§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all beneficial appointments and non-governmental paid positions for which officials and former officials of his Department sought, and were granted, permission to accept since June 1979.
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 18 June 1990]: Civil servants are required to seek approval for any paid appointment for which they apply within two years of leaving Crown employment. The rules are centrally laid down by the Cabinet Office. Statistics of applications which have been made by ex-employees of my Department are readily available only from 1987 to date: 337 applications were made; all were approved; of those, 34 were approved subject to certain conditions being met. Details of the positions for which approval was being sought are confidential to the individuals concerned and I regret that I cannot divulge details of specific cases.
Twenty most visited attractions in the North West, 1989 Rank Attraction Number of visits (thousands) Change 1988–89 per cent. 1. Blackpool Pleasure Beach 16,500 — 2. Albert Dock 15,100 +46 3. Blackpool Tower 1,495 +1 4. Frontierland, Morecambe 11,200 +20 5. Stapeley Water Gardens 11,270 +27 6. Chester Zoo 904 +1 7. Croxteth Country Park 1750 — 8. Chester Cathedral 1750 +20 9. Tate Gallery, Liverpool 687 +37 10. Granada Studios Tour 600 +158 11. Sandcastle, Blackpool 1580 -17 12. Liverpool Museum 549 -6 13. Knowsley Safari Park 501 -2 14. Heaton Park 1500 — 15. Blackpool Zoo 382 +6