Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from Scottish local authorities which are funding Iraqi students in Scotland in the form of section 12 payments under the Social Work (Scotland) Act who have no other income following the freezing of Iraqi Government assets in the United Kingdom ; and if he intends to introduce social security reforms to provide for students from abroad in an emergency situation such as war.
Miss Widdecombe : I met representatives of Strathclyde regional council and Glasgow district council on 30 September 1991. There are no plans to change the existing provisions in the income support rules relating to students from abroad.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the extra costs (a) to local authorities and (b) to his Department of those additional benefits including (i) poll tax benefit and (ii) housing benefit payable to pensioners as a result of their becoming eligible for income support as a result of the recent uprating statement.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 5 November 1991] : Depending on the numbers of newly eligible pensioners who choose to claim, the total extra cost of their gains through income related benefit provision could be as much as £35 million in a full year. Any costs arising out of extra benefit provision by local authorities will be financed by central Government through the usual subsidy arrangements.
Source : Modelled using data drawn from the 1986-87-88 Family Expenditure Surveys.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he intends to bring forward to compensate local authorities for the initial costs incurred as a result of extending compulsory competitive tendering.
Column 687
Mr. Portillo : None. We expect that any initial costs incurred in preparing for compulsory competitive tendering for additional services will be more than offset by the savings that will result from competition.Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the financial position of Gloucestershire county council.
Mr. Key : My right hon. Friend and other Environment Ministers have received a number of representations,
Column 688
including correspondence from county councillors and hon. Members regarding external support for the council. The most recent correspondence received was from my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Knapman) and a constituent of his on the subject of support for the fire service.Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much the (a) central provision and (b) other funds available to Gloucestershire county council have changed each year since 1979.
Mr. Key : The available information is as follows :
Column 687
Gloucestershire County Council Central Government Support<1> |Block grant |Relevant |Non-relevant |Transport |County |in respect of|specific |specific |supplementary|precept |current year |grants |grants |grant |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 |£'000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1980-81 |<2>39,170 |8,835 |6,544 |312 |88,004 1981-82 |70,732 |10,075 |7,838 |325 |77,631 1982-83 |71,059 |11,287 |7,725 |418 |84,809 1983-84 |69,411 |12,641 |7,552 |380 |88,983 1984-85 |70,413 |14,018 |7,887 |1,670 |92,691 1985-86 |67,710 |14,945 |8,121 |1,138 |102,313 1986-87 |71,477 |17,361 |9,630 |861 |122,068 1987-88 |70,837 |19,919 |9,818 |942 |134,365 1988-89 |70,422 |22,001 |10,185 |1,077 |155,288 1989-90 |64,202 |25,505 |13,958 |1,563 |169,580 |Specific |Specific |grants |grants |County |in AEF |outside AEF |precept <3>1990-91 |- |27,516 |17,824 |- |273,940 <4>1991-92 |- |30,177 |22,530 |- |298,500 <1> In 1980-81, only the needs and resources elements of Rate Support Grant were paid directly to the County. Between 1981-82 and 1989-90 only the Block Grant element of Rate Support Grant was paid to the County. Domestic element, Domestic Rate Relief Grant and Rate Rebate Grant were paid directly to the Districts' Rate Funds. From 1990-91 only Specific Grants are paid directly to the County General Fund. All other grants are paid into the Districts' Collection Funds which is used to fund expenditure by different tiers of authority. It is therefore not possible to say what proportion of the county precept is funded by central Government support, or from other sources. <2> Needs and Resources Elements of RSG before adjusting for National Pools. <3> Revised estimate. <4> Budget estimate.
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is available to his Department on the financial position of Gloucestershire county council.
Mr. Key : The financial information available to the Department for all local authorities includes all the information necessary to calculate grant entitlement and standard spending assessments, authorities' budget estimates for previous years and statements of outturn expenditure for the years to 1989-90. These figures show that in 1989-90 Gloucestershire overspent against their budget by £6.7 million, or 3 per cent.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what level of funding for social work student placements has been assumed within the revenue support grant settlement.
Mr. Key : The local authority finance settlement provides for an appropriate level of spending by local authorities on their various functions. The resources made available are not attributed to particular activities.
Column 688
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers the London Docklands development corporation has south of the River Thames ; and how it is intended London Docklands development corporation will run the proposed docklands light railway extension to Lewisham.
Mr. Portillo : Section 136 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 provides that the object of an urban development corporation shall be to secure the regeneration of its area. I consider that an extension of the Docklands light railway to Lewisham will contribute to that object.
Mrs. Maureen Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further measures he has under consideration to deal with noise nuisance from noisy parties.
Mr. Baldry : The working group set up to consider whether there is a need for further measures to control
Column 689
noisy parties, announced by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on 10 September met for the first time on 6 November.The members of the group are Mr. Richard Ashworth, chief executive (environmental health and trading standards), Merton London borough council ; Mr. David Horrocks, head of environmental health services, Brentwood district ; Mr. Ron Hadfield, chief constable, West Midlands police ; and officials from my Department and the Home Office. The group are currently considering the extent to which existing legislation to control parties causing excessive noise might be used more effectively. The group expects to go on to consider whether amending legislation may be required.
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take against those local authorities whose direct labour organisations made significant financial losses in 1989-90.
Mr. Key : Statutory notices under the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Local Government Act 1988 were served on 26 local authorities between July and October this year in respect of financial failure in 1989-90. The Secretary of State has now considered the responses of the 11 authorities on whom notices were served at the beginning of July. He has today given directions under section 19B and section 14 of the 1980 and 1988 Acts respectively to Barrow-in-Furness borough council in respect of major new construction, Harrogate borough council (refuse collection, building maintenace, and highways work), Shepway district council (building maintenance), and the London borough of Tower Hamlets (highways work).
He has decided to take no further action in respect of financial failure in 1989-90 against Epsom and Ewell borough council (vehicle maintenance), the London borough of Redbridge (building cleaning), West Devon borough council (refuse collection), North Tyneside metropolitan borough council. (vehicle maintenance), Shepway district council (highways work), the London borough of Camden (minor new works), and Salford city council (in respect of anti- competitive behaviour).
He is still considering the responses of the London borough of Camden, Copeland borough council and Salford city council, all in respect of building maintenance work, and expects to announce his decisions shortly. He is also considering responses from a further nine authorities on whom notices were served on 30 July.
Mr. Jessel : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to contract out the deer management in Richmond and Bushy parks.
Mr. Heseltine : Management of deer is a specialised and skilled operation. We have made it clear that we would not contract this out unless we could guarantee the welfare of the animals. Following consultation with the British Deer Society we have concluded that we should continue to
Column 690
undertake deer management in the Richmond and Bushy parks. We will therefore continue to employ three gamekeepers.Nature conservation is an important element in the management of Richmond and Bushy parks and the gamekeepers will continue caring for wildlife generally. The management of the contracts and the work carried out by the contractor's staff will also take this into account.
Mr. Benn : To ask the Prime Minister under what legal authority he would sign any treaties agreed at Maastricht ; and what force such treaties would then have in British law.
The Prime Minister : Signature of any treaty agreed at Maastricht would be an Executive act and as such would have no force in the United Kingdom law. Ratification of any treaty is a prerogative act, exercised by the Government on behalf of the Crown. Before the United Kingdom could ratify any treaty signed at Maastricht, its provisions would need to be incorporated into United Kingdom law by amending the European Communities Act 1972.
Mr. Spearing : To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the potential benefits and penalties that would arise from the full operation of a European central bank as currently proposed in the Dutch draft treaty for economic and monetary union.
The Prime Minister : That judgment can be made only if and when the adoption of a single currency becomes a realistic prospect. Under the treaty now under negotiation the earliest date envisaged for the introduction of a single currency is some years away. It will be for the Government and Parliament to assess at that stage the potential benefits and penalties of a European central bank.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has declined to appoint a special adviser nominated for appointment.
The Prime Minister : The appointment of special advisers is a matter for the relevant Minister in consultation with me. It would not be appropriate to give the information requested.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answers of 5 November, Official Report, column 42 and 11 November, Official Report, column 353 , listing current political advisers, if he will list the names of the advisers alongside the Ministers and Department which they serve.
The Prime Minister : The special advisers (political) who are currently serving are :
Column 691
Name |Department |Minister ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. K. Adams |Agriculture, Fisheries and Food |Minister Mr. H. Harris-Hughes |Cabinet Office (including No. 10) Mr. J. Hill |Cabinet Office (including No. 10) Mrs. S. Hogg |Cabinet Office (including No. 10) Mr. A. Rosling |Cabinet Office (including No. 10) Mr. N. True |Cabinet Office (including No. 10) Miss B. Wallis (part-time) |Cabinet Office (including No. 10) Ms. S. Hole |Cabinet Office (Chief Whip's Office) |Chief Whip Mr. P. Moman |Cabinet Office (Privy Council Office) |Minister of State, Privy Council Office Mr. J. R. M. Gardner |Defence |Secretary of State Mrs. T. Keswick |Education and Science |Secretary of State Mr. D. Ruffley |Education and Science |Secretary of State Mr. T. Collins |Employment |Secretary of State Mr. G. Black |Energy |Secretary of State Mr. A. Kemp (part-time) |Environment |Secretary of State Lady Strathnaver |Environment |Secretary of State Ms. A. Broom |Environment |Jointly to the Ministers for Local | Government and the Inner Cities; | Environment and Countryside; | and Housing and Planning Mr. E. Bickham |Foreign and Commonwealth |Secretary of State Mr. M. Fraser |Foreign and Commonwealth |Minister of State for Foreign and | Commonwealth Affairs Ms. L. Campey |Health |Secretary of State Mrs. K. Ramsay (part-time) |Health |Secretary of State Mr. R. Marsh |Health |Secretary of State Mr. T. Kerpel |Home Office |Secretary of State Mr. C. M. Grantham |Home Office |Jointly to two Ministers of State | (the Right Hon. John Patten and | the Right Hon. Mrs Rumbold) Mrs. E. Laing |Privy Council Office |Lord President of the Council Ms. S. McEwen |Privy Council Office |Lord Privy Seal Mr. A. Young |Scottish Office |Secretary of State Mr. I. Stewart |Social Security |Secretary of State Mr. Anisfield |Trade and Industry |Secretary of State Mr. J. Mayhew |Trade and Industry |Secretary of State Mr. P. Miller |Transport |Secretary of State Dr. W. Robinson |Treasury |Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr. A. Ross-Goobey |Treasury |Chief Secretary Mr. W. Lightfoot |Treasury |Financial Secretary
Mr. Richard Page : To ask the Prime Minister what steps the Government are taking to help prepare black South Africans for a ro le in public administration under a post-apartheid constitution.
The Prime Minister : Our growing aid programme for black South Africans emphasises education and training as the key to enabling black people to play their rightful role in a post-apartheid South Africa. In this context, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Minister for Overseas Development has announced the Government's plans to help to train those who may become officials within the new political system. This help is open to black South Africans of all parties and to those without political affiliation. We have invited nominees from various political groups, including the African National Congress, the Inkatha Freedom party, the Pan-Africanist Congress and AZAPO, as well as from non-political bodies. A course for potential senior officials will start in January at the Civil Service college. My right hon. Friend is preparing plans for further help in this area.
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the priority Her Majesty's Government attache to environmental policy against the Government's other policies.
Column 692
The Prime Minister [holding answer 14 November 1991] : The Government aim to integrate environmental concern into all policies, as explained in detail in the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200) and "This Common Inheritance : The First Year Report". (Cm 1655)
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many (a) nursery schools, (b) primary schools, (c) universities, (d) polytechnics and (e) colleges of further education he has visited in the last 12 months.
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has visited a number of varied institutions in the past twelve months, including five primary schools, seven universities, three polytechnics and four colleges of further education.
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the local education authorities to which he has sent information or advice regarding the past, current or future component of the standard spending assessment for adult education and local education authority the amounts so specified.
Column 693
Mr. Eggar : My right hon. and learned Friend has sent no information or advice on this matter to local education authorities.Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many undergraduates from the United Kingdom were attending courses in (a) EC countries and (b) non-EC countries in each of the past five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Estimates prepared by the United Kingdom Erasmus Student Grants Council show that, in academic year 1990-91, some 4, 800 United Kingdom domiciled students were studying under ERASMUS arrangements in a higher education institution of another EC member state as part of their United Kingdom undergraduate course. Information on other United Kingdom students studying abroad is not available centrally.
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing the numbers of members of Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools in each category of job function which will be lost when Her Majesty's inspectorate is reduced to the level proposed in his statement of 27 September 1991.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : Detailed decisions of this kind have not been taken and need not be taken at this stage. The figure of 175 is the best estimate that the senior chief inspector and I have made of the eventual size of HMI when they assume their full duties after a suitable transitional period.
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available showing the numbers of teaching and non- teaching employees of each local education authority in 1991.
Mr. Fallon : Numbers of teaching and non-teaching staff employed by local authorities are collected regularly by the joint staffing watch, managed by representatives of local and central Government. Figures for the education service within each authority for March 1991 are now available and have been placed in the Library.
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of primary school pupils in class sizes of one to 15, 16 to 20, 21 to 25, 26 to 30 and 30 and over, by local education authority for each school year since 1979-80.
Mr. Eggar : It is not possible to provide all the information requested for the number of years stated because of disproportionate cost. Tables showing the number of pupils taught by one teacher in classes of sizes one to 30, 31 to 35, 36 to 40 and 41 and over in maintained primary schools in each local education authority in England for the years 1988 to 1991 (provisional) are being placed in the House of Commons Library.
Column 694
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effect of the decision by the Inland Revenue to tax the profit element of the motor car mileage allowances paid to the voluntary car drivers used by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : We greatly appreciate the work undertaken by the voluntary car drivers and the contribution which they make to the community.
The Inland Revenue's decision mainly affects those volunteer drivers who exceed 4,000 miles per year who will be liable for income tax on the profit element of their mileage allowance. The new tax arrangements will be phased in gradually over a number of years. Only one quarter of the profit element for the period 6 October 1991 to 5 April 1992 and for 1992-93 will be taxed, one half for 1993-94 and three-quarters for 1994-95. Tax will therefore not be payable on the full amount of the profit element until 1995-96.
I have, however, agreed that mileage allowances for voluntary car drivers should be substantially increased. The new rates are : 27.7p per mile for motor vehicles up to 1500cc and
33.2p per mile for motor vehicles over 1500cc.
This represents an increase of nearly 10 per cent. These rates will be kept under review and are backdated to 1 October 1991.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make it his policy to increase the hectarage payments made under the hill livestock compensatory allowance to the level of the limit set by the European Community ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to increase the level of headage payments for (a) cows, (b) hardy breeding ewes and (c) other ewes in both severely disadvantaged and disadvantaged areas.
Mr. David Hunt : The payment arrangements for the hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme are considered within the context of the autumn review of economic conditions and prospects for our hill and upland farmers. The HLCA payment arrangements to apply from 1 January 1992 will be announced as soon as possible.
162. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total expenditure by his Department on local road improvements, at constant prices, in each year between 1979 and 1990.
Mr. David Hunt : Expenditure on local roads in Wales is the responsibility of each county highway authority. Capital expenditure on new construction and improvement and current expenditure on highway maintenance, structural maintenance (including bridges), lighting, street cleaning, and other highways purposes, at constant prices are :
Column 695
Road construction index 1st quarter 1990 prices (£ million) |Capital|Current|Total ------------------------------------------- 1979-80 |53.5 |72.8 |126.2 1980-81 |61.6 |81.4 |143.0 1981-82 |62.9 |113.7 |176.6 1982-83 |83.5 |99.7 |183.2 1983-84 |73.1 |109.7 |182.8 1984-85 |67.5 |108.4 |175.9 1985-86 |74.7 |103.1 |177.8 1986-87 |83.1 |120.9 |204.0 1987-88 |79.8 |111.5 |191.2 1988-89 |60.8 |111.0 |171.8 1989-90 |73.3 |124.6 |197.9 <1>1990-91 |78.3 |133.9 |212.2 <1>Provisional.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the outstanding applications for road bypass schemes before his Department, and the date on which each application was initially submitted.
Mr. David Hunt : Trunk road bypass schemes are added to the programme as a result of route and feasibility studies and have been listed in successive editions of "Roads in Wales". Current plans are given in the supplement to "Roads in Wales : Progress and Plans for the 1990s" published in February.
Applications from local authorities for transport grant support in 1992-93 include bypass schemes. These are under consideration and an announcement will be made shortly.
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of nursing posts filled in Wales in each year from 1986 to 1990.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Information on the whole time equivalent (wte) number of nursing and midwifery staff in Wales is given in the following table :
|wte<1> --------------------- 1986 |27,187 1987 |27,764 1988 |27,920 1989 |28,037 1990 |28,093 <1>At 30 September.
The increase of 906 in the number of nurses in the Welsh NHS in just four years is an indication of the Government's commitment to improving the NHS.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list the specific criteria and allowances in means tesing applicants for mandatory and discretionary home improvement grants.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Details of the test of resources are contained in "The Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) Regulations 1990 (SI 1990 No. 1189)" (as amended) copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.
Column 696
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of sheep scab there were in Wales during the last 12 months ; what were the corresponding figures for 1970 and 1980 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : In the last 12 months 14 cases of sheep scab were reported in Wales. No cases were reported in 1970 and 1980.
Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to develop the harbour at Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire during the next five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : Ceredigion district council has submitted a bid for additional resources under the projects of regional or national importance (PRNI) scheme to enable them to provide infrastructure works prior to development of a marina. This bid, together with all others received under the PRNI scheme is presently being considered.
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applicants have been accepted under the new enterprise allowance scheme ; and if he will give the figures by regional or local authority area.
Mr. Jackson : New flexibilities in the operation of the enterprise allowance scheme were introduced on 1 April 1991 for existing TECs. TECs going live after that date were able to use the flexibilities when they became operational.
In the current financial year, to 15 September, 22,294 people in England and Wales have started a new business with the help of an enterprise allowance. A regional breakdown of these entrants is shown in the table. It is not possible to give a breakdown of entrants by local authority area.
Region |Participants --------------------------------------------------- Northern |1,375 North West |3,397 Yorkshire and Humberside |2,770 West Midlands |2,238 East Midlands and Anglia |2,541 South East |2,387 South West |2,560 London |3,163 Wales |1,863
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were on ET sponsored training programmes in each travel-to -work area in Cumbria for each month since January 1990.
Mr. Jackson : The information is not available in the format requested. The following table gives the numbers of people in Employment Training (ET) in the area covered by Cumbria training and enterprise council for each month from January 1990 to September 1991.
Column 697
Period ending |ET in |training |(actual in |period) ---------------------------------------------- January 1990 |1,380 February 1990 |1,368 March 1990 |1,369 27 April 1990 |<1>1,250 25 May 1990 |1,088 22 June 1990 |1,154 20 July 1990 |1,099 17 August 1990 |1,095 14 September 1990 |1,169 12 October 1990 |1,371 9 November 1990 |1,385 7 December 1990 |1,548 4 January 1991 |1,470 1 February 1991 |1,548 1 March 1991 |1,615 29 March 1991 |1,375 27 April 1991 |1,145 25 May 1991 |1,019 22 June 1991 |960 20 July 1991 |849 17 August 1991 |782 14 September 1991 |771 <1>Estimate.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what study he has made of the extent to which the recession in British industry is influencing the decision of employers acting as work experience providers for young people under the YT programme in the county of Cumbria.
Mr. Jackson : In Cumbria, as in other parts of the country, training opportunities are dependent on employers' participation in the training programme. With my support TECs are actively promoting the commitment of employers to investment in training. The Government are committed to ensuring the availability of suitable training for young people under the terms of its YT guarantee.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers for the year 1991 were awaiting places on YT schemes as of mid-September 1991.
Mr. Jackson : The information requested is not available centrally.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish the range of payments made by TEC's to managing agents under ET in the counties of Northumbria, Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire, Surrey and Kent, separately.
Mr. Jackson : It is not possible to provide this information. Details of financial arrangements between training and enterprise councils and their training managers are commercial-in-confidence.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing, for Greater London and for each TEC area in London, the number of youth training and employment training places which were available 12 months ago, and are available for and
Column 698
specifically targeted at (a) people with learning difficulties, (b) people whose first language is not English, (c) people with physical disabilities and (d) ex-offenders.Mr. Jackson : The information is not available as requested. All ET and YT places are available to the four groups of clients listed, provided that they meet the eligibility criteria for the two programmes.
The Government have guaranteed that all young people who are under 18 and not in full-time education or a job and are seeking training are offered and if necessary re-offered, a suitable youth training place. The Government remain committed to ensuring that the YT guarantee is met and has ensured that adequate funding is available to do so.
The Government require that an ET place is provided for people in the Government's guarantee and aim groups who wish to enter ET. The guarantee group is those aged 18 to 24 who have been unemployed for six months or more but less than 12 months, the aim group is those aged 18 to 49 who have been unemployed for two years or more and those people with disabilities, regardless of the length of time of the latters unemployment.
Next Section
| Home Page |