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Departmental Officials
Mr. Robert Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list (a) the names of officials in his Department who are currently on secondment from private companies, (b) the companies by which they are employed and (c) their current responsibilities. [70043]
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Mr. Michael:
Central records are held on three such secondments but it is not our policy to identify individuals:
| Company | Current responsibilities |
|---|---|
| BT | To provide assistance with the development of a programme to promote information and communication technologies in Wales |
| King Sturge | To provide assistance with the development and assessment of PFI (private finance initiative) contracts supported by the Department |
| Barclays Bank | Switchboard Operator |
New Deal
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the number of people in each of the various stages of the New Deal; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the New Deal on the unemployment count. [70067]
Mr. Hain: The latest statistics published by the Department for Education and Employment show that 7,900 young people were on the New Deal for 18-24s in Wales at the end of November 1998.
Within this total, 4,300 young people were in the Gateway and almost 3,400 were on an option, of whom about: 1,000 were in a subsidised job; 600 were in the Environment Task Force; 400 were in the Voluntary Sector Option; and 1,400 were in Full-Time Training and Education.
A further 200 people had completed their option and were receiving additional assistance to secure jobs as part of the Follow-through arrangements.
Between January and November 1998, almost 2,700 unemployed young people left the New Deal in Wales for an unsubsidised job. Between April 1998, when the New Deal for 18-24s was introduced throughout Wales, and October 1998 (the latest available data) unemployment amongst the client group fell by 34 per cent.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment of the effect of allowing vehicles with an 11.5 tonne drive axle weight unrestricted access to trunk roads in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [69675]
Mr. Hain:
The decision to allow 11.5 tonne drive axle vehicles unrestricted access to UK highways prompted the major programme of assessment and strengthening of structures which started in 1989.
All structures not known to be capable of safely carrying 11.5 tonne drive axle vehicles have been assessed and those needing immediate attention have already been strengthened at a total cost of about £25 million. The remaining trunk road supporting structures that still require strengthening will be strengthened over the next 5 years. In the meantime, they will be allowed to remain in unrestricted use but subject to an enhanced regime of regular inspection.
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 561
The trunk road network in Wales will become a responsibility of the National Assembly.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will instruct NHS hospitals in Wales to restrict the numbers of non-urgent treatments of private patients. [70049]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
NHS trusts already have considerable autonomy to determine the scope of any private practice. The proportion of patients treated privately in NHS hospitals in Wales is very low, approximately 0.5 per cent. of all NHS treatment.
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the total expenditure on Crickhowell house to make it ready for the National Assembly. [70381]
Mr. Michael:
The costs of making ready Crickhowell house are included in the estimate for establishing the Assembly stated in the Financial Memorandum to the Government of Wales Act 1998. Actual figures will be published as soon as they are available.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of people employed by the local education authorities of Wales, indicating separately (a) professional and (b) ancillary employees. [70918]
Mr. Hain:
Information in the form requested is not available centrally. However, data on teachers and other people employed by local education authorities in 1998 are shown in the following table:
| Education | ||
|---|---|---|
| Teachers (a) | Others (b) | |
| Full-time | 25,114 | 9,180 |
| Part-time | 3,649 | 28,885 |
| Total | 28,763 | 38,065 |
Notes:
(a) Provisional figures for January 1998, collected by Welsh Office. Includes all teachers and lecturers employed by local education authorities and educational psychologists. Excludes teachers employed in Grant Maintained schools.
(b) Figures produced by the Local Government Management Board as at September 1998. Includes school transport staff; youth and community workers; nursery assistants; administrative, secretarial and clerical staff in the education service; school caretakers; canteen and school playing field staff; non-teaching staff employed on careers guidance; library staff employed by libraries either located in or serving education establishments.
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mining
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed in the mining industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [70916]
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 562
Mr. Hain:
According to estimates from the Coal Authority there were 1,235 people employed in coal mining in Wales at September 1998.
The Office for National Statistics' Annual Employment Survey suggests that, at September 1996, there were less than 100 people employed in other mining activities in Wales.
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will begin consultations regarding the implementation of education action zones. [71149]
Mr. Hain:
We expect this to be a matter on which the National Assembly for Wales will decide in due course.
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with headteachers and governors of schools in Monmouth regarding the compulsory teaching of Welsh at Key Stage 4; and if he will make a statement. [71166]
Mr. Hain:
In accordance with statutory requirements, the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) consulted the headteacher and the governing body of Monmouth Comprehensive School on the proposal to lift the exemption from teaching Welsh to pupils at Key Stage 4 from September 1999. ACCAC considered the case put forward by the school and concluded that there were not sufficient grounds to warrant the further extension of the exemption granted in 1990. Accordingly, ACCAC recommended, in January 1998, that the exemption be lifted and that Welsh should be made a compulsory subject at Key Stage 4 from 1999.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave careful consideration to ACCAC's report and the case put forward by the school. He accepted ACCAC's recommendation and published, for comment, a draft Order giving effect to it. A copy of the draft Order was sent to the headteachers and governing body of Monmouth Comprehensive School. After careful consideration of the points made to him in response to the publication of the draft Order, my right hon. Friend concluded that no matters of substance arose which were not dealt with in ACCAC's report. An Order giving effect to ACCAC's recommendation came into force on 20 November 1998. This will bring Monmouth Comprehensive School into line with all other non- Welsh-speaking schools in Wales as regards the teaching of Welsh to pupils at Key Stage 4 from September 1999.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available to local authorities in Wales his estimate of the minimum finance which each authority might expect to receive for housing renovation and repair, out of the all Wales fund for which initial bids are invited by 15 February; and if he will make a statement on the guidance which he plans to give to local authorities on the preparation of 1999-2000 housing budgets in advance of decisions on the total finance which will be available to them from his Department. [71354]
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 563
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
I cannot estimate the amount of resources which will be allocated to individual local authorities until their bids have been considered. I do not issue guidance on the preparation of housing budgets as these are matters for individual local authorities.
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what date he plans to inform local authorities in Wales of their allocation from the all Wales fund for housing renovation for which they have been invited to bid; by what date the final bids have to be submitted by local authorities; and if he will list the criteria on which these bids will be assessed. [71351]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
I intend to issue decisions on the allocation of the resources by the beginning of the next financial year. Final detailed bids must be with my Department by 12 March 1999. The criteria for assessment of bids will depend on the nature and priority of the scheme involved. Details are set out in my Department's letter of 25 January, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Following the transfer of powers, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the total cost of renovations and repairs needing to be done to the housing stock of Wales (a) in the public rented sector, (b) in the voluntary rented sector and (c) in the private sector. [71352]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The latest estimates of the costs of repair are from the 1993 Welsh House Condition Survey. The available information is given in the following table.
| Tenure | Total repair cost (£ million at 1993 prices) |
|---|---|
| Rented from local authorities or Development Board for Rural Wales | 244 |
| Rented from housing associations | 13 |
| Rented from private landlords | 153 |
| Owner occupied | 863 |
| All tenures | 1,273 |
Following the transfer of powers, these issues will be a matter for the National Assembly.
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