 82,968 |
We are currently considering various devices available on the market to protect IT equipment.
Indonesia (Human Rights)
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to raise the violation of human
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rights faced by independent human rights organisations in Indonesia at (a) the forthcoming 52nd session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and (b) other inter-governmental conferences. [18849]
Mr. Hanley: We have no plans to raise specific concerns of independent human rights organisations in Indonesia at the 52nd session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. Together with our EU partners we will continue to raise with the Indonesian Government, bilaterally and at other appropriate international fora, our concerns about the human rights situation in Indonesia.
Commonwealth Scholarships
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the expenditure by the Government in (a) 1994-95 and (b) 1995-96 upon Commonwealth scholarships; and what estimate he has made of expenditure in 1996-97. [20046]
Mr. Hanley: The Government provided £63.5 million for awards for commonwealth students in 1994-95. Figures for 1995-96 are not yet available but are likely to be broadly similar.
The expenditure on awards for commonwealth students is likely to fall in 1996-97 due to reductions in the various budgets from which awards are funded, and policy changes affecting the pattern of training within the United Kingdom's bilateral country aid projects.
Zimbabwe (Press Freedom)
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make statement on press freedom in Zimbabwe. [20457]
Mr. Hanley: The constitution of Zimbabwe provides for freedom of expression subject to certain defined exceptions. Most of the media in Zimbabwe are effectively state-controlled but there are privately owned press titles which take an independent stance and can be critical of Government.
SCOTLAND
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to review the capping limits on the environmentally sensitive areas provision; and if he will make a statement; [19949]
- (2) when he expects the review of the environmentally sensitive areas provision to be complete; and if he will make a statement. [19950]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: Biennial reviews of payments ceilings and rates have now been completed for all 10 environmentally sensitive area schemes. Increased ceilings and rates were introduced for the Breadalbane and Loch Lomond schemes with effect from 21 December 1995. Substantial increases in ceilings of up to 175 per cent. for the remaining eight schemes were announced on 8 March, subject to approval by the European Commission and Parliament. These increases demonstrate
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our commitment to the schemes and should ensure that farmers and crofters who opt to join can manage their land to achieve maximum conservation benefit.
Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to correct the underspend on the environmentally sensitive areas provision; and if he will make a statement. [19948]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: The environmentally sensitive areas scheme is voluntary and while uptake to date has been lower than anticipated, it is steadily increasing. My noble Friend the Minister for Agriculture and the Environment expects that it will continue to do so as farmers and crofters recognise the benefits of participation and take advantage of substantially increased payment ceilings which we have recently announced.
Stalking
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce a criminal offence of stalking. [19691]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: The Government have recently completed an examination of the anti-stalking laws passed in the United States, Australia and Canada and are currently considering whether specific legislation to address the problems of stalking could with benefit be introduced in the United Kingdom. In Scotland, the breadth of the common law charge of breach of the peace is such that virtually any conduct which might constitute stalking can already be prosecuted as breach of the peace.
Further Education Colleges
Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with further education colleges on (a) provision of places in the colleges and (b) amalgamation of existing colleges; and if he will make a statement on the negotiations he has had with each college. [20079]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: None.
Electric Shock Equipment
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the Lord Advocate to make a decision on whether to bring charges in respect of allegations made in the "Dispatches" programme on the export of electric shock equipment. [20357]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton: I understand from my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that Strathclyde police are currently investigating allegations concerning the export of electro-shock equipment. At the conclusion of the investigation, a report will be submitted to Crown Office for the consideration of Crown counsel.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Computers
Mr. Miller: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all cases since 1987 where his Department has bought computer
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capacity from (a) other Departments and (b) the private sector, giving the value of each contract and the name of the private sector contractors. [19452]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: My Department has not directly bought computer capacity from other Departments or the private sector since 1987 and has no current plans to do so.
TRANSPORT
Rail Privatisation
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what provisions were made to protect the interests of Strathclyde passenger transport executive in rolling stock funded by them which was transferred to the ownership of Angel Train Company and Eversholt Leasing Company; and if he will make a statement. [19600]
- (2) what provisions were made when the rolling stock companies were established to safeguard the interests of passenger transport executives in rolling stock which they had funded. [19599]
Mr. Watts: Constraints on the use of the passenger rolling stock, which had previously been put in place by the British Railways Board to protect the interests of the PTEs were transferred, as appropriate, to the three passenger rolling stock leasing companies--Roscos. The arrangements for Strathcylde funded passenger rolling stock was recently confirmed to Strathclyde regional council by officials in my Department.
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it continues to be his policy that passenger transport executives are entitled to direct the use of rolling stock which they have funded. [19601]
Mr. Watts: I have no current plans to change the present arrangements.
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps were taken to inform the European Commission of the state subsidy provided to the privatised rolling stock companies from the British Railway's Board's retention of the obligation to meet outstanding loan charges in respect of PTE-funded assets transferred to rosco ownership; and if he will make a statement. [19602]
Mr. Watts: A decision by the Government and the British Railways Board to repay a proportion of PTE capital grants, as a means of compensating the PTEs for the loss of the lower costs charged to them by British Rail prior to April 1994, does not confer any benefit on the three recently privatised passenger rolling stock leasing companies.
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the British Railways Board in 1996-97 of meeting outstanding loan charges in respect of PTE-funded assets which were transferred to private ownership. [19598]
Mr. Watts: The current estimated cost to the British Railways Board of payments to be made to the PTEs under deeds of assumption for 1996-97, in respect of rolling stock acquired by BR as a result of PTE capital grants and subsequently transferred to private ownership, is £10.6 million.
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