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National Register for Carers, Assessors and Verifiers

Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what help his Department is giving to the national register for carers, assessors and verifiers. [28171]

Mr. Bowis: None. We shall, however, be publishing a consultation paper on ensuring adequate standards of competence for social services personnel.

Licensing Authority

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 April, Official Report, column 186, if he will list all legal actions taken against the Licensing Authority in 1995. [28433]

Mr. Malone: Judicial review proceedings were instigated against the licensing authority by Generics (UK) Limited in 1995 on two occasions.

Medicines Commission and Committees Regulations

Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what occasions the Medicines Commission and Committees Regulations 1970 have been revised; and which regulations are still in force. [28434]

7 May 1996 : Column: 37

Mr. Malone: These regulations have not been revised and are still in force.

Mr. Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which chairmen of the Medicines Commission have been appointed for a period in excess of that provided in the Medicines Commission and Committees Regulations 1970; and what effect breaches of the regulations have on the validity of the commission's advice. [28435]

Mr. Malone: There have been no appointments for a period in excess of that provided in the regulations.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Colliery Tips

Mr. Batiste: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list by county the colliery tips still remaining in the ownership of British Coal; and what is his policy for (a) disposing of them and (b) their environmental restoration. [27641]

Mr. Page: These are matters for British Coal.

Energy Efficiency

Mr. Battle: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what summary of responses he has received from the Office of Gas Regulation to its recent consultation exercise regarding the continuation of the E factor criteria to encourage investment in energy efficiency; and if he will list those organisation which responded (a) positively and (b) negatively to the continuation of the E factor with the new price control mechanism. [27943]

Mr. Eggar: The gas supply price control review, which includes the future of E factor funding beyond March 1997, is a matter for Ofgas.

British Energy

Mrs. Beckett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to provide a dividend dowry for British Energy after privatisation. [28131]

Mr. Lang: I have no plans to provide a dividend dowry for British Energy post privatisation.

Mrs. Beckett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to structure the finances of British Energy to create a special dividend reserve. [28141]

Mr. Lang: I have no plans to create a special dividend reserve for British Energy. Like any other company British Energy will pay dividends out of its distributable reserves using its own cash resources.

Mrs. Beckett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the liabilities that will follow the assets upon privatisation of the nuclear industry; and if he will make a statement. [28130]

Mr. Lang: The details of the liabilities that will be taken by British Energy into the private sector at flotation will be given in the prospectus.

7 May 1996 : Column: 38

Employees' Rights

Ms Jowell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what provision is available to employees of executive agencies under the control of his Department for (a) maternity leave, (b) maternity pay (c) paternity leave, (d) parental leave, (e) flexible working hours, (f) part-time work, (g) job sharing, (h) leave to care for sick children, (i) home-working, (j) term-time contracts, (k) annual hours contracts, (l) workplace nurseries, (m) child care allowances, (n) carers' leave and (o) career break schemes; and what criteria are used to judge eligibility in each case. [27599]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The chief executives of DTI executive agencies will respond direct to the hon. Member.

Letter from P. R. S. Hartnock to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 7 May 1996:

I am replying for the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question on various aspects of the terms and conditions of employment for Patent Office employees.
The answers to the points you raise are set out below:-
(a)&(b) Maternity Leave/Pay - The Patent Office offers its permanent staff, who have more than one year's service and who intend to return to work after their maternity leave, the right to apply to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave. This comprises 14 weeks paid maternity leave at full rate of pay and up to 38 weeks unpaid maternity leave. Casual staff and staff with less than one year's service are entitled to the usual statutory provision.
(c) Paternity Leave - Fathers may take up to 2 days paid paternity leave at the time of the birth of their child or during the weeks following the birth. The Patent Office line managers are allowed to give up to five days special leave to fathers, where there are difficulties at the confinement or to care for other young children in the family.
(d) Parental Leave - The Patent Office has no formal parental leave. Line managers are encouraged to understand the problems facing staff who are balancing their work and child care commitments.
(e) Flexible Working Hours - The Patent Office offers a Flexible Working Hours scheme to all staff at Senior Examiner level and below, whether employed on a full time or part time basis.
(f) & (g) Part-time Work/Job Sharing - Any member of the Patent Office may apply to work part-time or to job share.
(h) Leave to Care for Sick Children - Parents may apply for up to 5 days special paid leave to nurse a sick child.
(i) Homeworking - The Patent Office currently has one member of staff on a pilot scheme to examine the feasibility of homeworking.
(j)&(k) Term-Time Contracts/Annual Hours Contracts - The Patent Office does not use such contracts but staff may apply to take unpaid special leave during school holidays.
(l) Workplace Nurseries - The Patent Office offers a limited number of nursery places to staff in an on site nursery, which is run by another Government Agency. The Office also runs school holiday playschemes.
(m) Child care Allowances - The Patent Office will reimburse staff for any additional child care costs as a result of a temporary change to their working routine.
(n) Carers Leave - The Patent Office allows staff to apply for up to 5 days paid special leave to nurse a sick relative or dependent. Carers may also apply for a career break.
(o) Career Break Scheme - The Patent Office offers permanent staff, who have a satisfactory performance marking and attendance record, the right to apply for a career break of up to 5 years to assume homecare responsibilities for a dependent.

7 May 1996 : Column: 39

Maternity leave/pay and paternity leave are entitlements. Apart from the nursery and playscheme places, which are available on a first come first served basis, the other provisions are discretionary and subject on a case by case basis to the agreements of line managers.

Letter from Seton Bennett to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 7 May 1996:

The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to provide additional information on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory in reply to your question about the availability fo various schemes and facilities to staff in DTI.
The provisions here at the National Weights and Measures Laboratory are for the most part the same as for employees in the rest of DTI. Where practical staff can work flexible working hours and this Agency operates a nursery jointly with the two other Laboratories here on the Teddington site.

Letter from Peter Joyce to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 7 May 1996:

The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about the provisions available to employees in The Insolvency Service Executive Agency for maternity leave and pay and other parental/carer responsibilities.
Mr. Taylor, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, has replied to you, on behalf of the President of the Board of Trade, with regard to employees within the DTI. Provisions within The Insolvency Service are the same as the DTI's for the following parts of your question: (a)-(d); (f)-(h); (m)-(o). The answers to the remaining parts of your question are:
(e) Flexible Working Hours--The Service operates a flexible working hours scheme.
(i), (j) and (k) Homeworking/Term-Time Contracts/Annual Hours Contracts--Several employees within the Service are homeworkers. Staff may apply to use a number of the alternative working patterns. Staff may apply to take unpaid special leave during school holidays.
(l) Workplace Nurseries--The Service does not operate any workplace nurseries.
Maternity leave/pay and paternity leave are entitlements. The other provisions are discretionary within the operational requirements of The Service, and subject on a case by case basis to the agreement of line managers and personnel management.

Letter from Jim Norton to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 7 May 1996:

Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what provision is available to employees of executive agencies under the control of his Department for (a) maternity leave, (b) maternity pay, (c) paternity leave, (d) parental leave, (e) flexible working hours, (f) part-time work, (g) job sharing, (h) leave to care for sick children, (i) home-working, (j) term-time contracts, (k) annual hours contracts, (l) workplace nurseries, (m) childcare allowances, (n) carers' leave and (o) career break schemes; and what criteria are used to judge eligibility in each case.
I have been asked to answer the questions you raise on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency.
(a) and (b) maternity leave/pay--Permanent staff with more than one year's service and who intend to return to work after their maternity leave are entitled to apply to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave comprising 14 weeks paid maternity leave at full rate of pay and up to 38 weeks unpaid maternity leave. Casual staff and staff with less than one year's service are entitled to the usual statutory provision.
(c) Paternity leave--Fathers may take up to 2 days paid paternity leave at the time of the birth of their child or during the weeks following the birth. Line Mangers may allow up to five days paid special leave to fathers where there are difficulties at the confinement or to care for other young children in the family.
(d) Parental leave--The Agency has no formal parental leave. Line Managers are encouraged to understand the problems facing staff who are balancing their work and child care commitments.

7 May 1996 : Column: 40

(e) Flexible working hours--There is a flexible working hours scheme which applies to staff in the Agency's Headquarters.
(f) and (g) Part-time work, job sharing--Any member of staff may apply to work part-time or to job share. This is subject on a case by case basis to the agreement of line managers.
(h) Need to care for sick children--Parents may apply for up to five days special paid leave to nurse a sick child.
(i) Homeworking--There are arrangements for staff within the Radio Investigation Service to work from home. Applications are judged against three criteria, a) that the Officer lives within his or her defined area of work and b) that the officer's average travelling time to the nearest Agency office from his or her home is greater than one hour and c) more than half of the offices normal work is within 15 miles of his or her home address.
(j) and (k) Term-time contracts, Annual Hours contracts--There are no staff on such contracts within the Agency.
(l) Workplace nursery--The Agency does not operate a workplace nursery. Staff can apply for places at a school holiday playscheme run by DTI in Central London.
(m) Childcare allowances--Staff may apply for reimbursement of additional childcare costs incurred as a result of a temporary change to their working routine.
(n) Carer's leave--Staff may apply for up to five days paid special leave to nurse a sick relative or dependant. Carers may also apply for a career break.
(o) Career break scheme--Permanent staff who have a satisfactory performance marking and attendance record may apply for a career break of up to five years to resume home care responsibilities for a dependant.
Maternity leave pay and Paternity leave are an entitlement. The other provisions are discretionary and subject, on a case by case basis, to the agreement of Agency line management.

Letter from John S. Holden to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 7 May 1996:

You recently asked the President of the Board of Trade for information about various aspects of the personnel provisions for his department. I am replying as Chief Executive of Companies House, and give this Agency's details below. The sub-paragraphs reflect the labelling in your PQ.
(a) & (b) Maternity Leave/Pay: Permanent staff with more than 1 year's service and who intend to return to work after their maternity leave, are entitled to apply to take up to 52 weeks' maternity leave. This comprises 14 weeks paid maternity leave at full rate of pay and up to 38 weeks unpaid maternity leave. Casual staff and staff with less than 1 year's service are entitled to the usual statutory provision.
(c) Paternity Leave: Fathers may take up to 2 days paid paternity leave at the time of the birth of their child or during the weeks following the birth. Line managers may allow up to five days paid special leave to fathers where there are difficulties at the confinement or to care for other young children in the family.
(d) Parental Leave: Companies House has no formal parental leave. Line managers are encouraged to understand the problems facing staff who are balancing their work and child care commitments.
(e) Flexible Workings Hours: Companies House offers a flexible working hours scheme to all full-time staff. Depending on the operational needs of the section, some part-time staff may also participate in the scheme.
(f) & (g) Part-time Work/Job Sharing: Any member of staff may apply to work part-time or to job share.
(h) Leave to Care for Sick Children: Parents may apply for up to 5 days special paid leave to nurse a sick child.
(i), (j) & (k) Home Working/Term Time Contracts/Annual Hours Contracts: Companies House does not operate home working/term time contracts/ annual contracts on a formal basis. However, managers use their discretion to allow staff to work from home during a domestic crises situation where operationally possible. Staff may apply to take unpaid special leave during school holidays.

7 May 1996 : Column: 41

(l) Workplace Nurseries: Companies House does not operate any workplace nurseries. However, it buys into a school holiday playscheme in Cardiff and is considering offering financial support to staff where they live outside Cardiff and use a registered playscheme.
(m) Child Care Allowances: Staff may apply for reimbursement of additional child care costs incurred as a result of temporary change to their working routine.
(n) Carers Leave: Staff may apply for up to 5 days paid special leave to nurse a sick relative or dependent. Carers may also apply for a career break.
(o) Career Break Schemes: Permanent staff who have a satisfactory marking and attendance record may apply for a career break of up to five years to assume home care responsibilities for a dependent.
Maternity leave/pay and paternity leave are entitlements. The other provisions are discretionary and subject, on a case by case basis, to the agreement of line managers and any other local arrangements that may be in place.

Ms Jowell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what provision is available to employees of his Department for (a) maternity leave (b) maternity pay, (c) paternity leave, (d) parental leave, (e) flexible working hours, (f) part-time work, (g) job-sharing, (h) leave to care for sick children, (i) home-working, (j) term-time contracts, (k) annual hours contracts, (l) workplace nurseries, (m) child care allowances, (n) carers' leave and (o) career break schemes; and what criteria are used to judge eligibility in each case. [27598]

Mr. John M. Taylor: The answers to the questions raised are as follows:

(a) and (b) Maternity Leave/Pay--Permanent staff with more than one year's service and who intend to return to work after their maternity leave are entitled to apply to take up to 52 weeks maternity leave, comprising 14 weeks paid maternity leave at full rate of pay and up to 38 weeks unpaid maternity leave. Casual staff with less than one year's service are entitled to the usual statutory provision.
(c) Paternity Leave--Fathers may take up to two days paid paternity leave at the time of the birth of their child or during the weeks following the birth. Line managers may allow up to five days special leave to fathers, where there are difficulties at the confinement or to care for other young children in the family.
(d) Parental Leave--The Department has no formal parental leave. Line managers are encouraged to understand the problems facing staff who are balancing their work and childcare commitments.
(e) Flexible Working Hours--Some parts of the Department operate flexible working hours schemes. Arrangements are made locally.
(f) and (g) Part time Work/Job Sharing--Any member of staff may apply to work part-time or to job share.
(h) Leave to care for sick children--Parents may apply for up to five days special paid leave to nurse a sick child.
(i), (j) and (k)--Homeworking/Term-Time Contracts/Annual Hours Contracts--A number of such working patterns are operating in the Department. Staff may apply to take unpaid special leave during school holidays.
(l) Workplace Nurseries--The Department does not operate any work place nurseries. However it runs a school holiday play scheme in central London, and supports a number of local schemes at Government office locations.
(m) Childcare Allowances--Staff may apply for reimbursement of additional child care costs incurred as a result of a temporary change to their working routine.
(n) Carers' Leave-- Staff may apply for up to five days paid special leave to nurse a sick relative or dependent. Carers may also apply for a career break.

7 May 1996 : Column: 42

(o) Career Break Scheme--Permanent staff who have a satisfactory performance marking and attendance record may apply for a career break of up to five years to assume homecare responsibilities for a dependent.

Maternity leave/pay and paternity leave are entitlements. Apart from the play schemes for which places are available on a first come first served basis, the other provisions are discretionary and subject on a case-by-case basis to the agreement of line managers and any other local arrangements that may be in place.

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