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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 7 June 1990
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Higher Education
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the numbers of people who applied for higher education, by higher educational establishment, for each of the last five years.
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Mr. Jackson : Complete information on the numbers of candidates applying for entry to individual institutions, each of which will typically make applications to several institutions, is not held centrally.
Many candidates applying for admission to an higher education course through the Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA) and the Polytechnics Central Admissions System (PCAS) make use of both schemes, and the candidates are included in both instances in the table as appropriate. Just over 92,000 candidates for entry in 1989 were common to both schemes.
Information on the numbers of people applying for higher education through the two central admission agencies is as follows :
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UCCA Applicants<1> Year of entry
|1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home domicile |157,085 |152,588 |152,520 |156,981 |171,802
Overseas domicile |19,468 |21,191 |23,726 |26,633 |24,285
Total |176,553 |173,779 |176,246 |183,614 |196,087
PCAS applicants<2> |Year of entry
|1985 |1986 |1987 |1988<3> |1989<4>
Home domicile |130,230 |130,329 |134,811 |159,522
Overseas domicile |n/a |8,647 |9,578 |11,329 |10,157
Total |- |138,877 |139,907 |146,140 |169,679
Sources
UCCA-UCCA Annual Reports.
PCAS-1986-88: PCAS Annual Reports.
1989: Statistical Supplement to 1988-89 Report.
<1> Candidates applying for admission to UK universities (excluding the Open University and the
University of Buckingham) through UCCA for full-time undergraduate first degree or first diploma
courses.
<2> The PCAS admissions scheme started with entry for 1986 and covered 30 polytechnics in England and
Wales offering full-time and sandwich first degree and Dip. HE courses.
<3> For 1988 entry, institutional coverage extended to include eight of the larger colleges of higher
education in England.
<4> For 1989 entry, the scheme was extended to cover entry to full-time HND courses.
Undergraduate Courses
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the latest figures for applications to undergraduate courses beginning in September 1990 and September 1991.
Mr. Jackson : By 31 March 1990, there had been 851,693 applications through the Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA) from UK domiciled students for admission to UK universities at undergraduate level and 603,105 applications through the Polytechnics Central Admissions System (PCAS) for admission to undergraduate courses including HNDs at polytechnics and colleges in England and Wales. Information on applications deferred to 1991 is not yet available. Sources : UCCA and PCAS
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Nazi Regalia
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Attorney-General what consideration he is giving to granting consent for proceedings under part III of the Public Order Act 1986
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against the owners of Cutdown, formerly of 40 Ridinghouse street, London W1 in connection with the alleged sale of Nazi regalia.The Attorney-General : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman very shortly.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
IGM Polsotersystene AG
Mr Allan Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the operations in the United Kindgdom of IGM Polsotersystene AG ; and what action he intends to take.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : None. I shall be replying soon to the hon. Member's letter of 24 May about a non-UK company, which may be the company he has in mind.
Cable Television
Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements he proposes to make for licensing under the Telecommunications Act 1984 existing cable television relay systems which do not at
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present require to be licensed under the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984, should the proposals in the Broadcasting Bill receive parliamentary approval.Mr. Forth : Relay systems of any size carrying only the four terrestrial TV channels will be covered by a class licence under the Telecommunications Act. Other relay systems, not requiring a licence under the Cable and Broadcasting Act at the date the new proposals come into force and not at that date carrying all four terrestrial TV channels and all five DBS channels will be allowed to continue to carry those channels that they carried on that date also under the terms of a class licence. Any subsequent upgrading will be treated for licensing purposes as a new system and the right of first refusal for existing broadband cable licensees or local delivery operators will apply where appropriate.
Relay systems of any size which carry all four terrestrial TV channels and all five DBS channels on the date that the new proposals come into force will thereafter be authorised to carry any TV or radio services other than those proscribed under provisions contained in clause 165 of the Broadcasting Bill. Those restricted to a single building or to adjacent dwelling houses will be covered by another class licence. Larger systems will, however, require an individual Telecommunications Act licence for which they will need to apply in advance of the new regime.
Such licences granted in respect of systems covering fewer than 1, 000 homes will be on the same terms as those for new systems of the same size. Unlike licences for new systems, the award of these licences will not be subject to the right of first refusal procedure. Multiple licence applications will not, however, be accepted in respect of systems that had previously been connected to form a larger system of over 1,000 homes. Further details about the licensing arrangements will be given later this year.
Systems of the type described in the previous paragraph, covering 1,000 homes or more and lying within a cable franchise area will, under the terms of the Bill, be deemed to have a Cable and Broadcasting Act diffusion service licence with an initial life of five years. Each such system will also receive a concurrent Telecommunications Act licence.
Systems covering 1,000 homes or more and lying outside any cable franchise area will, under the provisions of the Bill, be deemed to have a local delivery licence, with an initial term of five years. These will also receive individual Telecommunications Act licences, similar to those in the previous category and, in particular, not granting the licensee powers under the telecommunications code.
Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements he proposes to make for licensing cable television systems covering fewer than 1,000 homes under the Telecommunications Act 1984.
Mr. Forth : My hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Home Office confirmed on 2 March 1990 at column 351 that subject to parliamentary approval of our proposals, cable TV systems covering fewer than 1,000 homes will not require to be licensed by the Independent Television Commission. All such cable systems will, however, continue to require licensing under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.
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Systems restricted to single buildings or to two adjacent dwelling houses will be covered by a class licence which will authorise them to carry any TV or radio service not specifically proscribed under provisions contained in clause 165 of the Broadcasting Bill. We would be prepared to consider extending this class licence to cover groups of up to, say, five terraced houses if there proved to be a significant demand for such systems from groups of neighbours. Individual licences will be granted in respect of other systems passing fewer than 1,000 homes subject, in areas where a licence has been granted to a broadband cable or local delivery operator, to the right of first refusal being given to that licence holder. These individual licences will contain similar authorisations to those in the class licence and run for 10 years. They will be renewable. The first refusal procedure will operate only if the system lies wholly or partly within a cable franchise area licensed under the Cable and Broadcasting Act by the Cable Authority before its abolition, or within that part of a local delivery operator's area for which the operator has undertaken to provide a service. The cable or local delivery operator will be given the right to provide an alternative service to that proposed unless he is in default of his build timetable or has failed to honour a previous commitment to provide an alternative service elsewhere in the cable/LDO area. Any operator that qualifies for this right will be given 20 working days in which to offer to provide an alternative service. We would expect the service to be fully operational within four months from the date my Department offers the operator first refusal. The service must provide a similar or superior service to that proposed by the SMATV applicant, at a reasonable price, and, in particular, include at least the same major satellite and terrestrial channels and a similar range of alternative channels. In the case of cable franchise areas, the alternative system should be capable of being upgraded to a broadband service without further internal rewiring.If the cable operator/LDO waives the right of first refusal or fails to honour his commitment to provide an alternative service, the SMATV operator will be granted an individual Telecommunications Act licence of 10 years' duration and renewable. The licence, would, however, be liable to revocation if the promised service was not provided within four months of the licence being issued.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Prison Population
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent it is estimated by his research unit that demographic trends reduced the number of people entering Her Majesty's prisons in the last five years ; and what is the projection for the next five years. Mr. Mellor : I shall write to the hon. Member.
Asylum Seekers Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legal representation is available to those who seek asylum in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : It is open to asylum seekers in the United Kingdom to approach solicitors, law centres or other organisations who may make representations on
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their behalf. Asylum seekers are eligible to apply for legal aid. Representations from any source are considered carefully before a final decision is taken. When we are minded to refuse an applicant who is not legally represented and who does not have a right of appeal exercisable in this country, the case will normally be referred to the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service which will consider making representations.White Lion Public House, London
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis into the cost, during the past four months, of police time and resources devoted to visits to the White Lion public house, in Central street, London EC1.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Metropolitan police officers have visited the White Lion public house in Central street, London EC1 on a number of occasions over the last four months as part of ordinary police duties. Information is not available to enable the costs of these visits to be calculated.
Drugs
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what stage of development the demand reduction task force, the setting up of which was announced by the Prime Minister at the world ministerial drugs summit in April, has reached.
Mr. Mellor : An interdepartmental steering group is actively considering how to take forward this initiative and other actions following on from the summit. We hope shortly to announce how the task force will be organised and will approach its important work. In the meantime, my right hon. and learned Friend is discussing with the Secretary of State for Health where the co-ordinating group for the task force might best be located.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been set aside to help with the setting up of the demand reduction task force.
Mr. Mellor : Subject to parliamentary approval, the funding of the task force will be £257,000 in the current financial year and £500, 000 in subsequent years.
Correspondence
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will be receiving a reply to the letter he wrote on 22 March regarding the television concessionary licence and Walsall council.
Mr. Mellor : I replied on 5 June.
ENERGY
British Coal
Mr. Arbuthnot : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the future external financing requirements of British Coal have yet been determined, as indicated in paragraph 93 of Cm. 1005.
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Mr. Baldry : British Coal has reviewed its external financing requirement (EFR) for 1990-91 in the light of the final outcome of its negotiations with the electricity supply industry, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has agreed to its proposal that its external financing limit (EFL) for 1990-91 should be set at £905 million. This is consistent with British Coal achieving profitability this year. Within this figure my right hon. Friend has also agreed that the corporation's capital allocation for 1990-91 should be £445 million. This compares with the provisional EFL and capital allocation figures of £385 million and £490 million respectively shown in Cm. 1005. This increase in the EFL will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. A supplementary estimate for restructuring grant, deficiency grant, and loans on vote in order to finance this increased EFR will be presented shortly. The EFRs and capital allocations for later years remain under review.
Electricity Supply
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether suppliers of renewable energy in Scotland who have a contracted use of the interconnector can sell electricity to England and Wales as part of the non -fossil fuel obligation.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his earlier question on 8 February 1990, Official Report, column 724 .
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to ensure that contracts to supply electricity under the non- fossil fuel obligation are of sufficient duration to secure the viability of capital-intensive wind energy projects.
Mr. Baldry : The terms of the contracts concluded in order to meet the requirements of the non-fossil fuel obligation are a matter primarily for the public electricity suppliers concerned. I am satisfied that sufficient flexibility exists under the NFFO arrangements to secure an adequate number of viable projects. In addition my right hon. Friend proposes to set a tranche of the NFFO next year specifically for wind projects.
Wave Power
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether disciplinary action is to be taken against any Atomic Energy Authority staff or civil servants who produced misleading comparisons of the cost of wave power ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Peter Morrison : The question of disciplinary action does not arise, since no misleading comparisons have been made. A series of research reports has been published in recent years each contributing to the understanding of wave power. There is considerable uncertainty about the costs of wave power and this is reflected in the range of assumptions incorporated in the reports.
Leukaemia
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what studies have been undertaken of the incidence of leukaemia in the children of people working for the Atomic Energy Authority ;
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(2) what studies have been made of the incidence of leukaemia in the children of people working in nuclear power stations.Mr. Peter Morrison : I am advised that no studies have yet been undertaken specifically to examine the incidence of leukaemia in the offspring of people working at nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom or at Atomic Energy Authority sites. However, in February of this year, a report from the Medical Research Fund epidemiology unit at Southampton (Professor Gardner et al) was published in the British Medical Journal. This study documented a statistical association of leukaemia and non- Hodgkins lymphoma in children living near the Sellafield reprocessing plant and the employment of their fathers at the plant.
In view of the importance of this complex matter, the Government referred Professor Gardner's study to the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) for its urgent consideration and preliminary advice. On 2 April my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, announced to Parliament that the Government had received COMARE's preliminary advice and accepted all its recommendations. The relevant Government Department's bodies have set up arrangements to enable them to take this work forward as speedily as possible.
In its advice, COMARE recommended that high priority be given to a study which it had recommended at an earlier stage to consider any possible health effects on the offspring of parents occupationally exposed to
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radiation. I understand that the UKAEA and Nuclear Electric are fully committed to assisting with any independent studies recommended by COMARE and accepted by Government.OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Angola
Mr. Moss : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he will respond to the appeal by the United Nations Secretary-General for emergency assistance to Angola.
Mrs. Chalker : We are making available £500,000 for emergency supplies to help alleviate the consequences of drought in southern Angola. We are already discussing with British and international relief agencies the most effective uses to which our assistance can be put.
Uganda
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide a breakdown of (1) emergency aid, (2) project aid and (3) programme aid to Uganda for each of the last five years, giving details of the regional distribution and sectors supported.
Mrs. Chalker : Gross British bilateral aid to Uganda over the five- year period 1985-1989 was as follows :
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£ million
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Emergency Aid |0.244 |1.056 |0.070 |0.436 |1.541
Project Aid |3.298 |2.713 |5.604 |3.651 |5.421
Programme Aid |0.206 |0.005 |0.016 |17.126|12.626
Technical Assistance |2.867 |2.784 |3.510 |6.392 |6.766
Other |2.556 |2.018 |2.979 |1.374 |2.046
Total |9.171 |8.576 |12.179|28.979|28.400
Global Warming
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what he estimates to be the third-world population at risk from a loss of agricultural income if global temperatures rise by (a) 0.5 deg, (b) 1 deg, (c) 1.5 deg, and (d) 2 deg, by 2030 ;
(2) what studies or research his Department has commissioned on the effect of global warming and sea level rise on developing countries ;
(3) what estimates are available of the area of land in developing countries that would be flooded by a sea level rise of (a) 20 cm, (b) 50 cm, (c) 70 cm, and (d) 1 m ;
The project aid figures include funds invested through the Commonwealth Development Corporation. The 1989 figures are provisional at this stage.
The majority of the emergency aid has gone to the northern and eastern parts of Uganda. Project aid has largely been disbursed in the Kampala, Entebbe, and Jinja region on the rehabilitation of Owen Falls power station, certain key roads and Mulago hospital, and on support to the police force. Programme aid has been allocated mostly to transport, industry and agriculture ; no data are readily available on its distribution by region.
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(4) what estimates he has of the number of people who would be forced to relocate by a 1 m rise in the sea level in (a) Bangladesh, (b) Egypt and (c) the Maldives ;(5) what estimates are available of the number of people in developing countries who currently live on land that would be flooded if the sea level rose by (a) 20 cm, (b) 50 cm, (c) 70 cm and (d) 1 m ; and if he will estimate at expected population growth rates what these populations are likely to be in 2030 ;
(6) what is the estimated global cost of building sea defences in developing countries to protect land against a sea level rise of (a) 20 cm, (b) 50 cm, (c) 70 cm, and (d) 1 m ;
(7) what estimates are available of the effect of (a) a 1 deg and (b) a 2 deg rise in temperature on agricultural output in (i) west Africa, (ii) east Africa, (iii) southern Africa, (iv) south Asia, (v) south-east Asia, (vi) central America and (vii) Latin America.
Mrs. Chalker : The scale and effects of sea level rise and changing agricultural productivity arising from global warming on people in developing countries remain uncertain. The most detailed study is that carried out by the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), now nearing completion. Copies of the IPCC's report will
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be placed in the Library of both Houses when it is published. Last year the ODA commissioned a study on options for limiting CO emissions in developing countries. I will place a copy of the report in the Library of both Houses.Tobacco
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment has been made of the results of the World Health Organisation's tobacco and health programme aimed at helping countries elaborate on their tobacco control policies ; (2) whether his Department has been approached by any developing countries asking for advice about (a) anti-smoking education and (b) information gained from epidemiology of smoking-related diseases ;
(3) what is Britain's contribution to the World Health Organisation tobacco and health programme.
Mrs. Chalker : The World Health Organisation's tobacco or health programme was approved by the World Health Assembly in May 1989 based on a plan of action for 1988-1995. A meeting of the
director-general's technical advisory group on tobacco or health was held from 28 to 30 November 1989 to evaluate the first year of practical implementation of the plan of action and to study and advise on issues concerning the various aspects of the programme. This group will continue to review the content, scope and activities of the programme. The United Kingdom supports the World Health Orgnisation's tobacco or health programme through its assessed contribution to the total regular budget of the World Health Organisation. Our budgetary contribution is paid by the Department of Health and totals £9.041 million in the 1990-91 biennium. About 0.18 per cent. (US$1.197 million) of the total WHO regular budget for this biennium is allocated to the tobacco or health programme. The United Kingdom has received no requests from developing countries for assistance with anti-smoking education or the epidemiology of smoking-related diseases under the United Kingdom aid programme.
Kenya National Parks
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with the request from the Government of Kenya for equipment to improve the communications system in the Tsavo and Meru national parks.
Mrs. Chalker : The draft project proposal was discussed recently with the Kenya wildlife service. A few details remain to be settled, but we hope to agree the project with it shortly.
PRIME MINISTER
Rain Forests
Q76. Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Prime Minister what assessments she has made of Her Majesty's Government's financial assignment for helping preservation of the rain forests ; and what study she has made of proposals to give intellectual property rights to indigenous peoples.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : I have been asked to reply.
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British aid for tropical forestry is continuously monitored and assessed by the ODA. On intellectual property rights, my hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Industry wrote to the hon. Member on 24 May. ODA officials met Dr. Darrell Posey on 16 May and the issue is under study.West Yorkshire
Q123. Mr. Cryer : To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to west Yorkshire.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has at present no plans to do so.
High-tar Tobacco
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the impact on public health in the third world of the expenditure by the European Economic Community on the production and dumping of high-tar tobacco ; and if she will make a statement.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : I have been asked to reply.
The Government are concerned at the grave consequences on health of smoking cigarettes and other forms of tobacco both in Europe and in the third world. We have long been critical of the Community's CAP tobacco regime. We have consistently argued that support for this crop should be reduced. We were successful in securing the introduction in 1988, of measures to reduce expenditure and discourage the production of the less-marketable and higher -tar varieties, for example through the stabiliser mechanism. Further reductions in support for certain of the less-marketable varieties were agreed in this year's price-fixing negotiations. Our objective is less production, reduced intervention and less subsidised export, of the higher- tar varieties. We shall take every opportunity to continue to pursue this policy in future negotiations.
Air Ambulances
Mr. Harris : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on co-ordination between the Department of Health and the Scottish Office on the provision of air ambulances.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : I have been asked to reply.
It is for health authorities in England and the Common Services Agency, of which the Scottish ambulance service is a division, in Scotland, to decide the level, nature and extent of patient transport services required taking into account their resources and the competing demands upon them.
Engagements
Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 7 June.
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 7 June.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 7 June.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 7 June.
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Mr. Stern : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 7 June.Sir Geoffrey Howe : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has given an address at the luncheon of the North Atlantic Council at Turnberry. Later today she will begin a visit to the Soviet Union.
Brymbo Steelworks
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Prime Minister if she will visit Brymbo steelworks to meet steelworkers.
The Prime Minister : I have at present no plans to do so.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Panama
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 22 February, Official Report, column 871, what is the latest information he has on the number of Panamanian civilians killed as a result of the invasion of Panama by the United States of America.
Mr. Sainsbury : We have no independent source for such figures. We understand that information from the Panamanian Institute of Legal Medicine suggests a figure of 202. Other estimates range between 200 and 300.
Eastern Europe
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his answer of 2 May, Official Report, column 568 , if he has any proposals to provide further reinforcement for the United Kingdom diplomatic missions in eastern Europe following democratisation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : Sixteen new diplomatic service and 28 locally engaged staff posts have already been authorised to reinforce our embassies in eastern Europe and the Soviet Union since October 1989. Further strengthening is currently under consideration.
Nuclear Tests
Mr. Boswell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if British nuclear tests will be affected by the agreement between the United States of America and the Soviet Union of verification protocols to the threshold test ban treaty and the peaceful nuclear explosions treaty and the ratification of those treaties.
Mr. Waldegrave : For many years the policy of the United Kingdom has been to test nuclear devices within the 150 kiloton yield limit imposed by the US-Soviet threshold test ban treaty. Because our nuclear tests are conducted at the Nevada test site we have agreed that the verification measures, which will allow each party to monitor the yield of certain tests conducted by the other, can be extended to British tests. We are satisfied that these arrangements will not significantly affect British tests and that there are no security implications.
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