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2 Mar 2006 : Column 865W—continued
University Students
Jim Cousins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr. Hayes) of 2 February 2006, Official Report, columns 690–91W, on university students, what percentage of students from socio-economic classes four to seven there were in each higher education institution in the north east in 2003–04. [54627]
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Bill Rammell: Information for higher education institutions is published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in the annual publication Performance Indicators in Higher Education". The latest available figures on the percentage of young full-time first degree entrants from National Statistics—Socio Economic Classes (NS-SEC) 4, 5, 6 and 7 are shown in the table.
(15) 4: small employers and own account workers;
5: lower supervisory and technical occupations;
6: semi-routine occupations;
7: routine occupations.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 'Performance Indicators in HE'
Voluntary Organisations (Compact Agreements)
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills with which voluntary organisations the Department has a formal national Compact agreement. [50264]
Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office on 27 February 2006, Official Report, column 107W.
SCOTLAND
Arbuthnott Commission
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the costs of the Arbuthnott Commission Report were; and if he will make a statement. [53724]
David Cairns:
The full costs of the Arbuthnott Commission are expected to be in the region of £245,000 but cannot be established until all final invoices have been received.
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Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the membership of the Arbuthnott Commission; and what remuneration was paid to each member for serving on the Commission. [53725]
David Cairns: Membership of the Arbuthnott Commission is set out in their report, a copy of which was sent to all hon. Members with a Scottish constituency. No member of the Arbuthnott Commission received remuneration, however, they were entitled to claim for relevant travel and expenses associated with their work.
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Scottish Executive Ministers on the Arbuthnott Commission Report; and if he will make a statement. [53726]
David Cairns: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with Scottish Executive Ministers on a range of matters. The Report makes 24 recommendations, some of which are for the Government, some for the Scottish Executive and others for the Electoral Commission.
Electricity Pylons
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the erection of new electricity pylons in Scotland as it affects (a) energy and (b) planning policy is a (i) reserved and (ii) devolved matter. [56155]
David Cairns: Installation of a high-voltage transmission line requires consent under Section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989. In Scotland functions under s.37 were executively devolved in 1999 and are exercised by Ministers of the Scottish Executive.
Solvent Abuse
Mr. MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the Department of Trade and Industry on consumer protection measures to protect the public in Scotland from solvent abuse. [54178]
David Cairns: My right hon. Friend and I regularly meet ministerial colleagues to discuss a wide range of issues. The UK Government as well as the Scottish Executive are committed to tackling the continuing problem of solvent abuse and increasing awareness of the problem.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Commonwealth Day
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make Commonwealth Day a national holiday. [55940]
Mr. Sutcliffe:
The Government receives a variety of suggestions for new or different bank holidays. However, it is not possible to please everyone as to who or what should be celebrated. Unlike Northern Ireland, where St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday, bank and public holidays in Great Britain do not, by tradition, commemorate particular individuals, events, or institutions, other than those associated with Christmas
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and Easter. The present pattern of bank holidays is well established and accepted, and we have no current plans to change the arrangements.
Public School Fees
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the recent statement of objections by the Office of Fair Trading on exchange of information by public schools on fees charged. [55397]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is the United Kingdom's independent competition regulator. It has a duty to investigate and address anti-competitive conduct and enforce competition law. It has investigated the exchange of information between independent schools about the fees they charge. On 27 February 2005, the OFT issued a statement that they have agreed in principle to accept a proposal from the Independent Schools Council Steering Group for an ex-gratia payment from the schools concerned to be made which would bring the investigation to an end.
This is a matter for the Office of Fair Trading. The Government has no substantive role in individual cases.
Voluntary Organisations (Compact Agreements)
Dr. Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with which voluntary organisations the Department has a formal national Compact agreement. [50269]
Alan Johnson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 27 February 2006, Official Report, column 107W by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office.
Weights and Measures
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2006, Official Report, column 2324W, on full pint legislation, when he expects to publish proposals for consolidating and simplifying the weights and measures provisions relating to food. [54788]
Mr. Sutcliffe: The timing of the consultation on a new Order, consolidating and simplifying the weights and measures provisions relating to food, remains dependent on the progress of discussions in the European Council and Parliament of the Commission's proposals on specified quantities.
DEFENCE
Apache Helicopters
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2006, Official Report, column 1079W, on Apache helicopters, what original date was set for the provision of a full complement of (a) Apache helicopters, (b) fully trained pilots and (c) fully trained engineers; what the current target date is in each case; and if he will make a statement. [51883]
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Mr. Ingram: The original contract delivery date for the final Apache helicopter was January 2004. This was changed to April 2004 to incorporate System Enhancements into those aircraft remaining to be delivered and achieved. The Retrofit Programme for those aircraft already delivered in the earlier part of the contract was originally due to be completed in June 2005, but is now due to complete in March 2006.
The planned date for the provision of a full complement of Apache pilots was July 2006. The Army Air Corps is halfway through the conversion programme of pilots to the Apache helicopter and the full establishment is now expected to be reached in 2010. However, we expect all three Apache Regiments to be combat ready, with sufficient pilots in each Regiment, by December 2008. This level of manning will enable each Regiment to deploy on operations.
The planned date for full manning of Apache helicopter engineers is July 2007 and we expect this date to be met.
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