You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Commons Debates by date > Commons Debates - previous sessions > Bound Volume Hansard - Written Answers
Previous Section Index Home Page

NHS Trusts

Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all NHS trusts (a) as of 30 November 1995 and (b) with effect from 1 April 1996. [4062]

Mr. Moss: At 30 November 1995 the following NHS trusts had been established in Northern Ireland.


In addition, the following units were approved for trust status on 8 November 1995 and will be established when a chairman has been identified:




    Sperrin Lakeland
    Homefirst.

It is anticipated that they will become fully operational on 1 April 1996.

US Financial Assistance

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total amount of financial assistance made available by the United States of America, either directly or through the International Fund for Ireland, to assist with the regeneration of Northern Ireland, and to what extent that aid is governed by those aspects of section 104(d) of the United States International Development and Food Assistance Act 1978 which requires that all nations receiving United States foreign assistance must take steps to reduce their rate of population growth; and if he will make a statement. [3984]

Sir John Wheeler: There has been no direct financial assistance made available by the United States of America to assist with the regeneration of Northern Ireland. The United States of America has contributed a total of $250 million to the International Fund for Ireland over the period 1986 to 1995 inclusive. Under the terms of the agreement establishing the fund approximately three quarters of its resources are to be disbursed in Northern Ireland. The US contributions to the fund are governed by the US Anglo-Irish Support Act 1986 and fall outside the terms of section 104(d) of the US International Development and Food Assistance Act 1978.

11 Dec 1995 : Column: 545

Forensic Science Laboratory

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory was launched as a next steps agency. [5432]

Sir John Wheeler: I launched the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory as a next steps agency on 1 September 1995, to be known as the Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland. The agency will continue to supply a wide range of forensic services to the RUC and the courts in Northern Ireland. The agency published its framework document and corporate and business plan in September and copies of both have been placed in the Library.

EC Directives

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Environment of 21 November, Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to review past legislation in respect of additional burdens imposed by regulations implementing European directives.[5070]

Sir John Wheeler: Within the NI departments, there is no such existing policy at the present time, but legislation influenced by EC directives is progressed on a parity basis with Great Britain. Any initiatives taken by Great Britain Departments to review past legislation implementing European directives which impose additional burdens will be closely monitored by departments.

Rugby League

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) financial; and (b) other assistance to rugby league is made available by the Northern Ireland Sports Council.[4993]

Mr. Ancram: None. Rugby league has no governing body to which financial or other assistance could be made.

Ministerial Visits

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many ministerial visits have been undertaken by each Minister in his Department between 6 July and 1 December; and how many and what percentage of these have involved the Minister travelling abroad.[4228]

Sir John Wheeler [holding reply 6 December 1995]: Ministers have spent the following numbers of days out of the office, each of which may have involved more than one visit:

Travelling abroad
Ministerial visits (Days) (Days) Percentage
Sir P. Mayhew252(8.0)
Mr. M. Ancram242(8.3)
Sir J. Wheeler233(13.0)
Baroness Denton9520(21.1)
Mr. M. Moss481(2.1)


11 Dec 1995 : Column: 546

Mobile Telephones

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many times mobile telephones used by Ministers in his Department have been cloned during (a) the last six months, (b) the last 12 months and (c) the last 18 months; and which Ministers within his Department have had their mobile telephones cloned; [4264]

Sir John Wheeler [holding answer 7 December 1995]: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and my hon. Friend the member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) both had their mobile telephones cloned within the last 12 months.

The five Northern Ireland Ministers have mobile phones fitted in their official London cars. There are also additional telephones carried by private secretaries which are available for use by Ministers as necessary.

WALES

Council Tax

Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to maintain the current differential between council tax bills in Wales and England. [4293]

Mr. Hague: In some years it will be necessary for local authorities to raise a greater proportion of their revenue locally. The actual level of council tax will be set by local authorities but I expect there to be a large differential between council tax levels in Wales and England for the foreseeable future.

Planning Policy Guidance

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the organisations which have sent him responses to the draft planning policy guidance for Wales. [3423]

Mr. Gwilym Jones: The organisations are as follows:


11 Dec 1995 : Column: 547




    Chief Officers of Recreation and Leisure
    Land Authority for Wales
    Regional Technical Officer for North Wales Waste Management Group
    Mandix
    The Crown Estate
    Mr. Brian Thomas and Pontypridd Market Company
    Barratt South Wales
    NFU in Wales
    National Rivers Authority, Welsh Region
    Severn Trent Water

11 Dec 1995 : Column: 548

    Severn Estuary Strategy Group
    The Civic Trust for Wales
    Wales Tourist Board
    Royal Society of Architects in Wales
    The Commission for Local Administration in Wales
    The Ramblers Association
    Wales Wildlife and Countryside Link
    Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, and for:
    Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
    The Welsh Wildlife Trusts
    Wales Association of Community and Town Councils
    Welsh Chamber of Trade and Commerce
    Ramblers' Association
    Youth Hostels Association--Wales
    WWF UK (World Wide Fund for Nature)
    Council for National Parks
    Field Studies Council (Cymru)
    Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
    British Horse Society
    Plantlife
    Gower Society
    Friends of the Earth Cymru
    Open Spaces Society
    National Federation of Women's Institutes
    Farmers' Union of Wales
    Countryside Council for Wales
    The Country Landowners Association
    Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust
    Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
    Hafod Trust
    Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies
    The Georgian Group
    The Victorian Society
    The Twentieth Century Society
    Rescue: The British Archaeological Trust
    Coventry University, School of The Built Environment
    Healey and Baker for:
    Alliance and Leicester Society
    Nationwide Building Society
    Abbey National plc
    Bradford and Bingley Building Society
    Beazer Homes plc and Beazer Homes (Wales) Ltd.
    British Aggregate Construction Materials Industries
    Sand and Gravel Association
    Federation of Small Businesses
    G. L. Hearn and Partners (for Tesco Stores Ltd.)
    Disability Wales
    Cheshire County Council




    Dyfed Archaeological Trust
    Gwynedd Archaeological Trust
    The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust
    Play Wales, Chwarae Cymru
    Urban Design Group (Wales)
    Chester City Council
    Tony Thorpe Associates (for Vodafone Ltd.)
    MVM Planning (for British Rail Property Board)
    Aaron and Partners
    Ideal Homes

11 Dec 1995 : Column: 549

    Boots The Chemists
    Western Planning
    Railway Development Society Wales
    The Garden History Society
    ICOMOS UK
    Terry Adams Ltd.
    National Association of Waste Disposal Contractors
    Acoustic Consultants Limited
    Institute of Field Archaeologists
    Shawater Ltd.
    Council for British Archaeology
    Council for British Archaeology Wales
    The Football Association of Wales
    Association of Conservation Officers
    Association of Local Government Ecologists
    Association of County Archaeological Officers
    The Gower Society
    Sears plc
    Welsh Wildlife Trusts
    Sainsbury's
    Safeway Stores plc
    Tesco Stores Ltd.
    Cambrian Council of Welsh Motor Cycle Clubs
    Department of National Heritage
    St. Quintin Chartered Surveyors
    British Gas Properties
    Historic Buildings Council For Wales
    The National Trust
    Liberal Democrats Wales
    Clwyd Ornithological Society
    CVCP (Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom)
    Welsh Water
    Deeside Urban Wildlife Group
    Deeside Naturalists Society
    Dee Estuary Strategy
    Ancient Monuments Board For Wales
    The British Association for Shooting and Conservation
    SCAUM (Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers)
    A number of individuals also responded.

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the written responses his Department has received to the draft planning policy guidance for Wales. [4400]

Mr. Gwilym Jones: I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House as soon as possible.

Next Section Index Home Page