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Mrs. Chalker : None--the bank's headquarters will be in London.
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NATIONAL FINANCE
Civil Service (Wales)
53. Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review recruitment, training and promotion procedures within the civil service in Wales to ensure that all those wishing to pursue a career within the civil service can do so within Wales, without prejudicing their career prospects.
Mr. Ryder : My right hon. Friend keeps all aspects of the staffing of the civil service under review.
Historic Houses
Mr. Lee : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many maintenance funds there are for historic properties ; and how many of these are for £100,000 or less.
Mr. Maude : A total number of 70 heritage maintenance funds have been established. It is not possible to provide a figure for the value of property held by heritage maintenance funds.
Listed Buildings
Mr. Mills : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of value added tax received from listed building repairs each year over the last five years.
Mr. Ryder : The information requested is not available.
Mortgage Interest Relief
Mr. Soley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of adjusting the maximum ceiling for mortgage interest tax relief to (a) £35,000, (b) £40,000, (c) £45,000 and (d) £50, 000 on the assumption that (i) relief continues to be available at the higher marginal tax rate where applicable and (ii) that relief is restricted to the standard 25 per cent. rate of income tax.
Mr. Maude : Provisional estimates of the costs of increasing the ceiling are given in the table. The estimates exclude behavioural effects which would be substantial for the higher ceilings.
Direct revenue costs at 1990-91 income levels of raising
the ceiling
for mortgage interest relief
Ceiling |Relief at |Relief at
|marginal |basic rate of
|tax rate | 25 per cent.
£ |£ million |£ million
------------------------------------------------------------
35,000 |440 |-90
40,000 |790 |230
45,000 |1,050 |470
50,000 |1,250 |650
Manufacturing Investment
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of manufacturing investment made in each year since 1979 by (a) foreign direct investors and (b) indigenous manufacturers in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales ; and what percentage annual changes these figures represent.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The following table provides the available information. Current price figures have been
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supplied because there are no regional price deflators. Data for 1980 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.Column 361
Net capital expenditure in manufacturing industry<1> at current prices
Year
|£ million
|1979 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Foreign-owned enterprises<2>
United Kingdom |1,490.5 |1,402.3 |1.363.4 |1,397.4 |1,547.6 |1,844.0 |1,714.6 |1,989.1 |2,528.4
|(<1>-) |(-3) |(2) |(11) |(19) |(-7) |(16) |(27)
Scotland |112.6 |231.4 |213.6 |143.3 |161.5 |272.1 |226.1 |183.9 |342.4
|(<1>-) |(-8) |(-33) |(13) |(68) |(-17) |(-19) |(86)
Wales |186.1 |120.9 |126.6 |97.6 |139.4 |192.2 |139.2 |213.5 |286.8
|(<1>-) |(5) |(-23) |(43) |(38) |(-38) |(53) |(34)
(b) United Kingdom-owned enterprises
United Kingdom |5,455.9 |4,090.8 |4,150.2 |4,663.5 |6,041.7 |6,898.2 |6,990.6 |7,764.9 |9,641
|(<1>-) |(1) |(12) |(30) |(14) |(1) |(11) |(24)
Scotland |484.0 |385.9 |328.4 |347.3 |461.4 |594.2 |551.2 |551.6 |683.6
|(<1>-) |(-15) |(6) |(33) |(29) |(-7) |(0) |(24)
Wales |309.0 |250.0 |211.3 |255.6 |331.6 |370.8 |384.4 |419.4 |560.8
|(<1>) |(-15) |(21) |(30) |(12) |(4) |(9) |(34)
Notes:
1. Orders III-XIX of SIC(68) for 1979, divisions 2-4 of SIC(80) for later years.
2. Foreign-owned enterprises are defined as those controlled or owned by companies incorporated overseas.
3. From 1988, in line with accounting practice, assets leased on a finance leasing basis are included as assets by the lessee rather
than by the lessor. This is estimated to have increased total United Kingdom net capital expenditure in 1988 by up to 8 per cent.
<1> not available
The figures in brackets in the above table represent percentage changes from the previous year.
Source: Annual Census of Production
Incomes
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average wage gap in male average weekly earnings between Scotland and the south-east in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989 in current prices.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Data by region for average gross weekly pay in April of each year for adult males in full-time employment are available in table 12 part A of the annual new earnings survey reports. Information on the RPI to convert the figures to 1990 prices is published in table 6.4 of the Employment Gazette and in table 26 of the annual supplement to Economic Trends.
Manufacturing Statistics
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish indices for (a) industrial production and (b) manufacturing output for (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) the United Kingdom and (iv) the south- east from 1979 to the most recent available date.
Mr. Norman Lamont : (i) For Scotland, annual indices for industrial production and for manufacturing output from 1979 to 1989 were last published in the "Scottish Economic Bulletin" No. 41, June 1990. More recent quarterly figures are published in the Scottish index of production and construction quarterly press notice.
(ii) For Wales, annual indices for industrial production and for manufacturing output from 1979 to 1987 are given in the table. More recent annual and quarterly figures are published in the Welsh index of production and construction quarterly press notice.
1985=100
|Industrial production
------------------------------------------------------------------
112.1 |104.7
1999.5 |92.2
1997.7 |93.7
(iii) For the United Kingdom, indices can be found on the CSO database, which is accessible through the House of Commons Library. (iv) Regional indices of production for England are not compiled.
Benefit in Kind
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to increase the threshold for benefit in kind above the current limit of £8,500 a year ; how this limit has changed in real value over the last 10 years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Major [holding answer 25 October 1990] : There are no plans to increase the threshold at which special rules apply to the taxation of benefits in kind. In principle all employees should pay income tax on the whole of their earnings whether received in cash or in kind. If this threshold had been indexed over the last 10 years in line with inflation according to the statutory formula for increasing personal allowances and thresholds, the threshold in 1990-91 would be £16,636.
Petroleum Products
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value added tax paid on petroleum products, monthly, from August 1989 to September 1990.
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Mr. Ryder [holding answer 26 October 1990] : Monthly estimates of value added tax paid on petroleum products are not available. However, estimates of value added tax on these products accruing on private consumption can be calculated quarterly and are :
1989
Quarter 3 |300
Quarter 4 |290
1990
Quarter 1 |290
Quarter 2 |310
Young People (Complaints)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will specify what formal procedures for making complaints and representations, specifying where appropriate under which sections of which Acts, are available to children and young people under 18 years of age who wish to make complaints about matters which are the responsibility of his Department.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 25 October 1990] : As the information requested is lengthy, I will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.
ENERGY
Coal-fired Power Stations
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last released financial aid for research into cleaner coal-fired power stations ; and when he will be releasing further aid for research into this subject.
Mr. Baldry : On 16 July my Department announced details of a £2.5 million research package for the development of clean coal technologies. The package covered three projects--the design of high temperature high pressure filters for advanced clean coal technologies (for example, pressurised fluidised bed combustion combined cycle and integrated gasification combined cycle systems) ; research into reducing nitrogen oxide emissions ; and modifying combustion processes to reduce harmful emissions contributing to acid rain. My Department's contribution to these projects will be £1.2 million. A copy of the press notice for this announcement is in the Libraries of the House.
A number of further possible clean coal technology projects are being worked up in collaboration with United Kingdom industry, the European Commission and the International Energy Agency.
Electricity Privatisation
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the total cost of electricity privatisation and the cost of all promotional and of all advisory activity concerned with this privatisation (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) overseas.
Mr. Baldry : It is too early to make any meaningful estimate of the likely gross costs of privatising the electricity supply industry but the costs will be small in comparison to the proceeds.
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Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps have been taken to assess how ex gratia payments in settlement of breach of copyright claims may be avoided in future, in the light of the payment made to Universal Studios relating to the electricity privatisation advertising campaign.
Mr. Baldry : The responsibility for copyright issues lies with the advertising agency. Her Majesty's Government agreed to pay £6,000 as a licence fee in respect of the use of the characters in the flotation advertising campaign, as is normal in such circumstances.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what advice he obtained from copyright lawyers concerning the payment to Universal Studios for unauthorised use of the copyright design of Herman Munster in the electricity privatisation commercials ; (2) how many outside bodies or companies he consulted before the decision was made to settle out of court the breach of copyright claim by Universal Studios regarding Frank N. Stein and Herman Munster.
Mr. Baldry : Any responsibility for this matter lay with the advertising agency. Her Majesty's Government consulted with their advisers to clarify their position on this matter.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the first approach was made by Universal Studios regarding the alleged breach of contract arising from the similarity between the character Frank N. Stein in the electricity privatisation advertising campaign and the character Herman Munster of "The Munsters" ; and on what date he made his decision to settle the claim out of court.
Mr. Baldry : This is a matter between the advertising agency WCRS, and MCA Merchandising Corporation of America, acting on behalf of Universal City Studios Inc.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cost of (a) the settlement of the alleged breach of copyright claim by Universal Studios over the Frank N . Stein figure used in the electricity privatisation commercials and (b) the legal and other advice used in responding to Universal Studios' claim.
Mr. Baldry : (a) is a matter between the advertising agency and MCA Merchandising Corporation of America, on behalf of Universal City Studios Inc. With regard to (b) , responsibility on this matter lies with the advertising agency. Her Majesty's Government consulted with their marketing and legal advisers to clarify their position on this matter. The cost of this advice is commercially confidential, but was a minimal amount.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a deduction from the fees agreed to be paid to the WCRS advertising agency equivalent to the cost of the out-of-court settlement with Universal Studios for alleged breach of copyright.
Mr. Baldry : Her Majesty's Government have made no payment in respect of any alleged breach of copyright by WCRS.
National Power (Coal Supplies)
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what advice he has received from the European Commission regarding the claim by the Small Mines
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Association of south Wales relating to the differential in prices paid by National Power for coal supplies to Aberthaw and Uskmouth power stations ;(2) what representations he has received regarding the claim by the Small Mines Association of south Wales for redress over discriminatory pricing for coal deliveries to National Power stations ; what action he now proposes ; and at what estimated cost ; (3) when he expects to complete his discussions with the South Wales Small Mines Association and National Power regarding the dispute over discriminatory pricing in coal deliveries to Uskmouth and Aberthaw power stations ;
(4) what actions he proposes to take in response to the claim for redress for discriminatory coal pricing made by the South Wales Small Mines Association ;
(5) if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter from John Temple Laing of the European Commission to the office of the United Kingdom permanent representative to the European Communities dated 28 August, responding to the claim for redress for unfair coal pricing submitted by the South Wales Small Mines Association.
Mr. Baldry : The South Wales Small Mines Association has made a complaint to the European Commission about the terms on which its members have been able to sell their output. My Department has been actively encouraging the parties to the dispute to achieve a negotiated settlement. The association is currently considering the proposals most recently offered. The European Commission has supported our efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement. It has been the policy of successive Governments to treat correspondence with the Commission as confidential.
Reprocessing Plant, Sellafield
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received about the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.
Mr. Baldry : I receive correspondence covering a wide range of energy topics including matters relating to British Nuclear Fuels' operations at Sellafield.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Leicester Offices (Refurbishment)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate the cost of the refurbishments at his Department's offices in Leicester and the way the expenditure is to be incurred.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The only major refurbishment in Leicester is planned at Yeoman street office. We have a general programme for refurbishing offices over a period of years, which has now been implemented in many local offices and which has substantially improved the facilities and service for the public and enhanced the working areas for staff. The Yeoman street office was due for improvements under this programme and the opportunity is being taken to pilot there a new corporate image for our offices. Work is due to start in November, at an estimated cost of £625,000 in total.
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Incomes
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown by standard United Kingdom region of the percentage of households in each of the following weekly income groups : (a) under £60, (b) under £80 and (c) under £100 on the most recently available figures.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer the hon. Member to table 27 on page 76 of the family expenditure survey 1987-88, copies of which are available in the Library.
Benefit Payments, Leeds
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables, using the assumptions in his answer to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden), on 22 June 1988, Official Report, columns 571-76, but using expenditure and benefit figures appropriate for families in Leeds, together with a column showing the extent of the differences resulting from the April 1988 social security changes.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : These tables are no longer published, for the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 23 February at columns 937-38.
Residential Care
Sir Geoffrey Finsberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he proposes to make in the regulations governing entitlement to housing benefit for people in residential care and nursing homes.
Mr. Scott : The income support scheme contains special provisions related to the fees and other expenses paid by people in residential care and nursing homes. The income support limits established under these provisions, unlike other income support rates, take account of accommodation costs as well as other day-to-day living expenses. They are also set to take account of care costs. These arrangements will continue until the introduction of a new framework for funding community care, now planned for 1993.
Current regulations nevertheless also allow access to housing benefit in such cases. This was intended to assist those in residential care and nursing homes who are unable to claim the special rates of income support-- principally disabled people who are in full-time work, or people living in a home run by a close relative. In recent months, however, a number of claims have come forward which go well beyond this limited purpose, and effectively establish housing benefit as an alternative to income support. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said in his uprating statement on 24 October at columns 348-66, this is neither sensible nor appropriate, and in the light of the substantial increases in the income support limits which we then announced, we therefore proposed to consult on amendments to re-establish the policy intention more clearly.
We will shortly be sending to the Social Security Advisory Committee and the local authority associations, and I am today placing in the Library, draft regulations to this end. They provide that those living in registered residential care and nursing homes should not generally have access to housing benefit, while preserving that
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access for those who are excluded from the special rates of income support because they are in full-time work or living in a home run by a close relative. Underlying entitlement to housing benefit will, however, be preserved for all those at present living in a registered residential care or nursing home who have successfully claimed housing benefit, and for those who have, on or before today, submitted a claim which is subsequently determined in their favour. In these cases, housing benefit will continue in payment and will be increased as and when appropriate under the current rules, thus fully protecting their position.Subject to the consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee and the local authority associations, we intend to bring forward regulations later this year to give effect to these changes from January 1991.
War Pensions
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Mr. Edward Nutall, reference M2/912642, applied for a war pension ; and what are the reasons for the delay in dealing with his claim.
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Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Mr. Nutall applied for a war pension on 11 August 1989. A consultant's report is required before a decision can be made and everything possible is being done to secure an early appointment. If a war pension is awarded it will, of course, commence from the date of claim.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Higher Education
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many persons aged 17 and 19 years, respectively, per thousand are in full-time education in England, Scotland and Britain's major economic competitors.
Mr. Eggar : The readily available information is shown in the table. Data are unavailable for 19-year-olds on this basis. The figures for Scotland are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
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Proportion of 17 and 18-year-olds in education training<1> 1986<2> Notes: <1>Includes apprenticeships, YTS and similar schemes. <2>1987 for Germany; 1982 for Italy. <3>Includes higher education for some 18-year-olds. <4>Includes estimates for public sector evening study and for private sector further and higher education, including training courses with employers. <5>Excludes certain part-time students, 10 per cent. at 16-18. <6>Includes compulsory part-time education for 16 and 17-year-olds in Germany and Netherlands. <7>Includes private sector higher education. <8>1988. Estimated for special training and miscellaneous schools, providing vocational training. <9>Includes estimates for 18-year-olds in universities. <10>1985. Includes estimates for part-time. Sources: DES Statistical Bulletins. 1/90 International Statistical Comparisons of the Education and Training of 16 to 18 Year Olds. 9/90 Education and Economic Activity of Young People Aged 16 to 18 Years in England from 1975 to 1989.
Teacher Training
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make it his policy to give every teacher and head teacher with at least 25 years' direct experience the opportunity of a short period teaching student teachers in establishments of teacher training ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to consider the introduction of an automatic period teaching student teachers in an establishment of teacher training, for every teacher having completed at least five years' full-time classroom experience ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Fallon : The Government's criteria for the approval of initial teacher training courses already require institutions to ensure that experienced serving teachers are involved in the planning and evaluation of courses, the selection of students, supervision and assessment of students' practical work and contributions as appropriate to lectures, seminars and other course activities. It is the responsibility of schools, local authorities, and teacher training institutions to negotiate arrangements which will be of maximum benefit both to students and serving teachers.
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Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the uptake of vacancies of teacher training establishments for the current term ; and what were the comparable figures for each of the last 10 years.Mr. Fallon : The total annual intake to initial teacher training in England and Wales since 1983 is as follows :
1983 |16,218
1984 |16,707
1985 |16,725
1986 |16,889
1987 |19,180
1988 |20,183
1989 |21,757
Comparable data for the years before 1983 are not available. Data on recruitment to teacher training institutions in the current academic year are in the process of being collected and will be available later on in the term.
Teachers' Pay
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to allow all schools' boards of governors to negotiate individual salaries with individual teachers up to a maximum of 50 per cent. above the present rates ; and if he will make a statement. Mr. Eggar : The governors of schools with delegated budgets already exercise control over the award of incentive allowances, and other pay discretions. The interim advisory committee's recommendations for 1990- 91, which are being implemented in full by January 1991, will mean greater flexibility to target resources, tackle local recruitment and retention problems, improve career prospects and reward responsibility and good performance. The remit which my right hon. Friend gave to the committee on 14 September asks the committee to consider what further modifications should be made to the system of selective payments in 1991-92.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the cost to the Exchequer of increasing teachers' salaries by 50 per cent. over the next two years.
Mr. Eggar : The cost of such an increase would depend on several factors, including the number of teachers employed and the proportion on each point of the pay scale. But estimated spending by LEAs in England on teachers in 1990-91 is some £8 billion. So as a broad order of magnitude, a 50 per cent. increase might cost some£4 billion. The Exchequer contribution to this through revenue support grant cannot be separately identified.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evaluation his Department has made of the proposals made by the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers for a pay review body for teachers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : NASUWT's proposals for a pay review body for teachers were not widely supported during my
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right hon. Friend's consultations earlier this year on new pay machinery for teachers. Most of those consulted favoured the restoration of negotiating rights for teachers. That is what we have now proposed.Education Spending
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing spending on primary and secondary education in total and per child in 1980-81 and in the last year for which figures are available, inflation adjusted.
Mr. Fallon : The available data are as follows :
|£ |£
Nursery and primary
Total school-based spending:
cash terms: |2,300 million |4,200 million
1988-89 prices: |3,650 million |4,200 million
School-based spending per pupil:
cash terms: |545 |1,100
1988-89 prices: |870 |1,100
Secondary
Total school-based spending:
cash terms: |2,950 million |5,050 million
1988-89 prices: |4,700 million |5,050 million
School-based spending per pupil:
cash terms: |765 |1,690
1988-89 prices: |1,215 |1,690
Total
Total school-based spending:
cash terms: |5,250 million |9,250 million
1988-89 prices: |8,300 million |9,250 million
School-based spending per pupil:
cash terms: |650 |1,360
1988-89 prices: |1,035 |1,360
Notes to table:
1. The figures relate to net recurrent spending in nursery, primary and secondary schools. They do not include central services provided by local education
authorities such as administration, inspection and transport, or capital spending. Nor do they cover special schools.
2. The figures are drawn from LEA returns of expenditure to the Department of the Environment and returns of pupil numbers to the Department of Education and
Science.
3. The 1980-81 cash figures are converted to 1988-89 prices using current gross domestic product (market prices) deflators.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the percentages of gross domestic product spent on primary and secondary education in each European Community member state in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The data are available for public expenditure only and are shown in the table.
Teacher Supply
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to respond to the Select Committee on Education Science, and Arts, report on the supply of teachers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Fallon : My right hon. Friend published on 17 July the Government's response (Cm. 1148) to the Select Committee's report. A copy is in the Library.
Iraq (Academic Assistance)
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has in regard to United Kingdom university and academic assistance afforded to the Iraq Ministry of Industry and Military Industrialisation since 1979.
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Mr. Alan Howarth : Information is not collected centrally, about university and other links within the United Kingdom and internationally. This is a matter for each institution within its own academic policy.
Glynn Research Institute
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet Dr. Peter Mitchell of the Glynn Research Institute in Cornwall to discuss the funding of new scientific projects at the institute.
Mr. Alan Howarth : My right hon. Friend has no such plans.
Research Councils
Dr. Bray : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the members of the Agricultural and Food Research Council, the date of their original appointment and the date on which their current term of office will end ;
(2) if he will list the members of the Medical Research Council, the date of their original appointment and the date on which their current term of office will end ;
(3) if he will list the members of the Science and Engineering Research Council, the date of their original appointment and the date on which their current term of office will end ;
(4) if he will list the members of the Economic and Social Research Council, the date of their original appointment and the date on which their current term of office will end ;
(5) if he will list the members of the Natural Environment Research Council, the date of their original appointment and the date on which their current term of office will end.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The information for each council is as follows :
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