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Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide further details of the costs of the Government's proposals on top-up loans for students announced in his Autumn Statement.
67. Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide further details of the costs of the Government's proposals on top-up loans for students announced in his Autumn Statement.
68. Mr. Benn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide further details of the costs of the Government's proposals on top-up loans for students announced in his Autumn Statement.
Mr. Jackson : The Government's spending plans include £109 million in 1990-91, £179 million in 1991-92 and £204 million in 1992-93 for the introduction of the top-up loans scheme from September 1990, subject to the passage of the necessary legislation. Provision for the administration costs of the loans scheme will be added when the figures are available. The loan rates will be as set out in the White Paper "Top-up loans for Students".(Cm. 520).
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money will be allocated to Durham education authority for student loans in 1990.
Mr. Jackson : Student Loans Company Ltd. will provide loans directly to students. The funds will not be allocated to or through local education authorities.
Polytechnics (North-East)
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many members of the governing bodies of (a) Newcastle polytechnic, (b) Sunderland polytechnic and (c) Teesside polytechnic receive remuneration for their position ; what is the amount of that remuneration : and what criteria are used to determine that remuneration.
Mr. Jackson : Information is not collected centrally on these matters which are within the discretion of individual higher education corporations under schedule 7 to the Education Reform Act.
Education Support Grant
Mr. Gill : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what allocations will be made to local education authorities under the education support grants programme for 1990-91 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : My Department is today writing to all local education authorities in England to inform them of the level of expenditure which I have approved for each activity in the education support grants (ESG) programme for 1990-91. The programme is summarised in the following table.
The expenditure supported by ESGs in 1990-91 will total £141 million. This is over £15 million higher than the
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1989-90 programme. Of the £141 million total, £50 million will support new activities and the extension of existing activities, while £91 million will support the continuation of projects begun in earlier rounds.As in previous years, there has been great interest in the education support grants programme, with LEAs submitting a wide range of bids. I am pleased to say that all LEAs in England will be participating in the 1990- 91 programme, which is the largest so far. The activities targeted on implementing the Education Reform Act include major programmes to support local management of schools (LMS) and the national curriculum. We will be supporting over £36 million of spending on LMS, helping local authorities to install management information systems in schools, to train staff for their new responsibilities, and to provide central support.
A range of other activities will help schools get the national curriculum into place, including those on information technology in schools, English language, primary science, and mathematics, as well as the activity on the basic curriculum and assessment. Together, these activities will support some £55 million of spending. We shall also be allocating grant for a range of other priorities, including schemes to recruit former teachers and mature entrants into teaching, and to help schools cope better with their most difficult pupils.
This ESG programme represents a substantial package of assistance for schools, colleges and LEAs. It will help target resources where they are most needed, and particularly on the implementation of the Education Reform Act. In total, ESGs will support over £110 million of spending in 1990 -91 on activities related to the ERA.
For the future, I want to see the ESG programme focus even more closely on our key priorities. I shall wish in particular to concentrate future support on the implementation of our main ERA reforms, especially in the areas relating to the national curriculum and local management of schools. I shall also wish to consider what more can be done to help authorities to recruit teachers in the light of experience of the programme I am announcing today. The bids for the teacher recruitment activity showed that many authorities have some way to go in developing strategies for stimulating recruitment.
Education support grants programme 1990-91
£1 million
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teacher Shortages
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what action has been taken by his Department to improve teacher recruitment ;
(2) what action his Department has taken to improve teacher numbers in shortage subjects.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Since 1986 the Department has undertaken a range of measures to improve teacher supply. These include new initial and in- service training courses ; the establishment of the teaching as a career unit to undertake national advertising and publicity ; taster courses for those considering a career change ; support for local initiatives to attract mature new entrants and former serving teachers ; and the licensed and articled teacher schemes. The measures have also included bursaries for initial teacher training students, and retraining courses, which have concentrated on the shortage subject areas.
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Action programme on teacher shortage
The table shows the principal measures taken since the introduction
of our action programme on teacher shortages in 1986, and their
costs to date.
Measures |Total Cost
|£ million
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) |Bursary scheme for trainee teachers in maths,
physics, CDT
(ii) |Support for LEAs in-service training
in shortage subjects in order to upgrade
teachers' skills and conversion of teachers
in other subjects to maths, physics and CDT
(iii) |Support for new initiatives in higher education
institutions and the Open University for
new types of initial and in-service training
provision, including distance learning packs
and more flexible training arrangements
(iv) |TASC (Teaching as a Career) Unit to promote
teaching as a career and improve
recruitment practices among local
education authorities and initial teacher
training institutions
(v) |TASC advertising and publicity campaigns
(vi) |Production of video teaching programmes by
the BBC, Thames TV and Yorkshire TV
for in-service use
(vii) |Pump priming support for local initiatives to
improve supply in shortage subjects
(viii) |Taster courses for mature people and others to
encourage entry or return to teaching
(ix) |Regional conferences with the Scientific
Technology Regional Organisation
(SATRO) on how industry can help to
alleviate shortages
NATIONAL FINANCE
Household Incomes
15. Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the average household income is devoted to national and local taxation ; and what was the comparable percentage in 1979.
Mr. Norman Lamont : A married man with two children on average male earnings will pay approximately 36 per cent. of his earnings in taxes in 1989-90, about one percentage point more than in 1978-79. Over the same period he has enjoyed an increase in real take-home pay of 32 per cent.
Business Investment
16. Mr. Ian Bruce : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures indicating the share of gross domestic product taken by business investment.
Mr. Major : Business investment as a proportion of gross domestic product was 14.6 per cent. in 1988. The Industry Act forecast projected total business investment to grow by 9 per cent. in 1989. As a share of GDP, in 1989 business investment is likely to be one of the highest since the war.
54. Mr. Marlow : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures indicating the share of gross domestic product taken by business investment.
Mr. Norman Lamont : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce).
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Taxation
17. Miss Hoey : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the composite rate of tax for 1990-91.
Mr. Lilley : The composite rate of tax for 1990-91 is 22 per cent.
32. Mr. Franks : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it remains his policy to achieve lower rates of direct taxation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Porter).
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his answer of 11 January, he will list those reasons which are known to the Inland Revenue other than for the sole or main purpose of avoiding or evading United Kingdom taxation, that United Kingdom-based individuals, companies and trusts enter into transactions with persons or organisations based in tax havens ; and whether he will carry out studies with a view to estimating the current loss of revenue through business transactions involving tax havens.
Mr. Lilley : The Inland Revenue does not make judgments as to the motives of individuals, companies or trusts entering into transactions with persons or organisations based in tax havens. There is no reliable means of estimating the tax loss through avoidance and evasion in connection with tax haven transactions.
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any proposals to prevent tax avoidance and tax evasion by satellite television companies entering into business transactions with connected or associated companies, individuals and trusts based in (a) Jersey, (b) the Isle of Man, (c) Guernsey, (d) the Netherlands Antilles, (e) the Cayman Islands and (f) Liechtenstein for the sole purpose of avoiding or evading the payment of taxation in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lilley : If my hon. Friend has evidence of tax avoidance or evasion in this field perhaps he will write to me.
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the effect on the total revenue received of abolishing the upper income tax bands.
Mr. Lilley : The 1988 financial statement and budget report estimated the cost of abolishing higher rates above 40 per cent. at £965 million in 1988-89 and £2,070 million in 1989-90. These estimates did not include behavioural effects.
Homelessness
18. Mr. Patchett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department are employed to advise him on the resources needed to tackle homelessness.
Balance of Trade
19. Mr. John Hughes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the United Kingdom visible balance of trade.
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Mr. Rooker : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the United Kingdom visible balance of trade.
Mr. Norman Lamont : In the three months to November 1989, there was a deficit on visible trade of £5.2 billion, the smallest deficit since the three months to June 1988.
Investment
20. Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Treasury's forecast for the growth of total investment.
Mr. Major : The Autumn Statement forecast projected investment to rise by 5 per cent. in 1989 and 1 per cent. in 1990. This comes after an average growth of 7 per cent. a year between 1983 and 1988.
59. Mr. Hanley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the growth in total investment since 1983.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Total investment grew by 42 per cent. between 1983 and 1988, an annual average increase of 7 per cent. This is far higher than the growth range recorded under the last Labour Government, which averaged per cent. per year.
Manufacturing Output
21. Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of manufacturing output in the three months to October 1989 ; and what it was in the preceding three months.
Mr. Ryder : Manufacturing output in the three months to October 1989 was unchanged from the previous three months at its highest-ever level.
European Monetary Union
22. Mr. McKelvey : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take in preparation for the proposed intergovernmental conference on European economic and monetary union at the end of the year.
60. Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take in preparation for the proposed intergovernmental conference on European economic and monetary union at the end of the year.
Mr. Lilley : We will be working through Ecofin to advance our proposals.
50. Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on European economic and monetary union.
Mr. Lilley : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheadle (Mr. Day).
Growth
23. Mr. Eadie : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for growth in 1990.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The latest forecast for GDP growth in 1990 is 1 per cent., as published in the Autumn Statement.
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33. Mr. Sillars : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to revise (a) his forecast of growth made in the Autumn Statement, and (b) the assumption upon which he then worked.48. Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to revise (a) his forecast of growth made in the Autumn Statement, and (b) the assumption upon which he then worked.
53. Mr. Andrew Welsh : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to revise (a) his forecast of growth made in the Autumn Statement, and (b) the assumption upon which he then worked.
57. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to revise (a) his forecast of growth made in the Autumn Statement, and (b) the assumption upon which he then worked.
Mr. Norman Lamont : An updated forecast of growth and the assumptions on which it is based will be published with the 1990 Budget.
Interest Rates
24. Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer wht is the current level of United Kingdom short-term interest rates ; and what is the level in West Germany.
Mr. Ryder : On 17 January, three-month money market rates in the United Kingdom were 15.4 per cent., compared with 8.1 per cent. in West Germany.
28. Mr. Beaumont-Dark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received any representation from the Confederation of British Industry on interest rates.
44. Mr. Knox : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current level of interest rates.
55. Mr. Hunter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the current level of interest rates.
Mr. Ryder : Bank base rates are 15 per cent.
46. Mr. Dykes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last discussed with other EEC Finance Ministers matters affecting domestic interest rate policies.
Mr. Ryder : The Ecofin Council met in Brussels on 18 December 1989. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer represented the United Kingdom. The Council discussed a range of issues of mutual interest including economic and monetary matters.
61. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the effect of high interest rates on small businesses.
Mr. Ryder : My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of such representations.
Balance of Payments
25. Mr. Skinner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the balance of payments (a) for visibles and (b) for invisibles ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Norman Lamont : In the three months to November 1989, the visible trade deficit was £5.2 billion, the smallest deficit since the three months to June 1988. Preliminary estimates for invisibles for the third quarter of 1989, the latest period for which figures are available, show a surplus of £0.2 billion.
Inflation
26. Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many European countries have higher inflation rates than the United Kingdom.
Mr. Ryder : Four EC countries have higher inflation rates than the United Kingdom when estimates of owner-occupier housing costs are excluded so as to bring the published figures on to a more comparable basis.
30. Mr. Fearn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure that he has for inflation in the United Kingdom ; and what is the average inflation rate for countries that are full members of the European monetary system.
Mr. Ryder : Excluding mortgage interest payments United Kingdom inflation was 6.1 per cent. in November 1989. The latest, more comparable, inflation rate for members of the exchange rate mechanism of the EMS was 4.4 per cent. in October 1989.
67. Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the growth of average earnings over the last six months on the rate of inflation.
Mr. Major : Excessive pay settlements primarily threaten job prospects. The Government will not bail out employers who do not control their costs.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest inflation figure.
Mr. Ryder : The all-items RPI annual inflation rate in November was 7.7 per cent. The underlying rate of inflation, as measured by the RPI excluding mortgage interest payments, was 6.1 per cent.
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast for inflation for the last quarter of 1990.
Mr. Ryder : The Autumn Statement forecast is for RPI annual inflation to fall to 5 per cent. by the fourth quarter of 1990.
Medical Insurance
27. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the cost of private medical insurance in a full year.
Mr. Lilley : About £40 million in 1990-91.
VAT
29. Mr. David Evans : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the value added tax unit for small businesses.
Mr. Ryder : My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to extend the headquarters unit in Customs and
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Excise dealing directly with VAT policy for small businesses. It continues to seek ways of minimising the effects of VAT on small businesses.Autumn Statement
31. Mr. Beith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has made to the report of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on his Autumn Statement.
Mr. Norman Lamont : My right hon. Friend will respond to the Committee's report in due course.
European Community Banking
34. Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what work he envisages being undertaken by the joint committee and associated secretariat of central banks of the member nations of the European Community now being established.
Mr. Ryder : I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett).
G7
35. Mr. Yeo : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Finance Ministers of the G7 countries ; and what subjects were discussed.
Mr. Ryder : The last meeting of Finance Ministers of the Group of Seven countries was in Washington on 23 September before the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. A wide range of topics was discussed.
Capital Gains Tax
36. Mr. Gill : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the future of capital gains tax.
Mr. Lilley : The Government have received a number of different representations, which will be borne in mind in the run-up to the Budget.
Share Ownership
37. Mr. Knapman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the number of shareholders in the United Kingdom has increased during the 1980s.
Mr. Lilley : The joint Treasury and stock exchange survey carried out in January and February 1989 estimated that approximately 9 million people own shares--20 per cent. of the adult population. This represents a threefold increase since 1979.
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