| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
EU Tariffs
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new tariffs the EU has imposed on imported goods in the past 10 years. [52307]
Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
The Common Customs Tariff of the EU has over 10,400 tariff lines. Over the past ten years the EU has progressively reduced its tariffs in accordance with its GATT/WTO obligations. Over the same period for most tariff lines "preferential" (i.e. lower) rates have been charged on imports from a range of countries. In addition, on around 1000 tariff lines the EU has autonomously suspended duties on goods not produced or not available in sufficient quantity in the Community. As well as reducing tariffs, the EU has introduced anti-dumping or countervailing duties in response to unfair trade.
Within this complex framework of multilateral obligations, preferential agreements, tariff nomenclature changes, autonomous suspensions and remedies to unfair trade, the EU has imposed and modified a wide range of duties.
The detail of all these changes could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
26 Apr 2002 : Column 499W
WALES
Birth Statistics
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the rate of (a) infant mortality, (b) still births and (c) birth defects in (i) 1985, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1987 was for the old County of Clwyd. [51533]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The infant mortality rate (deaths of infants under one year of age, per 1,000 live births) was 10.9 per cent in 1985, 8.7 per cent in 1986 and 10.2 per cent in 1987 for the county of Clwyd.
The still birth rates was 6.4 per cent in 1985, 5.3 per cent in 1986 and 5.0 per cent in 1987 for the county of Clwyd. These figures are based on still births of 28 or more complete weeks gestation per 1,000 births. The legal definition of a still birth was altered on 1 October 1992 to include babies born dead between 24 and 27 weeks.
The babies notified to the National Congenital Anomaly System for mothers resident in the former Clwyd health authority was 20.5 per cent in 1985, 17.7 per cent in 1986 and 12.1 per cent in 1987, per 1,000 live and stillbirths. Reporting to this system is voluntary, and differences may reflect changes in reporting practice rather than true changes in prevalence.
Ministerial Training
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years. [52730]
Mr. Paul Murphy: It is not possible to say how much of this training related to leadership skills.
My Department was created in July 1999. In 2000–01 it spent £2,400 on training and in 2001–02 £4,200. Comparable figures for 1999–00 are not available. My staff also receives training provided through the National Assembly for Wales for which there is no charge.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years. [52747]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Since my Department came into existence on 1 July 1999 it has incurred no such expenditure.
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years. [52706]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Since my Department came into existence on 1 July 1999 it has incurred no such expenditure.
Press Subscriptions
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the newspapers subscribed to (a) Monday to Saturday and (b) on Sunday by his Department, stating for each subscription (i) the number of copies taken, and (ii) the annual cost. [52827]
26 Apr 2002 : Column 500W
Mr. Paul Murphy: Currently, the Wales Office subscribes to the following newspapers—
The Western Mail (Mon–Fri)—21 copies (22 on Monday)
The Western Mail (Sat)—2 copies
The Daily Post (Mon–Fri)—6 copies (7 on Monday)
The South Wales Echo (Mon–Sat)—2 copies
Wales on Sunday—2 copies
South Wales Argus (Mon–Sat)—2 copies
Wrexham Evening Leader (Mon–Sat)—2 copies
South Wales Evening Post (Mon–Sat)—2 copies
The Evening Standard (Mon–Fri)—4 copies
The Guardian (Mon–Fri)—5 copies (6 on Monday)
The Guardian (Sat)—1 copy
The Times (Mon–Fri)—7 copies (8 on Monday)
The Times (Sat)—1 copy
The Daily Telegraph (Mon–Fri)—5 copies (6 on Monday)
The Daily Telegraph (Sat)—1 copy
The Independent (Mon–Fri)—6 copies (7 on Monday)
The Independent (Sat)—1 copy
The Financial Times (Mon–Fri)—6 copies (7 on Monday)
The Financial Times (Sat)—1 copy
The Daily Mail (Mon–Fri)—5 copies (6 on Monday)
The Daily Mail (Sat)—1 copy
The Daily Express (Mon–Fri)—5 copies (6 on Monday)
The Daily Express (Sat)—1 copy
The Daily Mirror—incl. Welsh edition—(Mon–Fri)—7 copies
(8 on Monday)
The Daily Mirror (Sat)—1 copy
The Sun (Mon–Fri)—5 copies (6 on Monday)
The Sun (Sat)—1 copy
The Daily Star (Mon–Fri)—1 copy
The Daily Star (Sat)—1 copy
The Scotsman (Mon–Sat)—1 copy
The Glasgow Herald (Mon–Sat)—1 copy
The Daily Record (Mon–Sat)—1 copy
The Observer—1 copy
The Sunday Times—1 copy
The Sunday Telegraph—1 copy
The Independent on Sunday—1 copy
The Mail on Sunday—1 copy
The Sunday Express—1 copy
The Sunday Mirror—1 copy
The News of the World—1 copy
The Sunday People—1 copy
The Scotland on Sunday—1 copy
The Sunday Herald—1 copy
The overall cost of newspapers to the Wales Office in the last invoiced month, February 2002, was £916.06.
26 Apr 2002 : Column 501W
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the magazines and periodicals subscribed to by his Department, stating for each subscription (i) the number of copies taken, and (ii) the annual cost. [52828]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Wales Office has annual subscriptions to the House magazine (1 copy)—£345; the Parliamentary Monitor (1 copy)—£310; Private Eye (1 copy)—£19; The Spectator (1 copy)—£97; The New Statesman (1 copy)—£100.
Digital Equipment
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many digital radios are owned by his Department for use in departmental buildings from which Ministers work; and what the (a) cost and (b) date of purchase of each radio was. [52863]
Hospitality Budget
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the purpose and dates of the events paid for through the hospitality budget in the previous 12 months. [53103]
26 Apr 2002 : Column 502W
Mr. Paul Murphy: I have hosted a small number of receptions to mark St Davids Day and key parliamentary occasions. Members of both Houses from all parties and journalists have attended, including the hon. Member.
I believe these have been valuable events enabling parliamentarians from all parties to mix informally and exchange views and opinions.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Departmental Events
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by her Department and which took place on non-Departmental premises in each of the last four years giving the title, purpose, date and cost of each. [34299]
Mr. Morley: As DEFRA was created in June 2001 retrospective annual budget analysis is not possible.
Our records show that there were 66 events commissioned centrally by DEFRA at a cost of £491,941. A list of these events is attached.
This figure does not include any expenditure for Foot and Mouth Disease, non-Departmental Public Bodies, Agencies or de-centralised expenditure within DEFRA. Further extrapolation of expenditure on these events would incur disproportionate cost.
26 Apr 2002 : Column 503W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |