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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 16th July 1991.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Value Added Tax
Mr. Lord : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, following the meeting of European Community Finance Ministers on 24 June, it remains his intention to continue the existing VAT zero rating of printed matter.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The Economic and Finance Council has agreed that, for a transitional period to December 1996, member states that currently apply zero rates of VAT will be able to retain them provided they are in accordance with current Community law. United Kingdom zero rates are therefore safeguarded.
While this agreement is without prejudice to what happens after the transitional period, the Government have always stressed the importance of the existing United Kingdom zero rates and will continue to oppose any proposals which would not allow for the permanent retention of our ability to apply them.
Public Expenditure
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the public expenditure in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively, for each year since 1985.
Mr. Mellor : Data on identifiable general Government expenditure in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the years 1985-86 to 1989- 90 are given in table 2.7 of the "Statistical Supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement"--Cm. 1520.
Resources (Allocation)
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis it is determined what amount of new money should be allocated to Wales when new money is made available for Government expenditure in England ; and if he will make a statement on the policy for allocation of such resources which has been followed by the Government over the past five years.
Mr. Mellor : Provision for central Government expenditure in Wales falls into two main categories : programmes within the so-called Welsh block and those outside it. Provision for programmes outside the block-- agriculture, fisheries and food, industry and employment--is a matter for negotiation in the public expenditure survey in the normal way. Provision for programmes within the block is largely determined by the application of a formula to the increments accruing to comparable programmes in England. Decisions about the allocation of resources within the overall total are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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Building Societies
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the tax raised by the transitional regulations on building societies appears in each of the financial years in the published Inland Revenue statistics.
Mr. Maples : The following amounts were included in published Inland Revenue statistics. They do not reflect credit allowed under regulation 12.
|£ million
------------------------------------
1986-87 |79
1987-88 |21
1988-89 |1
1989-90 |13
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will calculate for a building society starting business on 1 May 1982, paying or crediting interest in the period between 1 January and 5 April, up to April 1986, the total period of business, the total period on which interest would be taxed if clause 50 is enacted and the excess period of taxation.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 1 July 1991] : I am not aware of any building society starting business on 1 May 1982.
Inland Revenue (Nottingham Headquarters)
Mr. Soley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the revised cost estimates of the new Nottingham headquarters building for the Inland Revenue ; and what are the anticipated annual savings to the Treasury.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 15 July 1991] : The project to build a new Inland Revenue centre in Nottingham is currently being reappraised. Until a decision on the future of the project has been taken, revised cost estimates are not available.
Training
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will review the circumstances whereby payments made in respect of training supplied by a person who is not under direct contract with a training and enterprise council or local enterprise company are subject to value added tax ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 15 July 1991] : I have no current plans to do so. Vocational training supplied by persons not contracted to training and enterprise councils or local enterprise companies is exempt if it is provided otherwise than for profit ; otherwise it is chargeable with the standard rate of VAT. This has been the tax treatment of vocational training for many years.
CIVIL SERVICE
Occupational Health Service
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service (1) how many staff were in post on the date that the Occupational Health Service was established as an executive agency ; and how many staff are in post now ;
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(2) if he will list those new facilities for staff including nurseries and health care schemes, which have been introduced in the Occupational Health Service since its establishment as an executive agency ;(3) what group bonus schemes are in operation in the Occupational Health Service ; and if he will state the cash amount per person awarded in the last year for which figures are available, and the conditions attached to its award ;
(4) if he will list the new forms of alternative working patterns introduced into the Occupational Health Service since its establishment as an executive agency ; and a break-down by grade of the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern ; (5) what appointments from the private sector have been made to the Occupational Health Service at grade 7 or above since its establishment as an agency ; and if he will list the post, grade and maximum salary payable including any performance-related element. Mr. Renton I am advised that the chief executive of the OHS has replied to the hon. Member.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will state the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of the Occupational Health Service, including any performance-related element, and the length of time of the chief executive's contract.
Mr. Renton : The chief executive of the Occupational Health Service is on the standard civil service grade 3 pay range and is eligible for the performance-related element appropriate to that grade. His contract is for three years.
Civil Service (Morale)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what further initiatives he is planning to raise morale in the civil service.
Mr. Renton : Our aim is to have an efficient, effective and well- motivated civil service. Managers in departments and agencies continually work to achieve this.
Civil Servants
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants, at what grades and identified by United Kingdom departments, are (a) currently and (b) in each of the last three years on secondment to European Community institutions.
Mr. Renton : In April 1991, the latest comprehensive figures, 91 civil servants were on secondment. At 1 April 1990, the number was 52. Information on the two previous years is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The grades of the secondees were:
Grade Number
|April 1991|April 1990
---------------------------------------------------------
5 |10 |4
6 |6 |3
7 |40 |19
SEO |9 |9
HEO/HEO(D) |14 |9
EO |3 |-
Other (specialists etc) |9 |8
The secondees came from the following departments
Department Number
|April 1991|April 1990
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries
and Food |9 |7
Cabinet Office |3 |2
Crown Prosecution Service |1 |-
HM Customs and Excise |14 |11
Ministry of Defence |1 |-
Equal Opportunities Commission |1 |-
Department of Education and
Science |1 |-
Department of Employment |10 |3
Department of Environment |6 |2
Foreign and Commonwealth
Office |3 |2
Department of Health |1 |-
Northern Ireland Office |1 |-
Northern Ireland Civil Service |8 |2
Overseas Development
Administration |2 |1
Scottish Office |4 |3
Department of Social Security |1 |1
Department of Trade and Industry |18 |14
Department of Transport |4 |3
HM Treasury |1 |-
Treasury Solicitor's Department |1 |-
Welsh Office |1 |1
WALES
A470
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many outstanding objections exist to the present line of the A470 Pentrebach to Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil.
Sir Wyn Roberts : We have not yet published the draft orders that will invite objections to the proposals.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list the outstanding statutory procedures and preparation required before the construction of the A470 Pentrebach to Cefn Coed can begin.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Line, side roads and compulsory purchase orders have to be drafted and published in the local press and London Gazette. Any objections received are considered and invariably on schemes of this size, a public inquiry held. Following receipt of the inspector's report, the orders may be made, at which stage, tenders for the construction works may be invited.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will outline the current timetable for the completion of procedures and preparation for the construction of the A470 Pentrebach to Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil.
Sir Wyn Roberts : As indicated in the February 1991 supplement to "Roads in Wales", construction is scheduled to begin before April 1994, subject to completion of the statutory procedures and the availability of finance. We anticipate that draft orders will be published later this year.
Dentistry
Mr. Gareth Wardell : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria his Department specifies that community dental officers should employ to decide as to whom in the general dental service patients should be referred.
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Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Criteria and arrangements for referrals by the community dental service are a matter for local determination.Engineering Courses
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students are enrolled on Business and Technical Education Council engineering courses for Methyr Tydfil and Rhymney.
Mr. David Hunt : In 1989-90 there were 23 students at Merthyr college and 78 students at Ystrad Mynach college following Business and Technical Education Council engineering courses.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current waiting lists for admissions in each of the main specialties in West Glamorgan and Neath hospitals respectively ; and what are the comparable figures in each of the last three years.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Information on the numbers of patients waiting for in-patient admissions in five specialities, general surgery, including urology, ear, nose and throat, traumatic and orthopaedic surgery, ophthalmology, and gynaecology, at Neath general hospital and West Glamorgan as a whole is published in the "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin" series. Neither of the other two hospitals in Neath, Cymla and Tonna, treat patients in these specialties. The bulletins are published twice a year giving figures as at March and September and copies are in the Library of the House.
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current waiting lists for patients to have their final consultation with consultants in each of the main specialties in West Glamorgan and Neath hospitals respectively ; and what are the comparable figures in each of the last three years.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : This information is not available centrally.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Poverty
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department assesses which developing countries are using their resources most effectively to tackle poverty ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker : The relevant criteria are whether there is economic growth in which poor people are sharing and which is creating income and livelihoods for them ; whether policies and institutions are conducive to private sector and individual development and to employment and self- employment for the poor. Recipient Government priorities, as demonstrated by the pattern and effectiveness of public expenditure, are also important. Expenditure on basic social and economic services should enable sustainable progress to be made in providing a wide spread of the population with access to basic schooling, health and family planning services, safe water and access roads.
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Good Government
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he intends to assess, when implementing his policies on good governance, whether developing countries have excessive military expenditure.
Mrs. Chalker : The Government will assess the level of military expenditure in individual developing countries in the context of their domestic and regional situations and taking account of their public expenditure and wider economic policies.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department monitors the performance of countries on the criteria set out for good government.
Mrs. Chalker : The Government refer to a range of information on individual country policies and performance including reports from British diplomatic posts, reports by non-governmental organisations and assessments by international and regional organisations.
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have received more support from Her Majesty's Government because they have improved their performance on good government criteria.
Mrs. Chalker : Countries that are receiving increased support include some of the world's poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere, which are implementing reform programmes relating to economic policy and the organisation of government. We also intend to increase support to some of the emerging democracies of Latin America.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Telephone Message Services
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions have been proceeded with by British Telecommunications, OFTEL or ICSTIS against operators of premium rate overtly sexual telephone message services.
Mr. Redwood : ICSTIS--the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services--has taken effective action by closing down more than 350 premium rate telephone services so far this year because of their offensive nature. There have been no prosecutions against providers of such services so far.
Insolvency Service
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many reports and complaints of the unfit conduct of directors were submitted to the Insolvency Service in 1990 ; in how many cases legal proceedings were undertaken ; and how many disqualification orders against directors were made in 1990.
Mr. Redwood : During 1990 the Insolvency Service received 4,062 reports alleging aspects of unfit conduct by
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directors of insolvent companies. Proceedings were commenced in 488 cases, disqualification orders were made against 286 persons and at 31 December 1990 a total of 527 cases were waiting to be heard by the courts.Mr. Gregory : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in how many court cases the Insolvency Service has been successful.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 July 1991] : I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 20 June, Official Report, columns 283-84. I would point out however that the figure of 672 given in the second line of the second paragraph of that answer was wrongly printed and should have been 627.
In addition to the criminal matters detailed in that answer the Insolvency Service had, at 30 June 1991, obtained 1,009 disqualification orders against individual directors of failed companies.
Retail Grocers
Mr. Denzil Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 4 July, Official Report, column 177, what examination the Director General of Fair Trading has made in respect of companies in the retail grocery sector of (a) gross and net margins relative to overall retail margins in the United Kingdom and to retail grocery sector margins in other EC countries, (b) prices paid to suppliers, and (c) return on capital employed and on net assets, relative to the figures for the overall retail sector in the United Kingdom and for the retail grocery sector in other EC countries.
Mr. Redwood : In keeping the retail grocery sector under review the director general has regard to all the factors set out by the right hon. Member. He last examined the position earlier this year. As I said in my answer of 4 July, he has no evidence at present of abuse that would justify a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
Bank of Credit and Commerce International
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was learned from his Department's inquiry into Barlow Clowes about the use made by Barlow Clowes of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International and about the properties of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International's role in that case.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 July 1991] : The Companies Act inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs and membership of James Ferguson Holdings plc and the affairs of Barlow Clowes Gilt Managers Limited have not yet submitted their report.
Accounting Practices
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has drawn to the attention of the Accountancy Standards Board the treatment of merger and acquisition costs in company accounts and the opportunities for comparison between company performance in this matter to be made by investors.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 July 1991] : No. The treatments of the costs in acquisitions and mergers are covered by two exposure drafts issued by the Accounting
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Standards Committee in 1990. In due course, the Accounting Standards Board will be considering the exposure drafts and the comments received in formulating its own proposals. If the hon. Member has any observations to make, I suggest that he provides them to the board.Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Director General of Fair Trading has completed his report on the application of bodies to become qualifying and supervisory bodies under part 1 of schedule 14 to the Companies Act 1989.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 July 1991] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) on 18 April, ( Official Report, column 222 ). I expect to receive shortly the director general's reports on the amendments which the applicants have made to their rules and guidance.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce legislation to require auditors to declare in company reports to shareholders whether they also offer tax advice to the company.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 July 1991] : None.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it has been the practice of his Department to refer criticisms of auditors in his inspectors' reports to the Auditing Practices Committee and its successors.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 15 July 1991] : No. The Auditing Practices Committee had no regulatory functions in respect of auditors whose conduct was criticised by inspectors, nor does its successor body the new Auditing Practices Board.
PRIME MINISTER
Citizens Charter
Mr. Burt : To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure that the forthcoming White Paper on the citizens charter addresses the resource implications for advice agencies.
The Prime Minister : The White Paper on the citizens charter will be published later this summer, but I would remind my hon. Friend that the Government already provide considerable funding for advice agencies.
Engagements
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 16 July.
Mr. MacGregor : I have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is hosting the economic summit.
ENERGY
Electricity Industry
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the turnover, in the last year before privatisation, of each of the electricity distribution companies.
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : This is a matter for the companies. However, this information is contained in the companies' annual reports and accounts for the year ending 31 March 1990, copies of which were placed in the Library of the House.Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what record he has of or what representations he received from the electricity supply and distribution industries, before their privatisation, about their inability to recruit the most suitable applicants for posts in top and middle management or skilled scientific and professional grades, owing to inadequate or non-competitive salaries.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : In the run-up to privatisation I received representations that, in order to recruit the most suitable applicants, certain appointments of PLC designate directors were necessary at salaries above the then existing scales in the industry, and a number of appointments were so made. The salary entitlements of executive directors were set out in the prospectuses.
North Sea
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement about North sea developments.
Mr. Wakeham : I have today agreed to make a royalty refund under certain circumstances to the Columba--Ninian B and D
terraces--licensees, making the first use of my discretionary powers under section 41(3) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipeline Act 1975 to facilitate North sea development.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Gabon
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the annual cost of maintaining a post in Gabon ; and what is the estimated net savings of closing it.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The total cost of maintaining a post in Libreville, Gabon was approximately £420,000. Estimated annual net savings of closing the post are £330,000.
Flags (10 July)
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the flags, and the countries they represent, which were flying on 10 July on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office building, Whitehall, in order from the left hand side of the Whitehall elevation.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The flags displayed on the FCO building in Whitehall on 10 July were national flags and the union flag. In order from the left hand side of the Whitehall elevations they were :
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Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, United Kingdom, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, United Kingdom, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya.TRANSPORT
Taxis (Rear Seat Belts)
Mr. Butcher : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the European countries which require rear seat belts to be worn in taxis where these are fitted.
Mr. McLoughlin : Information is not available about seat belt wearing requirements in all European countries. Six of the twelve European Community countries require rear seat belts to be used, but no details are available of specific requirements for vehicles used as taxis.
Cross-channel Ferries
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints he has received in the last six months of cross-channel ferries leaving port with their stern doors open.
Mr. McLoughlin : Only one complaint referring to cross-channel ferries leaving port with their stern doors open has been received in the past six months. That complaint referred to observations made prior to March 1987.
Motor Coaches
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will establish a system of monitoring the timetable of long distance motor coaches and their actual times of departure and arrival.
Mr. McLoughlin : No. Long-distance coach services were deregulated by the Transport Act 1980 and their times of arrival and departure are a matter for the operators concerned.
A167
Mr. Steinberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of (a) accidents, (b) fatalities and (c) injuries and the factors for the accidents, if known, on the A167 between the Cock o' the North roundabout and the Sniperley roundabout for each year since 1980 ; and the number of commercial and private vehicles involved.
Mr. Chope : The accident figures for the period 1980 to 1990 are listed in the table. It should be noted that traffic using this section of road has increased by over 30 per cent. during the period. The information requested about the factors leading to each individual accident can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Year |Fatal |Serious |Slight |Total |Commercial|Private
|vehicles |vehicles
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |- |4 |- |4 |- |5
1981 |- |1 |6 |7 |3 |9
1982 |1 |1 |5 |7 |1 |13
1983 |- |2 |9 |11 |1 |19
1984 |- |3 |9 |12 |6 |19
1985 |- |2 |7 |9 |6 |15
1986 |- |4 |10 |14 |4 |24
1987 |- |1 |4 |5 |2 |9
1988 |- |5 |12 |17 |5 |26
1989 |- |1 |12 |13 |1 |27
1990 |- |1 |19 |20 |4 |36
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |1 |25 |93 |119 |33 |202
Traffic Accidents
Mr. Gregory : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic accidents for the last 12 months for which figures are available were tyre related ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Chope : The Department does not have comprehensive information on traffic accidents in relation to tyre defects. However, during the year 1988-89 the vehicle inspectorate investigated some 1,600 accidents. Tyre defects were considered to have contributed towards less than 1 per cent. of these accidents.
Red Routes
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his evaluation of the effect on traffic speeds, volume, road safety, pollution and small businesses, of the priority route scheme on the Archway road, Holloway road and Upper street since January ; and if he will make a statement.
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