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Regional Selective Assistance
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many projects in receipt of RSA have received offers of regional selective assistance from sources in more than one of England, Scotland and Wales. [59875]
Mrs. Roche: We do not keep a record of such projects and to obtain details would involve disproportionate costs.
Robert Maxwell Companies
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) on what dates the noble Lord Donoughue was interviewed by Department of Trade investigators in connection with Robert Maxwell companies; [57666]
- (2) on what dates the right hon. Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Mrs. Liddell) was interviewed by Department of Trade investigators in connection with Robert Maxwell companies. [57665]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 2 November 1998]: Inspectors were appointed under Companies Act powers to investigate and report on the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc. They were asked to look, in particular, at the offers for sale of the company's shares in early 1991.
They have not yet completed their inquiries, which are conducted in private. It is not our policy to comment on which individuals may or may not have been seen by the inspectors.
Royal Observatory
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which body will have responsibility for the former buildings and remaining equipment on the site of the former Royal Observatory at Greenwich following its removal to Herstmonceux Castle. [60102]
Mr. Battle: The National Maritime Museum became responsible for the former Royal Observatory buildings at Greenwich and for much of the historically important scientific equipment they housed, following the removal to Herstmonceux Castle in 1948 of the Royal Greenwich Observatory with its continuing scientific programme.
The Royal Greenwich Observatory moved from Herstmonceux to Cambridge in 1990 and ceased operating there at the end of October 1998 with the transfer of the major elements of its scientific programme and associated equipment to other institutions, including the new Astronomy Technology Centre at Edinburgh, the telescope facilities on the island of La Palma, the University of Cambridge, the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils and the National Maritime Museum. The RGO's remaining historical artefacts have also been returned to Greenwich.
Railtrack
Mr. Pickthall:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the
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impact on manufacturing supplier industries of Railtrack's halt in spending on its track and signalling renewal programme. [58842]
Mr. Battle
[holding answer 11 November 1998]: I am not in a position to offer an assessment of Railtrack's ordering policy, or its ongoing infrastructure investment programme. Railtrack is now a private sector, commercial company, and will make its investment decisions in the light of its own priorities and obligations under its network Management Statement, produced for the Rail Regulator, under its Network Licence, and the Government will expect Railtrack to meet these obligations.
Mr. Townend:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total cost to public funds of claims by employees and the public for compensation in respect of (a) personal injury and (b) employment protection in the latest year for which figures are available. [59053]
Dr. Howells:
In the Financial Year 1997-98, the DTI (including its Executive Agencies) paid a total of £10,590 to its employees or ex-employees in respect of compensation for personal injury. In the same period, no awards were made to employees or ex-employees by the Civil Service Appeals Board or Employment Tribunals in respect of employment protection compensation.
Farming Subsidies
Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the amount of money lost by Welsh farmers as the result of delays in the administration of farming subsidy payment system; and if he will make a statement. [59317]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: I appreciate the problems which can be caused but Welsh farmers do not lose their entitlement to subsidies because of delays. The vast majority of payments are made within EC deadlines.
Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will assess the amount of farming subsidy currently being lost by Welsh farmers as the result of farmers inaccurately filling out subsidy claims; and if he will make a statement. [59318]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: This information is not collected. An average of between 1 and 2% of claims are rejected annually in Wales. These may be rejected for a number of reasons including instances where farmers inaccurately fill out subsidy claims.
Wrexham to Bidston Rail Link
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he plans with North West Rail concerning the future of Sunday services on the Wrexham to Bidston rail link. [59515]
Mr. Hain:
None. Sunday services on the Wrexham to Bidston line are supported financially by a consortium of local authorities, and I understand that an agreement is
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now in place which should ensure the continuation of these services up to and including the Summer 1999 timetable.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his recent efforts to transfer freight from road to rail. [59510]
Mr. Hain:
The Government's proposals to encourage more freight to transfer from road to rail were set out in the Transport White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone" and the Welsh Transport Policy Statement "Transporting Wales into the Future". The plan for a European rail freight terminal at Wentloog will provide a major boost to the rail freight industry in Wales. There has also been a significant increase in the level of interest in our Freight Facilities Grant which should result in further projects to transfer freight from road to rail.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses have been built by the local authority housing departments in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [59514]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
Information on the number of new dwellings completed annually by local authorities may be found in table 2.3 of Welsh Housing Statistics, 1998, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the response to the Welsh Office consultation paper, Fair Funding: Improving Delegation to Schools; if the Government plan a further consultation document reflecting the response to the initial proposals; what further opportunities local education authorities and others will have to discuss the changes before they are implemented; when any changes are expected to come into force; and if he will ensure that the National Assembly for Wales is able to discuss them before a final decision is taken. [59379]
Mr. Hain:
I announced my decisions on the proposals contained in the consultation paper Fair Funding: Improving Delegation to Schools on 23 September. A copy of my press release is in the Library. From April 1999, the new funding framework described in Fair Funding will replace the present systems of Local Management of Schools and grant-maintained school funding which operate under the Education Act 1996. The changes meet our commitment to fairer funding and greater delegation whilst ensuring that local education authorities have the resources to provide those services which have to be delivered centrally.
Since my announcement, the Welsh Office has issued the following documents to LEAs and others for consideration:
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Copies of each of these have been placed in the Library.
the outline scheme and draft regulations under section 48 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 which contain detailed provisions relating to schemes of delegation;
draft regulations under section 46 of the Act which define the Local Schools Budget and identify those items that an authority may deduct from the LSB in order to arrive at the amount to be delegated to its school;
draft regulations under section 47 of the Act which prescribe the factors, criteria and requirements that LEAs need to take into account when deciding their budget allocation formulae;
a consultation paper on the delegation of funding for school meals; and
a consultation paper on the funding of grant-maintained schools in 1999-2000.
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