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School Inspections (Manningham)

Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the main conclusions of the Office for Standards in Education report following the inspection of schools in the Manningham area of Bradford; if she will list the schools included in that inspection; and if she will make a statement. [4387]

Mr. Robin Squire: This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, who heads the Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what information is collected centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies accountable to her Department. [5086]

Mr. Robin Squire: The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under the PFI. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregated projections of the level of expenditure that is expected to

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 556

arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published in the 1997-98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Environmental Auditing

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the ways in which his Department has (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if he will make a statement. [4544]

Mr. Willetts: My Department and its agencies play a full part in supporting the initiatives being carried forward in response to the 1990 White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", including membership of the green Ministers group. The Department implements an annual green housekeeping action plan, which is subject to regular audit.

Examples of specific initiatives undertaken include:

1. Work following a study into the feasibility of contract energy management has resulted in a reduction of over-capacity in the water heating system in the Cabinet Office buildings at Nos. 68 to 72 Whitehall and in Downing street. The remodelled system provides flexibility whilst continuing to recognise the need for standby facilities to be readily available.


2. In the security facilities executive, the Government car service was one of the first organisations to sign up to the London clean air charter and has adopted CityClean and low sulphur diesel fuels. All GCS cars are fitted with catalytic converters and gas powered vehicles are on trial.

Where appropriate, further examples are recorded in the Department's and its agencies' annual reports.

Mr. Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the ways in which his Department has (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if he will make a statement. [4543]

The Deputy Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General.

PRIME MINISTER

Environmental Auditing

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the ways in which his Department has (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if he will make a statement. [4538]

The Prime Minister: For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General today.

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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Sudan

Mr. Galbraith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of his Department's provision for the Sudan; what plans there are to increase it; and if he will make a statement. [4783]

Mr. Hanley: The UK has committed nearly £13 million in humanitarian assistance to Sudan and Sudanese refugees bilaterally and through the European Community since the start of 1995. Future assistance will depend on levels of humanitarian need.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5084]

Mr. Hanley: The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed on the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments under the private finance initiative. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published in the 1997-98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

Royal Family (Overseas Visits)

Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 30 October, Official Report, column 167, how much of the total cost to his Department arising from visits abroad by members of the royal family in 1995-96 related to clothing. [3204]

Mr. Rifkind [holding answer 11 November 1996]: In 1995-96 the total cost to this Department of clothing for official visits overseas by members of the royal family and those accompanying them was £47,452.

As I advised in my answer to the hon. Member on 18 July Official Report, column 610, high profile and worthy representation of Britain abroad inevitably involves additional expenditure on clothes by members of the royal family and certain of those accompanying them.

It is right that such expenditure is met by the Government for official overseas visits undertaken at the Government's request.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5081]

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Mr. Streeter: The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed on the importance of collecting and monitoring information on future spending commitments arising from contracts under PFI. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projections of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under PFI would be published in the 1997-98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Timms: To ask the Attorney-General what information is collated centrally on (a) the long-term revenue commitments and (b) any other commitments arising as a result of private finance initiative projects agreed by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies accountable to his Department. [5082]

The Attorney-General: The Government response to the Treasury Committee report on the private finance initiative agreed on the importance of collecting and monitoring information of future spending commitments arising from contracts under the private finance initiative. Such information is now being collected. The response stated that aggregate projection of the level of expenditure that is expected to arise from signed contracts under the initiative would be published in the 1997-98 "Financial Statement and Budget Report."

WALES

Publicity

Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the cost of staff, employed full-time or part-time by his Department, to provide information and publicity in 1996-97. [3574]

Mr. Hague: For 1996-97, I estimate the cost of staff employed in my press office to be £335,000 and in my publicity branch to be £270,000.

Alcoholism

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) people and (b) children under the age of 18 years have been diagnosed as alcoholics in Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [4411]

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information requested is not available centrally. However, the number of finished consultant episodes in NHS hospitals in Wales in each of the last five years where the primary diagnosis was alcohol dependency syndrome is given in the following table. The figures do not relate to the number of people treated as one person may have more than one finished consultant episode during the period. Only those admitted to NHS hospitals are included.

20 Nov 1996 : Column: 559

Finished consultant episodes with a primary diagnosis of alcohol dependency syndrome

	People aged under 18	People aged 18 and over	Total
1991-92	10	1,261	1,271
1992-93	5	1,316	1,321
1993-94	3	1,191	1,194
1994-95	6	1,252	1,258
1995-96(1)	4	746	750

(1) Data for 1995-96 are not comparable to earlier years as records are not yet available for all hospitals and the diagnosis code used was different from earlier years.

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