| Home Page |
Column 307
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 7 December 1989
EMPLOYMENT
Earnings
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report a table providing similar information for male and female self-employed workers, as that contained in his answer of 15 November, Official Report, column 279.
Mr. Nicholls : Comparable information for the self-employed is not available.
Public Appointments
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. Friend is responsible for some 6,000 appointments to a range of executive, advisory, tribunals and other public bodies. The information requested is not readily available and could not be assembled without disproportionate cost. Public bodies sponsored by this Department are listed in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1988" available in the House of Commons Library.
DEFENCE
Compensation
Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sums have been paid in compensation in each of the last three years to the families of soldiers killed in Northern Ireland ; and how many cases were involved.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Claims for compensation from families of soldiers killed in Northern Ireland as a result of criminal acts, including terrorist activity, are considered by the criminal injuries compensation division of the Northern Ireland Office. My Department has made one payment of £15,000 to the family of a soldier killed in the Province, not as a result of a criminal act but on the basis of legal liability at common law.
Mr. Yeo : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sums have been paid in compensation in each of the last three years to farmers whose livestock or livelihood have been affected by low-flying aircraft ; and how many cases were involved.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost and effort.
Column 308
Officers (Sexual Offences)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers of the armed forces have been dismissed from the services for sexual offences in each year since 1979.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information requested is readily available only for the years 1984 to 1988.
During that period two officers were convicted by court martial and dismissed from the services for sexual offences, the first in 1985 and the second in 1988.
Officers (Drugs)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers of the armed forces have been dismissed from the services for using drugs or drug-related offences in each year since 1979.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The information is readily available only for the years 1984 to 1988.
During that period one officer was dismissed, in 1986, following a court martial for drug-related offences.
Combat Body Armour
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that combat body armour is introduced into general service in 1990 ; and when he expects to place contracts with manufacturers to supply it.
Mr. Alan Clark : It remains our intention to begin to introduce combat body armour into service in 1990. We expect to invite manufacturers to tender in early 1990.
Home Ownership
Mr. Brazier : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the level of home ownership today among (a) married and (b) all personnel in (i) the Royal Navy, (ii) the Army and (iii) the Royal Air Force.
Mr. Neubert : We estimate that for married personnel the proportion of home owners is :
|per cent.
------------------------------------
Royal Navy |75
Army |26
Royal Air Force |49
For all personnel the proportions are :
per cent.
Royal Navy 48
Army 16
Royal Air Force 34
NATIONAL FINANCE
Charities
Mr. Hanley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about what the value added tax and corporation tax liability for charitable organisations receiving contributions from consumers using certain specified credit cards will be ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 309
Mr. Ryder : None. Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue have identified a value added tax and corporation tax liability in a number of affinity credit card schemes which they have examined. The two Revenue departments are considering each scheme on its own merits.Column 310
Interest and Exchange Rates
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the short-term and long-term interest rates in each available month of 1989 in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) West Germany, (c) the United States of America and (d) Japan.
Mr. Ryder : Short-term and long-term interest rates in each completed month of 1989 are given below. The short-term rates given are three-month money market rates and the long-term rates are for 10 year Government bonds.
Column 309
Long and short-term nominal interest rates
United Kingdom West Germany United States Japan
|three |10 year|three |10 year|three |10 year|three |10 year
month |month |month |month
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
January |13.1 |10.0 |5.7 |6.7 |9.3 |9.3 |4.6 |4.9
February |13.0 |9.8 |6.5 |6.9 |9.6 |9.4 |4.7 |4.9
March |13.0 |9.9 |6.6 |6.9 |10.1 |9.6 |4.8 |5.1
April |13.2 |10.2 |6.4 |6.9 |10.0 |9.4 |4.7 |5.2
May |13.1 |10.1 |7.0 |7.0 |9.7 |9.0 |5.0 |5.3
June |14.1 |10.6 |7.0 |6.8 |9.2 |8.5 |5.4 |5.3
July |13.9 |10.2 |7.1 |6.7 |8.8 |8.2 |5.5 |5.2
August |13.9 |9.9 |7.1 |6.7 |8.8 |8.3 |5.5 |5.1
September |14.0 |10.2 |7.4 |6.9 |8.8 |8.4 |5.6 |5.3
October |15.0 |10.5 |8.1 |7.0 |8.7 |8.2 |6.1 |5.3
November |15.1 |10.6 |8.3 |7.4 |8.4 |8.0 |6.8 |5.6
Source: National sources.
Market Research
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many market research and sample surveys were carried out by or for his Department in the last 12 months ; what was the cost of each ; what was the total cost ; how many were carried out in-house ; how many were carried out for his Department by outside organisations ; and what percentage of the total expenditure was paid to outside organisations.
Mr. Ryder : No market research or sample surveys have been undertaken for or by Her Majesty's Treasury.
Public Appointments
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons above the age of (a) 60, (b) 65 and (c) 70 years he has appointed to public bodies in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Ryder : The information sought could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
Civil List
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount payable under the Civil Lists Acts to the royal family for each year since 1979 and for the present year.
Mr. Major : Following is the information :
|Payments for the |Repaid by
|Civil List under the |Her Majesty
|Civil List Acts 1937,|The Queen
|1952, 1972 and 1975
Year |£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |2,996,600 |218,200
1980 |3,791,350 |263,800
1981 |4,249,273 |285,073
1982 |4,616,683 |304,700
1983 |4,833,900 |318,300
1984 |5,017,000 |331,000
1985 |5,180,100 |341,900
1986 |5,400,600 |355,600
1987 |5,661,200 |371,700
1988 |5,922,300 |386,600
1989 |6,195,300 |400,100
German Democratic Republic
Dr. Marek : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 28 November, if he will identify what figures are available to him for the gross national product per head of population for the German Democratic Republic and those aspects in which they are not fully comparable.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 4 December 1989] : Figures describing the economy of the German Democratic Republic are available from the United Nations in "National Accounts : Main Aggregates and Detailed Tables, 1986". Data are also given in the "World Bank Atlas, 1987". Both publications are available in the Library of the House. As for many of the centrally planned economies, this information on economic activity is prepared in accordance with the United Nations system of material product balances (MPS), which differs from the United Nations system of national accounts (SNA) used to describe market economies.
Column 311
Nationalised Industries
Mr. Hood : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will name each of the chairmen of the nationalised industries ; and if he will give details of salaries and other remunerations applicable to each.
Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 6 December 1989] : The information requested is set out in the table :
Chairman |Nationalised Industry |<1>Salary
|£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sir Robert Haslam |British Coal |160,000
Sir Robert Reid |British Railways Board |90,950
Mr. C. Campbell |British Shipbuilders |21,675
Mr. D. Ingham |British Waterways Board |33,700
Mr. C. Tugendhat |Civil Aviation Authority |60,000
Sir Philip Jones |Electricity Council |94,380
Lord Marshall |Central Electricity Generating |111,000
|Board
Mr. J. C. Smith |Eastern Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. J. F. Harris |East Midlands Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. J. J. Wilson |London Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. B. H. Weston |Merseyside and North Wales |57,390
|Electricity Board
Mr. B. S. Townsend |Midlands Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. D. Morris |North Eastern Electricity Board |80,000
Mr. K. Harvey |North Western Electricity Board |49,005
Mr. G. A. Squair |South Eastern Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. D. A. Ross |Southern Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. J. W. Evans |South Wales Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. A. W. Nichol |South Western Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. J. Porteous |Yorkshire Electricity Board |57,390
Mr. W. Newton |London Regional Transport |80,000
Mr. M. Joughin |North of Scotland Hydro Electric|39,750
|Board
Sir Bryan Nicholson |Post Office |102,000
Mr. I. S. Irwin |Scottish Transport Group |59,825
Mr. D. J. Miller |South of Scotland Electricity |66,900
|Board
Mr. B. Henderson |Anglian Water Authority |43,860
Sir Michael Straker |Northumbrian Water Authority |30,638
Mr. D. Grove |North West Water Authority |61,275
Mr. John Bellak |Severn Trent Water Authority |49,020
Mr. W. Courtney |Southern Water Authority |43,860
Mr. Court |South West Water Authority |51,063
Mr. R. Watts |Thames Water Authority |49,020
Mr. J. Elfed Jones |Welsh Water Authority |43,860
Mr. N. Hood |Wessex Water Authority |40,850
Mr. G. Jones |Yorkshire Water Authority |54,025
<1> Actual salaries. Some Chairmen are part-time.
Chairmen are also eligible for performance bonus schemes with a maximum limit of 25 per cent. of salary.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Teachers (Cheshire)
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has concerning the number of teaching vacancies in Cheshire at present and in each of the previous five years.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Numbers of full-time teacher vacancies in Cheshire are given in the table. Information on primary vacancies was not collected prior to 1988.
Column 311
Full time teacher vacancies in maintained primary and secondary schools in Cheshire: January
1984-January 1989
|1984|1985|1986|1987|1988|1989
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Primary vacancies:
-number |- |- |- |- |23 |11
-as a percentage of full-time primary teachers in post |- |- |- |- |0.7 |0.3
Secondary vacancies:
-number |40 |13 |19 |31 |31 |13
-as a percentage of full-time secondary teachers in post |0.9 |0.3 |0.4 |0.7 |0.7 |0.3
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has concerning the number of teachers who have left posts in Cheshire during the last 12-month period for which figures are available ; and what was the comparable figure in each of the previous five years.
Column 312
Mr. Alan Howarth : The year to 31 March 1987 is the most recent for which figures are available. Detailed comparison with data from previous years is not possible prior to 1986. The figures are given in the table including more limited data for earlier years.
Column 311
Numbers of teachers in Cheshire leaving full-time service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools (MNPS):
March 1982-March 1987
Year ending 31 March
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
|per |per
|cent |cent
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Left full-time service in MNPS in Cheshire of which: |- |- |- |- |615 |(7.8)|580 |(7.5)
-to full-time service in MNPS elsewhere in England and |- |- |- |- |95 |(1.2)|100 |(1.3)
Wales
-to full-time service in other parts of the maintained sector in |- |- |- |- |20 |(0.3)|30 |(0.4)
Cheshire and elsewhere
-no longer in full-time service in the maintained sector in |586 |511 |626 |556 |500 |(6.4)|450 |(5.8)
England and Wales
Note: The figures in brackets for 1986 and 1987 express the numbers leaving as a percentage of all those in full-time
service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in Cheshire at the beginning of the year.
Column 313
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received concerning morale in the teaching profession in Cheshire ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Howarth : My right hon. Friend has received a number of letters recently from teachers in Cheshire about morale in the profession. He recognises the demands on teachers, and has on many occasions paid tribute to their hard work and professionalism.
Head Teachers (Yorkshire)
Mr. Lofthouse : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he has made to the letter from head teachers at schools in Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley.
Mrs. Rumbold : All letters to this Department will continue to receive appropriate replies which I hope the recipients find helpful.
National Curriculum (Technology)
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish for consultation the draft order with attainment targets and programmes of study for technology in the national curriculum.
Mr. MacGregor : I have today published for consultation the draft order with an associated document setting out the attainment targets and programmes of study for technology in the national curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 16, as I am required to do by section 20(5) of the Education Reform Act 1988. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is consulting on the draft order under the provisions of section 21(3) of the Act. Copies have been placed in the Library. The draft order has been prepared in the light of advice from the National Curriculum Council, following its consultations on our proposals published last June. I have accepted the council's recommendations for attainment targets and programmes of study as a basis for further consultation. The consultation period ends on 19 January 1990. I intend to make the final order in March 1990, in good time for implementation from the following autumn term.
The development of practical capability is a major objective of the national curriculum. The proposals in this draft order provide a focus for a wide range of practical activity in schools. Our aim is to secure a significant improvement in the design and technological capability of young people which will be of benefit to them as individuals and to the economic future of the country.
Research Councils
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the research grants of each of the research councils was spent on equipment by recipients in each of the last five years for which figures are available ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Jackson [holding answer 30 November 1989] : Details of capital expenditure as a percentage of total research grant expenditure for each of the research councils, for the last five years for which outturn figures are available, are as follows :
Column 314
|1984-85|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89
--------------------------------------------------------
AFRC |10.3 |14.8 |11.1 |8.9 |17.7
MRC |13.8 |10.8 |9.3 |10.4 |10.2
NERC |7.7 |12.5 |11.0 |9.1 |8.7
SERC |26.3 |32.8 |31.2 |28.9 |27.2
ESRC |1.0 |1.4 |0.9 |1.2 |3.3
Separate figures for equipment are not available.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Sentencing
84. Mr. Gerald Howarth : To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of alleged over-lenient sentencing have been referred to the Attorney- General under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 ; and how many sentences have been revised upwards in consequence.
The Attorney-General : Sixty-one cases of alleged unduly lenient sentencing have been referred to me. I have applied for leave to refer the sentencing in nine cases to the Court of Appeal. Leave has been granted in five such cases and sentences have been increased in four of the cases. I have withdrawn two cases in the light of later information and the remaining two cases await consideration by the court.
Jurors
85. Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to review the procedures concerning the payment of compensation to jurors for loss of earnings.
The Attorney-General : There are no plans to review the procedures concerning the payment of compensation to jurors for loss of earnings.
Magistrates Courts
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the names and numbers of magistrates courts in England and Wales stating (a) how many justices are at each court, (b) how many are women, (c) how many are black and (d) how many are Asian.
The Attorney-General : The question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.
Law Officers (Court Appearances)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General in how many court cases he, his hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General, or any Law Officer have appeared as Law Officers from 1970 to 1989 inclusive.
The Attorney-General : The information sought by the hon. Member is not readily available and could be obtained only at a
disproportionate cost. The Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General have each appeared in five court cases since assuming their present offices in June 1987.
Column 315
County Courts
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of all the county courts.
The Attorney-General : The cost for the financial year 1988-89 was £134.3 million. This cost includes judicial salaries and fees, central overheads and superannuation costs.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General how many cases were dealt with in the county court of all subject headings for the years 1980 to 1989 inclusive.
The Attorney-General : Figures on the number of cases dealt with in different categories within the county courts for the years 1980 to 1988 are to be found in the Lord Chancellor's Department's annual publication "Judicial Statistics". Figures for 1989 are not yet available.
High Court Judges
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the numbers of High Court judges currently serving on the bench ; and how many fall into the age groups (a) 40 to 45 years, (b) 46 to 50 years, (c) 51 to 55 years, (d) 56 to 60 years, (e) 61 to 65 years, (f) 66 to 70 years, (g) 71 to 75 years and (h) over 75 years.
The Attorney-General : There are currently 81 serving High Court judges. Their ages are as follows :
|Number
-----------------------------
40 to 45 years |None
46 to 50 years |2
51 to 55 years |27
56 to 60 years |23
61 to 65 years |14
66 to 70 years |9
71 to 75 years |6
Over 75 years |None
Legal Aid
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General how much public money has been expended under the green form scheme (a) by area and (b) under subject headings ; and how many people have been assisted for each year since its inception.
The Attorney-General : Since the start of the green form scheme in 1972 the legal aid annual reports have included these statistics. The reports are laid before Parliament each year and are available in the Library.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General how much public money has been expended by the legal aid fund for
Column 316
each year since its inception ; and how many persons have benefited from the assistance of the legal aid fund for each year for (a) criminal legal aid and (b) civil legal aid.The Attorney-General : All information available since the start of the scheme in 1949 is contained either in the legal aid annual report or in the judicial statistics of the Lord Chancellor's Department which are laid before Parliament and are available in the Library. Any other information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Members of Parliament
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General how many serving Crown court recorders or circuit judges are hon. and learned Members.
The Attorney-General : Seven hon. and learned Members hold appointment as Crown court recorders. Of that seven, two are Government Ministers, and do not sit judicially. No circuit judge is an hon. and learned Member.
Courts and Legal Services Bill
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General (1) what is his estimate of the cost implications of the new Courts and Legal Services Bill, as outlined in the Gracious Speech ;
(2) if he has costed the implications of his new Bill on legal services, as announced in the Gracious Speech.
The Attorney-General : The costs of all provisions in the Courts and Legal Services Bill, introduced yesterday, are estimated at £5.1 million in the first full year. Some £2.1 million of this relates to the provisions on legal services.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General when he intends to publish the Courts and Legal Services Bill.
The Attorney-General : It has been published today.
Solicitors and Barristers
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General what sums have been paid out in legal aid fees to (a) solicitors and (b) barristers in England and Wales in terms of (i) fees and (ii) disbursements for each year since 1969.
The Attorney-General : All information available about civil legal aid and legal aid in the magistrates courts is contained in the legal aid annual reports. Total expenditure on solicitors' and counsel's fees and disbursements for criminal legal aid in the higher courts in each year since 1985 is as follows :
Column 315
|1985 |1986 |1987 |1988
|£ |£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solicitors |33,722,547.76 |36,360,110.42 |42,601,012.57 |47,591,306.36
Barristers |34,316,242.71 |38,931,994.65 |49,225,506.01 |52,494,458.56
Total |68,038,790.47 |75,292,105.07 |91,826,518.58 |100,085,764.92
No separate information on disbursements for criminal legal aid in higher courts is held at national level. Any other information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Column 316
Duty Solicitors Scheme
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General if it remains the Government's intention to commit the resources required to secure full implementation of the duty solicitors scheme.
Column 317
The Attorney-General : The Government will continue to provide the resources required.Advice and Assistance Schemes
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General what comparative research he has commissioned to consider the way in which other countries operate emergency advice and assistance schemes.
The Attorney-General : No such research has been commissioned into the provision of emergency advice and assistance overseas.
Legal Advice (Police Stations)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking in the light of the report on the duty solicitors scheme to ensure full implementation of the rights to access to legal advice at police stations.
The Attorney-General : The research report on the advice and assistance at police stations scheme has been made available to the Legal Aid Board which is reviewing the arrangements for providing duty solicitor advice. It expects to issue a consultation paper early next year.
The report has also been made available to the Home Office which is reviewing the codes of practice under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
| Next Section
| Home Page |