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Adult Education
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of mothers with children aged five years old to 11 years old is in (a) part-time and (b) full-time education for the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Nicholls : Among women in Great Britain whose youngest dependent child was aged at least five years but under 11 it is estimated, using information from the "Labour Force Survey," that in spring 1988 about 3 per cent. were undertaking part-time education and just over 1 per cent. were undertaking full-time education.
Official Secrets Act
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what declaration as to their continuing obligations under the Official Secrets Act will have to be signed by the present staff of the Training Agency in the event of that being transferred to the private sector.
Mr. Eggar : All civil servants leaving Government employment are reminded that they remain subject to the provisions of the Official Secrets Act and are asked to sign a declaration to this effect.
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what declaration as to their continuing obligations under the Official Secrets Act was signed by those civil servants, formerly employed by his Department, who have transferred, along with functions, to the private sector ; what monitoring procedures exist to see that the provisions of that declaration are maintained ; and whether those who have transferred are permitted to use the records originally compiled under the rules of confidentiality relating to information held by the Civil Service.
Mr. Eggar : All employees of the Department are required to sign a declaration that they will not disclose official secrets both when they join and on leaving. The declaration summarises the provisions of the Official Secrets Act 1911 as amended by the Official Secrets Act 1920. These provisions apply both during their appointment to a Government Department and after that appointment has ceased.
Disabled People
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) prosecutions and (b) warnings of possible prosecutions there have been since 1979 of firms failing to comply with legislation on the employment of disabled people.
Mr. Eggar : There have been no prosecutions under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 since 1979. Information relating to warnings of possible prosecutions is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many area managers in the employment service have had experience of working in areas of the service concerned with the employment of disabled people ; and what proportion this is of the total.
Mr. Eggar : All area managers in the employment service, a total of 71, have a direct line management
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responsibility for managing the day-to-day operations of an area office-based disablement advisory service team. As such, they are required to be fully acquainted with all the employment service disablement operations and programmes.Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many disablement resettlement officers there are in the employment service ; and what has been the percentage change since 1979.
Mr. Eggar : In April 1989, 488 members of staff in the employment service were undertaking disablement resettlement officer duties, of whom 333 were doing so full-time. I regret that comparable figures are not available for previous years.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many technical officers work in the employment service giving advice to disablement resettlement officers ; and what has been the percentage change since 1979.
Mr. Eggar : In 1979, there were 13 technical officers working in the employment service giving advice to disablement resettlement officers. There is currently a cadre of 17 (an increase of 31 per cent.).
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to raise the status of work for disabled people in the employment service and to give it greater priority.
Mr. Eggar : People with disabilities are already one of the main priority groups for assistance from the Employment Department. A comprehensive network of services is available to help people with disabilities find and retain jobs through advice, assessment, rehabilitation and training ; and in the case of people with severe disabilities, support in the form of sheltered employment. My Department is currently reviewing the full range of services for people with disabilities, and a consultative document covering the conclusions of the review will be published as soon as possible.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that applicants for senior positions in employment service are required to have had some experience of working in areas concerned with the employment of disabled people.
Mr. Eggar : It is not always possible or indeed appropriate to fill all senior positions in the employment service with applicants who have had experience of working with some aspect of disablement services. Many in- service applicants from the employment service field network, or disablement specialists from employment service head office, will have had past experience ; it is very unlikely that this would be the case for external candidates.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what central guidance is given regarding the issuing of permits which allow firms to take on able-bodied workers when they are not filling their quota of disabled workers.
Mr. Eggar : Instructions issued to disablement resettlement officers require them to consider the
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availability of suitable registered disabled people, and the degree of commitment shown by employers towards meeting their obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the annual turnover of disablement resettlement officers.
Mr. Eggar : Details on the annual turnover of disablement resettlement officers are not readily available.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the policy of his Department regarding prosecution of firms who do not comply with legislation on the employment of disabled people.
Mr. Eggar : The policy of this Department, as it has been of successive Governments since the Act was first established, is : (i) to bring prosecutions only as a last resort ; and
(ii) to pursue a policy of education and persuasion designed to secure and improve the policies and practices of all employers in relation to the employment of people with disabilities.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the policy of his Department regarding taking action against firms which do not complete forms related to the employment of disabled people.
Mr. Eggar : Two forms are used to seek information from employers in relation to the quota scheme for employment of people with disabilities. These are (1) DP39--the application form for a permit to recruit a person or people who do not have disabilities and (2) DP74--used for the annual inquiry to employers to establish the numbers of registered disabled people employed. In neither case is there a statutory requirement for employers to complete the forms. Applications for permits are made only by those employers who are expecting to recruit in the near future. If a form is not completed it is assumed that employers have no plans to recruit workers. If the DP74 is not returned staff are instructed to send a reminder and, if there is still no response, to visit the employer.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of jobcentres are without a disablement resettlement officer.
Mr. Eggar : All jobcentres can provide access to disablement resettlement officers (DROs), either at the jobcentre at which the DRO is based, or by arranging a visit by a peripatetic DRO to the individual's local jobcentre, or, where appropriate, by a DRO visit to the individual's home.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of relevant companies completed the returns relating to disability in the last period for which figures are available.
Mr. Eggar : This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Employment Service
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place a copy of the review of the organisation and staffing of the employment service, report No. 466, in the Library.
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Mr. Eggar : The document is a report of an internal review and is not appropriate for deposit in the Library.
Mr. David Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has reached a decision on the future structure of the employment service ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Fowler : When the Prime Minister announced the Government's "Next Steps" initiative on 18 February 1988 at column 1149, the employment service was included in the first list of candidates for agency status. It is my intention that the employment service should be launched as an executive agency in April 1990.
My decision to launch the employment service as an executive agency will improve significantly its ability to help unemployed people back to work and to administer payment of unemployment benefits. As an agency the employment service will be set clear and challenging targets. It will also be given greater freedom to manage its operations effectively.
In considering how best the employment service can achieve its objectives as an agency I have decided that a new network of offices, bringing together the full range of employment service activities under one roof wherever possible, is the best way for the employment service to deliver its services as an agency. This development will represent a significant improvement on the present system where most people have to visit both a benefit office and a jobcentre as part of claiming benefit and looking for work.
Where appropriate the employment service will remodel existing offices but in other cases it will open new premises. These offices will be named "Employment Service" and will replace jobcentres and benefit offices.
The employment service will now establish a national network of some 1,100 to 1,200 employment service offices. The process will take a number of years, but the aim is to have the bulk of the network of integrated offices in place by 1992.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Tax Evasion and Fraud
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officers were involved in tax evasion and fraud investigation work at the latest date for which figures are available ; what the total estimated cost in respect of such investigation amounts to ; and what are the total actual amounts of tax evasion and fraud.
Mr. Lilley : In the year to 31 March 1989, some 2,800 Inland Revenue staff working on tax evasion and fraud investigation recovered £577 million at a cost of £73 million.
Computers
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether computers are classified as consumer or capital goods in the CSO press release on monthly trade figures ; what contribution they made to the volume of imports and exports in the current year ; and what were the figures for 1985.
Mr. Lilley : Computers are classified as capital goods in the analysis of finished manufactures by broad economic category in the monthly trade figures press release. The
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table gives the information requested in value terms ; indices of volume are not available at this level of disaggregation.Trade in computers<1> as a percentage of total trade -------------------- Exports |1.8|4.1 Imports |3.1|3.4 <1> Defined as SITC 752. <2> January to September.
Incomes
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the part that increases in income of employees has played in the increase in the rate of inflation since 1987 ; whether he will publish in the Official Report a list of the micro-sectors that have been mainly responsible for income-push inflation ; what measures he has taken to ensure that employers in these sectors take the lead in holding incomes down ; what
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success he expects those measures to have in 1990 ; and what impact he expects them to have on the rest of the economy.Mr. Ryder : The Government are maintaining a tight monetary stance, backed up by a sound fiscal position, to bear down on inflationary pressures. The Autumn Statement forecast expects inflation to fall to 5 per cent. by the fourth quarter of 1990.
Taxes and Benefits
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give up-to-date figures on the same bases in his reply to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 10 January, Official Report, columns 633-56, including indirect taxation and including data for 1989-90.
Mr. Lilley : [holding answer 24 November 1989] : Figures for 1978-79 to 1988-89 were placed in the Library of the House earlier this year, as noted in the Official Report, 13 April 1989, column 624. Revised estimates for 1988-89, and estimates for 1989-90 are set out in the tables.
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Income tax, NICS and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings, 1988-89
Multiples of Average Earnings
|0.5 |0.75 |1 |1.5 |2 |3 |4 |5 |7 |10 |20
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |21.61 |39.11 |56.61 |91.61 |142.87 |254.87 |366.87 |478.87 |702.87 |1,038.87|2,158.87
NICS |11.10 |17.40 |23.70 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74
VAT |- |10.59 |14.22 |22.16 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |15.96 |19.96 |28.72 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |8.42 |10.25 |14.25 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |32.71 |91.48 |124.74 |184.48 |170.61 |282.61 |394.61 |506.61 |730.61 |1,066.61|2,186.61
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |20.10 |36.38 |52.66 |85.22 |132.90 |237.09 |341.27 |445.46 |653.83 |966.39 |2,008.25
NICS |10.33 |16.19 |22.05 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80
VAT |- |9.85 |13.23 |20.61 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |14.85 |18.57 |26.72 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |7.83 |9.53 |13.26 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |30.43 |85.10 |116.04 |171.61 |158.71 |262.89 |367.08 |471.27 |679.64 |992.20 |2,034.06
Percentage of Earnings
Income Tax |15.4 |18.6 |20.2 |21.8 |25.5 |30.3 |32.8 |34.2 |35.9 |37.1 |38.6
NICS |7.9 |8.3 |8.5 |6.6 |5.0 |3.3 |2.5 |2.0 |1.4 |1.0 |0.5
VAT |- |5.0 |5.1 |5.3 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |7.6 |7.1 |6.8 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |4.0 |3.72 |3.4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |23.4 |43.6 |44.6 |43.9 |30.5 |33.6 |35.2 |36.2 |37.3 |38.1 |39.0
Married, no children
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |13.97 |31.47 |48.97 |83.97 |130.63 |242.633 |354.63 |466"63 |690.63 |1,026.63|2,146.63
NICS |11.10 |17.40 |23.70 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74
VAT |- |9.73 |13.69 |22.33 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |17.67 |21.68 |30.42 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |8.22 |9.55 |12.45 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |25.07 |84.49 |117.59 |176.91 |158.37 |270.37 |382.37 |494.37 |718.37 |1,054.37|2,174.37
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |13.00 |29.27 |45.55 |78.11 |121.52 |225.70 |329.89 |434.07 |642.45 |955.00 |1,996.87
NICS |10.33 |16.19 |22.05 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80
VAT |- |9.05 |12.73 |20.77 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |16.44 |20.17 |28.30 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |7.65 |8.88 |11.58 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |23.32 |78.60 |109.39 |164.57 |147.32 |251.51 |355.69 |459.88 |668.25 |980.81 |2,022.67
Percentage of earnings
Income Tax |10.0 |15.0 |17.5 |20.0 |23.3 |28.9 |31.7 |33.3 |35.2 |36.7 |38.3
NICS |7.9 |8.3 |8.5 |6.6 |5.0 |3.3 |2.5 |2.0 |1.4 |1.0 |0.5
VAT |- |4.6 |4.9 |5.3 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |8.4 |7.7 |7.2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |3.9 |3.4 |3.0 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |---
Total |17.9 |40.2 |42.0 |42.1 |28.3 |32.2 |34.1 |35.3 |36.7 |37.7 |38.8
Married, both working
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |0.58 |18.08 |35.58 |70.58 |109.21 |191.08 |286.28 |397.73 |621.73 |957.73 |2077.73
NICS |9.59 |15.89 |22.19 |34.79 |46.40 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49
VAT |- |10.96 |15.25 |32.83 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |20.40 |24.00 |31.19 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |10.10 |10.78 |12.15 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |10.17 |75.43 |107.80 |172.54 |155.61 |246.57 |341.77 |453.22 |677.22 |1013.22 |2133.22
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |0.54 |16.82 |33.10 |65.66 |101.59 |177.75 |266.31 |369.98 |578.35 |890.91 |1932.77
NICS |8.92 |14.78 |20.64 |32.36 |43.16 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62
VAT |- |10.20 |14.19 |22.17 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |18.98 |22.33 |29.01 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |9.40 |10.03 |11.30 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |9.46 |70.17 |100.28 |160.50 |144.75 |229.37 |317.93 |421.60 |629.97 |942.53 |1984.39
Per cent. of earnings
Income Tax |0.4 |8.6 |12.7 |16.8 |19.5 |22.7 |25.6 |28.4 |31.7 |34.2 |37.1
NICS |6.9 |7.6 |7.9 |8.3 |8.3 |6.6 |5.0 |4.0 |2.8 |2.0 |1.0
VAT |- |5.2 |5.4 |5.7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |9.7 |88.6 |7.4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |4.8 |3.9 |2.9 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |7.3 |35.9 |38.5 |41.1 |27.8 |29.4 |30.5 |32.4 |34.6 |36.2 |38.1
Married, 2 Children
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |-0.53 |16.97 |34.47 |69.47 |116.13 |228.13 |340.13 |452.13 |676.13 |1012.13 |2132.13
NICS |11.10 |17.40 |23.70 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74
VAT |- |9.60 |14.08 |23.87 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |17.36 |20.58 |27.64 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |8.08 |9.65 |13.07 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |10.57 |69.41 |102.48 |161.79 |143.87 |255.87 |367.87 |479.87 |703.87 |1039.87 |2159.87
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |-0.49 |15.79 |32.07 |64.62 |108.03 |212.21 |316.40 |420.59 |628.96 |941.52 |1983.38
NICS |10.33 |16.19 |22.05 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80
VAT |- |8.93 |13.10 |22.20 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |16.15 |19.14 |25.71 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |7.52 |8.98 |12.16 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |9.83 |64.57 |95.33 |150.50 |133.83 |238.02 |342.20 |446.39 |654.76 |967.32 |2009.18
Per cent. of earnings
Income Tax |-0.4 |8.1 |12.3 |16.5 |20.7 |27.2 |30.4 |32.3 |34.5 |36.1 |38.1
NICS |7.9 |8.3 |8.5 |6.6 |5.0 |3.3 |2.5 |2.0 |1.4 |1.0 |0.5
VAT |- |4.6 |5.0 |5.7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |8.3 |7.4 |6.6 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |3.8 |3.4 |3.1 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |7.6 |33.1 |33.6 |38.5 |25.7 |30.5 |32.8 |34.3 |35.9 |37.1 |38.6
Notes:
1. Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard
allowances. Earners, including working wives, are assumed to pay class 1 NI contributions at the contracted in rate. The figures
for NI contributions are financial year averages.
2. The two earner married couple is assumed to have combined earnings equal to the various multiples of average earnings. In
calculating disposable income it is assumed that these earnings are split between husband and wife in the ratio 60:40.
3. For the married couple with two children, child benefit is treated as a negative income tax.
4. Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly earnings of all full-time males on adult rates with pay unaffected by
absence. These were £256.30 per week in 1988-89, and estimated to be £280.00 per week in 1989-90, using the Government Actuary
Department's assumption of 9¬ per cent. growth over 1988-89 as published in the 1989 Autumn Statement.
5. The estimates of indirect taxes are derived from the 1985 Family Expenditure Survey, and are based on the illustrative
assumption that 10 per cent. of disposable income is saved. There are wide variations in spending patterns between households with
similar incomes and composition, and estimated payments of VAT, other indirect taxes and rates are therefore approximate, even
within the income range for which figures are shown. Outside this range the margin of error is even higher and reliable estimates
cannot be made. Because of sampling variation, there can be substantial differences between the estimates obtained from Family
Expenditure Surveys for different years.
6. 1989-90 figures converted into 1988-89 prices by assuming that the RPI is 7" per cent. higher in 1989-90 than the previous
financial year. This is consistent with the forecasts published in the 1989 Autumn Statement.
Income tax, NICS and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings, 1988-89
Multiples of Average Earnings
|0.5 |0.75 |1 |1.5 |2 |3 |4 |5 |7 |10 |20
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |21.61 |39.11 |56.61 |91.61 |142.87 |254.87 |366.87 |478.87 |702.87 |1,038.87|2,158.87
NICS |11.10 |17.40 |23.70 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74
VAT |- |10.59 |14.22 |22.16 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |15.96 |19.96 |28.72 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |8.42 |10.25 |14.25 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |32.71 |91.48 |124.74 |184.48 |170.61 |282.61 |394.61 |506.61 |730.61 |1,066.61|2,186.61
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |20.10 |36.38 |52.66 |85.22 |132.90 |237.09 |341.27 |445.46 |653.83 |966.39 |2,008.25
NICS |10.33 |16.19 |22.05 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80
VAT |- |9.85 |13.23 |20.61 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |14.85 |18.57 |26.72 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |7.83 |9.53 |13.26 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |30.43 |85.10 |116.04 |171.61 |158.71 |262.89 |367.08 |471.27 |679.64 |992.20 |2,034.06
Percentage of Earnings
Income Tax |15.4 |18.6 |20.2 |21.8 |25.5 |30.3 |32.8 |34.2 |35.9 |37.1 |38.6
NICS |7.9 |8.3 |8.5 |6.6 |5.0 |3.3 |2.5 |2.0 |1.4 |1.0 |0.5
VAT |- |5.0 |5.1 |5.3 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |7.6 |7.1 |6.8 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |4.0 |3.72 |3.4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |23.4 |43.6 |44.6 |43.9 |30.5 |33.6 |35.2 |36.2 |37.3 |38.1 |39.0
Married, no children
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |13.97 |31.47 |48.97 |83.97 |130.63 |242.633 |354.63 |466"63 |690.63 |1,026.63|2,146.63
NICS |11.10 |17.40 |23.70 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74
VAT |- |9.73 |13.69 |22.33 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |17.67 |21.68 |30.42 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |8.22 |9.55 |12.45 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |25.07 |84.49 |117.59 |176.91 |158.37 |270.37 |382.37 |494.37 |718.37 |1,054.37|2,174.37
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |13.00 |29.27 |45.55 |78.11 |121.52 |225.70 |329.89 |434.07 |642.45 |955.00 |1,996.87
NICS |10.33 |16.19 |22.05 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80
VAT |- |9.05 |12.73 |20.77 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |16.44 |20.17 |28.30 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |7.65 |8.88 |11.58 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |23.32 |78.60 |109.39 |164.57 |147.32 |251.51 |355.69 |459.88 |668.25 |980.81 |2,022.67
Percentage of earnings
Income Tax |10.0 |15.0 |17.5 |20.0 |23.3 |28.9 |31.7 |33.3 |35.2 |36.7 |38.3
NICS |7.9 |8.3 |8.5 |6.6 |5.0 |3.3 |2.5 |2.0 |1.4 |1.0 |0.5
VAT |- |4.6 |4.9 |5.3 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |8.4 |7.7 |7.2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |3.9 |3.4 |3.0 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |---
Total |17.9 |40.2 |42.0 |42.1 |28.3 |32.2 |34.1 |35.3 |36.7 |37.7 |38.8
Married, both working
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |0.58 |18.08 |35.58 |70.58 |109.21 |191.08 |286.28 |397.73 |621.73 |957.73 |2077.73
NICS |9.59 |15.89 |22.19 |34.79 |46.40 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49 |55.49
VAT |- |10.96 |15.25 |32.83 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |20.40 |24.00 |31.19 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |10.10 |10.78 |12.15 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |10.17 |75.43 |107.80 |172.54 |155.61 |246.57 |341.77 |453.22 |677.22 |1013.22 |2133.22
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |0.54 |16.82 |33.10 |65.66 |101.59 |177.75 |266.31 |369.98 |578.35 |890.91 |1932.77
NICS |8.92 |14.78 |20.64 |32.36 |43.16 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62 |51.62
VAT |- |10.20 |14.19 |22.17 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |18.98 |22.33 |29.01 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |9.40 |10.03 |11.30 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |9.46 |70.17 |100.28 |160.50 |144.75 |229.37 |317.93 |421.60 |629.97 |942.53 |1984.39
Per cent. of earnings
Income Tax |0.4 |8.6 |12.7 |16.8 |19.5 |22.7 |25.6 |28.4 |31.7 |34.2 |37.1
NICS |6.9 |7.6 |7.9 |8.3 |8.3 |6.6 |5.0 |4.0 |2.8 |2.0 |1.0
VAT |- |5.2 |5.4 |5.7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |9.7 |88.6 |7.4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |4.8 |3.9 |2.9 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |7.3 |35.9 |38.5 |41.1 |27.8 |29.4 |30.5 |32.4 |34.6 |36.2 |38.1
Married, 2 Children
Amounts, £ per week
Income Tax |-0.53 |16.97 |34.47 |69.47 |116.13 |228.13 |340.13 |452.13 |676.13 |1012.13 |2132.13
NICS |11.10 |17.40 |23.70 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74 |27.74
VAT |- |9.60 |14.08 |23.87 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |17.36 |20.58 |27.64 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |8.08 |9.65 |13.07 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |10.57 |69.41 |102.48 |161.79 |143.87 |255.87 |367.87 |479.87 |703.87 |1039.87 |2159.87
Amounts 1988-89 prices
Income Tax |-0.49 |15.79 |32.07 |64.62 |108.03 |212.21 |316.40 |420.59 |628.96 |941.52 |1983.38
NICS |10.33 |16.19 |22.05 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80 |25.80
VAT |- |8.93 |13.10 |22.20 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |16.15 |19.14 |25.71 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |7.52 |8.98 |12.16 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |9.83 |64.57 |95.33 |150.50 |133.83 |238.02 |342.20 |446.39 |654.76 |967.32 |2009.18
Per cent. of earnings
Income Tax |-0.4 |8.1 |12.3 |16.5 |20.7 |27.2 |30.4 |32.3 |34.5 |36.1 |38.1
NICS |7.9 |8.3 |8.5 |6.6 |5.0 |3.3 |2.5 |2.0 |1.4 |1.0 |0.5
VAT |- |4.6 |5.0 |5.7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other indirect |- |8.3 |7.4 |6.6 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Domestic rates |- |3.8 |3.4 |3.1 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total |7.6 |33.1 |33.6 |38.5 |25.7 |30.5 |32.8 |34.3 |35.9 |37.1 |38.6
Notes:
1. Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard
allowances. Earners, including working wives, are assumed to pay class 1 NI contributions at the contracted in rate. The figures
for NI contributions are financial year averages.
2. The two earner married couple is assumed to have combined earnings equal to the various multiples of average earnings. In
calculating disposable income it is assumed that these earnings are split between husband and wife in the ratio 60:40.
3. For the married couple with two children, child benefit is treated as a negative income tax.
4. Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly earnings of all full-time males on adult rates with pay unaffected by
absence. These were £256.30 per week in 1988-89, and estimated to be £280.00 per week in 1989-90, using the Government Actuary
Department's assumption of 9¬ per cent. growth over 1988-89 as published in the 1989 Autumn Statement.
5. The estimates of indirect taxes are derived from the 1985 Family Expenditure Survey, and are based on the illustrative
assumption that 10 per cent. of disposable income is saved. There are wide variations in spending patterns between households with
similar incomes and composition, and estimated payments of VAT, other indirect taxes and rates are therefore approximate, even
within the income range for which figures are shown. Outside this range the margin of error is even higher and reliable estimates
cannot be made. Because of sampling variation, there can be substantial differences between the estimates obtained from Family
Expenditure Surveys for different years.
6. 1989-90 figures converted into 1988-89 prices by assuming that the RPI is 7" per cent. higher in 1989-90 than the previous
financial year. This is consistent with the forecasts published in the 1989 Autumn Statement.
Column 465
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Barlow Clowes
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what date he intends to return to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration his draft report on the Barlow Clowes affair so that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration may report finally to the House.
Mr. Redwood : As soon as possible.
Consumer Council
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent European Economic Community Consumer Council meeting.
Mr. Forth : A resolution identifying priorities for the relaunch of consumer policy was agreed. The draft directives on package travel and product safety were discussed without substantive conclusions and both dossiers were remitted to COREPER. The Commission outlined its plans for improved representation of consumers at Community level and indicated that new Commission proposals for the European home and leisure accident surveillance system would be forwarded to the council soon.
Electronic Data Processing Equipment
Ms. Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.
Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with West Germany.
Mr. Forth : Based on data compiled by and available from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom had an estimated net surplus of £299 million, not a deficit, with West Germany in respect of electronic data processing equipment.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the deficit in electronic data processing equipment with European Community countries.
Mr. Forth : Based on data compiled and published by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in 1988 the United Kingdom has an estimated net surplus of £785 million, not a deficit, with the European Community countries in respect of electronic data processing equipment.
Oil Prices
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to refer the pricing policies of the oil companies to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
Mr. Redwood : The Director General of Fair Trading asked the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to investigate the supply of petrol in the United Kingdom on 9 November 1988. The deadline for completion of the report is 20 December 1989.
Column 466
Footwear and Textiles
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance he is proposing to give to prevent the further decline of the footwear and textile industry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : Sectoral schemes for the textiles and clothing industries have been banned by the European Commission since 1985. However, eligible textile and clothing firms, and firms in the footwear industry, could benefit from a range of DTI schemes which are open to firms in most sectors.
Ministerial Visits
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the recent visit of the hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) to Washington.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 29 November 1989] : I met the chairmen of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Mrs. Wendy Lee Gramm) and of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Mr. Richard Breedon) in Washington on 16 and 17 November. In my talks with Mrs. Gramm and Mr. Breedon, I stressed the importance that the Government attach to co- operation between our respective regulatory authorities, to the mutual recognition of the effectiveness of our regulatory regimes, and to respect of each other's territorial jurisdiction. The CFTC is currently negotiating a compromise with the AFBD over that part of the exemption order governing the sale of United Kingdom futures and options products into the USA which relates to the segregation of customers' and brokers' funds. I hope that my firm representation on extraterritoriality will help the parties to come to a more satisfactory agreement.
The chairman of the SEC and I agreed to progress consideration of international regulatory issues, preferably with Japanese involvement. As global markets develop effective collaboration in standard setting and enforcement becomes more important. I also discussed how the United Kingdom could extend its memorandum of understanding with the USA on the exchange of information in matters relating to securities and futures.
SROs (Allegations)
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will proscribe the issuing of press releases by self-regulatory organisations which name individuals in advance of hearings of the same self-regulatory organisations in which the allegations against those named individuals are to be examined.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 27 November 1989] : A self- regulating organisation is reponsible for ensuring that its own rules and practices are observed. I have to leave the SROs free to exercise their own discipline over the companies or individuals who have agreed to be bound by their rules. Any complaints or suggestions for a change in practice in this matter should be taken up with the SRO.
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will consider giving guidance to self-regulatory organisations on the need to avoid prejudicing forthcoming criminal trials.
Column 467
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 27 November 1989] : I do not believe such guidance to be necessary. It is well known in English justice that care must be exercised to avoid prejudging trials, and defendants have rights to a fair trail in criminal law.AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Pesticides
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list all the research projects he is funding into residues of pesticides in food, including the location and amount spent on each project ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) if he will list all the research projects he is funding into the efficient use of pesticides, including the location and amount spent on each project ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) if he will list all the research projects he is funding into the environmental effects of pesticides, including the location and amount spent on each project ; and if he will make a statement ; (4) if he will list all the research projects he is funding into alternative methods of pest control other than the use of pesticides, including the location and amount spent on each project ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : My Department attaches a high priority to research concerned with pesticides and alternative methods of pest control and will be spending over £18.5 million on this in 1989-90. The following research projects are being carried out by or on behalf of the Department :
(c) Research funded by MAFF concerned with environmental
effects of pesticides
Amount of Funding in 1989-90 (£'000)
Project |Location
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Methods for assessing the effects of pesticides on
wildlife-ADAS, Worplesdon and Tolworth |60
2. Indirect effects of pesticides on wildlife-ADAS,
Worplesdon and Tolworth |96
3. The economic and ecological effects of pest disease
and weed control systems in intensively-produced
cereals<1>-ADAS, Boxworth EHF, Worplesdon,
Tolworth and Cambridge |244
4. Invertebrate fauna of cereal fields<1>-University of
Southampton |32
5. Small mammal studies<1>-University of Cambridge |22
6. Cereal pest/predator interactions<1>-University of
Cambridge |25
7. The effect of pesticides used in grassland on non-
target organisms-Universities of Leeds and
Newcastle, Institute for Grassland and Animal
Production (IGAP), Hurley |23
8. Pesticide residues (includes work on pesticide
degradation in the soil and pesticide leaching)-
ADAS, Cambridge Field Drainage Experimental
Unit, Cambridge |166
<1> Part of Boxworth project.
Column 468
(c) Research funded by MAFF concerned with environmental
effects of pesticides
Amount of Funding in 1989-90 (£'000)
Project |Location
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Methods for assessing the effects of pesticides on
wildlife-ADAS, Worplesdon and Tolworth |60
2. Indirect effects of pesticides on wildlife-ADAS,
Worplesdon and Tolworth |96
3. The economic and ecological effects of pest disease
and weed control systems in intensively-produced
cereals<1>-ADAS, Boxworth EHF, Worplesdon,
Tolworth and Cambridge |244
4. Invertebrate fauna of cereal fields<1>-University of
Southampton |32
5. Small mammal studies<1>-University of Cambridge |22
6. Cereal pest/predator interactions<1>-University of
Cambridge |25
7. The effect of pesticides used in grassland on non-
target organisms-Universities of Leeds and
Newcastle, Institute for Grassland and Animal
Production (IGAP), Hurley |23
8. Pesticide residues (includes work on pesticide
degradation in the soil and pesticide leaching)-
ADAS, Cambridge Field Drainage Experimental
Unit, Cambridge |166
<1> Part of Boxworth project.
(c) Research funded by MAFF concerned with environmental
effects of pesticides
Amount of Funding in 1989-90 (£'000)
Project |Location
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Methods for assessing the effects of pesticides on
wildlife-ADAS, Worplesdon and Tolworth |60
2. Indirect effects of pesticides on wildlife-ADAS,
Worplesdon and Tolworth |96
3. The economic and ecological effects of pest disease
and weed control systems in intensively-produced
cereals<1>-ADAS, Boxworth EHF, Worplesdon,
Tolworth and Cambridge |244
4. Invertebrate fauna of cereal fields<1>-University of
Southampton |32
5. Small mammal studies<1>-University of Cambridge |22
6. Cereal pest/predator interactions<1>-University of
Cambridge |25
7. The effect of pesticides used in grassland on non-
target organisms-Universities of Leeds and
Newcastle, Institute for Grassland and Animal
Production (IGAP), Hurley |23
8. Pesticide residues (includes work on pesticide
degradation in the soil and pesticide leaching)-
ADAS, Cambridge Field Drainage Experimental
Unit, Cambridge |166
<1> Part of Boxworth project.
(d) Research funded by MAFF concerned with alternatives to pesticides for pest control
1. Integrated control of pests on outdoor crops
The use of natural enemies, chemical and cultural methods to control aphid pests in cereals.
Location--Institute of Horticultural Research (IHR), Littlehampton. Funding in 1989-90--£124,000.
2. Biology and ecology of pests, pathogens and beneficial organisms
(a) The development of new methods of insect management using non-polluting chemicals affecting behaviour.
(b) The development of methods using natural predators and pesticides in integrated control systems for pests of arable crops. (
(c) To determine the effects of straw incorporation and cultivation techniques on populations of pest aphids and beneficial insects, and to assess the implications for future pesticides usage. Location--Institute of Arable Crops Research (IACR), Rothamsted. Funding in 1989-90-- £768,000.
3. Control of diseases in cereals
To develop methods, involving biological control, agrochemicals, host resistance and husbandry practices to minimise the harmful effects of takeall.
Location--IACR, Rothamsted.
Funding in 1989-90--£66,000.
4. Development of oats and disease resistant cereals
To evaluate new sources of disease resistance and to incorporate new resistant germplasm into high yielding winter and spring oat varieties.
Location--Institute for Grassland and Animal Production (IGAP), Aberystwyth
Funding in 1989-90--£152,000.
5. Disease and pest management in agro-ecosystems harmonised with the environment
(a) To rationalise the development of resistant varieties by understanding the mechanisms underlying genetic host resistance, its specificity with regard to pathogen variation, its relationship with non-host resistance and the corresponding implications for its durability.
(b) To identify and conserve genetically resistant germplasm of currently important crops and minor alternative crops.
Characterisation and determination of the durability of such resistances and their deployment in disease management systems using reduced pesticide inputs.
(c) To develop an holistic approach to the deployment of genetic resistance in the field with special reference to grassland cereal farming and farm forestry in de-intensified systems.
(d) To integrate the use of natural biocides, particularly Bacillus thuringiensis toxin, genetic resistance and systemic pesticides in the management of crop pests and diseases.
Location--IGAP, Aberystwyth
Funding in 1989-90--£153,000
6. The improvement of dry peas
To define an optimum model for composition of storage compounds in a pea seed by understanding genetic variation and storage product accumulation in embryos, to improve the quality of peas for use as food and feed, and to improve disease resistance in the pea crop.
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