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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the number of cases where the Crown prosecution service has failed to prosecute when a coroner's court has brought in a verdict of unlawful killing during the last five years.
The Attorney-General : The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Consultancies
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Attorney-General what was the total amount spent by his Department in 1989 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1989, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment ; and what is the total amount that his Department has budgeted to spend in the current year.
The Attorney-General : No expenditure on management and computer consultancy contracts was incurred by the legal secretariat to the Law Officers in 1989-90, and no such expenditure is expected by the Treasury Solicitor's Department. In 1989-90 the Crown prosecution service spent £550,000 on management and computer consultancy contracts, while the Serious Fraud Office estimates its expenditure to be nil in respect of management consultancy contracts, but £213, 000 in respect of computer consultancy contracts in 1989-90. The contracts awarded by the Crown prosecution service in 1989-90 were as follows :
PA Management Consultants--staffing model development study, The Human Science and Advanced Technology Research Centre, Loughborough University-- evaluation of the use of information technology to present evidence in court,
Kinesis Computing Limited--assistance with legal information feasibility study,
Cumulus Software Limited--training and assistance with changes to case tracking software,
Aims Systems Limited--assistance with formal specification of SCOPE case management project,
Yale Data Management Limited--assistance with the production of the SCOPE operational requirement and procurement.
The computer consultancy contracts awarded by the Serious Fraud Office were as follows :
Digitus--systems analysis, design and implementation of computerised case tracking system,
ITL--preparation of computer manual for document control system, Digitus-- programming amendments to computer system for document control,
Digitus--systems acceptance of case tracking and investigation system,
Ultracomp--preparation of performance tests for case tracking and investigation system,
CCTA--IT strategy study,
S & S Enterprises Limited--recovery of data from disc.
The total amounts the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown prosecution service and Serious Fraud Office have budgeted to spend in 1990-91 are nil, £5, 000, £395,000 and £200,000 respectively.
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Attorney-General what was the total amount spent by the Land Registry in 1989 on
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management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Land Registry in 1989, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment ; and what is the total amount that the Land Registry has budgeted to spend in the current year.The Attorney-General : Management and computer consultancy contracts were awarded by the Land Registry in 1989 as follows : Management Consultancy
Industrial Training Service Ltd.--Programme to develop management training.
Computer Consultancy
Business Information Management--Technical advice on a requirement document for procurement of a new digital mapping system. PAFEC Ltd.--An investigation into techniques for the colour scanning of map records.
Intergraph (UK) Ltd.--Software development of the Registry's Intergraph System.
Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency--Departmental Support Agreement providing ongoing technical advice support and Information Technology procurement services.
The Land Registry estimates that its expenditure in the financial year 1989 -90, including expenditure on CCTA will be £42,899.70, and for 1990-91 a budget of £50,000 has been set.
PRIME MINISTER
Consultancies
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what was the total amount spent by the Cabinet Office in 1989 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; if she will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Cabinet Office in 1989, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment ; and what is the total amount that the Cabinet Office has budgeted to spend in the current year.
The Prime Minister : The expenditure by the Cabinet Office on management and computer consultancies, excluding purchases of hardware and software, is estimated to be £163,900 in 1989-90. The management and computer consultancy contracts let by the Cabinet Office during 1989-90 are as follows :
Firm |Assignment
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coopers and Lybrand |Pilot study on evaluation
Infomet Ltd |System building for local area
|network
National Children's Bureau |Advice on the London Childcare
|Project
Nettel Ltd |Adapting software to user
|requirement
Oracle Corporation UK Ltd |Redevelopment of management
|information system
Peter Williams Associates |Advice on the London Childcare
|Project
Praxis Systems |Assistance in the analysis, design
|and formulation of software
Price Waterhouse |Advice on performance indicators
|and management information
|systems
Price Waterhouse |Design and write database system
Psytech Ltd |Development of computerised
|system to support use of
|psychometric testing in
|recruitment schemes
Shaista Faruqi |Design of recruitment monitoring
|system
Systematika Ltd |Software development for
|personnel record system
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
AIDS
Sir David Price : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the reasons for the resignation of Dr. Jonathan Mann, the director and founder of the World Health Organisation's global programme on AIDS ; and if he will make it his policy to freeze the British contribution to that programme until he is satisfied about the future effectiveness of that programme in the absence of Dr. Mann.
Mrs. Chalker : The reasons for Dr. Mann's resignation are a matter between him, the World Health Organisation and its director general. The Government's interest is to work for the continuation of an effective global programme on AIDS.
An acting director of the WHO global programme on AIDS, Dr. M. Merson, has taken office. We shall be working closely with him and will continue to monitor carefully, with other donors, the progress of the programme. We shall consider future United Kingdom support and its timing in the light of real practical progress and developments.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Drugs
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many intravenous drug users in Her Majesty's prisons were HIV sero- positive in each of the last five years.
Mr. Mellor : Because HIV antibody tests are carried out only with informed consent, the antibody status of intravenous drug users identified while in prison custody will not always be known. Since June 1987 prison medical officers have reported the risk category or categories of identified HIV-infected prisoners. In the last seven months of that year, 41 of the cases were reported to be in the intravenous drug user category. The corresponding figures for the full calendar years 1988 and 1989 were 60 and 44 respectively.
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the breakdown of known drug users on the Home Office notification index by enumeration districts of the small area statistics of the 1981 census in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Mellor : The information requested is not readily available. The tables on addicts notified to the Home
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Office in 1989 published in "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs : addicts notified to the Home Office, United Kingdom, 1989 Area tables", a copy of which is in the Library, break down some information by police force and local authority areas. Figures for district health authorities are also available on request, for England, from the Department of Health.Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of (a) black or other ethnic minority and (b) white drug possession offenders were (i) cautioned and (ii) charged for each police force in 1989.
Mr. John Patten : Information on the ethnic background of drug possession offenders is not held centrally.
Deportation
Mr. Litherland : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many defendants found guilty of crimes of violence have been recommended for deportation by the courts over the past five years ;
(2) where the Home Office has served a notice to deport, in how many cases over the last five years this was following a drugs-related offence ; and in how many cases it was following an offence of violence to the person.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that this information is not readily available.
Farzad Bazoft
Mr. Allason : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what name Farzad Bazoft first entered the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : On entry the name was recorded as Farzad Robati- Bazoft.
Mr. Dicks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what grounds the recommendation of the judge for the deportation of Farzad Bazoft was overruled ;
(2) what evidence was available at the time the decision was made not to deport Mr. Farzad Bazoft to indicate that his life would be at risk if he were to return to Iran ; and what was the source of that evidence.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : It was decided not to deport Mr. Bazoft to Iran because of documentary evidence that he would be arrested by the Iranian authorities because of his political opinions. It is not the practice to disclose sources of evidence in individual asylum cases.
South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the result of the discussions he had with members of the South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority in respect of their 1990-91 financial situation.
Mr. John Patten : My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State met at their request a delegation from South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority on 15 January to listen to their concerns about the standard spending assessment for the authority for 1990-91, which is 11.8 per cent. greater than their grant-related expenditure assessment for 1989- 90.
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My right hon. and noble Friend took note of the concerns expressed and Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services will monitor closely the operational capacity of the South Yorkshire fire service. Ministers have agreed to consider any new evidence on standard spending assessments with regard to the possibility of making changes for 1991-92 if this should prove necessary.NATIONAL FINANCE
Value Added Tax
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received concerning value added tax on food ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a number of representations.
Payroll Tax
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to the implementation of a payroll tax similar to that in the United States of America.
Mr. Lilley : My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has no plans to introduce such a tax.
Married Couple's Allowance
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the Exchequer at the 1990-91 tax rates announced in the Budget of the married couple's allowance ; and how much of this cost is attributable to taxpayers aged below 65 years.
Mr. Lilley : The direct revenue cost in a full year, at 1990-91 levels of income, of the married couple's allowance is estimated to be about £5.5 billion, of which £4.8 billion is attributable to married couples where both the husband and wife are aged under 65. The extra relief is worth £8.27 per week to a basic rate taxpayer not entitled to a higher, age-related, allowance.
Estimates are based on a projection of the 1987-88 survey of personal incomes and are provisional.
Budget (Gains)
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the gain per individual arising from each relevant component of the 1990 Budget, both at current prices and net of indexation for those at one half and three quarters of average earnings, average earnings and one and a half, two, five and 10 times average earnings ; and if he will provide comparable figures for each Budget since 1979.
Mr. Lilley : Individuals will benefit directly or indirectly from many Budget measures. These gains will vary
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according to their specific circumstances, as well as their level of earnings, and it would be impracticable to attempt to estimate the effects of all the measures listed in table 4.1 of the 1990 FSBR, let alone for each Budget since 1979. Information on the effects of specific measures may be found in the press notices issued each Budget day by Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise.Mortgage Interest
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) of 15 March, Official Report , column 654, if he will give for the years 1988 and 1989 the total amount of mortgage interest paid, distinguishing between changes due to changes in the level of interest rates and changes due to changes in the stock of mortgages ; and what is the number of mortgages outstanding and their average size as at 31 December 1987, 31 December 1988 and 31 December 1989.
Mr. Lilley : The latest estimates are that total mortgage interest payments grew from £22.1 billion in 1988 to £32.3 billion in 1989 ; 53 per cent. of the increase was due to the effect of the increase in interest rates on the stock of mortgages in 1988 and 47 per cent. to the effect of the increase in stock in 1989, including the effect of the rise in the interest rate on the increase in stock. Estimates of the numbers of mortgages outstanding and their average size in the last three financial years are given in the table :
|c|Mortgages qualifying for income tax relief|c|
|Outstanding |Average size
|mortgages |of mortgage
|(thousands) |(£)
----------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |8,750 |17,000
<1>1988-89 |9,100 |21,000
<1>1989-90 |9,300 |24,500
<1>Provisional.
Consultancies
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount spent by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in 1989 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in 1989, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment ; and what is the total amount that Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has budgeted to spend in the current year.
Mr. Ryder : The total amount spent by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in the financial year 1989-90 was £3,251,798.
The consultancy firms awarded contracts in management and computer consultancy, excluding hardware and software purchases, are as follows :
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Consultancy firm |Contracts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Palmer |Development Training
Aims Systems |SSADM
Alkemi |Standby Disaster Plan
Ashvent Limited |Computer Training
BIS Applied Systems |Cabling Requirement
|Partnership Agreement
Branton Kenton |General Training Consultancy
British Telecom |DAS Network Consultancy
Bull HN |Cedric Technical Support
CCTA |Service and Support Agreements
Change Matters |Development Training
Comshare |Operational Planning System
Consultancy Lecturing |Computer Training
Coopers Lybrand |Management Information System
D. Megginson Associates |Development Training
Datafit |VAT System Software Development
Deloitte Haskins Sells |Personnel System
EOSYS |Cabling Study
Ernst and Young |Information Management Study
|Expert System for VAT Control Staff
Expertech |Expert System Development
F. E. J. Peach |Computer Training
Hoskyns Group plc |Chief Consultancy
ICL |Local User Requirement Analysis
|Computer Training
Inforem |Business Analysis
Langdon Systems Ltd. |Computer Training
LBMS |VAT II Consultancy
Logica UK Ltd. |Seizure System for Heathrow
|Partnership Agreement
M. E. Parkinson |VAT Training
Max A. Eggart |General Training Consultancy
Meritkeen Ltd. |General Training Consultancy
Metron |Capacity Management Planning
MFT Computer Systems |Central Tariff Quota Unit
|Mini Computer Strategy Study
Oasis Ltd. |Knowledge Based System
Octagon |Telephone Management Initiative
Onsite Training Ltd. |Computer Training
P. A. Consulting Group |Chief Project Support
|Forward Plan Study
|Project Management Cadre
|VAT II Relocation Study
Performance Systems Incorporated |Capacity Management Consultancy
|Personnel Recruitment System
PPA |Computer Training
Praxis |Project Planning System
|Performance Related Pay
Price Waterhouse |Single European Market Strategy
Rede Group |Quality Management Initiative
Regional Software |Consultancy Support
Samna |Word Processing Study
SJB Communications |Telecoms Consultancy
Soft Options |Software Evaluation
Style Conferences |Audio Visual Study
|General Training Consultancy
TDA Consultancy Group |Development Training
Thorn EMI |VAT Measures Consultancy
Touche Ross |Operational Planning System
|Chief Technical Assurance
University of Bath |Local Delegation Study
Welcom Software International |Chief Project Cost Management
Yale Data |Integrated Tariff
The total amount budgeted to be spent in the year 1990-91 by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is £4,544,000.
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount spent by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1989 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1989, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment ; and what is the total amount that Her Majesty's Stationery Office has budgeted to spend in the current year.
Mr. Ryder : The total amount spent in 1989 was £290,000 and the budget for 1990 is £480,000.
The following contracts were awarded in 1989 :
Firm |Subject of
|Assignment
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NCC |Advice on electronic data interchange
Batalas |Quality assurance audit (BS 5750)
Mortiboys |Quality assurance audit (BS 5750)
David Hutchins |Total quality management
Associates
CCTA |General IT consultancy
OASIS |Business supplies development
Touche Ross |Data administration standards
Touche Ross |Preliminary accountancy system design
D. Harris Associates |Post implementation reviews of IT
|projects
Technigraphic Bristol Ltd. |Design and manage building works
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount spent by the Inland Revenue in 1989 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases ; if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by the Inland Revenue in 1989, giving in
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each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment ; and what is the total amount that the Inland Revenue has budgeted to spend in the current year.Mr. Lilley : The amount spent by the Inland Revenue in the financial year 1989-90 on management and computer consultancy contracts excluding hardware and software purchases is expected to be about £16.1 million.
The Inland Revenue has awarded the following consultancy contracts in 1989- 90 :
Touche Ross Management Consultants : Records Management Printing Industry Research Association : Reprographics
HMSO Technical Services : Reprographics
Organisations and Systems Innovations Ltd. : BROCS Project Office Oracle (UK) Ltd. : Systems development
Henley Business Systems Ltd. : Evaluation of MIDAS software Expertech : Expert systems for BROCS
Gmb Support Ltd. : IR Suggestions Scheme
BIS Applied Systems Ltd. : Security risk assessment of systems IMB UK Ltd. : Systems development
Trident Computer Services Ltd. : COVA project support
Inforem : Technical support
A budget of £17 million has been allocated by the Inland Revenue for the financial year 1990-91.
Default Surcharge
Mr. David Davis : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the review of the operation and impact of the default surcharge has been completed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : The review we announced in July 1988 has been completed. A very thorough examination of the operation and effectiveness of the default surcharge was carried out and very careful consideration was given to the submissions made by many interested parties. We have, however, no plans for changes at the present time, although the matter will be kept under constant review.
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Commemorative Coins
Mr. David Davis : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government have plans to issue any new commemorative coins.
Mr. Major : Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that a special £5 crown be issued to commemorate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. There will be a normal version of the coin issued at face value, and collectors' versions in precious metal and base metal, issued at a premium.
Finance Bill
Mr. David Davis : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Finance Bill will be published.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The Finance Bill will be published on Thursday 19 April.
ENVIRONMENT
Deputy Secretaries
Mr. Tom Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the responsibilities of each of the deputy secretaries in his Department and the numbers and ranks of staff reporting to each.
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Mr. Chris Patten : There are six deputy secretaries in DOE (central). Their responsibilities are planning, inner cities and rural affairs ; local government and finance ; environmental protection ; legal services ; housing, construction and sport ; and establishments and the built heritage. The planning inspectorate and regional directors also report to the deputy secretary responsible for establishments and the built heritage. There are a further three deputy secretaries in the Property Services Agency.
The numbers of staff by grade reporting to each of the deputy secretaries in DOE(C) on 1 February are set out in the table. There are also certain groups within DOE(C) which do not report through a deputy secretary. These consist of private offices (with 63 staff) and information (with 44 staff).
The figures also exclude staff at the Historic Royal Palaces Agency which became an executive agency on 2 October 1989, and the Building Research Establishment, which it is proposed should become an executive agency on 2 April 1990.
I will write to my hon. Friend with further information regarding the Property Services Agency.
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|Grade 3 |Grade 4 |Grade 5 |Grade 6 |Grade 7 |SEO |HEO |EO |AO |AA |Industrial|Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planning, inner cities
and rural affairs |3.0 |1.0 |13.0 |10.0 |49.0 |43.0 |57.0 |67.0 |80.0 |20.0 |- |343.0
Local government and
central finance |3.0 |0.5 |14.0 |7.0 |44.0 |28.0 |63.0 |83.0 |94.0 |36.5 |- |371.5
Environmental
protection |5.0 |- |22.5 |33.0 |123.0 |48.0 |60.0 |85.0 |95.0 |23.0 |- |494.5
Legal |2.0 |- |10.0 |10.0 |15.5 |- |1.0 |6.0 |10.0 |2.0 |- |56.5
Housing, construction
and sport |4.0 |- |21.0 |14.5 |77.5 |27.0 |81.0 |127.0 |149.0 |40.0 |- |541.0
Establishments |3.0 |1.0 |10.0 |13.0 |40.0 |74.5 |149.5 |214.5 |207.5 |348.5 |- |1,067.5
Heritage and Royal
Estate |1.0 |- |2.0 |1.0 |7.0 |7.0 |37.0 |156.0 |38.0 |7.0 |371.5 |627.5
Planning inspectorate |1.0 |2.0 |11.0 |114.0 |85.0 |4.0 |24.0 |68.5 |160.5 |100.0 |- |570.0
Regional offices |6.0 |1.0 |19.0 |14.0 |105.5 |85.0 |149.5 |212.5 |222.0 |77.5 |- |892.0
Hindu Temple, Hertsmere
Mr. Bidwell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce his decision concerning the planning application for a Hindu temple to be built in the borough of Hertsmere.
Mr. Moynihan : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 20 March at columns 600-17 .
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