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NESTA Programme

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the NESTA programme. [5232]

Mr. Banks [holding answer Thursday 3 July 1997]: The Government has announced its intention to establish a National Endowment for Science and the Arts (NESTA) to be funded initially from the National Lottery. NESTA's purpose will be to find innovative ways to support talent and new ideas in science, technology and the arts. Our proposals for NESTA will be set out in a White Paper which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be publishing shortly and which will initiate a wide consultation on the activities which NESTA might undertake.

Seaside Piers

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which seaside piers have applied for national lottery funding; which have been successful; and what amount has been allocated to each successful applicant. [6289]

Mr. Banks: Twelve applications have so far been made to the Heritage Lottery Fund in respect of funding for seaside piers. Of these, seven have been successful and five are still being considered. It is the Heritage Lottery Fund's policy not to release details of applications for funding before a decision has been made. The successful projects are:

	£
Clevedon Pier	1,195,045
Swanage Pier	700,000
Bo'ness Harbour Pier	250,000
Penarth Pier	1,101,000
Southport Pier	34,000
Brighton West Pier	(2)1,025,500

(2) Brighton West Pier has received two awards of £968,000 and £57,500.

The Millennium Commission has received three applications in respect of funding for piers. Two of these, in respect of Bognor and Minehead piers, are still being considered. A third application by the Hastings Pier Consortium, for a grant of £43.4 million to construct a Millennium Pier, was not selected for detailed appraisal.

4 Jul 1997 : Column: 293

TREASURY

Minimum Wage

Mr. Norman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his Department's estimates of the impact of different levels of a minimum wage on tax yields. [3709]

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to say what the impact of the minimum wage on tax yields will be without knowing the level it will be set at. This is a matter for the Low Pay Commission to advise the Government on, taking into account the wider effect on the economy.

PRIME MINISTER

Officials (Transport Costs)

Mr. Flight: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the names of those of his officials who accompanied him on his air travel (a) to the G7 Economic Summit and (b) between Denver and New York. [6286]

The Prime Minister: I was accompanied to (a) The Economic Summit in Denver by: my wife; my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Chancellor of the Exchequer; Sir John Kerr, HM Ambassador, Washington; Alex Allan--Principal Private Secretary; Jonathan Powell--Chief of Staff; John Holmes--Private Secretary; Alastair Campbell--Press Secretary; plus ten No. 10 support staff; 13 officials and support staff from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; six officials HM Treasury; four members of the Royal Military Police; 17 members of the media; and one US security official. (b) Between Denver and New York by: my wife; my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs; Sir John Kerr, HM Ambassador, Washington; Alex Allan--Principal Private Secretary; Jonathan Powell--Chief of Staff; John Holmes--Private Secretary; Alastair Campbell--Press Secretary; plus 12 No. 10 support staff; 17 officials and support staff from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; six members of the Royal Military Police; 17 members of the media; and three US security officials.

This is the usual size of delegation to Summits of this nature.

Monarchy

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister what communications have been received in the past two years from other Governments under the Statute of Westminster Act 1931 authorising the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to enact legislation relating to the succession to the throne. [6561]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 3 July 1997]: As far as I am aware, none, although I cannot answer for the previous Administration.

Freedom of Information

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish his Department's submissions relating to freedom of information legislation. [6027]

4 Jul 1997 : Column: 294

The Prime Minister [holding answer 2 July 1997]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is considering how best the advice of government departments on Freedom of Information should be treated in a way which contributes to public debate while at the same time preserving the necessary collective responsibility needed in the preparation of major legislation.

WALES

Drugs

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total amount (a) spent and (b) allocated by his Department on tackling the problems relating to drugs in respect of (i) improving international co-operation to reduce supplies from abroad, (ii) increasing the effectiveness of police and Customs enforcement, (iii) maintaining effective deterrents and tight domestic controls, (iv) developing prevention publicity, education and community action and (v) improving treatment and rehabilitation; for (a) 1994, (b) 1995, (c) 1996 and (d) 1997. [4799]

Mr. Win Griffiths: The information is not available in the form requested. The Welsh office is not responsible for all the activities listed. However the total estimated expenditure by the Department on drug and alcohol misuse initiatives is as follows:

Estimated expenditure (£000's)

	1993-94	1994-95	1995-96	1996-97
Welsh Office	783	460	378	750
Allocation to health authorities	2,600	(3)2,600	--	--

(3) Health Authority allocations for drug and alcohol misuse ceased to be separately identified from 1995-96.

These figures do not include local authority expenditure and figures for Grant for Education Support and Training (GEST) which cannot be separately for identified.

Cardiff Bay Barrage

Mr. Rhodri Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what review he has undertaken of the benefits of the Cardiff Bay Barrage. [7315]

Mr. Ron Davies: I have undertaken a thorough review of the Cardiff Bay Barrage project. In the course of this review I have received and considered legal opinion and an analysis of the economic impact of the Barrage. In the light of their advice I have concluded that the Barrage should be completed.

Staff Commission for Wales

Mr. Rhodri Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of the Staff Commission for Wales. [7316]

Mr. Ron Davies: The Staff Commission was established on the 5 July 1994, under section 40 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, for a period of 3 years. It was established to safeguard employees' interests during local government reorganisation.

4 Jul 1997 : Column: 295

The Commission will wind up today under the terms of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (paragraph 13 of Sch. 14).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Parliamentary All-party Groups

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Parliamentary all-party groups which the Foreign Office assists financially, indicating the amounts. [6298]

Mr. Tony Lloyd [holding answer 1 July 1997]: This Department does not assist any Parliamentary all-party groups financially.

Amsterdam Treaty

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the Treaty agreed at Amsterdam on 17 June to be signed by Ministers; what ratification procedures are necessary in each Member State; and what is the planned date of the Treaty taking effect. [6480]

Mr. Doug Henderson: We expect the Treaty agreed at the Amsterdam European Council to be signed in October of this year. We expect other Member States to ratify the Treaty in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures. In Denmark the ratification process will include a national referendum. The Treaty will enter into force once it has been ratified by each of the Member States.

Qualified Majority Voting

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answers of 16 June, Official Report, columns 14-16, which of the proposals (a) for extension of qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers and (b) for powers of co-decision with the European Parliament were agreed by the Heads of Government meeting in Amsterdam on 16 to 17 June.[6549]

Mr. Doug Henderson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 June at columns 346-47 to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) and the answer I gave on 30 June at column 38 to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Sir J. Stanley).

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