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WALES
New Deal
Mr. Edwards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what projects have been approved under the New Deal for Communities Programme in Wales. [69274]
9 Feb 1999 : Column: 162
Mr. Hain:
None. New Deal for Communities is an England-only Programme run by DETR. The parallel Welsh Programme is "People in Communities" and its eight demonstration projects are:
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department has spent on hospitality in each of the last five years. [69216]
Mr. Michael:
Welsh Office expenditure on hospitality for the last five years is as follows:
Gurnos and Galon Uchaf--Merthyr Tydfil
Duffryn--Newport
Blaenymaes and Portmead--Swansea
Peulwys Estate--Conwy
Southsea and Brynteg--Wrexham
Rhiwgarn Estate, Trebanog--Rhondda, Cynon, Taff
Rhymney--Caerphilly
Deiniolen, Dinorwig and Clwt Y Bont--Gwynedd.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 27 |
| 1994-95 | 29 |
| 1995-96 | 22 |
| 1996-97 | 21 |
| 1997-98 | 15 |
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Genetically Modified Foods
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the food industry relating to genetically modified foods; and if he will make a statement. [69544]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: My right hon. Friend and I have had no such discussions. The Government's policy in respect of genetically modified food is based on ensuring the protection of public health and the provision of adequate labelling for consumers.
In future, the safety and labelling of genetically modified foods will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Primary Care Groups
Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many primary care groups he plans to establish in Wales. [69547]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: There will be 22 Local Health Groups in Wales, covering areas which are broadly coterminous with Local Authority boundaries.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Regeneration Programmes
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on plans for the
9 Feb 1999 : Column: 163
regeneration of former industrial sites in Wales; and what consultation takes place with local communities in the development of regeneration programmes. [69590]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The Welsh Development Agency's highly successful Land Reclamation Programme is progressively removing the remaining scars on the Welsh landscape. Since 1976, over £300 million has been spent on reclaiming some 18,000 acres of land and the Agency plans to spend £18 million in the current financial year reclaiming a further 370 hectares of land. Sites currently being reclaimed include the former British Coal Workshops in Tredegar.
The Programme is being developed in conjunction with local authorities who consult with the local community during the planning process. The Agency also consults local communities direct on a wide range of community- based regeneration programmes such as the Slate Valley's Initiative in North Wales. More generally, I welcome the fact that working more closely with local communities is one of the priorities identified in the WDA's current Corporate Plan.
In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many New Deal places on the Environmental Task Force (a) have been taken up to date and (b) are in the process of being taken up, in Blaenau, Gwent. [69587]
Mr. Hain:
Information on the number of people entering the options within the New Deal for 18-24s is not held by local authority area but is available by Employment Service District (Unit of Delivery).
In the Heads of the Valley and Caerphilly Unit of Delivery, which covers Blaenau Gwent, 122 people had taken up places on the Environment Task Force by the end of November 1998 (the latest available figures).
No information is held on the number of people in the process of entering the Environment Task Force.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the appointment of regional returning officers for the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales. [70567]
Mr. Michael:
Subject to parliamentary approval to the draft National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order, which will shortly be laid before both Houses, I propose to appoint the following returning officers to the posts of regional returning officer at the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales on 6 May.
9 Feb 1999 : Column: 164
The formal designation of the regional returning officer appointments will be made once the Order has been approved and come into force.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total value of exports from Wales to (a) EU countries and (b) the rest of the world in each of the last five years. [69788]
Mr. Hain:
Export data on a regional basis are not currently available. HM Customs and Excise Department are reviewing the way export data are collected to enable regional data to be available after devolution.
Although responsibility for export promotion in Wales will be a matter for the National Assembly, the provision of export data will remain the responsibility of HM Customs and Excise Department.
Dr. David Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average percentage increase in salaries of non-industrial civil servants, excluding members of the senior civil service, in his Department for 1998-99; and to what extent the pay awards were staged. [69507]
Mr. Michael:
Staff have received performance-related increases averaging 4.1 per cent. from 1 August 1998. The increases were not staged.
Ms Drown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he will take to ensure that the existing licensing framework for medicines minimises the risks posed to children's health. [67187]
Ms Jowell
[holding answer 2 February 1999]: The safety of medicines is monitored via the "Yellow Card" adverse reaction notification scheme by medical staff at the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). This has recently been extended on pilot basis in Trent Region to cover adverse reactions specific to use of medicines in children.
There is currently no obligation on companies to apply for a licence for use of their product in children, although it is desirable wherever possible that medicines should be used under the terms of the licence. There can be practical difficulties in conducting such clinical trials--as well as significant ethical concerns. However, because of the concern about extensive "off-label" use of medicines in children, in 1997 European guidelines were developed to encourage the conduct of clinical trials in children. This is a major step forward and requires an applicant for a marketing authorisation (licence) in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in Europe, to justify reasons for not supplying data on use of the product in children. If the industry's response to the guidelines fails to result in
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the timely availability of licensed medicines for children, the UK will consider what further steps can be taken to minimise the risks posed to children's health from use of such medicines.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to dissuade the publishers of teenage magazines from promoting slimming products to young teenagers by way of articles or competitions. [68850]
Janet Anderson:
I have been asked to reply.
Magazines are wholly independent of Government and subject only to the general law of the land and to the voluntary Code of Practice of the newspaper and periodical industry. My hon. Friend may wish to bring his concerns to the attention of the Periodical Publishers' Association, Imperial House, 15-19 Kingsway, London WC2B 6UN.
Mrs. Ellman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will make a statement on the future of the Blood Transfusion Service in Liverpool. [69315]
Mr. Hutton:
We are considering a report by Professor Bellingham on the Liverpool Blood Centre. We shall be making a statement shortly.
Mid and West Wales: Mr. Bryn Parry-Jones, returning officer for Pembrokeshire.
North Wales: Mr. Philip McGreevy, returning officer for Flintshire.
South Wales Central: Mr. Byron Davies, returning officer for Cardiff.
South Wales East: Mr. Lawrence Nippers, returning officer for Newport.
South Wales West: Ms Vivienne Sugar, returning officer for Swansea.
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