| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Cabinet Business
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria he uses to determine which Government policies are referred to full Cabinet for discussion and decision. [16681]
The Prime Minister: Paragraph 3 of the Ministerial Code, copies of which are available in the Library, states:
- "Cabinet and Ministerial Committee business consists, in the main, of:
- (a) questions which significantly engage the collective responsibility of the Government, because they raise major issues of policy or because they are of critical importance to the public;
- (b) questions on which there is an unresolved argument between Departments."
Only where matters cannot be satisfactorily resolved elsewhere need they be referred to the full Cabinet.
Political Donations
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it one of his recommendations to the Neill Committee that political parties which have received substantial donations from animal rights organisations return such donations, together with an appropriate amount in interest. [16636]
Mr. Maples:
To ask the Prime Minister what criteria he uses to determine whether potential conflicts of interest exist between Government policy decisions and political donations from companies subsequently affected. [16739]
20 Nov 1997 : Column: 270
The Prime Minister:
General advice on the avoidance of potential conflicts of interest between a Minister's private interests and his or her official duties is set out in the Ministerial Code, a copy of which was placed in the Library in July. I have also asked the Committee on Standards in Public Life to review and make recommendations on the complex issues relating to Party funding.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Prime Minister what factors were taken into account in the decision to use Canary Wharf rather than buildings in public ownership to host the recent Anglo-French summit. [16752]
The Prime Minister:
The Canary Wharf Tower was chosen to reflect the modern and forward-looking partnership between Britain and France. The setting provided opportunities for the Government to work with the private sector in promoting an area of London of growing importance, and contemporary British design.
Miss McIntosh:
To ask the Prime Minister what account was taken of the public contract for tendering provisions of the European Union in awarding the contracts for furnishing and decorating the Canary Wharf venue for the Anglo-French summit. [16581]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 19 November 1997]: We were not required to take account of European Union tendering provisions since Government expenditure was below the threshold.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Prime Minister how many days he has spent in residence at Chequers since 1 May. [16116]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 18 November 1997]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer of 30 October, Official Report, column 858.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) names, (b) dates of appointment and (c) appointing body of the independent trustees of Chequers. [16115]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 18 November 1997]: In accordance with the Chequers Estate Act 1958 the trustees are:
The Lord Privy Seal, the right hon. the Lord Richard QC (Chairman, ex-officio);
The right hon. the Lord Camoys DL, appointee of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (appointed 1 November 1991);
Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, appointee of the Prime Minister (appointed 13 June 1997);
Ms J. C. Lomas, public Trustee ex-officio;
Mr. Charles Nunneley, Chairman of the National Trust ex-officio.
Xenotransplantation
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the departmental responsibilities in respect of xenotransplantation. [16457]
20 Nov 1997 : Column: 271
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 19 November 1997]: The United Kingdom Health Departments are responsible for regulating the development of xenotransplantation as a medical procedure. The United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA) was established in January 1997 to advise my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State responsible for the UK Health Departments, on the safety and efficacy and any other pre-conditions for xenotransplantation for human use and the acceptability of any specific applications to proceed with xenotransplantation in humans. The UKXIRA also provides a focal point on xenotransplantation issues across Government. All the Departments concerned have regular contact on specific issues and meet occasionally in an Inter-departmental Group on Xenotransplantation.
Other Departments with specific interests in aspects of the development of xenotransplantation include:-
Mr. Tyrie:
To ask the Prime Minister if his Chief of Staff has overall responsibility for keeping the Prime Minister's diary. [16852]
The Prime Minister:
The Diary Secretary has responsibility for keeping the Prime Minister's diary.
the Home Office, with regard to its responsibilities for the use of animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986;
the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Health and Safety Executive in relation to legislation controlling Genetically Modified Organisms in respect of Human Health and safety and environmental protection;
the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in relation to any potential use of animals, bred in the development of xenotransplantation, within the food chain, the welfare of farm animals and the importation of animals or animal tissue;
the Department of Trade and Industry in relation to the sponsorship of the industrial exploitation of biotechnology and, through the Science Budget, underpinning basic and strategic research in the fields of biomedical sciences.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Mr, John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated number of ME sufferers in Northern Ireland; if he will assess the advantage of providing a clinic to diagnose and manage ME: if she will examine best practice elsewhere in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [15914]
Mr. Worthington:
Information is not collected centrally on the numbers of patients presenting with ME. Data are collected on finished consultant episodes in Northern Ireland hospitals. In 1996-97, the latest year for which information is provisionally available, there were 29 finished consultant episodes with a diagnosis of "postviral fatigue syndrome". In 11 of these cases, "postviral fatigue syndrome" was the primary diagnosis.
20 Nov 1997 : Column: 272
The report of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Psychiatrists and General Practitioners produced in 1996 concluded that most patients with ME should be managed in primary care and that the needs of those patients who do require specialist care could be addressed through a reconfiguration of general hospital services. I have asked Health and Social Services Boards for their views as to how services for people with ME and other similar conditions could be improved.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at whose request the Union flag was flown at the headquarters of the Southern Area Health Board at Tower Hill, Armagh City on 9 November; and if she will make a statement. [15913]
Mr. Worthington:
A letter was sent to all Health and Social Services Boards on 1 May 1997 advising them of the days in 1997 on which the Union flag should be flown on Central Government Buildings. There is, however no requirement for the Boards to fly the Union flag on these dates. It is at the discretion of each organisation whether the flag should be flown on those buildings occupied by their staff.
The Union flag was not flown at the Southern Health and Social Services Board, Tower Hill, Armagh on 9 November 1997.
Mr. John D. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to erect street lights along the Novella Road and the Moss Road in Millisle, Co. Down. [16038]
Mr. Paul Murphy:
Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Roads Service under its chief executive, Mr. W. McCoubrey. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from G. P. Fraser to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 18 November 1997:
20 Nov 1997 : Column: 273
The Secretary of State has asked the Chief Executive to respond to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question about what plans there are to erect street lighting along Novella Road and Moss Road, Millisle, County Down. In Mr. McCoubrey's absence I am replying.
First, I assume that your reference to Novella Road should be Movilla Road, Newtonards. The latter is linked to Moss Road, Millisle, by the Ballyblack Road East. Street lighting is already provided on those parts of Movilla Road and Moss Road which are within the urban boundaries of Newtonwards and Millisle. The remaining unlighted sections of both roads are mainly rural in character.
Roads Service's criteria for the provision of street lighting on rural roads are based on housing density, general traffic conditions and road safety. The sections of road in question do not meet this criteria given that they have only sporadic roadside development and a good accident record. In the circumstances we have no plans to extend the street lighting along these roads.
I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |