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EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Teachers (Early Retirement)
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was (a) the total number and (b) the number in each local education authority of (i) head teachers, (ii) deputy head teachers and (iii) teachers who took early retirement on the grounds of ill-health in 1995-96; and if he will make a statement. [165]
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Mr. Byers:
Teachers in service in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special education sector in England at 31 March 1995 who were awarded ill-health retirement in the financial year 1995-96 are as follows:
In order to avoid sensitive information about individuals being identified, numbers less than five are shown as asterisks.
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Mount St. Mary School, Exeter
Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will announce a decision on the application by Mount St. Mary school, Exeter, for grant-maintained status. [88]
Mr. Byers: My right hon. Friend expects to make a decision on the proposals to establish a new grant-maintained school at Mount St. Mary's shortly.
Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Tipping:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many places, at what schools and at what cost were provided under the assisted places scheme in Nottinghamshire in 1995-96 and 1996-97. [128]
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Mr. Byers:
The number of assisted places taken up and the cost of those places for each participating school in Nottinghamshire in academic years 1995-96 and 1996-97 is given in the table:
| Academic year | ||
|---|---|---|
| School name | 1995-96 | 1996-97 |
| Nottingham high school | ||
| Number of assisted pupils | 174 | 184 |
| Cost of places £000s | 498 | 553 |
| Nottingham high school for girls (GPDST) | ||
| Number of assisted pupils | 197 | 220 |
| Cost of places £000s | 529 | 556 |
| Worksop college | ||
| Number of assisted pupils | 27 | 29 |
| Cost of places £000s | 131 | 146 |
WALES
Welsh Devolution
Mr. Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish a White Paper regarding the Government's proposals on Welsh devolution. [73]
Mr. Ron Davies: We expect to publish the White Paper on a Welsh Assembly as soon as possible after the Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill has received Royal Assent.
Arable Area Payments Scheme
Mr Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many payments were made and what was the total amount paid under the arable area payments scheme in 1996-97. [125]
Mr. Win Griffiths: During 1996-97 the Welsh Office dealt with 2,486 claims and the total amount paid is estimated at £11,856,000.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
GCHQ
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to lift the ban on trade unions at GCHQ. [77]
Mr. Robin Cook: Yes; I issued the following press statement on 15 May which was placed in the Libraries of the House.
The Government have signalled their commitment to open and fair relations in the work place. As part of that commitment, I want today to right a long-standing wrong. Since 1984, we have been pledged to restore normal trade union rights to the staff of GCHQ. We are now honouring that pledge. I can announce that the conditions of service of staff at GCHQ have today been changed: they once again have the freedom they previously enjoyed to join any trade union they choose. Talks with the unions will begin as soon as possible to settle future arrangements for staff representation and to secure a collective agreement
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on no disruption to the work of GCHQ which will ensure that GCHQ's operations are protected from any threat of industrial action.
Once they are complete, and once I am confident that the national security interest will continue to be properly protected, I will revoke the certificate that contains the remaining restrictions on access to industrial tribunals. This ensures that the existing protection arrangements will remain in place until we have a satisfactory alternative. Those former employees who were dismissed for continuing union membership and are below normal retirement age are free to apply for re-employment under the new conditions of service: each case will be treated sympathetically, within the normal civil service rules for such employment. GCHQ staff make a valuable contribution to protecting the liberties and freedoms of our country. Today's move enables them to share fully in one of the important liberties that they defend.
Dr. Marek:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards Gibraltar's territorial waters; and if he will make a staement. [140]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
The territorial sea adjacent to the coast of Gibraltar is under British sovereignty. The territorial sea extends for three nautical miles form the coast, except where it abuts Spanish territorial waters, in which case the boundary follows a median line.
Dr. Marek:
To aks the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to terminate the Brussels process with the Spanish Government. [141]
Mr. Henderson:
Dialogue with Spain on Gibraltar is important. I will be working to encourage a more productive exchange, including, as necessary, through the Brussels process.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from (a) the Government of the Irish Republic and (b) others about the continuing detention at HMP Holloway of Ms Roisin McAliskey; and if he will make a statement. [154]
Mr Robin Cook:
I have received no formal representation about Ms McAliskey, but I am aware that we have received a number of representations from Irish Members of Parliament, US Congressmen and other individuals.
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