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Assisted Places Scheme
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he estimates money saved from the assisted places scheme will become available for local education authority schools; and if he will make a statement. [1255]
Mr. Hain: Subject to Parliamentary approval to the Education (Schools) Bill, savings through the phased abolition of the Assisted Places Scheme will start to become available in the 1998-99 financial year.
Local Education Authorities
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future role of local education authorities. [1259]
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Mr. Hain:
We value the contribution made by LEAs and look forward to working in partnership with them.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many small businesses there are in Wales.[1265]
Mr. Hain:
Official statistics on small business numbers are not available separately for Wales. The available data relate to VAT-registered enterprises only and therefore exclude many firms with a turnover below the VAT threshold. These figures show that in 1996 some 60,000 VAT-registered enterprises in Wales had a turnover of less than £250,000.
Mrs. Clwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to ensure the enforcement of existing legislation to outlaw the illegal employment of school age children. [1541]
Mr. Win Griffiths:
The Government are considering how the existing system for protecting children who work might be improved.
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if Wales will have the option of setting its own minimum wage following devolution. [1809]
Mr. Ron Davies:
Our plans for a Welsh Assembly do not entail its having powers of primary legislation. On this and other issues, it would operate within the statutory framework applying to the whole of England and Wales.
Youth Court System
Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the Government expenditure on the youth court system in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [1576]
Mr. Hoon: I have figures for the magistrates courts system of which the youth court is a part. No separate expenditure figures are published for the youth court alone. However the following estimates are based on total revenue expenditure on magistrates courts apportioned to youth court work in proportion to the total of youth court work to aggregate magistrates court work for each year, measured by the weighted caseload system.
1992-93: £16 million
1993-94: £15 million
1994-95: £18 million
1995-96: £21 million
1996-97: £24 million.
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Departmental Computer Systems
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans there are to ensure that his Department's computer systems are millennium compliant; and if he will make a statement.[1238]
Mr. Hoon: The Lord Chancellor's Department, the Court Service, the Public Trust Office, the Public Record Office and the Northern Ireland Court Service have established Year 2000 compliance projects. Their programmes of work follow the recommended approach identified by the Central Information Technology Unit and the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, recognising their milestones for the completion of key tasks. The Chief Land Registrar will be replying directly to the Question on behalf of the Land Registry.
Letter from Stuart Hill to Mr. Nigel Jones, dated 3 June 1997:
Parliamentary Question-Millennium Compliance
I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning plans to ensure that the Land Registry's computer systems are millennium compliant.
3 Jun 1997 : Column: 130
The Registry set up a project early in 1996 to identify potential problems and manage any necessary changes. An investigation has been undertaken in respect of mainframe software to identify all potential problems and the solutions required. The results indicated
that 3 per cent. of the software may require attention. Further investigations are also being carried out on our smaller PC based systems and software is tested for use throughout the Registry.
External suppliers of Registry mainframe software have also been contacted to supply information regarding their own plans for millennium compliance. Contract documentation to be used in all future procurements has been revised to ensure that the problem will not be perpetuated in any newly purchased products.
It is our aim that all Land Registry computer systems will be millennium compliant by 1 April 1998 to allow at least one full financial year of operation.
Please let me know if you require any further information.
Capital Developments
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the capital developments for which business cases have been submitted since 1 April 1994 in (a) Newcastle City Health Trust, (b) RVI and Hexham Trust, Newcastle and (c) Freeman Hospital Trust, Newcastle, indicating in each case when it was submitted; where (i) NHS Executive and (ii) Treasury approval was given; when tenders were accepted; and when work started on site. [1334]
Mr. Milburn:
The table shows the schemes for which an outline business case has been formally submitted to the National Health Service Executive and where capital costs are above the Trusts' delegated limits.
3 Jun 1997 : Column: 129
(7) Schemes adapted where required, progressed using Trust capital allocation (block capital).
(8) Schemes being progressed individually within the overall review.
(9) Single stage business case review (June-September 1996).
n/ap = not applicable.
n/av = not available.
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3 Jun 1997 : Column: 131
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy relating to the use of the anti-malarial drug lariam. [1485]
Ms Jowell:
Mefloquine (Lariam) is a highly effective drug in both preventing and treating malaria. It is particularly valuable where malaria is resistant to other medicines. The Department's policy relating to the use of mefloquine is outlined in the memorandum "Health Information for Overseas Travel" a free copy of which has been provided to all general practitioners. Further information was included in the Chief Medical Officer's Update 10 (May 1996) which was sent to all general practitioners. As with the use of all medicines, the benefits have to be weighed against the risk of adverse reactions.
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