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Overseas Travel

Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list each of the overseas trips made by herself and other members of her ministerial team since 2 May, specifying in each case (a) the participating Minister or Ministers, (b) the destination of the trip, (c) the purpose of the trip and (d) the cost of the trip; and if she will make a statement. [15252]

Mr. Murphy [holding answer 11 November 1997]: The information is as follows:

(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)
Secretary of State	Washington (USA)	Briefing influential audiences on Government Policy on Northern Ireland	£15,209.25
Paul Murphy	Washington (USA)	Briefing Americans on political situation in Northern Ireland	£6,173.80
	Brussels	Introduction as Northern Ireland Minister for European Affairs	£2,586,88
Adam Ingram(10)	Paris	To attend Paris Air Show	£1,187.80
	Boston (USA) Washington	Inward Investment Visit	£5,961.60
	Chicago Minneapolis (USA) St. Louis New York Washington	IDB Trade Mission	£6,818.70
Lord Dubs	New York (USA)	Delegate to 43rd Annual Conference of the International Downtown Association	£4,941.70

(10) The costs refer to expenditure on flights only. However they do not include internal US flights, accommodation, or any miscellaneous expenditure, as this information is not readily available and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

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Joint Framework Document

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Joint Framework Document is the preferred option of Her Majesty's Government for a settlement in Ireland. [15678]

Mr. Murphy [holding answer 13 November 1997]: Our primary aim is to secure agreement amongst unionists and nationalists. So far as the Government is concerned, no outcome is either predetermined or excluded in advance, or limited by anything other than the need for agreement. The Joint Framework Document describes a shared understanding reached between the British and Irish Governments on the parameters of a possible outcome to the talks process. We believe it is, as the Prime Minister said in May, a reasonable basis for negotiation. The development under this Government of a wider constitutional reform programme, including our commitment to devolution elsewhere in the United Kingdom and to better protection of human rights through incorporation of the ECHR, may also have helpful implications for an agreed outcome to the current negotiations.

Policing

Mr. Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will publish her key policing objectives and key performance indicators for the year 1998-99. [17816]

Dr. Mowlam: I am arranging for copies of the key objectives and key performance indicators for the year 1998-99 to be placed in the Library on Tuesday 25 November at 11.00.

WALES

NHS

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has proposed for the NHS to ensure that the interests of pensioners are not overlooked, with particular reference to (a) hip and other joint operations and (b) bed blocking. [16105]

Mr. Win Griffiths: While the National Health Service in Wales does not discriminate against pensioners, who receive access to services on the same basis as other patients, I am keen that the interests of elderly people are not overlooked. I stressed the point when announcing recently the provision of an extra £9.5 million this year for the NHS in Wales. Whilst I urged the Service to use the money to improve their emergency services, reduce the need for people to be admitted to hospital and reduce delays in discharging patients, I stressed that Trusts must not forget their elective surgery obligations.

The Patient's Charter guarantees that "a patient will receive a hip or knee or a cataract operation within 18 months of being referred to their doctor". However, this guarantee embraces the total patient population and does not target any one group. Latest figures provided by Health Authorities show that there were 35 breaches to this guarantee during the last quarter--this is an improvement from the June quarter when there were 85 breaches. As yet we do not know where the breaches lie, but this will be thoroughly investigated.

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A340-600 Aircraft

Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning applications for regional development assistance for the A340-600 aircraft project by British Aerospace. [16099]

Mr. Ron Davies: I expect to make a decision on the company's application for Regional Selective Assistance shortly.

Student Funding

Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the level of university funding per student in Wales in 1998-99; and if he will make a statement. [16936]

Mr. Hain: The level of funding per student in Wales in 1998-99 will depend upon the allocation for higher education within the Department's expenditure plans for next year which will be announced shortly.

Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the amount of extra funding which will be available for Welsh (a) further and (b) higher education in 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [16855]

Mr. Hain: The final claim from the Further Education Funding Council for Wales for extra funding under the Demand-Led Element scheme is currently being considered. There are no plans to increase the 1997-98 budget of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Lake Windermere Speed Limit

Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what consultations the Sports Council had with anglers and walkers before deciding to support the opponents of the proposed speed limit on Lake Windermere at the public inquiry; [14604]

24 Nov 1997 : Column: 382

(2) what was the total cost incurred by the Sports Council in making representations to the public inquiry into the proposed speed limit on Lake Windermere. [14605]

Mr. Banks: The then GB Sports Council (GBSC) consulted a wide range of sports interests groups before deciding to support the opponents of the proposed speed limit upon Lake Windermere. Anglers and walkers organisations included:

Salmon and Trout Association;
Furness and South Cumbria Fisheries Consultative Association;
Northern Federation of Sea Angling Societies;
Fly Dresser' Guild;
Ramblers Association; and
Northumberland Long Distance Walkers' Association.

In 1996-97, the GBSC and its successor, the English Sports Council (ESC) spent £7,200 on the Lake Windermere speed limit issue. In 1997-98 to date, the ESC has spent £4,600. Information on GBSC spending in previous years could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Lake District National Park Authority successfully appealed to the High Court to have the original decision not to introduce a speed limit quashed. A hearing took place on 18 November at which the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions did not oppose the Authority's legal challenge. He is now required to re-consider the whole issue afresh and a further round of representations is necessary.

Overseas Travel

Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list each of the overseas trips made by himself and other members of his ministerial team since 2 May, specifying in each case (a) the participating Minister or Ministers, (b) the destination of the trip, (c) the purpose of the trip and (d) the cost of the trip; and if he will make a statement.[15208]

Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 11 November 1997]: The information requested is set out in the table.

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Minister	Date	Location	Purpose	Cost to nearest £100
Mr. Clarke	12 May-14 May	Cannes	Support for the British film industry	1,700
Mr. Smith	14 May-16 May	Cannes	Support for the British film industry	1,500
Mr. Banks	10 June-11 June	Paris	Support for the FA bid for the World Cup 2006 and attend the Turnoi de France	1,600
Mr. Fisher	28 June-1 July	Rome/Luxembourg	Attending State opening and Culture Council	1,900
Mr. Fisher	28 July-same day	Brussels	Meet representatives of the EP Culture and Media Committee	1,600
Mr. Clarke	31 August-3 September	Venice/Rome	Support for the British film industry/Meeting with Italian DPM	2,600
Mr. Clarke	2 October--5 October	Brittany	Support for the British film industry	500
Mr. Clarke	8 October-15 October	Far East	Promotion of British tourism	10,200
Mr. Banks	10 October-same day	Rome	Support for the FA bid for the World Cup 2006 and attend the England v Italy qualifier	1,600
Mr. Fisher	15 October-16 October	Frankfurt	Promotion of the British publishing industry and attend the European Book Fair	1,200
Mr. Banks	23 October-30 October	USA/Trinidad/Costa Rica	Support for the FA bid for the World Cup 2006	9,800
Mr. Smith	21 October-26 October	USA	Promotion of British creative industries	(11)12,100
Mr. Smith	11 November-same day	Brussels	Visit to the European Commission	(11)500
			Total	46,800

(11) Denotes full figures not yet available.

24 Nov 1997 : Column: 383

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