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(i) The Overseas Service (Uganda) Agreement ; signed at Kampala 18 March 1986 and entered into force on 31 March 1986. Treaty Series/Command number not yet allocated. To be reviewed before 31 March 1991.
(ii) The Public Officers' Pensions (Uganda) Amendment Agreement ; signed at Kampala on 29 October 1987 and entered into force the same day. Treaty Series/Command number 057/1988 Cm. 145. To be reviewed as necessary.
(iii) The United Kingdom/Ugandan Debt Agreement No. 3 (1987) ; signed at Kampala on 26 April 1988 and entered into force on 5 May 1988. Treaty Series/Command number 067/1988 Cm. 482. Under review. A number of aid agreements have also been concluded during the period.
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Mr. Ernie Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens have outstanding claims for compensation against the Government of Uganda.
Mr. Waldegrave : No exact figure is available, but the Ugandan Government have reported that they have received slightly over 1,000 claims for compensation from persons in Britain. The majority of these will have been from British citizens and remain outstanding.
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct his Department to convey to the official representatives of the Governments of the Soviet Union and India, respectively, the views of Her Majesty's Government on the demands for independence emerging from Lithuania and Kashmir ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : We are in regular contact with both the Soviet and Indian Governments on the situations in Lithuania and Kashmir. Both Governments are well aware of our views on the issues arising.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to raise at the United Nations the human rights record of the present regime in Iraq ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : We have raised, and will continue to raise, our concerns about Iraq's human rights record, both directly with the Iraqi authorities and in all suitable international bodies. We expressed our views firmly at the recent UN Commission of Human Rights in Geneva.
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Mr. Spearing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the topics discussed, and conclusions reached, at the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the European Community at Dublin castle on 21 April.
Mr. Maude : EC Foreign Ministers met in Dublin on 21 April to discuss preparations for the informal meeting of Community Heads of State or Government on 28 April. Ministers first considered the latest developments in Lithuania and the economic measures introduced by Moscow. The Twelve issued a statement expressing their serious concern and underlining that measures of a coercive nature could make no contribution to the search for a solution through dialogue. Ministers agreed to keep the situation and its policy implications under continuous review. An official working group will meet for this purpose this week.
Ministers discussed the implications for the Community of developments in central and eastern Europe. They welcomed the prospect of German unification and the integration of GDR territory into the Community : the meeting on 28 April will discuss how to ensure this is achieved as quickly, fully and smoothly as possible. They also discussed--as will the meeting on 28 April--how best to ensure the healthy development of the Community's relations with other countries of central and eastern Europe, and envisaged a network of association agreements, tailored to the individual circumstances, and the pace of reform, in each of the countries concerned.
Ministers also briefly discussed EC institutional reform, and the Franco- German proposal that Foreign Ministers should be asked to consider member states' ideas and report to the June and December European Councils. This issue, too, will be further discussed on 28 April.
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Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated total cost of the security operation by Army and Royal Air Force personnel in connection with the visit of Mr. Charles Haughey to Belfast on Wednesday 11 April.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The armed forces in Northern Ireland provided military support as requested by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. It is not our practice to detail the costs of military assistance provided for specific security operations in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish for each of the last 10 years (i) the number of low-flying Royal Air Force training aircraft that have crashed over Wales, (ii) the dates of those crashes, (iii) the number of casualties and (iv) the value of the aircraft lost.
Mr. Neubert : Details of major incidents involving RAF training aircraft flying at low level over Wales in the last 10 years are as follows :
Date |Aircraft type |Casualties ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 22 April 1982 |Hunter |One major injury (RAF) |No civilian casualties 13 May 1982 |Jet Provost |No casualties 5 August 1982 |Hunter |No casualties |Two fatalities (one RAF |and one Royal Brunei 20 April 1983 |Gazelle |Armed Service) |No civilian casualties
It is not our policy to publish unit production costs.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force pilots have been disciplined for flying below the minimum height while involved in training exercises over Wales.
Mr. Neubert : Very few complaints reveal irresponsible breaches of low flying regulations and, therefore, formal disciplinary action is infrequent. Since 1979, from when records are available, no Royal Air Force pilots have been formally disciplined for flying below the minimum height during training exercises over Wales.
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what percentage armed forces' salaries were abated in respect of imputed contributions to pensions in the armed forces in each year since 1960 ; and what information he has on previous years' abatements.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There is no abatement of the pay of members of the armed forces in respect of imputed contributions to pensions. However, in recommending rates of pay for the armed forces, the armed forces pay review body (AFPRB) makes an adjustment to comparator earnings to reflect its judgment on the additional pension benefit received by members of the armed forces compared with that available for civilian
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schemes. Between 1981 and 1986 that adjustment was set at 11 per cent. ; since then it has been set at 10 per cent. The basis of these adjustments is explained in greater detail in the AFPRB's 10th and 15th reports, Commands 8241 and 9784.Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on negotiations for the disposal and future use of RNAD Milford after 31 March 1991.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The Ministry of Defence expects shortly to receive the report of the consultancy study, commissioned in conjunction with the Welsh Development Agency, into potential future uses for the RN armament depot at Milford Haven. In consultation with the Welsh Development Agency and the local authorities, we shall be carefully considering the options identified in the report and will be consulting the trade unions before a final decision is made.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the closure of RNAD Milford including the early retirement of staff, the transfer of staff to other MOD establishments and the job resettlement programme.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The closure programme for the royal naval armament depot at Milford Haven is proceeding to schedule, with the progressive transfer of the remaining tasks to the MOD's depot at Trecwn. Milford Haven is scheduled to close on 31 March 1991. The position of the 163 staff employed at the depot is as follows :
(a) Thirty-three non-industrial and 42 industrial staff (total 75) are to transfer to the royal naval armament depot at Trecwn during the period leading up to March 1991.
(b) Nine non-industrial and four industrial staff (total 13) are to transfer to other Government Departments during the period leading up to March 1991.
(c) A total of 67 industrial staff are to be made redundant in two groups : 30 on 2 November 1990 and 37 in early March 1991. All staff being made redundant are being referred to the Manpower Services Commission jobcentre at Milford Haven under the job resettlement programme.
(d) Seven industrial staff will be normally or medically retired before the closure date.
(e) One non-industrial grade is currently seeking early retirement.
Mr. Macdonald : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimated cost of the hardened aircraft shelters to be installed at RAF Stornoway.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Tenders for this work have not yet been invited, and it is not our practice to disclose estimates for specific work projects which will be the subject of contractual negotiations.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Ministers in his Department were first made aware of the Walter Somers export order for Iraq.
Mr. Alan Clark : Earlier this month.
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Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the works carried out at Menwith hill base during the past five years ; what is the total cost and sources of payment for the work ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton [holding answer 5 April 1990] : I understand that within the last five years five works projects have been completed at Menwith Hill station. Two involved improvements to operational buildings ; a further two involved the provision of additional married quarters ; and the final project was for the installation of additional generators. The projects were paid for by the United States Government and I am unable to comment on their cost.
Q18. Mr. Hunter : To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on the political situation in South Africa.
The Prime Minister : We welcome the recent announcement that President de Klerk will meet members of the ANC on 2 May. We hope that these discussions will lead to negotiations on the peaceful end of apartheid and its replacement by a system of government acceptable to all South Africans.
Q39. Mr. Latham : To ask the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the discussions with the Police Federation regarding the Police (Amendment) Regulations 1990.
The Prime Minister : The regulations laid on 9 March took account of representations made by my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) and representatives of the staff side of the Police Federation, at a meeting with my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary on 17 January. Since the regulations were laid, further representations have been made about the position of officers in forces whose maximum limits of rent allowance were last reviewed in 1988. As a result my right hon. and learned Friend has decided that the protected rent allowances in such cases should be increased in line with the movement in the retail prices index since the date of the force's last rent allowance review. Further amending regulations to give effect to that decision will be laid as soon as possible.
Q118. Dr. Godman : To ask the Prime Minister if she intends to hold discussions in the near future with Chancellor Kohl and other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation leaders concerning the present and future stationing of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation armed forces in the Federal Republic of Germany and the continuing presence of Warsaw Pact armed forces in the German Democratic Republic.
The Prime Minister : When I met Chancellor Kohl on 30 March, we agreed on the importance of keeping United
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States and other NATO forces in Germany, as well as the need to look at transitional arrangements for Soviet forces in the GDR. These issues will be discussed further at NATO meetings this summer.Mr. Winnick : To ask the Prime Minister when she last met the ambassador of the Chinese People's Republic ; where the meeting took place ; and if she will state the subjects discussed.
The Prime Minister : The Chinese ambassador called on me on 16 March at 10 Downing street. We discussed Hong Kong and other issues of common concern.
Mr. Pike : To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 April.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. Later this afternoon I shall depart for Turkey to be present at the 75th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings on 25 April.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Prime Minister under what arrangements the forthcoming European Council Meeting in Dublin on 28 April was called ; what procedural rules will apply ; when the agenda will be announced ; and if she will place in the Library any document presented to that meeting for its consideration.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 23 April 1990] : The meeting on 28 April is not a formal European Council, but a special informal meeting of Heads of State and Government. It was called to consider the implications for the Community of developments in central and eastern Europe, in particular, progress towards German unification. It will also look at preparations for the CSCE summit. There may be discussion of institutional reform. The agenda, and any papers, for discussion will be a matter for the presidency.
Mr. Knapman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has as to the number of small businesses that will benefit as a result of the decision announced in his Budget statement to increase (a) the profits limit for corporation tax and (b) the limit for marginal relief.
Mr. Lilley : It is estimated that 20,000 companies will benefit from the increase in profit limits for the small companies' rate of corporation tax and associated marginal relief.
Mr. Lee : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated loss of revenue if the 40 per cent. rate for capital gains tax were lowered to 25 per cent.
Mr. Lilley : It is estimated that the cost of charging all taxable capital gains realised by individuals in 1990-91 at
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25 per cent. would be about £350 million. The estimate allows for some increase in disposals in response to the reduction in the effective rate of the tax but does not allow for possible short-term effects, nor for possible substitution by higher rate taxpayers of gains for income. No allowance has been made for any change in the treatment of capital gains of companies which are taxed within corporation tax.Mr. Dewar : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many income tax payers there were in Scotland in each year from 1986-87 to the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Lilley : The estimated number of individuals resident in Scotland and liable to income tax is 2.04 million for 1986-87 and 2.16 million for 1987-88, the latest available year. Married women are included where their earned income exceeds the wife's earned income allowance and any personal allowances and reliefs unused against the husband's income.
Sir David Steel : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend VAT leaflet 700/11/88 to include a paragraph on not using VAT form 100 where deregistration applies.
Mr. Major : Customs and Excise is currently reviewing its published guidance and instructions relating to traders deregistering for value added tax following representations made by the right hon. Member to my noble Friend the Paymaster General. That review will consider whether leaflet 700/11/88 is the appropriate vehicle for guidance along the lines suggested.
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about the operation of the tour operators' margin scheme concerning the application of value added tax in relation to conferences ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : I am not aware of any recent representations.
Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the budget surplus or deficit for each of the European Community countries, the United States of America and Japan for each of the last three years, on a comparable basis ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder : Following is the data requested for the United Kingdom :
|c|United Kingdom general government financial balance|c| |c|deficit (-) or surplus ( +)|c| |Per cent. |of GDP ------------------------------ 1987 |-1.2 1988 |+1.1 1989 |+1.3 Source: CSO.
General government financial balances as a share of GDP for the United States, Japan and the other EC countries are published by the OECD in "Economic Outlook" December 1989.
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Mrs. Margaret Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each year since the inception of the scheme the total funds lent by the European investment bank ; if he will show as a proportion of the total the amounts provided to businesses and others in each of the member states ; whether the rules governing eligibility of loan finance from the European investment bank are identical in various member states ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 18 April 1990] : The European investment bank was set up in 1958. The membership of the bank has expanded as new members have acceded to the European
Community--Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom in 1973, Greece in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986.
Tables have been placed in the House Library which show the total of funds lent by the European investment bank including lending outside the European Community, the total of funds lent by the bank within the Community and the proportion of the total lent to the European Community provided to each of the member states. Records are available centrally only from the date when the United Kingdom joined the EIB and not for previous years. The rules governing access to European investment bank loan finance apply equally to each member state.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many responses he received to the Green Paper on Friendly Societies ; and how many were favourable to his proposals.
Mr. Ryder [holding answer 23 April 1990] : To date, I have received around 60 written responses to the Green Paper. The proposals have been generally welcomed. I shall, of course, give all responses careful consideration.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish before the end of June his response to the report by the Committee on Welsh Affairs on toxic waste disposal in Wales.
Mr. Grist : It is my right hon. Friend's intention to provide a considered response to all such reports within the shortest possible time scale.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the number of people in Wales who will (i) be eligible to pay the personal community charge, (ii) be eligible to pay the standard community charge, (iii) be eligible for the 80 per cent. rebate on the personal community charge, (iv) be eligible for the 20 per cent. rebate on the personal community charge and (v) be exempt from the personal community charge.
Mr. Peter Walker : The available information is given in the table :
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|Number |(to nearest |thousand) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- People registered for the personal community charge<1><2> |2,175,000 Properties subject to the standard community charge<1> |61,000 Estimate of chargepayers expected to receive 80 per cent. rebate<3> |320,000 Estimate of chargepayers expected to receive rebate of less than 80 per cent.<3><4> |230,000 People exempt from personal community charge<1> |39,000 Notes: <1> As at 1 December 1989. <2> Including students. <3> In 1990-91. It is not possible to provide estimates of those eligible for rebates. <4> It is not possible to estimate the number of people eligible for or receiving a 20 per cent. rebate on the personal community charge.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will detail the (a) number of ratepayers and (b) number of electors in each Welsh local authority area in 1989-90 together with the percentage that the number of ratepayers represented as a proportion of total electors for each local authority ; and if he will give the cost of collecting the rates per head of ratepayers in 1989-90.
Mr. Peter Walker : The information requested is given in the table :
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alyn and Deeside |27,319 |3,826 |56,681 |48 |2.17 Colwyn |23,295 |3,427 |43,454 |54 |3.89 Delyn |25,342 |3,685 |51,531 |49 |3.47 Glyndwr |17,156 |3,271 |32,800 |52 |5.27 Rhuddlan |22,074 |3,387 |44,436 |50 |4.19 Wrexham Maelor |45,131 |7,227 |89,680 |50 |4.40 Carmarthen |21,725 |3,424 |42,867 |51 |5.39 Ceredigion |26,626 |4,780 |52,086 |51 |4.38 Dinefwr |15,264 |2,500 |30,358 |50 |3.72 Llanelli |30,508 |4,172 |58,994 |52 |3.41 Preseli Pembrokeshire |28,631 |5,090 |53,225 |54 |3.27 South Pembrokeshire |16,708 |3,634 |31,787 |53 |4.28 Blaenau Gwent |31,312 |5,640 |59,253 |53 |3.70 Islwyn |25,663 |4,408 |51,176 |50 |3.42 Monmouth |29,508 |5,058 |59,899 |49 |3.22 Newport |52,606 |8,509 |96,516 |55 |4.28 Torfaen |35,826 |7,750 |69,563 |52 |3.52 Aberconwy |22,538 |4,502 |42,746 |53 |6.57 Arfon |23,678 |3,906 |42,194 |56 |5.85 Dwyfor |13,609 |3,109 |22,060 |62 |6.35 Meirionnydd |16,173 |3,708 |25,724 |63 |1.98 Ynys Mon |29,031 |4,676 |53,721 |54 |6.09 Cynon Valley |26,661 |3,663 |49,653 |54 |3.67 Merthyr Tydfil |23,577 |4,059 |44,613 |53 |7.15 Ogwr |50,593 |7,023 |102,147 |50 |1.92 Rhondda |32,011 |4,947 |60,404 |53 |5.30 Rhymney Valley |39,126 |5,705 |77,730 |50 |4.46 Taff Ely |36,214 |5,741 |70,683 |51 |9.49 Brecknock |16,544 |3,713 |32,502 |51 |4.43 Montgomeryshire |21,330 |4,757 |41,023 |52 |4.14 Radnorshire |9,830 |2,367 |18,636 |53 |4.94 Cardiff |110,676 |15,934 |215,013 |51 |6.44 Vale of Glamorgan |43,356 |6,164 |86,197 |50 |5.42 Port Talbot |20,440 |3,107 |40,529 |50 |4.84 Lliw Valley |24,625 |3,194 |48,115 |51 |3.60 Neath |25,926 |3,471 |51,710 |50 |4.58 Swansea |73,489 |8,696 |144,909 |51 |4.06 |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- Total Wales |1,134,121|182,230 |2,194,615|52 |4.59 <1> As shown on the electoral register which came into effect on 16 February 1989. <2> Cost information relates to 1989-90 and includes both the costs of domestic and non-domestic rate collection; separate information is not available for these two categories.
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received, since occupying his present post, on the effect on home ownership of high interest rates.
Mr. Peter Walker : This information cannot be supplied as no record is kept, but I am pleased that home ownership has substantially increased during my period of office.
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Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research he has commissioned on past patterns of fund-raising and charitable giving and the potential for future income from such sources in order to inform policy-making by health authorities in Wales.
Mr. Grist : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on Monday 23 April.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the costs of the Health Service were
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met by charitable donations and fund-raising in each of the past 10 financial years (a) in Wales as a whole and (b) in each health authority district in Wales.Column 138
Mr. Grist : The information requested, as recorded in health authorities' trust fund accounts, is as follows :
The information requested, as recorded in health authorities' trust fund accounts, is as follows :
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|c|Subscriptions, donations and fund-raising|c| |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89<1> |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ |£ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Clwyd |92,158 |121,318 |114,969 |162,018 |179,622 |197,634 |181,249 |216,667 |318,933 |401,910 Dyfed/East Dyfed |126,701 |169,692 |212,308 |211,101 |192,740 |176,787 |178,259 |235,905 |240,990 |420,712 Gwent |44,870 |43,361 |70,873 |83,594 |101,669 |93,745 |173,114 |181,499 |274,380 |339,995 Gwynedd |38,211 |50,264 |59,097 |66,772 |121,449 |110,957 |229,483 |204,720 |201,816 |249,027 Mid Glamorgan |58,644 |147,378 |189,608 |162,514 |130,560 |195,727 |226,667 |293,804 |454,664 |376,798 Powys |27,855 |27,606 |29,389 |56,523 |45,373 |58,034 |55,488 |57,819 |74,115 |198,414 South Glamorgan |60,187 |102,274 |314,438 |165,334 |185,692 |182,437 |251,987 |345,310 |392,284 |435,370 West Glamorgan |75,212 |68,979 |125,570 |133,695 |178,797 |274,084 |182,207 |297,926 |307,858 |265,885 Pembrokeshire<2> |- |- |- |78,214 |78,537 |74,789 |79,781 |132,231 |203,075 |142,225 Health Promotion Authority for Wales |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |192,384 |222,075 |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- |---- Wales |523,838 |730,872 |1,116,252 |1,119,765 |1,214,439 |1,364,194 |1,558,235 |1,965,971 |2,660,499 |3,052,411 Notes: <1> Latest year for which figures currently available. <2> Pembrokeshire figures included within Dyfed figures prior to reorganisation in 1982-83.
It should be noted, however, that trust fund income may be used for various purposes, depending on the respective deeds of trust applying to individual trust funds. Thus some of the above income will have been used for the benefit of staff as well as for the provision of equipment, vehicles, furnishings and so on to enhance patient services. It should also be noted that information on any donations or proceeds from fund-raising which are not associated with authorities' trust funds is not available centrally, since it is not recorded in the authorities' statutory accounts. It is therefore not possible to say what proportion of the costs of providing health services over the past 10 years has been met by funds from charitable sources.
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take appropriate measures to ensure that the speeding up of the Welsh Development Agency's programme of selling off parcels of industrial land to the private sector will not mean that companies renting factories on this land will face increased charges from new landlords.
Mr. Peter Walker : The level of rents charged by the private sector is a matter for commercial judgment based on prevailing market conditions. The Welsh Development Agency itself currently seeks to obtain the best price practicable in negotiating both rents and sales for its property and has for some time sought to operate on a commercial basis wherever possible.
Moreover, tenants rights are unaffected by a change of ownership and they also have statutory protection through the Landlord and Tenants Act 1954 which provides recourse to arbitration if settlement of rent cannot be achieved between the parties.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those estuarial crossings in Wales for which a toll is charged and those for which no toll is made.
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