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Chrysotile Asbestos
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action is taken by the Government to ensure that developing countries are aware of the hazards of chrysotile asbestos and to discourage the dumping of this product in developing and third-world countries; and if she will make a statement. [104662]
Clare Short: Regulations prohibiting the import of chrysotile asbestos into the UK came into force in November 1999, meeting an EU Directive that requires all member states to introduce legislation banning asbestos by 1 January 2005.
We will support the European Commission's intention to propose to the Rotterdam Convention's Interim Chemical Review Committee (ICRC) that the remaining asbestos fibres, including chrysotile, be added to Annexe 111 (Chemicals subject to the PIC Procedure) of the Convention. If the ICRC are content, then the proposal will be discussed later this year by the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee that negotiated the Convention.
Tropical Diseases
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with pharmaceutical companies on the financing of research to combat leishmaniasis and other sand-fly related diseases affecting poor people who sleep close to their cattle. [104422]
Clare Short: I have had no discussions with pharmaceutical companies on the financing of research to combat leishmaniasis or other sand-fly related diseases. We support research through the World Health Organisation's Tropical Disease Research Programme, which places great emphasis on forming partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to facilitate future drug development. Current treatment for leishmaniasis involves repeated injections, and is not effective in all cases. No oral treatment is currently available, although trials are underway.
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research reports she has received directed to the spread of malaria among people living in highland areas and its relationship with climate change; and if she will make a statement. [104664]
Clare Short:
We are concerned at the potential spread of malaria into tropical highlands. Current scientific evidence is far from unanimous on the relationship with climate change. We are working with research institutes and ministries of health in affected countries to develop reliable systems for epidemic prediction, detection and response.
17 Jan 2000 : Column: 264W
Employment Statistics
Mrs. Ann Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) men and (b) women in each of the standard age groups were employed in his Department in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1999. [104025]
Dr. Reid: The following figures illustrate the number of staff in the core Scottish Office departments at 1 April 1999.
| Age band | Men | Women | All staff |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-19 | 28.0 | 30.0 | 58.0 |
| 20-24 | 122.0 | 111.6 | 233.6 |
| 25-29 | 202.0 | 232.5 | 434.5 |
| 30-34 | 258.8 | 244.2 | 503.0 |
| 35-39 | 266.6 | 261.1 | 527.7 |
| 40-44 | 310.7 | 261.8 | 572.5 |
| 45-49 | 319.0 | 235.3 | 554.3 |
| 50 or over | 512.7 | 310.2 | 822.9 |
| Total | 2,019.8 | 1,686.7 | 3,706.5 |
There are no comparable figures available for April 1979. However, some information may be found in Civil Service Statistics which is published annually and is available in the Library.
Asset Sales
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the items in the National Assets Register sold by his Department since 8 March 1999, stating in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total amount raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [104498]
Dr. Reid: Those assets owned by The Scottish Office and its Executive Agencies listed in the National Asset Register which have been sold between 8 March 1999 to 30 June 1999 are as follows, together with the money realised:
| Proceeds realised £ | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Scottish Office core fixed assets | ||
| Highland and Lowland Estates: | ||
| Lowland Estate | 111,650 | |
| Highland Estate | 14,505 | |
| Furniture and Fittings | 935 | |
| IT Systems | 30 | |
| Vehicles | 42,929 | |
| Executive Agencies of The Scottish Office | ||
| Scottish Prison Service | ||
| Vehicles | 17,974 | |
| Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency | ||
| Vehicles | 6,109 | |
| Scottish Agricultural Science Agency | ||
| Plant and Machinery | 1,765 | |
| Fisheries Research Services | ||
| Vehicles | 3,478 | |
| Student Awards Agency for Scotland | ||
| IT Systems | 25 | |
| Total | 199,400 | |
From 1 July 1999, The Scotland Office has not sold any assets.
17 Jan 2000 : Column: 265W
Equal Opportunities
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to create an Equality Unit within the Northern Ireland Office to co-ordinate the work relating to equality schemes of United Kingdom departments and other bodies designated by the Secretary of State under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. [103814]
Mr. George Howarth: The Human Rights Unit in the Northern Ireland Office advises the Secretary of State on all issues relating to equality schemes for which the Secretary of State is responsible.
The Equality Commission is required by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to produce statutory guidelines on equality schemes (subject to approval by the Secretary of State) and these guidelines will be given to all public authorities designated under section 75. United Kingdom Government Departments and other bodies designated by the Secretary of State under section 75 will submit their equality schemes to the Commission for approval. The Secretary of State is responsible for approving public authority equality schemes which have been referred to him by the Equality Commission. The Commission cannot refer the equality schemes of United Kingdom Government Departments to the Secretary of State.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision has been made within the Northern Ireland Office to ensure that it, and the voluntary and community sectors with which it works, have been provided with sufficient resources to ensure that they are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity. [103815]
Mr. George Howarth:
No additional financial resources have been provided to ensure that the Northern Ireland Office and the voluntary and community sectors with whom it works are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity. However the Government believes that these public authorities have sufficient resources to ensure that they are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the reasons why the report of the Criminal Justice Review established under the terms of the Good Friday agreement has not yet been published; and when he expects it to be published. [103816]
Mr. Ingram:
The extended consultation process which the Review Group engaged in, together with the range and complexity of the issues which the Group was invited to address, meant that the analytical phase of their work began later and has taken longer than the Group expected. I understand, however, that the report is now at an advanced stage of preparation and that it is hoped to publish it as soon as possible.
17 Jan 2000 : Column: 266W
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Prime Minister what subjects have been referred to the Performance and Innovation Unit. [104591]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) on 10 December 1998, Official Report, columns 277-78W; to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 21 October 1999, Official Report, column 630W; and to my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, South-West (Dr. Starkey) on 24 November 1999, Official Report, column 162W.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Prime Minister what is the remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit. [104592]
The Prime Minister:
The remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit is to improve the capacity of Government to identify and address strategic, cross-cutting issues and promote innovation in the development of policy and in the delivery of the Government's objectives.
Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Prime Minister (1) when he expects the Performance and Innovation Unit to report on post offices; [104593]
The Prime Minister:
As I indicated in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 21 October 1999, Official Report, column 630W, I expect the Performance and Innovation Unit's work on the Post Office network to be completed this spring.
(2) what is the membership and remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit study of post offices. [104594]
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