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Mr. Rathbone : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on section 39 reviews by the Bank of England on money laundering.
Mr. Maples : All institutions authorised under the Banking Act are expected to be able to demonstrate that they maintain adequate policies, records and systems to counter money laundering. The Bank of England notified these institutions in November 1989 that a review of
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control systems and accounting records in money laundering-related areas may form part of the report requested under section 39 of the Banking Act and a number of such reviews have been commissioned or have taken place.Earnings
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the (i) weekly and (ii) annual (a) gross income and (b) taxable income of (1) a single person on half average earnings, (2) a single person on two thirds average earnings, (3) a single person on average earnings, (4) a single person on double average earnings, (5) a couple with the male partner on average earnings and a non-working wife and (6) a couple each earning male and female average earnings respectively in Scotland in 1990-91 and estimates for 1991-92.
Mr. Maude : Information for 1990-91 is given in the table. Taxpayers are assumed to have no reliefs or allowances, other than the appropriate personal allowances, and no unearned income. Information for 1991-92 is not yet available.
Column 25
Weekly figures Annual figures
|Gross |Taxable |Gross |Taxable
|income<1>|income<2>|income<1>|income<2>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Single person<3> on
half-average earnings |138.20 |80.41 |7,190 |4,180
(ii) Single person<3> on
two-thirds average earnings |184.30 |126.51 |9,580 |6,580
(iii) Single person<3> on
average earnings |276.40 |218.61 |14,370 |11,370
(iv) Single person<3> on
twice average earnings |552.80 |495.01 |28,750 |25,740
(v) Married couple
with husband on
average earnings
wife not working |276.40 |185.53 |14,370 |9,650
(vi) Married couple
with both
partners on their
respective
average earnings |463.60 |314.95 |24,110 |16,380
<1> Average earnings figures have been taken from the April 1990
New Earnings Survey.
<2> Gross income less allowances.
<3> The figures relating to a single person have been calculated using
the figure for male average earnings.
Civil Service Pay
Mr. Skinner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further meetings he has had with representatives of the civil service trade unions regarding pay and conditions of service ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Treasury Ministers meet representatives of the civil service trade unions from time to time. I last met representatives of the National Union of Civil and Public Servants and the Civil and Public Services Association on 9 April to discuss the Government's offers for the pay of executive and office support staff, and clerical and secretarial staff.
Environmental Policy
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the decisions taken on environmental policy at (a) the development committee of G7 Finance Ministers on 29-30 April and (b) the global environmental facility meeting on 1-2 May.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The development committee of the World bank and IMF, which met on 30 April, welcomed the establishment of the joint World bank, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Development Programme global environment facility--GEF. The committee underlined the role that this facility could play as the mechanism to provide additional assistance to developing countries in the framework of negotiations on the global environment.
Responsibility for the United Kingdom's policy on the GEF lies with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development. I understand that good progress was made at the GEF meeting on 1 and 2 May. Participants broadly endorsed a first tranche of 26 projects, with a total value of about $275 million, to be taken forward by the three implementing agencies.
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EC Structural Funds
Ms. Quin : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any proposals to change the financial rules under which local authorities have to operate when applying for European regional development funds.
Income Tax
Mr. Beith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the costs in 1991-92 and 1992-93 of raising the basic rate income tax limit to (i) £25,000, (ii) £27,500 and (iii) £30,000.
Mr. Maude : Estimated revenue costs, compared with the Budget proposals, are in the table, which assumes statutory indexation of allowances and thresholds for 1992-93.
Basic rate |Effect on |£ million limit |receipts in|1992-93 in 1991-92 |1991-92 (£ ) ------------------------------------------------ 25,000 |190 |320 27,500 |490 |840 30,000 |750 |1,270
Taxes and Benefits
Mr. Beith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his written answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell), 17 January, Official Report, columns 560-62, to include figures for 1991-92 ; if he will include any revisions to data for previous years ; and whether it is yet possible to include data for the community charge.
Mr. Mellor : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 15 April 1991, at columns 13-20. It will not be possible to produce estimates of the community charge until data from the 1990 family expenditure survey are available.
Credit Unions
Dr. Godman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many credit unions have been set up in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland in each of the past five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maples : The number of new credit unions registered over the period is as follows :
|England and|Scotland
|Wales
------------------------------------------------
1986 |9 |4
1987 |15 |1
1988 |33 |11
1989 |49 |8
1990 |55 |17
There are currently 235 credit unions registered in England and Wales and 61 in Scotland.
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OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Somalia
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been given to Somalia in the last three months.
Mrs. Chalker : Security conditions in Somalia continue to make the delivery of relief aid difficult. The main relief effort is at present being carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross. I have this week approved a further £1 million to the ICRC for its Somali operations. This brings the total of our emergency aid to Somalia in the last three months to £1.238 million. We have also contributed £1.2 million for Somalia refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Engagements
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to the answer by the Minister for Overseas Development to the hon.
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Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours), Official Report, 26 April, columns 579-80, he will list the non- governmental organisations met on 15 April.Mrs. Chalker : My right hon. Friend and I met representatives of : the British Red Cross, the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, CARE Britain, Christian Aid, Concern, Oxfam, the Refugee Council of Great Britain and the Save the Children Fund.
Aid Budget
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the revised planning figures for the aid budget in 1990-91, and the planned figures for 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94 in current terms, and constant 1990-91 terms, showing any percentage real change.
Mrs. Chalker : The information is as follows :
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|Column (a)<1> |Column (b)<2> |Column (a) |Column (b) |Column (a) |Column (b)
|Original planning|Revised Provision|In 1990-91 Prices|In 1990-91 Prices|Percentage Real |Percentage Real
|Figure in Cash |in Cash Terms |(£ million) |(£ million0 |Terms Change on |Terms Change on
|(£ million) |(£ million) |1990-91 |1990-91
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |1,587 |1,619 |1,587 |1,619 |-- |--
1991-92 |1,721 |1,751 |1,600 |1,636 |3.09 |1.05
1992-93 |1,790 |1,790 |1,601 |1,601 |0.88 |-1.11
1993-94 |1,860 |1,860 |1,603 |1,603 |1.01 |-0.99
<1> The figure for 1990-91 was the budget figure published in the 1990 Public Expenditure White Paper Cm. 1021 before the financial year began.
The figures for later years are those agreed in the 1990 PES round and published in the FCO Departmental Report Cm. 1502.
<2> The figure for 1990-91 reflects additions to the aid budget for developing countries made during the year. The figure for 1991-92 includes
the
addition to the aid budget of £30 million for humanitarian assistance announced on 29 April.
Rhino Products
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions are being made by Her Majesty's Government to schemes designed to protect the rhinoceros.
Mrs. Chalker : A list of the wildlife conservation activities in Africa in which we are involved is in the Library of the House.
Bangladesh
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all contributions of emergency relief for Bangladesh made by other donors of which he is aware.
Mrs. Chalker : From reports provided by a number of sources including the United Nations Office of the Disaster Relief Co-ordinator-- UNDRO--and the British high commission in Dhaka, we are aware of the following pledges made by other donors up to 13 May. These do not, in all cases, distinguish between contributions for immediate emergency relief and longer-term rehabilitation assistance. The figures are improving daily.
Australia--US$2.216 million (£1.3 million)
Belgium--BF25 million (£0.41 million)
Bhutan--US$120,000 (£0.07 million)
Burma--500 tonnes of rice
Canada--Canadian $1.5 million (£0.77 million)
China--US$2 million (£1.18 million)
Denmark--DK250,000 (£0.023 million)
European Community 10 million ECU (£6.97 million)
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France--US$2 million (£1.18 million) plus 20,000 tonnes of wheat, 2,000 tonnes of milk powder, a telecommunications repair team and the services of a dredgerGermany--DM30 million (£10.14 million)
Holland--Guilders 6 million (£1.78 million)
India--Taka 200 million (£3.51 million) plus US$700,000 (£0.413 million) and 6 helicopters
Indonesia--1 C130 aircraft
Iran--Relief supplies
Ireland--US$198,000 (£0.12m)
Italy--US$8m (£4.72m) plus 40 tonnes of relief supplies
Japan--US$21m (£12.39m)--comprising US$9.5m cash, US$11m food aid and US$0.5m emergency equipment
Malaysia--US$370,000 (£0.22m)
New Zealand--US$29,000 (£0.017m)
Norway--US$0.34m (£0.2m)
Pakistan--Relief supplies plus 2 helicopters
Saudi Arabia--US$100m (£59m) for rehabilitation plus immediate relief supplies and 3 C130 aircraft
Sri Lanka--Relief supplies
Switzerland--US$0.14m (£0.08m) plus 36 tonnes of high protein food and logistical support staff
Thailand--£470,000 plus 2 helicopters and 20,000 tonnes of rice Turkey --Relief supplies
USA--US$6.9m (£4.07m) plus 5 helicopters
UNDP--US$50,000 (£0.03m)
UNICEF--US$1.02m (£0.6m)
UNDRO--US$50,000 (£0.03m)
WFP--7,000 tonnes of food
WHO--4 emergency health kits
We also await firm details of further logistical support being considered by the United States of America.
Column 29
ODA Expenditure
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will revise the planned expenditure estimates for the Overseas Development Administration for 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993- 94 to achieve increases in real terms.
Mrs. Chalker : As the hon. Member is aware from the reply she received from my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 29 April, at column 31 , the aid programme for 1991-92 has recently been increased by £30 million. The planning figures for 1992-93 and 1993-94 will be reviewed in the annual public expenditure survey round later this year.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Local Government Finance
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for the number of persons on income support who have (i) poll tax arrears for which they are subject to a liability order, (ii) social fund loan repayments, (iii) gas and electricity arrears, (iv) rent arrears and (v) other debt.
Miss Widdecombe : At the end of February 1991 there were 36,448 income support claimants with deductions for arrears of community charge. At the end of March 1991, there was an estimated 424,000 income support claimants with deductions for recovery of social fund loans.
Figures for the number of income support claimants with deductions for electricity, gas, rent arrears and other items are contained in table 10 of the "Department of Social Security Income Support Statistics Annual Statistical Enquiry, May 1989", a copy of which is in the Library. It is important to note that some of these deductions are for current charges only.
State Benefits
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what state benefits are discounted when assessments are made of the income of applicants for discretionary rebate benefits such as poll tax and housing benefit.
Miss Widdecombe : Housing benefit and community charge benefit are statutory benefits and people on income support have entitlement to maximum benefit in each case.
Community charge benefit is disregarded when calculating entitlement to housing benefit and vice versa. Otherwise, social security benefits are taken into account, except for mobility allowance, constant attendance allowance, attendance allowance and any resettlement benefit or social fund payment.
Mobility supplement and constant attendance allowance which is paid as part of a war disability pension are also disregarded. There is a statutory £10 weekly disregard of a war widow's or war disablement pension, and local authorities have discretion of disregard in excess of this amount. Special payments to pre-1973 war widows are fully disregarded.
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National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the yields from raising the upper earnings limit on national insurance contributions in 1991-92 and 1992-93 to (i) £23,700, (ii) £25,000, (iii) £27,500 and (iv) £30,000.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is in the table.
Additional contribution yield (£ millions) (1) |(2) |(3) UEL raised to |1991-92 |1992-93<1> -------------------------------------------------------- £ 23,700 |250 |275 £ 25,000 |325 |375 £ 27,500 |425 |475 £ 30,000 |500 |575 <1> Figures for 1992-93 assume that the present UEL and the figures in column 1 are increased in line with 1991 Budget assumptions for price inflation.
Delayed Payments
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps have been taken by his Department to inform hon. Members of the Department's compensation scheme for delayed payments ; (2) what system exists for compensating those whose pension or benefit is paid more than a year late ; and if he will publish the rules which govern such a system ;
(3) how many individuals received compensation payments for delayed payments for each of the years for which figures are available ; and how many claims for such payments were unsuccessful.
Miss Widdecombe [pursuant to her reply, 11 March, 1991, c. 416] : I regret that there was an error in the figure given for the number of payments in 1989-90. The correct information is in the table. Ex-gratia compensation may be paid when payment of benefit amounting to £50 or more has either been delayed for 12 months or longer, or interrupted for at least three months, because of clear and unambiguous official error. If claimants do not themselves raise the matter, the Department's local offices are required to identify cases eligible to be considered for such compensation. These arrangements are in accordance with the general principles concerning ex-gratia payments in "Government Accounting", the Treasury's guide to accounting and financial procedures in Government. Each case is decided within those general principles, taking into account its particular facts and circumstances, which vary widely from case to case. The annual reports of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration have drawn attention to the availability of compensation.
Payments have been made as follows :
!
Year |Number of
|individual
|payments
---------------------------------
1989-90 |402
1988-89 |529
1987-88 |911
1986-87 |654
1985-86 |540
1984-85 |171
Information on the number of unsuccessful cases is not available.
Column 31
Benefits
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will publish tables, similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for each of a single wage married couple (a) with two children aged four and six years and (b) with three children aged three, eight and 11 years earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110, (vii) £120, (viii) £130, (ix) £140, (x) £150, (xi) £160 and (xii) £170 under the benefit system as uprated in April 1991 ; (2) if he will publish figures, similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for a lone mother with two children aged four and six years under the benefit system as uprated in April 1991 and in each of the following circumstances (a) not working, after one year on benefits, (b) earning £20 a week from part- time working and (c) working full-time and earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110 and (vii) £120 per week.
Column 32
Mr. Jack [holding answer 30 April 1991] : Income-related benefits such as family credit and housing benefit provide valuable help for many working families and make it worth while taking up and retaining employment. The social security reforms, and subsequent changes in tax and national insurance have virtually eliminated the worst effects of the poverty trap, so that it is now virtually impossible for someone to be worse off as a result of an increase in gross pay. The information requested is set out in the tables. It should be noted that the results in the tables remain arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use hypothetical rents so they do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay. A community charge level of £250 per person, per annum is assumed. All other assumptions are as in the published tax/benefit model tables.
Column 31
Married couple with 2 children aged 4 and 6
Earnings (£ s)
|60 |70 |80 |90 |100 |110 |120 |130 |140 |150 |160 |170
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deductions from earnings
Tax |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |2.28 |4.78 |7.28 |9.78 |12.28 |14.78 |17.28 |19.78
National insurance |2.18 |3.08 |3.98 |4.88 |5.78 |6.68 |7.58 |8.48 |9.38 |10.28 |11.18 |12.08
Rent |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60
Community charge |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Net earnings |22.60 |31.70 |40.80 |49.90 |56.72 |63.32 |69.92 |76.52 |83.12 |89.72 |96.32 |102.92
Additional income from benefits
Family credit |57.70 |54.43 |48.06 |41.69 |36.92 |32.30 |27.68 |23.06 |18.44 |13.82 |9.20 |4.58
Child benefit |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50 |15.50
Housing benefit |9.92 |6.13 |4.36 |2.58 |1.25 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Community charge benefit |4.08 |3.20 |2.79 |2.38 |2.08 |1.78 |1.48 |1.19 |0.89 |0.59 |0.30 |0.00
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Disposable income |109.80 |110.96 |111.51 |112.05 |112.47 |112.90 |114.58 |116.27 |117.95 |119.63 |121.32 |123.00
Married couple with 3 children aged 3, 8 and 11
Earnings(£ s) |60 |70 |80 |90 |100 |110 |120 |130 |140 |150 |160 |170
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tax |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |2.28 |4.78 |7.28 |9.78 |12.28 |14.78 |17.28 |19.78
NI |2.18 |3.08 |3.98 |4.88 |5.78 |6.68 |7.58 |8.48 |9.38 |10.28 |11.18 |12.08
Rent |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60 |25.60
CC |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62 |9.62
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Net earnings |22.60 |31.70 |40.80 |49.90 |56.72 |63.32 |69.92 |76.52 |83.12 |89.72 |96.32 |102.92
FC |73.80 |70.53 |64.16 |57.79 |53.02 |48.40 |43.78 |39.16 |34.54 |29.92 |25.30 |20.68
CHB |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75 |22.75
HB |7.58 |3.79 |2.02 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
CCB |3.54 |2.66 |2.25 |1.84 |1.54 |1.24 |0.94 |0.65 |0.35 |0.05 |0.00 |0.00
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Disposable Income |130.27 |131.43 |131.98 |132.28 |134.03 |135.71 |137.79 |139.08 |140.76 |142.44 |144.37 |146.35
NI=National Insurance
CC=Community Charge
CCB=Community Charge Benefit
HB=Housing Benefit
FC=Family Credit
CHB=Child Benefit
Earnings (£s) 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 Tax 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.28 4.78 7.28 9.78 12.28 14.78 17.28 19.78
NI 2.18 3.08 3.98 4.88 5.78 6.68 7.58 8.48 9.38 10.28 11.18 12.08
Rent 25.60 25.60 26.60 25.60 25.60 25.60 25.60 25.60 25.60 25.60 25.60 25.60
CC 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 9.62 Net Earnings 22.60 31.70 40.80 49.90 56.72 63.32 69.92 76.52 83.12 89.72 96.32 102.92
FC 73.80 70.53 64.16 57.79 53.02 48.40 43.78 39.16 34.54 29.92 25.30 20.68
CHB 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75 22.75
HB 7.58 3.79 2.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 CCB 3.54 2.66 2.25 1.84 1.54 1.24 0.94 0.65 0.35 0.05 0.00 0.00 Disposable Income 130.27 131.43 131.98 132.28 134.03 135.71 137.79 139.08 140.76 142.44 144.37 146.35
NI=National Insurance.
CC=Community Charge.
CCB=Community Charge Benefit.
HB=Housing Benefit.
FC=Family Credit.
CHB=Child Benefit.
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