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PRIME MINISTER

EU Legislation

Mr. Steen: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 12 March, Official Report, column 535, if he will list each regulation and the Department which takes responsibility for it in the past three years. [23709]

The Prime Minister: Information about individual Council and Commission regulations adopted in the last three years can be obtained from the Commission's CELEX database of Community legislation. Information on which Department leads on each individual measure could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.

Engagements

Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 16 April. [23788]

Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 16 April. [23789]

The Prime Minister: This morning, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

No. 10 Downing Street

Mr. Hall: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all the functions, and the dates on which they took place, which were held at No. 10 Downing street where the costs have been met by political parties and organisations for the purpose of providing financial support to political parties since November 1990. [23556]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 1 April 1996]: There have been so such functions.

Mr. Hall: To ask the Prime Minister what charges are levied on (a) charities, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) non-official or party function organisers permitted to use the invitations secretary as the responding address for invitations to functions at No. 10 Downing street. [23557]

16 Apr 1996 : Column: 389

The Prime Minister [holding answer 1 April 1996]: When charitable or other non-official events are held at No. 10 Downing street, the organisers are responsible for all catering and staff costs, as well as other miscellaneous direct costs. As under previous Administrations, invitations are normally handled by the invitations secretary. This is necessary to ensure that the appropriate security procedures are followed. No charge is levied for this.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

Volcano (Montserrat)

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the active volcano on the population of Montserrat; and if he will make a statement. [25484]

Mr. Hanley: Assessments of both the eruptive state of the volcano and the effects of the resulting forecasts have been continuous since last July. An ODA mission was in Montserrat last week to reassess needs, following the latest relocation of the people into the north of the island on 3 April. A range of relief actions was agreed with the Governor and the Government of Montserrat and is now being implemented.

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources have been made available in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97 for emergency relief in Montserrat; and if she will make a statement. [25485]

Mr. Hanley: Relief commitments by Her Majesty's Government totalled £4.5 million in 1995-96. No specific allocations have been made for 1996-97 as future needs cannot yet be foreseen. Discussions will also take place in Brussels this week to encourage support from the European Commission.

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the Governments of islands neighbouring Montserrat concerning assistance in the event of a volcanic eruption. [25487]

Mr. Hanley: Productive discussions have been held with the Government of Antigua for off-island evacuation; with the French authorities on Guadeloupe for evacuation and for rapid support on Montserrat in time of crisis; with certain Governments with interests and assets in the area, notably the American, Dutch and Venezuelan Governments; and with other Governments through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Schools (Capital Expenditure)

Mr. Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State Education and Employment if she will list total capital expenditure on schools in cash and real terms for each year since 1974-75. [20570]

16 Apr 1996 : Column: 390

Mrs. Gillan: The table gives the total expenditure on schools capital between 1974-75 and 1994-95--the latest date for which figures are available--in cash and 1994-95 price terms.

The hon. Gentleman has chosen the base year with care. It should be noted that capital expenditure was higher in real terms before 1974-75 under the Conservative Administration. The level of expenditure in the 1970s reflects both the rise in the school population, as a result of demographic changes and the raising of the school leaving age, and the building work required by comprehensive schools. The fall in expenditure in real terms after 1974-75 was partly the result of the Labour Government having to deal with the International Monetary Fund crisis.

Between 1979-80 and 1994-95, capital expenditure increased in real terms by over 19 per cent. The introduction of the private finance initiative in the schools sector now offers new opportunities for bolstering capital expenditure on schools by levering in investment from the private sector.

Capital expenditure on schools 1974-75 to 1994-95

Year	Total(6)	1994-95 prices
1974-75	346.7	1,818.5
1975-76	369.6	1,545.3
1976-77	362.2	1,334.3
1977-78	315.0	1,021.5
1978-79	296.7	865.3
1979-80	325.1	812.4
1980-81	391.1	826.0
1981-82	314.4	605.5
1982-83	327.8	589.4
1983-84	343.1	589.4
1984-85	368.6	602.9
1985-86	396.5	614.9
1986-87	420.2	632.5
1987-88	470.3	672.2
1988-89	628.6	842.1
1989-90	782.3	979.6
1990-91	779.2	903.2
1991-92	795.4	867.9
1992-93	809.1	848.4
1993-94	894.5	911.3
1994-95(7)	968.7	968.7

Up to 1992-93 figures include sixth form colleges; in 1993-94 sixth form colleges became the responsibility of the FEFC.

(6) The totals include local education authority schools capital expenditure; Government grant aid to voluntary aided and special agreement schools; governors' contributions to capital cots at VA/SA schools; grant-maintained schools capital grant; Government grants to and private sponsorship of technology colleges and city technology colleges. They do not include provision for repairs at VA/SA schools.

Figures for sponsorship of city technology colleges amount to £37 million up to 1994-95. However, only £31 million of this is included in the table; information held centrally does not enable the remaining £6 million to be apportioned to specific financial years.

(7) Includes provisional figures for LEA outturn expenditure.

Barnsley and Doncaster Training and

Enterprise Council

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many days were taken to carry out (a) quality and safety and (b) financial control audits at Barnsley and Doncaster TEC; what were the costs in each case; and if she will make a statement. [24491]

16 Apr 1996 : Column: 391

Mr. Paice: In 1995-96, five staff days were spent on a health and safety compliance audit, 25 staff days on a total quality assurance supplier management compliance audit and 85 staff days on financial control audits at Barnsley and Doncaster training and enterprise council. Information on the costs of these audits is not available.

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice she has given to the Further Education Funding Council in relation to ensuring access to free further education tuition for asylum seekers who are not eligible for income support because of their asylum status but would pass the means test for a state benefit if they were United Kingdom citizens. [24823]

Mr. Paice: None.

Modern Apprenticeships

Mr. Bryan Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total public expenditure on publicity for the accelerated modern apprenticeships. [24575]

Mr. Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 13 February 1996, Official Report, column 532.

No public money has been allocated by this Department specifically for the publicity of accelerated modern apprenticeships.

Mr. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people started accelerated modern apprenticeships. [24576]

Mr. Paice: As at December 1995, there were 400 young people on accelerated modern apprenticeships in England and Wales.

Mr. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was her Department's original forecast of the number of places that would be available on accelerated modern apprenticeships. [24574]

Mr. Paice: Resources were originally made available to support around 9000 places for accelerated Modern Apprenticeships in 1995-96. Feedback from training and enterprise councils and industry training organisations indicated that the needs of the young people involved could be better met by mainstream modern apprenticeships, and the Government agreed to merge accelerated modern apprenticeships and modern apprenticeships from the start of April this year.

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