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National Assembly (Opening Ceremony)
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the cost of the opening ceremony of the National Assembly for Wales. [72251]
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Mr. Michael:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 16 February 1999, Official Report, column 683.
Mr. Don Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list (a) those units in his Department and (b) the number of departmental staff which are concerned with preparing rebuttals of allegations in the media; and what is (i) the total cost of their work, including salaries, and (ii) the number of rebuttals issued since May 1997. [71859]
Mr. Michael:
Rebuttals of allegations in the media are made in my Department by individual press officers either through telephone calls to the organisation concerned, or through an appropriate letter signed by an official or a Minister. Generally, it is found that reporting of Welsh matters in the regional and national media is of a response nature, and the need for rebuttals is infrequent. For that reason, there is no special unit in the Department to handle rebuttals, and no record is kept centrally of the number or cost of rebuttals.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on teacher morale. [72033]
Mr. Hain:
Teaching is a demanding and vitally important profession. Our White Paper "Building Excellent Schools Together" (Cm 3701) acknowledged, however, that teachers' professionalism had been disdained all too often over the last decade; that morale had been badly damaged; and that this had to stop.
We have recently published our Green Paper "The Best for Teaching and Learning In Wales" on the future of the teaching profession in Wales. The Green Paper offers fundamental reform and the opportunity to give teachers the recognition and support they deserve. In return for a newly enhanced professionalism, greater individual accountability, more flexibility and still higher standards, its proposals set out measures that would offer teachers higher status, better prospects, a more rewarding career structure, less bureaucracy and more freedom to teach. We are undertaking a widespread consultation with all interested parties on these proposals
We have also undertaken to establish a General Teaching Council for Wales to maintain high professional standards in Wales and promote a positive image of teaching both within the teaching profession and to those outside.
Following the transfer of functions, these issues will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on class sizes in infant schools. [72030]
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Mr. Hain:
The January 1998 annual Schools' Census showed the following percentages of pupils in Wales were educated in classes of 30 or less:
| Year group | Usual age of pupils | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Reception | 5 | 74.3 |
| Year 1 | 6 | 66.4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 62.5 |
| Other key stage 1 classes of mixed year groups | -- | 74.9 |
At January 1998, there were 30,734 pupils in Key Stage 1 classes of over 30 pupils.
In 1998-1999, £3.7 million in infant class size reduction grant has been allocated to local education authorities across Wales. It is estimated that more than 270 additional teachers have been taken on using this grant, with more than 700 classes being brought down to 30 pupils or less. This means that there are now 23,500 more Welsh infants in classes of less than 30 than there would have been without the grant. The 1999 Schools' Census will give the actual position.
In 1999-2000, £11.3 million will be available to local education authorities to continue funding existing measures and to make further progress in tackling the remainder of the problem. Local education authorities have submitted bids for 1999-2000 infant class size reduction grant and successful bids will be announced by end March. Eligible expenditure in the 1999-2000 round includes teachers' salaries, minor refurbishment works and the capital costs of new build classrooms and demountable classrooms.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate (a) how many and (b) what percentage of nursery age children are in nursery education in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [72027]
Mr. Hain:
In line with the Government's commitment to nursery education, a free, at least part-time education place has been available under local early years development plans from September 1998 to all four year olds whose parents want this, from the term following the fourth birthday. Local early years development partnerships can decide to secure and fund places in the maintained or non-maintained sector, provided they work within an agreed quality assurance framework.
There were 25,590 children in maintained nursery schools or nursery classes in maintained primary schools, as at January 1998. This is 35 per cent. of 3 and 4 year olds.
In addition, there were 29,346 children under 5 years old who attended ordinary or special classes in maintained schools. This represents a further 40 per cent. of 3 and 4 year olds.
Non-maintained settings also provide nursery education places for three and four year olds which are funded under local early years development plans. Information on the
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number of such places is not yet available centrally but should be in late Spring when draft plans for school year 1999-2000 are submitted to the Secretary of State for approval.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the impact upon Wales of the Social Exclusion Unit. [72029]
Mr. Hain:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Monmouth (Mr. Edwards) on 3 February 1999, Official Report, column 612.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employers are involved in the New Deal for the (i) young unemployed and (ii) long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement. [72031]
Mr. Hain:
The latest statistics produced by the Department for Education and Employment indicate that up to the end of December 1998, over 2,900 employers in Wales had signed up to provide subsidised jobs for the New Deal for 18-24 year olds or for the New Deal for the 25 plus.
I am very encouraged by these figures. From the outset we made it quite clear that the involvement of employers was crucial to the success of the New Deal in Wales. We have made an excellent start and I look forward to this continuing.
Mr. Luff:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the Federation of Fresh Meat Wholesalers about (a) their views on and (b) the willingness of their members to participate in, the date-based export scheme; and if he will make a statement. [70867]
Mr. Rooker:
My right hon. Friend the Minister met the Federation of Fresh Meat Wholesalers on 12 January and I met them today. Officials have had a number of meetings with them about the Date-Based Export Scheme and the Federation wrote on 22 January responding to the consultation on our proposals for operating the scheme.
The Federation has expressed reservations about the attractiveness of the scheme to potential exporters. They see the requirement for plants to be dedicated to the slaughter of export eligible animals as a major drawback and have advised that their members are unwilling to commit to this requirement. They suggest that it will not be possible for the industry to export profitably under the scheme as it is currently planned to operate.
Nevertheless, the Federation recognises the importance of setting a date from which the UK is allowed to resume exports. I agree with them that the scheme rules are difficult and we expect the uptake to be low initially. But
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given the current climate of concern about BSE in other Member States, I believe then we could not have negotiated a more liberal scheme.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to dispose of the fruit, flower and vegetable market at New Covent Garden. [70888]
Mr. Rooker:
We intend to dispose of the assets of the Covent Garden Market Authority as soon as parliamentary time can be found for the necessary legislation.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the meat hygiene costs borne by the livestock industry in England and Wales in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98; [70944]
(3) which meat hygiene costs in other member states of the EU are borne by (a) public authorities and (b) the relevant livestock industry; and in cases where costs are shared, if he will indicate the proportions paid. [70922]
Mr. Rooker:
Council Directive 85/73/EEC (as amended) on the financing of veterinary inspections and controls requires Member States to recover the costs of those hygiene inspections conducted at licensed fresh meat plants in accordance with harmonised EC meat hygiene rules. The Directive sets standard charges (in ECU) applicable in all Member States for hygiene inspections of red meat, poultry meat and game meat, with rates varying depending on the species and size of animals being slaughtered. Subject to meeting specified criteria, such as the efficiency of operations at individual plants, the Directive provides for the standard charge to be abated by up to 55 per cent. Conversely, where the actual cost of inspection exceeds the standard charge, the Directive provides for actual costs to be charged. Similar principles apply in respect of charges in licensed cutting plants.
The total cost to the meat industry of hygiene inspections carried out in Great Britain by the Meat Hygiene Service in 1996-97 was £26.0 million and in 1997-98 was £29.8 million.
The actual level of hygiene inspection charges levied on individual meat plants in other Member States is set by the appropriate competent authority within the framework laid down by Directive 85/73/EEC. I am currently seeking information about the level of such charges, including the extent to which hygiene inspection costs are borne by public authorities. Once I have received this information I will write to my hon. Friend.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning methods of enforcement of meat hygiene regulations in other EU states as compared to enforcement in the United Kingdom and the impact of any differences on the competitiveness of UK products; and if he will make a statement. [71158]
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Mr. Rooker:
The European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) is responsible for ensuring that individual EU member States comply with their Community public health obligations, including the enforcement of the EU meat hygiene Directive. The FVO carries out a regular programme of inspection visits to all Member States and publishes the reports of such visits on the Commission's website on the Internet (http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24health/vi/reports). A list of the relevant reports also appears each month in MAFF's Meat Hygiene Enforcement Report and BSE Enforcement Bulletin.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost to producers if the charges for Meat and Hygiene Service inspections are passed on to them. [68726]
Mr. Rooker:
Meat Hygiene Service charges are levied on the occupiers of licensed fresh meat premises. It is a commercial decision for such operators whether they pass these costs onto their suppliers.
(2) if he will list the meat hygiene (a) charges to and (b) costs borne by the (i) UK and (ii) EU member states' livestock industries which result from EU regulations; [70920]
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