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Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects assisted with financial support by the Leeds development corporation.
Mr. Key : Between designation in 1988 and January 1991 Leeds development corporation has provided financial support for projects as set out in the following table :
E
|£'000s
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Environmental and landscaping works |2,125
Land assembly including acquisitions for relocation of
displaced business |11,744
Site servicing |1,588
City grant schemes |839
Industrial sites/property improvement grants |123
Community sponsorship grants |19
Highways |730
The Gulf
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his assessment of the environmental impact of military operations conducted in the Gulf region by (a) Iraqi forces and (b) those forces seeking to implement United Nations resolutions ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heseltine : The Government did not want this conflict, but Saddam Hussein's intransigence in the face of all peaceful pressures left no other course. Iraqi action has already led to damage to the environment as indicated by the deliberate release of oil into the Gulf. The Government together with the countries of the OECD has condemned this action as a violation of international law and a crime against the environment. As part of the Government's assistance to the Gulf states responding to the spill we have commissioned reports by the National Environment Council into the biological effects of the oil slicks. We have also commissioned and published a study by the Meteorological Office to examine the effects on the environment should Kuwaiti oil installations be fired.
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Copies of these reports are in the Library. Environmental factors are taken into account by the coalition forces as far as possible in the planning and conduct of military operations as part of the policy of ensuring that collateral damage from those operations is minimised.Construction Materials
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the figures for exports, imports and the resulting trade balance for construction materials in each of the years 1988, 1989 and 1990.
Sir George Young : The figures requested are as follows :
.
£ million
|1988 |1989 |<1>1990
----------------------------------------------
Imports |4,171 |4,695 |3,570
Exports |1,590 |1,845 |1,591
Trade balance |2,581 |2,850 |1,979
<1> The first three quarters' figures only.
Figures for the full year have yet to be
published.
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the figures in each of the years 1988, 1989 and 1990 for exports, imports and resulting trade balance for the entire construction sector, excluding construction materials but including the overseas remittances of contractors and consultants.
Sir George Young : No figures are available for 1990. Those for 1988 and 1989 are given in the table.
£ million
|1988 |1989
----------------------------------------------------
Work done by contractors overseas |1,994|1,426
Consulting engineers<1> |400 |440
Chartered surveyors<1> |100 |110
Architects Not separately id
<1> These earnings are recorded net of their
overseas expenses. The work done by overseas
companies within the United Kingdom is not
separately identified.
Waste Disposal
Mr. Batiste : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish advice on the new arrangements for waste disposal operations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including the introduction of competition and the establishment of local authority waste disposal companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Trippier : My Department and the Welsh Office today issued a draft circular to local authorities for consultation. It gives guidance on the new arrangements for waste disposal operations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including the introduction of competitive tendering, and advice on the creation of local authority waste disposal companies (LAWDCs).
From May this year, local authorities will have to arrange for waste disposal contracts to be awarded only after competitive tendering. In choosing which tenders to accept they will, of course, have to consider value for money, but will also be able to seek environmental improvements in the form of reduced pollution and increased recycling. They must not discriminate unduly between different types of waste disposal contractor.
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Moreover, under the Act local authorities will no longer be able to carry out waste disposal operations themselves. They can contract the work out to the private sector, set up joint venture companies or establish a LAWDC. If they do not make satisfactory arrangements for waste disposal themselves, the Secretary of State will direct them to form a LAWDC.The draft circular includes guidance on setting up a LAWDC and advice on drawing up a scheme to transfer the authority's waste disposal undertaking to the new company. Each transfer scheme must be approved by the Secretary of State.
Setting up the new arrangements for waste disposal will be a major cooperative exercise between central and local government. Individual timetables will be set for each authority reflecting its particular circumstances and the Secretary of State's wish to implement this policy as soon as possible.
These changes with other provisions of the Act, will separate local authority waste disposal options from regulation, providing the basis for higher standards and fair competition. They will, encourage the provision of improved services for the collection, keeping, treatment and disposal of waste. Competition for local authority waste disposal contracts will increase efficiency and identify the full cost of waste disposal, allowing rational choices to be made on achieving the environmental improvements which we all desire.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 5 February, Official Report, column 101, whether similar allowance for losses has been made in respect of the collection of the poll tax ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key [holding answer 15 February 1991] : No. It would not be appropriate to make such an allowance in respect of the collection of the community charge.
Disabled Facilities Grant
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details for each local authority of take-up of the disabled facilities grant.
Sir George Young [holding answer 21 February 1991] : The new system of grants to private owners and tenants under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, including the disabled facilities grant, commenced on 1 July 1990. The information so far available relates to the first quarter of operation of the new system and, not surprisingly, the numbers of grants approved and paid were low. A table listing the numbers of grants reported by English local authorities has been placed in the Library. Figures for the fourth quarter will shortly become available and will also be placed in the Library.
PRIME MINISTER
Housing Renovation Grants
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Prime Minister if he will repeal the Housing Renovation Etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) Regulations 1990.
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Extra-statutory Expenditure
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the expenditure items and cost of each item which his Government have undertaken on an extra-statutory basis since he became Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister : Spending by the Government is undertaken in accordance with arrangements which have been accepted by Parliament. The normal practice is to ensure that for continuing functions there is a specific statutory authority for the expenditure.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the total number of international flights paid for by Her Majesty's Government for its Ministers and officials in each class of ticket since 28 November 1990.
The Prime Minister : This information is not held centrally and can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces Allowances
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what effect the changes since 1978 in the rates of children's allowances, children's pensions and child benefit, payable by the Departments of Defence and Social Security, to the widows of members of the armed forces have had on their combined value.
The Prime Minister : The information is not available in the form requested. For the Department of Social Security war widows' children's allowances and child benefits I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to him on 28 January 1991 at columns 440-42 and on 14 February 1991 at columns 580-82.
As regards children's pensions payable by the Ministry of Defence under the provisions of the armed forces pensions schemes these are initially awarded by reference to circumstances, including rates of pay, applicable at the time of their fathers' service ended. Awards are therefore individually assessed. They are subsequently increased in line with the retail prices index.
The combined value of war pensions and allowances, child benefit and Ministry of Defence pensions for the widow and two children of a corporal killed in service today would be about £276 per week. Lump sum payments amounting to more than £20,000 would also be payable.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
British Standards
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the increase in the cost of subscribing to a full set of British standards in printed form ; and if he will make a statement on future proposed charges for this service.
Mr. Leigh : We have received representations on this matter, directly or through right hon. and hon. Members, from one county council and one chamber of commerce and industry.
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The charge made for this service is a matter for the British Standards Institution.Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received over the recent decision by the British Standards Institute library not to loan out copies of foreign standards ; and if he will make a statement on the availability of such information for business in preparation for the single European market.
Mr. Leigh : We have received representations on this matter, directly or through right hon. and hon. Members, from one county council.
Whether to lend, as well as to sell, copies of such standards is a matter for the British Standards Institution.
Postage Stamps
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report the information available to him about the number of outlets for the sale of postage stamps, which are not post offices (a) in England and (b) in the counties of Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire, and any information he has about the change in the number of such outlets in recent years.
Mr. Leigh : The provision of postage stamps is an operational matter for the Post Office Board. However, I understand that the numbers of non- post-office outlets selling postage stamps in the areas mentioned are as follows :
|Number
--------------------------
England |40,500
Somerset |330
Devon |1,250
Dorset |560
Wiltshire |380
It must be noted that these figures are approximate as the Post Office's records are held in post town order rather than by county and some post towns fall into more than one county according to postcode. It should also be noted that the Post Office's records include all those retailers who have ever sold postage stamps. I understand that the Post Office has no way of identifying those retailers actively selling postage stamps.
I understand that there is no information available about the change in the number of such outlets in recent years.
The Man who Made the Supergun"
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the transcript and videocassette of the BBC2 "Timewatch" programme on "The Man who Made the Supergun", broadcast on 13 February.
Mr. Lilley [holding answer 20 February 1991] : I do not propose to obtain a copy of the transcript and videocassette of the BBC2 "Timewatch" programme for the departmental library.
WALES
Pollution
Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the appeals under section 10 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 currently under consideration, showing the dates when they were first lodged ; and how many such appeals have been determined in the last six months.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The appeals under consideration are as follows :
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Waste disposal licence appeals Appellant |Waste disposal authority |Date ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wistech plc |Blaenau Gwent borough council |31 January 1989 Brisco Waste Disposal Ltd. |Swansea city council |30 October 1989 Cribarth Waste Disposal |Brecknock borough council |12 March 1990 Max Recovery (Holdings) Ltd. |Swansea city council |30 April 1990 Euromet Ltd. |Rhymney Valley district council|16 May 1990 Shanks and McEwan (Midlands) Ltd. |Wrexham Maelor borough council |21 August 1990
One appeal has been determined in the past six months.
Prince of Wales Hospital, Rhydlafar
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority relating to the contract given to constructors TERN to upgrade ward 8 and part of ward 9 at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar to the standards required for the accommodation of geriatric patients.
Hospital Closures
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to debar the South Glamorgan health authority from undertaking any capital investments
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which anticipate his decisions on the hospital closure proposals of that health authority not yet publicly announced.Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave him on 15 February 1991 at col. 635.
Health Service Budgeting
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he has made with the chairmen of the South Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan and Gwent health authorities concerning a smoothing mechanism to operate after 1 April in respect of the new budgeting system and the new charging system for cross-border flows of patients to hospitals and clinics.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The 1991-92 revenue allocations to district health authorities in Wales take account of the cost of maintaining cross- boundary flows of patients
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within the new contractual framework. It is therefore expected that the initial contracts to run from 1 April 1991 will provide for the maintenance of these flows. However, in subsequent years, as the contracting process rolls forward, authorities will have the opportunity of reviewing the existing pattern of services in the light of services available elsewhere and the progressive transition of revenue funding towards weighted capitation formula shares. Authorities were recently consulted about the structure and implementation of a weighted capitation formula and my right hon. Friend plans to make an announcement shortly about its introduction.Fishing
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much of the total grant to Milford Haven fishing concerns has been specifically allocated to indigenous local non-sector vessels in each year since 1979.
Mr. David Hunt : Since 1979 the Department has offered regional selection assistance towards three projects in respect of non-sector fishing vessels based at Milford Haven--£60,000 in 1984, and £75,000 in 1986.
88. Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress made on fishing trawler decommissioning in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The Government have no plans to introduce a decommissioning scheme.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Leicester Local Office (Refurbishment)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the refurbishment works at Yeoman street, Leicester have been completed ; what is his latest estimate of the outturn cost of the refurbishment works ; what was the estimate for the cost before the refurbishment work started ; and how many staff were employed at Yeoman street, Leicester in (a) January 1990 and (b) January 1991.
Miss Widdecombe : Refurbishment is due for completion by the end of next month at a current estimated works cost of £720,000 ; the estimated cost in October 1990 before work started was £625,000. On 2 January 1990 196 staff were in post and on 2 January 1991 there were 159. The reduction in staffing levels is accounted for by a drop in workloads and the introduction of computerisation. Twenty staff were moved to the newly established contributions unit.
Pensioners (European Travel Card)
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1990, Official Report, columns 500-1, to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes), whether the Government has yet responded to the European Commission on its proposals for a European travel card for British pensioners.
Mr. Jack : The EC recommendation asks for a response by 1 March. We shall be responding shortly to the Commission about its recommendation dealing with the provision of an EC over-60s card.
Column 290
Community Charge
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in (a) Nottingham and (b) the United Kingdom have claimed community charge benefit based on claims for reimbursement by his Department ;
(2) what is the proportion of those receiving poll tax rebates in the United Kingdom expressed as a percentage of the total number of poll tax payers.
Miss Widdecombe : Our latest estimates indicate that the number of people in (a) Nottingham and (b) Great Britain receiving community charge benefit is 57,000 and 8.9 million respectively. The latter figure is 21 per cent. of those liable for the charge. The figures are likely to understate the current position, as some authorities had a number of unprocessed claims when the data on which the estimates are based was submitted.
War Widows
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the impact uprating the war widows' children's allowance by the increase in the retail prices index and deducting any increase in child benefit will have on the combined value of these benefits.
Mr. Jack : The result of uprating war widows' children's allowances by the increase in the retail price index and deducting the proposed increase in child benefit would be a combined weekly benefit value of £22.10 per child.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 15 February, Official Report, columns 583-84, in what newspapers and on what dates the social security local offices in the county of south Glamorgan advertised the availability of qualifying conditions and the application forms for special cold weather payments.
Mr. Scott : Offices in the county of South Glamorgan placed an advertisement in both Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan editions of the Cardiff Post on 14 February 1991.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the period for the cold weather payments announced by the Prime Minister has finished.
Mr. Scott : The period covered by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's announcements ended on 14 February.
Benefit Take-up
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the estimates on take-up for income-related benefits from the 1989 family expenditure survey.
Mr. Jack : Estimates of take-up of benefits cannot be produced until some time after the relevant data from the family expenditure survey has first become available. We hope to publish the 1987 take up estimates within the next few months, and those for 1989 will follow in due course.
Column 291
Disability Premium
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants in Nottingham for severe disability premium are awaiting the decision of the appeal tribunal.
Miss Widdecombe : The responsibility for appeal tribunals lies with the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals, his honour Judge Derek Holden, who has advised me that his records show that there are no appeals relating to severe disability premium outstanding in Nottingham itself.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Low-energy Light Bulbs
Mr. Cartwright : To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to encourage the use of low-energy light bulbs in his Department's offices and other buildings.
The Attorney-General : In the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, advice is being sought as to the cost-effectiveness of replacing the existing bulbs with low-energy bulbs. Some fluorescent tubes have been removed as the installations provide more light than is required in some locations.
In the Treasury Solicitor's Department the majority of its lighting is of the fluorescent type which is more energy efficient than lighting by ordinary lamp bulbs.
All Crown Prosecution Service offices have been encouraged to consider energy saving schemes including lighting. New or replacement lighting installations use low energy light sources where this is practicable.
The Serious Fraud Office has recently replaced halogen bulbs in the lift lobbies with low wattage long-life bulbs. Existing fluorescent tubes are of a variety which is considered to be energy and cost effective. The Serious Fraud Office is considering further energy savings by the introduction of new generation low-energy bulbs.
Legal Aid
Mr. Alton : To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to make an annual publication of the funding, payments on account, and the hourly rates paid to solicitors by the Legal Aid Board.
The Attorney-General : Details of payments made by the Legal Aid Board including details of payments made on
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account to solicitors appear in the annual report of the Legal Aid Board. The most recent report (HC 489) for the year 1989-90 appeared in June 1990.Details of the remuneration rates payable to solicitors appeared most recently in the legal aid handbook 1990 which is also prepared by the Legal Aid Board.
Social Security Appeals
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Attorney-General what are the reasons for the delay for the case on social security commissioner's file CSB/370/1989 to reach the stage of being referred by the commissioner to another appeal tribunal for determination ; and what steps he has taken to ensure that adequate steps have been taken to prevent similar delays in other cases.
The Attorney-General : The late surge of appeals prior to the April 1988 social security benefit legislation gave rise to a significant increase in workload at the office of the social security commissioners (OSSC) as cases worked their way up the appeal system. Additionally, the OSSC experienced difficulties with the recruitment and retention of staff in 1989 and early 1990. The case on the social security commissioner's file CSB/370/89 was regrettably delayed in the ensuing backlog of appeals awaiting determination by the commissioners.
The commissioners are empowered to expedite cases in exceptional circumstances but received no representations on the appellants behalf or concerning her personal circumstances.
The Lord Chancellor's Department has been concerned about continuing long waiting times for commissioners' determinations and, following a manpower audit, local management at the OSSC, took in May 1990 a series of measures which have resulted in a reduction in delays. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 June 1990 at column 389.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Manufacturing Output
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was manufacturing output per head in each United Kingdom region in each year since 1976.
Mr. Mellor : The table gives the available information at current prices. Constant price estimates can not be calculated because there are no regional price deflators. Differences between regions may be due to differences in their industrial mix.
Column 291
Gross value added per employee in manufacturing industry by standard region of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1988
|North |Yorkshire and |East Midlands |East Anglia |South East |South West
|Humberside
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orders III-XIX, Standard Industrial Classification (1968)<1>
1976 |5,607 |4,994 |4,886 |5,470 |5,655 |5,070
1977 |6,206 |5,719 |5,464 |6,432 |6,667 |5,746
1978 |7,017 |6,391 |6,202 |7,001 |7,555 |6,665
1979 |8,343 |7,634 |6,911 |8,227 |9,236 |7,852
Divisions 2-4, Standard Industrial Classification (1980)<1>
1979 |8,030 |7,305 |6,934 |8,277 |8,660 |7,943
1980 |8,941 |8,031 |7,906 |9,551 |9,760 |9,182
1981 |10,631 |9,191 |8,775 |10,629 |10,976 |10,326
1982 |11,091 |10,265 |9,944 |12,749 |12,373 |12,041
1983 |13,688 |11,855 |11,100 |13,865 |14,166 |12,935
1984 |15,544 |12,933 |12,172 |14,968 |15,155 |14,282
1985 |16,521 |13,991 |13,479 |16,240 |16,694 |15,370
1986 |16,382 |15,695 |14,538 |17,269 |18,158 |15,891
1987 |19,305 |17,344 |16,354 |18,326 |20,114 |17,297
1988 |21,260 |18,975 |17,856 |20,414 |22,112 |19,128
<1> Results of the Annual Census of Production for 1978 and for earlier years are available only for industries defined
in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1968). For 1980 and later years, results are available only
for industries defined in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). To provide a link between the
two classifications, results for 1979 are available on both bases.
|West |North |Wales |Scotland|Northern|United
|Midlands|West |Ireland |Kingdom
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orders III-XIX, Standard Industrial Classification (1968)<1>
1976 |4,854 |5,438 |5,776 |5,437 |4,727 |5,316
1977 |5,455 |6,247 |5,895 |6,011 |4,909 |6,042
1978 |6,271 |7,138 |6,582 |6,808 |5,062 |6,845
1979 |7,128 |8,369 |9,043 |7,988 |6,461 |8,154
Divisions 2-4, Standard Industrial Classification (1980)<1>
1979 |7,136 |8,078 |7,199 |7,915 |6,399 |7,838
1980 |7,739 |9,159 |7,835 |8,921 |7,089 |8,796
1981 |8,874 |10,069 |9,415 |10,701 |9,070 |10,027
1982 |10,078 |11,594 |11,134 |12,087 |9,229 |11,342
1983 |11,409 |13,176 |13,353 |13,745 |10,938 |12,947
1984 |12,474 |14,266 |14,660 |14,693 |11,627 |14,052
1985 |13,928 |15,705 |15,395 |16,317 |12,323 |15,375
1986 |15,346 |17,254 |18,410 |16,232 |13,720 |16,595
1987 |16,594 |18,746 |21,235 |19,153 |14,287 |18,412
1988 |17,995 |21,025 |24,368 |20,814 |15,054 |20,261
<1> Results of the Annual Census of Production for 1978 and for earlier
years are available only for industries defined in terms of the
Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1968). For 1980 and later
years, results are available only for industries defined in terms of
the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). To provide a
link between the two classifications, results for 1979 are available on
both bases.
Duty-free Goods
Mr. Channon : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is Her Majesty's Government policy towards the continuation of duty-free goods in the EEC after the end of 1992.
Mr. Norman Lamont : The European Commission has made clear its view that, as a consequence of the completion of the single market, duty-free shopping for intra-Community travellers should cease. The Government understand the Commission's view, but equally are aware of the significance of the duty-free trade in the United Kingdom. The Government will examine all the arguments carefully before a decision is made.
Mortage Tax Relief
Mr. Walden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to Her Majesty's Treasury of higher-rate mortgage tax relief in 1985, 1988 and 1990.
Mr. Maude : Estimates for financial years are as follows :
Direct revenue cost of mortgage interest relief at a rate in excess of the basic rate of income tax Year |£ million ------------------------------- 1985-86 |260 <1>1988-89 |310 <1>1990-91 |470 <1> Provisional.
Energy Costs
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount spent by United Kingdom consumers, inclusive of taxes, on energy in (a) 1989 and (b) 1990 ; and what proportion of total expenditure that was in each instance.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I have been asked to reply.
In 1989 expenditure on energy in the United Kingdom (inclusive of taxes) was £42,150 million. This represents 8.0 per cent. of total domestic expenditure (at current market prices), or alternatively 8.3 per cent. of gross domestic product (average measure at current market prices). Figures for 1990 are not yet available.
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