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Rugby World Cup
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he has made to maximise the economic benefits to Wales of the holding of the final of the 1999 rugby world cup. [3013]
Mr. Hague: My hon. Friend, the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) has responsibility for the co-ordination of my Department's efforts to maximise the economic benefits arising from the rugby world cup. He has established a Welsh Office liaison group with core representatives from the Welsh rugby union, the Wales tourist board, the Welsh Development Agency, the Development Board for Rural Wales, the Cardiff Bay development corporation, the Welsh Local Government Association, and Cardiff Marketing. Cardiff county council is also invited to attend. The group provides a focal point to ensure that Wales as a whole gains the maximum economic and tourism benefit from the event.
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 705
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney) of 4 November, Official Report, column 350, on the Welsh Development Agency's budget, if the sum of £20 million for the LG project is provision for 1996-97 alone; if it is the total provision by the Welsh Development Agency for the project; what is the planned expenditure for 1995-96 by the Welsh Development Agency on the LG project; and what elements of the LG project the £20 million provision will fund. [3021]
Mr. Hague: The £20 million allocated to the WDA of the LG project is for 1996-97; and additional spending requirements will be met as part of the WDA's normal priorities; the details of the funding arrangements are commercially confidential.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney) of 4 November, Official Report, column 350, on the Welsh Development Agency's budget, when construction of the LG factory is planned to commerce; and how much of the £20 million committed in grant in aid for the LG project is allocated to (a) land acquisition, (b) site preparation and (c) factory construction. [3022]
Mr. Hague: Construction of the LG electronics development is expected to start in January 1997; construction of the LG semiconductors development is expected to start in March 1997. Details of the funding arrangements are commercially confidential.
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney) of 4 November, column 350 on the Welsh Development Agency's budget, what is the source of the additional £25.4 million of central Government provision for the Welsh Development Agency for 1996-97. [3020]
Mr. Hague: The additional provision of £25.3 million in class XIV, vote 2 for the grant in aid to the Welsh Development Agency has been funded mainly from (i) end-year flexibility entitlements carried forward from previous years, (ii) a switch of resources from class XIV, vote 1 as a result of claims proving lower than expected agri-environmental and farm conservation schemes, and (iii) numerous cases of virement within vote 2.
Welsh Health Common Services Authority
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority as regards the movement of staff from Crickhowell house to other Government-owned premises in the Cardiff area; what estimate he has made of the savings in rent for those market-tested units of the authority leaving Crickhowell house for other Government-provided accommodation; and if he will make a statement. [3014]
Mr. Hague: None. The authority is considering options, on a commercially confidential basis, to re-locate staff from Crickhowell house. If this takes place, it will be essential to demonstrate value for money for the health service and a final decision has not been taken.
7 Nov 1996 : Column: 706
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney) of 1 November, Official Report, columns 295-96, if he will list the principal reasons for the increased grant in aid for the Cardiff Bay development corporation during the current financial year; what impact the current increase has had on previous estimates of (a) the final outturn cost of the barrage and (b) the current cumulative total public expenditure by the corporation; and if he will make a statement. [3024]
Mr. Hague: The grant in aid has been increased to fund additional estimated expenditure on inward investment projects, which could add to the cumulative total public expenditure by the corporation, and to fund the cash flow demands of the barrage project. The estimated final outturn cost of the barrage project remains within the £191 million announced to Parliament.
GP Fundholding
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning approval for the split up of GP fundholding practices; and if he will make a statement [3012]
Mr. Hague: From 1 April 1996, the minimum list size criterion for standard GP fundholding in Wales was reduced to 4,000 from 7,000. Thirty-seven practices previously within 17 fundholding groups, applied to change their status, and were approved. Some 31 are now single practice funds; six practices remain in three groups.
Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Mr. Sweeney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements for compulsory competitive tendering for work subject to the provisions of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 will apply to local authorities. [3524]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: My right hon. Friend has given very careful consideration to the timetable for the re-introduction of compulsory competitive tendering for this work after local government reorganisation. We have consulted on the regulations which provide for the re-introduction of compulsory competitive tendering and, separately, have received representations that a number of local authorities are continuing to have operational difficulties in complying with the timetable which was announced in June 1995.