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WALES
Departmental Contractors and Suppliers
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures his Department is taking to ensure that its contractors and suppliers (a) pay their employees a wage which ensures such employees do not need supplementary welfare payments via various state benefits and (b) meet workplace health and safety regulations; and if he will make a statement. [21458]
Mr. Hague: Terms and conditions of employment, including wages, are a matter between the contractor or supplier and his employees, subject of course to any relevant legal requirements. Compliance with health and safety regulations is a legal requirement for that contractor or supplier, and this is one of the Department's contractual requirements.
Arts Funding
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what month of what year responsibility for funding the arts and the Arts Council for Wales was transferred to his Department. [22487]
Mr. Hague: Responsibility for funding the Arts Council for Wales transferred to the Welsh Office from the Department of National Heritage on 1 April 1994.
Regional Assistance
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many projects for the establishment of new manufacturing industry were offered financial assistance under the regional selective financial scheme (a) in Wales, (b) in Gwynedd and (c) in Dyfed in each of the years 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94; [21451]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 5 March 1996, Official Report, column 207, how many new jobs were provided or existing jobs safeguarded in 1994-95 in (a) Wales, (b) Gwynedd and (c) Dyfed from the new manufacturing projects offered financial assistance by his Department under the regional selective assistance scheme. [21454]
22 Mar 1996 : Column: 355
Mr. Hague: The information regarding offers of regional selective assistance for new manufacturing industry in the years 1991-92 to 1995-96 is given in the following table:
| Wales | Gwynedd | Dyfed | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Jobs | Number | Jobs | Number | Jobs | |
| 1991-92 | 57 | 4,422 | 3 | 27 | 7 | 278 |
| 1992-93 | 47 | 3,008 | 1 | 210 | 3 | 98 |
| 1993-94 | 32 | 3,046 | -- | -- | 1 | 16 |
| 1994-95 | 56 | 3,884 | 2 | 67 | 5 | 139 |
| 1995-96 | 46 | 2,631 | 3 | 44 | 1 | 11 |
1. 1995-96 data to March 1996.
2. Data concern only those RSA projects described as new manufacturing activities falling within classes 15 to 37 of the Standard Industrial Classification, 1992.
3. Job figures are forecasts provided by applicants at the time of the offer. Projects are generally expected to take from three to five years to reach forecast levels of employment.
Departmental Staff (Working Hours)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons in his Department worked in excess of 48 hours per week in any of the last 52 weeks; and what percentage of the staff employed this represents.[21583]
Mr. Hague: No Welsh Office staff have conditioned hours which exceed 48 a week. Information on overtime working is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Teachers
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many teachers in Wales, having been afforded early retirement from posts as permanent teachers, have been employed during the past 12 months as supply teachers; and what guidance he gives to local authorities and to schools in Wales on this matter. [21587]
Mr. Hague: The information requested is not held centrally.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment issues guidance to local authorities and schools in England and Wales on the statutory pay and conditions of service for school teachers in maintained schools including that which relates to the salary of new appointments and appointments following a break in service. She has also issued guidance on the amount of premature retirement compensation and pension to be received by a retired teacher during a period of new employment.
Cardiff Bay (Theatre)
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 March 1996, Official Report, column 171, if the costs of winding up the Cardiff Bay Opera House trust will appear in the annual accounts of the Cardiff Bay development corporation for (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97. [22419]
Mr. Hague: The costs of winding up the Cardiff Bay Opera House trust which are funded by Cardiff Bay development corporation, will be included in the corporation's relevant annual accounts in accordance with its accounting policies.
22 Mar 1996 : Column: 356
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 March 1996, Official Report, column 171, what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation concerning the involvement of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh and their companies in the provision of a large-scale lyric theatre for Wales at Cardiff bay; and if he will make a statement. [22424]
Mr. Hague: The meetings at which the proposed Cardiff Bay opera house was raised with me were as follows: chairman, Cardiff Bay Opera House trust, 19 July 1995; chairman, Cardiff Bay development corporation 20 August 1995; deputy chairman; Cardiff Bay Opera House trust--the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Mr. Michael), 20 January 1996.
I also met the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation on 14 March 1996 where the possible development of a Cardiff Bay theatre was raised with me; there was no discussion about the involvement on any particular commercial organisations in the possible project.
Eurofreight Terminal
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the final report from the Welsh Development Agency on the Eurofreight terminal proposal. [22486]
Council of Ministers
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 14 March 1996, Official Report, column 749, what was the duration of (a) the closed session and (b) public session of the 4 March meeting of the Council of Ministers; and for what duration he was present at each of the two types of session. [22490]
Mr. Hague: The duration of the closed session was four and a half hours and that of the open session one hour. I was present for almost all of the open session, and part of the closed session.
Gwent Health Authority
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on the recent appointment of a senior manager to an internally advertised post with the new Gwent health authority; what investigations he is carrying out into the circumstances of this appointment; what rules apply in respect of the eligibility of those made redundant with severance pay from one senior national health service management post to apply after redundancy for posts internally advertised in the national health service; and if he will make a statement. [22422]
Mr. Hague: One representation has been received. My Department has asked for a report on the procedures adopted. In general terms a person who is no longer employed in the national health service would not be eligible for a job restricted to existing employees.
22 Mar 1996 : Column: 357
Urban Investment Grant
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date the urban investment grant panel will cease to function; and if he will make a statement. [22485]
Mr. Hague: Responsibility for the urban investment grant scheme is to be transferred from the Welsh Office to the Welsh Development Agency from 1 April 1996. The administrative arrangements for the scheme after that date, including the position of the UIG panel, are currently under discussion with the agency.
Departmental Functions
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the numbers employed and the budget of each of the sections transferred into his Department's responsibility since 1979. [22489]
Mr. Hague: Staff were transferred into the Welsh Office since 1979 as follows:
Regional development grant (1984): 82
Training, enterprise and education (1992): 67.
Estatecare (Privatisation)
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 March 1996, Official Report, column 172, if he will place in the Library a copy of the decision letter on privatising the Estatecare branch of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority. [22420]
Mr. Hague: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.
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