§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of payments made from central Government to all organisations associated with London Zoo since 1979.
§ Mr. TrippierDuring this period central Government has paid grants worth about £31 million to the Zoological Society of London and the Institute of Zoology. This figure includes about £5.4 million for the institute's research work.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any checks were made by his Department on the use of funds provided by Her Majesty's Government to London Zoo.
§ Mr. TrippierDuring the period that the society was in receipt of revenue subsidy and contributions to capital investment, its finances and activities were closely monitored. The £10 million endowment in November 1988
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§ Mr. MaplesFigures for total trade are available on a balance of payments basis:
Balances £ billion Visible trade Invisible trade 1979 –3.3 +2.9 1986 –9.5 +9.4 1990 –17.9 +5.1 The following table shows crude trade balances1 on an overseas trade statistics basis with the categories listed in the order of their 1990 surplus or deficit.
was a once-for-all payment, and severed the financial relationship with my Department completely as well as the system of monitoring.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions were attached to funds provided by Her Majesty's Government to London Zoo.
§ Mr. TrippierThe £10 million endowment in 1988 was given to the Zoological Society of London on the understanding that the society had established a subsidiary operating company with a strong management team to run the zoos; this management team had drawn up a master development plan for the zoos to secure their future, and with this endowment the Government's financial commitment to the zoos was at an end.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial requests have been received in the last three months from the London Zoo authorities; and what response has been made.
§ Mr. TrippierOver the last few months I have discussed with the Zoological Society of London its general financial situation and have reminded it that the Government's financial commitment to its zoos ended in 1988.