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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 29 January 1991
TRANSPORT
A1
Mr. Clelland : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timescale is envisaged for the widening of the A1 between the north end of the motorway at Birtley and the south end of the Newcastle western bypass ; and what areas of land and property will be affected.
Mr. Chope : The next key stage in the Department's preparation of the A1 Gateshead western bypass improvement is a public consultation which is currently planned to take place in 1992.
The area of land and property affected is not yet known.
East London Crossing
Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to make a statement on the east London river crossing bridge.
Mr. Chope : The public inquiries into the design of the proposed bridge closed on 8 January. We are now awaiting the inspector's report. A decision will be announced as soon as the report has been received and considered.
Hazardous Loads
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of accidents involving the rail transportation of hazardous and inflammable materials that have taken place within a 50 mile radius of Doncaster, for each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Chope : I regret that this information is not available in the form requested.
Parking Schemes
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice his Department gives to local authorities about resident only parking schemes.
Mr. Chope : The most recent published guidance is in Department of Transport circular 6/86 and in the publication "Roads and Traffic in Urban Areas" of which the Department and the Institution of Highways and Transportation are joint sponsors. The former deals with specific changes made by the Road Traffic Regulation (Parking) Act 1986 ; the latter gives more general guidance on the sort of schemes which may be appropriate and the factors to be taken into account in deciding on them.
Trains
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains operating or which it is planned to operate, in Scotland, were built (a) before 1950, (b) before 1956, (c) before 1960 and (d) before 1965.
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Mr. McLoughlin : Neither the Department of Transport nor Her Majesty's railway inspectorate holds comprehensive information on construction dates for railway rolling stock.
Merchant Navy Reserve
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current strength of the Merchant Navy Reserve ; and how many of its members are now on service in the Gulf.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Merchant Navy Reserve is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Transport, and I have been asked to reply.
The current strength of the Reserve is 301. None of its members have been called out for service in the Gulf, but it is understood that one of them happens to be serving on a ship in the area.
Airports
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with airport authorities generally, and Manchester in particular, in the light of events in the Gulf.
Mr. McLoughlin : Ever since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait the Department has kept in close touch with the industry, including airport representatives, about the development of contingency plans to enhance aviation security as appropriate in the light of events. The measures provided for in those plans in the event of hostilities breaking out were brought into effect on 17 Janaury at Manchester as at other United Kingdom airports.
Consultations have also take place with representatives of various airports, including Manchester, about their handling Government charter flights connected with the emergency.
Blackwater Valley Relief Road
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to provide the necessary funding for the completion of the Blackwater Valley relief road southern and central sections.
Mr. Chope : The Blackwater Valley route is being supported with transport supplementary grant and-or credit approvals as appropriate. That support will be maintained through to completion subject to satisfactory progress and the continued availability of funds. The allocation of supplementary credit approvals to Surrey county council in respect of the financial years 1990-91 and 1991-92 is being reviewed.
Clapham Train Crash
Mr. Higgins : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to expedite the compensation due from British Rail to the widow of one of the constituents of the right hon. Member for Worthing whose husband was killed in the Clapham train crash ; and if he will raise the matter when he next has a discussion with British Rail.
Mr. Freeman : Compensation is a matter for British Rail and ultimately the courts. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has no powers to intervene in
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individual cases, but will certainly discuss the general progress of claims when he next meets the chairman of British Rail.Coastguard
Mr. Barry Field (Isle of Wight) : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made any recent review of the role or functions of Her Majesty's coastguard.
Mr. McLoughlin : An internal review of the coastguard sector organisation and Auxiliary service has been carried out by the chief coastguard. The review has considered Her Majesty's coastguard's coastal commitments and has made recommendations covering : the definition of HM Coastguard's responsibilities ;
performance targets ;
the sector organisation and the sector officers' role ; the availability and pay of auxiliary Coastguards ;
Coastguard vehicles and equipment requirements, training and property management.
Government Departments and any interested bodies are currently being consulted and coastguard regional controllers will now be holding discussions with local interests and staff about the implications of these recommendations in each region. No decisions will be taken on the review's recommendations until the implications have been fully assessed. I am placing a copy of a summary of the review and its recommendations in the Library.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Alphachloralose
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any proposals to re-classify alphachloralose ; and whether he intends to revoke the approval of phosgen for specific uses.
Mr. Maclean : From 1 March it will be illegal to use
alphachloralose as a pesticide unless it is incorporated as an approved product. The Advisory Committee on Pesticides has also recommended that alphachloralose should be moved from part II to part I of the poisons list, thereby making it available only through retail pharmacies.
I am not aware of phosgen, but the approval for sale and supply of phosdrin 24, a pesticide with active ingredient mevinphos, was revoked last September on the advice of the ACP. The storage and use of this product will be prohibited from September 1992.
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of individual grant recipients in each environmentally sensitive area ; what is the estimated total number of those eligible to receive grant in each environmentally sensitive area ; and what is the total amount of grant paid out thus far under the scheme in each environmentally sensitive area.
Mr. Curry : The table shows the number of agreements with farmers in each ESA, together with the total sums payable under each scheme at 31 December 1990. Some farmers have a number of agreements. There are no reliable estimates of the number of farmers in each ESA.
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ESA |Number of |Total amounts
|agreements at|payable up to
|31 December |31 December
|1990 |1990
|£
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Breckland |139 |1,160,000
Broads |712 |5,650,000
North Peak |77 |1,890,000
Pennine Dales |290 |3,330,000
Shropshire Borders |215 |1,520,000
Somerset Levels and Moors |745 |2,840,000
Suffolk River Valleys |396 |2,300,000
South Downs |183 |1,560,000
Test Valley |20 |70,000
West Penwith |159 |1,260,000
|------- |-------
Total |2,936 |21,580,000
Crayfish
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when first his Department received advice from the Nature Conservancy Council about the danger to native crayfish stocks from the spread of crayfish plague by the introduction of American signal crayfish ; and what action he has since taken in response to this.
Mr. Curry : Officials first received advice from the Nature Conservancy Council in 1977. Crayfish plague was officially confirmed in the United Kingdom in 1983, but it is probable the infection had already been present in our waters since the mid-1970s and that this was linked to the import of American signal crayfish. Such introductions preceded legislation to control, inter alia the import, keeping and release of non- native species of freshwater shellfish. Crayfish plague has now been detected in many of our river systems with crayfish populations. Our scientific advice is that eradication would be very difficult to accomplish. Nonetheless, we are continuing to discuss with the Nature Conservancy Council and the National Rivers Authority the feasibility of means of safeguarding native crayfish stocks in those areas at present free of crayfish plague. The Department is also funding scientific work on diagnostic methods.
Beef Sector
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to help beef calf producers ; and if he will make a statement regarding their future prospects.
Mr. Curry : In recognition of problems faced by beef calf producers, the Ministry has, as announced on 28 September 1990, increased suckler cow premium payments in the current year by £8 million, the rate of premium in less favoured areas is now at the maximum rate payable under EC rules and that for lowlands has been maintained at its current level despite an increase in the amount of eligible stock.
This Common Inheritance"
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking in discussions with the European Commission to honour the Government's commitment in "This Common Inheritance," paragraph 7.20.
Mr. Curry : My right hon. Friend the Minister will continue to urge the European Commission and
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colleagues in the Agriculture Council to ensure that environmental considerations are fully integrated in agricultural support measures.PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 29 January.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
Gulf War
Mr. Latham : To ask the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the current situation in the Gulf.
The Prime Minister : The allied air campaign is proceeding satisfactorily and continues to erode Iraq's military capability. The effectiveness of the campaign so far is amply demonstrated by the very few and unsuccessful deployments of the Iraqi air forces, but there is still some way to go before our aim of implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions can be achieved. We condemn Iraq's use of missiles in indiscriminate attacks against civilian populations in Israel and Saudi Arabia. We also deplore Iraq's wanton destruction of the environment of the middle east by deliberately pumping oil into the Gulf.
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Prime Minister what co-ordination and consultation arrangements exist between allied Governments to ensure political control of the military forces engaged in the Gulf war.
The Prime Minister : The aims of the coalition forces are those laid down by the United Nations Security Council. Military forces in the coalition remain under the ultimate control of their national governments who are maintaining close contact with each other.
WALES
Higher Education
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Assembly of Welsh County Councils regarding the impact of the loss of top-up powers on the quality and quantity of public sector higher education in Welsh colleges.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We consult the Assembly of Welsh Counties and the Welsh joint education committee every year before deciding on the higher education quantum, the amount of local authority resources we consider is needed for the provision of higher education in the maintained institutions. The figure we proposed for 1991-92 has been agreed by the assembly and the WJEC. We have had no consultations on topping-up, which is a local matter determined by individual LEAs.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Assembly of Welsh County Councils regarding the implications of the Price
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Waterhouse report on the future of public sector higher education in Welsh colleges ; and if he will make a statement.Sir Wyn Roberts : All Welsh LEAs have been consulted on the Price Waterhouse report both individually and collectively through the Wales advisory body for local authority higher education. An announcement on the recommendations of the report concerning the future status of the Polytechnic of Wales will be made shortly.
Student Costs
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his most up-to-date estimate of the amount spent per head per full-time equivalent student in public sector higher education in Welsh colleges in the (a) current and (b) next financial year.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The recurrent expenditure on higher education provision in Welsh local authority colleges is funded from three main sources. These are the higher education quantum determined annually by the Secretary of State and paid by LEAs from local authority resources, tuition fees paid through the mandatory awards system and "topping-up" payments paid by LEAs to their own colleges. The Department does not hold information on the level of topping-up payments, which are a local matter, but in some cases they are known to be significant. Recurrent expenditure at Trinity college Carmarthen, the only Welsh voluntary college, is funded by grant from the Welsh Office and tuition fees.
The amount of recurrent funding per full-time equivalent home and EC student in public sector higher education in Wales from the higher education quantum, Welsh Office grant and tuition fees is estimated at £3,335 in 1990-91 and £3,738 in 1991-92. These figures take no account of topping-up payments to recurrent expenditure in the local authority colleges and funding for capital expenditure, but cover all public sector higher education in Wales. In this respect they differ from equivalent information regarding the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council sector, which does not take account of local authority higher education provision in England.
Corlan Housing Association
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation regarding the references to the corporation in the HACAS report on the financial collapse of the Corlan housing association ;
(2) what consultations he has had with the chairman of Tai Cymru and the Cardiff Bay development corporation regarding their discussions immediately prior to the financial collapse of the Corlan housing association.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 28 January.
South Glamorgan TEC
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what funds he has allocated to the South Glamorgan training and enterprise council for the current financial year.
Mr. David Hunt : Funding for TECs is provided by the Secretary of State of Employment. South Glamorgan TEC
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has received £60,000 development funding this year and details of its operational budget for the remainder of the year are being finalised.EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
School Expenditure, Harrow
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the per capita expenditure figures for primary and secondary schools in the London borough of Harrow, for the latest date available, of spending per pupil, and the relative figures at constant prices in 1979-80.
Mr. Fallon : Figures for nursery and primary schools are no longer collected separately. Harrow spent £465 per nursery and primary pupil in 1979-80 and £1,115 in 1988-89, the latest year for which figures are available. It spent £745 per secondary pupil in 1979-80 and £1, 740 in 1988-89. At 1988-89 prices those figures are £880 and £1,115 respectively for nursery and primary schools, and £1,405 and £1,740 respectively for secondary schools.
Student Costs (Wales)
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the unit costs per student for each of the university colleges in Wales for 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Howarth : I refer the hon. Member to the 1990 volume of "University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators," produced by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Universities Funding Council, a copy of which is in the Library. This draws on 1988-89 data : detailed figures for university expenditure in 1989-90 are not yet available.
Student Costs
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his most up-to-date estimate of the amount spent per head per full- time equivalent--FTE--student in public sector higher education colleges in England in the (a) current and (b) next financial year.
Mr. Alan Howarth : My right hon. and learned Friend announced his plans for spending on higher education on 8 November 1990 and published projections for student numbers in higher education on the same date. Recurrent public funding per FTE student in Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council funded institutions underlying the plans is £4,137 in the financial year 1991-92. The latest estimate for such funding in the financial year 1990-91 is £4,018. Total expenditure per student will depend on a number of additional factors on which information is not yet available.
Students
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many A-level entrants were (a) school students and (b) further education college students on the latest available figures.
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Mr. Eggar : For the academic year 1988-89, the total number of A- level examination entries, including AS examinations, taking two AS entries as equivalent to one A-level entry, was as shown.
|A-level
|examination
|entries
|(000s)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
School leavers |424.42
Students in further education establishments |76.67
Schools (Salaries)
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what principle a grant-maintained school will be funded where its relevant local education authority has opted out of the national determination of wages and conditions and established a salary rate higher than the national rate.
Mr. Eggar : It is not intended that the principles governing the calculation of annual maintenance grant for a grant-maintained school would change because its former maintaining local education authority had opted out in this way.
Training Credits
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has made any assessment of the impact of the introduction of training credits for 16-year-olds upon the staying-on rate in full-time education.
Mr. Eggar : No assessment of the impact is possible in advance of the implementation of the pilot training credit schemes. The impact of the pilot schemes, including the impact on the staying-on rate in full-time education, will be the subject of careful monitoring by my right hon. and learned Friends the Secretaries of State for Employment and for Education and Science.
Grant-maintained Schools
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the grant-maintained schools that have agreed to recognise trade unions for the purpose of representing teachers on disciplinary and individual grievance matters.
Mr. Eggar : It is for the governing body of a grant-maintained school, as the employer, to decide whether it wishes to recognise teacher unions for the purpose of representing teachers on disciplinary and individual grievance matters. The Department does not collect information on this matter.
Physical Education
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish the national curriculum working party report on physical education ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the interim report from the national curriculum working group on physical education. He expects to publish it shortly.
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Teaching (Political Bias)
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has as to undue political bias and undue emphasis on values and opinions in the teaching of geography ; and if he will place such evidence in the Library.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : In publishing the draft order for geography in the national curriculum, I made clear my reasons for departing from the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council. I recognise that geography lessons will sometimes deal with conflicting points of view on important geographical issues. The programmes of study which I published with the draft order refer to such issues. However, in setting out statutory statements of attainment against which pupils will be assessed, I believe that the emphasis should be on the knowledge and understanding of geography which inform people's views.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has available of political and other bias in the teaching of (a) 20th century history and (b) current affairs ; and if he will place such evidence in the Library.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Of the complaints of bias that I receive from parents, the major part relate to teaching or classroom discussion about current issues and recent events. That is to be expected, because such issues and events arouse the strongest feelings. I believe that the great majority of teachers handle such matters with sensitivity and care and with full regard to their legal duty to ensure a balanced presentation of opposing views on political issues. Nevertheless, there is a special difficulty in achieving balance when dealing with contemporary events and personalities.
Special Educational Need
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils with statements of special educational need are recorded by each local education authority on DES form SEN(2) for January 1990 as attending maintained special schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools under arrangements made by the authority.
Mr. Fallon : This information was not collected for January 1990 on form SEN2. The Department has since revised form SEN2 in order that such information may be collected for January 1991 in respect of pupils for whom a statement was newly made in the previous year. I have arranged for the hon. Member to receive details in due course.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Liverpool Magistrates Court
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when work will begin on the rebuilding of Liverpool magistrates court.
Mr. John Patten : Subject to the satisfactory completion by the local authority of the various next steps in the planning process, it should be possible for building work on a new Liverpool magistrates court to begin in 1995-96.
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Deportation
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-Iraqi Arabic or Palestinians resident in Britain have been served with decisions to make a deportation order for national security reasons, on the grounds of being not conducive to the public good ; from what areas of the United Kingdom they originated ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Twelve non-Iraqi nationals have been advised of my right hon. Friend's decision to deport them on the grounds that their presence is not conducive to the public good for reasons of national security. The majority have lived in the south-east of the country. In one case, my right hon. Friend has decided to take no further action.
Vehicle Clamping
Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motor vehicles have been clamped in the Metropolitan police area in each of the past three years ; and how many have been clamped for exceeding the time paid for in an authorised parking bay.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that the numbers of vehicles clamped in the Metropolitan police area in the years 1987 to 1989 were respectively : 111,117 in 1987 ; 125,824 in 1988 and 149,663 in 1989. A figure for 1990 is not yet available. No information is available on the number clamped for exceeding the time paid for in an authorised parking bay.
Iraqi Residents
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many residents of the United Kingdom, of Iraqi origin, have been arrested or detained in the last fortnight for national security reasons, on the grounds of being not conducive to the public good ; from what areas of the United Kingdom they originated ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : A total of 101 Iraqis have been detained since the beginning of the year. They came from all parts of the United Kingdom. Forty-two remain in detention under the Immigration Act and 35 military personnel are in military custody. Two are in the United Kingdom having been released from detention and 21 have left or have been deported. In one case my right hon. Friend decided to take no further action and the man has been released from detention.
Police Searches
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Leicestershire on the number of searches of (a) private homes and (b) businesses that have taken place in Leicestershire over the past five years ; and how many of these searches were undertaken without a warrant having been obtained.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : There is no requirement under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 for police forces to produce statistics of searches of premises. The hon. Member should contact the chief constable of Leicestershire for the information available.
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Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of searches of (a) private homes and (b) businesses that have taken place in England and Wales over the past five years ; and how many of those searches were undertaken without a warrant having been obtained.
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