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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 31 July 1997
WALES
Education Expenditure
Mr. Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the percentage of local authorities' total expenditure spent on education for each county in Wales for the years (a) 1991-92, (b) 1992-93, (c) 1993-94, (d) 1994-95, (e) 1995-96 and (f) 1996-97, ranked in order from the highest percentage to the lowest. [10865]
Mr. Hain: The information requested is given in the following table:
(1) On 1 April 1995, police authorities became authorities in their own right. Prior to that date, police expenditure formed part of county council overall expenditure. For consistency across years, police expenditure has been excluded throughout.
Higher and further education colleges transferred out of the local authority sector on 1 April 1992 and 1 April 1993 respectively and this may affect patterns of expenditure before and after these dates.
Up to 1995-96 includes county and district services to be consistent with 1996-97 unitary authority figures.
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Welsh Assembly
Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the administration cost for 1996-97 of each of the executive agencies listed in annexe B of the White Paper on a Welsh Assembly; and if he will make a statement. [11931]
Mr. Ron Davies: The following table sets out the latest available information for those executive agencies listed in annexe B of the White Paper on Welsh devolution:
(2) There is no fixed definition of administration costs and the criteria used vary from organisation to organisation.
(3) The source of these figures is the 1996-97 unaudited accounts and may change. The audited figures for 1996-97 will be available in August/September.
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Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed in each of the executive bodies outlined in annexe B of the White Paper on a Welsh Assembly: what changes to these numbers he envisages following the changes to their status proposed in the White Paper; and if he will make a statement. [11929]
Mr. Davies: Details of staff numbers are published annually in "Public Bodies", a Cabinet Office publication, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. I expect that the reforms detailed in the White Paper will lead to efficiencies in the delivery of services, but it is not possible to say precisely at this stage how this will affect staff numbers. This will depend upon decisions yet to be taken by the boards of the bodies concerned, the Welsh Assembly and me.
Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what savings in administration costs he calculates will accrue from the proposed changes to the executive bodies listed in the White Paper on a Welsh Assembly; and if he will make a statement. [11930]
Mr. Davies: I expect that savings in administration costs will accrue from the abolition or merger of five executive non-departmental public bodies, two special health authorities and two training and enterprise councils, because there will be fewer boards, chief executives and so on. But it is not possible to calculate precisely at this stage what the savings will be, because that depends on decisions yet to be taken by the boards of the bodies concerned, the Welsh Assembly and me.
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the cost of setting up the information hotline relating to the Welsh Assembly; and if this figure has been included in his Department's estimates of the cost of disseminating information relating to the Welsh Assembly. [12019]
Mr. Davies:
The telephone helpline cost £13,054.25 to set up. This figure has been included in the published estimates. The Government believe that it is necessary that the public be fully informed of their proposals for a Welsh Assembly, the establishment of which was a key element in the election manifesto.
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Mr. Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many copies of the White Paper on the Government's proposals for a Welsh Assembly have been printed; what forecasts he has made of their likely sales; what has been the total subsidy towards production of the White Paper to date; and if this figure has been included in his Department's published estimates of the cost of disseminating information relating to the Welsh Assembly. [12020]
Mr. Davies:
Twelve thousand five hundred copies of the White Paper have been printed. Sales forecasts for White Papers is a matter for the Stationery Office. However, it is my intention that this document should be easily available to anyone throughout Wales. Up to now, I have agreed a subsidy of £17,200. Any additional subsidy--for example, because of particularly high demand--will be a matter for negotiation between my officials and the Stationery Office. It is my intention that costs will remain within published estimates. The Government believe that it is necessary that the public be fully informed of their proposals for a Welsh Assembly, the establishment of which was a key element in the election manifesto.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will produce a video version of his proposals for a Welsh Assembly carrying subtitles and sign language interpretation. [12002]
Mr. Davies:
A printed summary of the Government's proposals will be delivered to every household in Wales. This will be supported by television advertising and telephone helpline. I have no plans to produce a separate video.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that all publicly broadcast information in relation to the forthcoming referendum in Wales carries subtitles and sign language interpretation. [11999]
Mr. Davies:
Television advertising in support of the referendum information campaign will carry Teletext subtitles. I will examine the practicality of also including sign language.
Mr. Opik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans he has to build new roads across the Gwent levels; and if he will make a statement; [11902]
Mr. Hain:
My right hon. Friend announced the broad terms of a strategic review of the trunk roads programme in Wales on 3 July, and we are today publishing a consultation document.
The review will be set firmly within the context of the development of a balanced, integrated transport policy for Wales. I intend to take a strategic approach to the process of making decisions on the roads programme, judging proposals--including those relating to the Gwent levels--on the criteria of accessibility, safety, economy and the environment, together with their contribution to the achievement of an integrated strategy.
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(2) if he will list all continuing plans under the roads programme; and if he will make a statement. [11911]
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