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Sea Empress Incident
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what decisions were taken by the executive committee of the international oil pollution compensation fund at its meeting on Tuesday 16 April in relation to compensation payments to victims of the Sea Empress disaster; and if he will make a statement. [26353]
Mr. Norris: At a meeting of the IOPC fund's executive committee held in the immediate aftermath of the Sea Empress incident the committee decided that the fund should not make any compensation payments until the position regarding the total level of likely claims was clearer. On the basis of an agreement brokered by the Government, the ship's insurers, the Skuld Protection and Indemnity Club, agreed to make payments to claimants suffering hardship. To date, 62 payments have been made totalling some £240,000.
At a meeting of the fund's executive committee on 16 April the committee decided that the fund could start paying compensation to claimants, but because of continuing uncertainty about the level of total claims such payments should be restricted to 75 per cent. of the damage suffered by the claimant on the basis of the advice of the fund's experts at the time when a payment was made. It is believed that in the majority of cases the position of the claimants will be improved, but there might still be circumstances in which some claimants could still suffer genuine financial difficulty. To address this possibility, the Government have brokered a further agreement with the Skuld club whereby the club will make payments above 75 per cent. in cases of genuine financial hardship. The details of this arrangement will be discussed with representatives of Sea Empress claimants at meetings to be held in Milford Haven on 25 April.
MV Derbyshire
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the forthcoming return to the wreck fo the MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement. [25582]
Mr. Norris: Representation have been received from, and on behalf of, the Derbyshire Family Association. They are being considered. We hope to be able to respond to the representations in the near future.
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he will publish the list of people to visit the wreck of the MV Derbyshire; and what date he has set for this investigation; [25581]
- (2) when he proposes to make a statement on the inclusion of DFA nominated representatives in the visit to the wreck of the MV Derbyshire. [25563]
23 Apr 1996 : Column: 79
Mr. Norris: We await the final recommendations of the technical assessors and salvage advisors appointed to oversee this project. Until their recommendations have been received and considered and any necessary contractual procedures completed, it is premature to fix the possible date for a return to the Derbyshire or to list those who will be involved.
Railways (Season Ticket Discounts)
Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which train operating companies are and were paying season ticket discounts under the passengers charter (a) currently, (b) 12 months ago and (c) 24 months ago. [24546]
Mr. Watts: For the purposes of the passengers charter season ticket compensation scheme, train operating companies are split into 59 route groups. The following route groups are and were triggering season ticket discounts at the end of March:
(a) 52 weeks ending 29 March 1996
Punctuality and Reliability
Felixstowe
Punctuality only
Northampton Lines
Cross Country
West Coast
East Coast
Manchester Local
North Wales Branches
Avon
Reliability only
North London Orbital
North Wales Inter Urban
Cornwall
(b) 52 weeks ending 31 March 1995
Punctuality and Reliability
Avon
Manchester Locals
Punctuality only
Cross Country
North Wales Branches
ScotRail East
ScotRail Central
Reliability only
North London Lines
Lancashire Locals
Northern Short
Transpennine
Manchester Long
Cornwall
South Yorkshire and Humberside Long
(c) 52 weeks ending 2 April 1994
Punctuality only
Cross Country
Avon
Reliability only
Transpennine
South Yorks and Humberside Long
Manchester Long
Cornwall
Anglia
Merseyrail
23 Apr 1996 : Column: 80
Emergency Salvage Cover
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when his Department's charter of the tug Smit-Lloyd Safe for emergency salvage cover in Scottish waters ends; and if he will make a statement; [23290]
- (2) when his Department's charter of the tug Far Turbot for emergency salvage cover in the English channel ends; and if he will make a statement. [23289]
Mr. Norris: The existing Coastguard agency charter of the tugs Smit-Lloyd Safe and the Far Turbot ends on 30 April 1966. The intention is that this provision will recommence on 1 October 1996 for a period of six months.
The Coastguard agency has arrangements with four firms of UK tug brokers to make towing vessels available in an emergency. HM Coastguard rescue centres maintain databases of suitable vessels in their locality, including harbour tugs. The agency has a draft understanding with the British Tugowners Association that its members will, if possible, make tugs available for emergencies. We will continue to work closely with the tug industry to ensure the best possible access to emergency towing vessels.
Private Finance Initiative
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of funding to be made available to his Department through the private finance initiative in (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 1997-98. [26177]
Mr. Watts: Private sector contributions under the private finance initiative for the years in question are estimated at roundly (a) £250 million, (b) £630 million, and (c) £820 million.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Entertainment Costs
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the entertainment costs at each British embassy in each EU country in 1995; and if he will make a statement. [24595]
Mr. Hanley: Expenditure on official entertainment at British embassies in European Union countries in the financial year 1994-95--the latest figure available--was £1,183,614. It is our practice not to publish how this is divided between posts.
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the entertainment costs at each British high commission in each Commonwealth country in 1995; and if he will make a statement. [24596]
Mr. Hanley: Expenditure on official entertainment at British high commissions overseas in the financial year 1994-95--the latest figure available--was £1,252,368. It is our practice not to publish how this is divided between posts.
23 Apr 1996 : Column: 81
Turkey
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Turkey; and what plans Her Majesty's Government have to address the issue at the current UN Commission on Human Rights. [25875]
Mr. David Davis: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 19 April, Official Report, column 631.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total number of staff in the British high commission in (a) Lesotho, (b) Malawi, (c) Kenya, (d) Ghana and (e) Botswana in the years 1992-93 to 1996-97. [25564]
Mr. Hanley: The authorised establishment in these posts is as follows:
| Post | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maseru (Lesotho) | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 |
| Lilongwe (Malawi) | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 |
| Nairobi (Kenya) | 37.00 | 37.00 | 35.00 | 33.00 | 35.00 |
| Accra (Ghana) | 22.00 | 19.00 | 17.50 | 17.50 | 17.00 |
| Gaborone (Botswana) | 7.00 | 7.00 | 7.00 | 6.00 | 5.00 |
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maseru | 15.50 | 15.50 | 15.50 | 11.00 | 11.00 |
| Lilongwe | 58.25 | 58.25 | 58.25 | 59.25 | 60.75 |
| Nairobi | 67.50 | 68.50 | 68.50 | 68.50 | 68.00 |
| Accra | 87.50 | 87.50 | 91.50 | 93.50 | 84.50 |
| Gaborone | 17.50 | 17.50 | 17.50 | 13.90 | 13.90 |
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lilongwe | 15.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 | -- |
| Nairobi | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| Development division--locally engaged staff establishment: | |||||
| Lilongwe | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Nairobi | 14.00 | 14.00 | 18.00 | 18.00 | 18.00 |
Staff figures are still awaited from Lilongwe.
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