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Infant Class Sizes
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effects of his decision to cap the amount allowed per teacher in local education authority bids to reduce infant class sizes on (a) employment of classroom assistants and (b) junior class sizes. [68813]
Ms Estelle Morris: We have made it clear that we will provide sufficient funding to enable all LEAs to reduce class sizes without adversely affecting the employment of classroom assistants or the size of junior classes.
Employment Service
(Commercial Agency Vacancies)
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is his Department's policy on the acceptance by the Employment Service of job vacancies for public display from commercial employment agencies; [67989]
- (2) if he intends to require the Employment Service to charge a fee to commercial employment agencies for advertising job vacancies on their behalf; [67990]
(3) if he will estimate the marginal costs annually to the Employment Service of processing requests from commercial employment agencies for advertising job vacancies. [67991]
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Mr. Andrew Smith: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. David Kidney, dated 2 February 1999:
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply direct to your questions concerning the relationship that exists between the Employment Service and private employment agencies. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Employment Service.
The Employment Service has an agreement with the Federation of Recruitment and Employment Services (FRES) that Jobcentres will accept individual vacancies for display from employment agencies and businesses, provided they are satisfied that a real vacancy exists. The agreement makes clear that this is at the discretion of the Jobcentre Manager who will take into account the needs of the local labour market and priorities for display space. This agreement was set up to help the Employment Service to fulfil its responsibility to unemployed jobseekers to provide the most opportunities possible for them to find work, and has been instrumental in helping unemployed people into jobs. However, the Employment Service will not handle generic vacancies from employment agencies that seek simply to build up a list of potential jobseekers for the future.
There are currently no plans for the Employment Service to charge a fee to commercial employment agencies for advertising their vacancies. This is because we view such vacancies as a valuable source of jobs to help unemployed jobseekers improve their prospects of gaining work. We would, therefore, wish to avoid deterring agencies from placing vacancies by charging fees which could in turn deny jobseekers the best possible chance of securing a job.
I am afraid that we do not collect information on the marginal costs of processing requests from commercial employment agencies for advertising job vacancies.
I hope this is helpful in clarifying the position.
Constituency Visits
Mr. Burns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make it his policy to ensure the co-ordination of the advice provided to Ministers in respect of informing hon. Members prior to visits to their constituencies. [68933]
Mr. Kilfoyle: Guidance to Ministers on their responsibilities in relation to informing hon. Members of visits to their constituencies is set out in paragraph 79 of the Ministerial Code.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Badger Culling Scheme
Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to appoint external auditors for the Government's badger culling scheme. [64836]
Mr. Rooker:
Following the issue of invitations to tender, an external auditor was selected in November 1998 to carry out, during 1999, a detailed audit of culling
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trial field operations. A contract is being finalised. We also intend to appoint an external assessor to evaluate the method of despatch used for badgers.
Angela Smith:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement regarding (a) the slaughter of animals outside slaughterhouses without pre-stunning and (b) the operation of EC Directive 93/119; [68621]
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 1 February 1999]: EU Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing requires that animals must be stunned before slaughter, but permits Member States not to apply that rule when animals are killed without stunning for reasons of religion. The United Kingdom has provided such an exception, and the Government fully respect the right of Jews and Muslims to carry out religious slaughter in accordance with their religious beliefs.
The European Commission is of the view that Directive 93/119 requires religious slaughter to take place only in a slaughterhouse. The Government wish to bring our national implementing regulations into line with this view, and on 7 December 1998 circulated proposals to change the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 to require religious slaughter to be carried out only in licensed red meat slaughterhouses or licensed or officially regulated poultry slaughterhouses. We are considering the results of that consultation and of meetings with organisations representing the Jewish and Muslim communities.
Mr. Gill:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the increased distance meat animals travel to slaughter as a result of the closure of smaller abattoirs. [68126]
Mr. Morley:
This Department receives many letters covering a range of animal welfare issues. Some of our correspondents have, amongst other things, expressed their concern that abattoir closures may affect the distance animals travel to slaughter.
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional legislation, not currently before Parliament, was assumed in the production of his Department's spending allocation for 1999-2000 to 2001-02 in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [68416]
Mr. Morley:
There is a long-standing convention that legislative proposals for each year are not announced before the Queen's Speech at the start of the relevant session.
Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to provide funding for the establishment of regional farm produce markets; [68069]
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(3) if he will list the regional farm produce markets in the United Kingdom. [68071]
Mr. Rooker:
[holding answer 28 January 1999]: The Ministry does not keep lists of farmers' markets held in the UK and has not received representations on the establishment of a regional farm produce market for the North West. I have no plans to fund the establishment of farmers markets but am keen to encourage them. The Ministry will be holding a seminar in March to promote the concept of farmers' markets.
Mr. Tyler:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the risks genetically modified animal feeds pose to humans. [68774]
Mr. Rooker:
The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes rigorously assesses all genetically modified feed material from the point of view of the impact that such feed may have on human health.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list his Department's responsibilities and policies in relation to genetically modified crops and the departments with which he liaises on this issue; and where the lead departmental responsibility rests for each issue. [67663]
Mr. Rooker:
My Department's policy is that public health and environmental safety are the fundamental priorities on genetically modified (GM) crops. We believe that the UK agriculture industry should not be denied access to the benefits of GM technology, but that all justified concerns about it must be addressed.
(2) if he will review UK legislation in relation to the implementation of Directive 93/119 regarding the slaughter of animals. [68622]
(2) what representations he has received on the establishment of a regional farm produce market for the North West; [68070]
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