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North Sea Dredging
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the dredging programme in the North sea, area 107; what proposals he has to ensure that full consultation takes place; what compensation is to be made available to the Lynn fishermen; what is the time scale for compensation; and if he will make a statement; [4765]
(2) what use is being made of the material being dredged from North sea, area 107; and if he will make a statement. [4767]
Mr. Baldry: A Crown Estate licence to dredge area 107 was first granted in 1968. Under the Government view arrangements, the current uplift in the annual extraction limit for the area has been agreed for a period of four years. Material extracted under this variation may be used only to complete the initial major beach renourishment programme being undertaken by the National Rivers Authority from Mablethorpe to Skegness in order to reduce the risk of flooding to some 35,000 people. Extensive consultation with fisheries representatives took place before the variation was agreed.
There is no provision for compensation, but in the Government view that we gave we made it clear that the consent was subject to a number of conditions which were designed to afford the maximum protection to fish stocks. Additionally, we required the dredgers to have a fisheries liaison officer aboard every vessel.
8 Dec 1995 : Column: 413
Mr. Austin Mitchell:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make it his policy to require all Spanish-owned British-registered vessels eligible for compensation under the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 to land future catches at British ports as a condition of the compensation; [4950]
(2) how many claims for compensation he has received concerning the Merchant Shipping Act 1988; if he will list the vessels in respect of which those claims are made; from which ports they operate; and if they are currently fishing; [5051]
(3) what evidence he plans to request from Spanish vessels registered as British and claiming compensation for the time they were unable to fish. [5058]
Mr. Baldry:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 6 December 1995, Official Report, columns 234-35.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [4222]
Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 6 December 1995]: My ministerial colleagues and I frequently undertake official engagements outside London, particularly in rural areas. We travel abroad as necessary to promote British interests overseas, including at Agriculture and Fisheries Councils.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many mobile telephones there are available in his Department for the use of Ministers. [4251]
Mr. Douglas Hogg
[holding answer 7 December 1995]: There are eight mobile telephones available within MAFF for the use of Ministers.
Mr. Milburn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all statutory instruments in respect of health services from his Department of the present Parliament. [4055]
Mr. Richards:
Ministers at the Welsh Office have made 61 statutory instruments in the present Parliament in respect of health services. Full details of those made to 31 December 1994 are shown in the annual volume of "Statutory Instruments", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. A list of statutory instruments made since 1 January 1995 will be placed in the Library of the House. Details of statutory instruments made in respect of health services in England and Wales are included in my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health's reply to the hon. Member today.
8 Dec 1995 : Column: 414
Mr. Ron Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State of Wales what is his estimate of the cost to the average council tax bill in Wales of an 11 per cent. increase in charges. [4294]
Mr. Hague:
The average Welsh council tax per dwelling in 1995-96 is £330. An increase of 11 per cent. would add around £36.
Mr. Llew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) 4 December 1995, Official Report, column 2, if he will place in the Library the basis for his calculation of the estimates of Government expenditure per capita in Wales in (a) 1979-80 and (b) 1993-94. [5025]
Mr. Hague:
The figure for 1993-94 was taken from table 7.6B of the statistical supplement to the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995-96, Cm 2821. The figure for the per capita spend in Wales in 1979-80 was based on an amount --£1,138--taken from written answer provided by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 22 February 1995, Official Report, columns 608-18. This amount was brought to 1993-94 prices by the application of the latest GDP deflator at market prices. As I pointed out in my answer on 4 December, the figures for 1979-80 and 1993-94 are not directly comparable because of changes in the definition and coverage of identifiable territorial public expenditure.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what undertakings he has sought from Welsh Water as to the adherence of the company to the announced programme of capital expenditure in respect of the provision of 50 European blue flag beaches in Wales by the year 2000, and if he will make a statement. [4850]
Mr. Hague:
I understand that Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water has committed itself to maintaining its capital programme. This includes the £38 million discretionary investment programme it announced earlier this year as well as the on-going five-year investment programme of £1 billion which is subjected to regulatory requirements.
Mr. Morgan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the requirements for candidates for the recent appointment for a political adviser to the Secretary of State; what factors determined whether this post was advertised; and if he will list the previous experience, the current pay and length of contract of the successful candidate. [4857]
Mr. Hague:
With the approval of the Prime Minister and after interviewing a number of candidates I appointed Mr. Barnaby Towns personally as my special adviser.
His salary has been negotiated individually and in relation to previous earnings and is confidential. It is on a salary spine of 34 points ranging from £19,503 to £67,609; appointments are non-pensionable and the salary reflects this.
8 Dec 1995 : Column: 415
The appointments of special advisers terminate in the circumstances set out in the model appointment letter for special advisers. A copy is in the Library of the House.
Mr. Ron Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library copies of all press notices issued by the Welsh Office on Tuesday 5 December. [4975]
Mr. Hague:
As is our normal practice, copies of all press notices issued by the Welsh Office on Tuesday 5 December have been sent to the Library of the House.
Dr. David Clark:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is the general practitioner to population ratio in each health authority. [4929]
Mr. Richards:
Information relating to the population per general medical practitioner in each family health service authority at 1 April 1995 is given in the following table:
| FHSA | Population per GMP |
|---|---|
| Clwyd | 1,807 |
| Dyfed | 1,587 |
| Gwent | 1,831 |
| Gwynedd | 1,484 |
| Mid Glamorgan | 1,809 |
| Powys | 1,382 |
| South Glamorgan | 1,659 |
| West Glamorgan | 1,767 |
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 5 December 1995, Official Report, column 147, if he will name and give the address of each school and the date on which the relevant constituency hon. Member was informed. [4971]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information is as follows:
Tongwynlais school, Tongwynlais
Birchgrove school, Cardiff
Whitchurch school, Cardiff
Young Enterprise Scheme
Cardiff high school, Cardiff
Stanwell school, Penarth
Woodland school, Cardiff
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