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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 22 May 1992.
TRANSPORT
Twyford Down
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he has any plans to visit Twyford down, Hampshire ; (2) what visits the Minister for Roads and Traffic has paid to Twyford down, Hampshire since 9 April ; and whether he will make a statement ;
(3) whether he has any plans to meet representatives of the Twyford down, Association to discuss the M3 Bar End-Compton.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I visited the Winchester area on 5 May to see the route of the Bar End Compton section of the M3. My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit the area or to meet representatives of the Twyford Down Association.
M3
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list the meetings which have taken place between officials of the United Kingdom Government and the European Commission to discuss the M3 Bar End-Compton during May 1992 ; and whether he will make a statement on the outcome.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Discussions between officials of the United Kingdom Government and the European Commission were held on 7 May for the purpose of clarifying the issues raised in the Commission's article 169 letter of 17 October 1991 and the United Kingdom Government's reply of 17 December 1991. As the Commission is still considering this response I cannot comment further at the present.
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what communications have been received by Her Majesty's Government from the European Commission, since 9 April, regarding the M3 Bar End-Compton ; and whether he will place copies in the Library.
Toxic Paints (Vessels)
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has made to the International Maritime Organisation to encourage the phasing out of the use of toxic paints on vessels ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : The United Kingdom gave full support to the action taken by the International Maritime Organisation, in IMO resolution MEPC 46(30) dated 16 November 1990, to restrict the use of toxic antifouling paints and encourage the development of environmentally safe substitutes.
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Channel Tunnel
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce whether the proposed channel tunnel rail link will be optimised for passengers and freight or passengers only ; and whether it will be two or four track.
Mr. Freeman : I refer to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) yesterday at column 199.
M1-M62 Link
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 18 May, Official Report, columns 35-36, if he will list the scales of each plan, map and diagram made available at the public exhibitions relating to the proposed M1-M62 motorways link ; and if he will place a copy of each in the Library.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Plans, maps and diagrams were made available at the following scales : 1 : 100,000, 1 : 50,000, 1 : 17,500, 1 : 10,000 and 1 : 2,500.
The single existing copy of the exhibition material and supporting plans is too bulky to be placed in the Library. The hon. Member may inspect these documents at our offices in Leeds.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid and Advice
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about the current level of legal aid.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Information on the level of legal aid provided in the financial year 1991-92 is to be published in the legal aid annual report which will be laid before Parliament on 22 June. A copy will be placed in the Library of both Houses.
Children Act
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many emergency protection orders were taken out during the first six months of the operation of the Children Act 1989.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The information available indicates that 800 emergency protection orders were made by courts in England and Wales in the period 14 October 1991 to 31 March 1992, following the implementation of the Children Act 1989.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many place of safety orders were taken out during the first six months immediately prior to the implementation of the Children Act 1989.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The information is not available in the form requested. Between 1 January and 30 June 1991, which is the most recent information available, some 1,980 places of safety orders were made in England and Wales.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many child assessment orders were taken out during the first six months of the operation of the Children Act 1989.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : The information available indicates that 22 child assessment orders were made by courts in England and Wales in the period 14 October 1991 to 31 March 1992, following the implementation of the Children Act 1989 on 14 October 1991.EDUCATION
Law College Courses
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to cover law college one-year post-graduate courses under the mandatory award notice for local educational authority financial grant support.
Mr. Forman : The Education Act 1962 restricts local education authorities to making mandatory awards in respect of attendance only on certain designated full-time courses up to first degree level and on designated initial teacher training courses. The Act permits authorities to make discretionary awards for other courses, subject to certain exclusions. Where postgraduate law courses are eligible for discretionary awards, the decision whether or not to make such an award is a matter for the authority. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
Undergraduates
Mr. Don Foster : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of full-time undergraduate students fail to complete their courses, by institution, for each of the United Kingdom's universities and polytechnics.
Mr. Forman : Details of non-completion of higher education courses can be found in :
(a) University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the UK, published by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Universities Funding Council, and
(b) DFE Statistical Bulletin "Leaving rates among First Year Students in English Polytechnics and Colleges", to be published in June.
Publication (a) is in the Library ; publication (b) will be placed in the Library and a copy sent to the hon. Member.
School Transport
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will introduce provisions to ensure formal checks on the suitability of drivers and escorts involved in transporting children to and from school.
Mr. Forth : Local authorities already have the power to carry out police checks on drivers and escorts where they consider them necessary. The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Home Office, issued guidance on the circumstances in which police checks should be undertaken in its circular 12/88. A copy is in the Library.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Debt
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what payments were received by the United Kingdom Government and United
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Kingdom Government agencies on official bilateral debt, from the countries defined by the World Bank as severely indebted low income countries in 1990 and 1991 ; and what payments are estimated to be made by those countries in 1992.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Figures for official bilateral debt repayments to the ODA, Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) and ECGD are given in the tables.
It is important to consider these figures in context. Significant outflows of aid to the severely indebted low income countries (SILICs) continue to overshadow debt repayments made to the ODA. The net transfer of finance from CDC to the SILICs is also positive over the period in question.
The figure given below for payments to ECGD in 1992 may well, of course, be higher than the amount actually paid. In particular, no attempt has been made to estimate the impact of future Paris Club agreements on Trinidad terms. Agreement to begin implementing the Prime Minister's Trinidad terms initiative to relieve the burden of debt on the poorest countries was achieved in December. Five countries have already benefited from the terms, and we expect more to do so, including some of those defined as SILICs, over the coming months. As these new agreements take effect, we can expect a significant reduction in repayments due to ECGD.
(a) Loan repayments from SILICs to the ODA (£) Received |Received |Expected 1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 ---------------------------------------- 3,067,664 |3,067,664|785,530
Figures for payments received by and due to the ODA are recorded on a financial year basis.
(b) Loan repayments from SILICs to the CDC ( £) Received |Received |Expected 1990 |1991 |1992 -------------------------------------------- 33,902,000 |28,071,000|33,138,235
Figures show the CDC's total receipts from the SILICs, whether from the private or public sector.
(b) Repayments from SILICs to the ECGD (£) Received |Received |Due 1990 |1991 |1992 ------------------------------------------------ 251,000,000 |275,000,000|509,000,000
Figures shown for 1990 and 1991 are in respect of officially guaranteed debt rescheduled through the Paris club. The figure for 1992 shows payments due on the same rescheduled debt, not including arrears which were outstanding as of 31 December 1991.
Notes :
Those countries currently defined as severely indebted low income countries (SILICs) by the World Bank are Burundi, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire and Zambia.
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Joint Funding Scheme
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will be completing his review of the joint funding scheme, including the block grant element ; and if he will make a statement on the completion of his review.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have recently completed our review of ODA co- operation with non-governmental organisations including the joint funding scheme. We have subsequently reviewed the block grant element in the scheme. These reviews have justified our continuing confidence in the contribution made by British voluntary organisations to developing countries. As a result, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has increased our support for the joint funding scheme from £23 million in 1991-92 to £28 million in 1992-93.
ENVIRONMENT
Marsham Street Premises
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what survey has been taken, or appreciation made, of changes in travel-to- work patterns for Government employees currently located in Marsham street, Westminster, that would occur consequent on their transfer to specific sites in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone.
Mr. Howard : A sample survey to compare staff travelling time to alternative locations in London was carried out last year. A full survey of the present travelling arrangements of all staff currently in London is now being launched.
Council House Sales
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to allow local authorities to spend capital receipts raised from council house sales.
Mr. Baldry : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on 13 May at column 608.
Cardigan Bay (Earthquake Simulation)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Natural Environment Research Council concerning the recommendations of (a) the British geological survey and (b) the sea mammal research unit in relation to the simulated earthquake explosion proposed for Cardigan bay ; and if he will place a copy of their relevant reports and recommendations in the Library.
Mr. Maclean : My Department has communicated with the Welsh Office, the British geological survey and the sea mammal research unit on proposed seismic testing on the sea bed in Cardigan bay. I understand that the Cardigan bay research has now been postponed.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had concerning the proposed simulated earthquake experimental explosion in Cardigan bay and its potential impact on the sonar neurology of dolphins, porpoises and seals.
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Mr. Maclean : My Department has received a representation from Greenpeace concerning proposed seismic testing on the sea bed in Cardigan bay. I understand that the Cardigan bay research has now been postponed.
Recycling
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the use of economic instruments to encourage recycling ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) on 19 May, Official Report, col. 73.
Radioactive Pollution (Baltic Sea)
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what technical and ecological assistance the United Kingdom has offered to Russia to assist in the clean-up of radioactive pollution in the Baltic sea.
Mr. Maclean : No request for such assistance has been received.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the total value of the local government revenue support grant paid by his Department is attributable to allocations made for expenditure on services for which other Departments of State have primary responsibility.
Mr. Squire : The amount of revenue support grant paid to each receiving authority makes up the difference between the standard spending assessment for the area and the income the authority would receive from the community charge for standard spending plus redistri-buted non-domestic rates.
Total standard spending assessments for 1992-93, service by service, are as follows :
|£ million |Percentage
----------------------------------------------------------
Education |18,352.7 |48.3
Personal social services |4,734.6 |12.5
Police |2,671.4 |7.0
Fire and civil defence |1,105.2 |2.9
Highways maintenance |1,806.0 |4.8
All other services |6,834.9 |18.0
Capital financing |2,487.9 |6.5
|---- |----
|37,992.7 |100.0
Services provided by my Department are covered by the all other services and capital financing blocks but cannot be identified separately within them.
Revenue support grant is not hypothecated to expenditure on particular services.
River Thames
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are made by his Department for regular monitoring of the quality and cleanliness of the water in the River Thames ; and what
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evidence he has of a deterioration of water quality and an increase in sludge deposits on the river bed at Greenwich over recent months.Mr. Maclean : The National Rivers Authority is responsible for monitoring water quality ; the results are available on public registers maintained in the NRA's regional offices. I understand that regular monitoring of the River Thames shows no evidence of changes in water quality other than those expected during a normal seasonal cycle, or of problems arising from sludge deposits at Greenwich.
ReChem Discharges
Mr. Denham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions, between January 1990 and April 1992 discharges into Southampton Water from ReChem (Fawley) have exceeded limits set by the National Rivers Authority ; and if he will provide details.
Mr. Maclean : The results of sampling carried out by the National Rivers Authority, together with details of any consequent action taken, are available on public registers maintained in the NRA's regional offices.
Bleak House
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the inspector's report on the application by British Coal Opencast to develop the site at Bleak house.
Mr. Baldry : The inspector's report has been fully considered, and a decision will be issued as soon as possible. The report will be published at the same time.
Opencast Mining
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review mineral planning guidance notes relating to opencast coal mining operations by incorporating in them a presumption in favour of the protection of the environment ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The current guidelines are contained in Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3 (MPG 3) published in 1988. As part of a monitoring exercise on the effectiveness of the guidelines, my Department has recently completed a wide ranging consultation exercise on their practical operation. I shall consider whether there is any need for revision of MPG 3 in the light of that.
London Docklands
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the total cost of land purchases and land reclamation on sites in London docklands which have been sold on to private developers.
Mr. Redwood : Information in the form requested is only available at disproportionate cost. However, up to 31 March 1992, the London Docklands Development Corporation spent £161 million on land acquisition and £118 million on reclamation. Its policy is to sell such land to the private sector for development.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of public money spent by the London Docklands development corporation to date.
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Mr. Redwood [Holding answer 21 May 1992] : To the end of 1991 -92, the London Docklands development corporation had received £1,348 million in grant aid. The corporation has also been able to utilise receipts of some £300 million.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total value of business rates forgone in the London Docklands enterprise zone ;
(2) what is the total of business rates forgone in the Canary Wharf development.
Mr. Redwood [Holding answer 21 May 1992] : Up to 31 March 1990, rate revenue forgone in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone amounted to £37,593,000. Information is not held centrally on rate revenue forgone for individual developments.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the price charged to the developers for the land on which Canary Wharf is being built.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 21 May 1992] : The London Docklands Development Corporation sold the Canary Wharf site to Olympia and York for £20.2 million.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the financial benefits derived by Olympia and York by virtue of their presence in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone from investment allowance, business rate exemption or other advantages.
Mr. Squire [holding answer 21 May 1992] : This information is not available.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table indicating for each year since 1981, at current prices, the amount of money provided in tax allowances in the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total amount of capital allowances claimed by companies in the London Docklands enterprise zone.
(2) what is the total of capital allowances (a) claimed and (b) claimable for the Canary Wharf development.
Mr. Redwood : The total cost of capital allowances for all enterprise zones in Britain, estimated at 31 March 1990, was £660 million in 1989-90 prices. No information on the cost of capital allowances is available for individual enterprise zones or developments within them.
Recyclable Paper
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the British Paper and Board Industry Federation concerning methods of discouraging the disposal of recyclable paper in landfill sites ; and what response he has made.
Mr. Maclean : My colleagues have received letters from the chairman of the federation's waste paper committee which set out their concerns. I will place in the Library a copy of the reply from my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.
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Local Authority Services
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list (a) the services provided and (b) the statutory responsibilities of each type of local authority in England and Wales.
Mr. Robin Squire : It is for individual local authorities to decide how to meet their statutory requirements. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to issue a descriptive list of functions conferred on local authorities by public general Acts to the Local Government Commission for its information once it has been set up. (There are also many local Acts conferring powers on local government which it would not be practicable to list.) A copy of the list will be placed in the Library of both Houses.
Interim Development Order Permissions
Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many interim development order permissions have been registered in the Rossendale and Darwen constituency in the last 12 months.
Mr. Baldry : None. In the six months allowed under the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 for persons to apply to register interim development order planning permissions with their local mineral planning authority Lancashire county council received 23 applications ; five of these were within Rossendale and one within Blackburn. Further information is available from Lancashire county council.
Fish Farming
Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek to bring marine fish farming within the direct control of elected planning authorities, as recommended by the Select Committee on the Environment in its report on coastal zone planning.
Mr. Maclean : The Government are considering the recommendations of the recent Environment Select Committee Report on Coastal Zone Protection and Planning, including its recommendations on marine fishfarming. It will issue a full response in due course.
Wild Birds
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in persuading European Community partners to introduce special safeguards on the transport of live wild birds ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The then Secretary of State wrote to Commissioner Carlo Ripa di Meana on 18 February urging him to press the European Commission to expedite the proposed further measures for regulating the wild bird trade which are provided for in the EC Directive on the Welfare of Live Animals During Transport. We have not yet received a response from the Commissioner, but will keep up the pressure for early progress.
In the meantime, we are taking a number of other measures to improve transport conditions for live birds. We are pursuing with the International Air Transport Association the possibility of limiting the size of live bird
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