HC Deb 26 July 1985 vol 83 cc894-8W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) to which firm his Department awarded the royal parks consultancy; what progress has been made; and if he will make a statement;

(2) how much his Department is spending on the royal parks consultancy; what is the purpose of the consultancy study; when the report will be presented to his Department.

Mr. Macfarlane

Inbucon Management Consultants Ltd., in association with Land Use Consultants, has been asked to advise my Department on standards of maintenance in the royal parks; the resource implications of those standards and alternative options for getting the work done. At this stage, the conunission is limited to a feasibility study based on Regent's park. The report on the feasibility study is expected to be received in September. For reasons of commercial confidentially my right hon. Friend does not reveal information about the cost of consultancies.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will detail the staff employed in each of the royal parks by category in each of the past five years.

Mr. Macfarlane

The industrial staff numbers in each park by category are given in the following table:

Park/Category Staff-in-post as at 1 April*
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Central†
Horticultural 144 116 95 87½ 95
Support 55 50½ 43 42½ 40½
Craft Grades 10 10 10 10 9
Supervisory 29 27 29 28 26
Apprentices 14 16 14 13 10
Sub-totals 252 219½ 191 181 180½
Regents
Horticultural 64 55 43 36½ 43½
Support 27 24 21½ 22 18
Craft Grades 5 5 4 4 4
Supervisory 18 14 17 9 12
Apprentices 9 9 8 8 8
Sub-totals 123 107 93½ 79½ 85½
Greenwich
Horticultural 38 36 29 30 34
Support 15 13 11 10 9
Craft Grades 2 2 2 1 1
Supervisory 5 5 7 6 6
Apprentices 11 9 9 8 5
Sub-totals 71 65 58 55 55
Hampton Court
Horticultural 68 64 64 63 47
Support 15 14 10 8 12
Craft Grades 6 5 5 5 5
Supervisory 14 14 14 14 26
Apprentices 16 14 13 10 7
Sub-totals 119 111 106 100 97
Richmond
Horticultural 33 30 25 15 15
Support 24 22 18 15 15
Craft Grades 5 5 5 4 4
Supervisory 6 6 7 10 9
Apprentices 0 0 0 0 0
Sub-totals 68 63 55 44 43
Osborne Gardens
Horticultural 8 5 5 6 6
Support 2 2 2 2 2
Craft Grades 0 0 0 0 0
Supervisory 1 1 1 1 1
Apprentices 0 0 1 0 0
Sub-totals 11 8 9 9 9
Eltham Palace
Horticultural 3 3 3 5 5
Support 1 ½ ½ ½ ½
Craft Grades 0 0 0 0 0
Supervisory 1 1 1 1 1
Apprentices 2 2 2 0 0
Sub-totals 7

Park/Category Staff-in-post as at 1 April*
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Totals 651 580 519 475 476½
* Part-time staff count as ½
† Central comprises St. James Park, Green Park, Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Brompton Cemetery Osterly. Ham and a number of squares and public gardens in the centre of London.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what services in which royal parks have been privatised since 1979.

Mr. Macfarlane

Since 1979 the following services have been privatised in the royal parks:

Park Year
Offices/premises cleaning Hyde Park 1979
Offices/premises cleaning St. James's Park 1982
Operation of the Serpentine Lido Hyde Park 1983
Operation of Golf Courses Richmond Park 1984
Lavatory and Playground Attendants All parks 1985
Residual office/premises cleaning not already contracted out All parks 1985

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what pesticides and herbicides are used in the royal parks.

Mr. Macfarlane

The following pesticides and herbicides are used in the royal parks:

Pesticides

  • Secto-insect spray including ant, fly and green fly
  • Novolin
  • Malathion
  • Resmethrin
  • Lindane
  • Murphume
  • Bortulex
  • Ring Master
  • Cast Away
  • Diazonin
  • Perimor
  • Carborgle
  • Nimrod-T
  • Hostiquyck
  • Plictron
  • Sycocel
  • Filek
  • Alcirex
  • Maneb
  • Dynocap
  • Ambush Fog 2
  • Actellifog
  • Murphy
  • Picket
  • Lyndex
  • Nicotine Liquid (greenhouse use)
  • Systemic—Unsecticide
  • Abol-Ex
  • Temic (strict control)
  • Nalid
  • Mini-Slug Pellets
  • Permethrin

Herbicides

  • Gramoxone
  • Moss Killer
  • Casuron-G
  • Verdone
  • Round Up
  • Spasor
  • Supertox
  • Dexuron
  • Garlon
  • 898
  • Hydon
  • Alegrex
  • Weed-Ex
  • Clarosan
  • Dictatox-Extra
  • Cloutk
  • Bandweek
  • Thostixin (strict control gamekeeper)
  • Ron-Star Liquid
  • Paraquat
  • Clovitox
  • Tritox
  • Napropamide (banweed)
  • Propachlor
  • Simazine

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many apprentices have been employed in the royal parks in each of the past five years.

Mr. Macfarlane

The number of apprentices employed in the Royal Parks on 1 April in each of the past five years is as follows:

Number
1981 52
1982 50
1983 47
1984 39
1985 30

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many handicapped workers are employed in each of the royal parks.

Mr. Macfarlane

Fourteen handicapped workers are employed in the Royal Parks, four in central parks, four in Richmond park, four in Greenwich park and two at Hampton Court gardens.