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Assisted Places
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the cost of the assisted places scheme in 1990-91 ; and what it was in 1989-90.
Mr. Lang : The estimated cost of the scheme in the current school year is £6.8 million. Planned expenditure in the 1990-91 school year is £7.8 million.
Red Deer Commission
Mr. Maclennan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the funding of the Red Deer Commission ; and if he will make a statement.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The report of the Agriculture Committee on land use and forestry recommended that the commission should be given the powers and resources necessary to achieve a programmed reduction in the open hill population of red deer. The Government's response to the Committee's report is currently being considered.
My right hon. and learned Friend has also recently received the Red Deer Commission's annual report for 1988, which comments on the resources available to the commission. The annual budget for the commission's work is determined within the normal public expenditure procedures.
Heart Disease
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received the report of the management consultants who were appointed to review health education in Scotland ; and if he will make a statement on the position of coronary heart disease prevention in Scotland.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Touche Ross Management Consultants submitted their report on health education in Scotland on 21 December. A copy of their report has been placed in the Library.
The consultants have produced a comprehensive study and detailed recommendations which will require careful consideration. In the light of their proposals, the Government intend to take the following steps :
A national policy statement on health education in Scotland with a positive orientation towards health promotion will be prepared and, following consultation, will be widely disseminated ;
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The statement will provide guidance on approaches to health education appropriate to Scottish needs and circumstances ; and it will provide guidance on the relationship between a general positive life styles approach and more specifically targeted approaches ; Powers will be sought in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, enabling a new national health education organisation to be established. It is envisaged that the new organisation, which will replace the Scottish Health Education Group, will come into operation on 1 April 1991 ;The new health education organisation will operate within the framework of the national policy statement and on the basis of policy guidance from the Scottish Home and Health Department ;
The organisation will take steps to improve the publication and supply of health education material to health boards and other interested groups ;
Health boards will be required to develop a strategy for health education within guidelines set by the national policy statement ; Liaison between the national organisation and health boards will be improved by the establishment of a formal liaison group ; The national organisation will commission research to establish the cost-effectiveness of health education/promotion programmes. The Scottish Health Education Group will continue its activities in the meantime and provide the main staffing and expertise of the new organisation.
A study on coronary heart disease in Scotland undertaken by a working group of the Scottish Health Service Planning Council on Prevention and Health Promotion has also been completed and a copy of the group's report has been placed in the Library.
The group has confirmed the serious incidence of coronary heart disease in Scotland and advised that the general positive life styles approach, already adopted in Scotland, is the most effective means of preventing coronary heart disease. It recommends, however, that this general approach should be presented more aggressively than at present and should be reinforced by an approach which targets health education at individuals most at risk, principally through the primary care sector.
The prevention of coronary heart disease will be one of the specific subjects that will be addressed in the Government's national policy statement and in the remit given to the new health education body. The details of the proposed individual approach will be carefully examined and taken into account in the continuing development of our approach to coronary heart disease prevention. The Government acknowledge the capable work of Touche Ross Management Consultants and the Scottish Health Service Planning Council Working Group on Prevention and Health Promotion and believe that the strategy outlined in this answer, which is based on their conclusions, will enable health education generally, and coronary heart disease in particular, to be tackled more effectively in Scotland.
City Technology Academies
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was or is planned to be spent on city technology academies in 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1990-91.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 12 March 1990] : There was no expenditure on technology academies in 1988-89. In the current financial year, following the appointment of a project director in March 1989, around £100,000 has so far been spent, on salary costs, professional fees for site assessments and so on, and travel and office costs. Planned expenditure for 1990-91 is £3.3 million.
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NATIONAL FINANCE
Negligence
Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances the Treasury indemnifies private undertakings for their negligence ; and if he will list the undertakings so protected.
Mr. Norman Lamont : As a general rule the Government do not indemnify private undertakings for their negligence.
However, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have, with the agreement of the Treasury, issued to certain water undertakers (i) statutory indemnities under section 172 of the Water Act 1989 and (ii) non- statutory indemnities in accordance with minutes laid before Parliament on 23 November 1989. These indemnities cover liabilities incurred by the water undertakers concerned in connection with the addition of fluoride to the water they supply. The indemnities specifically exclude any liabilities, costs, expenses or expenditure incurred in respect of any criminal proceedings.
European Investment Bank
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what interest rate and for what amount the loan was given by the European Investment Bank in respect of the Channel tunnel ; and when it will be fully paid back.
Mr. Ryder : The European Investment Bank approved a loan of £1 billion in 1987 in respect of the Channel tunnel. The loan will primarily be at fixed interest rates and for a range of maturities of up to 25 years. The terms will reflect prevailing market conditions. Because the loan will be drawn down through a series of finance contracts phased over seven years, and not all the loan has been drawn yet, it is impossible to say at this stage when the loan will be fully paid back.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government have underwritten or offered guarantees on the European Investment Bank's loans to the Channel tunnel promoters.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will name the United Kingdom representative directors on the European Investment Bank board and the number of meetings each has attended in each of the years they have been directors.
Mr. Ryder : The United Kingdom has three full-time representative directors on the European Investment Bank board--Mr. H. P. Evans from Her Majesty's Treasury, Miss E. Llewellyn-Smith from the Department of Trade and Industry and Mr. A. J. O. Ritchie from the Union Discount Co. plc. The number of meetings each has attended in each of the years they have been directors is :
|Years |Attendance
-----------------------------------------------------------
Mr. H. P. Evans |1989 |2 meetings
Appointed in October 1989 |1990 |1 meeting
Miss E. Llewellyn-Smith |1987 |4 meetings
Appointed in May 1987 |1988 |9 meetings
|1989 |8 meetings
|1990 |2 meetings
Mr. A. J. Ritchie |1986 |1 meeting
Appointed October 1986 |1987 |7 meetings
|1988 |9 meetings
|1989 |7 meetings
|1990 |2 meetings
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what loans or guarantees were given to United Kingdom projects by the European Investment Bank since 1979, with the amount in each case.
Mr. Ryder : The total amount of loans given by the European Investment Bank to United Kingdom projects in each year since 1979 is as follows :
|£ million
------------------------------
1979 |553.3
1980 |417.3
1981 |139.5
1982 |273.8
1983 |410.7
1984 |547.0
1985 |660.1
1986 |873.8
1987 |801.3
1988 |790.2
1989 |1,084.3
The European Investment Bank only rarely guarantees loans within the Community. As a general rule the guarantees on the bank's loans are provided by member states' Governments, public authorities or first-class financial institutions.
Corporation Tax
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will express the current level of corporation tax in the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product and provide comparable figures for other European Community countries and the United States of America.
Mr. Lilley : On the first part of the question I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for
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Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 1 March 1990, Official Report, column 265. The most recent comparable figures for European Community countries and the United States of America are given in table 12 of "Revenue Statistics of OECD Member Countries 1964-1988" which is available in the Library.Employee Share Ownership
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies have taken up the employee share ownership plan ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 6 March 1990, Official Report, column 593.
Stamp Duty
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the increase in the yield of stamp duty from house purchase by regions and valuation districts for the last five years ; and if he will tabulate this against property value averages and stamp duty thresholds.
Mr. Lilley : The table gives the estimated yield from stamp duty on residential property, broken down by regions, for each of the years 1985-86 to 1988-89. The estimates for Scotland and Northern Ireland are very tentative since the available information does not distinguish receipts from residential property in those regions. Estimates of stamp duty on residential property broken down by valuation districts are not available.
The table also sets out average regional house prices for the same years, at mortgage completion stage. This information is derived from "Housing Finance" published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The latest estimate of stamp duty receipts in 1989-90 attributable to residential property was given in the reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 7 February 1990, Official Report, column 643. A regional breakdown of this figure and average regional prices for 1989-90 are not yet available.
The stamp duty threshold of £30,000 was set in 1984.
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Stamp duty yield attributable to residential property and average house prices
1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89
Region |Stamp duty |Average |Stamp duty |Average |Stamp duty |Average |Stamp duty |Average
|yield |house price|yield |house price|yield |house price|yield |house price
|£ million |£ |£ million |£ |£ million |£ |£ million |£
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North |5 |22,754 |10 |25,058 |15 |23,132 |15 |30,667
Yorkshire and Humberside |10 |23,756 |15 |25,928 |25 |28,417 |40 |34,805
East Midlands |15 |25,863 |20 |29,171 |30 |33,138 |55 |43,272
East Anglia |15 |32,549 |15 |26,546 |35 |45,611 |45 |61,310
South East |145 |46,392 |205 |57,102 |295 |68,093 |360 |80,249
Greater London |105 |42,002 |150 |50,061 |210 |60,339 |250 |76,999
South West |40 |34,261 |60 |39,811 |95 |46,713 |125 |61,985
West Midlands |20 |26,386 |25 |28,810 |40 |33,873 |60 |45,179
North West |15 |25,654 |20 |28,072 |35 |29,989 |50 |35,583
Wales |5 |25,333 |10 |27,502 |15 |30,210 |25 |36,007
Scotland } |20 |27,260 |30 |28,115 |30 |29,428 |40 |32,031
Northern Ireland } |23,513 |26,749 |28,094 |30,335
|--- |--- |--- |---
Total |400 |570 |820 |1,065
Note: Regional figures may not add to totals due to rounding.
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Rented Property
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new lettings have been made available as a result of the introduction of the business expansion scheme in (a) inner London, (b) Greater London, (c) other metropolitan areas and (d) the United Kingdom as a whole, expressed both as a figure and as a percentage of (i) all privately rented property and (ii) all rented property.
Mr. Lilley : Provisional estimates for new lettings from investments under the business expansion scheme in 1988-89 are as follows. Separate figures for inner and Greater London and other metropolitan areas could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
New lettings
Total As a percentage of:
|all
|privately|rented
|rented |property
|property
-----------------------------------------------------------
South East England |2,250 |0.4 |0.1
United Kingdom |6,500 |0.4 |0.1
Information for 1989-90 is not yet available.
Budget Statement
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whom it is his practice to consult in the preparation of his Budget statement.
Mr. Norman Lamont : My right hon. Friend the Chancellor consults a number of people and interest groups in preparation for the Budget statement. He also receives a large number of written
representations.
Council House Sales
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional lending has been injected into the economy since 1979 as a result of council house sales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Council house sales increase personal sector borrowing and reduce public sector borrowing. No estimates of the net effect on borrowing are available.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what inflationary impact the sale of council houses has had on the economy.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Council house sales have contributed to the improvement in the supply side of the economy and so should help the Government in their objective of reducing inflation.
Inflation
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the current rate of inflation if mortgage interest payments were excluded from the calculation of the retail price index.
Mr. Ryder : It would be 6.1 per cent. in the year to January.
Sir Trevor Skeet : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which European Community countries (a) include and (b) exclude mortgage interest payments in the assessment of consumer inflation.
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Mr. Ryder : Of EC countries, only the United Kingdom and Ireland include mortgage interest payments in their calculation of the consumer price index. Three other countries, Germany, Netherlands and Spain include some other indicator of owner-occupiers' costs. The remaining seven make no such allowance.
Mortgages
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in tabular form, and at constant prices the amounts which would be payable each month (a) at 15 per cent. and (b) at 9.8 per cent., on a standard repayment mortgage repayable over 25 years, of each of the regional average mortgages listed in his answer of 19 February, Official Report, column 518, to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen).
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 8 March 1990] : The monthly interest payments, after deduction of basic rate tax relief, for part (a) are given in the table. For part (b) , I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 26 February 1990, Official Report, column 12 .
Region |Average new |Monthly
|mortgage<1> |payment<2>
|15 per cent.
|interest rate
|£ |£
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern |28,400 |266.25
Yorkshire and Humberside |29,600 |277.50
East Midlands |34,700 |340.00
East Anglia |44,600 |463.75
Greater London |60,900 |667.50
South East |53,200 |571.25
South West |43,700 |452.50
West Midlands |33,800 |328.75
North West |31,300 |297.50
Wales |30,200 |283.75
Scotland |26,500 |248.44
Northern Ireland |24,200 |226.88
United Kingdom |38,300 |385.00
<1> Third quarter 1989.
<2> Assuming endowment mortgage.
Composite Rate Tax
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will update the answer given to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) on 13 February 1989, Official Report , column 80, on composite rate tax on investment income ;
(2) if he will update the answer on interest taxation given to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, East (Mr. Brown) on 10 January 1989, Official Report, column 630 ;
(3) if he will update the answer on taxation given to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) on 13 February 1989, Official Report, column 84.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 8 March 1990] : The latest information is as follows. Estimates for 1986-87 are now final.
There were some 64 million accounts subject to composite rate and which earned over £1 interest in 1986-87, some of which were held by clubs or other non-individuals. Of these accounts, it is estimated that 49 million were held by investors whose composite rate interest would be wholly liable to tax in the absence of
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composite rate system, and 13 million by investors none of whose composite rate interest would be liable. The balance of about 2 million accounts was held by investors part of whose interest would be liable to tax if there were no composite rate system.In 1988-89, the latest year for which information is available, about £450 million of the composite rate tax accounted for by building societies, banks and other deposit takers was due in respect of interest that would not have been liable to tax in the hands of its recipients in the absence of a composite rate scheme, and about £3,050 million was due in respect of interest that would have been liable to tax.
Business Expansion Scheme
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give figures to show the tax revenue written off in respect of the business expansion scheme for (a) nursing homes and clinics and (b) hospitals opened for each year since 1983 ;
(2) if he will give the total number of schemes involving (a) nursing homes and clinics and (b) hospitals which have taken advantage of the business expansion scheme ; and if he will give the total bed numbers involved in each scheme.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 8 March 1990] : I regret that the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Statistical Divisions
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in the Central Office of Information ; if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts ; and if he will give the staffing complements by grade, and differentiated between statistical and administrative posts, proposed for 1990-91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : The Central Office of Information does not have statistical divisions or staff in statistical posts ; nor are any proposed for in 1990-91.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in his Department ; if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts ; and if he will give the staffing complements by grade, and differentiated between statistical and administrative posts, proposed for 1990-91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : The information is as follows :
Staff in Statistical Divisions<1>
|Staff in |Budgeted |Budgeted
|post 1 |complement|complement
|February |1989-90 |1990-91
|1990
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unified Grade 5<1> |2 |2 |2
Unified Grade 7<2> |8 |8 |7
SEO |2 |4 |3
HEO |4 |5 |6
Senior assistant statistician/
Assistant statistician |4 |4 |4
EO |11 |11 |11
AO/AA |13 |13 |14
|--- |--- |---
Total |44 |47 |47
Notes:
<1> Defined as divisions headed by Grade 5 Chief Statistician and
employed mainly on statistical work. There are other statistician
posts in Her Majesty's Treasury which are not included in the above
figures.
<2> At the senior levels of the service, where management forms a
major component of most jobs, there are service-wide common pay
and grading arrangements. These unified grades 1 to 7 are known as
the Open structure and cover grades from Permanent Secretary level
to Grade 7 level. Within the unified grades there are no formal
barriers to movement between the former occupational groups, e.g.
scientists, administrators, statisticians; each post should be filled by
the person best equipped in terms of skills, ability and experience.
Public Relations
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, in the press and public relations office of the Central Office of Information ; and what is the proposed complement for 1990-91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : The press office of the Central Office of Information is staffed by one information officer. No increase is proposed for 1990-91.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, in the press and public relations office of his Department and what is the proposed complement for 1990-91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : The number of press and public relations staff employed in Her Majesty's Treasury on 1 February 1990 was 10 and the budgeted provision was 10 ; the budgeted provision for 1990-91 is 10.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total expenditure by the Central Office of Information on press and public relations in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : The cost of the press office of the Central Office of Information for 1979-80 to 1983-84 are not readily available. The costs from 1984-85 are as follows :
|£
------------------------------
1984-85 |52,528
1985-86 |35,173
1986-87 |31,234
1987-88 |31,185
1988-89 |43,450
1989-90 |<1>48,850
1990-91 |<2>48,700
<1>Estimate.
<2>Budget.
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Privatisation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total sum paid in fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by the Central Office of Information in 1979-80 and in each subsequent year ; and what is his estimate for 1990-91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : No fees have been paid by the Central Office of Information in the furtherance of privatisation. However, the Central Office of Information has been involved in the following privatisation publicity campaigns :
Date |Campaign --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 1986 |British Gas February 1987 |British Airways May 1987 |Rolls-Royce July 1987 |British Airports Authority October 1987 |British Petroleum September 1988 |British Steel September 1989 |Water Authorities
The costs of these campaigns have been included in answers provided by the Government Department concerned.
Advertising Expenditure
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the figures for the spending by the Central Office of Information on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990- 91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : Figures for the Central Office of Information on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979-80 to 1985-86 were given in the answer at columns 240-42 on 25 November 1986. Figures for the years 1986-87 to 1989-90 are listed in the table.
|Television |Radio |Press |Other
|Advertising|Advertising|Avertising |Promotion-
|al Material
|£000s |£000s |£000s |£000s
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1986-87 |45,517 |3,278 |33,168 |15,600
1987-88 |45,170 |1,559 |32,665 |18,000
1988-89 |34,714 |1,576 |41,324 |26,100
1989-90<1> |49,096 |2,204 |53,310 |28,000
<1> Estimate
The figures for 1986-87 and subsequent years are now shown on the basis of invoices issued to client departments in the financial year in question. This is a different basis from that used previously. The figures for TV and radio advertising also now include production costs. Privatisations are included. All figures are VAT exclusive.
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Detailed decisions on estimated expenditure on advertising through the Central Office of Information on behalf of other Government Departments for 1990-91 are for departmental Ministers.Management Consultants
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total fees paid out by the Central Office of Information to management consultants in 1979-80 and in each following year ; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990-91.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : Fees paid by the Central Office of Information to management consultants are as follows :
|£
------------------------------
1979-80 |nil
1980-81 |nil
1981-82 |67,690
1982-83 |159,424
1983-84 |243,868
1984-85 |35-883
1985-86 |49,338
1986-87 |1,050
1987-88 |nil
1988-89 |nil
1989-90 |<1>70,000
1990-91 |<2>80,000
<1> Estimate.
<2> Budget.
Gross Domestic Product
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for the latest available year and on a comparable basis, the value of gross domestic product per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity for the member states of the European Community, Canada, Japan and the United States of America.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 12 March 1990] : Following is the information requested.
GDP per capita at purchasing power
parities 1989<1>
Thousands
|US $
-----------------------------------
United Kingdom |14.3
United States of America |21.0
Japan |15.6
Canada |19.8
Germany |15.4
France |14.7
Italy |14.0
Belgium |13.8
Denmark |14.4
Greece |7.3
Ireland |8.9
Luxembourg |16.7
Netherlands |13.9
Portugal |7.0
Spain |10.2
<1> Population data are for 1988.
Source: OECD, provisional figures.
Column 169
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
South Africa
85. Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate how many people's employment in the United Kingdom is dependent upon trade with South Africa ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : Our estimate is that about 50,000 full-time job equivalents may be involved in the export of goods to South Africa. No information is available on the level of exports of services. This is a broad estimate based on the level of visible trade with that country together with an assumption about the relationship between output and employment.
Business Development
Mr. Jack : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the take-up in Lancashire of his various programmes of assistance to encourage business development.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The following information details the take-up in Lancashire of current Department of Trade and Industry programmes of assistance. All figures are from the date in brackets to the end of January 1990 :
Enterprise Initiative (January 1988) : 1,031 business reviews have been carried out. Of these 857 have been referred for consultancy advice, and 333 of these projects have been completed.
Regional Selective Assistance (November 1984) : In the Blackburn, Accrington and Rossendale travel-to-work area and the West Lancashire part of the Liverpool travel-to-work area, 248 offers have been made totalling £27,057,463.
Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology (SMART) (October 1988) : Two offers have been made totalling £74,350.
Company Audits
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce procedures under which his Department will monitor the audit qualification appearing in the accounts of large companies with a view to taking early action to deal with the reasons for such qualifications.
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