| Home Page |
Column 305
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 21 October 1991
ENERGY
Private Coal Mines
Mr. Jack Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the privately owned deep coal mines in the counties of Northumberland and Durham and their possible life span.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The British Coal Corporation is the licensing authority under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946. The information requested is therefore a matter for it.
Nuclear Power Plants
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list by date for the last 12 months, and for each nuclear power plant in the United Kingdom, the number of reported cases where tools or equipment have been dropped into a reactor tank.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : No such incidents have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive over the past 12 months.
Energy Consumption
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, in tabular form, the energy consumption in million tonnes of oil equivalent of (a) coal, (b) oil, (c) gas, (d) nuclear, (e) hydro and (f) other renewables in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other OECD nations for the latest year available.
Mr. Moynihan : Data on energy consumption in the United Kingdom are published routinely in "Energy Trends" and the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics". Data on energy consumption in OECD nations in 1989, the latest year for which data are available, are published in the OECD publication "Energy Balances of OECD Countries, 1980-1989". Copies of each are available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, in tabular form, the energy consumption in million tonnes of oil equivalent of (a) coal, (b) oil, (c) gas, (d) nuclear, (e) hydro and (f) other renewables in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other European Community nations for the latest year available.
Mr. Moynihan : Data on energy consumption in the United Kingdom are published routinely in "Energy Trends" and the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics". Data on energy consumption in European Community nations in 1990, are published in the Eurostat publication "Energy-Monthly Statistics". Copies of each are held in the Library of the House.
Column 306
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, in coal units, the energy consumption per inhabitant of (a) the United Kingdom and (b) each of the other European Community nations.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The data requested, available most recently for 1989, are as follows :
Energy consumption per inhabitant
Country |Tonnes coal
|equivalent
---------------------------------------
United Kingdom |5.57
Belgium |6.45
Denmark |4.89
France |4.40
FRG |5.99
Greece |3.49
Ireland |4.02
Italy |4.25
Luxembourg |13.88
Netherlands |7.39
Portugal |2.01
Spain |2.77
Source: United Nations Energy
Statistics Yearbook 1989.
Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what decisions have been taken, pursuant to the European Council resolution of 18 February 1980 on the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels, as set out in the Official Journal No. 651, of 29 February 1980.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : In line with the European Council resolution referred to by the hon. Member, the United Kingdom has continued its programme of reprocessing irradiated nuclear fuel while maintaining the objectives of public safety, environmental protection and non-diversion of nuclear materials.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what decisions have been taken by Her Majesty's Government, pursuant to the European Council decision 80/237/EURATOM on the establishment of an ad hoc advisory committee on the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels, as set out in the Official Journal L 52.26.2.80, page 9.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The Government co-operated in the work of the advisory committee referred to by the hon. Member and noted its findings. These were broadly in line with United Kingdom policy.
IAEA Safeguards
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member of Newport, West of 28 March, Official Report, column 573 , what expenses have been incurred by the United Kingdom under section 27 (finance) of INFCIRC 125, the agreement between the United Kingdom, Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency ; whether the agency has ever been relieved of its safeguards responsibilities under section 24(2) of INFCIRC 125 ; and if the suspension of INFCIRC 125 provisions under UNFCIRC/125/MOD. 1 of 2 December 1977 is still in force.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : No expenses have been incurred by the United Kingdom under section 27 of INFCIRC 125 ; nor has the agency been relieved of its safeguards
Column 307
responsibilities under section 24(a) of INFCIRC 125. With regard to the hon. Member's final point, suspension of the agreement still applies.Renewable Energy
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many representations he has received recently (a) directly and (b) via hon. Members on the subject of renewable energy.
Mr. Moynihan : On 5 August I announced a new ministerial advisory group to spearhead the Government's review of renewable energy strategy. Since then I have received about 130 representations directly, and about 400 via hon. Members, on the subject of renewable energy.
Mr. Flynn : to ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent meetings he has had with the Office of Electricity Regulation in regard to applications made to generate electricity by renewable systems ; and what policy decision he has taken as a result.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My officials have liaised closely with OFFER throughout the exercise to make the proposed Renewables Order 1991 as part of the statutory consultations. My right hon. Friend will make the order when the statutory consultations with the Director-General of Electricity Supply and the regional electricity companies have been completed.
Research and Development
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate, for each of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, the amount spent on (a) nuclear research and development and (b) renewable energy research and development ; and what proportion of total energy research and development budget the amounts represent in each case.
Mr. Moynihan : Statistics on total spending on energy research and development in OECD countries on nuclear research or renewables are not available to my Department.
Iraqi Nuclear Plants (Damaged Fuel)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's agreement on 8 July to a request by the United Nations to make provision in conjunction with French nuclear authorities to handle damaged nuclear fuel from the Tuwaitha nuclear plants near Baghdad.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The International Atomic Energy Agency approached the United Kingdom and French Governments with a request for assistance in the removal of nuclear weapons-usable material from Iraq in fulfilment of United Nations Security Council resolution 687. The Government attach great importance to the elimination of Iraq's potential for developing nuclear weapons and supports the United Kingdom nuclear industry's readiness to participate in this work. Any contracts will be on a commerical basis between the companies involved and the IAEA. The agency has invited detailed proposals and operators in the United Kingdom and France which have the necessary specialised facilities will, I understand, be submitting a joint proposal to undertake the work.
Column 308
World Summit for Children
Miss Lestor : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Wakeham : The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targetted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of the year.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Social Security Commissioners
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Attorney-General what is the average delay between a social security commissioner's oral hearing and notification of the decision to the claimant ; and how much of this is ascribed to administrative delay.
The Attorney-General : The average waiting time between the oral hearing by a commissioner and the dispatch of the decision to the parties for the quarter ending September 1991 was 23 days, of which it is estimated that the time taken in processing decisions by administrative staff was 16 days.
Homicides
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Attorney-General, in prosecutions involving a killing how many successful defences of provocation have been made in each of the last five years, broken down by gender of the defendant.
The Attorney-General : This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Hillsborough Stadium Disaster
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Attorney-General if he will give urgent consideration to meeting the families of those who died at Hillsborough.
The Attorney-General : If the hon. Member will write to me specifying the issues which it is suggested should be raised, I will gladly consider whether any matter falling within my own ministerial responsibilities could appropriately be discussed at such a meeting.
Mr. George Howarth : To ask the Attorney-General if he will quash the verdict of the recent Hillsborough inquest and set up a judicial review.
The Attorney-General : My jurisdiction concerning inquests is limited to the circumstances described in section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988. That provision enables me to apply to, or give my authority for an application to, the High Court for an order that an inquest, or a fresh inquest, as the case may be, is held into a person's death. The jurisdiction to make such an order is expressly reserved to the High Court, and my role is confined to deciding whether or not an application to the High Court should be
Column 309
made under that section. No material has been placed before me by the hon. Member or by any other person which would justify an application being made to the High Court under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 in relation to the Hillsborough inquest.TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Regional Assistance
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the amount of regional preferential assistance paid to each standard region of
Column 310
England, Scotland and Wales in each year from 1978-79 to the most recent available date in (a) cash and (b) constant prices and with an annual index.Mr. Leigh : The requested information with regard to regional preferential assistance from 1978-79 to the most recent year is as follows :
Column 309
Table 1
Government expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry at current prices<1> £ million
Region
|Northern |Yorkshire and|East |South |West |North |England<2> |Wales |Scotland |Great
|Humberside |Midlands<3> |West |Midlands<4> |West |Britain<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1978-79 |158.8 |37.4 |3.4 |9.6 |0.2 |<6>114.1 |323.5 |132.1 |156.1 |611.7
1979-80 |147.8 |32.1 |4.1 |10.3 |0.1 |<6> 89.4 |283.8 |112.9 |135.2 |531.9
1980-81 |151.6 |52.7 |4.7 |12.6 |0.1 |<6>137.5 |359.2 |175.3 |194.5 |729.0
1981-82 |176.6 |61.6 |8.6 |14.8 |- |<6>173.8 |435.4 |197.5 |232.5 |865.4
1982-83 |158.5 |52.9 |13.6 |16.4 |- |<6>123.8 |365.2 |182.1 |369.4 |916.7
1983-84 |129.0 |35.6 |16.9 |11.9 |- |<6>103.1 |296.5 |120.0 |228.6 |645.1
1984-85 |122.6 |42.5 |10.2 |14.2 |- |103.9 |293.4 |147.5 |187.1 |628.0
1985-86 |94.6 |35.4 |8.3 |12.0 |6.4 |85.9 |242.6 |138.4 |197.0 |578.0
1986-87 |136.4 |41.4 |10.5 |22.7 |10.0 |128.6 |349.6 |150.7 |242.4 |742.7
1987-88 |109.6 |39.0 |9.4 |14.9 |19.5 |79.2 |271.6 |132.4 |153.2 |557.2
1988-89 |134.6 |50.5 |8.8 |14.8 |26.6 |82.6 |317.9 |148.2 |151.2 |617.3
1989-90 |117.3 |32.5 |9.5 |10.7 |20.0 |74.5 |264.5 |131.7 |144.6 |540.8
1990-91 |85.0 |29.4 |5.5 |8.9 |18.0 |57.5 |204.3 |133.7 |159.1 |497.1
Region
|Northern |Yorkshire and|East |South |West |North |England<2> |Wales |Scotland |Great
|Humberside |Midlands<3> |West |Midlands<4> |West |Britain<2>
1978-79 |371.9 |87.6 |8.0 |22.5 |0.5 |<6>267.2 |757.6 |309.4 |365.6 |1,432.6
1979-80 |296.8 |64.5 |8.2 |20.7 |0.2 |<6>179.5 |569.9 |226.7 |271.5 |1,068.1
1980-81 |256.9 |89.3 |8.0 |21.4 |- |<6>233.1 |6.8.8 |297.1 |329.7 |1,235.6
1981-82 |273.0 |95.2 |13.3 |22.9 |- |<6>268.6 |673.0 |305.3 |359.4 |1,337.6
1982-83 |228.7 |76.3 |19.6 |23.7 |- |<6>178.6 |527.0 |262.8 |533.0 |1,322.8
1983-84 |177.9 |49.1 |23.3 |16.4 |- |<6>142.6 |409.0 |165.5 |315.3 |889.8
1984-85 |161.1 |55.8 |13.4 |18.7 |- |136.5 |385.5 |193.8 |245.9 |825.2
1985-86 |117.8 |44.1 |10.3 |14.9 |8.0 |107.0 |302.1 |172.4 |245.3 |719.8
1986-87 |164.1 |49.8 |12.6 |27.3 |12.0 |154.8 |420.7 |181.3 |291.7 |893.7
1987-88 |125.3 |44.6 |10.7 |17.0 |22.3 |90.5 |310.4 |151.3 |175.1 |636.8
1988-89 |143.2 |53.7 |9.4 |15.7 |28.3 |87.9 |338.2 |157.7 |160.9 |656.7
1989-90 |117.3 |32.5 |9.5 |10.7 |20.0 |74.5 |264.5 |131.7 |144.6 |540.8
1990-91 |78.8 |27.3 |5.1 |8.3 |16.7 |53.3 |189.5 |124.0 |147.6 |461.1
Table 2
Government expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry at 1989-90 prices £ million
Region
Northern Yorkshire and Humberside East Midlands South West West Midlands North West England Wales Scotland Great Britain 1978-79 371.9 87.6 8.0 22.5 0.5 267.2 757.6 309.4 365.6 1,432.6 1979-80 296.8 64.5 8.2 20.7 0.2 179.5 569.9 226.7 271.5 1,068.1 1980-81 256.9 89.3 8.0 21.4 -- 233.1 608.8 297.1 329.7 1,235.6 1981-82 273.0 95.2 13.3 22.9 -- 268.6 673.0 305.3 359.4 1,337.6 1982-83 228.7 76.3 19.6 23.7 -- 178.6 527.0 262.8 533.0 1,322.8 1983-84 177.9 49.1 23.3 16.4 -- 142.6 409.0 165.5 315.3 889.8 1984-85 161.1 55.8 13.4 18.7 -- 136.5 385.5 193.8 245.9 825.2 1985-86 117.8 44.1 10.3 14.9 8.0 107.0 302.1 172.4 245.3 719.8 1986-87 164.1 49.8 12.6 27.3 12.0 154.8 420.7 181.3 291.7 893.7 1987-88 125.3 44.6 10.7 17.0 22.3 90.5 310.4 151.3 175.1 636.8 1988-89 143.2 53.7 9.4 15.7 28.3 87.9 338.2 157.7 160.9 656.7 1989-90 117.3 32.5 9.5 10.7 20.0 74.5 264.5 131.7 144.6 540.8 1990-91 78.8 27.3 5.1 8.3 16.7 53.3 189.5 124.0 147.6 461.1
Table 3 Index |1989-90 prices --------------------------------------------- 1978-79 |42.7 1979-80 |49.8 1980-81 |59.0 1981-82 |64.7 1982-83 |69.3 1983-84 |72.5 1984-85 |76.1 1985-86 |80.3 1986-87 |83.1 1987-88 |87.5 1988-89 |94.0 1989-90 |100.0 1990-91 |107.8 1991-92 |115.3 1992-93 |120.5 1993-94 |125.0 1994-95 |128.7 <1> All figures are gross and include payments to nationalised industries. <2> The totals do not always equal the sum of the component parts because of rounding. <3> Includes some minor expenditure in west midlands in respect of Oswestry TTWA which ceased to be an assisted area in 1982-83. <4> Certain TTWAs in the west midlands were designated as assisted areas on 29 November 1984. <5> Expenditure on a 1989-90 price basis for each year is calculated by applying the appropriate deflator to expenditure at current prices. <6> Includes expenditure in Cumbria, otherwise shown within the totals for northern region. The items included in the expenditure are regional development grants, regional selective assistance and regional enterprise grants; expenditure on lands and factories by the English Industrial Estates Corporation, the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies, the Development Board for Rural Wales, and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.
Argentina (Exports)
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls are in force in respect of materials and technology being exported to the Argentine Government for their Argentine Condor II ballistic missile project ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : The United Kingdom gives effect to its commitments as a member of the missile technology control regime through the Export of Goods (Control) Order. This requires a licence to export to any destination goods, which it has been agreed with our partners, are sensitive for missile technology reasons. These controls were strengthened in August of this year by the addition of an end-use control which requires a licence to export goods that the exporter knows or suspects are capable of use for missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. No export licences have been granted for the export from the United Kingdom of goods known to be for the Condor missile programme. I understand that the Argentinian Government announced in May 1991 the cancellation of this project.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all items that are currently banned for export to Argentina by British exporters.
Mr. Sainsbury : The embargo on the sale of any military-related equipment, which came into effect during the dispute over the Falkland islands, is still maintained. Following the introduction on 24 September of full-scope safeguards as a condition of nuclear supply, it is our policy not to allow the export of any significant new nuclear equipment or materials to any country which does not have a full-scope safeguards agreement, which includes Argentina.
Emergency Call Number
Mr. Butler : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will meet European Community officials to discuss the proposal for the community emergency call number of 112 to be introduced by January 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood : No. The Council decision on the introduction of single European emergency number 112 was adopted on 29 July. The new number will be introduced in the United Kingdom alongside the existing 999 emergency call number. There are no plans to abolish the 999 number.
Sales
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will be bringing forward proposals for regulating annual retail sales periods and special offers times of the year, for implementation after 1 January 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 312
Mr. Leigh : No. I see no reason to prevent traders offering goods to the consumer at favourable prices.
Export Control Organisation
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are currently employed by the Export Control Organisation ; how many applications for export licences were received for each year from 1985, in 1991 to the most recent practicable date ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Sainsbury : The Export Control Organisation within the DTI currently employs 115 staff. The annual volumn of individual export licence applications submitted since 1985 to export goods subject to control in the Export of Goods (Control) Order is :
|Number
----------------------
1985 |83,863
1986 |89,705
1987 |97,842
1988 |92,280
1989 |75,925
1990 |45,897
1991<1> |22,594
<1>Up to 30 September
1991.
Information relating to the activities of the Export Control Organisation during 1990 is to be published shortly in an annual report, a copy of which I will be placing in the Library.
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many experts on nuclear arms components are employed by the Export Control Organisation to detect components likely to be used in the development of nuclear bomb making programmes.
Mr. Sainsbury : In processing export licence applications, my officials have access to advice from appropriate experts in other government departments and agencies covering the full range of goods which are subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order.
Environmental Congress, Gothenburg
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department was represented at the Ecology '91 environmental congress on the environmental challenges to industry, held in Gothenburg in Sweden on 8 to 11 October ; and if his Department made available any assistance to British firms to participate in the congress.
Mr. Leigh : My Department was not represented and no assistance was offered.
Euratom
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Commission's proposal for a Council decision
Column 313
adopting specific research programmes to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM)--Com. (91) 281 Final--Syn 352 published in the Official Journal No. C. 234, 7 September.Mr. Leigh : The Commission's proposal for the joint research centre's--(JRC)--1992-94 programme is currently being discussed by the council's working group on research. The United Kingdom has been pressing for more detailed information to be included in the draft Council decision on the technical content of the JRC's programmes and on how they will contribute to meeting the objectives of the third--1990-94--framework programme.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Soviet Union
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he received from the Soviet Union of the Soviet economy at the meeting of the G7 in Bangkok ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Finance Ministers of the G7 and central bank governors discussed recent developments in the Soviet economy and the need for urgent economic reforms at sone length with the Soviet team, which included Mr. Yavlinsky, deputy chairman of the committee for the operational management of the national economy, and Mr. Geraschenko, chairman of Gosbank. It was clear from these discussions that the Soviet Union is facing a growing economic crisis with output falling and with growing budget deficits at the union and republic levels leading to an increase in inflationary pressures. The Soviet team also discussed the prospects for a new treaty on economic union and prospects for economic reform.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to my speech of 16 October to the annual meetings of the IMF and World bank, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contributions of each other EEC country in grants, credits and guarantees towards the Soviet Union since 1989 ; and what percentage these are of their gross national product.
Mr. Maples : Amounts of outstanding export credit guarantees are not published, but the following countries have all pledged packages of loans and credits to the USSR recently :
Germany. A DM 5 billion general purpose loan was announced in June 1990. A package of loans/grants linked to troop withdrawal from ex-GDR, DM 15 billion over four years, was announced in September 1990. Other loans and credits including recently agreed export credits forthe purchase of goods from the ex-GDR were reported atDM 9 billion.
France. Pledged loans and credits of FF 5 billion in 1990. Italy. Pledged loan guarantees worth Lire 7,200 billion in September 1990, plus export credits worth Lire 3,800 billion up to 1994.
Spain. Offered loans and credits worth $1.5 billion in 1990 for purchases of Spanish food, consumer durables and capital equipment to be disbursed over two to three years.
Comprehensive figures on disbursements and their timing are not available, and therefore it is not possible to calculate the percentages requested.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated amount in grants, credits and
Column 314
guarantees the United Kingdom has contributed towards the support for the Soviet Union since 1989 ; and what these amounts represent as a percentage of gross national product.Mr. Maples : Much of the United Kingdom's assistance is provided in conjunction with our European community partners through the EC budget. The United Kingdom share of which is currently about 18 per cent. This includes :
(i) 250 mecu--£175.8 million--in food aid which is now being disbursed, and 500 mecu--£351.6 million--in food credit guarantees, which has not yet been used pending final agreement with the USSR on terms.
(ii) 1,250 mecu--£879 million--in new standby credits, guaranteed by the EC budget to cover imports of food and medicine. This was agreed in principle in ECOFIN on 7 October, following a United Kingdom initiative.
(iii) A decision has been made to commit 400 mecu--£281.3 million--in technical assistance in 1991 and a further amount in 1992.
The United Kingdom provides bilateral assistance to the USSR in the form of the know-how fund. The fund was originally set up in November 1990 and more than doubled to £50 million over three years following President Gorbachev's visit to the United Kingdom in July. The United Kingdom has provided aid following the Chernobyl nuclear accident totalling £255,000.
In addition the Export Credits Guarantee Department has guaranteed a number of export credits, but it is not normal practice to give details of credits to individual countries.
It is not meaningful to add up these separate elements, and to provide a figure for percentage of GNP.
Channel 3 Television
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the actual gross and net amount he expects to collect by way of auction fees from successful applicants for Channel 3 television licences.
Mr. Mellor : Precise figures are not yet available. Calculations made by the Independent Television Commission, taking account of the amounts of cash bids submitted and the estimated yield from the percentage of annual qualifying revenue set in advance by the ITC in respect of each regional licence, suggest that the average annual tender payments of licensees in 1991 prices will be approximately £350 million over the licence period.
Customs Service
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of the customs service in Yorkshire and Humberside from 1 January 1992.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : In Yorkshire and Humberside, as in the rest of the United Kingdom, customs controls are being updated to prepare for the single market on 1 January 1993 and to meet developing business needs. The objective is to make continued improvements in effectiveness, particularly in the fight against drugs smuggling, while facilitating the freest possible movement of travellers and freight.
Customs officers in the region continue to play an important part in protecting society as demonstrated by
Column 315
the seizure of drugs at Hull worth £1.8 million in the past year. Flexible anti-smuggling teams will continue to work in the region after 1992.Customs and Excise
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise flexible action teams have been set up at (a) seaports and (b) airports within the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Flexible anti-smuggling teams are being set up as part of Customs' new anti-smuggling strategy resulting from a review completed in 1990. At present there are 95 teams of which 68 are currently based at seaports and working mainly on maritime activity, 19 are at airports, seven have a mixed responsibility and one covers land boundary work in Northern Ireland.
The use of better equipped and supported flexible teams will enable Customs to respond more effectively to areas of greatest risk in the fight against the importation of dangerous drugs and other threats to society.
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the results of his nationwide study of the Customs service ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : In the last two years there have been several studies of the customs service, looking at anti-smuggling controls, freight processing and the handling of inland customs work.
Customs are undergoing a period of considerable change with the introduction of 30 executive units on 1 April 1991 under the next steps initiative and in their preparation for the single market. The purpose of the reviews in the customs area has been to update anti-smuggling and freight control systems to meet the challenges of the single market and the developing needs of business.
Soviet Gold Reserves
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's latest estimate of Soviet gold reserves ; and what figures were given by Soviet officials at the recent G7 talks.
Mr. Norman Lamont : Mr. Yavlinsky, deputy chairman of the committee for the operational management of the national economy, stated publicly on 16 October that Soviet gold reserves would stand at 240 tonnes on 1 January next year. Her Majesty's Treasury has no independent estimate of Soviet gold reserves.
Hospitality Costs
Mr. Skinner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Treasury ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Expenditure in 1990-91, which is the latest full year available, was £67,012.
| Next Section
| Home Page |