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Mr. Atkins : Many considerations--economic and environmental--are taken into account when prospective road schemes are assessed. It is not possible to devise a programme which is solely devoted to reducing CO emissions.
Road Building
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of his Department's road building programme for the number of vehicle miles travelled ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The national road traffic forecasts published last year predict an increase in vehicle miles of between 83 and 142 per cent. between 1988 and 2025. These are demand forecasts, not targets, and the high and low forecasts are equally possible outcomes. Increased traffic demand is primarily a function of economic growth rather than road building. Road improvements will not affect measurably the overall level of demand although there may be redistribution effects as traffic switches to better quality roads.
SS Montgomery
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure the safety of the SS Montgomery in the Thames estuary.
Mr. McLoughlin : The wreck of the Liberty ship Richard Montgomery is marked by four lighted buoys and an outer cordon of 12 unlit marker buoys. Periodic surveys are conducted to establish the condition of the wreck. The next survey is planned for later this year.
Railway Lines (Noise Insulation)
Mr. Moate : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the action he is taking to establish a noise insulation standard for new railway lines.
Mr. Portillo : I have now set up a committee whose remit is to recommend to the Secretary of State for Transport a national noise insulation standard (or standards) for the operation of new railway lines which equitably relates to the standard set by regulation for new highways. The aim will be to arrive at a standard or standards at which the duty to offer noise insulation will be triggered and to set the trigger at a level which will ensure that there is parity of treatment between those who live near new railways and those who live near new roads.
The committee will be chaired by Dr. C. G. B. Mitchell, head of the vehicles and environment division at the transport and road research laboratory. It will have the following members :
Mr. G. Llewellyn John, County Engineer and Surveyor, West Glamorgan county council
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Dr. H. G. Leventhall, head of Institute of Environmental Engineering at South Bank polytechnic, deputy chairman of the Noise CouncilDr. J. B. Ollerhead, head of Noise Research and Analysis, Civil Aviation Authority
Mr. G. A. Parry, principal noise consultant, Technica Indecon Limited
Dr. J. G. Walker, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, Southampton University
Mr. A. V. L. Williams, British Steel Track Products
Each has been selected for his expertise in the field and not as a representative of any particular body or interest. I am most grateful to them for agreeing to serve. There will also be three members from the Department of Transport. I have asked the committee to report by the end of September. Its report will be published.
The committee will be pleased to receive views and evidence from interested parties. Submissions should be sent to the committee's secretary, Dr. P. M. Nelson of the transport and road research laboratory, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG11 6AU.
Radioactive Material (Road Accident)
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the accident between a vehicle carrying radioactive material and a local bus, in January, on the road between Annan and Dumfries.
Mr. Atkins [holding answer 20 March 1990] : I have no knowledge of any such accident.
SCOTLAND
Spirits (Metric Measures)
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will lengthen the period for the introduction of metrication on the dispensing of spirits in licensed premises to date later than 31 December ; and if he will use that period to hold further consultations with affected parties.
Mr. Forth : I have been asked to reply.
I announced on 14 December that, having considered the responses to my Department's consultation paper, I had concluded that the present range of imperial quantities for serving gin, rum, vodka and whisky be phased out by 31 December 1994 in favour of one round metric quantity of 25 ml. I am considering further representations that I have received and will announce a decision as soon as possible.
Fatal Accident Inquiries
Mr. Doran : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all offshore deaths that have resulted in fatal accident inquiries, naming employers concerned, in the last 10 years.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 21 March 1990] : The information is as per the list.
Offshore deaths resulting in fatal accident inquiries
1981
Atlantic Drilling Co. Ltd., Aberdeen |1
International Drilling Co. Ltd., Aberdeen |1
Buggee Supply Ships Ltd., Aberdeen |1
Local Government Finance
Mr. Douglas : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of local authority revenues for Scottish regions derived from central Government sources, non-domestic rates, rates and or poll tax for the years 1980-81 to 1989-90 and estimates for 1990-91 on a money and percentage basis.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 19 March 1990] : The figures are given in the table. Amounts for rate and revenue support grant are final amounts or those applying to the most recent order. Figures for non-domestic and domestic rates are derived from data published in "Rating Review" for the relevant years up to 1988-89. For 1989-90 and 1990- 91 amounts of non-domestic rate income and community charge income are
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taken from the provisional outturn-budget estimate returns made by local authorities to the Scottish Office. Domestic rates figures are net of domestic rate relief. All figures of domestic rate and community charge income are inclusive of rebates.Column 779
|£ million |percentage |£ million |percentage |£ million |percentage |£ million
1980-81
Borders |26.226 |71.5 |5.575 |15.2 |4.858 |13.3 |36.659
Central |54.436 |58.2 |27.850 |29.8 |11.245 |12.0 |93.531
Dumfries and Galloway |33.785 |70.7 |7.679 |16.1 |6.330 |13.2 |47.794
Fife |71.657 |63.5 |25.592 |22.7 |15.646 |13.9 |112.895
Grampian |102.997 |62.1 |42.247 |25.5 |20.677 |12.5 |165.921
Highland |62.019 |72.0 |15.495 |18.0 |8.644 |10.0 |86.158
Lothian |157.676 |53.4 |87.527 |29.6 |50.147 |17.0 |295.350
Strathclyde |653.091 |68.3 |194.009 |20.3 |109.005 |11.4 |956.105
Tayside |88.525 |65.9 |28.983 |21.6 |16.892 |12.6 |134.400
Orkney |6.378 |48.4 |6.428 |48.8 |0.366 |2.8 |13.172
Shetland |8.030 |26.3 |21.611 |70.9 |0.859 |2.8 |30.500
Western Isles |17.065 |84.6 |2.161 |10.7 |0.935 |4.6 |20.161
1981-82
Borders |28.796 |68.8 |7.003 |16.7 |6.067 |14.5 |41.866
Central |58.379 |53.8 |35.630 |32.9 |14.448 |13.3 |108.457
Dumfries and Galloway |37.088 |68.5 |9.352 |17.3 |7.704 |14.2 |54.144
Fife |78.142 |60.2 |31.797 |24.5 |19.932 |15.4 |129.871
Grampian |114.556 |61.0 |49.210 |26.2 |24.023 |12.8 |187.789
Highland |66.798 |67.0 |21.196 |21.2 |11.780 |11.8 |99.774
Lothian |135.272 |39.0 |133.749 |38.6 |77.839 |22.4 |346.860
Strathclyde |692.412 |62.3 |264.537 |23.8 |155.034 |13.9 |1,111.983
Tayside |96.813 |60.6 |39.145 |24.5 |23.696 |14.8 |159.654
Orkney |6.838 |47.5 |7.140 |49.6 |0.423 |2.9 |14.401
Shetland |9.011 |27.2 |23.361 |70.5 |0.782 |2.4 |33.154
Western Isles |19.229 |81.3 |3.118 |13.2 |1.310 |5.5 |23.657
1982-83
Borders |30.986 |68.3 |7.627 |16.8 |6.785 |14.9 |45.398
Central |61.052 |49.5 |43.495 |35.3 |18.687 |15.2 |123.234
Dumfries and Galloway |40.508 |63.6 |12.580 |19.8 |10.596 |16.6 |63.684
Fife |80.078 |55.7 |38.814 |27.0 |24.826 |17.3 |143.718
Grampian |115.948 |56.3 |59.639 |28.9 |30.552 |14.8 |206.139
Highland |72.301 |65.4 |24.996 |22.6 |13.270 |12.0 |110.567
Lothian |170.027 |47.2 |120.153 |33.4 |69.943 |19.4 |360.123
Strathclyde |738.941 |60.6 |298.735 |24.5 |180.925 |14.9 |1,218.601
Tayside |100.607 |58.1 |44.804 |25.9 |27.823 |16.1 |173.234
Orkney |6.931 |47.1 |7.290 |49.5 |0.493 |3.4 |14.714
Shetland |10.039 |27.7 |25.345 |70.0 |0.843 |2.3 |36.227
Western Isles |22.144 |81.4 |3.536 |13.0 |1.511 |5.6 |27.191
1983-84
Borders |32.808 |71.7 |6.895 |15.1 |6.071 |13.3 |45.774
Central |64.302 |52.1 |41.741 |33.8 |17.426 |14.1 |123.469
Dumfries and Galloway |43.182 |66.9 |11.592 |18.0 |9.760 |15.1 |64.534
Fife |85.677 |56.3 |40.555 |26.6 |26.000 |17.1 |152.232
Grampian |127.054 |56.4 |66.335 |29.5 |31.842 |14.1 |225.231
Highland |76.987 |67.0 |24.888 |21.7 |13.012 |11.3 |114.887
Lothian |175.503 |51.5 |104.303 |30.6 |60.923 |17.9 |340.729
Strathclyde |770.963 |61.5 |301.559 |24.0 |182.041 |14.5 |1,254.563
Tayside |206.211 |58.8 |45.709 |25.3 |28.870 |16.0 |180.790
Orkney |8.978 |56.9 |6.373 |40.4 |0.439 |2.8 |15.790
Shetland |10.018 |26.7 |26.549 |70.9 |0.891 |2.4 |37.458
Western Isles |23.021 |81.5 |3.627 |12.8 |1.613 |5.7 |28.261
1984-85
Borders |33.031 |69.2 |7.808 |16.4 |6.865 |14.4 |47.704
Central |67.000 |52.2 |41.348 |32.2 |20.107 |15.7 |128.455
Dumfries and Galloway |43.262 |65.6 |12.279 |18.6 |10.437 |15.8 |65.978
Fife |78.865 |50.9 |46.258 |29.8 |29.930 |19.3 |155.053
Grampian |126.681 |55.7 |68.132 |29.9 |32.823 |14.4 |227.636
Highland |78.009 |65.2 |26.168 |22.4 |14.428 |12.4 |116.605
Lothian |171.223 |48.0 |116.349 |32.7 |68.715 |19.3 |356.287
Strathclyde |749.483 |59.9 |312.158 |24.9 |190.558 |15.2 |1,252.199
Tayside |104.637 |57.3 |47.842 |26.2 |30.143 |16.5 |182.622
Orkney |7.719 |47.3 |8.040 |49.2 |0.577 |3.5 |16.336
Shetland |10.277 |26.4 |27.662 |71.1 |0.963 |2.5 |38.902
Western Isles |24.346 |81.0 |3.925 |13.1 |1.773 |5.9 |30.044
1985-86
Borders |34.489 |67.0 |9.225 |17.9 |7.746 |15.1 |51.460
Central |64.839 |50.7 |42.962 |33.6 |20.056 |15.7 |127.857
|£ million |Percentage |£ million |Percentage |£ million |Percentage |£ million
1989-90
Borders |50.287 |68.3 |10.187 |13.8 |13.156 |17.9 |73.630
Central |93.300 |50.8 |52.831 |28.8 |37.519 |20.4 |183.650
Dumfries and Galloway |64.907 |63.6 |17.726 |17.4 |19.457 |19.1 |102.090
Fife |117.337 |48.3 |73.686 |30.3 |51.860 |21.4 |242.883
Grampian |181.645 |53.4 |90.700 |26.7 |67.880 |20.0 |340.225
Highland |109.413 |63.8 |34.500 |20.1 |27.597 |16.1 |171.510
Lothian |217.527 |40.5 |161.755 |30.1 |157.334 |29.3 |536.616
Strathclyde |995.253 |57.6 |403.000 |23.3 |331.035 |19.1 |1,729.288
Tayside |155.456 |56.2 |61.700 |22.3 |59.708 |21.6 |276.864
Orkney |11.724 |56.8 |7.141 |34.6 |1.796 |8.7 |20.661
Shetland |20.114 |45.4 |22.377 |50.5 |1.795 |4.1 |44.286
Western Isles |35.290 |82.0 |5.000 |11.6 |2.750 |6.4 |43.040
1990-91
Borders |57.380 |70.4 |10.681 |13.1 |13.452 |16.5 |81.513
Central |104.139 |53.3 |48.192 |24.7 |43.014 |22.0 |195.345
Dumfries and Galloway |75.390 |65.4 |19.250 |16.7 |20.601 |17.9 |115.241
Fife |128.971 |46.8 |83.838 |30.4 |63.001 |22.8 |275.810
Grampian |219.148 |60.4 |81.833 |22.6 |61.950 |17.1 |362.931
EMPLOYMENT
Employment Schemes
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the various schemes operated by his Department designed to assist unemployed people back into the labour market ; and if he will give the spending in 1989-90 on each scheme.
Mr. Eggar : The Employment Department Group operates the following programmes primarily designed to assist unemployed people back into employment :
£ million
Employment Training |1,112.00
Enterprise Allowance Scheme |184.00
Claimant Advisers (Staff costs only) |17.90
New Client Advisers (Staff costs only) |16.80
Restart
Restart Counselling |43.00
Restart Courses |7.00
Jobclubs |19.00
Jobshare |0.15
Jobstart |4.60
Travel to Interview Scheme |1.05
Employment Services for People with Disabilities (including Disablement Resettlement Officers and Disablement Advisory Service) |19.00
Employment Rehabilitation Service (Programme costs only) |9.00
Special Schemes for Disabled People |8.40
Sheltered Employment Schemes |107.00
In addition, small sums are being spent piloting new approaches to helping the unemployed.
Genetically Engineered Organisms
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gordon of 15 March, Official Report, column 342, if he will list the locations of (a) the three centres at which he is reviewing applications for the release of genetically manipulated organisms to the environment and (b) the eight centres where releases have already taken place.
Mr. Nicholls : The eight centres which have notified the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of proposals to release genetically manipulated organisms to the environment and whose proposals have been reviewed by HSE are :
Natural Environment Research Council, Institute of Virology, Oxford.
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden.
Institute for Plant Science Research, Cambridge.
Scottish Crops Research Institute, Invergowrie and Pentlandfield
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Shell Research Ltd, Sittingbourne.ICI, Jealott's Hill, Berkshire.
British Fermentation Products Ltd./Gist Brocades, Felixtowe. Nickerson International Seeds Co. Ltd. Cambridge.
For the three centres whose notifications are currently under review, it would be inappropriate to provide this information.
Youth Training Allowance
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to introduce an increase in youth training allowance to help 18-year- olds who will be liable to pay the community charge.
Mr. Nicholls : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 15 March, Official Report, column 340.
ENERGY
Chemical Spillages (North Sea)
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what checks are carried out to test what chemicals may be disposed of or spilled from offshore oil and gas installations.
Mr. Peter Morrison : The United Kingdom Government operate a notification scheme for the use of chemicals offshore. The object of the scheme is to prevent damage to the marine environment. Chemical manufacturers and suppliers provide data on all chemicals used offshore to the Department of Energy. Based on these data maximum permitted levels that can be discharged at any one installation in a year are given for each chemical.
Discussions are under way within the Paris commission for a mandatory scheme for the use and discharge of chemicals offshore as agreed at the recent North sea conference.
Tyres
Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to encourage the use as a fuel of redundant tyres ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Morrison : We propose to create a special place for renewable sources of energy in the non-fossil fuel obligation after privatisation. Within this scheme, the opportunity will exist for redundant tyres to qualify as a non-fossil fuel source. I would like to see them used as a renewable source where such use would be economically viable and environmentally acceptable and, to this end the energy technology support unit at Harwell is planning to hold a small workshop, to be attended by representatives from the appropriate sectors of the industry, later this summer.
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Action for Cities
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what was the cost of the action for cities anniversary event held at Wynward hall, Cleveland, on 28 February ;
(2) what was the total cost of the action for cities anniversary events held nationwide.
Mr. David Hunt : I have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) on 7 March, column 629.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensioners
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the proportion of (a) all pensioners, (b) male single pensioners, (c) female single pensioners, (d) pensioner couples, (e) newly retired single men, (f) newly retired single women, (g) newly retired couples who are in receipt of a state additional pension on the basis of the 1987 family expenditure survey ; and for each group what is the mean and median amount received.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Information is not available in the form requested. The family expenditure survey does not identify the additional pension separately.
Fishermen (Unemployment Benefits)
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on new regulations introduced by the Department of Social Security on10 December 1989 relating to unemployment benefit payments ; and if any research has been carried out into the impact of the benefits changes on fishermen now restricted in the number of days they can go to sea.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The new earnings levels for unemployment benefit apply equally to all claimants. We are aware of the concerns of the fishing industry and the Department is in contact with fishermen's representatives. We are monitoring the effects of the changes.
Nursing Care (Upkeep Costs)
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum savings limit allowed before a resident of (a) a residential home, (b) a residential nursing home and (c) a long-stay hospital is liable for a contribution towards his upkeep.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Whether a resident is liable to make any contribution towards his upkeep depends not only on his savings but on his income and on any fee charged. However, the first £3,000 of any savings of a resident are completely disregarded for benefit purposes.
Benefits (Capital Limits)
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much will be deducted each week from income support, family credit, housing benefit and community charge benefit claimants with capital of £3,000 and at each £250 band up to the capital limit for the benefit as a result of his Department's assumptions as to the income derived from each level of capital.
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Mrs. Gillian Shephard : We do not make particular assumptions on the level of income from capital but a notional income--that is, a tariff income--is calculated on capital above a certain level. However, no tariff income is calculated on the first £3,000. Any actual income earned by savings is fully disregarded.
The table shows the tariff income on capital over £3,000 up to the upper limit of £6,000 in income support and family credit (increasing to £8,000 from 9 April 1990) and to £8,000 in housing benefit and community charge benefit (increasing to £16,000 from 1 April 1990). In income support the amount of tariff income is wholly deductible from a person's entitlement. However, it is not possible to state how much of any tariff income will be deducted from family credit, housing benefit or community charge benefit since this depends on the amount of other income available, the circumstances of each individual case including, where appropriate, the amount of eligible rent or community charge and the effect of the tapers. These tapers are applied to any income above the appropriate applicable amount and the resulting figure is offset against the maximum benefit payable. In family credit the taper is 70 per cent., in housing benefit it is 65 per cent. and in community charge benefit it is 15 per cent.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for each of (a) income support, (b) family credit, (c) housing benefit and (d) community charge benefit (i) the additional number of people who will come into entitlement and (ii) the number of existing claimants who will receive additional benefit as a result of the increased capital limits ; and if he will give the net cost for each benefit.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : No existing recipients of income support or family credit will receive additional benefit although a negligible number of existing housing benefit or community charge benefit recipients may gain.
The estimated figures for new beneficiaries are set out in the table :
units Note: The above figures include some people gaining more than one benefit. Taking account of the number of couples, the total number of individual gainers is estimated at around a quarter of a million.
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, with regard to the announcement on 20 March about the increase in the capital limit for housing benefit and community charge benefit to £16,000 as of April 1990, he will state (a) what safeguards will be provided for claimants whose benefit does not immediately reflect the new capital limits, (b) what is his estimate of the increased cost to local authorities, (c) what additional resources are to be given to local authorities to help them (i) administer the change swiftly and (ii) cover the additional administrative costs, and (d) by what date he expects everyone to have received their full benefit, reflecting the new capital levels.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information is as follows :
(a) Claims that are made before 27 May will be able to be backdated to 1 April. Benefit is awarded from the date the claim is made. Any delay in assessment does not therefore lead to loss of benefit ;
(b) and (c) The Department is discussing with the local authority associations the administrative implications of these changes, and a decision on the amount of additional subsidy support to be provided to local authorities to meet their administrative costs will be made as soon as possible ;
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(d) Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that benefit, once claimed, is awarded within a reasonable time.Community Charge Rebates
Mr. Hayward : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that those community charge payers who discover they are entitled to rebates after they have paid their bills would be entitled to a refund.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Benefit is normally backdated only if the claimant can show good cause for failure to claim earlier. For community charge benefit purposes there are two exceptions. In England and Wales a claim for community charge benefit will be treated as though it had been made on 1 April as long as it is made not more than 56 days after 1 April 1990, or not more than 56 days after the date of issue of the first community charge demand notice if the notice is received after 1 April. This provision does not apply where the delay in issuing the demand notice arises because of a failure by the claimant to notify the community charge registration officer that he is liable for that charge.
In Great Britain, charge payers who become entitled as a result of the change in the capital limit announced in the Budget will be treated as having made their claim on 1 April 1990, if their claim is received by 27 May 1990.
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton) on 15 March, Official Report, column 333, if he will publish in the Official Report the maximum net weekly incomes at which 50 per cent. of the maximum entitlement to community charge benefit will be paid for (a) a single person under 25, (b) a married couple with two children under 11, (c) a pensioner couple aged 60 to 74 and (d) a pensioner couple aged 75 to 79, assuming community charge levels per adult of (i) £250, (ii) £300, (iii) £328, (iv) £350, (v) £400 and (vi) £438.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information requested is shown in the table.
under 25
under 11 |Pensioner couple aged 60-74|Pensioner couple aged 75-79
250.00 |45.19 |125.22 |101.12 |104.77
300.00 |47.74 |130.33 |106.23 |109.88
328.00 |49.17 |133.20 |109.10 |112.75
350.00 |50.30 |135.45 |111.35 |115.00
400.00 |52.86 |140.56 |116.46 |120.11
438.00 |54.80 |144.45 |120.35 |124.00
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton) on 15 March, Official Report, column 333, if he will publish in the Official Report the maximum net weekly incomes at which the maximum entitlement to community charge benefit will be paid for (a) a single person under 25, (b) a married couple with two children under 11, (c) a pensioner couple aged 60 to 74 and (d) a pensioner couple aged 75 to 79, assuming community charge levels per adult of (i) £250, (ii) £300, (iii) £328, (iv) £350, (v) £400 and (vi) £438.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The maximum net weekly income at which maximum entitlement to community
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charge benefit is awarded does not vary for different community charge levels. The information requested is shown in the table.
Single person under 25 |32.40
Couple with two children under 11 |99.65
Pensioner couple aged 60-74 |75.55
Pensioner couple aged 75-79 |79.20
Child Benefit
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) mothers and (b) families in receipt of child benefit pay income tax at the higher rate ; and how many children they have who qualify for child benefit.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 9 February 1990] : The latest available estimates for the United Kingdom suggest that about 0.6 million families, with about 1.1 million children, receive child benefit and pay income tax at the higher rate in 1989-90. Among these is an estimated 0.2 million mothers, with about 0.3 million children. These include wives who, under the present system for taxing married couples, are liable to a 40 per cent. marginal tax rate only when the husband's earnings are taken into account.
These estimates are based on information from the 1987-88 survey of personal incomes projected to 1989-90 and are provisional.
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) mothers, (b) families and (c) children in families are in receipt of child benefit with annual incomes in the ranges : (i) up to £5,000, (ii) £5,001 to £7,500, (iii) £7,501 to £10,000, (iv) £10,001 to £15,500, (v) £15,001 to £20,000, (vi) £20,001 to £25,000, (vii) £25,001 to £30,000, (viii), £30,001 to £50,000 and (ix) over £50,000.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 9 February 1990] : In the great majority of families child benefit is paid to the mother. The small number of other recipients cannot be reliably estimated and it is not possible therefore to break the figures down below family units and numbers of children. Information about the incomes of families receiving child benefit is not routinely collected. The following estimates of the distribution of gross incomes of recipient families in 1989-90 are therefore made on the basis of sample survey data which are subject to normal sampling and response variation.
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) mothers, (b) families and (c) children in families would lose entitlement to child benefit as a result of having an income below the tax threshold if child benefit were abolished and replaced by a tax allowance.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 9 February 1990] : It is estimated that 1.6 million families with 2.9 million children in the United Kingdom in 1989-90 are non-taxpayers, and of these around 1.3 million with 2.3 million children receive income-related benefits with a further 0.2 million entitled but not claiming. There are estimated to be about a further 0.8 million families with 1.4 million children who would not be fully compensated through the tax system and around half of these are, or would be, entitled to income-related benefits.
These figures are based on information from the 1987-88 survey of personal incomes, projected to 1989-90, combined with the 1987 family expenditure survey. There is no reliable basis for any further division of the figures, but nearly all child benefit recipients are mothers.
Social Security Commissioners
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons for the delay in the social security commissioners working on cases submitted in July 1989.
The Attorney-General : I have been asked to reply.
The last-minute surge of appeals under the pre-April 1988 benefits legislation took some time to work its way through the appeal system and caused a bottleneck at the Office of the Social Security Commissioners (OSSC) in 1989. This and the general increase in work load in 1989, combined with staff recruitment and retention difficulties, resulted in continuing delays at OSSC. In addition, an increasing proportion of appeals to the commissioners have become more complex and take longer to determine individually.
In view of the continuing delays, the Lord Chancellor's Department's manpower auditors are currently looking at the organisation and staffing levels of OSSC to see whether further steps can be taken to improve efficiency and reduce the delays. The commissioners have powers to expedite hearings in exceptional circumstances. Appellants may seek expedition by applying to OSSC.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
No-fault Compensation
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on no-fault compensation.
The Attorney-General : As previously announced, an
inter-departmental working party is examining the feasibility of a no-fault compensation scheme, restricted to less serious road accidents and financed by private insurance. I understand that the working party is making good progress and it now expects to report to the Lord Chancellor by early next year.
Column 791
Regional Functions
Mr. Caborn : To ask the Attorney-General what functions the Lord Chancellor's Department carries out at the regional level ; where the regional offices are located in each of the regions ; what staff are employed and at what grades ; what proportion of the Department's budget is spent in each of the regions ; and what geographical boundaries determine the Department's regions.
The Attorney-General : The Lord Chancellor is responsible for providing the administration of the Supreme Court, which consists of the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the Crown court, and of the county courts. The Crown court sits at nearly 100 locations and there are some 275 county courts. Administrative control is exercised through circuit-based administrative staff headed by a circuit administrator and a number of courts administrators in each of six circuits in England and Wales. These circuits are the Midland and Oxford (with its headquarters in Birmingham), the North Eastern (Leeds), the Northern (Manchester), the South Eastern (London), the Wales and Chester (Cardiff) and the Western (Bristol). There are also 11 district probate registries and 18 probate sub-registries, which together with the principal registry in London are administered by the administrator of the Royal Courts of Justice.
The majority of the Department's staff work in the courts on the circuits. The distribution as at 1 January 1990 is as follows (the figure in brackets represents the number of staff in the circuit and courts administrators offices) :
<1>Including RCJ/PRFD.
These staff are employed in a full range of grades which include support grades and administrative and executive grades up to circuit administators at grades 3 and 4 level.
Of the 1989-90 provision for running costs, the six circuits are directly responsible for half the Department's expenditure :
In addition, the majority of expenditure on accommodation (27.8 per cent. of the total) and a proportion of the budget for headquarters and associated offices (15.2 per cent.) is controlled centrally on behalf of the court service.
The court circuit boundaries date from 1972 when the Courts Act 1971 established a unified court service. The circuits cover the counties of England and Wales as follows :
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