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Small Firms
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many business failures among firms employing fewer than 20 employees there were in Wales in (a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992, (d) 1993, (e) 1994 and (f) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [13882]
Mr. Hague: Official statistics on business failures are not available separately for Wales.
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 518
Planning Appeals
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many planning appeals, decided by inspectors appointed by his Department, were allowed in (a) 1992, (b) 1993, (c) 1994 and (d) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [13871]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Apart from 1992, the information available is collected by financial years as follows:
| 1992 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allowed | 375 | 323 | 277 | 245 |
| Dismissed | 745 | 594 | 560 | 456 |
(27) Appeals under Section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Community Care (Abuse)
Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many community care abuse cases (a) have been reported over the last two years and (b) are being investigated by his Department and its social services directorate. [13497]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Department is not aware of any such cases.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for the planned spending figures for (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 1998-99 for each of the programmes for which he is responsible, the (a) cash and (b) real terms change on the equivalent amounts for 1996-97 including those shown in his expenditure plans for 1996. [14100]
Mr. Hague: The information is given in the table:
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 517
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programme | Cash prices | Real terms(28) | Cash prices | Real terms(28) |
| Agriculture | -14 | -19 | -23 | -33 |
| Industry | 65 | 61 | 84 | 76 |
| Training | -7 | -9 | -11 | -16 |
| Roads | -63 | -67 | -97 | -103 |
| Housing | -2 | -12 | -27 | -45 |
| Other environmental services (including AEF) | 10 | -41 | 24 | -79 |
| Education | 33 | 22 | 11 | -9 |
| Arts and libraries | - | -0 | 0 | -1 |
| Health and personal social services | 65 | 19 | 110 | 17 |
| Central administration | 1 | -1 | -1 | -4 |
(28) At 1996-97 prices.
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 517
Local Government Finance
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the percentage increase in inflation which he allowed for settling the level of standard spending assessment and capped expenditure in framing the local government settlement for 1997-98; and what was the cash value of the provisions made; [14101]
- (2) what cash provision was made for (i) inflation and (ii) new burdens in setting the level of capped expenditure and standard spending assessment for 1997-98; and if he
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- will list each new burden and the cash value of each allowed for in the settlement. [14102]
Mr. Hague: My settlement proposals take account of inflationary pressures and new burdens on local authorities in the context of what the country can afford and local authorities' capacity to make efficiency savings. It is for local authorities to decide how they allocate the resources available to them. I do not earmark settlement funds for specific purposes. I have, however, made allowance for additional community care money and the transfer of mental handicap/mental illness strategy and capital disregard resources to the settlement in my provisional capping principles.
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 519
Nursery Vouchers
Mr. Richards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the measures taken by his Department to ensure that accurate information on the nursery voucher scheme is disseminated to schools and parents [13935]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Welsh Office issued a question and answer guide to all head teachers in January 1996. Subsequently, the Department issued two detailed guides to the scheme to all potential providers of nursery education, including maintained schools, together with a registration pack for all participants and information leaflets for parents. Parents have been sent notice of the eligibility of their children for vouchers and other details by the nursery voucher centre followed by application forms for vouchers. All parents who have written to the Department about the scheme have been sent an individual response giving accurate information. The nursery voucher centre operates a bilingual helpline for parents and all potential providers.
Local education authorities have been sent copies of all information issued to parents and schools and have been consulted in the detailed development of the scheme. Some authorities and teachers attended the seven information seminars arranged by the Welsh Office for the private and voluntary sectors, which were attended by almost 800 people.
Mr. Richards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many head teachers from Denbighshire took up the offer by his Department to be briefed on the nursery voucher scheme; [14058]
(3) if he will make a statement on the progress made by (a) Conwy local education authority and (b) Denbighshire local education authority in implementing the nursery voucher scheme. [13947]
Mr. Evans:
The Welsh Office ran a series of information seminars for the private and voluntary sectors at the end of 1996 and offered to arrange joint Welsh Office--local education authority seminars for the maintained sector. LEAs preferred to make their own arrangements, although a number of LEA and school representatives attended the Welsh Office seminars. Welsh Office officials met members of the Denbighshire Federation of Headteachers in July 1996. Both authorities have made block applications for their schools to participate in the voucher scheme.
Mr. Wallace:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of suckler cow premium payments in Wales for the current year had been paid by 1 January 1997. [13938]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
Around 53 per cent. of 1996 eligible suckler cow premium claims had been paid an advance as at 1 January 1997.
By now this figure has increased to 66 per cent.
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 520
The Department aim, set out in the charter for farmers in Wales is to complete advance suckler cow premium payments by 5 March 1997.
Mr. Richards:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the allocation of assisted places scheme places to each school for 1996-97 and 1997-98. [14054]
Mr. Jonathan Evans:
The allocation of new places under the assisted places scheme to each school in Wales in academic years 1996-97 and 1997-98 is as follows:
(2) how many head teachers from Conwy have been briefed by his Department on the nursery voucher scheme; [13943]
| School | New places | Total places, September 1966 (including "pool" places(29) |
|---|---|---|
| Christ College, Brecon | 26 | 101 |
| Ffynone House, Swansea | 7 | 7 |
| Howell's, Cardiff | 34 | 186 |
| Howell's, Denbigh | 25 | 83 |
| Kings Monkton, Cardiff | 10 | 11 |
| Llandovery College | 18 | 69 |
| Monmouth Boys | 27 | 146 |
| Monmouth Girls | 18 | 82 |
| Rougemont School, Newport | 14 | 15 |
| Ruthin School | 8 | 11 |
| Rydal Penrhos, Colwyn Bay | 43 | 142 |
| St. Clare's School, Porthcawl | 10 | 14 |
| St. Gerard's School, Bangor | 8 | 9 |
| St. John's College, Cardiff | 10 | 11 |
| Total | 258 | 887 |
(29) In addition, 14 new places are reserved in a "pool", against which oversubscribed schools can bid annually for additional places. Bids will be invited shortly.
Teachers (Early Retirement)
Mr. Richards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of teachers in (a) Conwy and (b) Denbighshire are expected to have retired before the age of 60 years in 1996-97. [14056]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The information requested is not collected centrally.
Mr. Richards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of teachers in the former Clwyd local education authority retired before the age of 60 years in each of the last five years. [14057]
Mr. Evans: The information requested is shown in the table:
| Percentage of teachers in Clwyd taking early retirement | |
|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 3.0 |
| 1992-93 | 3.4 |
| 1993-94 | 3.6 |
| 1994-95 | 4.2 |
| 1995-96 | 3.1 |
(30) Includes grant-maintained and independent school staff who are in the Teachers' Superannuation Scheme (TSS). Excludes those returning to non pensionable occasional service for years 1991-92 and 1992-93. Data not available for 1993-94 onwards.
(31) Includes all teachers in service with the LEA and grant-maintained schools.
3 Feb 1997 : Column: 521
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