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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 15 June 1990
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
School Closures
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools were closed in each of the last five years within the Norfolk local education authority area.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The number of schools which were closed in each of the past five years in the Norfolk local education authority area is as follows :
|Number
---------------------
1989 |12
1988 |15
1987 |11
1986 |14
1985 |25
Examinations
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children took the GCE O-level and CSE examinations in Lancashire in 1989 ; and what results were achieved.
Mrs. Rumbold : Information for 1989 is not yet available. Of the 17,500 maintained school leavers in Lancashire in 1988 who had attempted at least one GCSE, O-level or CSE examination, 5,610 achieved five or more results at grade A to C at GCSE (or equivalent), 5,020 achieved between one and four results at grade A to C and 6,760 achieved at least one result at another grade.
Including O-level grade A to C and CSE grade 1.
Ms. Katharine Sharkey
Sir Barney Hayhoe : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress being made in dealing with the appeal under section 8(6) of the Education Act 1981 in respect of Katharine Sharkey ; and when he expects the appeal to be decided.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Hounslow local education authority is currently considering a further letter from the parents of Katharine Sharkey in support of their appeal. My right hon. Friend expects to make a decision when he has received the authority's response to that letter.
Pupils (Ethnic Minorities)
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in how many schools the pupil population is in excess of 90 per cent. of any one ethnic minority (a) in the public sector and (b) in the private sector ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The information requested is not available centrally, but my right hon. Friend has
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announced in circular No. 16/89 that ethnic statistics will be collected by local education authorities from schools maintained by them as from September 1990. Aggregated local education authority returns will be submitted to the Department annually from June 1991.National Curriculum
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the means by which the national curriculum is to be monitored in private sector schools.
Mr. Alan Howarth : It is for independent schools to decide whether to adopt the national curriculum. Her Majesty's inspectors, in the course of their normal programme of inspecting independent schools, are monitoring the schools' intentions with regard to adopting this and the extent to which they are implementing it. My right hon. Friend is pleased that many are choosing to do so.
Computing Equipment
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many applications were received by the Science and Engineering Research Council in respect of its initiative of March to provide computing equipment to universities and polytechnics incorporating parallel and novel architectures ;
(2) how many of those applications received by the Science and Engineering Research Council in respect of its initiative of March to provide computing equipment to universities and polytechnics incorporating parallel and novel architectures were alpha-rated ; (3) how many of those applications received by the Science and Engineering Research Council in respect of its initiative of March to provide computing equipment to universities and polytechnics incorporating parallel and novel architectures were funded.
Mr. Jackson : There were 75 applications of which 47 were alpha- rated. The number of applications to be funded has not yet been determined.
Foreign Students
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the number of foreign students studying in London this summer without accommodation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson : This information is not available centrally. The accommodation needs of students from abroad, as of home students, are a matter for the institutions they are attending.
TRANSPORT
Public Inquiries
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the venues south of the River Thames which his Department considered as alternatives to Stratford old town hall for the preliminary meeting of the inquiry into the east London river crossing and London City airport on 9 May ; and if he will give the reason why each venue was unsuitable.
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Mr. Atkins : The information is as follows :Venue and reason for rejection
Woolwich Town Hall--Inadequate supporting accommodation. Greenwich Borough Hall--Unsuitable supporting accommodation. West Greenwich House--Inadequate capacity.
Thames Polytechnic--Restricted availability.
Charlton House--Inadequate supporting accommodation.
Shewsbury House--Inadequate capacity.
Clockhouse Community Centre--Inadequate capacity.
Crayford Town Hall--No supporting accommodation.
Blackheath Concert Halls--In need of refurbishment.
Royal Military Academy--Inadequate capacity.
Welling Bingo Hall--Not available.
Woolwich Waterfront Leisure Centre--Inadequate supporting accommodation.
Danson Road Sports Centre--Not available.
Thamesmead Lakeside Restaurant--Inadequate supporting accommodation.
Plumstead Sports Centre--Not available.
Bexleyheath Council Chamber--Inadequate supporting accommodation. Greenwich Royal Naval College--Not available.
Westwood Masonic Hall, Welling--Inadequate capacity.
Maritime Museum, Geenwich--Not available.
Falconwood Community Centre--Inadequate capacity.
Crest Hotel, Bexley--Not available.
Orchard Theatre, Dartford--Not available.
Flamingo Club, Woolwich--Not available.
Bromley Court Hotel--Inadequate supporting accommodation. Edge Parkinson Memorial Hall--Inadequate capacity.
St. John's Church Hall, Catford--Inadequate capacity.
Clarendon Hotel, Blackheath--Inadequate supporting accommodation. Honor Oak Community Centre--Inadequate supporting accommodation. Civic Suite, Catford --Inadequate capacity.
W. G. Grace Community Centre, Nottingham--Not available. St. Mary's Centre, Ladywell--Inadequate supporting accommodation. St. Peter's Centre, Brockley --Inadequate supporting accommodation. Crofton Leisure Centre--Not available
Lewisham Theatre--Not available.
St. Lawrence Church Hall, Catford--Not available.
St. Margaret's Church Hall, Lewisham--Restricted availability. Azelia Hall, Beckenham--Not available
Clockhouse Methodist--Inadequate capacity.
Church Hall, Beckenham--Not available.
Holy Trinity Church Hall, Penge--Not available.
St. Andrews Church Hall, Mottingham--Inadequate capacity. St. Andrews Church Hall, Bromley--Inadequate supporting accommodation.
St. Barnabas Church Hall, Beckenham--Inadequate capacity. United Reformed Church Hall, Beckenham--Not available.
Robert Whyte Memorial Hall, Bromley--Inadequate supporting accommodation.
Beckenham Leisure Centre--Inadequate supporting accommodation. United Reformed Church Hall, Bromley--Not available.
Methodist Church Hall, Bromley--Not available.
Anerley Methodist Church Hall, Penge--Restricted availability. Council Chamber, Bromley--Inadequate capacity.
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Manchester Airport
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the current negotiations on access for United States carriers to Manchester airport to be concluded ; and if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations.
Mr. McLoughlin : The current negotiations are being carried forward as speedily as possible, but no timetable has been set for their completion. It would not be appropriate for any further statement to be made now.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Development Assistance
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of gross national product was allocated to net official development assistance in 1989.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley), of 2 April, Official Report, column 412, if he will announce the figure for the percentage of gross national product spent on official development assistance in 1989.
Mrs. Chalker : Net official development assistance in 1989 as a percentage of GNP is provisionally estimated at 0.31 per cent.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of gross national product was spent on official development assistance in 1988.
Mrs. Chalker : The percentage of gross national product spent on official development assistance in 1988 was 0.32 per cent.
ENVIRONMENT
Protection of Birds
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he plans to designate further sites to protect birds under the special protection areas scheme or the Ramsar convention ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : The Government's aim is to designate those sites which are necessary to meet the conservation objectives of the convention and the directive.
My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, with whom rests responsibility for the designation of sites in Scotland, recently announced the designation of four special protection areas, one Ramsar site and three sites with dual designation, bringing the Great Britain totals to 40 special protection areas and 43 Ramsar sites.
A number of proposals are currently being considered and the next designation will take place as soon as the necessary consultations have been satisfactorily completed.
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Desalination
Sir Neil Macfarlane : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies his Department has made of methods of desalination both for overseas markets and for the United Kingdom ; what research funds have been made available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : A study was made by the Water Resources Board and published as "Desalination 1976". This concluded that desalination was not economical in the United Kingdom when other sources could be exploited. My Department has made no further studies and none is planned.
Sir Neil Macfarlane : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the possible need for desalination units in the United Kingdom with the water companies and other interested organisations.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : No. It is for the private water companies and interested organisations to determine the potential for desalination units.
Metal Detectors
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to regulate further the use of metal detectors to discover items of historical or archaeological interest ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State announced on 13 December 1989, in another place, the Government's intention to amend at a suitable opportunity the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 so as to make it an offence to remove, without consent, any item of historical or archaeological interest from the site of a scheduled ancient monument, and to consider less formal measures relating to finds made on unscheduled sites. The unauthorised use of metal detectors is already prohibited on scheduled sites. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to further regulate the use of metal detectors.
Foxes
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement concerning the disposal of captured urban foxes ;
(2) if he will seek to make it a criminal offence to release foxes captured in urban areas into the countryside ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) if he will give an estimate of the number of foxes captured in urban areas each year and released into the countryside ; (4) if he will make it his policy to introduce stiff penalties for persons releasing foxes captured in urban areas into the countryside.
Mr. Trippier : I will write to the hon. and learned Member.
Homelessness
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning his proposals to combat homelessness in the Greater London area.
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Mr. Michael Spicer : I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 8 May at column 15.
Management and Computer Consultancy Contracts
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department expects to spend on management and computer consultancy contracts in 1990-91.
Mr. Chris Patten [holding answer 13 June 1990] : My Department's current budget (including Property Services Agency services) for management and computer consultancies in 1990-91 is £27.3 million.
Nuclear Accident, Greenwich
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans or studies have been made or commissioned by his Department to assess measures that would have to be taken in the event of contamination by airborne plutonium resulting from a nuclear weapons accident aboard a Royal Navy ship docked at Greenwich.
Mr. Trippier [holding answer 12 June 1990] : This is a matter for the Ministry of Defence and I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 12 June at column 142.
Advertising Costs
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of advertisements for the community charge ; in which daily and Sunday newspapers have advertisements been placed ; and if he will list papers and cost of advertisements placed in each newspaper.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 13 June 1990] : No advertisements for the community charge have been placed by the Department. We did, however, sponsor a campaign in January and February designed to inform people of the availability of community charge benefit and transitional relief. The total cost of the advertisements in this campaign in various media was just under £4 million. Of this the cost (excluding VAT) of placing advertisements in daily newspapers was just under £1.05 million, made up as follows :
--------------------------------
Daily Mirror |338.3
The Sun |325.0
Daily Star |58.2
Daily Mail |61.5
Daily Express |40.0
Today |18.4
The Times |36.0
The Independent |33.7
The Guardian |36.6
The Daily Telegraph |99.0
In addition, design costs were incurred, but these are not easily separable from the design costs of the advertisements in other media. No advertisements were placed in Sunday newspapers.
The Department of Social Security has subsequently taken newspaper advertisements publishing the increased
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savings limits for community charge benefit announced in the Budget, and reminding people of the time limit for making backdated claims for benefit and of the level of income likely to entitle people to benefit.ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Immigration
Sir Bernard Braine : To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of Filipino wives of British subjects seeking admission to the United Kingdom whose applications were submitted to the Immigration Appellate Authorities up to the end of March are still outstanding ; when the application of Mrs. Nancy Barrera Sanderson will be decided ; what are the reasons for the delay in processing such applications ; and whether he will take urgent steps to end the distress caused by the delays to lawfully married couples.
The Attorney-General : The information requested in the first part of the question is not available, as the Immigration Appellate Authorities (IAA) does not record information separately about appeals from Filipino citizens.
The IAA has now sent the case papers of Mrs. Nancy Barrera Sanderson's appeal to her representatives in the United Kingdom. When the representatives indicate to the IAA that they are ready to proceed to the hearing before the independent adjudicator, a hearing will be set down within four to six weeks.
Delays in processing appeals at the IAA have been caused by the unexpectedly high rise in the volume of appeals in 1988 and 1989. There was a 60 per cent. rise in 1988 ; a 30 per cent. rise in 1989 ; and a further 40 per cent. rise is expected over the next 18 months. Significant additional resources were provided to the IAA last year, which resulted in a 50 per cent. rise in disposal rates. However, the increased workload has been so great that the backlog of appeals still remains high, but the situation is being kept under review.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Metropolitan Police
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will tabulate, in the Official Report, the amount of precept levied by the Metropolitan police on each of the local authorities within its area, distinguishing those wholly within the Greater London area, for the years 1989-90 and 1990-91 respectively, together with their respective adult populations for each year and the amount contributed per head for both years, together with the percentage increase or decrease in the two per capita contributions.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The funding arrangements for local authorities which came into operation this year mean that it is not meaningful to compare on a per capita basis the amounts levied by precept by the receiver for the Metropolitan police in 1989-90 and in 1990-91. This is because the precept in 1989-90 was not a per capita charge, but expressed as so many pence in the pound of rateable value ; because it included rates on commercial properties in the area concerned, while moneys raised through the
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new uniform business rates are redistributed to local authorities on a national basis ; and it did not include block grant, which is paid to the receiver directly, while revenue support grant which replaces block grant is paid into the collection funds on which the precept is levied.Football Licensing Authority
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what stage has been reached in making appointments to the Football Licensing Authority ; and if he will make a statement.
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