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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 15 July 1991
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Serious Fraud Office
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Attorney-General what is the number of cases for investigation that have been referred to the Serious Fraud Office by company auditors since its establishment.
Probate Services
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Attorney-General when the Lord Chancellor intends to publish his regulations under sections 54 and 55 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990.
The Attorney-General : My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is today issuing a consultation document setting out draft regulations for probate complaints schemes under sections 54 and 55 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. Under the provisions of that Act, membership of such a scheme will be compulsory for financial institutions and other persons wishing to provide probate services to the public. The draft regulations require all probate practitioners to belong to an ombudsman scheme with powers to award compensation. Copies of the consultation document and draft regulations will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, are available in the Vote Office, and have been sent to representatives of the financial institutions, the legal profession and others who have an interest in the content of the regulations.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Slovenia
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Yugoslav Government concerning the need to prevent risk of ecological catastrophe or human suffering arising from the threatened attack by terrorists on the nuclear power plant at Krsko near Zagreb ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Countries that operate civil nuclear power programmes are responsible for ensuring the safety of plants. The restoration of peace in Slovenia and Croatia would be the best guarantee of the safety of the nuclear power plant at Krsko. The plan agreed between the European Community troika and Yugoslav representatives at Brioni on 8 July offers a basis upon which negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the Yugoslav crisis can restart.
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Baltic States
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on behalf of the Baltic states regarding requests by the Soviet Government for economic aid ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have received representations from members of the public and Baltic emigre associations about economic assistance to the Soviet Union. In our approach to assistance for Soviet economic reform we will be sensitive to wider political developments, including the Soviet authorities' approach to the Baltic republics.
Iraq (Weapons)
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 2 July, Official Report, columns 124-25, what analysis has been completed at Porton Down in relation to Iraq's chemical and biological weapons.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : A vapour sample from the United Nations special commission's first chemical weapons inspection at the Muthanna establishment in Iraq from 9 to 14 June 1991 was analysed for the Commission by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down. While details of the results are confidential to the special commission, they are consistent with the press statement made by the United Nations on 24 June 1991 that nerve agents of the types GB and GF were present at Muthanna.
European Community Co-operation Agreements
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the European Community has signed any other co -operation agreements similar to that signed with Morocco on 27 April 1976.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The European Community signed similar co-operation agreements with Algeria in 1976, Tunisia in 1977, Egypt in 1976, Israel in 1976, Lebanon in 1977, Syria in 1977, Jordan in 1977 and Yugoslavia in 1980.
Arms Control
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement outlining recent progress achieved with other Governments in the direction of arms control.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We are committed to verifiable arms control agreements which enhance our security. We participate actively in the follow-on negotiations to the conventional forces in Europe treaty of November 1990 and in negotiations on further confidence and security- building measures. We also participate in negotiations for a global ban on chemical weapons. We are promoting my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's proposal for a United Nations register of arms transfers and consulting other major arms suppliers, in particular the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, on how best to strengthen controls on all forms of arms proliferation.
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Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to discuss arms control with the United Nations and his EC counterparts.Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no immediate plans to discuss arms control with the United Nations. Some of this Department's senior officials recently met other members of the permanent five at the United Nations Security Council in Paris on 8 and 9 July to review issues related to conventional arms transfers and to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This group will next meet in London in September. It is possible that my right hon. Friend will discuss arms control issues with his European Community counterparts during the next Foreign Affairs Council on 29 July.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further plans he has to introduce new international controls on arms sales.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We are actively participating in efforts to introduce greater responsibility to the international transfer of conventional arms. The five leading arms exporters met in Paris on 8 and 9 July and agreed to work together to develop guidelines for restraint in arms transfer, and to set up a mechanism for continual consultation and exchange of information on these issues. This work will be taken forward at further meetings in London in the autumn.
Arms Sales
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made in securing agreement for an international register of arms sales.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Our initiative for a UN register has received wide support. President Bush, President Mitterrand and Prime Minister Kaifu have endorsed the idea, and the European Council on 28 and 29 June decided that the Twelve should put forward a joint resolution to the next UN General Assembly proposing a register. At their meeting in Paris on 8 and 9 July the five permanent members of the Security Council also expressed their support for further work to this end. We are pleased that the recent report of the UN expert study group on transparency has recommended the prompt establishment of a register.
WALES
M4
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to minimise road works and the limitation on road lanes on the M4 for the remainder of the holiday period and particularly at weekends.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Two contracts are in progress on the M4. No additional schemes are to be carried out until September. Present restrictions required for these schemes will continue, but are unlikely to cause unnecessary delay to the public.
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A5
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 8 July, Official Report, column 265, if he will state the year in which it is expected that the work in building the A5 across Ynys Mo n will commence.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The 1991 supplement to "Roads in Wales : Progress and Plans for the 1990s" shows the A5 improvements as planned to start after April 1994. It is not possible to give a firmer indication of timing at this stage.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of all infant and junior schools in each local education authority which have integrated units for children with special needs, together with their funding requirements under local management of schools ; and whether each integrated unit receives all of the funding allocated to it under the local management of schools formula.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Information on infants and junior schools with integrated units for children with special needs is not available centrally.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to give local education authorities the statutory duty to provide places for pupils with special needs up to the age of 18 years at least.
Sir Wyn Roberts : At present local education authorities are required to secure the provision of suitable full-time education for pupils up to the age of 18, including those with special educational needs. For 16 to 18-year-olds, the Government intend that this duty will transfer to further education funding councils for England and Wales in a new independent further education sector. Our plans are set out in the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st Century", Cm 1536.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many pupils with special needs were in schools and colleges, by year group, from five to 18 years in each of the last five years.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Information in respect of pupils with statements of special educational needs in schools is given in the table. Data on special needs by year group are not available. Local education authorities are not required to maintain statements for young people in colleges of furrther education.
Number of pupils in
schools<1>
|Number
----------------------
1986-87 |9,916
1987-88 |11,549
1988-89 |11,340
1989-90 |10,965
1990-91 |12,647
<1> At January of
each year. Includes
pupils receiving
education
within and outside
their own local
education authority
in primary,
Secondary, special
and independent
schools and special
units.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of all secondary schools in each local education authority which have integrated units
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or other provision for children with special needs, together with their funding requirements under local mangement of schools ; and whether each integrated unit, or other provision, receives all of the funding allocated to it under the local management of schools formula.Sir Wyn Roberts : Details on the secondary schools with LEA designated special classes and their respective LMS budgets are given in the table. Information on schools with integrated units for children with special needs is not held centrally. Formula funding under LMS is based on two key principles--that the resources available should be allocated to schools on a clear and objective basis related to their relative need to spend, and that schools' budgets should depend mainly on the numbers and ages of their pupils. Whether or not factors for integrated units or other provision are included in the formulae is for LEAs to decide. LEAs retain their responsibilities in respect of children with statements of special educational need.
School Name |Local
|Management
|of Schools
|Budget(1) £
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd
Rhyl High School |1,881,310
Denbigh High School |1,478,990
The Groves High School |1,447,240
Dyfed
Fishguard County Secondary School |1,315,469
Ysgol Y Preseli |1,164,472
Pembroke Comprehensive School |2,227,550
Cardigan County Secondary School |1,183,228
Penglais Comprehensive School |1,652,523
Ysgol Gyfun Maes Yr Yrfa |1,026,535
Gwendraeth Valley Comprehensive School |1,079,200
Gwent
St. Julians Comprehensive School |1,986,631
Hartridge Comprehensive School |1,614,260
Newbridge Comprehensive School |1,183,073
Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School |1,336,205
Llantarnam Comprehensive School |1,706,110
Glanyrafon Junior Comprehensive School |669,801
Cwmcarn Comprehensive School |730,367
Chepstow Comprehensive School |1,677,119
Caldicot Comprehensive School |2,194,349
Abersychan Comprehensive School |1,374,224
Abertillery Comprehensive School |1,447,560
Gwynedd
Ysgol John Bright |1,763,941
Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy |1,493,505
Ysgol Friars |1,703,648
Mid Glamorgan
Afon Taf High School |2,118,000
Cyfarthfa High School |1,850,000
Vaynor and Penderyn Comprehensive School |695,000
Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School |2,476,000
Hawthorn Comprehensive School |1,744,000
Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen |1,744,000
Blaengwawr Comprehensive School |1,233,000
Tonyrefail Comprehensive School |2,010,000
Cynffig Comprehensive School |1,724,000
St. Cenydd Comprehensive School |1,622,000
St. Ilan Comprehensive School |1,599,000
Bryntirion Comprehensive School |1,670,000
Ynysawdre Comprehensive School |1,910,000
Pencoed Comprehensive School |2,078,000
Lewis Girls Comprehensive School |1,686,000
Brynteg Comprehensive School |2,698,000
Ferndale Comprehensive School |1,866,000
Tonypandy Comprehensive School |1,989,000
Bedwellty Comprehensive School |1,101,000
Archbishop McGrath School |830,000
Powys
Caereinion High School |882,275
Llanidloes High School |838,497
Newtown High School |1,817,623
Welshpool High School |1,293,060
South Glamorgan
Rumney High School |1,787,357
Willows High School |1,176,007
Fitzalan High School |2,182,776
Llanedeyrn High School |1,579,164
Cantonian High School |1,687,323
Llanrumney High School |1,565,969
Llanilltud Fawr Comprehensive School |1,684,498
Barry Boys Comprehensive School |2,421,338
Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School |2,390,428
St. Cyres Comprehensive School |2,308,914
St. Illtyds High School |1,247,509
Mary Immaculate High School |1,141,442
West Glamorgan
Olchfa Comprehensive School |2,862,000
Sandfields Comprehensive School |1,488,000
Gowerton Comprehensive School |1,960,000
Cwmtawe Comprehensive School |2,107,000
Cwrt Sart Comprehensive School |1,243,000
<1>These details have been taken from LEAs' section 42 financial
statements for 1991-92.
Education Support and Training Programme
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many applications were made for grants under the education support and training programme 1992-93 ; and how many were successful ;
(2) if he will publish his programme of grants awarded under the education support and training programme 1992-93 and the conditions under which grants were awarded in each section.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We will be publishing details of the 1992-93 GEST programme for Wales this month. Local education authorities will have until October to submit bids for grant support. Information on how many applications were successful and the grants awarded will not be available until we have had an opportunity to consider these bids.
Standard Assessment Tasks
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 1 July, Official Report, column 33, if he will place in the Library copies of the representations he has received on the standard assessment tasks completed by children aged six-and-a-half to seven years this year.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The representations received about the implementation of the assessment arrangement for the first statutory SATs undertaken this year were unsolicited and as such cannot be made public without consent.
Abattoirs
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the abattoirs in Wales which slaughter fewer than 12 livestock units or cattle each week.
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Mr. David Hunt : It would not be appropriate to list the information requested, in view of its commercial sensitivity. However, information on throughput derived from annual advisory visits by state veterinary staff to local authority licensed abattoirs is recorded in size bands. The 1990 figures for Wales are as follows :Livestock |Abattoirs units ------------------------------ 0-5 |10 6-10 |3 11-15 |4
Private Nursing Home Residents
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether residents of private nursing homes whose only income is from income support are eligible for additional benefits to cover the costs of support services including physiotherapy and chiropody where such services are not wholly provided by the health authority.
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Miss Widdecombe : I have been asked to reply.
No additional benefits are available to cover these services.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Schools
78. Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the cash value and age-weighted pupil units allocated by each education and library board in Northern Ireland under the scheme for local management of schools to (a) preparatory school pupils and (b) primary school pupils ; how much the difference is between the weighting for pupils attending preparatory and primary schools ; and what is the reason for the difference.
Dr. Mawhinney : Primary pupil age-weightings depend on the class being attended. The range of age-weightings in each education and library board is as follows :
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Prep |P1 |P2 |P3 |P4 |P5 |P6 |P7 ------------------------------------------------------------------ BELB n/a |1.20|1.0 |1.0 |1.10|1.0 |1.00|1.10 NEELB 0.5 of P1-P7 values |1.23|1.09|1.0 |1.09|1.0 |1.09|1.09 SEELB 0.45 |1.20|1.20|1.1 |1.20|1.1 |1.20|1.20 SELB 0.47 |1.10|1.00|1.0 |1.10|1.0 |1.00|1.10 WELB 0.5 |1.00|1.00|1.0 |1.00|1.0 |1.00|1.00
The cash value of each age-weighted pupil unit reflects the different approaches in each board area and are not, therefore, directly comparable. The figures are :
|AWPU
|£
---------------------
BELB |813.79
NEELB |788.75
SEELB |730.92
SELB |852.35
WELB |812.25
Prior to local mangement of schools--LMS--the Department paid 50 per cent. of approved teachers' costs
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with all remaining costs being met by fees payable by parents. The reduced weighting under the LMS arrangements continue to reflect the ongoing contribution from fees.Ministers (Overnight Stays)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many nights in each of the months of January, February, March, April, May, June 1991 each of the Ministers at the Northern Ireland Office remained overnight in Northern Ireland.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is
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