| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagement for Tuesday 11 February.[14038]
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 11 February.[14039]
The Prime Minister:
This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.
11 Feb 1997 : Column: 102
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Prime Minister which Departments have responsibility for assessing the National Disability Council's representations for action to stop building societies converting to banks without paying bonus shares to disabled people who are not the first named on their account; what response has been made to the council; what action has been taken by the Government; and if he will make a statement. [14666]
The Prime Minister:
Officials from Her Majesty's Treasury, the Department responsible for overseeing building societies, and the disability unit of the Department of Social Security have been working together with the independent National Disability Council on this issue. A report of their progress was given to the National Disability Council's meeting on 27 January. My hon. Friend, the Minister for Disabled People hopes to respond to the council in the near future.
Mr. Alton:
To ask the Prime Minister what role the Interception of Communications Tribunal and the commissioner have in the handling of (a) complaints of interceptions not authorised by warrant and (b) surreptitious surveillance of telephone calls by methods not prohibited by the definition of interception of the Court of Appeal in R v. Ahmed (1984); and what changes there have been to their role, with special reference to the area of unauthorised interception, since the statement by the Home Secretary on 7 February 1985, Official Report, column 1121. [15441]
The Prime Minister:
The tribunal and commissioner have no statutory power to investigate allegations that interception has taken place without a warrant issued under the Interception of Communications Act 1985. That would fall to be investigated by the police. The Act, which defines the roles of the tribunal and commissioner, is concerned only with the interception of communications in the course of their transmission by post or by means of a public telecommunications system. It does not apply to private telecommunications systems. There has been no change to the roles of the tribunal and commissioner since the introduction of the Act.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 448, who the 48 representatives of British industry were who accompanied him on his recent visit to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. [15000]
The Prime Minister:
The following list details those commercial organisations who were represented on various stages of my visit to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh:
11 Feb 1997 : Column: 103
Alfred McAlpine, SAGG, ANZ Gringlays, ABI, BAT, BOC, BAe British Airways, British Council, CBI, Commercial Union, Courtauld, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, Eagle Star, Foster Wheeler, GEC, Grand Met, HSBC, Hyder Consulting Group, ICI Paints, Kvaerner, Mott McDonald, Nat West Markets, PowerGen, Premier, Robert Fleming, Rolls Royce, Royal Sun Alliance, The 600 Group, Scotch Whiskey Association, Standard Life, W S Atkins, Asia House, Caparo Group, GEC Alsthom, General Accident, GPT, John Laing
International Ltd, Prudential, RTZ/CRA, T&N, University of Warwick, Cable and Wireless, Midland Electricity, Hardy Oil, LASMO, Nat West Securities, Siemens Plessey, Shell UK, Balfour Beatty, Barclays Bank, Barclays BZW, Biwater, ICI-Polyester, National Grid.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Data Collection (Postcodes)
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what use his Department had its agencies makes of postcode areas for the collection of data; and when such usages were last reviewed. [14984]
Mr. Streeter: Neither the Department nor its agencies uses postcode areas directly for the collection of data. The Land Registry records postcodes as part of property descriptions and in the addresses of registered proprietors; postcodes can be used to search for individual title numbers. In some other data collections conducted by the Department and its agencies addresses with postcodes are sought--for example, on some court forms. Postcodes are also generally used in addresses when sending requests for data by post.
Public Record Office
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the quinquennial agency review of the Public Record Office. [15601]
Mr. Streeter: The second stage of the agency review--the prior options review--will begin on 12 February and will be completed by 30 September 1997.
The Lord Chancellor has appointed a steering group to oversee the prior options review, comprising officials from his Department, the Public Record Office and the Office of Public Service, and representatives from his Advisory Council on Public Records and from the business community. The review will be led by the Public Record Office in liaison with his Department.
It will follow Cabinet Office guidelines and will include an update of the evaluation of the Public Record Office's performance as an executive agency.
Comments and contributions from those with an interest in the Public Record Office and its work would be welcome and should be sent by 5 April 1997 to Elizabeth Honer, Secretary to the Public Record Office Agency Review Steering Group, Public Record Office, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU.
Mr. Barnes:
To ask the Attorney-General what use his Department and its agencies make of postcode areas for the collection of data; and when such usages were last reviewed. [14985]
The Attorney-General:
My Departments and agencies make no such use of postcode areas.
11 Feb 1997 : Column: 104
Mr. Pendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list (a) the organisations and (b) the individuals which the Sports Council has consulted during its current review of sports to be eligible for grant aid. [13525]
Mr. Sproat:
There is no current review of sports eligible for grant aid. Work was undertaken in 1995-96 to co-ordinate the activities provided by the Sports Council's regions and units which assist in the development of excellence.
The English Sports Council will be providing a high-quality range of services, including specialist advice, to all recognised governing bodies of sport. At the same time, the council is to give an enhanced set of additional services to a core group of 23 priority sports, dependant on specific needs.
Governing bodies and organisations recognised by the Sports Council have been consulted on the review of services provided and all were invited to a briefing day meeting held on 8 May 1996. The other home country sports councils have also been consulted.
Mr. Pendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many sports have benefited from grant aid from the Sports Council; and if she will list them together with the amount of money they have received since 1994. [13519]
Mr. Sproat:
In the financial year 1994-95, a total of 62 sports received grant aid from the Sports Council amounting to £10,005,034; in 1995-96 a total of 65 sports received grant aid from the Sports Council, amounting to £10,956,247; and in 1996-97 65 sports will receive grant aid planned at £9,899,957. Assistance has also been provided to sport and physical activities through the national sports centres and regional sports development schemes. Full details are provided in the table.
11 Feb 1997 : Column: 105
Mr. Pendry: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many sports are currently eligible to receive grant aid from the Sports Council; and if she will list them. [13517]
Mr. Sproat: Ninety-five sports are currently eligible to be considered for the purposes of receiving grant aid. They are:
Aikido
American football
Angling
Archery
Association football
Athletics
Badminton
Ballooning
Baseball
Basketball
Billiards and snooker
Bobsleigh
Bowls
Boxing
11 Feb 1997 : Column: 106
Camogie
Canoeing
Caving
Chinese martial arts
Cricket
Croquet
Curling
Cycling
Disability sport
Dragon boat race
Equestrian
Fencing
Fives
Flying
Gaelic football
Gliding
Golf
Gymnastics
Handball
Hang/para gliding
Highland games
Hockey
Horse racing
Hovering
Hurling
Ice hockey
Ice skating
Judi
Ju jitsu
Karate
Kendo
Korfball
Lacrosse
Lawn tennis
Life saving
Luge
Modern pentathlon
Motor cycling
Motor sports
Mountaineering
Movement and dance
Netball
Orienteering
Parachuting
Petanque
Polo
Pool
Quoits
Racketball
Rambling
Real tennis and rackets
Roller hockey
Roller skating
Rounders
Rowing
Rugby league
Rugby union
Sailing/yachting
Sand and land yachting
Shinty
Shooting
Skiing
Softball
Sombo wrestling
Squash
Sub aqua
Surfing
Surf life saving
Swimming
Table tennis
Taekwondo
Tang soo do
Tenpin bowling
Trampolining
Triathlon
Tug of war
11 Feb 1997 : Column: 107
Volleyball
Water skiing
Weightlifting
Wrestling
Yoga
Mr. Sproat: The English Sports Council is not undertaking such a review.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |