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LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Pilot Waste Audit
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's pilot waste audit. [16426]
Mr. Streeter: The only waste pilot scheme currently in progress within my Department is being conducted by the Court Service. I have asked Michael Huebner, the chief Executive of the Court Service, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Martyn Jones, dated 24 February 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the progress of the Court Service's pilot waste audit.
The Court Service commenced a waste audit at a major Crown Court centre at the end of last year. Preliminary investigations have been undertaken into waste streams and amounts of paper (and other items) currently recycled and reused. Further investigations into how best to minimise waste at source, and therefore the impact of waste disposal on the environment, are continuing.
Hazardous Materials (Departmental Buildings)
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment
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his Department had made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone depleting substances within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16308]
Mr. Streeter:
My Department, its agencies, and the Northern Ireland Court Service ensure that annual assessments of the presence of hazardous materials are carried out on their behalf in accordance with the requirements of health and safety legislation. When such materials are found, they are removed or made safe as quickly as is practicable. With regard to ozone depleting substances, each body has completed a programme of inspections of all buildings on their estate.
Within the Court Service there are no halon fire fighting systems, all refrigerants used have an ozone depletion potential of less than 0.05 and all new builds use cavity fill insulation in accordance with BS5617, 5618 and 8208 or use alternative materials. The Lord Chancellor's Department has no halon fire fighting systems, and controls, monitors and removes ozone depleting substances in accordance with the EC protocol. The Northern Ireland Court Service has phased out all halon fire fighting systems and uses the Department of the Environment (NI) Construction Service to ensure that ozone depleting substances in refrigerants and air conditioning are controlled and monitored to comply with regulations.
The HM Land Registry controls, monitors and replaces all ozone depleting substances as soon as is practicable. The Public Record Office is phasing out all halon fire fighting equipment by March 1997. The Public Trust Office's audit concluded that it complied with all regulations regarding ozone depleting substances.
Mr. Soley:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if legal aid is available for malicious defamation proceedings in the case of a person accused of murder. [16995]
Mr. Streeter:
Full civil legal aid is not available for defamation actions, although legal advice about defamation is available under the green form advice and assistance scheme.
Legal aid is available for malicious falsehood actions.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the ways in which his Department has demonstrated the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through an environmental audit of (a) energy use and (b) waste management within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16415]
Mr. Newton:
The small size of the Privy Council Office, and the fact that it is located within buildings managed by the Cabinet Office, limit the scope for independent initiatives on energy use or waste management. However, my Department seeks to exercise
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 14
maximum economy in energy use, and to minimise waste, including through the recycling of paper and other materials.
Mr. Martyn Jones:
To ask the Lord President of the Council what assessment his Department has made of the presence of (a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings which his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16280]
Mr. Newton:
The Privy Council Office is committed both to complying with the requirements of all health and safety legislation relating to the identification and control of hazardous materials in the workplace, and to minimising the use of ozone-depleting substances.
Mr. Frank Field:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals have not worked since leaving school. [15978]
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.
| Not seasonally adjusted | All (of which:) | Full-time student (not at school) | Not full-time student |
|---|---|---|---|
| All (of which:) | 1,675 | 438 | 1,237 |
| ILO unemployed | 346 | 68 | 279 |
| Economically inactive | 1,329 | 371 | 958 |
Source: ONS, Labour Force.
Mr. William Powell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the parliamentary constituencies in which the number of people out of work and claiming benefit declined by more than 40 per cent. between December 1991 and December 1996, including in the table for each constituency the total for (a) December 1991 and (b) December 1996, and the percentage reduction. [15731]
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.
24 Feb 1997 : Column: 15
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. William Powell, dated 24 February 1997:
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage change in (a) unemployment and (b) inflation in each of the past 25 years. [16107]
Mrs. Angela Knight:
This 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 Tim Holt to Mr. Peter Bottomley, dated 25 February 1997:
Mr. David Marshall:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total number of electors for each of the new parliamentary constituencies in England for the 1997-98 register of electors effective from 16 February. [16208]
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 Tim Holt to Mr. David Marshall, dated 24 February 1997:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on claimant unemployment by parliamentary constituency.
Information on the numbers of people claimant unemployed by parliamentary constituency and the percentage reduction are available and can be obtained on-line from the Nomis database accessed by the House of Commons Library.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on the percentage change in unemployment and inflation in each of the past 25 years.
The unemployment data requested is available from the Nomis database which is accessible in the House of Commons Library.
The inflation data requested is published in the Retail Prices Index Business Monitor (MM23). A copy of this publication is available in the House of Commons Library.
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