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Pendy Plastics
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he plans to take to assist the employees of Pendy Plastics (Mainetti) of Deeside Industrial Park who are to be made redundant; and if he will make a statement. [69612]
Mr. Hain: As always when redundancies are announced my Department and its agencies are available to assist, where possible, those that will be affected by redundancy.
A meeting has been arranged for Tuesday 9 February with the company's Personnel Department. This will include representatives from the WDA, Flintshire County Council and the Employment Service who will be the initial contact point for those made redundant. CELTIC will also give advice and guidance as necessary and have asked the Employment Service to ensure that all those persons made redundant are registered for training.
The WDA is already in contact with other companies in the area who use similar manufacturing techniques, to ascertain whether they have vacancies requiring those skills, and all effort will be made to match workers to vacancies.
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Everything possible is being done to help those affected by redundancy.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines are issued by his Department to (a) health and (b) education authorities in Wales in relation to the provision of services and support needed by people suffering from epilepsy; and if he will make a statement. [69671]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
On 15 June 1995, the Chief Medical Officer for Wales issued to the NHS in Wales a report on 'Health Care for People with Epilepsy in Wales' (PM(95)). This report made a number of recommendations, gives useful background information and is a resource for staff involved in purchasing and providing care for this group of patients.
In December 1997, a Welsh Office Circular 'Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs' was issued to all Directors of Education in Wales together with an accompanying Good Practice Guide. The Guide contained
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a section describing the different types of epilepsy, its control and what can be done in the event of a pupil suffering a seizure.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings have taken place in the past three months between his Department's ministers and other Government departments on the powers of the Welsh Assembly; and what the outcome was in each case. [69257]
Mr. Michael:
Discussion of how the powers of the Secretary of State for Wales will transfer to the Welsh Assembly and the implications for other Government Departments arises frequently in meetings within Government.
All such discussions provide positive opportunities to prepare the ground for the transfer of powers. As far as the formal process is concerned, on 12 November last year, I published a draft of the Transfer of Functions Order which will determine the powers to be transferred to the National Assembly. Since then there have been a number of meetings at official and Ministerial level as well as comments from outside Government. These all help to inform the final draft Order which I hope will be ready to be laid later this month. I and my officials are also consulted on any Government Bill which makes provision for Wales. Some Bills confer powers directly on the Assembly.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total expenditure on primary and secondary education in Wales expressed as a proportion of the GDP of Wales; and what was the proportion in May 1997. [68609]
Mr. Hain:
Public expenditure on primary and secondary education in Wales including early years and special education, is budgeted to be around £1,124 million in 1997-98 and £1,196 million in 1998-99. Expressed as a proportion of the 1997 GDP for Wales, the latest available, the figures are 4.1 and 4.3 per cent. respectively.
Capital expenditure is not available in the required detail for the period in question and has therefore been excluded.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if commercial aquaculture ventures are eligible for EU aquaculture development grants in Wales; and what changes to procedures relating to the availability and administration of these grants his Department has introduced for the coming year. [68840]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
Commercial aquaculture projects in Wales are eligible for EU grants under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), and the administration of the FIFG scheme will be unchanged for the coming year.
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I am currently considering applications for aquaculture grant against the competing priorities under other grant schemes and budgets.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Mr. Letwin:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle are waiting for slaughter under the over thirty month scheme; and what is the average duration of such waits. [69489]
Mr. Rooker:
In most areas of the country farmers are able to arrange for their OTMS animals to be slaughtered within a fortnight of booking with an abattoir or market. Abattoir slaughterings are currently averaging 17,000 animals a week in the UK, which would imply that there are only around 34,000 animals waiting to be slaughtered. An emergency service exists for the expeditious slaughter on-farm of animals which, in the opinion of a veterinary practitioner, require immediate slaughter.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 3 February 1999, Official Report, column 691, how many (a) charitable, (b) voluntary and (c) other not-for-profit food outlets are currently subject to licensing. [69996]
Mr. Rooker:
Charitable, voluntary or other not-for-profit status is not recorded as part of the registration procedure and so details of the number of premises falling into these categories are not available. There are no licensing requirements specifically for such premises.
Mrs. May:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the sale of fruit, crisps and other snacks at break times in schools will qualify a school for paying the flat rate levy proposed in support of the Food Standards Agency. [70011]
Mr. Rooker:
The requirement to pay the proposed levy would depend on whether the premises concerned was required to register with the local authority under the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991. These regulations make an exemption for premises which are concerned with the supply of beverages, or of biscuits, potato crisps, confectionery or other similar products and which are ancillary to a business (which may include a school) whose principal activity is not the sale of food.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government's badger culling scheme has measures in place (a) to record badger population densities and (b) to estimate the proportion of badgers culled. [68606]
Mr. Rooker:
There are no validated methods for establishing badger populations from field evidence of badger activity. The Department is currently finalising contracts for research in this area, which will build on
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data collected during the randomised culling trial. Culling efficiency during the trial is being monitored and will be audited, and the data will subsequently be reviewed in the light of research. However, the trial has been designed to test practical options and has such statistical power that it is not necessary to know precise culling efficiencies.
Mr. Nigel Jones:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government's badger culling scheme has been audited by external auditors. [68605]
Mr. Rooker:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 2 February 1999, Official Report, column 602.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to ensure the presence of scientific experience on the Governing Council of the Food Standards Agency. [68918]
Mr. Rooker:
The members of the Agency will be appointed to bring together a reasonable balance of relevant skills and experience. Candidates will be selected for their ability to contribute effectively to that balance and for their personal qualities. We envisage that it will be essential for some members to have relevant scientific experience.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that the Food Standards Agency has sufficient funds for scientific research. [68824]
Mr. Rooker:
Budgets for food safety and standards research currently funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and relevant research funded by other Departments, including the Department of Health, will be transferred to the Agency at the outset. It will be for the Agency to decide priorities for expenditure within the overall funds available to it.
Dr. Gibson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to monitor the competence of the inspectorate attached to the Food Standards Agency and the adequacy of its staff resources. [68925]
Mr. Rooker:
The Agency will have direct responsibility for meat hygiene inspection through the Meat Hygiene Service (which will be a separate executive arm of the proposed Agency), and for dairy hygiene inspections carried out by the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency. Other food hygiene inspections will continue to be the responsibility of local authorities. The draft Food Standards Bill provides powers for the Agency to monitor the performance of enforcement activities, including its own enforcement authorities, and to report on its conclusions. In monitoring enforcement performance, the Agency would be expected to have regard to the adequacy of the relevant staff resources.
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