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Rail Freight Terminal, South Wales

Sir Wyn Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive recommendations from the Welsh Development Agency relating to the location of a rail freight terminal in south Wales. [25130]

Mr. Hague: I have today agreed with the Welsh development agency that it should enter into further discussions with the promoters of the proposal for a rail freight terminal at Wentloog near Cardiff.

The WDA board sought my agreement after its meeting on Friday at which it considered a consultant's report on the two proposals then before it. The board has concluded that the Wentloog site offers the better prospect but that further discussions with the promoters are necessary to determine whether, and if so to what extent, it might wish to offer assistance. It will also be looking for substantial and firmly committed private sector funding.

Public Bodies

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to paragraph 1.29 of his departmental report for 1996, what were the outturn figures for 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95; and what were the outturn figures for expenditure on publicity by executive non-departmental public bodies in each of the past five years. [23560]

Mr. Gwilym Jones [holding answer 1 April 1996]: Paragraph 1.29 of the Welsh Office departmental report for 1996 provides details of forecast outturn expenditure for 1995-96 on publicity by the Department and forecast spend by non-departmental public bodies in 1996-97.

3 Apr 1996 : Column: 249

Publicity expenditure by the Welsh Office for the years 1992-93 to 1994-95 is as follows:

1992-93: £1,974,000
1993-94: £1,358,000
1994-95: £1,725,000

Publicity expenditure by public bodies is as follows:

1994-95: £17,197,000 outturn
1995-96: £17,662,000 forecast outturn

Figures for the two years include for a number of public bodies, their total marketing budget and reflect for others all expenditure on publications; exhibitions and soon in pursuance of their statutory functions. Information is provided for 1994-95 and 1995-96 only; comparable figures for earlier years are not available.

Abortion Facilities, North Wales

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the reasons for the withdrawal of local termination of pregnancy facilities within the NHS in north Wales. [23561]

Mr. Richards [holding answer 2 April 1996]: The responsibility for the commissioning of abortion services in north Wales rests with the North Wales health authority. It is for individual health authorities to assess the health care needs of their local population and to decide priorities within their overall resources.

General Medical Practitioners

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the whole-time equivalent number of NHS general medical practitioners working in each family health service association area in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available. [24384]

Mr. Richards [holding answer 2 April 1996]: The information, which relates to 1 April 1995, is given in the following table.

	Whole-time equivalent number of general medical practitioners(6)
Clwyd	221
Dyfed	212
Gwent	233
Gwynedd	156
Mid Glamorgan	294
Powys	81
South Glamorgan	230
West Glamorgan	202

(6) Unrestricted principals.

PRIME MINISTER

EDS Ltd.

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Prime Minister what savings to date have been made by the Cabinet Office as a result of out-sourcing arrangements made with the EDS computer system; what assessment he has made of the equivalent costs for carrying out this work in-house; and if he will make a statement. [24237]

3 Apr 1996 : Column: 250

The Prime Minister: For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service, on 2 April, Official Report, column 85.

Danish Tour Guide (Manslaughter)

Mr. Cox: To ask the Prime Minister what letters of condolence have been sent by the British Government to the family of the Danish tour guide for whose manslaughter three British service personnel have been convicted; when they were sent; and which Government Minister sent them. [24564]

The Prime Minister: I understand that the then commanding officer, British Forces Cyprus, sent a letter of condolence to the family.

Conduct of Government Business

Mr. Simon Coombs: To ask the Prime Minister what advice has been furnished to Government Departments on the conduct of Government business during the period prior to local and European elections. [24545]

The Prime Minister: The Cabinet Office is circulating to Departments today the normal guidance to civil servants on the principles which they should observe in relation to the conduct of Government business during the period prior to local and European elections. It is as follows:

Local and European elections 1. Local and European Election campaigns differ from general elections in that there is no prospect of a change of government consequent upon the elections, and the business of government continues as usual. However, there is an increasing tendency by all political parties to approach local and European elections from a national point of view, with nationally produced material. Officials of all departments should therefore take especial care during the period of local or European election campaigns not to undertake any activity which could call into question their political impartiality, or could give rise to the criticism that public resources are being used for party political purposes. Particular care should be exercised in relation to the announcement of sensitive decisions with a local or European dimension, and in relation to paid publicity campaigns.
2. The following general principles should be observed:
(a) there should be even-handedness in meeting information requests from candidates from different political parties. Such requests and responses should be channelled through the appropriate Minister's private office and handled in accordance with the principles laid down in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information;
(b) special advisers should if necessary be reminded of the rules against circulating material on party paper within departments;
(c) particular care should be taken over official action and the use of public resources, including publicity, surrounding and supporting Ministerial announcements which have a bearing on local or European matters;
(d) similar care should be taken over announcements of decisions made at official level. In some cases it may be better to defer an announcement until after the election but this would need to be balanced carefully against any implication that deferral could itself influence the political outcome; each case should be considered on its merits; and
(e) special care should be taken in respect of paid publicity campaigns, particularly new campaigns, which should not be open to the criticism that they are being undertaken for party political purposes.

3 Apr 1996 : Column: 251

3. The period of sensitivity preceding local or European elections is not fixed in relation to any particular date, but for the purposes of this guidance, the general convention is that particular care should be taken in the three weeks prior to polling day.

European Court of Justice

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister if he will raise at the next European Council the operation of the European Court of Justice. [22342]

The Prime Minister: The Turin Council of 29 March agreed an agenda for the intergovernmental conference including the operation of the European Court of Justice.

TREASURY

Beef Stocks

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Inland Revenue will treat, for tax purposes, stocks of beef held by butchers ready for sale whose value has been eroded by the collapse of the beef market. [23769]

Mr. Jack: The same rules on trading stock will apply to butchers as to other traders.

An accountant will draw up a traders' accounts using the normal accounting conventions. These conventions recognise trading stock losses and deal with them appropriately in the accounts. Tax treatment follows these conventions and allows for the profits and losses of trading stock when working out the taxable income. Butchers' stock losses will be treated in the same way as the stock losses of any other trader.

Earnings

Ms Rachel Squire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of workers on adult rates of pay in part-time employment whose hourly earnings (a) including and (b) excluding overtime pay are less than (i) £4.26 per hour, (ii) £5.68 per hour, (iii) £6.03 per hour and (iv) average weekly earnings in (x) Great Britain, (y) Scotland and (z) the regions of Scotland broken down by (1) male manual, (2) male non-manual, (3) all male workers, (4) female manual, (5) female non-manual, (6) all female workers, (7) all manual, (8) all non-manual and (9) all workers. [22058]

Mrs Angela Knight: Information is available from the April 1995 "New Earnings Survey". The information is in the tables.

NES--April 1995 (GB) Part-time employees on adult rates, whose pay for the survey period was unaffected by absence

	Including overtime percentage of employees earning			Excluding overtime percentage of employees earnings
Gross hourly earnings	£4.26	£5.03	£5.68	£4.26	£5.03	£5.68
Great Britain
Male manual	60.0	73.5	81.0	60.8	73.2	80.9
Male non-manual	32.4	45.0	50.8	32.8	44.6	50.5
All males	46.0	59.0	65.6	46.6	58.6	65.4
Female manual	71.4	84.4	90.4	72.2	84.6	90.4
Female non-manual	35.3	51.9	62.6	36.0	52.1	62.6
All females	47.5	62.9	71.9	48.2	63.1	71.9
All manual	69.2	82.3	88.6	70.0	82.4	88.5
All non-manual	35.0	51.2	61.2	35.6	51.3	61.2
All workers	47.3	62.3	71.0	47.9	62.4	71.0
Scotland
Male manual	61.9	75.6	81.9	62.5	72.5	83.1
Male non-manual	37.6	51.9	59.1	37.0	51.4	58.6
All males	49.0	63.0	69.8	49.0	61.3	70.1
Female manual	73.2	85.5	90.3	74.1	86.1	90.1
Female non-manual	35.3	50.5	622.4	36.1	50.5	62.4
All females	50.5	64.6	73.6	51.3	64.8	73.5
All manual	71.5	84.1	89.1	72.4	84.1	89.1
All non-manual	35.6	50.7	62.0	36.2	50.6	62.0
All workers	50.3	64.4	73.1	51.0	64.3	73.1
Borders
Male manual	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Male non-manual	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
All males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Female manual	58.3	83.3	83.3	58.3	83.3	83.3
Female non-manual	31.1	48.9	55.6	31.1	48.9	53.3
All females	40.6	60.9	65.2	40.6	60.9	63.8
All manual	61.5	84.6	84.6	61.5	84.6	84.6
All non-manual	30.4	47.8	54.3	30.4	47.8	52.2
All workers	41.7	61.1	65.3	41.7	61.1	63.9
Central
Male manual	66.7	75.0	75.0	50.0	58.3	75.0
Male non-manual	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
All males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Female manual	77.1	87.5	97.9	83.3	89.6	97.9
Female non-manual	42.9	54.8	67.9	44.0	54.8	67.9
All females	55.3	66.7	78.8	58.3	67.4	78.8
All manual	76.4	87.3	96.4	81.8	87.3	96.4
All non-manual	43.8	55.1	67.4	42.7	53.9	67.4
All workers	56.3	67.4	78.5	57.6	66.7	78.5
	Dumfries and Galloway
Male manual	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Male non-manual	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
All males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Female manual	82.4	94.1	94.1	76.5	94.1	94.1
Female non-manual	56.7	63.3	76.7	56.7	66.7	76.7
All females	66.0	74.5	83.0	63.8	76.6	83.0
All manual	76.2	95.2	95.2	76.2	95.2	95.2
All non-manual	54.8	61.3	74.2	54.8	64.5	74.2
All workers	63.5	75.0	82.7	63.5	76.9	82.7
Fife
Male manual	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Male non-manual	58.3	75.0	75.0	58.3	75.0	75.0
All males	60.0	70.0	70.0	60.0	70.0	70.0
Female manual	81.5	83.3	88.9	81.5	83.3	88.9
Female non-manual	42.0	53.6	68.1	40.6	52.2	65.2
All females	59.3	66.7	77.2	58.5	65.9	75.6
All manual	79.0	80.6	85.5	79.0	80.6	85.5
All non-manual	44.4	56.8	69.1	43.2	55.6	66.7
All workers	59.4	67.1	76.2	58.7	66.4	74.8
Grampian
Male manual	55.6	66.7	81.5	55.6	66.7	81.5
Male non-manual	30.8	34.6	42.3	30.8	34.6	38.5
All males	43.4	50.9	62.3	43.4	50.9	60.4
Female manual	62.3	84.4	87.7	63.1	84.4	87.7
Female non-manual	32.2	49.1	59.6	32.7	48.5	59.6
All females	44.7	63.8	71.3	45.4	63.5	71.3
All manual	61.1	81.2	86.6	61.7	81.2	86.6
All non-manual	32.0	47.2	57.4	32.5	46.7	56.9
All workers	44.5	61.8	69.9	45.1	61.6	69.7
	Highland and Island
Male manual	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Male non-manual	36.4	45.5	45.5	36.4	45.5	45.5
All males	50.0	60.0	65.0	50.0	60.0	65.0
Female manual	82.4	94.1	94.1	82.4	94.1	94.1
Female non-manual	56.4	70.9	80.0	56.4	80.0	80.0
All females	70.7	83.7	87.8	70.7	87.8	87.8
All manual	80.5	92.2	93.5	80.5	92.2	93.5
All non-manual	53.0	66.7	74.2	53.0	66.7	74.2
All workers	67.8	80.4	84.6	67.8	80.4	84.6
Lothian
Male manual	63.0	77.8	81.5	63.0	77.8	81.5
Male non-manual	42.2	64.4	66.7	42.2	62.2	66.7
All males	50.0	69.4	72.2	50.0	68.1	72.2
Female manual	77.3	83.6	88.2	78.2	82.7	87.3
Female non-manual	34.1	49.6	58.8	35.0	49.1	59.3
All females	48.2	60.7	68.5	49.1	60.1	68.5
All manual	74.5	82.5	86.9	75.2	81.8	86.1
All non-manual	35.4	52.0	60.1	36.2	51.3	60.5
All workers	48.5	62.3	69.1	49.3	61.5	69.1
Strathclyde
Male manual	63.1	75.4	81.5	63.1	69.2	84.6
Male non-manual	33.8	48.5	61.8	33.8	50.0	61.8
All males	48.1	61.7	71.4	48.1	59.4	72.9
Female manual	72.5	85.0	91.2	73.6	85.9	90.7
Female non-manual	30.5	46.6	59.5	31.5	46.7	59.8
All females	47.6	62.2	72.4	48.6	62.7	72.4
All manual	71.2	83.7	89.9	72.2	83.7	89.9
All non-manual	30.8	46.8	59.7	31.7	47.1	60.0
All workers	47.7	62.1	72.3	48.6	62.3	72.4
Tayside
Male manual	54.5	81.8	81.8	54.5	81.8	81.8
Male non-manual	33.3	50.0	58.3	41.7	50.0	58.3
All males	43.5	65.2	69.6	47.8	65.2	69.6
Female manual	74.6	84.5	85.9	74.6	85.9	87.3
All non-manual	46.2	59.6	74.0	48.1	60.6	74.0
All females	57.7	69.7	78.9	58.9	70.9	79.4
Female manual	72.0	84.1	85.4	2.0	85.4	86.6
All non-manual	44.8	58.6	72.4	47.4	59.5	72.4
All workers	56.1	69.2	77.8	57.6	70.2	78.3

n/a = Data not available due to limited sample size.

3 Apr 1996 : Column: 254

New Earnings Survey, April 1995 (GB)Average weekly earnings, of part-time employees on adult rates, whose pay for the Survey period was not affected by absence

	Including overtime			Excluding overtime
	Manual	Non- manual	All	Manual	Non- manual	All
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Great Britain
Males	98.1	149.8	126.3	86.4	144.0	117.8
Females	76.6	114.2	101.6	72.2	109.3	97.0
All	80.8	118.8	105.4	75.0	113.8	100.1
Scotland
Males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Females	78.2	116.6	101.4	72.9	111.2	96.0
All	80.8	118.2	103.2	74.2	112.6	97.2
Fife
Males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Females	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
All	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	81.1	n/a
Grampian
Males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Females	n/a	120.6	102.6	73.0	n/a	98.1
All	75.2	124.3	103.7	71.3	119.1	99.1
Lothian
Males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Females	n/a	120.2	107.3	75.0	114.3	101.6
All	123.6	123.6	111.9	n/a	n/a	105.1
Strathclyde
Males	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Females	81.4	121.1	105.1	74.6	115.4	98.9
All	83.4	119.7	104.7	75.4	114.0	98.1

1. Data are not available for Borders, Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Highlands and Islands are Tayside due to limited sample sizes.

n/a = Result not available due to limited sample size.

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