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Written Answers
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27 APRIL 1987
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to arrange for staff in his department to be screened for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus.
Mrs. Rumbold [pursuant to her reply, 30 March 1987, c. 344-45]: No.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any current or former staff of his department have been found to have developed AIDS or antibodies to HIV.
Mrs. Rumbold [pursuant to her reply, 30 March 1987, c. 344-45]: I would refer my hon Friend to the answer given by my hon Friend the Minister for Health on Wednesday 22 April.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken to ensure that staff of his Department are warned about those homosexual and other activities which are deemed to involve a high risk of AIDS infection.
Mrs. Rumbold [pursuant to her reply, 30 March 1987, c. 344-5]: In April 1986 the Management and Personnel Office, after consulting the chief medical officer, DHSS, circulated all Departments with guidance to managers and model notes for staff. This Department drew on those notes in producing advice to staff through the medium of an office notice. I understand that a copy of the central guidance is available in the Library.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Envelopes
Mr. Speller asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will estimate the annual cost to the Exchequer of the larger size of brown manilla envelopes supplied for use by the House of Commons; what representations he has received concern- ing the number of such envelopes which have broken in the post; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Biffen: The estimated cost of the brown post-paid envelopes, code number 131, supplied for right hon. and hon. Members use during the period March 1986 to April 1987 was £42, 572-60. This amount includes postal charges at first-class rates.
Administration
Sub-
The Accommodation and Committee at its meeting on 19 May last year considered the feasibility and cost of stocking more robust brown envelopes and decided that orders should be placed on an experimental basis for a stronger self-seal brown envelope of 120g/m2 code number 23-115. These are being tried out by the Committee Office and the results of the experiment will be reported to the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee shortly.
ENERGY
Waste Conversion
Mr. Maclennan asked the Secretary of State for Energy what funds he has made available, and to which local authorities in Scotland for the conversion of domestic and industrial waste into fuel.
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Mr. David Hunt: The Energy Efficency Office has funded research and development and demonstrations of the conversion of domestic and industrial waste into fuel, to the value of £3,134,000 in the United Kingdom.
No local authorities in Scotland have applied to my Department for funding, but our energy technology support unit is monitoring the performance of a pilot. refuse derived fuel plant operated by Glasgow district council.
Sizewell B
Mr. Orme asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current estimate of the Central Electricity Generating Board for the capital cost of the Sizewell B nuclear power station.
Mr. Goodlad: I am advised by the CEGB that its latest estimate is £1,245 million in 1982 prices, the price basis used by Sir Frank Layfield. This includes substantial costs incurred because of the time the CEGB had to wait for a decision; these are a function of the inquiry process rather than the type of station.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Conscientious Objection
Mr. Maclennan asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the draft recommendation and report prepared by the Steering Committee for Human Rights of the Council of Europe on conscientious objection to compulsory military service; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar: The United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe supported the draft recommendation and report which were adopted by the Committee of Ministers' Deputies on 9 April 1987.
Immigrant Workers
Dr. Marek asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent changes there have been to the rights of immigrant workers in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton: The Hong Kong Government announced on 16 April revised conditions of employment for foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong, covering conditions of stay, wage levels, and new arrangements for changes of employment and renewal of contract. These revisions followed a Government review of the employment of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government also reminded all foreign domestic helpers to observe conditions of stay by not taking on additional work and reminded employers to take out accident insurance for all foreign domestic helpers in their employ.
Sri Lanka
Mr. Foulkes asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he has received any assurances from the Government of Sri Lanka that the British citizens working for KMS are not employed in military operations.
Mr. Eggar: No. As I told the hon. member for West Bromwich, West (Miss Boothroyd) on 24 March, we
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