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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Judges (Directorships)

Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what steps are taken (a) at the time of their appointment and (b) subsequently, to ensure that his Department is informed of company directorships held by judges. [14379]

Mr. Streeter: Full-time judges are advised before appointment that they should not hold commercial directorships during their service on the Bench, although some forms of non-commercial directorships may be acceptable. Subject to these general principles, each case is dealt with on its individual circumstances.

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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

Kenya

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each of the last five years for which figures are available (a) projects in Kenya which received aid and (b) the total amount of aid to Kenya; and if he will make a statement. [15226]

Dr. Liam Fox: The gross public expenditure to Kenya over the last five years has amounted to £166,493,000 broken down as follows:

£ millions
1991-9238,351
1992-9337,514
1993-9431,231
1994-9530,214
1995-9629,183

Major sectors of involvement have been, and continue to be, health and population, education, renewable natural resources, roads and small enterprise development.

Over the last two years, there has been major expenditure--over £1 million--on each of the following projects:


Mr. Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department is giving to Kenya to combat the effects of the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria; and if he will make a statement. [15228]

Dr. Fox: We are giving no direct assistance to Kenya to combat the effects of the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria. Assistance is, however, being provided by other donors, including the World bank and the European Union.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Members' Tea Room (No Smoking Areas)

Dr. Godman: To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee (1) if he will consult hon. Members about the location of designated no smoking areas in the Members' Tea Room; and if he will make a statement; [15174]

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Sir Colin Shepherd: The Catering Committee keeps under constant review the policy regarding smoking in all Refreshment Department outlets, including, of course, in the Tea Room. In each of the last three years, hon. Members have had the opportunity to respond to the Refreshment Department's customer questionnaire, which welcomes comments on smoking policy. The results of the last survey were considered by the Committee at its meeting on 22 January. The Committee was encouraged by the fact that, based on the responses to the specific questions on smoking, the existing arrangements appear to have the support of a majority of respondents. Hon. Members may also make their views known throughout the year by using the comments books available in all outlets, which I read frequently.

TREASURY

Illegal Drug Use (Questions)

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy as to when questions on statistics on illegal drug use are to be answered by (a) his Department, (b) the Department of Health, (c) the Home Office, (d) the Leader of the House and (e) other Departments. [14653]

Mrs. Angela Knight [holding answer 6 February 1997]: Ministerial responsibility varies according to the information sought and the availability of data, as follows:


The Department of Health also compiles a variety of aggregated data on problem drug misuse. The data cover England and are published twice a year.


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Parliamentary Questions (Cost)

Mr. Alton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines exist for determining whether providing the answer to a parliamentary question would involve disproportionate cost; what steps are taken to ensure that officials do not avoid undertaking work on researching information for Ministers by wrongly claiming that the research would involve disproportionate cost; and what sanctions (a) have been and (b) could be imposed on officials in such circumstances. [15431]

Mrs. Angela Knight: Treasury Ministers aim to answer written parliamentary questions as fully as possible and in accordance with guidance on disproportionate cost. Ministers may decline to answer, in whole or in part, a written parliamentary question where the marginal cost of preparing the answer is likely to exceed the current advisory limit of £450. The decision to use this cost threshold rests with Ministers, who may decide that questions should be answered irrespective of cost.

I am not aware of any instances where officials have sought to make improper use of the threshold. If officials were to do so, this would be an internal matter for the Department concerned.

Labour Statistics

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of people aged under 25 years are (a) in full-time employment, (b) in part-time

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employment, (c) in full-time education and (d) on Government-supported training schemes in (i) Yorkshire and Humberside and (ii) England, as at spring 1996. [14305]

Mrs. Angela Knight: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Dr. M. P. G. Pepper to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 12 February 1997:





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Persons aged 16 to 24 years: at spring (thousands)

199119921993199419951996
Full-time employment(3)
Yorkshire and Humberside346283269235233213
England3,1702,7382,4712,3192,2572,166
Part-time employment(3)
Yorkshire and Humberside698681898793
England732769778842853966
Full-time education (with a job)(4)
Yorkshire and Humberside495445556263
England521534485589596682
Full-time education (without a job)
Yorkshire and Humberside96112117130132143
England9061,1011,1311,1911,2471,172
Government-supported training and employment programmes
Yorkshire and Humberside282727232117
England231196188174144125

Note:

(3) Excludes Government-supported training and employment programmes.

(4) Included in employment estimates.

Source:

Labour Force Survey.


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12 Feb 1997 : Column: 193

Persons aged 16 to 24 years: at spring (per cent.)

199119921993199419951996
Full-time employment(5)
Yorkshire and Humberside524443394037
England514643414140
Part-time employment(5)
Yorkshire and Humberside101313151516
England121313151618
Full-time education (with a job)(6)
Yorkshire and Humberside78791111
England898101113
Full-time education (without a job)
Yorkshire and Humberside151719222325
England151820212322
Government-supported training and employment programmes
Yorkshire and Humberside444443
England433332

Notes:

(5) Excludes Government-supported training and employment programmes.

(6) Included in employment estimates.

Source:

Labour Force Survey.


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12 Feb 1997 : Column: 195


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