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SCOTLAND
University Students
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students domiciled in England or funded by English education authorities are currently studying for first degrees in Scottish universities. [13870]
Mr. Wilson: The latest year for which published figures are available is 1994-95. In that year, 16,793 English domiciled students were studying for a first degree in a Scottish University or College. Of these, 16,649 were studying full-time and 144 were studying part-time.
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with (a) English education authorities, (b) student representative organisations and (c) universities about his proposal to charge students from England attending Scottish universities higher tuition fees than students from Scotland or from other EU countries. [13871]
Mr. Wilson: I invited comments on the Dearing and Garrick reports on 23 July, including comments on Garrick recommendation 29 which covers the issue of tuition fees for comparable qualifications. Since then, responses have been received from student representative organisations, amongst others, and the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals, whom I have also met. I have had extensive discussion with Ministerial colleagues in the Department of Education and Employment, and my announcement on Monday 27 October with regard to tuition fees was the agreed position of the Government.
Dounreay Nuclear Plant
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had about the discharge authorisations for the Dounreay nuclear site; with whom the discussions took place; and what the outcome is of such discussions. [14284]
Mr. Chisholm: In the first instance it is for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to determine the terms of the discharge authorisations for the Dounreay Nuclear site. In March 1997 SEPA consulted the then Secretary of State on the terms of revised discharge authorisations which it proposed to grant. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State subsequently noted that the authorisations which SEPA proposed to make differed significantly from those on which the initial consultation was based. In August he therefore asked SEPA to conduct a further round of consultation based on the authorisations it is minded to grant, to ensure that the widest range of views is obtained. Arrangements to conduct this fresh round of consultation are now well advanced.
My right hon. Friend has not held discussions with other parties about the discharge authorisations.
11 Nov 1997 : Column: 497
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what, at 1 October, was the average waiting time for (a) visas and (b) interviews relating to visa applications in respect of United Kingdom posts at (i) Bombay, (ii) Islamabad, (iii) New Delhi, (iv) Calcutta, (v) Karachi, (vi) Dhaka, (vii) Washington, (viii) New York, (ix) Da-es-Salaam, (x) Nairobi and (xi) Lagos. [14237]
Mr. Fatchett:
Entry clearance posts in the Indian sub-continent receive a heavy volume of applications to join families in the United Kingdom. People applying for an indefinite stay, known as "settlement", are divided into separate queues for interview. This allows posts to deal more quickly with those who may have a claim to compassionate treatment.
| Post | Waiting time for a straight forward visit application | Waiting time if an interview is required for a visit visa | Waiting time for a settlement interview |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombay | same day | same day | Q1 same day |
| Q2 2 months | |||
| Q3 2 months | |||
| Q4 5 months | |||
| Islamabad | same day | 22 days | Q1 5 months |
| Q2 5 months | |||
| Q3 6 months | |||
| Q4 9 months | |||
| New Delhi | same day | same day | Q1 same day |
| Q2 2.5 months | |||
| Q3 3.5 months | |||
| Q4 4.5 months | |||
| Calcutta | same day | 5 days | 7 days |
| Karachi | same day | 15 days | 9 weeks |
| Dhaka | same day | same day | Q1 3 months |
| Q2 3 months | |||
| Q3 3 months | |||
| Q4 9.5 months | |||
| Washington | same day | 1 day | 2 days |
| New York | same day | 4 days | same day |
| Dar-es-Salaam | same day | 2-3 days | 2-3 days |
| Nairobi | same day | 6 days | 24 days |
| Lagos | same day | 11 days | 5 months |
The queue groupings are:
Q1--Spouses and children under 18 of British citizens; elderly relatives; (maximum waiting time--3 months).
Q2--Spouses and children of non-British citizens; (maximum waiting time--3 months).
Q3--Fiance(e)s and other first time applicants (maximum waiting time--6 months).
Q4--Re-applicants (maximum waiting time--9 months).
11 Nov 1997 : Column: 498
Ethnic Minorities
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the open day held by his Department in order to recruit more members of the ethnic minority community to join the Foreign Office. [14229]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: We were delighted to welcome more than 900 members of the public to this Department's Open Day on 19 September. Many young people from all over Britain attended; some had travelled form the Orkney Islands. They fully represented the diversity of modern Britain: ethnic minorities; people with disabilities; students from a variety of schools; careers advisers; religious and community leaders. non-governmental organisations and pressure groups representing a broad range of the interests of the people of the UK, at home and overseas, also joined us.
Our purpose in opening up this Department was to show what the Department does.
It is our intention to project this Department as a professional, modern and friendly organisation which works hard to represent the interests of the British people overseas and not the forbidding and stuffy place of popular myth. We hope that young women and men, from all communities and social backgrounds, will consider coming to work with us at this Department, helping us to make it an organisation which is truly representative of all the people of the UK.
The Open Day was a huge success. In September alone there was a 274 per cent. increase in the average monthly recruitment enquiries and this Department's monthly careers briefings are fully booked for months ahead.
We intend to make Open Days a regular feature in this Department's calendar of events.
Mr. David Atkinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the Middle Eastern Peace Process with particular reference to resolving the refugee issue, during the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Union. [14474]
Mr. Fatchett:
The Palestinian refugee issue is to be resolved in direct final status negotiations between Israelis and palestinians. We recognise the importance of finding a mutually acceptable solution to the issue as part of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace agreement. We are considering what contribution we can make during our Presidency to support efforts to resolve this issue.
Ms Abbott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are currently living in communal shelters in Montserrat; and if he will make a statement. [14998]
11 Nov 1997 : Column: 499
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
As at the morning of 6 November, there were 783 people living in communal shelters.
Ms Abbott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many new homes are currently being built on the island of Montserrat; and if he will make a statement. [14999]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Contractors employed by the Department for International Development have recently completed 50 new houses at Davy Hill. Work is underway at Lookout on another 50 which should be completed in late December.
Also available to Montserratians are Government funded, self-help financial assistance schemes to build or complete their own properties. These schemes are administered by the Government of Montserrat and numbers of participants are not known, although £342,000 has been provided to date under the materials assistance project.
Ms Abbott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many migrants from Montserrat are currently in the United Kingdom; how many entered in (i) June, (ii) July, (iii) August and (iv) September; and if he will make a statement. [15001]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Figures are not available in the precise form requested. Under the voluntary evacuation scheme which began in April 1996, a total of 1,049 Montserratians had entered the UK by 3 July 1997; a total of 1,291 had come by 28 July, and by 1 September a total of 1,715 had arrived. Following the introduction of an assisted passage scheme, a further 635 Montserratians arrived in the UK in September. We estimate that there are currently around 3,000 in the UK.
Ms Abbott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many patients are currently being cared for in the temporary hospital in Montserrat; what are the hospital's sanitation arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [15000]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
There are currently five patients in the acute ward and a further 37 elderly persons cared for in the Margetson Memorial Home. A community services unit on the same site accommodates approximately 30 elderly or disabled persons evacuated from their homes.
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