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Water Quality

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Wales committee of the Environment Agency concerning the date for setting water quality objectives for (a) immersion sports, (b) basic aquatic amenities and (c) fisheries. [11608]

Mr. Hague: None. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 7 February 1995, Official Report, column 135, the Government's intention to test the operation of statutory water quality objectives in a limited number of pilot catchments. I am considering the Environment Agency's proposals for objectives for the Cleddau river catchment in Pembrokeshire which was one of those selected for the trial.

Newcastle Disease

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many recognised outbreaks of Newcastle disease have been recorded on farms in Wales by area in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [11558]

(2) how many (a) chickens, (b) turkeys and (c) other birds have been affected by Newcastle disease in Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [11556]

Mr. Jonathan Evans: No outbreaks of Newcastle disease have been recorded in Wales in the last five years.

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been affected with Newcastle disease in Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [11557]

Mr. Jones: There have been no cases of Newcastle disease in humans in Wales reported to the public health laboratory service communicable disease surveillance centre in the last five years.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who will own the APCOA car park and Eastern avenue eastbound on-slip road being constructed under the private finance initiative at the end of the operating lease period. [11609]

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Mr. Hague: Ownership of the car park will transfer to the University Hospital of Wales Healthcare NHS Trust at the end of 20 years. The on-slip road will remain in the ownership of the trust, with the PFI partner funding the capital costs and a maintenance contract with Cardiff county council under a standard highways agreement for 20 years.

Cancer Treatment Centre, Bodelwyddan

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors underlie the size of the increase in the prospective annual revenue costs of the north Wales regional cancer treatment centre at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan. [11302]

Mr. Hague: The increase in revenue costs from £4.3 million to £5.1 million per annum comprise an increase in capital charges in line with the increase in the capital costs to build and equip the centre, and the addition of a further radio iodine treatment facility.

Workshop on GP Work Force Planning

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the workshop on GP work force planning which took place on 15 November 1996; if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the proposals emanating from the workshop and (b) the summary of the questionnaire on GP retirement intentions. [11303]

Mr. Hague: A report of the workshop is being drafted, and a copy will be placed in the Library upon completion.

Cardiff Bay Barrage

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Land Authority for Wales concerning the non-determination of its planning application for a bird reserve to compensate for the loss of wader winter feeding grounds arising from the Cardiff bay barrage; and if he will make a statement. [11304]

Mr. Hague: None. The Land Authority for Wales issued a press notice on 14 January, indicating its intention of appealing to me against Newport borough council's non-determination of the planning application for a wildlife reserve on the Gwent levels. The Planning Inspectorate will be advising me on the appropriate action once the appeal is received.

Information Technology

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who will own the information technology equipment used in his Department's OSIRIS office automation project at the end of the operating lease period. [11610]

Mr. Hague: The OSIRIS contract is let under the private finance initiative and is not a leasing arrangement. Ownership of the equipment after the end of the contract period will rest with Siemens Business Services. The Welsh Office, and any subsequent contractor, has an option to buy the equipment at that time at a price which reflects the fair market value of the assets.

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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

European Union

Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of articles that permit derogations from the obligation for ever closer union in all matters within the scope of each of the respective treaties of the European Union. [10900]

Mr. David Davis: The treaty on European Union, like the original treaty of Rome, calls for an ever-closer union "among the peoples of Europe", not among the states or their Governments. This aspiration for strengthened co-operation and friendship is fully shared by the Government. Since it does not impose any legal obligation on the member states of the European Union, the question of derogations does not arise.

Nuclear Weapons

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of which countries, currently holding nuclear weapons, are likely to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons. [9671]

Mr. David Davis [holding answer 15 January 1997]: All the nuclear weapon states have signed the comprehensive test ban treaty, which will prohibit any nuclear weapon test explosion and any other nuclear explosion, and thus constrain the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and end the development of advanced new types of nuclear weapons.

EU Legislative Instruments

Mr. Spearing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the draft and adopted legislative instruments which have been solely based on the articles of the social agreement attached to the social protocol of the treaty on European Union, indicating for each (a) the document numbers and titles, (b) the dates of publication, progress or adoption, (c) the articles and paragraphs of the agreement cited as their base and (d) the opinions or amendments made by the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement on the nature and objectives of further legislation arising from the agreement of which he has received notification and which has not yet been formally presented to the Council of Ministers. [10878]

Mr. David Davis [holding reply of 15 January, 1997]: The following legislation is proposed, or has been adopted, on the basis of the agreement on social policy attached to protocol 14 of the Treaty of European Union:

European Works Council

a) Council directive 94/45/EC on the establishment of a European Works Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees.

b) Adopted by the Council on 22 September 1994.

c) Adopted on the basis of article 2(2) of the agreement on social policy.

d) European Parliament opinion delivered on 4 May 1994; the European Parliament's second reading on 15 September 1994 suggested eight amendments, of which three were agreed by the Council.

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Parental Leave

a) Council directive 96/34/EC on the framework agreement on parental leave concluded by Union of Industrial and Employer Confederation of Europe, European Centre of Public Enterprise and the European Trade Unions Congress.

b) Adopted by the Council on 3 June 1996.

c) Adopted on the basis of article 4(2) of the agreement on social policy.

d) European Parliament informed of the proposal.

Burden of Proof

a) Commission proposal for a Council directive on the burden of proof in cases of discrimination based on sex. Council document no. 6703/88; COM(96) 340 Final.

b) Proposal under discussion in the Council.

c) Proposed on the basis of article 2(2) of the agreement on social policy.

d) The opinion of the European Parliament is awaited.

The Commission has initiated consultations with the social partners under the terms of article 4 of the agreement on social policy as to whether there should be legislation in the following two areas:

the provision of equal statutory rights for atypical workers with their full-time equivalents.

the application to companies with more than 50 employees of the principles of information and consultation of workers already enshrined in the European Works Council Directive.

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