| Previous Section | Home Page |
Column 436
(4) what steps are being taken to maintain access to his Department's services for people in rural areas following the reduction in the number of jobcentres and unemployment benefit offices resulting from his policy of merging these two.Mr. Eggar : On 1 December 1989 my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir N. Fowler) said that the employment service would be moving progressively to bring jobcentres and benefit offices together under one roof to form a new network of employment service offices.
As part of this development it remains ES policy to provide its clients in rural areas with reasonable access to the full range of ES services. This will continue to be provided in the new network of employment service offices and supplemented in some locations through the use of outreach facilities to deliver advisory and counselling programmes and other services. By the end of March 1990 113 new offices had been established. Some 500 offices are scheduled to be established by March 1991. The information on size of towns where ES offices are located is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Right hon. and hon. Members are informed when changes are to be made to employment service offices in their constituencies.
Channel Tunnel
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will accept anonymous evidence from workers on the channel tunnel for his inquiry into safety.
Mr. Nicholls : It is the Health and Safety Executive's policy to consider any representations made to it about particular safety matters and to treat representations in confidence if asked to do so.
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the fatal and major injury rate per 100,000 workers for the construction of the channel tunnel on the (a) British side, (b) the French side and (c) for the construction industry as a whole.
Mr. Nicholls [holding answer 15 May 1990] : The fatal and major injury rate per 100,000 workers in the construction industry in Great Britain for the year April 1988 to March 1989, the latest period for which information is available, was 275. Comparable incidence rates for the British side of the channel tunnel cannot be calculated because of the considerable rise in employment during the period. Information to enable a figure to be calculated in the form requested for the French side is not available.
Training and Enterprise Councils
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what training opportunities are available through the training and enterprise councils to women with no qualifications.
Mr. Eggar : Each training and enterprise council will set out in its corporate and business plans how it intends to meet the training requirements of individuals in its area. Where appropriate this will include the provision of training opportunities for those with few or no qualifications, whether women or men.
Column 437
Fishing Industry (Ex-employees)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information his Department has, by region, on the employment destination of ex-employees in the United Kingdom fish-catching sector who have left the industry since 1985.
Mr. Nicholls : The information requested is not available.
Age Discrimination
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of age in employment.
Mr. Nicholls : The Government have no plans to introduce such legislation. The Government believe that older workers are a valuable resource. Age discrimination is unfair to individuals and not in an employer's own interest. We continue to put this message across to employers through various media, particularly in the context of publicity about demographic change. In addition, instructions to jobcentre staff have been strengthened to ensure that all upper age limits on vacancies notified by employers are challenged. There are encouraging signs that employers are heeding this message. We shall continue our efforts to ensure that this progress continues.
Enterprise Allowance Scheme
Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department has any plans to increase the amount paid under the enterprise allowance scheme.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the reduction in jobs in the manufacturing sector since 1979 : and what has been the figure for each of the past five years in (a) the Bolton and Bury travel-to-work areas and (b) the rest of the north-west area.
Mr. Nicholls : The number of employees in employment in the United Kingdom in the manufacturing sector fell by 2,013,000 (27.7 per cent.) between June 1979 and December 1989.
Information about employment in travel-to-work areas is available only from the census of employment. The latest available figures are for September 1987 ; the earliest on a comparable basis are for September 1981. Between these two dates, the number of employees in employment in the manufacturing industry sector in the Bolton and Bury travel-to-work area fell by 9,600 or 15 per cent.
Changes in employees in employment for the north-west region in the manufacturing sector in each of the past five years are as follows :
|c|Employees in employment-north-west region|c|
|c|Manufacturing industries (SIC 1980 divisions 2 to 4)|c|
December |Number |Yearly |Yearly
|change |percentage
|(thousands)<1>|(thousands)<1>|change
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985 |670 |5 |0.8
1986 |659 |-11 |-1.7
1987 |668 |10 |1.5
1988 |688 |20 |2.9
1989 |685 |-2 |-0.4
<1>Unadjusted for seasonal variations.
Low Pay
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on low pay.
Mr. Nicholls : The best way to help the lower paid is through continuing economic and employment growth and greater prosperity for all.
Disabled People
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information his Department has as to the number of disabled peole who are able to work for (a) 10 to 15 hours per week, (b) 16 to 19 hours per week and (c) 20 to 24 hours per week.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 15 May 1990] : I regret that this information is not currently available. However, a study commissioned by this Department, which will report soon, will provide much new information about people with disabilities including the numbers of hours per week they are able to work.
DEFENCE
Low Flying
Mr. Livsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide information on the perceived noise decibels for the following aircraft in tactical training areas where they fly at an altitude of 100 ft : (a) Hawk, (b) Jaguar, (c) Tornado and (d) F1-11.
Mr. Neubert : The most comprehensive information on aircraft noise currently available to the Ministry of Defence relies on a noise database collected in 1983 during exercise Bedlam, the report of which is already available in the House of Commons Library. To supplement this information, further work is planned this year to provide actual measurements of noise generated by aircraft at heights down to 100 ft but the results of this further work are not expected to be available until early next year. It should be noted that neither the Hawk nor the F1-11 aircraft carry out any operational low-flying training in the tactical training areas.
RAF Chivenor (Helicopters)
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to replace the Wessex helicopters at RAF Chivenor with Sea King helicopters.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There are no plans to do so.
Radiation
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to collate centrally the records for radiation dose exposure of submarine refit personnel prior
Column 439
to 1979 ; and if he will assess the distribution of total radiation dose exposure for refit workers in the ranges up to 5, greater than 5 to 10, greater than 10 to 15, greater than 15 to 20, greater than 20 to 25, greater than 25 to 30, greater than 30 to 35, greater than 35 to 40, greater than 40 to 45, greater than 45 to 50 and greater than 50 milliSieverts, in terms of percentage of overall work force.Mr. Neubert : Records of radiation dose exposures of submarine refit personnel prior to 1979 are already held centrally. The analysis requested, however, could be supplied only at
disproportionate cost.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what form the records for individual radiation dose exposure of submarine refit personnel were collated and held prior to 1979 ; if they are available to the House ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : Individual radiation dose records prior to 1979 are held centrally in paper form. Analysis of this information could be supplied to the House only at a disproportionate cost.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence without identifying any individual by name or by any other means what is the total occupational, whole body equivalent radiation dose exposure of each individual worker employed in the Royal Navy dockyards in the United Kingdom, in milliSieverts, grouped in the bands up to 5, greater than 5 to 10, greater than 10 to 15, greater than 15 to 20, greater than 20 to 25, greater than 25 to 30, greater than 30 to 35, greater than 35 to 40, greater than 40 to 45, greater than 45 to 50 and greater than 50 for each year since the onset of the naval nuclear propulsion programme and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : The data requested were contained in my reply to the hon. Member on 18 April at column 942 . Further sub-division of the data into 5 mSv intervals can be produced only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. McFall : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average radiation dose exposure of refit workers involved with the United States nuclear propulsion programme ; what is the average radiation dose exposure of refit workers in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Neubert : Information concerning the average radiation dose exposure of American refit workers is a matter for the United States authorities. The figures showing the average radiation dose exposure of refit workers in the royal dockyards were given in my reply to the hon. Member on 2 May at column 944.
NATIONAL FINANCE
European Community Trade
127. Mr. James Lamond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the balance of trade with the European Economic Community in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
129. Mr. Leadbitter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the balance of trade with the European Economic Community in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
Column 440
133. Mr. Lewis : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the balance of trade with the European Economic Community in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave on 18 April 1990, Official Report , columns 855-56.
135. Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reasons for the deficit in manufacturing trade with the European Economic Community ; and what is the current export/import ratio.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The deficit with the European Community is, like the deficit with other countries, the result of domestic demand temporarily growing faster than domestic supply. The deficit will fall as demand and capacity pressures ease further. The export/import ratio in 1989 was 73 per cent.
Manufactured Goods
128. Mr. Cryer : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current deficit in the balance of trade in manufactured goods.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The latest information is available in table A9 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", available in the Library of the House, or on the Central Statistical Office database, which may be accessed through the Library.
Value Added Tax
130. Mr. Amos : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net number of new firms registered for value added tax purposes for the last year for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : On the basis of Customs and Excise data on registrations and deregistrations processed, the net increase in the number of businesses registered for value added tax in 1989 was 84, 374. This reflected 261,783 new registrations and 177,409 deregistrations. The net increase was more than three-and-a-half times higher than in 1980.
Interest Rates
131. Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from businesses and business associations concerning interest rate levels.
Mr. Ryder : My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations.
Economic Growth
132. Mr. Livsey : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effects he expects the anticipated level of economic growth in 1991 to have on industry.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The latest forecast for the growth of manufacturing industry in the first half of 1991 on a year earlier is per cent. This forecast was published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report.
Column 441
Erratic Items (Imports)
134. Mr. Morgan : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the level of imports into the United Kingdom of items classified as erratic items, in 1990.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The value of erratic imports, defined as ships, North sea installations, aircraft (together comprising SITC(REV 3) 792 and 793), precious stones (667) and silver (681.1) on a seasonally adjusted, balance of payments basis is £1,801 million, for the first quarter of 1990.
Japanese Investment
136. Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of Japanese investment in the United Kingdom in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
137. Mr. Hanley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of Japanese investment in the United Kingdom in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The available information on the book value of direct investment in the United Kingdom by Japanese companies is given in table 12 of "Business Monitor MO4 (Census of Overseas Assets)" published by the Central Statistical Office. Information on portfolio investment in the United Kingdom, by country, is not available.
Manufacturing Investment
Mr. Pike : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was regional investment in real constant value terms in manufacturing industries for the latest year for which figures are available and in 1979.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The information is not available in the form requested. However, current price information for capital expenditure (investment) in regional manufacturing industry is published annually in "Business Monitor PA 1002, Report on the Census of Production", summary volume. Copies of this volume up to 1987, the latest available year, are available from the House of Commons Library. Constant price estimates are not made because there are no regional price indices.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the information given in his reply of 8 March, Official Report , column 749 , on manufacturing investment, with the privatised companies in a separate column.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 9 May 1990] : I regret that the information cannot be provided. To do so would involve disclosing figures for individual undertakings in breach of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947.
Manufacturing Trade
Mr. Buchan : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing the balance of payments and the balance in manufacturing trade between the United Kingdom and the other member states of the European Economic Community.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Information on the balance of payments with the EC is available only on an annual basis
Column 442
in the CSO pink book. The latest available data are in section 10 (pages 62-66) of the 1989 edition which is available in the Library. Information on the balance of payments between the United Kingdom and individual member states is not available.The table shows the balance of trade in manufactures between the United Kingdom and the European Community. The 1988 figure is consistent with the data in the 1989 pink book and the 1989 figure is the latest available.