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Belmarsh Prison
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are expected to be accommodated at Her Majesty's prison Belmarsh when it opens in April 1991 ; and what is the planned maximum number of inmates.
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Mrs. Rumbold : It is expected that Belmarsh prison will hold about 180 prisoners when it opens in April 1991 and will gradually take more prisoners until it reaches its operating capacity of 841 in September.Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the posts of Her Majesty's prison Belmarsh have so far been filled in (a) unified prison grades and (b) for civilian workers.
Mrs. Rumbold : The number of unified prison grades in posts on 15 January 1991 was 75 and the number of civilian staff was 97 full time and one part time.
Postal and Proxy Votes
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make the application form to vote by post or proxy due to physical incapacityNo. RPF 7B available in Braille ;
(2) if he will list the languages in which his Department's form RPF 7B for application to vote by post or proxy in respect of physical incapacity is available.
Mrs. Rumbold : Form RPF 7B is available in English and Welsh language versions. There are no plans to make it available in Braille.
Feltham Young Offenders Institution
Mr. Thornton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he expects the provision of education in the remand wing of Feltham young offenders institution to be restored in the near future ; and if he will make a statement on the recent visit by the Minister of State the right hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold).
Mrs. Rumbold : Education classes in the remand wing at Feltham young offenders institution are currently being prevented by a dispute between management and the local branch of the Prison Officers Association over staffing levels. A meeting will take place next month at which I hope the dispute will be resolved.
I visited Feltham on 8 January as part of a programme of visits I am undertaking to prison service establishments.
Private Security Industry
Mr. Patchett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to place a copy of the Home Office's report on the private security industry in the Library ; and if he will outline the Government's response to this.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : We are considering a range of options for improving the regulation of the private security industry. When consideration of this issue has been completed, we will decide what circulation to give to the working group's report.
Charities
Mr. Latham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he is making with the Government's review of charity law, following the reports of the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee.
Mr. John Patten : The Government's proposals for the reform of charity law are set out in the White Paper
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"Charities : A framework for the Future" which was presented to Parliament on 16 May 1989. The Government hope to introduce legislation to give effect to these proposals within the lifetime of this Parliament.Immigration Rules
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to make changes in the immigration rules.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has reviewed the immigration arrangements currently in force in relation to Iraqi nationals in the light of the outbreak of hostilities in the Gulf. He has concluded that it is now necessary to suspend the normal immigration facilities for Iraqis wishing to come to the United Kingdom or to extend their stay, and to extend the requirement on Iraqis remaining here to register with the police. The following changes took effect on Saturday, 19 January.
A "Statement of Changes in the Immigration Rules" was laid before Parliament on 18 January and this will provide for applications by Iraqi nationals for visas, for leave to enter, whether or not a visa has previously been issued, or for extensions of stay to be refused. Discretion exists to grant applications outside the immigration rules, but this will be exercised only sparingly in compassionate circumstances where we are satisfied that no threat to national security is involved.
The concession under which Iraqi nationals are permitted to pass through the United Kingdom as airside transit passengers without a visa is being withdrawn.
My right hon. Friend has made an order requiring all Iraqi nationals who are in the United Kingdom on limited leave to register with the police if they are not already subject to such a requirement.
These measures will not affect Iraqi nationals who possess British citizenship or who are nationals of European Community member states exercising treaty rights in the United Kingdom.
THE ARTS
Museum Collections, Derbyshire
Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to intervene in the proposed sale of items from the collections of Derbyshire county council museums and galleries ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton : I have no statutory powers in relation to museums and galleries run by local authorities.
The use of any proceeds from the disposal of items from the collection of a museum for purposes other than the purchase of additional items, is contrary to the codes of practice of the Museums Association. I understand that the Museums Association has warned Derbyshire county council that its membership of the association will be reconsidered if the proposed sale goes ahead. The county has also been warned that its eligibility for awards through the Museums and Galleries Commission would be at risk in this event. I hope very much that Derbyshire county council will take notice of the strong protests aroused by its proposed action and rescind its intention to sell these items.
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Works of Art (Exports)
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will list the items for which the issuing of export licences was withheld on the recommendation of the reviewing committee on the export of works of art during the half year ended 31 December 1990, specifying in each case the valuation and whether an item was eventually exported or retained, with particulars in the latter event of the acquiring institution ; whether he will list any items for which licences have been withheld but the final disposal of which is not yet decided, specifying in each case (a) the valuation and (b) the relevant time limit ; and whether a press notice will be issued from the Office of Arts and Libraries covering the information given in his reply, including that relating to the outcome in individual cases.
Mr. Renton : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry accepted my recommendation, following consideration by the reviewing committee on the export of works of art, to defer making for a specified period a decision on an export licence application in respect of the items listed. Details of the items on which decisions were deferred were given in press notices issued at the time the Secretary of State decided to accept the recommendation, and a further press notice will now be issued.
Description of Item |Valuation £ |Outcome
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A pair of George II |200,700 |Purchased by the
armchairs by William |Victoria and Albert
and John Linnell
The Badminton Cabinet |8,697,000 |Decision deferred until
| 17 March 1991
Drawing by Bomberg |54,000 |Application withdrawn
"Family bereavement" |by applicant
Painting by Ribera |2,787,500 |Export licence granted
"Martyrdom of Saint
Bartholomew"
Two Bronze trumpet |1,560 |Purchased by Leeds city
fibulas | council
Red enamel brooch |815 |Purchased by the British
| museum
Items in Lieu of Tax
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will list the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year ended 31 December 1990 of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted in satisfaction of inheritance tax or capital transfer tax, together with information, where applicable, as to conditions or wishes expressed in the matter of allocation by testators or executors ; whether he will list the works of art and museum objects which are still awaiting allocation, with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of inheritance tax or capital transfer tax ; and whether a press notice will be issued from the Office of Arts and Libraries in the event of any information being given in his reply which has not previously been announced.
Mr. Renton : The information that the hon. Gentleman requests is as follows :
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"
Item |To whom allocated |Condition/Wishes expressed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Farm Cart with Horse in |Ipswich borough council |Wish to go to Ipswich museum
Harness" by Constable
Kirckman Harpsichord |Manchester city council, for use|Wish to go to the Fitzwilliam
| and display at Heaton Hall |museum
"Richmond pres Londres" by |Orleans House, Richmond |Wish to go to a London gallery
Corot
Items awaiting allocation |Date of acceptance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Collection of works by and relating to |31 October 1990 John Piper "Girl at a window, Little Rachel" by |15 November 1990 W. R. Sickert
It has not been considered worthwhile, in this instance, to issue a press notice since the only material contained in this answer which has not been the subject of previous press notices is the detailing of wishes expressed with each offer.
Welsh National Opera
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make it his policy to ensure that Welsh National Opera is funded securely for the future ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton : I have no direct involvement in decisions relating to levels of public subsidy for individual arts organisations. The Welsh National Opera is funded jointly
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by the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Welsh Arts Council. I understand that the funding bodies and WNO are currently working together constructively to find a mutually acceptable solution to the company's present financial difficulties. I very much hope that there will be a successful outcome.Museums and Galleries (Attendances)
Mr. Faulds : To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1990 reported by national museums and galleries in England for which he is responsible, broken down into the individual institutions, but including their outstations, with figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1989.
Mr. Renton : The estimated number of visitors during 1990 to the 11 national museums and galleries for which I am responsible are as follows :
Column 11
|Estimated |Percentage
|Attendance|Change
|in 1990 |from 1989
----------------------------------------------------------------
British Museum |5,079,472 |+8.4
Imperial War Museum |1,257,277 |+4.4
National Gallery |3,682,233 |+9.3
National Maritime Museum |595,353 |+40.5
National Museums and Galleries
on Merseyside |1,292,590 |-4.2
National Portrait Gallery |602,069 |-3.7
Natural History Museum |1,459,100 |-5.8
Science Museum |2,683,349 |+2.9
Tate Gallery |2,210,254 |+13.9
Victoria and Albert Museum |1,356,944 |-1.6
Wallace Collection |135,866 |+5.3
|----- |-----
Total |20,354,507|+5.7
NATIONAL FINANCE
Income Tax
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in the 1991-92 financial year of introducing a reduced rate tax band of (a) 20 per cent. and (b) 15 per cent. on the first £2,000 of taxable income ; and what would be the effect on the net income of (i) a single person, (ii) a couple where the wife is not working and (iii) a couple where the wife is working and paying tax.
Mr. Maude : The direct revenue cost of a reduced rate of 20 per cent. on the first £2,000 of taxable income in 1991-92 would be about £2.4 billion in a full year. A reduced rate of 15 per cent. of the same band of taxable income would cost about £4.8 billion in a full year. These estimates are based on a projection of the 1988-89 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. The increases in income after tax of the different types of family would be as follows :
Increase in income after tax<1> £ per week
|(a) Reduced
|rate of 20 per|rate of 15 per
|cent. on first|cent. on first
|£2,000 of |£2,000 of
|taxable income|taxable income
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family type
(i) Single person |1.92 |3.85
(ii) Married couple with wife
not working |1.92 |3.85
(iii) Married couple with wife
working and paying tax |3.85 |7.69
<1>Illustrative calculations assume taxpayers have enough income to use the
whole of the reduced rate band; in line (ii) the wife's income is assumed
to be less than the personal allowance.
Fraud
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money Her Majesty's Government estimate has been lost in the latest year for which comparable figures are available as a result of fraudulent tax claims and fraudulent social security claims ; and how many persons have been successfully prosecuted, respectively, in Scotland.
Mr. Maude : Reliable estimates are not available of the cost of fraudulent tax or social security claims.
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In the year 1989-90 in Scotland the number of persons successfully prosecuted by the Inland Revenue in respect of false accounts or returns, and false claims to personal allowances, deductions for expenses or repayments, was three.In the year 1989-90 in Scotland the number of persons successfully prosecuted by the Department of Social Security for social security fraud was 906.
Incomes
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the income per capita in Northern Ireland as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year ;
(2) what was the income per capita in Wales as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year ;
(3) what was the income per capita in Scotland as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year ;
(4) what was the income per capita in each of the regions of England as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The latest estimates of personal and household income for the regions of the United Kingdom are provisional estimates for 1988. They were published in "Regional Accounts 1988 Part 2" in the April 1990 issue of Economic Trends --page 115 onwards. The data are also held in computer readable form in the Library of the House. Estimates consistent with the 1990 national accounts and the recently issued regional GDP figures will be published in the April 1991 issue of Economic Trends.
Gross Domestic Product
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross domestic product of the United Kingdom is attributable to London and the south-east.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The latest estimates of regional gross domestic product were published in "Regional Accounts 1989 Part 1" in the November 1990 issue of Economic Trends (page 98 onwards). This includes provisional estimates for 1989 which suggest that 36.6 per cent. of the gross domestic product of the United Kingdom, excluding the continental shelf, is attributable to London and the south-east. Regional GDP is estimated at factor cost and at current prices using the income approach.
Taxation
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide figures for 1979 and 1987 showing, on an equivalent income basis, the proportion of each of the following household types in each quintile of (a) original and (b) post-tax income, as defined in the annual articles in Economic Trends on the effects of taxes and benefits, (i) one adult with children, (ii) two adults with children, (iii) non-retired without children and (iv) retired.
Mr. Maude : The information is not available in the precise form requested because there is now only one
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method of ranking used to produce the annual article in Economic Trends, and this uses equivalised disposable income. The figures for 1987 are the first to use this new methodology, and the data for 1979 have been reworked on to the new basis. The figures are given in the table.Column 13
Percentages of household types within each quintile group of equivalised
disposable income, 1979 and 1987
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Purchase (VAT)
Dr. Marek : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to ensure there is no discrimination as far as value-added tax is concerned between those people buying a purpose-built holiday home and those purchasing from current housing stock a dwelling for use as a second home ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : There is, and should be, a distinction drawn for VAT purposes between second homes which are capable of being occupied throughout the year--and which may be treated as principal private residences--and purpose-built holiday homes which the buyers cannot occupy lawfully throughout the year or as their principal private residences. There is no reason why the latter should not be taxed under a broad based consumption tax such as VAT when other forms of holiday accommodation are taxed. Failure to do so would conflict with European Community law.
Privatisation
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total income from privatisation sales since 1979.
Mr. Maude : Net privatisation proceeds up to 1989-90 amount to some £28 billion.
PRIME MINISTER
Iraq
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister on what occasions since May 1979 he, or his predecessor, has met (a) the President of Iraq, (b) the Foreign Minister of Iraq and (c) the Defence Minister of Iraq ; and what matters were discussed.
The Prime Minister : My predecessor met the then Foreign Minister of Iraq, Dr. Sa'dun Hammadi, on 9
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March 1981. She also met Mr. Tariq Aziz in May 1985 when he came as a member of an Arab League delegation and again on 4 December 1985. A number of regional issues were discussed.Ministers (Overseas Visits)
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers have visited Japan since 1983.
The Prime Minister : The following Ministers have visited Japan since 1983 :
1983
18 to 23 January
Mr. Jenkin, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
5 to 12 March
Mr. Blaker, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence
1984
26 to 27 May
Sir Geoffrey Howe, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
26 September to 6 October
Mr. Morrison, Minister of State, Department of Employment 1 to 13 October
Mr. Edwards, Secretary of State for Wales
6 to 9 October
Mr. Luce, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office 28 October to 2 November
Mr. Butcher, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry
1985
15 to 19 April
Mr. Tebbit, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. 2 to 9 June
Mr. Pattie, Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry. 2 to 14 June
Mr. Brooke, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Education and Science.
10 to 14 September
Mr. Hunt, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy.
1 to 5 October
Mr. Ridley, Secretary of State for Transport.
25 October to 2 November
Mr. Younger, Secretary of State for Scotland.
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198611 to 19 March
Mr. Edwards, Secretary of State for Wales.
1 to 5 April
Mr. Howard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry.
4 to 6 May (Tokyo Economic Summit)
Mrs. Thatcher, Prime Minister, Sir Geoffrey Howe, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Mr. Lawson, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
24 to 30 May
Mr. Trippier, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment.
22 July
Mr. Raison, Minister for Overseas Development.
17 to 20 September
Mr. Spicer, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Transport.
23 to 25 September
Mr. Morrison, Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry.
13 to 16 October
Lord Trefgarne, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence 24 to 28 November
Mr. Channon, Secretary of State for Trade and
Industry.
1987
10 to 12 January
Mr. Clarke, Paymaster-General, Department of
Employment.
16 to 19 January
Mrs. Rumbold, Minister of State, Department of
Education and Science.
16 to 19 January
Mr. Needham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,
Northern Ireland Office.
5 to 8 April
Mr. Howard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,
Department of Trade and Industry.
20 to 24 April
Mr. Shaw, Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry. 17 to 21 October
Mr. Rifkind, Secretary of State for Scotland
15 to 20 November
Mr. Walker, Secretary of State for Wales
1988
9 to 13 January
Mr. Geoffrey Howe, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
10 to 17 March
Lord Young, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. 5 to 8 July
Mr. Patten, Minister for Overseas Development.
27 August to 2 September
Mr. Bottomley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
State, Department of Transport.
12 to 16 September
Mr. MacGregor, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food.
30 September to 1 October
Mr. Morrison, Minister of State, Department of
Energy.
1 to 8 October
Mr. Roberts, Minister of State, Welsh Office.
15 to 18 October
Lord Glenarthur, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
23 to 26 October
Mr. King, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
12 to 19 November
Mr. Lang, Minister of State, Scottish Office.
1989
14 to 19 January
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