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Goods and Services
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department paid to the private sector for goods and services in 1995-96. [29449]
Mr. Norris: The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Railtrack
Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Government's sale of their shareholding in Railtrack group plc. [30483]
Sir George Young: I am pleased to report that the Government's UK public offer and international offers of Railtrack shares were successfully completed this morning when dealings in interim rights started on the London stock exchange.
As a result of bids received in the international offers, the price of the second instalment for all investors in the UK public order and the international offers were set at 190p per interim right.
Accordingly, the price for Railtrack interim rights purchased in the United Kingdom public offer was 380p per share, comprising 190p paid on successful application and 190p to be paid by 3 June 1997.
The price for interim rights purchased in the international offer of Railtrack shares was 390p per share, comprising 200p paid on successful application and 190p to be paid by 3 June 1997.
The Government offered for sale up to 434.8 million Railtrack shares in the UK public offer and the international offers.
Some 665,000 applications were received in the United Kingdom public offer for a total of some 391 million Railtrack shares. This represented some three times the shares initially expected to be sold in the UK public offer. In response to this demand, the Government increased the total number of shares allocated to the UK public offer to 210 million shares. At this level, the number of shares applied for in the UK public offer represented some 1.9 times the shares available.
Over 44 per cent. of applicants in the UK public offer received an allocation of shares. Over 97 per cent. of applicants had their applications met in full.
Some 180.4 million shares were allocated to bidders in the international offers. This number does not include any shares that SBC Warburg may have over-allotted in connection with the international offers. The extent of any such over-allotment will not be disclosed until later.
20 May 1996 : Column: 37
Individual investors bidding in the United Kingdom retail tender bid for some 136 million shares in Railtrack. Of these numbers, some 32.5 million shares were in respect of personal equity plan applications.
In addition to the shares sold in the UK public offer and the international offers, SBC Warburg, as global co-ordinators for the sale, hold an option to acquire from the Secretary of State for Transport up to a further 65.2 million Railtrack shares for the purposes of meeting any over-allotment made by them in connection with the international offer. This option must be exercised by 14 June.
Total gross proceeds from the UK public order and international offers are expected to amount to some £1.67 billion, of which some £849 million is expected to be received in this financial year.
Total gross proceeds may be further increased by a maximum of £254 million to the extent that, if at all, the global co-ordinator, SBC Warburg, exercises its option to acquire further shares.
The costs of the sale will be disclosed to Parliament in due course.
Following the offers, and assuming the exercise in full of the option over Railtrack shares granted by the Secretary of State for Transport to SBC Warburg Ltd., the Secretary of State for Transport expects to hold not more than 1 per cent. of Railtrack group plc's issued share capital. These amounts comprise principally shares that may be needed to meet share bonus entitlement under the UK public offer.
The demand for shares in Railtrack gives me great confidence in the future of the railways.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many light goods vehicles and passenger carrying vehicles drivers have been disqualified in each of the last 10 years; [29543]
20 May 1996 : Column: 38
Mr. Norris:
Information about the number of LGV and PCV drivers who have been disqualified from driving during the last 10 years or ordered to re-sit a driving test since the implementation of the North report is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many firms with fewer than (a) 100, (b) 50, (c) 20 and (d) 10 employees were used by his Department in each of the last five years. [29434]
Mr. Norris:
The information is not available.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's policy on the use of performance bonds; in what circumstances they are used; what was the total sum paid by bond in each of the last five years; and if his Department requires bonds from businesses with fewer than (a) 100, (b) 50 and (c) 20 employees. [29427]
Mr. Norris:
Advice on the use of performance bonds is set out in the central unit on procurement's guidance note No. 48 "Bonds and guarantees", copies of which are available in the Libraries of both Houses. The guidance, which my Department follows, makes it clear that bonds are not always necessary and are no substitute of considered judgment about the risks of a particular contract and the capabilities and financial resources available to the contractor. These factors will vary for each contract independent of the size of the contractor. Such bonds have been called for by my Department only twice in the past five years and in neither case was it necessary to call upon the bonds' protection.
Mr. Ingram:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 11 March, Official Report, column 471, how many professional scientists and engineers of each category were employed at each grade in each of his Department's agencies in each year since 1991. [29836]
Mr. Norris:
The information requested, as recorded in the Department's central personnel computer records, is as set out in the following tables:
20 May 1996 : Column: 37
(2) how many LGV and PCV drivers have been required to take a driving retest for each year since the implementation of the north report. [29542]
| 1 April 1991 | 1 April 1992 | 1 April 1993 | 1 April 1994 | 1 April 1995 | 1 April 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grade 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Grade 5 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Grade 6 | 85 | 80 | 83 | 27 | 14 | 13 |
| Grade 7 | 319 | 311 | 318 | 128 | 65 | 57 |
| Senior professional and technology officer | 429 | 432 | 451 | 137 | 58 | 55 |
| Higher professional and technology officer | 133 | 122 | 141 | 31 | 22 | 19 |
| Professional and technology officer | 62 | 83 | 82 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 1,060 | 1,060 | 1,106 | 338 | 167 | 151 |
| Scientists | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Grade 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Grade 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Grade 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Senior scientific officer | 9 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Higher scientific officer | 1 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| Scientific officer | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Assistant scientific officer | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 33 | 35 | 36 | 27 | 24 | 23 |
1. The figures get progressively smaller due to agencies coming into being.
20 May 1996 : Column: 39
20 May 1996 : Column: 39
| 1 April 1991 | 1 April 1992 | 1 April 1993 | 1 April 1994 | 1 April 1995 | 1 April 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Grade 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | |||
| Grade 5 | 14 | 16 | 13 | |||
| Grade 6 | 44 | 51 | 46 | |||
| Grade 7 | 174 | 196 | 152 | |||
| Senior professional and technology officer | 326 | 349 | 278 | |||
| Higher professional and technology officer | 120 | 116 | 106 | |||
| Professional and technology officer | 58 | 66 | 38 | |||
| Total | 742 | 802 | 639 | |||
| Scientists | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Grade 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Grade 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Grade 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Grade 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| Senior scientific officer | 0 | 4 | 2 | |||
| Higher scientific officer | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Scientific officer | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Assistant scientific officer | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 6 | 3 |
1. Numbers for 1991, 1992 and 1993 will be include in DOT Central figures.
20 May 1996 : Column: 39
20 May 1996 : Column: 39
| 1 April 1991 | 1 April 1992 | 1 April 1993 | 1 April 1994 | 1 April 1995 | 1 April 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Grade 4 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Grade 5 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Grade 6 | 11 | 9 | ||||
| Grade 7 | 50 | 48 | ||||
| Senior professional and technology officer | 68 | 76 | ||||
| Higher professional and technology officer | 9 | 15 | ||||
| Professional and technology officer | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 141 | 151 | ||||
| Scientists | ||||||
| Grade 3 | ||||||
| Grade 4 | ||||||
| Grade 5 | ||||||
| Grade 6 | ||||||
| Grade 7 | ||||||
| Senior scientific officer | ||||||
| Higher scientific officer | ||||||
| Scientific officer | ||||||
| Assistant scientific officer | ||||||
| Total |
1. Numbers for 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 will be included in DOT Central figures.
20 May 1996 : Column: 41
| 1 April 1991 | 1 April 1992 | 1 April 1993 | 1 April 1994 | 1 April 1995 | 1 April 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Grade 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Grade 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Grade 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Grade 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Senior professional and technology officer | 9 | 7 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Higher professional and technology officer | 9 | 8 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Professional and technology officer | 10 | 10 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 34 | 30 | 22 | 0 | ||
| Scientists | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Grade 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Grade 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Grade 6 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Grade 7 | 73 | 69 | 63 | 0 | ||
| Senior scientific officer | 90 | 85 | 75 | 0 | ||
| Higher scientific officer | 70 | 79 | 82 | 0 | ||
| Scientific officer | 81 | 73 | 61 | 0 | ||
| Assistant scientific officer | 18 | 14 | 21 | 0 | ||
| Total | 357 | 342 | 323 | 0 |
1. Numbers for 1991 and 1992 will be included in DOT Central figures.
2. Numbers for 1996 are unavailable as the agency has now been privatised.
20 May 1996 : Column: 41
| 1 April 1991 | 1 April 1992 | 1 April 1993 | 1 April 1994 | 1 April 1995 | 1 April 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grade 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grade 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Grade 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Grade 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Senior professional and technology officer | 8 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 |
| Higher professional and technology officer | 23 | 19 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 27 |
| Professional and technology officer | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 40 | 38 | 35 | 39 | 42 | 44 |
| Scientists | ||||||
| Grade 3 | ||||||
| Grade 4 | ||||||
| Grade 5 | ||||||
| Grade 6 | ||||||
| Grade 7 | ||||||
| Senior scientific officer | ||||||
| Higher scientific officer | ||||||
| Scientific officer | ||||||
| Assistant scientific officer | ||||||
| Total |
20 May 1996 : Column: 43
| 1 April 1991 | 1 April 1992 | 1 April 1993 | 1 April 1994 | 1 April 1995 | 1 April 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | ||||||
| Grade 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grade 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Grade 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Grade 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Grade 7 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 7 |
| Senior professional and technology officer | 44 | 42 | 41 | 36 | 36 | 40 |
| Higher professional and technology officer | 104 | 103 | 101 | 91 | 81 | 63 |
| Professional and technology officer | 472 | 458 | 443 | 398 | 389 | 368 |
| Total | 643 | 622 | 602 | 540 | 517 | 481 |
| Scientists | ||||||
| Grade 3 | ||||||
| Grade 4 | ||||||
| Grade 5 | ||||||
| Grade 6 | ||||||
| Grade 7 | ||||||
| Senior scientific officer | ||||||
| Higher scientific officer | ||||||
| Scientific officer | ||||||
| Assistant scientific officer | ||||||
| Total |
20 May 1996 : Column: 43
20 May 1996 : Column: 43
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