House of Commons Hansard Debates for 19 Feb 1993

Services Training

Mr. Michael Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current average cost per person of basic training for a member of (a) the Army, (b) the Navy and (c) the RAF.

Mr. Archie Hamilton : The average cost per person of basic training for members of each of the armed services is as follows :


                |Officers   |Other ranks            

                |£          |£                      

----------------------------------------------------

Royal Navy      |19,375     |6,531                  

Army            |25,696     |5,080                  

Royal Air Force |14,190     |1,898

The figures for the Navy and Army are for 1991-92, but the latest figures available for the RAF are for 1990-91. All figures exclude trainee and pay and allowances.

Royal Family

Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to his Department of expenditure in support of the royal family in respect of

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(a) the royal yacht, (b) the Queen's flight, (c) royal flights in civil aircraft and (d) equerries, for the latest available year.

Mr. Archie Hamilton : Expenditure in support of the royal family borne by the Ministry of Defence in 1991-92 was as follows :


                                    |£000         

--------------------------------------------------

(a) Royal yacht                     |12,458       

(b) Queen's flight                  |7,080        

(c) Royal flights in civil aircraft |732          

(d) Equerries                       |135

Royal Marines Deaths (Norway)

Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the naphtha-fuelled stove used by the two Royal Marines from 45 Commando who died while on a training exercise in southern Norway was service issue ; if preliminary investigations have shown the stove to be faulty ; and what plans there are to withdraw similar stoves from armed forces use.

Mr. Archie Hamilton : The naphtha-fuelled stove is service issue and its use is subject to the standing instructions for winter deployments by 3 Commando Brigade. The stove in question is now held by the Norwegian authorities as part of their investigations. There are no plans to withdraw similar stoves.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Prison Department

Mr. Blair : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect the applicability of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 has had on (a) the time taken to implement the privatisation of, and (b) the amount of compensation to be paid to the private contractor awarded the contract for, the transport and supplies department of the prison service.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : The warehousing and distribution function of the supply and transport department was market-tested in 1991 and approval given to contract out the function from 1 April 1993. No contract has yet been signed. The implications of recent legal advice that the

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Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations are applicable to the contracting out of this function are being considered.

Prisoners

Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison inmates serving a life sentence were over the age of (a) 60, (b) 70 and (c) 80 years in prisons in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland on 1 February.

Mr. Peter Lloyd : The latest available information is for 30 June 1992 when there were 128 life sentence prisoners aged 60 or more in prison service establishments in England and Wales, of whom 16 were aged 70 or more and one of these was aged over 80. Prison inmates in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, respectively.

Breach of the Peace

Dr. Lynne Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the application of bail and appeal procedures to breach of the peace.

Mr. Jack : A person ordered to enter into a recognizance to keep the peace may appeal to the crown court under section 1 of the Magistrates' Court (Appeals from Binding-over Orders) Act 1956. Alternatively, he or she may appeal on a point of law by way of case-stated from either a magistrates court or the Crown court, to the High Court. If the person is in custody for refusing to be bound over, the magistrates court or the Crown court, as the case may be, may grant bail pending appeal under section 113 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 or section 81 of the Supreme Court Act, or in either case, the High Court may do so.

Probation Service

Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed by the probation service in England and Wales, by grade in (a) 1981 and (b) 1991 and 1992.

Mr. Jack : The number of staff employed by probation committees in England and Wales, by grade and in post on 31 December 1981 and 30 September 1992, was as follows :

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                                  |31 December 1981 |31 December 1991 |30 September 1992                  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chief probation officer           |55               |55               |55                                 

Deputy chief probation officer    |181              |24               |23                                 

Assistant chief probation officer |-                |210              |229                                

Senior probation officer          |964              |1,163            |1,193                              

Main-grade probation officer      |4,453            |5,702            |5,922                              

Ancillary                         |<1>990           |1,864            |1,851                              

Others                            |<1>5,897         |5,314            |5,396                              

<1> These figures include 990 part-time ancillary staff and 2,823 part-time other staff and so no direct  

comparison is possible with the 1991 and 1992 figures which are for full-time equivalent staff.

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Lynfield Mount Hospital, Bradford

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the West Yorkshire police as to (a) how many complaints were made to the police in each of the last five years, to date, concerning patients at Lynfield Mount hospital and (b) in how many cases (i) inquiries were made and (ii) charges were laid ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle : No. Operational matters are for the chief officer of the force concerned. I understand, however, that information is not held in a form which would identify such individuals.

Security Service

Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make arrangements for hon. Members other than members of the Home Affairs Committee to meet the director of the Security Service.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke : It is open to the director general of the Security Service to make such arrangements for meetings on an informal and private basis as she may wish. Hon. Members will however understand the Government's position on accountability of the service as set out in my letter of 13 November 1992 to the Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee.

Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a study of the way in which parliamentary accountability exists for their security services in other EC countries.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I am aware that other countries have approached the issue of the accountability of their security services in a different way from that reflected for the United Kingdom in the Security Service Act 1989. However, given the different constitutional, legal and administrative systems in place in other countries I do not consider that a study of the kind proposed would be of any particular value.

Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the civil service grade of the director of the Security Service.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke : The post of director general of the Security Service is the equivalent of that of a grade 1A in the civil service.

Greenwich Police

Mr. Austin-Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last received a communication from the chairman or secretary of the Greenwich police/community consultative group ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle : The chairman and secretary of the Greenwich police/community consultative group wrote to my right hon. and learned Friend on 27 January. My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Ferrers will be replying shortly.

Prison Education

Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department from what date it is now his intention that new contracts for prison education should come into

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force ; who will bear the cost of the delay in commencing the contracts for prison education for the period from 1 April until the actual commencement date ; what provision will be made to the cost of compensation and redundancy for staff made redundant during that period ; what advice he has given on the contractual position regarding prison education under the Protection of Employment (Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 1981, during that period ; if he will vary the arrangements for the tendering process for prison education that is now under way ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 18 February 1992] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms. Ruddock) on 11 February, Official Report , column 1098 . The present suppliers were not prepared to extend the existing arrangements beyond 31 March in respect of 16 prison establishments. To secure the continuation of education in these prisons it was necessary to let contracts from 1 April. Where agreement to continue the existing arrangements was achieved, reimbursement of actual costs plus 5 per cent. in respect of administrative costs will be made by the Home Office as before until the new contracts are let and become effective. The Home Office considers that any costs resulting from redundancy remain, as previously, to be resolved between the employers and employees. As to the application of "TUPE" and the EEC Acquired Rights Directive 77/87, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stretford on 8 December 1992, Official Report , column 555 . Subject to the outcome of the judicial review, I do not propose any other variations to the arrangements for the tendering process already announced.

Bruche Police Training College

Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department owes to Planned Maintenance Ltd. for maintenance work at the Bruche police training college, Warrington ; for how long each invoice has been outstanding ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Charles Wardle [holding answer 18 February 1993] : I will write to my hon. Friend.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Haddock

Mr. Austin Mitchell To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what efforts he is making to restrict the landing of North sea haddock to avoid early closure of the fishery ; (2) if he will ensure that the organisations responsible for the management of quotas act to reduce the present glut of haddock.

Mr. Curry : We are concerned that the early closure of the North sea haddock fishery should be avoided. With the increase in the total allowable catch for this fishery, we warned the industry, including product organisations, that it must act reasonably if it is to avoid disrupting the market and any repeat of the early closures which occurred in 1992. Discussions are taking place with the producer organisations about ways of improving quotas management and we shall be monitoring the situation very closely.

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It is not for the Government to arrange the day-to-day catches of the industry. That is precisely what the producer organisations ought to be doing. If they are not able to do so, they should be addressing their management weaknesses and seeking effective and self- interested discipline for their members.

MV Braer

Mr. Wallace : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring activity is being undertaken in United Kingdom coastal waters following on from the grounding of the MV Braer on 5 January ; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Hector Monro [holding answer 1 February 1993] : I have been asked to reply.

On the basis of sampling already undertaken in the sea around Shetland, there is no requirement for monitoring United Kingdom waters outside Shetland.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Relocation

Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what European regulations govern industries relocating within the European Community in receipt of European grants ; and what domestic regulations govern such industries in respect of United Kingdom national grants.

Mr. Sainsbury : There are no European Community or domestic regulations governing industries relocating within the Community, whether or not they are in receipt of Community or national funds. Relocation is a commercial decision for the company involved. The European Commission does, however, enforce maximum levels of grant available in different regions of the Community.

There are restrictions on the movement of firms which have received assistance in the United Kingdom. The contractual terms and conditions of regional selective assistance, for example, allow grant to be clawed back from firms which close down a project or reduce the scale of investment and/or jobs involved, within a stated period. This varies, but is normally within three years of completion of payment grant.

Plutonium

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade for what reason his Department's annual report on plutonium production and stockpile figures gives data only up to31 March 1992 ; and what steps he is taking to publish more up-to-date figures in his next report.

Mr. Eggar : The annual plutonium figures give data on a financial year basis. Figures in respect of 1992-93 will be published as soon as they have been compiled, and I have asked my officials to see if the information can be put together more quickly.

Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of the plutonium listed in section 2 (d)

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(ii) and (iii) in his press notice P/93/51 of 4 February, the annual production and stockpile figures, has been notified for withdrawal from safeguards under article 14 Provisions of the 1978 Tripartite Safeguards treaty between the United Kingdom, Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Mr. Eggar : None.

Small Loans Guarantee Scheme

Dr. Liam Fox : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures the banks are taking to support the Government's small loans guarantee scheme ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Leigh : The main high street banks fully support the changes to the small loans guarantee scheme, already announced to enhance its cost- effectiveness and are ensuring that appropriate information, training and systems are in place for its start on 1 April 1993.

Clean Energy Strategy

Mr. Haselhurst : To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will publish the programme and future strategy for the United Kingdom clean energy fuel cell advisory group ; and if he will make a statement

Mr. Eggar : I expect to publish a strategy for my Department's advanced fuel cell research and development programme, prepared in consultation with the fuel cell advisory panel, in the summer.

Owners Abroad (Takeover)

Sir George Gardiner : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received about the bid for Owners Abroad by Airtours.

Mr. Heseltine : I have received a number of representations concerning this bid. These have been seen by the Director General of Fair Trading so that he can take them into account in his advice to me.

Colliery Reserves

Dr. David Clark : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to require British Coal to provide information about colliery reserves to the relevant trade unions.

Mr. Eggar [holding answer 16 February 1993] : I have no plans to do so.

Regional Development Fund

Mr. Milburn : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 2 February, Official Report, column 143, regarding the regional development fund, if he will give the figures for each financial year from 1984-85 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1984 prices.

Mr. Sainsbury [holding answer 16 February 1993] : Since the European Community's financial years are calendar years, it is not possible to give a precise figure.

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Industrial Research

Mr. Dalyell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his work on methods of promoting research in industry, pending the next round of inward investment.

Mr. Leigh [holding answer 17 February 1993] : The Government seek to encourage companies to invest more in research and development by creating the right climate, for example, by reducing the tax burden on business. The main rate of corporation tax, at 33 per cent., is now the lowest in any G7 or EC country. In addition, the Government provide over £200 million per annum to United Kingdom companies through a variety of schemes designed to stimulate expenditure on research and development, for example, the LINK and advanced technology programmes and, specifically to help smaller companies, SMART and SPUR.

Companies investing in the United Kingdom are fully eligible to participate in these schemes, providing subsequent exploitation benefits the United Kingdom.

Telephone Metering

Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce legislation to regulate telephone metering in England and Wales.

Mr. Leigh [holding answer 17 February 1993] : My Department has lead reponsibility for telecommunications matters. The licences of all public telecommunications operators in the United Kingdom require the operators to have their telephone meters independently approved under section 24 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 and to ensure that their bills to customers are accurate. The Director General of Telecommunications has powers to independently verify that operators are complying with these requirements, and if necessary, to take enforcement action against an operator who is not in compliance with the requirements.

Offshore Oil

Mr. O'Neill : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many blocks were initially nominated by oil companies for offer under the 14th round of offshore licensing ; and how many of these blocks the Government finally decided should not be issued after consultation with the statutory and non-statutory bodies.

Mr. Eggar [holding answer 18 February 1993] : Some 700 blocks were nominated for inclusion in the round ; a total of 484 were offered. Of the remaining 200 or so the majority were not offered as a result of consultation, although in some cases the nomination was not maintained.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Printed Matter (Subsidy)

Mr. Cash : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the range of Government subsidies, including postal, which currently apply to newspapers, books and magazines in each EC member state.

Mr. Brooke : The British publishing industry receives no direct subsidies from Government. Value added tax is,

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however, zero rated on the income from sales of newspapers, books and periodicals. In addition, the Post Office operates a long-standing concession under which registered newspapers are given first-class service at second-class postage rates ; and special facilities are available to those posting large numbers of newspapers and magazines under the Post Office's Postream service. Information relating to the position in other EC member states could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Art Collections

Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what additional measures he is considering to increase public access to the royal art collection.

Mr. Brooke : I am responsible for public access to the historic royal palaces, namely the Banqueting house Whitehall, Hampton Court palace, Kensington palace, Kew palace and the Tower of London, where items from the royal collection are on display. These palaces, which contain about a third of the paintings in the royal collection, receive more than 2 million visitors per year. Important schemes to improve and increase the display of the collection in those palaces, such as the opening of the state apartments at Hampton Court palace, have recently been completed and further schemes are in hand. In addition, Osborne house, for which I am responsible and which receives some 185,000 visitors per year, also contains items from the royal collection.

Public access to items from the royal collection displayed in the occupied royal palaces, namely, Windsor castle, Buckingham palace, St. James's palace and elsewhere, is a matter for the royal household.

English Heritage

Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received from the Council for British Archaeology in January relating to his plans for the future of English Heritage ; what reply he has sent ; if he will publish the representations ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Brooke : I understand that the only representations by the Council for British Archaeology in January about English Heritage's forward strategy were, in fact, made to the National Heritage Select Committee. Representations to my Department by the council were made in November last year and it would be for the council to decide whether to publish its comments and my reply.

I have absorbed the anxieties expressed by a number of organisations and individuals about the proposals in the strategy and hope that the responses from my Department and English Heritage have helped to reassure them that the proposals will ensure greater, not lesser, protection for the built heritage. The benefits of the strategy, in terms of a clearer focusing of priorities, are already apparent. Despite constraints on funding, English Heritage expects to be able to spend £6 million more next year on restoration of properties in its care and on grants to owners of historic buildings.

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WALES

Deprived Areas

Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the population of each local authority area in Wales live in officially recognised deprived wards ; and if he will publish the equivalent figures for each year since 1989.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : The list of wards recognised as deprived for urban programme purposes was published in Welsh Office circular No. 25/91. The latest population figures for these wards were published in the census 1991. Ward population figures are not available for 1989, 1990 and 1992. Copies of these publications are available in the Library of the House.

Cancer Treatment

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on behalf of cancer sufferers in Gwynedd with regard to the possibility of networking the radiotherapy treatment available at Clatterbridge, to Ysbyty Gwynedd and to Ysbyty Clwyd.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : Representations have been received from the hon. Member for Ynys Mo n (Mr. Jones) and from a number of clinicians and representative organisations in Gwynedd about a networked radiotherapy treatment arrangement between the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS trust and Ysbyty Gwynedd and Ysbyty Clwyd. These are being considered in connection with proposals to improve cancer treatment services in north Wales.

Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provisions he plans to make to ensure that cancer patients in Gwynedd can have access to cancer screening and radiotherapy treatment in Bangor ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : My right hon. Friend announced in March last year that patients would best be served by establishing a dedicated cancer treatment centre with radiotherapy facilities in north Wales. An investment appraisal of location, need, content, cost and management arrangements was commissioned. My right hon. Friend is currently considering that report and hopes to make an announcement in the near future.

Playing Fields

Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many designated playing fields have been lost to development in each local authority area in Wales during each of the last three years.

Mr. David Hunt : This information is not held centrally. I will be considering with the Sports Council for Wales whether the register of playing fields presently being compiled in England should be extended to Wales.

M4 Link

Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the companies which tendered for the M4 link in Wales to the second Severn crossing.

Mr. David Hunt : The firms invited to tender for the M4 second Severn crossing approach roads project were, in alphabetical order :

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1. Christiani and Neilsen/Alfred McAlpine Construction Joint Venture

2. Costain Building and Civil Engineering Ltd.

3. Laing GTM

4. Norwest Holst Civil Engineering Limited

5. E. Nuttall Limited

6. Trafalgar House.

Wind Power

Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement regarding applications for wind turbine power stations in Wales.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : Applications for planning permission for wind turbines should be considered in the light of the planning policy guidance note on "Renewable Energy" which was published on 3 February by the Welsh Office and the Department of the Environment.

Social Housing

Mr. Alex Carlisle : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many council houses have been renovated in Wales in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information requested is available only from 1984 onwards. This is given in the following table :


Local Authority      

Dwellings Renovated  

       |Number       

---------------------

1984   |12,690       

1985   |14,608       

1986   |22,875       

1987   |24,503       

1988   |30,804       

1989   |32,812       

1990   |24,605       

1991   |25,707       

Source: Welsh Office 

local authority      

returns.

Mr. Alex Carlisle : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homes were in social use in Wales in each year since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information has been published in table 1.3 of Welsh Housing Statistics No. 12, 1992, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

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