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ENVIRONMENT

Satellite-derived Data

Sir Michael Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the level of his Department's funding in current and future years for the purchase of satellite-derived data; [33254]

(2) what current use is made of satellites to provide environmental data for his Department; and if he will make a statement. [33253]

Mr. Clappison: The Department uses Earth observation data from satellites directly and also indirectly through commissioned research. The advanced along track scanning radiometer, to be flown in 1999 to test for the onset of human-induced climate changes, is an unique example of instrument purchase. Funding will be £15 million between 1991 and 1999. Satellite-derived data contribute to commissioned research including the climate change predictions of the Hadley centre, the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology land cover map of Great Britain and the planned countryside survey 2000, north-east Atlantic rainfall and sea state climatology, and North sea plankton growth. Specific costs for the satellite data are not kept centrally. The Environment Agency uses satellite-derived data for water catchment management, diffuse pollution assessment and oil spill monitoring, and for research on flood defence. Specific future funding has yet to be identified. The Department keeps under review the further potential of satellite-derived data to provide information at an appropriate cost.

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Air Pollution (West Midlands)

Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which areas have been identified in the west midlands as registering a level of air pollution deemed detrimental to human health. [33341]

Mr. Clappison: A summary of exceedences of national and international guidelines and standards for air pollution levels across the United Kingdom, including the west midlands, is included in the Department of the Environment's "Digest of Environmental Statistics No. 18, 1996" and "Air Pollution in the United Kingdom: 1994", published on behalf of the Department by the National Environmental Technology Centre. Copies of both reports have been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

Noise Pollution

Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of complaints received by the statutory authorities in respect of noise pollution by (a) metropolitan district and (b) region in each of the last five years. [33343]

Mr. Clappison: This information is not collected by my Department. However, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health carries out an annual survey of statistics of environmental noise complaints made to local authorities in England and Wales. I shall write to the hon. Member with further details

Road Traffic (West Midlands)

Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the level of road traffic and its effects on health in the west midlands. [33340]

Mr. Clappison: I have received a number of letters from Members of Parliament and the public concerning air quality, but I am not aware of any correspondence on this specific subject.

Heavy Traffic (Health Problems)

Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviroment what estimate has been made of the number of people suffering health problems caused by heavy traffic near their homes by (a) metropolitan district, (b) county council and (c) London borough. [33342]

Mr. Clappison: The scientific and technical basis for making such specific estimates is not available. However, the independent Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution and the Advisory Group on Medical Aspects of Air Pollution Episodes, which advise the Governent on such matters, have published several reports on the impact on public health of emissions from road traffic and other sources in the United Kingdom as a whole.

Copies of the reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

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TREASURY

Prompt Payment Code

Mr. Redmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Government Departments to date have not signed up to the Confederation of British Industry's prompt payment code; and if he will make a statement. [31431]

Mrs. Angela Knight: None.

Unemployment Statistics (Ethnic Minorities)

Mr. Bernie Grant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to improve the collection of statistics relating to unemployment in respect of black and other ethnic minority communities. [33602]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The collection and publication of unemployment and other labour market statistics relating to black and other ethnic minority groups were improved in 1992 with the introduction of the quarterly labour force survey. To obtain reliable figures for smaller sub-groups of the population surveyed, such as ethnic minority groups, the Office for National Statistics averages the data over several quarters. The ONS published a description of the methodology used and statistics produced in the June 1996 issue of "Labour Market Trends". ONS will publish further guidance for users in the autumn.

Construction Industry

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people there are currently employed in the construction industry in the United Kingdom; and what were the corresponding figures five and 10 years previously. [33801]

Mrs. Angela Knight: Information from the labour force survey is as follows:

Employment ¹ in construction: United Kingdom (thousands), not seasonally adjusted
Winter 1995-96 1,819
Spring 1995 1,835
Spring 1990 2,141
Spring 1985 1,804
¹ Includes employees, self-employed, Government-supported training and employment programmes and, since 1992, unpaid family workers.

Tax Offices (Yorkshire)

Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, in ranked order, those tax offices in Yorkshire that have achieved the targets set by the taxpayers charter. [33622]

Mr. Jack [holding answer 20 June 1996]: The taxpayers charter sets out the general principles by which the Inland Revenue operates. To meet commitments under the charter, individual areas of work are targeted. The targets are published and included in the operating plan of each regional executive office. In order to achieve the performance set out in the operating plans, targets are set for each tax office. As these vary depending on the

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individual circumstances in each office, it is not possible to draw any comparison between the performance of individual offices.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Public Appointments

Mr. Walden: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures she intends to take to encourage applications from members of the public to take up appointments on her Department's public bodies. [34464]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: I believe that it is very important to encourage a wide range of people with the right skills and experience to consider public service. I have commissioned advertisements in the national press, the first of which will appear in The Sunday Times on 23 June, inviting applications from members of the public willing to serve on one of the bodies sponsored by my Department when suitable vacancies arise.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Departmental Personnel

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many of the personnel employed by her Department work on the employment aspects of her responsibilities. [33549]

Mr. Robin Squire: The following table gives staff numbers in the Department and its agencies on 1 April 1996. Policies and programmes for education, vocational training and employment are increasingly integrated following the merger of the old Education and Employment Departments. Except in the agencies, the duties of officials reflect this and in many cases it is not possible to make the distinction that the hon. Member seeks.

DfEE staffing figures1 April 1996

	Full-time head count	Part-time head count	Full-time equivalent
Permanent staff
DfEE excluding agencies	4,739	473	5,045.1
Employment service agency	30,215	7,455	34,911.6
Teachers' pensions agency	334	62	370.2
Total DfEE including agencies	35,288	7,990	40,327
Casual staff
DfEE excluding agencies	175	20	187.5
Employment service agency	3,308	179	3,420.8
Teachers' pensions agency	30	1	30.5
Total DfEE including agencies	3,513	200	3,639
All staff
DfEE excluding agencies	4,914	493	5,233
Employment service agency	33,523	7,634	38,332
Teachers' pension agency	364	63	401
Total DfEE including agencies	38,801	8,190	43,966

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