30.
Written Answers
Royal Ulster Constabulary
Division
Vehicles recovered
А
658
B
3,265
786
420
114
169
J
253
66
43
256
66
172
ARDECHTKLZOŁ
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
National Advisory Body (Ministerial Letter)
7 MARCH 1986
Mr. Frank Field asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter of 14 October 1985 to the chairman of the Committee of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education.
Mr. Walden: Yes.
Royal Greenwich Observatory
Mr. Cartwright asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has received about the condition of the clocks at the Royal Greenwich Observatory on which the Greenwich time signal is based; what is the estimated remaining life of the clocks; and what is the likely cost of their replacement.
Mr. Walden: It is estimated that the six atomic clocks at the Royal Greenwich Observatory will fail within the next three years. To replace them would cost about £40,000 per clock, and to maintain the independent time scale would cost about £100,000 per annum in manpower and equipment. The need for an independent atomic time service is greatly reduced by the availability of the international atomic time scale by satellite, and the observatory proposes to obtain reference to precise time by this means in future. This will involve about £40,000 in capital equipment, and about £20,000 per annum running
costs.
Mr. Cartwright asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his plans for the continuation of the Greenwich time signal in the event of the failure of the clocks at the Royal Greenwich Observatory on which it depends.
Mr. Walden: The need for the Royal Greenwich Observatory to maintain an independent atomic time scale has been greatly reduced by the availability of the international atomic time scale (UTC) via the Navstar- Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite service. When the clocks fail, the Observatory will continue to assist in the provision of the familiar "six-pips" Greenwich time signal by reference to the UTC.
Teachers' Superannuation Scheme
Mr. Cartwright asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what implications the judgment of
Written Answers
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302
the European Court of Justice in the Marshall case has for the future of the teacher superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Chris Patten: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear on 3 March, at columns 52-53, the judgment of the European Court of Justice in the case of Miss Helen Marshall was concerned with the age at which she must leave work rather than with eligibility for retirement pension. There are therefore no implications for the teachers' superannuation scheme.
High Energy Particle Physics
Mr. Chope asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what date he intends to announce his response to recommendations of the inquiry into high energy particle physics in the United Kingdom chaired by Sir John Kendrew.
Mr. Walden: I cannot add further to my replies of 4 and 21 February at columns 114 and 355-56, to my hon. Friend the Member for Solihull (Mr. Taylor).
HOME DEPARTMENT
Vietnamese Refugees
Mr. Best asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Vietnamese refugees with close relatives living in the United Kingdom were granted admission to the United Kingdom in the last 12 months for which figures are available prior to the change in criteria applied to all refugees, stipulating that normally only the spouse and minor children will be admitted.
Mr. Waddington: In the 12 months from May 1980 to April 1981, 1,230 dependants were accepted for admission and 390 were refused. These figures include a small number of Laotians and Kampucheans.
Mr. Best asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has of the potential number of relatives of Vietnamese refugees settled here who might wish to enter the United Kingdom for family reunification
purposes.
Mr. Waddington: It is not possible to make a reliable estimate.
Mr. Best asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many grandparents of Vietnamese refugees settled in the United Kingdom have applied, or in respect of whom application has been made, for family reunification in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many have been granted admission; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many spouses of Vietnamese refugees settled in the United Kingdom have applied, or in respect of whom application has been made, for family reunification in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many have been granted admission; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many parents of Vietnamese refugees settled in the United Kingdom have applied, or in respect of whom application has been made, for family reunification in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many have been granted admission; and if he will make a statement;
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