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Mr. Jackson : The number of employees in employment in the footwear and textile industries in Great Britain were as follows :
Unadjusted for seasonal variations Thousands
HOME DEPARTMENT
EC Convention on Frontiers
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions between the member states of the European Community in respect of the draft convention on the crossing of external frontiers.
Mr. Kenneth Baker : The scope and content of this draft convention, together with progess to date, were outlined in the answer that I gave on 20 June at columns 242-43 to a previous question by my hon. Friend following the meeting of EC Ministers concerned with immigration on 13-14 June. The draft convention, and the declarations to be attached to it, were further discussed at a special meeting of EC Ministers which I attended on 26 June. Agreement was reached on the substance, but the Spanish Government declined to agree to the provision which the draft Convention makes in respect of Gibraltar. I will inform my hon. Friend and the House of further developments as they occur.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Roy Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he plans to increase the use of detention for asylum seekers ;
(2) if he plans to decrease the proportion of asylum seekers held in prisons in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Persons (including asylum seekers) who are liable to be detained under powers given in the Immigration Act 1971 are detained only if they cannot be relied on to comply with the terms of temporary admission or release. There are no present plans to change this policy. Detention may be in immigration service accommodation or in prisons, depending upon the degree of security required and the availability of places.
Prison Discharge Grant
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to increase the prison discharge grant to the equivalent of two weeks' payment.
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Mrs. Rumbold : We are considering the representations which have been made to us about this matter.Crime Prevention Week
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his evaluation of the effect on the crime rate of Crime Prevention Week.
Mr. John Patten : Home Office research shows that the following were some of the new initiatives which were set up as a result of the week : 37 crime prevention panels, 73 neighbourhood watch schemes, 300 vehicle watch schemes and 54 other watch schemes. Moreover, business and media support for the week was worth over £11 million. In addition, 1.5 million copies of the crime prevention handbook were distributed. Taken together, we believe these activities and the many others that took place during the week, will have encourged the public to help to prevent crime, particularly crimes involving property, and that increased public participation in crime prevention can lead to a reduction in crime.
Violence against Women
Mrs. Ray Michie : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress towards implementing the recommendations of the Women's National Commission report on violence against women.
Mr. John Patten : I will reply as soon as possible.
HEALTH
Pensions
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the date on which the announcement was made of an error in the calculation of the retail prices index which led to an underpayment of public service pensions ; and what was the total amount due to national health service pensioners as a result of the error at that date ;
(2) if he will give the (a) date on which the National Health Service Pensioners Trust was established ; (b) the date on which the National Health Service Pensioners Trust deed was approved by the Charity Commissioners ; (c) the amount of money which has currently been paid to the trust with approval of his Department ; and (d) the date of those payments ;
(3) if the amount vested in the National Health Service Pensioners Trust was calculated at 1987 prices or current cash prices ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Waldegrave : The announcement of an error in calculating the retail prices index between February 1986 and October 1987 was made on 11 December 1987 at column 283 by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Employment and on 18 December 1987 at columns 1376-84 by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People. The underpayment on all retirement pensions and long-term benefits at that date was estimated at £109 million. The amount attributable to national health service pensioners was subsequently estimated as £1.13 million (England and Wales) and £180, 000 (Scotland). This was based on an
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estimate of the expenditure on national health service pensions in the years when the underpayments occurred. From April 1989 all pensions were adjusted to make good the effect of the error. On 3 May 1988 at column 400 my right hon. Friend the then Paymaster General announced to the House how public service pensioners would be able to benefit through a donation to public service charities. Following a feasibility study on how best to provide for national health service pensioners, the Charity Commissioners approved the trust deed for the National Health Service Pensioners' Trust on 26 November 1990. The trust was established on 4 January 1991 and a payment of £1.311 million was made to the Trust on 28 March 1991.Employment
Mrs. Peacock : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to improve the recruitment and retention of women in the national health service and to enable them to fulfil their potential in a changing labour market.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : There are already many initiatives under way in the NHS. These include career breaks, flexible working arrangements, job sharing, flexi-hours, holiday play schemes and more flexible approaches to training.
A seminar "Women in the NHS : Opening Minds Opening Doors" was held on Tuesday 25 June. This brought together representatives from health authorities and NHS trusts. It concluded very positively in the preparation of regional action plans to be implemented over the coming year. Earlier this year I invited regional chairmen to nominate a non-executive director in their region to take forward this work. Three regional conferences will be held in the autumn to build on this progress plus another national event next year. In the meantime, we are preparing a document to promote best practice in this field.
All these steps will provide a spur to bring employment practices for women throughout the NHS up to the very high standards which we are working to attain.
Form E111
Mr. Onslow : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he has received from the French authorities to his reminder about the unlimited validity of forms E111 issued in the United Kingdom to holders ordinarily resident here.
Mr. Dorrell : I regret that, despite two reminders, the French authorities have not so far responded. I am asking the British Embassy in Paris to assist in bringing this matter to a conclusion and I shall ensure that my right hon. Friend is kept informed.
GP Fundholders
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what extra costs are envisaged for the employment of management staff and techniques in fund-holding general practices ; and whether these will be met by extra payment ;
(2) what financial arrangements are being made to ease the transition of fund-holding general practices towards greater managerial responsibility.
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Mr. Dorrell : In recognition of their additional management responsibilities fund holders are eligible to claim up to £33,000 assistance with the relevant costs. An allowance of £16,500 is payable for this purpose in the preparatory year.Operation Waiting Lists
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had been waiting for more than a year for an operation in East Birmingham district on (a) 30 September 1989 and (b) 30 June 1990.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : There were 456 people waiting over a year for in-patient operations in East Birmingham district at 30 September 1989 and 268 at 30 June 1990.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensioners
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to bring forward a consultative document on equalisation of the state pension age.
Miss Widdecombe : I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State on 26 June at column 997-1006.
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what his latest estimate is of the number of pensioners who both pay income tax and receive housing benefit.
Miss Widdecombe : The number of those aged 60 or over in Great Britain who pay income tax and recieve housing benefit is estimated to be 110,000 during 1991-92.
Source : Modelled using data drawn from the 1986, 1987 and 1988 Family Expenditure Surveys.
Note : Married and unmarried couples count as one unit. Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the number of pensioners who received housing benefit and paid income tax if the income tax age allowances were increased by (a) £500 and (b) £1,000 at current benefit levels.
Miss Widdecombe : The number of those aged 60 or over in Great Britain who would receive housing benefit and pay income tax in 1991-92 if the income tax age allowances were increased is estimated as follows :
|£
------------------------------------------------------------
Income tax allowance increased by |500-80,000
Income tax allowance increased by |1,000-70,000
Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1986, 1987 and
1988 Family Expenditure Surveys.
Note: Married and unmarried couples count as one unit.
Payment Delays
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants are still waiting to receive their April increase in benefits ; and if he will also supply totals for each standard region.
Miss Widdecombe : The uprating exercise for all social security benefits has been completed. There will be
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individual cases where for various reasons it has not been possible to pay the April increase, but information on these cases is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Social Fund
Mr. Terry Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for review by a social fund inspector were considered by social fund inspectors during January, February, March, April and May.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is shown in the table.
|Number
----------------------------
January 1991 |817
February 1991 |748
March 1991 |755
April 1991 |760
May 1991 |915
Benefit Regulations
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has now received an opinion from the Social Security Advisory Committee concerning his Department's proposal to abrogate regulation 72 of the Social Security Benefit (Adjudication) Regulations 1986 ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : I can confirm that the Social Security Advisory Committee has submitted its report on the proposal to amend regulation 72. We are carefully considering the contents of that report before proceeding further.
LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
Parliamentary Pensions
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Lord President of the Council when the Top Salaries Review Body report on parliamentary pensions is to be published ; when the Government Actuary's valuation report on the parliamentary contributory pension fund will be laid before the House ; and if he will make a statement. Mr. MacGregor : In my letter of 4 February to the chairman of the Top Salaries Review Body, I invited the TSRB to review a number of aspects of the parliamentary pension scheme, including the balance between the Exchequer and Member contributions, the role of the Government Actuary and the rate of accrual. The TSRB has in consequence conducted a wide ranging review of the financing of the scheme. Its report has been published today and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also available in the Vote Office. I would like to thank the review body most warmly for the speed and thoroughness with which they have produced their report.
The TSRB have recommended that
(a) there should not be a switch to a fixed ratio between the Exchequer and Member contributions to the parliamentary contributory pension fund and the balance of cost method should be retained for determining the level of the Exchequer contribution ;
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(b) the Government Actuary should continue to be responsible for reviewing the financial position of the fund every three years and, as provided in the Parliamentary and Other Pensions Act 1987, for recommending the balance of cost contribution required from the Exchequer ;(c) because there is at present no adequate system for reviewing the parliamentary pension scheme and the Trustees' role is essentially fiduciary, the TSRB should review the pension scheme on a regular basis at the time of the Government Actuary's triennial valuations ;
(d) in line with their finding that only 4 per cent. of occupational pension schemes have an employee contribution in excess of 7 per cent., which demonstrates that the Members' contribution has been seriously out of line with practice elsewhere in the public and private sectors, the Members' contribution rate should be reduced from the existing rate of 9 per cent. to 6 per cent. of salary ; (
(e) the accrual rate introduced in 1983 should remain at a fiftieth of final salary for each year of service ;
(f) this accrual rate of fiftieths should be applied to all--ie including pre-1983--service for currently sitting MPs in respect of their future pension entitlement, with appropriate augmentation for those who have been making up the shortfall voluntarily ; (
(g) pensions for surviving spouses should not be improved further from the present level of five-eighths of the Member's pension ; (
(h) the existing complex enhancement rules should be replaced by the grant of full years of potential pensionable employment to age 65 for the calculation of ill-health retirement pensions and of spouses' pensions when MPs die in service ;
(i) in respect of former MPs who die during the first five years of retirement, a Member's pension should continue to be paid to the surviving spouse for the remainder of the five years after retirement, followed thereafter by the dependant's entitlement ;
(j) these changes should apply also to the supplementary scheme for Ministers and other paid office holders.
The Government propose to accept all these recommendations except the backdating of the faster rate of accrual introduced in 1983--recommendation (f). Given that Members have already had an opportunity to purchase added years at the higher rate of accrual--and that many Members have taken this opportunity--we do not believe that a retrospective change of this kind is justified.
The Government Actuary's valuation report on the parliamentary contribution pension fund is today being laid before the House, in accordance with section 3 of the Parliamentary and other Pensions Act 1987.
The valuation (as at April 1990) estimates that the long run total cost of the scheme--leaving aside surpluses and deficits--is 23 per cent. of salary. This compares with the valuation at April 1987 when the total cost of the scheme was estimated at 20 per cent. The higher total cost of the scheme reflects the substantial benefit improvements--principally the increased widows' pension--made by Regulations laid in March.
Under existing legislation, the Exchequer contribution is determined by the balance of cost after taking account of the Member contribution. As I have explained, the TSRB have recommended, and the Government accept, that this system should continue unchanged. Accordingly, if the Member contribution remained at its present level of 9 per cent., the Exchequer contribution following the latest valuation would be 14 per cent., as against 11 per cent. at present. But as the House is aware, the actual Exchequer contribution since April 1989 has been lower, because the
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previous valuation (as at April 1989) showed a surplus in the Fund : as a result the actual contribution paid by the Exchequer since April 1989 has been 4.4 per cent.There continues to be a surplus in the fund and the Actuary has therefore recommended that the actual Exchequer contribution should fall to 2.8 per cent. until 2000, when it would need to rise to the long run standard rate of 14 per cent. Under the 1987 Act, this recommendation would not come into effect until April 1992. However the TSRB's recommendations, which the Government propose to accept, will significantly alter the position.
The Government propose that the reduction in the Member contribution from 9 per cent. to 6 per cent. should also take effect from next April : this correspondingly increases the Exchequer contribution by 3 per cent. The recommended improvements in the death and ill-health benefits, which we also propose to accept, will increase the long run total cost of the scheme by 1 per cent., to 24 per cent. of salary. Since these improvements are being accepted by the Government without changing the Member contribution, the Exchequer contribution will also rise by a further 1 per cent. As a result, the long term cost payable by the Exchequer--leaving aside surpluses or deficits--will be 18 per cent., against a Member contribution of 6 per cent., and the actual Exchequer contribution, taking the present surplus into account, will be 6.8 per cent. As required by section 2 of the Parliamentary and Other Pensions Act 1987, I will be consulting about these changes with the Trustees of the scheme and other interested parties. I then intend to allow the House to debate both the GAD and TSRB reports before the summer recess.
Ice Cream
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Lord President of the Council why supplies of Loseley ice cream for the Members Dining Room have been cancelled in favour of another product ; and if he will resume orders for Loseley ice cream forthwith.
Mr. MacGregor [holding answer 26 June 1991] : I understand that the Assistant Manager of the Refreshment Department wrote to the right hon. Member on this matter on 21 June. Loseley ice cream is still being supplied.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Building Societies
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when counsel for the Inland Revenue conceded in court in the Woolwich case that there had been double or additional taxation.
Mr. Maples : Counsel for the Inland Revenue did not concede in the Woolwich case that there had been double or additional taxation.
Column 579
Sterling M3
Mr. Lawson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the annualised rate of growth of sterling M3 for the eight months from mid-June 1979 to mid-April 1980, and for each subsequent financial year from 1980-81.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Sterling M3 is no longer published. For M4, the nearest current measure of money stock, the information requested is shown in the table :
12-month growth rates of M4
Financial year |Percentage
|change
------------------------------------------------------
June 1979 to March 1980 |<1>11.9
1980-81 |17.4
1981-82 |13.9
1982-83 |14.4
1983-84 |11.7
1984-85 |13.8
1985-86 |14.5
1986-87 |14.1
1987-88 |16.8
1988-89 |18.1
1989-90 |17.9
1990-91 |9.8
<1> Change between June 1979 and March 1980 at an
annual rate.
Labour Party Policy
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of civil service staff hours which have been spent producing information used in the production of the document on Labour's public expenditure plans, published on 20 June, and the total cost to the Exchequer thereof.
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate (a) the total cost, (b) the total number of man hours and (c) the number of officials in each grade involved in the costings of Labour party proposals included in the letter from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, which was deposited in the Library on 20 June.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 27 June 1991] : It is not the normal practice to give details of the time spent by civil servants in carrying out particular tasks for Ministers. This work was undertaken in accordance with guidelines on the role of officials in costing Opposition policies drawn up by the head of the home civil service and published in the Fifth Report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee for the 1989- 90 session.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Piracy
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help and assistance his Department has given to merchant shipping to counter the problem of piracy at sea.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We recognise the importance of combating piracy. Together with other countries the United Kingdom participated in a recent meeting sponsored by the International Maritime Organisation which discussed piracy. We will play a full part in further deliberations in the International Maritime Organisation in October.
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Oleg Tsarev
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reconsider the non-granting of a visa to Oleg Tsarev to visit the United Kingdom.
Expo 92
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer on 24 June, Official Report, column 351, whether any Gibraltarian expertise is being provided or whether any exhibit will come from Gibraltar.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The detailed content of exhibits for the British pavilion has yet to be decided, but any exhibit will need to fit in with the overall exhibition theme.
SCOTLAND
Employment Training
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of employment training placements in 1990-91 were in workplaces with employers ; and what percentage were in project-based schemes.
Mr. Alan Stewart : The information requested is set out on the table.
|April 1990 to
|March 1991
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated percentage of employment training
placements in workplaces with employers |20
Estimated percentage of employment training
placements in project based schemes |40
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence he has on the level of employer contributions to the finance of ET schemes since ET started.
Mr. Allan Stewart : We do not have any evidence. Employer contributions are a matter for negotiation between training providers and employers providing placements.
Offenders
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest available figures for the total number and percentage of convicted offenders broken down by (a) sex, (b) age and (c) type of offence ; and what are the average and median ages for known offenders in terms of (i) males and (ii) females, respectively.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is set out in the following table :
(
Persons with a charge proved
1989
(a) Sex |Number |Per cent.
----------------------------------------
Males |146,165 |86
Females |22,795 |13
|------- |-------
Total<1> |169,599 |99
<1>Includes sex/age not known.
Persons with a charge proved
1989
(b) Age<1> |Number |Per cent.
------------------------------------------------
8-15 |321 |0
16-20 |44,175 |26
21-25 |38,894 |23
26-30 |25,486 |15
31-40 |29,027 |17
Over 40 |26,389 |16
|------- |-------
Total<2> |169,599 |100
<1>Most children alleged to have committed
crimes or offences are dealt with under the
children's hearing system.
<2>Includes sex/age not known.
Persons with a charged proved
1989
(c) Type of offence |Number |Per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-sexual crimes of violence |3,232 |2
Crimes of indencency |1,188 |1
Crimes of dishonesty |34,618 |20
Fire-raising, vandalism, etc. |6,202 |4
Other crimes |7,872 |5
Miscellaneous offences |54,380 |32
Motor vehicle offences |62,107 |37
|------- |-------
Total |169,599 |100
Note:Companies are excluded throughout.
Prisoners
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the latest available figures and percentages for the total number of people receiving custodial sentences broken down by (a) type of sentence and (b) sex ;
(2) what are the latest available figures and percentages for the total number of people receiving non-custodial sentences broken down by (a) type of sentence and (b) sex.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is set out in the table.
Persons with a charge proved, 1989
Number
Main penalty |Males |Females |Total<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Absolute discharge |424 |135 |567
Admonition or caution |11,610 |3,335 |15,069
Probation |2,827 |769 |3,610
Remit to children's hearing |59 |7 |66
Community service order |3,728 |251 |3,990
Fine |113,372 |17,316 |131,143
Compensation order |1,490 |292 |1,797
Prison |8,630 |549 |9,189
Young offenders institution |3,906 |112 |4,020
Detention of child |3 |0 |3
Hospital, guardianship order |116 |29 |145
|---- |---- |----
Total |146,165 |22,795 |169,599
Per cent.
Main penalty |Males |Females |Total<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Absolute discharge |75 |24 |99
Admonition or caution |77 |22 |99
Probation |78 |21 |99
Remit to children's hearing |89 |11 |100
Community service order |93 |6 |99
Fine |86 |13 |99
Compensation order |83 |16 |99
Prison |94 |6 |100
Young offenders institution |97 |3 |100
Detention of child |100 |0 |100
Hospital, guardianship order |80 |20 |100
|--- |--- |---
Total |86 |13 |99
<1> Includes sex not known.
Note: Companies are excluded throughout.
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide statistics on the total number of prisoners between the years 1979 to 1990 broken down by (a) sex and (b) type of offence ; and of these how many had (i) no previous convictions, (ii) one conviction and (iii) two or more convictions.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The available information is given in the table. Statistics are only held in relation to the number of sentenced prisoner receptions over the period in question and on whether a prisoner has previous convictions rather than how many.
x
Number of sentenced receptions to Scottish penal establishments
between 1979 and 1990 inclusive.
Sex/previous conviction |No previous |One or more |Total
|convictions |previous
|convictions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Male |13,150 |210,486 |223,636
Female |1,743 |9,393 |11,136
|--- |---- |----
Total |14,893 |219,879 |234,772
Type of offence/previous conviction No previous convictions One or more previous convictions Total
Crimes of violence 1,721 17,444 19,165
Crimes of indecency 598 2,714 3,312
Crimes of dishonesty 5,964 101,391 107,355
Fireraising, vandalism etc. 424 4,686 5,110
Other crimes 869 8,718 9,587
Miscellaneous offences 3,598 64,201 67,799
Motor vehicle offences 1,719 20,725 22,444
Total 14,893 219,879 234,772
Notes :
1. Data included for 1990 is provisional.
2. One reception is counted if one or more warrants arrive for the same person from the same court on the same day.
3. The information provided on previous convictions is obtained directly from prisoners on reception.
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