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Training and Enterprise Councils
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total of accumulated TEC surpluses to date. [113212]
Mr. Wicks: Based on the 1998-99 consolidated annual statutory audited accounts of 72 English TECs, the total of accumulated TEC post-tax surpluses/deficits was a deficit £12.7 million.
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 31 January concerning political material in schools. [113310]
Jacqui Smith: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply issued today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Rat Infestation
Ms Walley: To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what was the total expenditure in each of the last three years for treating and controlling rat infestations in the Palace of Westminster. [113068]
Sir Sydney Chapman:
The Palace of Westminster does not have a significant problem of infestation by rats, and most of the vermin supposedly identified as rats
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have, in fact, turned out to be mice. However, the total expenditure on pest control for the Palace of Westminster for the last three years has been as follows:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 15,881 |
| 1997-98 | 15,185 |
| 1998-99 | 16,405 |
NORTHERN IRELAND
Local Authority Loans
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will propose an amendment of the law to allow local authorities in Northern Ireland to redeem outstanding long term loans; and if he will make a statement. [112655]
Mr. Ingram: Redemption terms were published in the Belfast Gazette on 13 January 1995.
HMP Maghaberry
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date instructions were last issued at HMP Maghaberry, governing the receipt by prisoners of printed materials dealing with political subjects; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [111942]
Mr. Ingram [holding answer 2 March 2000]: There are no specific instructions in existence regarding the receipt by prisoners of printed materials dealing with political subjects at Maghaberry Prison. The admission of all printed material to HMP Maghaberry is governed by Rule 67 of the Prison and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995. HMP Maghaberry is a fully integrated prison with no segregation on grounds of political, religious or paramilitary affiliation. As a result, the Governor may use his discretion, under Prison Rule 67, to refuse admission to printed material dealing with political subjects if he believes it could prejudice the security, or control, of the prison by raising tensions between such affiliates.
Good Friday Agreement
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to restore dialogue between the parties to the Good Friday Agreement. [113360]
Mr. Mandelson: Following my decision on 11 February to suspend the operation of the institutions, I have had several meetings with the political parties in Northern Ireland and with the Irish Government. I will have a further series of meetings during the course of this week to determine how the necessary cross community confidence can be rebuilt to enable the institutions to be restored as soon as possible.
Infertility Treatment
Mr. Donaldson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will recommend a minimum level of infertility treatments per 100,000 of population in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [113189]
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Mr. George Howarth:
I have no plans to recommend a minimum level of treatment for infertility. In line with Health Authorities in Great Britain, it is a matter for the Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland to determine the priority to be given to infertility services in their areas. Such decisions are taken in the light of local needs, available resources and clinical effectiveness.
Rev. Martin Smyth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people there are on the Central Services Agencies Register. [112798]
Mr. George Howarth:
The number of General Medical Practitioners on the Central Services Agency's Register was 1,061 at 1 February 2000, the latest date for which figures are available.
New Public Bodies
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997. [112672]
Jane Kennedy: The annual Cabinet Office publication, "Public Bodies", provides information on a range of public bodies. The 1997 edition lists those public bodies in existence prior to May 1997. The 1998 and 1999 editions list public bodies in existence in subsequent years. Copies of these publications have been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango).
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
National Lottery
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the statement that rural areas received a higher share of National Lottery awards than urban areas on page six of the report by the Cabinet Office, entitled "Sharing the Nation's Prosperity," refers to (a) the share of the number of individual lottery awards or (b) the monetary value of the awards. [110507]
Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 17 February 2000]: The statement that rural areas received a higher share of National Lottery awards than urban areas is based on the number of awards per capita.
Communications Industry
Mr. Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to create a single regulator for the communications industry. [112616]
Janet Anderson:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 3 February their intention to publish a White Paper later this year setting out the Government's proposals for the reform of communications legislation. It
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is to early to say at this stage what the White Paper will propose concerning the regulatory structures for the communications industry.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his policy on the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. [113163]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
The Government believe that the Parthenon sculptures should remain at the British Museum.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list by constituency the number of pensioner households which (a) will and (b) will not be eligible for the free television licence in November. [113018]
Janet Anderson
[holding answer 3 March 2000]: This information is not available. 1991 Census information is out of date and no household survey has a sample size sufficient to make reliable estimates of qualifying households at a constituency or local authority level.
Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioner households will not receive the free TV licence for the over 75s. [111865]
Janet Anderson:
The estimated number of households consisting only of people of state pensionable age but below the age of 75 is 2.9 million.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many questions to his Department tabled for ordinary written answer during Session 1998-99 were answered (a) within two weeks of tabling, (b) within one month of tabling, (c) within three months of tabling and (d) after three months of tabling. [106491]
Dr. Moonie: During the Session 1998-99, 1,347 questions were tabled to my Department for ordinary written answer. Of this total, 1,240 were answered within two weeks of tabling, 1,284 were answered within one month of tabling and 1,304 were answered within three months of tabling. All 1,347 questions were answered after three months of tabling.
Anglo-French Submarine Patrol
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions involving Ministers and officials of his Department have recently taken place or are planned within the Anglo-French Joint Commission on Nuclear Policy and Doctrine concerning joint or co-ordinated ballistic missile submarine patrols with the French Navy. [112423]
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Mr. Hoon:
None. The UK/France Joint Nuclear Commission, established in 1992, normally meets twice yearly at official level for discussions on a wide range of issues. By joint agreement, these exclude the operational deployment of our respective nuclear deterrent forces.
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