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Column 381

to adhere to the statutory timetable for implementing the requirements of the Education Reform Act ;

by 1 September 1991, to introduce improved management planning and information systems, including development plans for corporate services within the agency and school development plans ; to keep within the agreed budget ;

by 1 April 1992, to develop a financial information system which captures the full cost of agency activities ; permits in-year forecast, monitoring and reporting of expenditure ; and allows publication of accounts to Treasury requirements ;

to achieve continuing improvements in efficiency over the next five years by making, in 1991-92, cash releasing efficiency savings equivalent to 1 per cent. of cash costs, and by developing, by 1 April 1992, plans for achieving further efficiency improvements over the following four years ;

by 1 April 1992, to develop and begin to implement plans for the restructuring of the agency and its services, in light of ministerial decisions on "Options for Change" and changes in the deployment of British forces in north-west Europe.

CIVIL SERVICE

St. John Ambulance Brigade

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what facilities he is making available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

Mr. Renton : The payroll giving to charity scheme operates in my Department, and, if they wish, staff may use this facility to contribute to the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

THE ARTS

St. John Ambulance Brigade

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Minister for the Arts what facilities have been made available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

Mr. Renton : The Office of Arts and Libraries has not been canvassed but staff may certainly use the payroll giving to charity scheme which is in operation--to contribute to the St. John Ambulance Brigade appeal.

Educational Theatre Companies

Mr. Wells : To ask the Minister for the Arts what guidelines the Government have given to the Arts Council on the priority to be given in the allocation of Government funds in respect of educational theatre companies.

Mr. Renton : The Arts Council's current three-year plan, which my Department has endorsed, specifically identifies the development of theatre for young people as a drama department objective.

NATIONAL FINANCE

Unquoted Companies (Employee Participation)

Mr. William Powell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many schemes have been approved by the Inland Revenue for profit sharing and share option


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schemes under the Finance Act 1988, sections 185-87 and schedules 9 and 10 for employees of unquoted companies ; and how many such employees are covered.

Mr. Maude : Schemes approved by the Inland Revenue up to March 1991, under legislation now contained in the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, including 4,721 discretionary share option schemes and 1, 934 all- employee share schemes. Of the latter, 962 were profit-sharing schemes and 972 were savings-related share options schemes. It is estimated that about 200,000 and 2.25 million individual employees had participated in these discretionary and all-employee schemes, respectively, up to the end of March 1990. These schemes, many of which include several companies, relate to both quoted and unquoted companies. I regret that information about the numbers of unquoted companies and their eligible employees covered by these approved schemes could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Mr. William Powell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employee trusts established by unquoted companies the Inland Revenue have accepted as qualifying employee share ownership trusts under the Finance Act 1989, section 74 and Schedule 5 ; and how many employees are now potential beneficiaries under such trusts.

Mr. Maude : The Inland Revenue may not learn of the establishment of employee share ownership trusts as defined in the Finance Act 1989 until claims for tax relief are received. Such claims may be made up to two years after the end of the period of account in which the relevant company contributions are made. One trust established by an unquoted company has been accepted as a qualifying employee share ownership trust ; it covers about 25 employees. Further trusts are likely to be accepted as qualifying shortly.

Gross Domestic Product Deflator

Mr. Lawson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the gross domestic product deflator, quarter by quarter, starting with the first quarter of 1978.

Mr. Norman Lamont : The latest quarterly estimates of the gross domestic product deflator for 1978 onwards are as follows :



Implied gross domestic product          

deflators based on expenditure data     

          |At market|At factor          

          |prices   |cost               

----------------------------------------

1978                                    

Q1        |50.5     |52.6               

Q2        |52.0     |53.5               

Q3        |52.9     |54.8               

Q4        |54.2     |55.6               

                                        

1979                                    

Q1        |56.0     |57.8               

Q2        |57.6     |59.2               

Q3        |62.0     |62.2               

Q4        |64.3     |64.7               

                                        

1980                                    

Q1        |67.3     |68.1               

Q2        |70.4     |70.6               

Q3        |73.2     |73.8               

Q4        |75.8     |76.6               

                                        

1981                                    

Q1        |77.6     |78.5               

Q2        |79.0     |78.3               

Q3        |80.3     |79.7               

Q4        |82.4     |81.7               

                                        

1982                                    

Q1        |84.0     |83.0               

Q2        |85.0     |84.4               

Q3        |86.5     |85.7               

Q4        |88.1     |87.5               

                                        

1983                                    

Q1        |89.2     |88.7               

Q2        |89.3     |88.5               

Q3        |90.8     |90.4               

Q4        |92.3     |92.1               

                                        

1984                                    

Q1        |92.6     |92.6               

Q2        |94.2     |94.5               

Q3        |95.0     |95.1               

Q4        |96.4     |97.1               

                                        

1985                                    

Q1        |97.8     |98.5               

Q2        |99.4     |99.4               

Q3        |100.7    |100.4              

Q4        |102.1    |101.7              

                                        

1986                                    

Q1        |102.2    |101.8              

Q2        |103.2    |102.2              

Q3        |103.7    |102.6              

Q4        |105.1    |104.0              

                                        

1987                                    

Q1        |106.4    |105.8              

Q2        |107.9    |107.0              

Q3        |109.4    |108.4              

Q4        |111.1    |110.4              

                                        

1988                                    

Q1        |112.2    |111.4              

Q2        |114.7    |113.5              

Q3        |117.0    |115.9              

Q4        |120.2    |119.7              

                                        

1989                                    

Q1        |121.5    |121.0              

Q2        |123.7    |123.3              

Q3        |124.0    |123.7              

Q4        |127.0    |127.2              

                                        

1990                                    

Q1        |128.5    |128.4              

Q2        |130.0    |132.1              

Q3        |132.4    |134.5              

Q4        |135.5    |138.4              

Winter Letting

Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received any representations from the holiday flat and self-catering industry concerning the restrictions on winter letting contained in section 50 of the Finance Act 1984 ; and if he will make a statement.


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Mr. Maude : I have not received any such representations.

The Gulf

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost, per capita, in respect of the recent Gulf dispute.

Mr. Mellor : The latest estimate for additional defence costs, spread over several years, is of the order of £45 per capita. However, I expect the bulk of costs to be covered by cash contributions generously pledged by other governments.

Income Tax

Mr. Parry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the difference in tax revenue raised if the 75 per cent. of subcontractors paying schedule D tax, but providing labour only for hire, were on pay-as- you-earn instead.

Mr. Maude : This information is not available.

Value Added Tax

Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of total central Government revenue is raised by value added tax in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany.

Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 22 April 1991] : Figures for tax revenues disaggregated by tax for the United Kingdom, France and Germany on a comparable basis are published in "Revenue Statistics of OECD Member Countries" which can be found in the Library.

Statistics

Mr. Lawson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, for each quarter from the first quarter of 1979 to the first quarter of 1991, the annual percentage increase on the following indices : the retail prices index, the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, rates and the community charge, the tax and prices index, the TPI excluding mortgage interest payments, the TPI excluding mortgage interest payments, rates and the community charge, producer output prices, the gross domestic product deflator, average earnings, whole economy, underlying, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies inflation index.

Mr. Norman Lamont [holding answer 22 April 1991] : The table gives the available information. The tax and price index is not available excluding mortgage interest payments or the community charge rates. I refer my right hon. Friend to the written answer I gave to him today for the gross domestic product deflator.


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Percentage increase on a year earlier                                                                                         

Date          |Retail prices|RPI          |RPI less     |Tax and price|Producer     |Average      |RPI using                  

              |index        |excluding    |MIPs and     |index        |output prices|earnings     |new measure                

                            |mortgage     |community                                |whole        |of housing                 

                            |interest     |charge/rates                             |economy      |costs (IFS)                

                            |payments                                               |underlying                               

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1979 Q1       |9.6          |8.7          |8.6          |6.4          |8.7          |-            |-                          

     Q2       |10.7         |9.5          |9.4          |12.9         |10.1         |-            |-                          

     Q3       |16.0         |15.1         |15.0         |13.6         |11.6         |-            |-                          

     Q4       |17.2         |16.5         |16.5         |14.9         |12.8         |-            |-                          

1980 Q1       |19.1         |18.0         |17.9         |16.9         |14.9         |20¬          |-                          

     Q2       |21.5         |20.5         |20.3         |18.1         |15.5         |213/4        |-                          

     Q3       |16.4         |15.3         |15.0         |17.9         |13.7         |21¬          |-                          

     Q4       |15.3         |14.2         |13.8         |16.6         |12.3         |18¬          |-                          

1981 Q1       |12.7         |12.7         |12.4         |13.5         |10.3         |16           |-                          

     Q2       |11.7         |12.2         |11.8         |15.3         |9.5          |13¬          |-                          

     Q3       |11.3         |11.8         |11.4         |14.7         |8.9          |11"          |-                          

     Q4       |11.9         |12.1         |11.4         |15.5         |9.5          |11¬          |-                          

1982 Q1       |11.1         |10.7         |10.4         |14.6         |9.5          |103/4        |-                          

     Q2       |9.4          |9.0          |8.8          |9.7          |7.6          |10           |-                          

     Q3       |8.0          |7.7          |7.4          |8.7          |7.4          |9            |-                          

     Q4       |6.2          |6.8          |6.8          |6.6          |6.5          |8"           |-                          

1983 Q1       |5.0          |6.3          |5.9          |5.2          |5.3          |8            |-                          

     Q2       |3.8          |4.6          |4.6          |3.2          |5.7          |7"           |-                          

     Q3       |4.6          |5.0          |5.0          |3.6          |5.4          |73/4         |-                          

     Q4       |5.1          |4.9          |4.8          |4.1          |5.6          |8            |-                          

1984 Q1       |5.2          |4.5          |4.5          |4.3          |5.3          |73/4         |-                          

     Q2       |5.1          |4.9          |4.9          |4.1          |5.8          |73/4         |-                          

     Q3       |4.7          |4.2          |4.2          |3.5          |5.6          |7"           |-                          

     Q4       |4.8          |4.1          |4.0          |3.6          |5.5          |7"           |-                          

1985 Q1       |5.5          |4.8          |4.7          |4.4          |5.6          |7"           |-                          

     Q2       |7.0          |5.3          |5.2          |6.4          |5.3          |7"           |-                          

     Q3       |6.3          |5.4          |5.2          |5.7          |5.2          |7"           |-                          

     Q4       |5.5          |5.2          |5.0          |4.4          |5.1          |7"           |-                          

1986 Q1       |4.9          |4.5          |4.4          |3.8          |4.7          |7"           |-                          

     Q2       |2.8          |3.3          |2.9          |0.9          |4.3          |7"           |-                          

     Q3       |2.6          |3.3          |2.9          |0.7          |4.1          |7"           |-                          

     Q4       |3.4          |3.4          |3.0          |2.0          |4.0          |7"           |-                          

1987 Q1       |4.0          |3.7          |3.3          |2.7          |4.0          |7"           |-                          

     Q2       |4.2          |3.6          |3.4          |2.5          |3.6          |73/4         |-                          

     Q3       |4.3          |3.6          |3.5          |2.6          |3.8          |73/4         |-                          

     Q4       |4.1          |4.0          |3.8          |2.4          |4.1          |8¬           |-                          

1988 Q1       |3.4          |3.7          |3.5          |1.4          |3.8          |8"           |4.3                        

     Q2       |4.2          |4.4          |4.3          |2.1          |4.3          |83/4         |5.1                        

     Q3       |5.4          |5.1          |4.9          |3.4          |4.9          |9¬           |6.2                        

     Q4       |6.5          |5.1          |5.0          |4.6          |4.9          |83/4         |6.4                        

1989 Q1       |7.7          |5.6          |5.5          |5.9          |5.2          |9¬           |6.8                        

     Q2       |8.2          |6.0          |5.9          |8.4          |5.0          |9            |6.9                        

     Q3       |7.7          |5.8          |5.6          |7.8          |5.1          |9            |6.4                        

     Q4       |7.6          |6.1          |5.9          |6.3          |5.2          |9¬           |6.3                        

1990 Q1       |7.8          |6.2          |6.0          |6.5          |5.4          |9"           |5.9                        

     Q2       |9.7          |8.1          |6.8          |7.9          |6.3          |93/4         |6.5                        

     Q3       |10.4         |9.0          |7.7          |8.8          |5.9          |10           |7.1                        

     Q4       |10.0         |9.2          |8.0          |9.7          |5.9          |93/4         |7.3                        

1991 Q1       |8.7          |8.5          |7.4          |8.2          |6.3          |-            |6.8                        

The Gulf

Mr. Higgins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the contributions from other countries to the costs of Her Majesty's Government relating to the Gulf war received in the financial year 1990-91 or received or expected in the financial year 1991-92.

Mr. Mellor : The following countries have made or pledged cash contributions towards these costs :



£ million                                              

                     |Received in|Received or            

                     |1990-91    |expected in            

                                 |1991-92                

---------------------------------------------------------

United Arab Emirates |85         |190<1>                 

Kuwait               |110        |550<2>                 

Germany              |275        |-                      

Japan                |25         |158<3>                 

Saudi Arabia<4>      |-          |580                    

Belgium              |-          |15                     

Hong Kong            |15         |-                      

Denmark              |8          |-                      

South Korea<5>       |-          |17                     

                     |-------    |-------                

Total                |518        |1,510<6>               

<1> Two payments of $166 million; one received 2 April   

and the                                                  

other expected about the end of April.                   

<2> £110 million received 15 April. Four further       

payments of £110                                       

million are expected in the middle of each month,        

May-August                                               

inclusive.                                               

<3> Received 2 April.                                    

<4> A payment of $200 million made on 2 April. A further 

$800                                                     

million has been pledged.                                

<5> $30 million, subject to Korean Parliamentary         

approval.                                                

<6> The sterling value of payments not yet received and  

denominated                                              

in US dollars will depend on the exchange rate           

prevailing at the time.                                  


In addition, some 16 countries have provided assistance in kind.

Balance of Payments

Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in descending order of balance of payment performance (a) cereals, (b) agricultural products as a whole, (c) agricultural products minus cereals, (d) oil, (e) chemicals, (f) iron and steel, (g) coal, coke, and so on, (h) motor vehicles, (i) electricals, (j) visibles and (k) invisibles for the years 1979, 1986 and the latest date available.


Column 388

Mr. Maples : Figures for total trade are available on a balance of payments basis :


Balances  £ billion                                           

                |Visible trade  |Invisible trade                

----------------------------------------------------------------

1979            |-3.3           |+2.9                           

1986            |-9.5           |+9.4                           

1990            |-17.9          |+5.1                           

The following table shows crude trade balances on an overseas trade statistics basis with the categories listed in the order of their 1990 surplus or deficit.


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Crude balances<1>  £ billion                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                        |1979                                               |1986                                               |1990                                                                                                   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SITC<2>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

5                                                   |Chemicals                                          |+1.5                                               |+2.3                                               |+2.3                                                                                                   

33                                                  |Petroleum and petroleum products                   |-1.1                                               |+3.7                                               |+1.2                                                                                                   

67                                                  |Iron and steel                                     |-                                                  |+0.1                                               |+0.4                                                                                                   

04                                                  |Cereals and cereal preparations                    |-0.4                                               |+0.4                                               |+0.3                                                                                                   

32                                                  |Coal, coke and briquettes                          |-0.1                                               |-0.3                                               |-0.5                                                                                                   

716, 75-77                                          |Electrical machinery                               |-                                                  |-2.8                                               |-3.3                                                                                                   

78                                                  |Road vehicles                                      |-0.8                                               |-4.0                                               |-5.3                                                                                                   

                                                    |Agriculture<3>                                     |-4.3                                               |-6.0                                               |-6.4                                                                                                   

                                                    |Agriculture<3> less cereals and cereal preparations|-4.7                                               |-5.6                                               |-6.1                                                                                                   

<1> Exports cif less imports fob.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

<2> Standard International Trade Classification (Rev. 3)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

<3> There is no generally accepted definition of agriculture in the SITC. The figures used cover food and live animals, feed, beverages and other                                                                                                                                                                       

agricultural products (SITC Sections 0 and 4; Divisions 11 and 22 and parts of Divisions 21, 26, 29, 51, 53 and 59).                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Local Government Finance

Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what considerations of public policy and public finance follow from the decision that local authorities in exceeding their powers are not required to meet their banking commitments.

Mr. Mellor : The House of Lords has ruled that local authorities have no power to undertake interest rate swaps. The Government are studying the full implications of the judgment. The case raises a number of complex issues including the effect on local authorities and their charge payers as well as on banks.

ENVIRONMENT

London Zoo

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of payments made from central Government to all organisations associated with London Zoo since 1979.

Mr. Trippier : During this period central Government has paid grants worth about £31 million to the Zoological Society of London and the Institute of Zoology. This figure includes about £5.4 million for the institute's research work.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any checks were made by his Department on the use of funds provided by Her Majesty's Government to London Zoo.

Mr. Trippier : During the period that the society was in receipt of revenue subsidy and contributions to capital investment, its finances and activities were closely monitored. The £10 million endowment in November 1988


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was a once-for-all payment, and severed the financial relationship with my Department completely as well as the system of monitoring.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions were attached to funds provided by Her Majesty's Government to London Zoo.

Mr. Trippier : The £10 million endowment in 1988 was given to the Zoological Society of London on the understanding that the society had established a subsidiary operating company with a strong management team to run the zoos ; this management team had drawn up a master development plan for the zoos to secure their future, and with this endowment the Government's financial commitment to the zoos was at an end.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial requests have been received in the last three months from the London Zoo authorities ; and what response has been made.

Mr. Trippier : Over the last few months I have discussed with the Zoological Society of London its general financial situation and have reminded it that the Government's financial commitment to its zoos ended in 1988.

House Prices

Mr. Lawson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing an index of house prices in real terms, for each quarter from the first quarter of 1979 to the latest available quarter.

Mr. Heseltine : The following index has been derived by deflating my Department's mix-adjusted dwelling price index by the retail prices index.


Column 389


Mix-adjusted index  

of United Kingdom   

house prices in     

real terms          

(Index: Q1          

1979=100)           

        |Index      

--------------------

1979 Q1 |100        

Q2      |104        

Q3      |106        

Q4      |110        

                    

1980 Q1 |109        

Q2      |108        

Q3      |108        

Q4      |108        

                    

1981 Q1 |105        

Q2      |103        

Q3      |103        

Q4      |98         

                    

1982 Q1 |95         

Q2      |96         

Q3      |98         

Q4      |98         

                    

1983 Q1 |100        

Q2      |102        

Q3      |104        

Q4      |104        

                    

1984 Q1 |105        

Q2      |105        

Q3      |109        

Q4      |109        

                    

1985 Q1 |107        

Q2      |107        

Q3      |110        

Q4      |113        

                    

1986 Q1 |115        

Q2      |118        

Q3      |123        

Q4      |126        

                    

1987 Q1 |127        

Q2      |132        

Q3      |137        

Q4      |144        

                    

1988 Q1 |149        

Q2      |155        

Q3      |173        

Q4      |180        

                    

1989 Q1 |181        

Q2      |182        

Q3      |186        

Q4      |179        

                    

1990 Q1 |174        

Q2      |163        

Q3      |163        

Q4      |158        

Source: Based on    

prices at           

completion stage    

collected in the    

building            

society mortgage    

survey and weighted 

to reflect a        

standard            

mix of sales by     

dwelling type, size 

and region.         

Hedgehogs

Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the export of live hedgehogs is governed by the CITES agreement ; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) how many licences were issued for the export of live hedgehogs in 1990 ; and if he will make it his policy to discontinue the issuing of such licences.


Column 390

Mr. Trippier : The export of the European hedgehog is not controlled by the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species ; the controls that apply were set out in my earlier answer to the hon. Member of 25 February, at column 353. No licences to export live hedgehogs were issued in 1990. All licence applications are treated on their own merits, following consultation with our scientific advisers, the joint nature conservation committee.

Local Government Finance

Mr. Summerson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of Government grant in 1990-91 per head of relevant population in the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

Mr. Key : The information is as follows : Government grants in 1990- 91, consisting of revenue support grant, special grants, specific grants in aggregate external finance, community charge benefit grant and transitional relief grant, per head of relevant population are £1,415 in Hackney, £960 in Newham, £396 in Redbridge and £678 in Waltham Forest.

Benzene

Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the maximum level of benzene permissible in petrol (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in the United States of America ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry : Five per cent. by volume, in both cases.

Green Belt

Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to permitting development on green belt sites in the East Thames corridor ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Yeo : Any proposals for development on green belt sites in the east Thames corridor are considered in the light of the planning criteria which apply everywhere in the green belt.

Irrigation, East Anglia

Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many licences for extracting water from bore holes have been granted in each of the past two years to the horticultural industry in East Anglia ; and what was the average amount of water permitted for extraction under each licence ;

(2) whether he will make it his policy to conserve water in East Anglia by restricting the amount of water permitted for extraction by bore holes by the horticultural industry ;

(3) what assessment he has made of the effect on water conservation by the horticultural industry in East Anglia of (a) limiting times of the day when water extraction is permitted, (b) limiting the total quantity of water permitted to be extracted by each user and (c) encouraging night-time use of water to reduce evaporation ;


Column 391

(4) what restrictions have been imposed by the National Rivers Authority on extraction of irrigation water from bore holes by horticultural undertakings in East Anglia ;

(5) whether he will issue a direction to the National Rivers Authority to conserve water in East Anglia by restricting the amounts extracted by horticultural undertakings.

Mr. Baldry : These are all matters for the National Rivers Authority. The chairman will write to my hon. Friend. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to issue a direction to the National Rivers Authority.

Conifer Planting

Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the outcome of the consultation exercise on the proposal to exempt parts of the industrial Pennines from the Government's general policy not to grant-aid predominantly conifer planting in the English uplands ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Trippier : Our consultation exercise last year gave rise to a large number of detailed responses and we have given careful consideration to these. Although there was support for some planting within the areas identified by the joint Department of the Environment-Forestry Commission working group, the general view was that the present policy adequately caters for the types and scale of new planting which will be appropriate and that the proposed exception would not be helpful. In recognition of this, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I have decided not to proceed with the proposal.

Local Authorities (Finance)

Mr. Andy Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the budgeted revenue expenditure and sources of income for local authorities in England, and their implication for community charge levels, in 1990-91 and 1991-92, before and after the enactment of the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991.

Mr. Portillo : Following the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991, the average community charge actually paid in 1991-92, taking account of assistance received via income support, is estimated to be £172 ; charges will account for just less than 15 per cent. of authorities' revenue spending. The corresponding figures before the Act were £274 and 23.6 per cent. respectively ; for 1990-91 they were £285 and 26.6 per cent. Full details are given in the table.



Sources of finance for local authority expenditure:                     

England 1990-91 and 1991-92                                             

                                |1990-91  |1991-92  |1991-92            

                                          |before   |after              

                                          |£140   |£140             

                                          |reduction                    

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Estimated expenditure/income                                            

   (£ billion)                                                        

Gross revenue/budgeted                                                  

   expenditure                  |36.48    |39.82    |39.82              

Use of balances                 |0.80     |0.62     |0.62               

                                |-------  |-------  |-------            

Budgeted income                 |35.68    |39.19    |39.19              

Less Aggregate Exchequer                                                

   Finance                      |23.29    |26.05    |30.88              

Plus/minus adjustments<1>       |0.14     |0.35     |0.35               

                                |-------  |-------  |-------            

Raised from gross charges       |12.25    |13.49    |8.66               

Percentage of expenditure       |33.60    |33.90    |21.70              

                                                                        

Headline charge (£)           |357.00   |392.00   |252.00             

Less: Reduction scheme grant    |0.26     |1.70     |1.25               

      Estimated community                                               

         charge benefit subsidy |1.83     |1.92     |1.06               

                                |-------  |-------  |-------            

Raised from net charges         |10.16    |9.87     |6.35               

Percentage of expenditure       |27.90    |24.80    |15.90              

Less income support<2>          |0.40     |0.43     |0.43               

                                |-------  |-------  |-------            

Actual charges paid             |9.76     |9.44     |5.92               

Percentage of expenditure       |26.60    |23.70    |14.90              

                                                                        

Average charge actually                                                 

   paid (£)                                                           

(taking into account income                                             

   support)                     |285      |274      |172                

                                                                        

Aggregate Exchequer Finance                                             

   (£ billion)                                                        

Business rates                  |10.428   |12.408   |12.408             

Specific grants                 |3.189    |3.413    |3.413              

Special grants                  |0.187    |0.555    |0.555              

Revenue Support Grant           |9.490    |9.674    |9.674              

Community charge grant          |-        |-        |4.830              

                                |-------  |-------  |-------            

Total grants                    |12.866   |13.642   |18.472             

                                |-------  |-------  |-------            

Total AEF                       |23.294   |26.050   |30.880             

                                                                        

Chargepayers (million)                                                  

Relevant population<3>          |35.65    |35.54    |35.54              

Equated population<4>           |34.37    |34.50    |34.50              

<1> Adjustments include RSG grants to specified bodies (which are       

part of AEF but do not go to local authorities); net interest           

payments by the Collection Fund; the proportion of                      

non-domestic rates collected by the City of London which is             

retained by the authority's collection fund; the estimated deficit      

on the Collection Fund in 1990-91; and the budgeted surplus on          

the Collection Fund in 1991-92.                                         

<2> This amount represents the allowance in income support to cover     

20 per cent. of the average charge.                                     

<3> Relevant population indicates the number of                         

chargepayers subject to a full community charge, plus one fifth of      

students                                                                

subject to a charge, plus the number of people liable to pay            

collective community charges.                                           

<4> Equated population is the equivalent number of personal charges     

which local authorities expect to receive from personal, standard       

and collective chargepayers.                                            

Local Government Boundary Commission

Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will happen to the work of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England during the consultation period on the Government's proposals on local government.

Mr. Heseltine : We consider that the commission should continue with its current programme of work. Decisions on the implementations of their proposals can then be taken on the merits of those proposals and in the context of the wider proposals for change in local government.


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Norwich City Council

Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out details of the basis of calculation which has led him to require Norwich city council to limit its spending to £15 million in 1991-92, and set out the representations he has had asking him to impose this limit.

Mr. Key [holding answer 22 April 1991] : We have received a number of representations to cap excessive budgets. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has designated Norwich city council for capping because he considered that its budget was excessive on the basis of the principles which he has adopted for capping for 1991-92. The maximum budget or "cap" of £15 million proposed by my right hon. Friend represents his view of what is reasonable, achievable and appropriate in the light of the authority's particular circumstances, on the basis of all the information available to him.

Transport Privatisation

Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consultations his Department has had with local authorities over the proposed privatisation of municipal airports, ports and harbours and bus companies ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) when the Government intend to bring forward proposals for the privatisation of municipal airports, ports and harbours and bus companies ; and if he will make a statement ;


Column 394

(3) what representations he has received from private sector companies interested in bidding for the municipal airports, ports and harbours and bus companies that the Government intend to privatise ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. McLoughlin : I have been asked to reply.

My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the scope for privatisation of local authority ports, airports, and public transport companies but has reached no conclusions. A company which is in negotiation with a local authority to take a lease of part of their port has been in touch with my Department ; no other representations from prospective purchasers have been received.

Local Government

Mr. Ralph Howell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the total number of local government staff in the following categories (a) education (lecturers and teachers), (b) education (others), (c) construction, (d) social services, (e) other general services and (f) police in the United Kingdom giving figures for(i) total number of staff and (ii) full-time equivalents for each of the years 1968, 1988 and 1990, or the latest date available showing the percentage increase/decrease in each case.

Mr. Key : The information for England is as follows :


Column 393



Local government staffing in England                                                                              

Selected service breakdown (December data)                                                                        

Service                |Total       |Year-on-year|Change since|Full-time   |Year-on-year|Change since             

                       |(FT+PT)     |change      |1975        |equivalent  |change      |1975                     

                                    |per cent.   |per cent.                |per cent.   |per cent.                

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1975 (See Note 1)                                                                                                 

Education (L/T)        |653,020     |-           |-           |529,937     |-           |-                        

Education (other)      |677,999     |-           |-           |410,972     |-           |-                        

Construction           |132,715     |-           |-           |132,385     |-           |-                        

Social Services        |265,150     |-           |-           |182,512     |-           |-                        

Other general services |595,540     |-           |-           |546,120     |-           |-                        

Police (all ranks)     |100,364     |-           |-           |100,364     |-           |-                        

                                                                                                                  

1988                                                                                                              

Education (L/T)        |651,728     |-0.4        |-0.2        |502,838     |-0.7        |-5.1                     

Education (other)      |649,222     |-1.0        |-4.2        |382,571     |-0.7        |-6.9                     

Construction           |101,072     |-5.0        |-23.8       |100,676     |-5.0        |-24.0                    

Social Services        |336,756     |0.7         |27.0        |229,675     |1.0         |25.8                     

Other general services |578,597     |-0.4        |-2.8        |518,460     |-0.7        |-5.1                     

Police (all ranks)     |118,249     |0.9         |17.8        |118,249     |0.9         |17.8                     

                                                                                                                  

1989                                                                                                              

Education (L/T)        |628,414     |-3.6        |-3.8        |481,407     |-4.3        |-9.2                     

Education (other)      |627,822     |-3.3        |-7.4        |364,315     |-4.8        |-11.4                    

Construction           |97,435      |-3.6        |-26.6       |97,037      |-3.6        |-26.7                    

Social Services        |341,366     |1.4         |28.7        |233,953     |1.9         |28.2                     

Other general services |584,767     |1.1         |-1.8        |523,606     |1.0         |-4.1                     

Police (all ranks)     |119,605     |1.1         |19.2        |119,605     |1.1         |19.2                     

                                                                                                                  

1990                                                                                                              

Education (L/T)        |614,908     |-2.1        |-5.8        |477,204     |-0.9        |-10.0                    

Education (other)      |624,957     |-0.5        |-7.8        |363,124     |-0.3        |-11.6                    

Construction           |91,118      |-6.5        |-31.3       |90,687      |-6.5        |-31.5                    

Social Services        |343,508     |0.6         |29.6        |237,401     |1.5         |30.1                     

Other general services |592,456     |1.3         |-0.5        |529,909     |1.2         |-3.0                     

Police (all ranks)     |120,593     |0.8         |20.2        |120,593     |0.8         |20.2                     

Notes:                                                                                                            

1. 1975 is the earliest year for which data is available.                                                         

2. Education figures are affected by the transfer of polytechnics from the local authority sector in April 1989.  

3. Other general services figures are affected by the transfer of municipal bus and airport undertakings from the 

local authority sector in 1986                                                                                    

and 1987.                                                                                                         

HEALTH

Ethnic Monitoring

Ms. Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the department of psychological medicine of the City and Hackney health authority keeps records of the racial origins of in-patients and out- patients ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dorrell : A contact register is being developed for all patients receiving care from the department of psychological medicine at City and Hackney health authority. Patients are asked to identify their own ethnic origin. Where this is not possible, that particular section will be left blank. The register has a security mechanism whereby information relating to ethnic origin is kept confidential and can be checked by the patient on request.

Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to encourage social service departments to monitor girls from the relevant ethnic communities referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) on 22 February, Official Report, columns 304-5.

Mr. Dorrell : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 25 March at columns 322- 24.

Staphylococcus Infection

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the closure of ward 3X at the Royal Liverpool University hospital, following contagion from multi-resistant staphylococcus ; and how many other hospitals in the United Kingdom are affected by this bacterium.

Mr. Dorrell : A patient recently admitted to the hospital was found to be carrying the organism. Before this was identified, cross-infection occurred in two small units in the hospital. Conventional infection control methods, including the temporary closure of ward 3X, brought the outbreak under control. Ward 3X was reopened on Monday 22 April.

There are no national figures for the number of affected hospitals. Infection with multi-resistant staphylococcus--MRSA--is not among the diseases which are statutorily notifiable. However, a survey of the incidence of MRSA from 1986-90 is being prepared by the public health laboratory service and will be available shortly.

Cancer Services

Mr. Sims : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what matters are currently being considered by the advisory committee on cancer services ; and when its next report is expected.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The Standing Medical Advisory Committee, which advises my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has a standing sub-committee on cancer which advises it on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and, where relevant, on education.


Column 396

The sub-committee keeps all these topics under regular review. It has recently prepared a manual on quality assurance in radiotherapy.

Nurses' Pay

Dame Jill Knight : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the increase of pay in real terms for nurses in the employ of the health service since 1979.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Basic pay rates for nursing and midwifery staff and health visitors have increased by almost 45 per cent. on average in real terms since 1979.

Abortion

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report, column 256, what reasons have been given by Dr. Nicolaides for the late notification to the chief medical officer of the abortion of the King's College baby, under ground 2, by selective reduction at 27 weeks gestation, notified to his Department on 11 April 1990.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : It is not the Department's practice to disclose information provided in relation to individual cases of termination of pregnancy.

NHS Reforms

Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how man copies of the March 1991 letter from the chief executive of the national health service about the 1 April national health service reforms have been distributed ; and at what total cost.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The letter from the NHS chief excutive marking the implementation of the NHS reforms on 1 April has been distributed to all 970,000 employees of the NHS in England. The cost of printing and distributing the letter to health authorities was £127,000.


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