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Sellafield
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the report of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate investigation into the operating practices of the Sellafield MOX Demonstration Facility. [106710]
Mrs. Liddell: I understand that HSE's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is preparing a report which it will publish in mid February.
Utilities Bill
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any financial limit is to be placed upon the level of compensation for loss of office which he can determine should be paid to the Chairman and other members of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority under Schedule 4, paragraph 4(3) of the Utilities Bill; and if he will make a statement. [107664]
Mrs. Liddell: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to Schedule 1, not Schedule 4, of the Utilities Bill.
There is no statutory limit to the level of compensation that may be determined by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. the level of compensation will depend on the circumstances of the case.
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Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the categories of misbehaviour on the part of the Chairman of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority which could give grounds for removal from office under Schedule 1, paragraph 3(2)(b) of the Utilities Bill include refusal to follow his advice; and if he will make a statement. [107666]
Mrs. Liddell:
No. There is no change from the equivalent Electricity Act 1989 and Gas Act 1985 provisions in this respect.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any financial limit is to be placed on the level of remuneration and allowances which he can determine should be paid to the Chairman and members of the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority under Schedule 1, paragraph 4, of the Utilities Bill; and if he will make a statement. [107663]
Mrs. Liddell:
There will be no statutory limit. Remuneration and allowances will be determined having regard to the need to recruit and retain individuals with the necessary qualities and experience.
Mr. Paul Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have benefited from the national minimum wage since its introduction in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire; and if he will make a statement. [107251]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Paul Marsden, dated 3 January 2000:
Mr. Hilary Benn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will publish a copy of the questionnaire used by Ofsted inspectors in seeking
31 Jan 2000 : Column: 421W
the views of schools on the effectiveness of their local education authority as part of the local education authority inspection process; [107621]
(3) if he will make available to any local education authority that requests it a copy of the summary analysis of the questionnaire results showing schools' views of their local education authority as part of the Ofsted inspection process. [107623]
Ms Estelle Morris:
Copies of the questionnaire seeking the views of schools on the effectiveness of their local education authority as part of the local education authority inspection process are available from: the LEA Inspections Team, the Audit Commission, 1 Vincent Square, London SW1 2PN. I have also placed a copy in the Libraries of the House.
A copy of the summary analysis of the school survey results is given to the local education authority by the inspection team during the inspection. Further copies will be supplied to the authority on request by the Audit Commission.
No up-to-date summary analysis of the school survey results for all local education authorities inspected by Ofsted and the Audit Commission to date exists at present. This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend and to place a copy of his letter in the Libraries.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he has determined whether the activities of Members of the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Greater London Assembly will constitute paid employment for the purposes of Access to Work. [107300]
Ms Hodge:
Members of the Scottish Parliament, Assembly Members in Wales, Members of the Legislative Assembly in Northern Ireland and Members of the Greater London Assembly will all be paid for their work, and this constitutes paid employment for the purposes of the Access to Work programme in Great Britain and the equivalent scheme in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Boswell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to disseminate examples of good practice among (a) employers and (b) service providers in meeting their obligations to make reasonable adjustments in a practical and cost-effective way, in connection with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [106202]
Ms Hodge
[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 makes it unlawful for employers and providers of goods, facilities and services to discriminate against disabled people by treating them less favourably than other people, or by failing to make reasonable adjustments. For service providers, the new
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Code of Practice which we published on 29 June 1999 explains the duties under Part III of the Act and gives practical guidance on how to prevent discrimination against disabled people, including examples of good practice. In October 1999, we published an information booklet called "An Introduction for Small and Medium-sized Businesses", explaining the new and existing duties on businesses and organisations under Part III of the DDA. For employers, there has been an employment Code of Practice since 1996. More recently, we have published a booklet called "Employing Disabled People: A Good Practice Guide for Managers and Employers", which contains examples of good practice and this has been promoted by the Federation of Small Businesses to its members. The examples it contains are based on 40 case studies that were published following a DfEE-funded research project, in a report called "Integrating Disabled Employees".
The Secretary of State launched the "See the Person" campaign, in June 1999, to publicise the DDA and the rights of disabled people. It is specifically aimed at increasing awareness among businesses and disabled people of the requirements and opportunities provided by the DDA, as well as more generally aiming to improve the public's understanding of the barriers faced by disabled people. The campaign has included TV adverts, posters, articles in various publications, radio advertisements and articles in national, regional and specialist press. It helps promote the DDA Helpline from which employers and service providers can obtain copies of the booklet and guide mentioned previously as well as further information about the Act and the Codes of Practice.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his policy on teachers contributing to handbooks funded by the EU on EU policy; what United Kingdom input there was to "Euroquest-A Trail of Questions and Answers about the European Union"; and how many copies have been printed for distribution in the United Kingdom. [105694]
Mr. Wicks
[holding answer 18 January 2000]: The UK Government do not have a policy on teachers contributing to handbooks funded by EU on EU policy. The institutions of the European Union are free to approach any UK or European citizen to ask them to contribute to their publications.
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question regarding the number of people who have benefited from the national minimum wage since its introduction in Shrewsbury and Atcham, and Shropshire.
Definitive estimates on the number of people that have benefited from the national minimum wage are not yet available. Currently available estimates for assessing the effect take data from both the New Earnings Survey and the Labour Force Survey and adjust them for known limitations in each. However, the latest adjusted estimates are based on data for the spring (March - May) 1999 Labour Force Survey and this period spans the introduction date for the national minimum wage legislation. As a result, the adjusted estimates may be giving a misleading picture of the effect of the minimum wage legislation since employees might legitimately have been earning below the minimum wage rates in March 1999.
The currently available estimates were published in an ONS First Release on 14 October and show that the number of people earning below the minimum wage rates fell significantly between 1998 and 1999. A copy of this first release is available in the House of Commons Library.
(2) if he will publish a summary analysis of the questionnaire results showing schools' views of local education authorities for all authorities that have been inspected by Ofsted to date; [107622]
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