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United Nations Agencies
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently received regarding British funding of United Nations agencies; and if he will make a statement. [13973]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We have received no such representations.
Estonia
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on bilateral relations with the Republic of Estonia. [15225]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Our bilateral relations with Estonia are close and friendly, extending across a wide range of areas including political and economic co-operation, trade and investment and defence co-operation. Our close partnership was noted by Estonian Foreign Minister Ilves when he visited the United Kingdom earlier this month and paid tribute to the UK's consistent support for Estonia's sovereignty and independence.
Burma
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Burmese Government's treatment of (a) the democracy movement and (b) Aung San Suu Kyi. [15392]
Mr. Hanley: We remain deeply concerned by the harassment and detention of many supporters of the democracy movement in Burma and the continuation of road-blocks outside the home of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The EU has adopted a common position in Burma, which urges the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council--SLORC--to allow the National League for Democracy and other legitimate political parties to pursue freely their normal activities.
Antarctica (Rift)
Sir Michael Shersby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will call for a report from the commissioner of the British Antarctic Territory on the rift that has appeared in the Larsen B ice shelf; what assessment he has made of the extent to which it indicates changing global temperatures and the possibility of rising sea levels; and if he will make a statement. [15236]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
Additional rifts on the Larsen ice shelf have been identified in the past two years. However, the most recent scientific expedition to the area, in November 1996, found nothing extraordinary about these rifts.
12 Feb 1997 : Column: 236
The British Antarctic Survey interpretation is that the retreat of ice shelves around the Antarctic peninsula is due to local atmospheric warming. This is not necessarily correlated with temperature trends elsewhere in Antarctica or globally. If local warming continues, it is almost certain that another part of the Larsen ice shelf will disappear.
Since the ice shelf is already floating, and therefore displacing the equivalent of its own mass in water, there would be no rise in sea level even if it were to disintegrate and melt.
Mr. Dykes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to pay an official visit to his counterpart in France to discuss Franco-British developments in the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the expected agenda at this meeting. [14158]
Mr. David Davis:
My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary plans to visit Paris on 3 March when he expects to meet M. Charette, the French Foreign Minister, and to discuss with him European issues as well as other topical matters. He will also deliver a speech on the British vision for the future of the EU.
Dr. Godman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received anent the proposal for the designation of the basking shark as an endangered species; and if he will make a statement.[14623]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has recommended protection of the basking shark by adding it to schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The recommendation, part of a third quinquennial review of schedules 5 and 8 of the 1981 Act, has been presented to the Secretary of State for the Environment on the basis that the species is likely to become endangered unless such protection is implemented. The Scottish Office is participating in the Government's consideration of the recommendations.
The JNCC recommendations are presently the subject of a wide-ranging consultation exercise being carried out by the Department of the Environment. Any representations received will be given full consideration before any decision is taken.
Mr. Bill Walker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 31 January, Official Report, column 373, when he expects the chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise will reply to the hon. Member for North Tayside. [15188]
Mr. Kynoch:
I understand that the hon Member's question was answered on 6 February 1997.
12 Feb 1997 : Column: 237
Mrs. Ray Michie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) three-year-olds and (b) four-year-olds had nursery schools places in each year since 1992. [15007]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson:
The information requested is set out in the table.
| Education authority schools | Independent schools | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As at September | Age 3 | Age 4 | Age 3 | Age 4 |
| 1992 | 12,357 | 33,787 | 529 | 996 |
| 1993 | 13,302 | 33,815 | 520 | 923 |
| 1994 | 13,064 | 35,245 | 558 | 968 |
| 1995 | 12,634 | 35,331 | 559 | 947 |
| 1996 | 12,677 | 36,121 | n/a | n/a |
The 1996 figures are provisional. The 1996 data are not currently available for independent schools because of a computer malfunction.
Mrs. Michie:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many qualified nursery school teachers were employed by each local authority in each year since 1992. [15008]
Mr. Robertson:
The numbers of teachers working in education authority nursery schools and classes in the years 1992-96 are set out in the table.
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 1,116 | 1,085 | 1,135 | 1,152 | 1,188 |
| Education Authority | |||||
| Aberdeen City | 92 | 86 | 91 | 80 | -- |
| Aberdeenshire | 41 | 45 | 45 | 46 | -- |
| Angus | 18 | 18 | 23 | 23 | -- |
| Argyll and Bute | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | -- |
| Clackmannanshire | 16 | 13 | 16 | 16 | -- |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 24 | 24 | 31 | 30 | -- |
| Dundee City | 52 | 47 | 48 | 55 | -- |
| East Ayrshire | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | -- |
| East Dunbartonshire | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | -- |
| East Lothian | 20 | 30 | 31 | 34 | -- |
| East Renfrewshire | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | -- |
| Edinburgh, City of | 137 | 140 | 135 | 168 | -- |
| Falkirk | 32 | 32 | 36 | 36 | -- |
| Fife | 144 | 117 | 128 | 115 | -- |
| Glasgow, City of | 165 | 154 | 156 | 154 | -- |
| Highland | 28 | 26 | 29 | 28 | -- |
| Inverclyde | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | -- |
| Midlothian | 26 | 29 | 29 | 28 | -- |
| Moray | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | -- |
| North Ayrshire | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | -- |
| North Lanarkshire | 41 | 40 | 41 | 37 | -- |
| Orkney Islands | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | -- |
| Perth and Kinross | 24 | 23 | 27 | 28 | -- |
| Renfrewshire | 30 | 29 | 29 | 38 | -- |
| Scottish Borders | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | -- |
| Shetland Islands | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | -- |
| South Ayrshire | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | -- |
| South Lanarkshire | 19 | 22 | 21 | 21 | -- |
| Stirling | 21 | 20 | 22 | 20 | -- |
| West Dunbartonshire | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | -- |
| Western Isles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- |
| West Lothian | 44 | 52 | 53 | 54 | -- |
The 1996 figure is provisional and cannot, at this stage, be disaggregated between authorities.
12 Feb 1997 : Column: 238
Mrs. Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is currently the average class size for nursery schools for each local authority. [15009]
Mr. Robertson: Information on class sizes in education authority nursery schools is not collected because most nursery provision is not delivered in the context of a class structure.
Scottish Grand Committee
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost to the Scottish Office of the meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee in Selkirk on 3 February; what was the cost of the catering arrangements; and who were the contractors for the catering arrangements. [14678]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: The cost of hiring venues, catering, security and so on is borne by the House authorities. Scottish Office officials supporting Ministers in connection with Committee meetings do so as part of their normal duties and no additional staff costs are incurred apart from travelling expenses.
I understand that the cost of the catering arrangements for the Scottish Grand Committee in Selkirk on Monday 3 February is of the order of £750. The caterers used by Scottish Borders council for the meeting were Graylee Jimson Catering.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make arrangements for the food hygiene inspector to be present at the next meeting of the Scottish Grand Committee on 17 February. [14679]
Mr. Forsyth:
I see no need for an environmental health officer to be present.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will require that future meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee take place in towns to which there is access by rail. [14680]
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