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WALES
Welsh Assembly
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to have regular review of his relationship with a Welsh Assembly after its establishment. [8491]
Mr. Ron Davies: The White Paper, which will be published later this month, will set out the Government's thinking on the role of the Secretary of State for Wales after the Welsh Assembly is established.
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the date of the referendum to establish a Welsh Assembly. [9803]
Mr. Davies: Subject to the House of Commons approving a motion to disagree with the amendment on dates of referendums inserted into the Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Bill in another place, the referendum in Wales will be held on 18 September 1997.
Press Releases
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spends on biking press releases to (a) hon. Members and (b) other individuals or groups, each time his Department issues a press release; how many such press releases were issued by his Department (i) in the period 1 May to 1 July and (ii) in the period 1 January to 1 March; and if he will review his Department's use of couriers to deliver press releases and investigate the possibility of using fax or e-mail. [8811]
Mr. Ron Davies:
The Department does not use couriers to bike press releases. Press releases are sent to media outlets by fax where appropriate. Work is in hand to make press notices available publicly on the Internet.
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Mr. Alan Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in the targets set for the WDA, what are the boundaries of (a) the M4 corridor and (b) the A55 corridor; and what is the total population within each corridor. [8992]
Mr. Hain:
For the purpose of Welsh Development Agency strategic guidance and targets, the eastern M4 corridor is defined as the coastal strip running from Chepstow in the east to Pyle in the west to the southern boundary of the programme for the valleys areas, extending east to include, broadly, the southern half of Monmouthshire. The total population is approximately 800,000.
In north Wales the eastern A55 corridor is defined as the non-rural part of the Wrexham county borough council area, the whole of Flintshire and the northern part of Denbighshire, including the towns of St. Asaph, Rhyl and Prestatyn. The total population is approximately 320,000.
Mr. Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the 50 per cent. target set for the WDA for new jobs outside the M4 and A55 corridors is based on full-time job equivalents. [8993]
Mr. Hain:
The target for jobs created and safeguarded is on the basis of full-time equivalents.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what targets he has set for CADW Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency for 1997-98. [9761]
Mr. Ron Davies:
CADW has been set the following key targets for 1997-98:
1. To complete 90 per cent. of the approved conservation maintenance programme.
2. To complete 75 resurvey lists.
3. To resolve 75 per cent. of ad hoc listing cases within 17 weeks.
4. To complete 110 scheduling actions, of which at least 70 per cent. involve additional protection.
5. To resolve 75 per cent. of listed building consent cases within 4 weeks and 90 per cent. of cases in 6 weeks.
6. To resolve 75 per cent. of scheduled moment consent cases within 13 weeks and 90 per cent. of cases within 17 weeks.
7. To resolve 80 per cent. of historic building grant applications in 18 weeks.
8. To resolve 80 per cent. of ancient monument grant applications within 6 weeks.
9. To pay 90 per cent. of properly presented claims for historic buildings and ancient monuments grants within 5 weeks of receipt.
10. To achieve a market share of 63 per cent. of the number of visitors to the top twenty heritage sites in Wales.
11. To reduce direct net cost per visitor at Cadw's sites to an average of 32 pence.
Schengen Acquis
Mr. Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the documents
17 Jul 1997 : Column: 252
comprising the Schengen Acquis, giving (a) titles, (b) date adopted and by which body and (c) length and language of each document, indicating which of the documents are confidential; and if he will place copies in the Library.[6393]
Mr. Doug Henderson
[holding answer 3 July 1997]: I wrote to the hon. Member on 15 July and have placed a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials have refused to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings with hon. Members to discuss matters relating to interests registered by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests; [8097]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
The First Report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) made it clear that, when Members are meeting Ministers or others on topics in which they have an interest, the onus is on the Member to declare that interest, not the Minister to know. It is not practicable for Ministers and officials, amongst their other duties, to vet requests for meetings against the Register of Members' interests.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met commercial lobbyists to discuss matters relating to the business of his Department; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings; [8095]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in response to the hon. Member for Newport, (Mr. Flynn) West on 2 June, column 99, Ministers and Officials will in the normal course of business receive deputations from many groups who are concerned to press their own interests or those of their clients, which Ministers and Officials take due care to consider within the wider public interest and Government policy. As it is not practicable to distinguish particular groups as lobbyists, we cannot keep a register of such meetings.
Mr. Leigh:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the representations he has received concerning the possible infringement of religious liberties under new article 6a of the proposed treaty of Amsterdam. [8788]
17 Jul 1997 : Column: 253
Mr. Doug Henderson:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today.
Mr. Chidgey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spends on biking press releases to (a) hon. Members and (b) other individuals or groups, each time his Department issues a press release; how many such press releases were issued by his Department (i) in the period 1 May to 1 July and (ii) in the period 1 January to 1 March; and if he will review his Department's use of couriers to deliver press releases and investigate the possibility of using fax or e-mail. [8820]
Mr. Fatchett:
This Department does not deliver press releases by courier. They are distributed by fax or e-mail, and are also available on the Internet.
Ms Julie Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he has made for amending the opening hours for provision of visas to the public in the Islamabad embassy; on what date he anticipates it will be open for normal hours; what is the size of the backlog of visa applications; and what factors underlie the problems experienced. [9108]
Mr. Fatchett:
The normal operation of the Entry Clearance Section in Islamabad has been disrupted over recent weeks by a number of crashes of the Section's computer equipment. I am pleased to say that the faults have been repaired. We also expect to install a new system within a few weeks.
(2) if he will ensure that (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department refuse requests from hon. Members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 of the Register of Members' Interests. [8094]
(2) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have attended meetings with organisations representing (i) commercial and (ii) non-commercial interests organised by commercial lobbying firms; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings. [8096]
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