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Low Pay Commission
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is government policy to accept the conclusions of the Low Pay Commission in full when it reports. [20902]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 15 December 1997]: The Government will give due weight and consideration to any recommendations which the Low Pay Commission makes on those matters referred to it. If, on making the first regulations, the Government decide to act in a different manner from the recommendations of the Commission a report shall be laid before both Houses containing a statement of the reasons for the decision.
Gas-powered Electricity Plants
Mr. Redwood: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance the Government have issued to companies wishing to build new gas-powered electricity plants. [20899]
Mrs. Beckett [holding answer 15 December 1997]: Applicants are referred to Planning Circular 14/90 which provides advice to local planning authorities on the section 36 procedure.
Industrial Tribunal Decisions
Mr. Welsh: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the number of industrial tribunal decisions which are fully complied with within a period of two months from the tribunal decision. [21174]
Mr. Ian McCartney: My Department does not generally collect data on the payment of awards. However, the most recent survey of Industrial Tribunal Applications (the 1992 Survey of Industrial Tribunal Applications, Employment Department Research Series No. 22) reported that the median time for payment of awards as a lump sum was 7 to 14 days after the hearing. Once an award is made, the payment is a matter for the parties and it can be enforced through the civil courts in the normal manner. To help ensure prompt payment, awards which are paid late attract interest.
Mr. Welsh: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what mechanisms are available to ensure the enforcement of industrial tribunal decisions. [21175]
Mr. Ian McCartney: Industrial tribunal awards of money are enforced through the normal mechanisms of the civil courts. In Scotland they are enforced in the same manner as extract decrees arbitral. This means that if payment is not made the creditor may proceed to diligence without requiring to refer to the civil courts for a decree. Diligence is effected in the normal manner for civil debts. To help ensure prompt payment, awards which are paid late will attract interest.
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to introduce procedures to allow for easier enforcement of industrial tribunal decisions; and if she will make a statement. [21176]
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Mr. Ian McCartney:
I have no plans to change the procedures for the enforcement of industrial tribunal decisions. Monetary awards are enforced in a similar way to other awards made by the civil courts.
St. Margaret's School, Carlton
Sir Nicholas Lyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will decide whether St. Margaret's School, Carlton, Bedfordshire should be closed. [20571]
Ms Estelle Morris: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce his decision shortly.
University Admissions
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will take steps to encourage universities to publish data on the percentage of state school applications and admissions; [20516]
- (2) how many, and which, universities currently publish data relating to the percentage of state school applications and admissions; [20517]
(3) how many, and which, universities currently publish data relating to the percentage of (a) applications and (b) admissions of candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds. [20518]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend welcomes the various Dearing Report recommendations on widening participation and has asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to give priority in funding additional places to those institutions which can demonstrate a commitment to widening participation. We shall be monitoring the composition of applicants and new entrants to higher education as a whole. It is, however, for individual universities and colleges to determine whether or not to publish data on the characteristics of applicants and new entrants to their own institution. The Department does not keep a record of which universities do or do not publish such information, but we know that the universities of Oxford and Cambridge publish annually an analysis of applications and accepted applicants which includes details of the candidates' previous schooling. The Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS) routinely provide each higher education establishment with detailed analyses of their applicants and accepted applicants through the bi-annual Management Statistics and the institutional datasets. Ethnicity data are available by institution within the Higher Education Management Statistics, available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency. With the authorisation of the institutions involved, UCAS can provide demographic details of applicants and accepted applicants to each institution.
Key Stage 3
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of scripts have been remarked in each local education authority for
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all key stage 3 tests undertaken in (a) English, (b) maths and (c) science; and in what percentage of scripts the (i) scores and (ii) final levels changed. [20671]
Mr. Byers:
This information is collected on a national basis only in terms of the number of pupils in the review process and the number of those receiving changes to their test levels. The data are as follows:
| Percentage of pupils reviewed | Percentage of levels changed | |
|---|---|---|
| English | 7 | 2 |
| Mathematics | 0.02 | 0.001 |
| Science | 0.07 | 0.005 |
Young Workers (EU)
Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received on the incidence of young people from other EU countries taking up paid work for which there are British young people available. [20701]
Mr. Andrew Smith: I have received no such representations. The EU Single Market enables movement of workers of all ages in both directions.
University Grants
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the current level of grant to (a) Brunel university, (b) City university, (c) Birmingham university and (d) Coventry university. [20889]
Dr. Howells: The information is set out in the following table.
| Institution | Funding Council Grant academic year 1997-98 £ million |
|---|---|
| Brunel university | 28 |
| City university | 18 |
| Birmingham university | 65 |
| Coventry university | 32 |
Disability Rights Task Force
Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will appoint a representative of groups with learning disabilities to the Disability Rights Task Force. [21100]
Mr. Alan Howarth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on 15 December 1997, Official Report, column 7.
Workplace Discrimination (HIV and AIDS)
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to assist companies to prevent discrimination against persons with HIV or AIDS in the workplace. [20716]
Mr. Alan Howarth:
We announced on 1 October a three part strategy to secure comprehensive, enforceable civil rights for disabled people. This involves the
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establishment of a Disability Rights Commission (DRC), a Disability Rights Task Force to undertake a wide review on how to implement such civil rights and the implementation of the remaining rights of access to goods, facilities and services under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA).
The Task Force met for the first time on 16 December. One of its first jobs in the New Year will be to consider the role and functions of the DRC. We intend to establish a Commission which serves the needs of disabled people and in so doing will work supportively with business.
The Task Force will also consider a wide range of issues concerning comprehensive civil rights and is likely to wish to consider the position of people with HIV or AIDS in the workplace.
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