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Column 713
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 5 April 1990
HOUSE OF COMMONS
First Aid
Mr. Strang : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many staff in the House of Commons have first aid or medical training ; how many of these staff are available in the case of accidents ; and where these staff are located.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : Fifty members of staff of the House, 127 police officers, 108 security officers and 12 members of the fire section are trained in first aid including resuscitation techniques. Quotas of staff from all Departments of the House have been agreed bearing in mind the need to provide cover in the outbuildings as well as having first aiders available by day and night. Their location is shown in the green page supplement in the front of the Palace of Westminster telephone directory.
Mr. Strang : To ask the Lord President of the Council what first aid provision is provided by the House ; what form this takes ; where such provision is located ; and what first aid information is made available to the staff who work in the House and its outbuildings.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : Details of first aid provision and procedures to be followed in an emergency are contained in the leaflet "Medical Facilities and First Aid in the Palace of Westminster and in the Parliamentary Outbuildings" issued jointly by the Serjeant at Arms and Black Rod. I am arranging for a copy to be sent to the hon. Gentleman. Notices indicating the location of first aiders and first aid boxes are displayed in the Palace of Westminster and outbuildings, and details of first aid and medical facilities are given in appendix D of the staff handbook which is issued to all members of staff.
Column 714
Toilets
Mr. Strang : To ask the Lord President of the Council how many toilets are provided (a) in the House and (b) in each of its outbuildings, (i) for women and (ii) for men ; and if he will estimate separately the number of women and the number of men who work in these buildings with easy access to these toilet facilities.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : The information requested is as follows :
Number of Lavatories
Location |Male |Female |Mixed |Disabled
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Palace of Westminster
(Commons Area) |55 |34 |7 |1
Norman Shaw North |11 |9 |- |1
Norman Shaw South |9 |8 |3 |-
St. Stephens House |8 |8 |5 |-
1 Canon Row |8 |7 |- |1
3 Deans Yard |5 |7 |- |-
6-7 Old Palace Yard |2 |2 |1 |-
2 The Abbey Garden |3 |4 |- |-
I regret that an estimate of the numbers of women and men with access to these facilities could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Accidents
Mr. Strang : To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will state the number of reported accidents in (a) the Palace of Westminster and (b) its outbuildings for each year over the last 10 years for (i) hon. Members, (ii) hon. Members' staff, (iii) staff employed by the House in administration, (iv) staff employed by the House in catering, (v) staff employed by the House for other services, (vi) outside contractors and (vii) members of the general public ; how many people work at the House and its outbuildings in each category ; and what is the number of visitors from the general public each year.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : The information requested is as follows :
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|1980|1981|1982|1983|1984|1985|1986|1987|1988|1989
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Palace of Westminster-reported accidents
Members |n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|3 |- |1 |2
Members' staff |n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|- |1 |1 |2
Administration
department's staff |n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Refreshment
department's staff |15 |44 |26 |34 |47 |29 |31 |20 |25 |66
Other departments' staff |n.a.|19 |13 |11 |9 |13 |14 |7 |7 |19
Outside contractors |n.a.|2 |3 |1 |- |- |- |1 |1 |3
General public |n.a.|22 |29 |20 |22 |35 |18 |14 |8 |12
(b) Parliamentary outbuildings-reported accidents
Members |n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|1 |- |- |-
Members' staff |n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|1 |3 |- |1 |-
Administration
department's staff |n.a.|n.a.|n.a.|2 |8 |1 |- |- |4 |2
Refreshment
department's staff |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Other departments' staff |n.a.|1 |1 |2 |3 |2 |2 |2 |- |1
Outside contractors |n.a.|- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
General public |n.a.|- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
n.a.=Not available.
The number of people in each category are :
Column 715
|Number
----------------------------------------------
Members |649
Members' Staff |n/a
Administration Department Staff |94
Refreshment Department Staff |261
Other Departmental Staff |652
Outside Contractors |n/a
Members of the General Public |<1>
<1> See following table.
The estimated number of visitors were :
|Line of Route|Public
|Galleries
--------------------------------------------------------
1981 |287,700 |167,655
1982 |98,639 |186,112
1983 |103,375 |140,100
1984 |134,332 |173,733
1985 |140,390 |170,371
1986 |118,304 |163,802
1987 |112,176 |147,439
1988 |128,084 |176,048
1989 |115,312 |179,345
Written Answers (Cost)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the current average cost of providing a written parliamentary answer.
Sir Geoffrey Howe : The average cost is currently £54.
NATIONAL FINANCE
European Commission Budget
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total net contribution to the European Commission budget made in the latest available year by (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the Federal Republic of Germany, (c) France and (d) Italy.
Mr. Major : I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary gave the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 22 March 1990 at columns 687-88.
Column 716
Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency
Mr. John Carlisle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans the Government have for the future of the Treasury's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency.
Mr. Ryder : Following a review last year of CCTA's role, activities and organisation, the Government have decided that there continues to be a need, centrally within the Government, to provide and co-ordinate IT services and advice for Departments, both individually and collectively, and to help formulate Government policies on IT. CCTA will continue to discharge these functions as part of the Treasury.
CCTA will be looking to make more use of the private sector in the development and maintenance of its own services and will focus its efforts on activities which the private sector cannot or is unwilling to undertake or where CCTA can add significantly greater value for money. CCTA will also increase its monitoring of the effectiveness and quality of products and services provided by the private sector to the Government.
The latest decisions call in addition for a package of management reforms at CCTA encompassing :
(i) improved services to customers,
(ii) new management accounting systems, output and performance indicators,
(iii) more systematic charging for direct services to Departments, and
(iv) improved corporate and strategic planning.
A new advisory board will be established under Treasury chairmanship to advise the Treasury's senior management on the scale and broad composition of CCTA's forward work programme.
Copies of the management summary of the review and of the detailed decisions on it are being placed in the Library.
National Savings
Mr. French : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of the holdings of each issue of national savings certificates for the last five years which have remained unencashed for more than a year after their maturity date.
Mr. Ryder : The estimated total value of the holdings of each issue of national savings certificates which have remained unencashed for more than a year after their maturity date was as follows at 31 December in each of the last four years. Figures for 1985 are not available.
Column 715
£ million
(Principal and interest)
|1986 |1987 |1988
---------------------------------------------------------------
Fixed-interest issues
1 to 6 and conversion |4.37 |4.05 |3.77
7 |25.12 |24.41 |22.89
£ |1.67 |1.64 |1.55
8 |12.82 |12.32 |11.14
9 |39.71 |38.59 |35.10
10 |93.38 |90.02 |79.99
11 |38.20 |36.56 |31.43
12 |153.11 |148.01 |126.55
Decimal |316.04 |313.38 |279.13
14 |801.30 |749.18 |547.18
16 |430.39 |405.97 |288.66
18 |496.68 |459.82 |324.64
19 |784.12 |1,899.07|1,145.74
21 |- |283.24 |200.43
23 |- |333.92 |696.82
24 |- |- |466.42
25 |- |- |90.78
26 |- |- |-
|------- |------- |-------
Total fixed-interest |3,196.91|4,800.18|4,352.85
Index-linked issues
Retirement |1,056.62|975.65 |843.99
Second |253.85 |1,158.09|1,575.96
|------- |------- |-------
Total index-linked |1,310.47|2,133.74|2,419.95
Total all issues |4,507.38|6,933.92|6,772.80
Wales (Official Visits)
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the dates on which he has made an official visit to Wales since his appointment to his present post.
Mr. Major : I have not visited Wales since taking up my present post. I intend, however, to visit Wales in July of this year.
German Monetary Union
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications for the British economy of German monetary union.
Mr. Ryder : The main implications of German monetary union for the British economy will be through its impact on world trade flows, an assessment of which was contained in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1990-91."
Income Tax
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the individuals who, in the fiscal year 1989-90, were subject to the composite rate tax, would, if the Budget proposals for its abolition had been in force, have paid (a) income tax at the basic rate and (b) no income tax.
Mr. Major : About 75 per cent. of individuals with composite rate income would have been liable to pay at least some tax at basic rate, and about 25 per cent. would not have been liable to pay any. Wives with composite rate income have been included as taxpayers or non-taxpayers according to the liability of their husbands.
Mr. Hind : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much income tax rates would need to be increased to fully meet an increase in Government expenditure in 1990-91 of 17 per cent. ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : Assuming that it were all financed by income tax, a 17 per cent. increase in general Government expenditure would require a rise in the basic rate of 13p.
Merchant Shipping
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what investment incentives he intends to introduce to stop United Kingdom shipping companies flagging abroad ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what measures he intends to introduce to enable United Kingdom shipping companies to maintain their merchant fleets and crews.
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Mr. Lilley : We have already introduced a number of measures to help United Kingdom shipping companies in recent years. These have included the relaxation of the rules governing a seafarer's eligibility for the 100 per cent. foreign earnings deduction, and the extension of the business expansion scheme to ship chartering companies.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend for United Kingdom shipping companies, the maximum charter period permitted for BES ship schemes to five years.
Mr. Lilley : My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will improve the terms for United Kingdom shipping companies, for roll-over relief for corporation tax on profits from ship sales.
Mr. Lilley : My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. When a ship is sold, the present system ensures that tax relief is recovered where the depreciation allowed exceeds that actually incurred over the period of ownership.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reinstate for United Kingdom shipping companies for a period of five years, free depreciation, 100 per cent. ship allowance, against investment in new and second-hand ships.
Mr. Lilley : My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. The present capital allowances regime is already more generous for ships than commercial depreciation.
Married Man's Allowance
Mr. Hanley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost to the revenue of the married man's allowance in the 1989-90 financial year.
Mr. Lilley : I refer my hon. Friend to "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990-91 to 1992-93", chapter 21, appendix F.
Charities
Mr. Colvin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning his proposals relating to covenants to benefit charities.
Mr. Lilley : The whole Budget package for charities has been warmly welcomed. In response to requests, the Inland Revenue has issued some 1,350 copies of the guidance, first published on Budget day, to help charities and individuals making charitable covenants to get them right for tax.
Column 719
British Telecom
Mr. Hind : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to sell off to the public the Government's shareholding in British Telecom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lilley : My right hon. Friend continues to keep the timing of a sale under review in the light of market conditions and the other priorities for the privatisation programme.
THE ARTS
The Three Graces"
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister for the Arts what consideration he has given to the bid for "The Three Graces" from the Scottish national gallery.
Mr. Luce [holding answer 4 April 1990] : I am aware of the interest shown by the National Galleries of Scotland and also that the gallery is prepared to commit £1 million from its purchase grant towards the purchase of "The Three Graces". I am also aware of the considerable expense and effort which the Victoria and Albert museum has put into its public appeal. It is for these institutions to decide in which way it would be appropriate for them to conduct their fund-raising efforts.
TRANSPORT
Motor Vehicle Licences
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish for each post office district in England and Wales (a) the number of post offices currently issuing motor vehicle licences and (b) any planned increases in the number of post offices issuing motor vehicle licences.
Mr. Portillo : The number of post offices issuing vehicle excise licences in each post office district in England and Wales is currently as follows :
Post office district |Number of
| offices
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newcastle |138
Lancashire and Cumbria |129
Leeds |144
Liverpool |80
Manchester |128
Sheffield |137
North Midlands |127
Birmingham and Coventry |80
South and West Midlands |113
Bristol |132
Wessex |138
Devon and Cornwall |183
East Midlands |120
Norwich |141
Oxford |113
Colchester |117
Aldershot |132
Hastings |117
Brighton |93
London North |79
London Central |43
London Western |90
London Eastern |69
London South West |91
London South East |95
North and Mid Wales and Marches |166
South Wales |162
|------
Grand total |3,157
Any increase in the number of the licensing post offices increases the charges made by Post Office Counters to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The possibility of a further extension is, however, currently being examined with the Post Office. Any changes in the licensing network that result will be given full publicity.
Daylight Saving
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects on the totals of road casualties if the clocks were advanced by one hour throughout the year.
Mr. Portillo : I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 35 of the Government's Green Paper, Cmd. 722, where estimates of 813 killed and seriously injured and 2,060 total casualties saved are given. Copies of the Green Paper are in the Library of the House.
Road Improvements, North Devon
Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress in road improvements and bridge building of the Barnstaple downstream bridge and the Aller Cross to Blackmore Gate road.
Mr. Portillo : The Barnstaple downstream bridge scheme and improvements to the Aller Cross to Blackmore Gate road are the responsibility of the local highway authority, Devon county council.
Roads (London)
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many objections, petitions and letters of support were received for each of the London assessment studies between 15 December 1989 and 28 February.
Mr. Portillo : An analysis of the responses will be published shortly.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation methods will apply before he lays regulations concerning the introduction of red routes in London.
Mr. Portillo : There will be further detailed consultations on the proposals in "Traffic in London". Over the coming months there will be specific local consultations with the authorities and representatives of the residents and traders concerned in the proposed red routes pilot scheme.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what consultations he proposes before making detailed proposals concerning the widening of the A1 at Archway island and Highbury corner ; (2) what meetings he plans to have with the local authority, local businesses and local community groups concerning the improvements to the A1 at Archway and Highbury corner.
Column 721
Mr. Portillo : It is too soon to announce the timetable and arrangements for taking forward the road proposals arising from the assessment studies.Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers the London Traffic Commissioner will have ; and when he expects to make an appointment.
Mr. Atkins : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 4 April.
Railways (Electrification)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a table giving the percentage of total route miles of railway passenger services electrified in the United Kingdom and in each of the other EEC states.
Mr. Portillo : At present, 27 per cent. of British Rail's total route miles are electrified. Equivalent percentage figures for other EEC countries are as follows :
|Percentage
----------------------------------
Belgium |60.0
Denmark |7.5
France |34.0
Germany |42.0
Greece |0.0
Ireland |2.0
Italy |57.0
Luxembourg |60.0
Netherlands |65.0
Portugal |13.0
Spain |49.0
Figures for total route miles of passenger services only which are electrified are not available.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he is giving to giving loan sanction to West Yorkshire passenger transport authority, over several years, to finance the electrification of routes between Bradford and Leeds and along the Aire valley ; and whether the scheme satisfies his financial criteria for such investment.
Mr. Portillo : The West Yorkshire passenger transport executive has put a case to the Department, and discussions are taking place. More details are needed before any decision can be taken.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals from British Rail he is considering to ensure a continuous programme of electrification on British Rail ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : British Rail's 1989 corporate plan includes electrification of the following lines : Portsmouth-Southampton ; Cambridge -King's Lynn ; Heathrow Express to Paddington ; Manchester international airport link ; Birmingham cross-city line ; Hooton-Chester to Ellesmere Port ; and the east coast main line. It is for British Rail to come forward with any further proposals for electrification which would satisfy its normal investment criteria.
Column 722
Rail Pollution
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the amount of atmospheric pollutants produced by (a) electric traction for railways and (b) diesel traction ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : Figures on atmospheric pollution directly attributable to United Kingdom railways are available in the 1989 digest of environmental protection and water statistics, a copy of which is in the Library.
Traffic (Leeds-Bradford)
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for the reduction of traffic congestion between Leeds and Bradford and along the Aire valley which can be brought fully into operation within three years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Portillo : Work on the A650 Drighlington bypass to the south- west of Leeds is due to start on 23 April 1990. The 4 km long single carriageway road is expected to be complete in early 1992 and will relieve traffic congestion on the A650 trunk road through Drighlington and Adwalton particularly at the A58 Whitehall road junction.
The Department has four further schemes in the national road programme to improve the trunk road between Bradford and Skipton in the Aire valley. These are the A629 Skipton-Kildwick improvement, the A650 Hard Ings road, Keighley, the A650 Airedale route section 3--Crossflatts to Cottingley Bar- -and the Shipley eastern bypass.
Haulage Licences
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance is given by his Department to highway authorities for granting operators' licences to private hauliers in respect of examinations of the suitability of access routes to the applicant's proposed depot.
Mr. Portillo : Consideration of applications for goods vehicle operator licences is the responsibility of local independent licensing authorities. Local highway authorities have a right of objection to such applications. It is for the highway authority concerned to consider what action, if any, should be taken, using its traffic regulations powers, in respect of traffic generated by a goods vehicle operating centre.
Road Accidents
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of persons who have died in road accidents for every year since 1979 and for the first three months of 1990.
Mr. Portillo : The information is as follows :
Number of persons killed
in road accidents in Great
Britain
1979 to 1989
|Numbers
---------------------------
1979 |6,352
1980 |6,010
1981 |5,846
1982 |5,934
1983 |5,445
1984 |5,599
1985 |5,165
1986 |5,382
1987 |5,125
1988 |5,052
1989 |<1>5,230
<1> Provisional.
Figures for the first three months of 1990 are not yet available.
River Tyne (Road Bridge)
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to build a new road bridge across the River Tyne between the Newcastle upon Tyne, East parliamentary constituency and Gateshead.
Mr. Portillo : No, but I am aware that a cross-Tyne study is being undertaken by the local authorities in Tyne and Wear to consider traffic capacity across the River Tyne.
Newcastle Quayside Development
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact the Tyneside urban development corporation's proposed east Newcastle quayside development project will have on east-west and north- south traffic flows in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Mr. Portillo : The traffic implications of the proposed quayside development are a matter for discussion between the city council and the corporation. There are no trunk roads involved.
Safety at Sea
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the "Study into Hours of Work : Fatigue and Safety at Sea" produced by the Medical Research Council in December 1989 and subsequently submitted to his Department.
Mr. McLoughlin : Professor Ivan Brown's report on his study into hours of work, fatigue and safety at sea was forwarded to representative organisations on 2 February for comment. All comments received will be taken into account before any decision is made on what further action, if any, is appropriate.
Second Severn Crossing
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the new legislation to provide for the second Severn crossing, he will ensure that the toll concession for the disabled remains as on the existing bridge.
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