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Column 557
adopted in December last year, will strengthen international efforts to combat trafficking in cocaine and other illicit drugs.Lebanon
75. Mr. Cyril D. Townsend : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's relations with the Lebanon.
Mr. Waldegrave : Our relations with Lebanon are complicated by the existence there of two rival administrations. We fully support the current efforts of the Arab League to help the Lebanese people resolve their differences.
BBC Russian Service
76. Mr. Waller : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current weekly listening figure for the BBC's Russian service.
Mr. Eggar : The BBC Russian service has an estimated average weekly audience of about 18 million listeners in the Soviet Union aged 16 and over.
Cyprus
77. Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues were discussed during the recent visit of the President of Cyprus in London.
Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and I discussed progress in the intercommunal talks with President Vassiliou during his working visit to Britain from 28 February to 5 March. All the main issues of the Cyprus problem were covered. We encouraged Mr. Vassiliou to continue to negotiate constructively towards a comprehensive settlement, building on the positive elements in the proposals tabled by Mr. Denktash and himself.
Foreign Affairs Council
79. Mr. Robert G. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 20-21 February.
Mrs. Chalker : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath (Mr. Townsend) on 22 February.
Nuclear Weapons
81. Mr. McTaggart : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will next be meeting Chancellor Kohl ; and if he will raise with him the issue of short-range nuclear weapons.
Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to meet Chancellor Kohl.
Paraguay
82. Mr. Lofthouse : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage a return to democracy in Paraguay.
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Mr. Eggar : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave), to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) on 24 February.
Chancellor Kohl
84. Mr. Litherland : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet Chancellor Kohl ; and what subjects he expects to discuss.
Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to meet Chancellor Kohl.
Zambia
85. Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations between the United Kingdom and Zambia.
Mrs. Chalker : The United Kingdom enjoys friendly relations with Zambia.
Czechoslovakia
86. Mr. Madel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is planning to seek to improve the present state of diplomatic relations between Britain and Czechoslovakia ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : We should like to work for improved relations with Czechoslovakia, but this is impossible at present because of that country's persistent disregard of its CSCE commitments in the field of human rights.
Namibia
87. Dr. Goodson-Wickes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet the Administrator General of Namibia ; and what matters he will discuss.
Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to do so.
Immigration
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how long a person applying for entry clearance on 31 March or the latest convenient date at each post in the middle-east, including Israel and Turkey, could expect to wait in each queue, for (a) first interview, (b) referral of the case to the Home Office and the requested information being received by the post, (c) decision after first interview and (d) the explanatory statement prepared by the post in the case of appeal against refusal to be despatched to the immigration appellate authorities in the United Kingdom ;
(2) what are the present waiting times to first interview for entry clearance for all categories of applicant in each country in the middle- east, including Israel and Turkey.
Mr. Eggar : The majority of visa applications received are straightforward and require no interview. In such cases visas are normally issued within 48 hours.
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The information sought at (b) and (c) is not available. Processing times vary from case to case.As to (a) and (d) the position for all categories of applicant as at 28 February is set out in the table. Column (d) represents the time lapse from the date of receiving notice of appeal from the applicant. The distinction between residents and non-residents at Dubai, Istanbul and Nicosia reflects a high volume of applications from non-resident foreign nationals.
|(a) |(d)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Abu Dhabi |7 days |1 month
Aden |2 weeks |2 weeks
Amman |3 days |within 3 months
Baghdad |2 days |1 week
Bahrain |3 days |4-6 weeks
Beirut |<2>same day |<1>-
Cairo |same day |3 weeks
Damascus |<3>same day |<1>-
Doha |5 days |2 weeks
Dubai
Residents |4 weeks |1 month
Non-residents |5 months |1 month
Istanbul
Residents |same day |3 months
Non-residents |3" months |3 months
Jedda |2 weeks |within 1 month
Jerusalem |4 days |2 weeks
Kuwait |1 day |1 week
Muscat |same day |1 month
Nicosia
Residents |same day |1 week
Non-residents |1 week |1 week
Riyadh |4 weeks |8 weeks
Sana'a |1 week |1 week
Tel Aviv |same day |1 week
<1>A limited visa service is in operation; cases involving
lengthy interview and/or possible refusal are directed to
nearby posts.
<2>Straightforward cases only.
<3>Urgent medical and compassionate cases only.
Select Committee Recommendations
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Select Committee recommendations have been made about, and how many accepted by, his Department since June 1987.
Mr. Eggar : The Select Committee on Foreign Affairs has completed four inquiries since June 1987. Copies of the Committee's reports and our subsequent observations, made by means of Command Paper, are available in the House of Commons Library.
Hong Kong Police (Pensioners)
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the Royal Hong Kong Police Association on behalf of its members now retired in the United Kingdom on the effect of the devaluation of the Hong Kong $ on the £ sterling value of their pensions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : We have received no such representations from the Royal Hong Kong Police Association. We understand that the association has, however, made representations to the Hong Kong Government about this matter.
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Peru
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Peruvian Government concerning the disappearance of Hugo Blanco and Luis Tresta de la Torre.
Mr. Eggar : We have on several occasions conveyed to the Peruvian authorities our concern about reported abuses of human rights. Her Majesty's embassy in Lima have informed us that Mr. Blanco awaits trial on charges under Peru's terrorism laws. We await information on Mr. Tresta de la Torre.
Diplomatic Wing Budgets
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish what information he has regarding the total diplomatic wing budgets of all Organisation for Economic Co- operation and Development member states expressed as (a) a percentage of gross domestic product, (b) a percentage of total Government expenditure and (c) pounds sterling.
Mr. Eggar : Information on the total diplomatic wing budgets of all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member states is not readily available and could be obtained only at
disproportionate cost.
In the financial year 1987-88 expenditure on the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (£660 million) amounted to 0.16 per cent. of United Kingdom GDP and 0.38 per cent. of general Government expenditure.
SCOTLAND
Scottish Marriage Guidance Council
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding was given for the Scottish Marriage Guidance Council in each of the last five years ; what funding is set for 1989-90 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Funding under section 9 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (for training purposes) and under section 10(1) (for headquarters expenses) was offered to the Scottish Marriage Guidance Council as follows :
Section Section 10(1)
|Current|Capital|Total
------------------------------------------------
1984-85 |10,327 |34,360 |2,524 |47,211
1985-86 |11,700 |38,890 |2,361 |52,951
1986-87 |12,200 |44,112 |1,986 |58,298
1987-88 |14,600 |45,437 |2,000 |62,037
1988-89 |13,600 |49,408 |2,810 |65,818
1989-90 |14,200 |- |- |-
Funding for the council under section 10(1) for next year has not yet been offered but will be in the region of £75,000.
Storm Damage
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what penalties will be imposed on each local authority for expenditure to repair recent storm damage above the set guideline expenditure level.
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Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend has already made it clear that he would consider sympathetically the position of authorities that incur additional expenditure on repairs following recent storm damage.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what requests he has received from each local authority for special financial assistance to repair recent storm damage.
Mr. Lang : The Scottish Development Department is still receiving responses from housing authorities to the circular issued to them on 21 February following the recent storms. No requests for special financial assistance have been received from other local authorities.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what expenditure levels were set for each relevant local authority in Scotland to repair recent storm damage.
Mr. Lang : Levels were not set by the Government for expenditure by local authorities to repair recent storm damage. The provision for such expenditure is a matter for each local authority to determine.
Rating Reform
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what level of personal community charge for 1989-90, in respect of each local authority in Scotland, would have been levied by the authority had the comparable expenditure of the authority been equivalent to that assumed by the Government in determining the authority's revenue support grant.
Mr. Lang : Spending at client group assessment--the basis on which grant was initially apportioned--would have implied personal community charges of £154 for each regional council and £42 for each district council. However, those figures take no account of other factors such as the use of balances, which affect the actual community charges set.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what level of personal community charge for 1989-90, in respect of each local authority in Scotland, would have been levied by the local authority in the absence of safety netting arrangements.
Mr. Lang : Local authorities took their budget and community charge decisions in full knowledge of the grant allocated to them. It is not for me to speculate on what decisions they might have taken in the light of different information.
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what, in respect of each local authority in Scotland, is the level of personal community charge for 1989-90.
Mr. Lang : The information is set out in the table.
|£
--------------------------------------
Borders |174.00
Central |198.00
Dumfries and Galloway |178.50
Fife |220.00
Grampian |189.00
Highland |180.00
Lothian |287.00
Strathclyde |200.00
Tayside |220.00
Orkney |122.00
Shetland |107.38
Western Isles |137.00
Berwickshire |31.00
Ettrick and Lauderdale |42.00
Roxburgh |42.00
Tweeddale |43.00
Clackmannan |87.00
Falkirk |46.00
Stirling |97.00
Annandale and Eskdale |47.00
Nithsdale |39.00
Stewartry |37.00
Wigtown |40.00
Dunfermline |55.00
Kirkcaldy |60.00
North East Fife |82.00
Aberdeen City |85.00
Banff and Buchan |56.70
Gordon |44.00
Kincardine and Deeside |32.00
Moray |42.00
Badenoch and Strathspey |35.00
Caithness |25.00
Inverness |26.00
Lochaber |37.00
Nairn |28.00
Ross and Cromarty |39.00
Skye and Lochalsh |25.00
Sutherland |6.00
East Lothian |69.00
Edinburgh City |87.00
Midlothian |59.00
West Lothian |54.00
Argyll and Bute |58.00
Bearsden and Milngavie |79.00
Clydebank |78.00
Clydesdale |82.00
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |56.00
Cumnock and Doon Valley |57.00
Cunninghame |59.00
Dumbarton |79.00
East Kilbride |99.00
Eastwood |63.00
Glasgow City |87.00
Hamilton |72.00
Inverclyde |72.00
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |50.00
Kyle and Carrick |89.00
Monklands |74.00
Motherwell |86.00
Renfrew |76.00
Strathkelvin |80.00
Angus |52.00
Dundee City |83.00
Perth and Kinross |58.00
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what level of personal community charge for 1989-90, in respect of each local authority in Scotland, he announced, prior to the determination of the authority's budget, that it would be reasonable for them to levy.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. and learned Friend issued figures for the combined region, district and water community charges that were attainable if local authorities did not increase their expenditure by more than the rate of inflation plus allowances for community charge and school board administration. The figures are set out in the table.
Column 563
|£
--------------------------------
Orkney |84
Shetland |202
Western Isles |126
Berwickshire |177
Ettrick and Lauderdale |180
Roxburgh |190
Tweeddale |174
Clackmannan |225
Falkirk |211
Stirling |249
Annandale and Eskdale |197
Nithsdale |192
Stewartry |196
Wigtown |178
Dunfermline |249
Kirkcaldy |256
North East Fife |251
Aberdeen City |201
Banff and Buchan |185
Gordon |183
Kincardine and Deeside |168
Moray |176
Badenoch and Strathspey |186
Caithness |196
Inverness |189
Lochaber |202
Nairn |181
Ross and Cromarty |190
Skye and Lochalsh |187
Sutherland |168
East Lothian |307
Edinburgh City |313
Midlothian |306
West Lothian |296
Argyll and Bute |293
Bearsden and Milngavie |280
Clydebank |293
Clydesdale |293
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |293
Cumnock and Doon Valley |293
Cunninghame |293
Dumbarton |293
East Kilbride |293
Eastwood |264
Glasgow City |293
Hamilton |293
Inverclyde |283
Kilmarnock and Loudoun |293
Kyle and Carrick |290
Monklands |293
Motherwell |288
Renfrew |293
Strathkelvin |293
Angus |238
Dundee City |274
Perth and Kinross |237
Damage to Animals
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the current regulations about compensation for damage to animals on farms in Scotland from the effects of heavy traffic and noise pollution ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : Compensation may be available in some circumstances under the Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1973 for the effect of noise from new roads where the value of land is depreciated. There are no specific provisions for compensation for damage to animals from noise.
Column 564
Farms (Rate Rebates)
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by district the number of farms in Scotland, which border Ministry of Defence or visiting forces' airports, in receipt of rate rebates.
Mr. Lang : The information requested is not held centrally.
CIVIL SERVICE
Hon. Members (Courses)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make places available on Civil Service college courses to hon. Members.
Mr. Luce : Applications from hon. Members to attend college courses suitable for them will be welcome. I shall arrange for copies of the 1989- 90 prospectus to be placed in the Library.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Taxes and Benefits
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of total tax, direct and indirect, where figures are available (a) was paid in 1986-87 and (b) would be paid in 1989-90 assuming tax allowances are increased by (i) the increase in earnings,(ii) twice the increase needed for indexation and treating child benefit as negative income tax for the following groups (A) a single person on (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 75 per cent., (iii) 100 per cent., (iv) 200 per cent., (v) 300 per cent., (vi) 400 per cent. and (vii) 500 per cent. of average earnings, (B) a one-earner couple with no children, (C) a one-earner couple with two children and (D) a two-earner couple with two children for the same multiples of average earnings ;
(2) if he will publish in the Official Report a table along the same lines as in the answer provided to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) in the Official Report, 10 January, columns 633-56, with figures for 1989-90, given the changes to national insurance contributions and benefits already announced and assuming that all the basic allowances are increased (a) the increase in earnings and (b) twice the amount needed for indexation.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 28 February 1989] : The table gives payments of income tax and national insurance contributions as a proportion of earnings for the income levels and tax allowances specified. They assume no change in tax rates in 1989-90. Payments of indirect taxation would depend on the expenditure patterns of the taxpayer and on indirect tax rates for 1989-90. As the latter have not been specified, no estimates for indirect tax payments are provided. No estimates are given for tax paid by a two-earner couple with two children as this would depend on the distribution of income between the couple.
Column 565
per cent.
Multiple of average male |50 |75 |100 |200 |300 |400 |500
earnings
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87
Single person
Income Tax |16.8 |20.9 |22.9 |27.3 |34.0 |39.1 |43.3
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |6.0 |4.0 |3.0 |2.4
Total Tax |25.8 |29.9 |31.9 |33.3 |38.0 |42.1 |45.7
One-earner couple with no children
Income Tax |9.9 |16.3 |19.5 |24.9 |32.0 |37.4 |41.8
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |6.0 |4.0 |3.0 |2.4
Total Tax |18.9 |25.3 |28.5 |30.9 |36.0 |40.4 |44.2
One-earner couple with two children
Income Tax |-3.3 |7.5 |12.9 |21.6 |29.8 |35.7 |40.5
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |6.0 |4.0 |3.0 |2.4
Total Tax |5.7 |16.5 |21.9 |27.6 |33.8 |38.7 |42.9
(i) 1989-90 if tax allowances increased by the rise in average earnings
Single person
Income Tax |15.1 |18.4 |20.1 |25.1 |30.0 |32.5 |34.0
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |5.4 |3.6 |2.7 |2.1
Total Tax |24.1 |27.4 |29.1 |30.4 |33.6 |35.2 |36.2
One-earner couple with no children
Income Tax |9.5 |14.7 |17.2 |22.8 |28.5 |31.4 |33.1
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |5.4 |3.6 |2.7 |2.1
Total Tax |18.5 |23.7 |26.2 |28.2 |32.1 |34.1 |35.3
One-earner couple with two children
Income Tax |-1.1 |7.6 |11.9 |20.1 |26.7 |30.1 |32.0
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |5.4 |3.6 |2.7 |2.1
Total Tax |7.9 |16.6 |20.9 |25.5 |30.3 |32.8 |34.2
(ii) 1989-90 if tax allowances increased by twice the increase required for statutory indexation
Single person
Income Tax |14.6 |18.0 |19.8 |24.2 |29.5 |32.1 |33.7
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |5.4 |3.6 |2.7 |2.1
Total Tax |23.6 |27.0 |28.8 |29.6 |33.0 |34.8 |35.8
One-earner couple with no children
Income Tax |8.6 |14.1 |16.8 |21.8 |27.9 |30.9 |32.7
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |5.4 |3.6 |2.7 |2.1
Total Tax |17.6 |23.1 |25.8 |27.2 |31.5 |33.6 |34.9
One-earner couple with two children
Income Tax |-2.0 |7.0 |11.5 |19.1 |26.1 |29.6 |31.6
NIC |9.0 |9.0 |9.0 |5.4 |3.6 |2.7 |2.1
Total Tax |7.0 |16.0 |20.5 |24.5 |29.7 |32.3 |33.8
Notes:
1. The figures assume average earnings in 1989-90 are 7.5 per cent. higher than in 1988-89 (in line with the GAD assumption given in the Autumn Statement).
2. Figures for a married couple with two children deduct child benefit from income tax.
3. Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the tax payers have no other tax reliefs apart from the standard allowances. Earners are assumed to pay class 1 national insurance contributions at the contracted-in rate.
British Industry (Unit Costs)
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how unit costs in British industry altered in 1988 ; what were the comparable changes in Japan, Canada, the United States of America and other EEC countries ; and how have exchange rate movements affected the comparative unit costs of British industry relative to those countries.
Mr. Major : Indices calculated by the International Monetary Fund showing unit labour costs in manufacturing in 1987 and in the first three quarters of 1988 are given in the Department of Trade and Industry publication, "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", for all the countries in question except Portugal, Greece and Ireland. This publication gives unit labour cost indices in terms of
Column 566
country's own currencies and also in terms of common currency showing costs relative to those in other countries, allowing for the effects of exchange rate movements.VAT
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each of the last 10 years within the Doncaster district (a) the number of new businesses who have registered for value added tax and (b) the number of businesses that have ceased registering for value added tax ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : I regret that records are not maintained on a town or district basis. The local VAT office at Doncaster covers not only Doncaster but also the area which includes Selby, Barnsley, Scunthorpe and Wakefield. The numbers of VAT registrations and de-registrations processed by that office for each of the calendar years 1979-88 was :
Column 567
Year |New registrations|De-registrations ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1979 |1,863 |1,515 1980 |1,576 |1,396 1981 |1,789 |1,245 1982 |1,367 |1,162 1983 |1,969 |1,497 1984 |1,955 |1,722 1985 |1,816 |1,936 1986 |2,231 |2,308 1987 |2,239 |1,972 1988 |2,819 |2,089
Dr. Godman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each of the past 10 years (a) the number of new businesses which have registered for value added tax and (b) the number of businesses that have ceased to register for value added tax in Greenock and Port Glasgow.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 7 March 1989] : I regret that statistics are not maintained on a town or district basis. The local VAT office at Greenock covers not only Greenock and Port Glasgow but a large geographical area including Oban, Paisley, Ayr, Kilmarnock, and Newton Stewart. The number of VAT registrations and de-registrations processed by that office for each of the calendar years 1979 to 1988 was :
Year |New registrations|De-registrations ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1979 |2,711 |2,151 1980 |2,172 |1,857 1981 |2,345 |1,742 1982 |1,803 |1,712 1983 |1,933 |1,745 1984 |1,640 |1,472 1985 |1,929 |1,792 1986 |1,913 |1,788 1987 |1,840 |1,669 1988 |2,466 |2,059
Vehicle Taxation
Mr. Bright : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received since his last Budget seeking the removal of discriminatory taxation on motor vehicles in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lilley : My right hon. Friend has received a number of written representations seeking the abolition of car tax.
Coal
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated increase in cost per 50 kg. bag of domestic coal to consumers when coal delivery merchants are charged value added tax at the importer's storage depot.
Mr. Lilley : Under the proposals for implementing the European Court of Justice judgment on VAT zero rates which were published on 6 February, the supply of coal to domestic consumers will remain zero-rated, but supplies at earlier stages in the distribution chain will be liable to the standard rate of VAT from 1 July 1990. Coal delivery merchants who are registered for VAT will be able to deduct any VAT charged to them by their suppliers under the normal input tax credit mechanism. The effect on the price to the domestic consumer should be negligible.
Column 568
Cigarettes
Mr. Sims : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would arise in a full financial year from raising the tax on a packet of 20 cigarettes by (a) 5p, (b) 10p, (c) 15p, (d) 20p and (e) 30p ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : Estimates are as follows :
Additional Tax |Additional Revenue £
|million
---------------------------------------------------------------
5p |170
10p |330
15p |495
20p |655
30p |965
Mr. Sims : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would have arisen in the period 1988-89 from a tax on cigarettes 10p higher than was necessary to adjust for the effects of inflation over the preceding year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : It is estimated that the additional revenue would have been £310 million.
Consumers (Consultation)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements there are for consulting consumers on the work and decisions of his Department.
Mr. Brooke : The public is kept in touch with policy developments in the Chancellor's departments in the usual way through command papers, consultative documents, parliamentary announcements, press notices and informal discussion with representative bodies.
Newspaper Advertising
Mr. Gale : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the change in the ratio of Government expenditure between local and national newspaper advertising during the last 12 months for which figures are available.
Mr. Lilley : The ratio of expenditure between local and national newspaper advertising placed through the COI on behalf of other Government Departments is as follows :
National expenditure Local expenditure
|£ |Per cent. |£ |Per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |25,633,000|80 |6,236,000 |20
1987-88 |25,483,000|83 |5,346,000 |17
Chlorofluorocarbons
Ms. Walley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his best estimate of the amount of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants under the control of his Department ;
(2) what plans there are to minimise the risk of leaks of chlorofluorocarbon from refrigeration and air conditioning systems under his Department's control.
Mr. Brooke [holding answer 6 March 1989] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend
Column 569
the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas), on Monday 6 March at column 387 .EMPLOYMENT
Wages Inspectorate
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers were found to be illegally underpaying and how many of them were prosecuted in the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering the United Kingdom.
Mr. Nicholls : The information is not available in the precise form requested because wages inspectorate statistics about compliance with wages orders are compiled on the basis of establishments rather than employers. With that proviso, the figures in respect of the wages inspectorate divisions covering Great Britain are given in the following table.
Northern Ireland has a separate wages council system which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, but I understand that in 1988 112 establishments were found to be underpaying. There were no prosecutions.
Division |Establishments found to|Prosecutions for
|be underpaying in 1988 |underpayment in 1988
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London |317 |-
South East |537 |1
Eastern |462 |2
South West |1,156 |2
Midlands |747 |1
North West |869 |2
Yorkshire and
Humberside |631 |2
Northern |369 |-
Scotland |509 |-
|--- |-
Totals |5,597 |10
Decency Threshold
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of full-time male workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of the full-time workforce earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Nicholls : There is no such thing as a Council of Europe decency threshold for a minimum acceptable level of earnings.
Women Workers (Earnings)
Mr. McAvoy : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage, of full-time female workers earned less than the Council of Europe's decency threshold in the latest available year in the United Kingdom.
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