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The Prime Minister : The detention and expulsion of Mr. Fisk and the future of The Independent 's representation in Turkey have been discussed by the British ambassador in Ankara with the Turkish authorities. We naturally wish for The Independent to have effective representation in Turkey.
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Inaccurate Information
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list in the Official Report each instance of inadvertently inaccurate information given to Parliament since 1979 by Ministers of Her Majesty's Government which was subsequently corrected in the Official Report ; and what steps he is taking to improve the accuracy of information given to Parliament by Her Majesty's Government.
The Prime Minister : Records are not maintained of corrections to the Official Report . Ministers seek the highest standards of accuracy in the information they give to Parliament.
Occupied Territories (Education)
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has made to the Israeli Prime Minister about the continuing closure of Palestinian schools, colleges and universities in the territories occupied by Israel ; and if he will make a statement.
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The Prime Minister : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made representations on education in the occupied territories when he saw the Israeli Foreign Minister last on 5 March. This issue was also raised by my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State during his visit to Israel and the occupied territories from 6 to 9 May.Column 104
Scrutiny Programme
Mr. Butterfill : To ask the Prime Minister what topics have been covered in the efficiency unit's central scrutiny programme in the last financial year ; and which scrutiny reports have been published.
The Prime Minister : Twenty efficiency scrutinies have been undertaken by Departments in 1990-91 in association with the efficiency adviser and the efficiency unit. The programme of scrutinies, including those which are not yet completed, is as follows :
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Report:
Department |Title of scrutiny |Completed |Publicly
|available
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |Career Management |Yes |No
Cabinet Office |Ministerial Correspondence |Yes |Yes
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise |Inland Customs Activity |Yes |Yes
Ministry of Defence |Electronics Trades Training |Yes |No
|Equipment Policy Committee |No |-
Department of Education and Science |Research Councils' Support Services |No |-
Department of Employment |Communications within the ED Group |Yes |No
|Industrial Tribunal System |No |-
Department of Environment |Review of the Housing Defects Act |No |-
Foreign and Commonwealth Office |Training in Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service and|No |-
| the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Department of Health |Medical Divisions |Yes |No
Home Office |In-Service Probation Training |Yes |Yes
|National Collection of Criminal Records |Yes |No
Inland Revenue |Departmental Print Output |Yes |No
|Electronic Data Capture and Data Matching |Yes |No
Lord Chancellor's Department |Public Record Office |Yes |Yes
Northern Ireland Civil Service |Creditor Payments |Yes |No
Department of Trade and Industry |Fairs and Promotions Branch |No |-
Department of Transport |Relationship between Agencies and the Centre of |Yes |Yes
| the Department
Welsh Office |Land Procedures |No |-
Decisions on the publication of scrutiny reports are taken by the Ministers responsible for the scrutinies concerned. In a number of cases where a scrutiny has been recently completed, no decision on publication has been made.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 14 May.
The Prime Minister : This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Church Urban Fund
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners if the Church Commissioners have changed their policy of contributing £1 million annually to the church urban fund.
Mr. Alison : The primary call on the Commissioners' income is the provision of clergy pensions and thereafter
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clergy stipends and housing. Each year they may make grants for other purposes from any surplus income they may have. They have in each of the past four years, voted a grant of £1 million for the church urban fund ; it is not, however, an automatically recurring "annual" grant.The Commissioners will, at their annual general meeting in June, carefully consider, in the light of their overall financial position and other demands on their income, whether they can make a contribution in 1991 and, if so, at what level.
Their substantial administrative help to the fund, totalling around £300,000 a year, will, in any event, continue.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Building Societies
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he has calculated that building societies would not be repaid £250 million if the House accepts his proposal,
retrospectively, to reverse the House of Lords decision in the Woolwich case.
Mr. Maples : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 22 April, at columns 300-1.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether building societies have agreed that the 1986 change in accounting for tax does not mean they have paid extra tax.Mr. Maples : It would not be appropriate to comment on statements made by individual building societies about their tax affairs.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what response or acknowledgement has been given to the demand on 25 October 1990 for repayment of tax unlawfully demanded from a building society, following the judgment in the Woolwich case ;
(2) how much tax has been received each financial year and for each financial year from building societies since 1983-84 ; how much was paid with the qualification that the payment was made under protest ; how much is now known to have been demanded unlawfully ; and how much has been repaid.
Mr. Maples : It would not be appropriate to comment on the tax affairs of individual building societies.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the probable cost of acknowledging letters (a) directly and (b) via an hon. Member to each or any member of a building society adversely affected by clause 50 of the Finance Bill.
Mr. Maples : The cost of replying to letters, whether received directly, or through hon. Members, depends upon the complexity of the issues raised and the research necessary to deal with them.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which building societies did not challenge the double taxation damand under the 1986 legislation on building societies.
Mr. Maples : The 1986 building societies legislation did not involve double taxation. It would not be appropriate to comment on the tax affairs of individual building societies.
Retrospective Legislation
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when, other than following the Woolwich case, the Treasury has proposed retrospective legislation to have the effect of reversing a granted application for judicial review or a successful appeal against assessment.
Mr. Maples : There have been two instances of such legislation in recent years : section 62 of the Finance Act 1987 and section 116 of the Finance Act 1989.
Leeds Building Society
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions Treasury Ministers met representatives of the Leeds building society in 1985 ; and what was discussed.
Mr. Maples : There is no record of any such meeting. If my hon. Friend has a particular meeting in mind, perhaps he could let me know.
Soft Drinks (VAT)
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the revenue from value added tax on soft drinks at the rate of 17.5 per cent. for the
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current financial year ; and what the comparable figures would be if the rate were to be (a) 4 per cent. and (b) 9 per cent.Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The following are estimates of the value added tax receipts in 1991-92 assuming the rates apply to a full year's expenditure.
VAT rate |Revenue yield
|from soft drinks
|£ million
---------------------------------------------------
17.5 per cent. |520
4.0 per cent. |120
9.0 per cent. |270
Beer Duty
Mr. Lawrence : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the comparable rates of beer duty in each country of the European Community at present ; when it is proposed to harmonise these rates ; and if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy and proposals in this matter.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Rates of excise duty on beer in other member states of the Community, according to the latest information available, are set out in the table. The Commission's revised excise duty rate proposals for alcoholic drinks envisage minimum rates of duty to be applied by 1 January 1993 with higher, target rates to be reached by an unspecified later date. The Government's view remains that centrally determined duty rates are neither necessary nor appropriate to achieve the single market.
Country |Beer at 3.65 per cent.
|alc. by vol. 1038ø OG
|(p per pint)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Belgium |4
Denmark |31
France |1
Germany |2
Greece |2
Ireland |33
Italy |5
Luxembourg |2
Netherlands |7
Portugal |3
Spain |1
United Kingdom |23
Rates of exchange as at 8 May 1991.
Source: EC Inventory of Taxes.
Research and Development
Mr. Dykes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amounts of public funding allocated by his Department or through other Departments after Treasury sanction to United Kingdom companies for research and development projects and direct Government contracts in each of the fiscal years 1979-80 and 1989-90.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 13 May 1991] : The figures for total research and development, including development studies, spending by Her Majesty's Treasury are as follows :
|£ '000s
---------------------------
1983-84 |1,930
1984-85 |4,122
1985-86 |4,007
1986-87 |3,321
1987-88 |4,038
1988-89 |4,509
1989-90 |2,578
Figures for earlier years are unavailable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The table does not include Treasury-sanctioned expenditure by other Government Departments. Information on Government spending as a whole is set out in the Cabinet Office publication "Annual Review of Government Funded Research and Development", published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Live Animals and Birds (Imports)
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those United Kingdom ports of entry which received consignments of live animals or birds in each year since 1987.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 13 May 1991] : Consignments of live animals or birds have been received at the following ports of entry in the years indicated.
Table of ports receiving live animals
and birds
|1988|1989|1990
----------------------------------------
Ports
Cardiff |/ |/
Dover |/ |/ |/
Felixstowe |/ |/ |/
Fishguard |/ |/ |/
Folkestone |/
Great Yarmouth |/ |/ |/
Grimsby |/ |/ |/
Harwich |/ |/ |/
Holyhead |/ |/ |/
Hull |/ |/ |/
Immingham |/ |/ |/
Ipswich |/
Liverpol |/ |/ |/
London |/
Londonderry |/
Medway |/ |/ |/
Middlesbrough |/
Milford Haven |/ |/ |/
Newhaven |/
Poole |/ |/ |/
Portsmouth |/ |/ |/
Plymouth |/
Ramsgate |/ |/
Sharpness |/
Silloth |/
Southampton |/ |/ |/
Swansea |/ |/
Tyne |/ |/ |/
Airports
Belfast |/ |/
Birmingham |/ |/
Bristol |/
East Midlands |/ |/ |/
Glasgow |/ |/ |/
London Gatwick |/ |/ |/
London Heathrow |/ |/ |/
London Stansted |/ |/ |/
Luton |/ |/ |/
Manchester |/ |/ |/
Prestwick |/ |/
Southend |/
Other |/ |/ |/
Irish Land Boundary |/ |/ |/
Note: 1990 details are provisional
Endangered Species
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish details of all endangered species products currently held by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise following seizures made (a) from 1979 to 1986 and (b) from 1986 to date.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 13 May 1991] : Records of endangered species products held by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are not kept centrally and the information sought could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.
Reptile Imports
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state (a) the total number of live reptiles confiscated or seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in 1990 (b) the number of prosecutions entered from such seizures and (c) the number of resulting convictions.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 13 May 1991] : A total of 1,567 live reptiles and amphibians were seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in 1990. There were no prosecutions entered from those seizures.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Turtles
58. Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom intends to take out reservations under the specially protected areas and wildlife protocol of the Cartagena convention on any of the sea turtle species.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Decisions on the proposed listings of species on the annexes to the SPAW protocol of the Cartagena convention will be made at a meeting of the plenipotentiaries in Kingston in June.
59. Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the position of the sea turtle farm on the British dependent territory of the Cayman Islands in relation to the Annex II listing of green turtles under the specially protected areas and wildlife protocol of the Cartagena convention.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : In advance of the meeting of signatories to the SPAW protocol in Kingston next month we shall be discussing with our interested dependent territories the implications of the listing of species on the annexes to the protocol.
60. Mr. Malcolm Bruce : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom will be supporting the listing of each of the (a) green turtle (Chelonia mydas), (b) Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), (c) Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), (d) Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), (e) Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and (f) Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) on annex II of the specially protected areas and wildlife protocol of the Cartagena convention.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The United Kingdom delegation will be participating fully in the discussions at the
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conference of plenipotentiaries for the adoption of annexes of the SPAW protocol of the Cartagena convention. The listing of the various species of turtle will be one of the issues under discussion.Turkey (British Journalists)
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Turkish Government concerning the arrest of the British journalists Robert Fisk of The Independent and Robert Fox of The Daily Telegraph, and the declaration of The Independent staff Christopher Bellamy, Phil Reeves and Richard Wayman as persona non grata in Turkey.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The detention and expulsion of Mr. Fisk and the future of The Independent's representation in Turkey have been discussed by the British ambassador in Ankara with the Turkish authorities. We naturally wish for The Independent to have effective representation in Turkey.
Kuwait (Human Rights)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has taken any steps to obtain independent verification of Kuwaiti observance of human rights.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We are in close touch, both here and in Kuwait, with international humanitarian agencies and human rights organisations monitoring the position of vulnerable groups in that country.
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Minister of State, the hon. and learned Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), raised Israeli membership of the nuclear non- proliferation treaty during his meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister in Israel on 6 May.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I met the deputy Foreign Minister on 8 May. The issue was not raised on this occasion.
Saudi Arabia
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters were raised during his recent meeting with his Saudi counterpart and other Ministers and officials of the Saudi Arabian Government.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Knapman) on 8 May, Official Report, column 473-75.
Occupied Territories (Education)
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to his Israeli counterpart to open the Palestinian schools, colleges and universities of the occupied territories ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made
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representations on education in the occupied territories when he saw the Israeli Foreign Minister last on 5 March. This issue was also raised by me during my visit to Israel and the occupied territories from 6 to 9 May.Hostages
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact Her Majesty's Government has had with the Iranian Government on the question of hostages in the Lebanon.
Mr. Hurd : We are keeping in close touch with the Iranian Government on the hostage issue. As we have made clear, we wish to see the release of the hostages as soon as possible. The Iranian Government have said that they will continue to use their influence to achieve this. We obviously hope that they will be successful, and that we can finally close a sad chapter of hostage taking.
South Africa
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place in the United Nations committee against apartheid regarding his planned visit to South Africa later this year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : We are not aware of any discussions of this matter within the United Nations special committee against apartheid.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Library Facilities
Sir Fergus Montgomery : To ask the Lord President of the Council when the Library facilities in 1 Derby Gate will be available for hon. Members and their staff ; what services they will provide ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked as Chairman of the Services Committee to inform Members that the new Library facilities established in 1 Derby Gate, at the northern end of the phase 1 building, will open on Monday 17 June at 10 am. Leaflets explaining the effects of the move and the facilities available thereafter are to be sent to every Member and will also be available in the Library.
The move will begin during the spring recess. As a consequence service from the Norman Shaw branch library will cease at 4.30 pm on Friday 24 May. Because of the need to relocate equipment there will be no Library facilities available for Members' staff for a period of 14 working days thereafter, except for those with category 9B passes who will retain their usual right of access to the Members' Library. During the move, services in the Oriel and Reference Rooms will continue unaffected. Representatives from the international affairs and research sections will be available in room A, while representatives from the statistical section will attend in room C. The move will enable the research sections to be brought together in Derby Gate and will allow improvements to be made in the service provided in the Members' Library. From autumn 1991 the Library will also have its own video viewing room in the North Curtain area, which will contain facilities for individuals and groups.
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Full details of the move and its consequences are contained in the Library's leaflet.HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Clerk's Department
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will set out the educational qualifications of staff in the Clerk's Department of the House of Commons showing, for the graduates, degree subject and university or college attended.
Mr. Beith : Much of the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The educational qualifications required of Clerk of the House Department staff on entry to the service are broadly in line with those required of analogous grades in other Departments of the House and in the civil service.
TRANSPORT
Motor Vehicles (Crime Prevention)
Mr. Shersby : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department are taking to achieve in-built motor vehicle crime prevention and to have part I and part VI of the relevant British standards made obligatory for manufacturers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : We presented proposals to the European Commission first in 1988 and in revised form in May 1990 to include in the EC directive on vehicle security requirements for mechanical locking systems based on part 1 of the British standard BS AU 209. These proposals have so far been resisted by some other member states ; but with the co-operation of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders we intend to submit later this year further proposals and press for their early adoption. We are also preparing proposals for further amendment to the EC directive based on parts 5 and 6 of BS AU 209 covering central and dead locking systems. We are currently considering other possibilities for improving vehicle security but until we obtain agreement to an amended EC directive, our freedom to regulate is limited.
Smoking
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the penalties attaching to the offence of (a) a passenger smoking on a London bus and (b) a London taxi driver refusing to allow smoking by a passenger ;
(2) under what powers London Regional Transport prohibits smoking ; and what powers are available for London taxis to prohibit smoking.
Mr. McLoughlin : London Transport prohibit smoking on buses under section 6 of the Passenger Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors and Passengers) Regulations 1990 and a fine of up to £400 can be imposed for non-compliance with the ban. London taxi drivers have no powers to prohibit smoking in their vehicles ; drivers who refuse to carry passengers without reasonable grounds may be fined up to £50 by the courts.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether airline, bus, cab or rail operators require any authorisation or parliamentary or police approval to prohibit smoking by passengers.
Mr. McLoughlin : Airlines and bus operators have discretionary powers under statute to restrict or prohibit smoking by passengers. British Rail, London Underground and the Tyne and Wear Metro have powers under byelaws to do the same. Licensed taxi operators and drivers have no powers to prohibit or restrict smoking in their vehicles.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received asking him to maintain the regulation requiring London taxi drivers to allow passengers to smoke.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will introduce legislation to allow London taxi drivers to forbid smoking in cabs ;
(2) what regulations govern whether a London cab passenger can insist on smoking ; and if he will make a statement ;
(3) what information he has as to cities and towns in which the police can require taxi drivers to allow passengers to smoke ; (4) what advice the Metropolitan police have given licensed London taxi drivers on allowing passengers to smoke in their cabs ; and whether under current regulations the Metropolitan police have the discretion to change the rule.
Mr. McLoughlin : In law, taxi drivers throughout England and Wales must accept hirings for journeys of a prescribed distance within the licensing area unless they have reasonable grounds for refusing. Ultimately it is for the courts to decide what are reasonable grounds. To specify in law reasons for refusal runs the risk of undermining this vital rule of taxi operation. Taxi drivers can only request passengers to refrain from smoking in their cabs, which is the advice offered to London drivers by the Metropolitan police. There are at present no plans to legislate further in this area.
Taxi Drivers
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the present restrictions upon continuous driving by taxi drivers ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : There are no restrictions on the hours which taxi drivers may work. The nature of their operations is such that drivers are mostly employed on numerous short journeys between which there can often be long idle periods. However, consultation is currently being undertaken to gauge whether this is considered to be a problem which is posing a serious safety hazard. If it is, we shall have to identify appropriate remedial measures.
Highway Reconstruction
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much the Yorkshire Water Company has contributed during (a) the last 12 months and (b) the previous 12 months to costs of highway reconstruction for roads within his responsibility following water main bursts ;
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(2) how much the Yorkshire Electricity Company has contributed during (a) the last 12 months and (b) the previous 12 months to costs of highway reconstruction for roads within his responsibility, following cable repairs.Mr. Chope : The information requested is not available except at disproportionate cost.
Transport Privatisation
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett), Official Report, 23 April, columns 392-93, if he has received any further representations regarding the privatisation of municipal airports, ports, harbours and bus companies.
Mr. McLoughlin : Not as far as I am aware.
Train Deaths
Mr. John Browne : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement as to the steps he is taking both to investigate and to curb the number of movement accidents, involving 19 deaths, arising from intermittent faults on slam-shut doors on British Rail passenger coaches.
Mr. Freeman : I greatly regret the 19 deaths which occurred in 1990- -the same number as in the previous two years--due to passengers falling from trains, but there is no direct evidence that faulty doors were responsible. We are concerned to find out the cause of the accidents. With the agreement of my right hon. and learned Friend, the Health and Safety Commission has asked the Health and Safety Executive to undertake an independent investigation into the pattern of falls from trains, and to see whether, or the extent to which, they could be attributable to the design of the doors or locks. The investigation will be led by Her Majesty's railway inspectorate.
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