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Parliamentary Business
Mr. Skinner: To ask the President of the Council if she will list those types of business for which time for debate on the Floor of the House has ceased to be available since 1979. [17089]
Mrs. Ann Taylor: Supply days were replaced by Opposition and Estimates Days in 1982. At the same time Consolidated Fund Bills ceased to be debated, with the same time allocated instead for overnight private Members' adjournment debates. The separate debate on public expenditure plans was amalgamated with the Budget debate when the unified budget was introduced in 1993 and a debate on the summer economic forecast was introduced. Estimates days and three Wednesday mornings now provide up to 12 opportunities for debates on select committee reports which did not exist in 1979.
Money resolutions and ways and means resolutions, if taken on the same day as the second reading of the bill, are now put without debate, but are debatable for 45 minutes if taken at other times. The second reading of Law Commission Bills is now normally taken in a second reading committee but may still be taken on the floor of the House.
Similarly, the committee stage of consolidation bills may be dispensed with and the third reading taken without debate. Although more statutory instruments and EU documents are now taken in committee rather than on the floor of the House, they may be debated on the floor.
Since 1979 the only item of business which has ceased to exist is the Private members' motion. Until 1994 up to about 18 Members a year moved such motions, mainly on Fridays. These, together with the three overnight sittings on the Consolidated Fund Bill and the last day before recess debates, have been replaced under the Jopling reforms by private Members' adjournment debates on Wednesday mornings. A total of 128 hours was spent on such debates in the last normal-length session (1995-96) compared with 106 hours on the previous business in the session before the change. These have created some 160 separate opportunities each session for backbenchers to raise subjects of their choice.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid payments (a) through the EU, (b) through non-governmental organisations and
26 Nov 1997 : Column: 552
(c) made directly have been made by her Department in each of the last five years to refugees from the Western Sahara; and if she will make a statement. [17830]
Clare Short:
The only figures immediately available from the EU are that 7 million ECU were spent on refugees in the Western Sahara in 1996, the UK share being approximately £1.8 million. The EU are planning to spend a similar amount in 1997.
My Department has made a commitment of up to £60,000 in 1997-98, the first year that we have provided bilateral assistance to the Saharawi refugees, to fund War on Want to assist in the improvement of food storage facilities for refugees. So far £25,474 has been paid.
We have also provided emergency funds in 1997-98 amounting to £30,000 to help improve water supply and distribution for Saharawian refugees.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to the World Bank about the establishment of independent inquiry committees. [17786]
Clare Short:
The Government through our Executive Director has made a number of representations to the World Bank President, management and the World Bank Inspection Panel itself on the need for openness and transparency in the Panel's work, and for its independence to be protected.
Sir Alastair Goodlad:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been the outcome of her review of the overseas investment insurance scheme of ECGD; and if she will make a statement. [17447]
Mrs. Beckett
[holding answer 24 November 1997]: I have been asked to reply.
When ECGD relaunched its Overseas Investment Insurance Scheme in 1994 it was agreed that the Scheme would be reviewed every three years. The first of these reviews is about to commence. ECGD will work closely with the Department for International Development in this matter to see if the facilities can be made more readily available to poor countries.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for International Development, Official Report, 5 November 1997, column 332, if he will instruct officials to serve coffee and tea furnished by suppliers who adhere to fair trade standards in his Department. [15490]
Angela Eagle:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, on Thursday 13 November 1997, Official Report, column 617.
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Mr. Fitzpatrick:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the Widdecombe rules. [16911]
Mr. Raynsford:
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, told the House on 8 July 1997, Official Report, columns 389-90, that we accepted the recommendation of the Committee on Standards in Public Life in its Third Report, that a new start should now be made on building an ethical framework for local government. In addition, my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Housing announced on 30 September that, while we are firmly committed to the tradition of political impartiality by senior officials employed in both central and local government, we are reviewing the detail of the current regulations on politically restricted posts in local government.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it a statutory duty for motor traders to publish comprehensive pre-sales inspections of all sales vehicles. [17145]
Ms. Glenda Jackson:
There are no plans to do so. It is already an offence for motor traders to sell an unroadworthy vehicle unless they make it perfectly clear to any prospective purchaser that it would be illegal to use the vehicle on the road in that condition. It would not be appropriate to make it a legal requirement for vendors to provide additional information about issues which are not concerned with vehicle safety and environmental performance. Those are matters for the prospective vehicle purchaser to determine.
Mrs. Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to change the Driving Standards Agency regulations in respect of the application to deaf riders of the requirement on motor cycle riders to be in radio contact with an instructor. [17269]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We have recently announced our intention to put amending regulations before Parliament that will exclude, from January 1998, persons who are hearing impaired from the requirement for learner riders training on large motorcycles to be in radio contact with their instructor.
Also, when the radio link requirement is extended to all learner riders taking compulsory basic training, from April 1998, persons who are hearing impaired will be exempted.
Mrs. Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that orange badges for disabled people are produced in a form which will fit into a normal vehicle tax disc holder. [17268]
26 Nov 1997 : Column: 554
Ms Glenda Jackson:
No. Orange badges should be displayed only when in use, and then on the dashboard or facia panel, not the windscreen.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it an offence for any person other than the original manufacturer to supply replacement vehicle identification plates. [17156]
Ms Glenda Jackson:
We have no plans to do so. It is already an offence, under section 173 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, for anyone to forge or alter a vehicle identification number (VIN) plate with intent to deceive. The vendor of a vehicle with a defective VIN might also be committing an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act.
Mr. Denis Murphy:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list (a) the number of areas which benefit from enterprise zone status, (b) the date enterprise zone status was awarded to each and (c) the number of jobs created in each individual area since the introduction of enterprise zone status. [17149]
| Existing enterprise zone | Date of designation | Number of jobs created in enterprise zone (see note) |
|---|---|---|
| Inverclyde | March 1989 | 2,655 |
| Lanarkshire | February 1993 | (1)2,839 |
| Tyne Riverside Nos. 1-11 | February/August/October 1996 | (1)830 |
| Sunderland Nos. 1-3 | April 1990 | 3,063 |
| East Durham Nos. 1-6 | November 1995 | (1)859 |
| Dearne Valley Nos. 1-6 | November 1995 | (1)392 |
| East Midlands Nos. 1-7 | September/November 1995 | (1)201 |
(1) The figures for Inverclyde and Sunderland show the number of jobs created up to 31 March 1997. Figures for other Enterprise Zones show the number of jobs in the zone at 31 March 1997. Specific employment numbers for these before designation are not available but would have been very low because of the nature of the sites.
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