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Ley Holdings Ltd.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the application of Ley Rubber Ltd., Liverpool, to change the use of its property at 62 Bridgewater street, was submitted to the Merseyside development corporation ; and when a decision will be reached.
Mr. Yeo : The application of Ley Holdings Ltd., Liverpool to change the use of property at 62 Bridgewater street was submitted to the Merseyside development corporation on 9 January 1992. The development corporation expects to decide the application at its board meeting on 13 February 1992.
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West Yorkshire Fire Authority
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce the standard spending assessment for the West Yorkshire fire authority ; and what account, in reaching his decision, has been taken of special factors applying to fire visits in West Yorkshire explained to him by the delegation he met on 16 January.
Mr. Key : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid the Revenue Support Grant Report (England) 1992-93 and associated reports before the House last Friday 24 January. Copies of the reports, together with a table showing the standard spending
assessments--SSAs--and grant entitlement of each authority were sent to all authorities on the same day, and have been placed in the Library and Vote Office.
Before taking his decisions on the settlement, my right hon. Friend carefully considered all the representations and comments which had been made to him, including those made by members of a delegation from West Yorkshire fire authority when they came to see me on 16 January. Having considered all the representations and comments made to him, he decided to adopt his proposed methodology for the fire component of SSAs. The SSA for the West Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority for 1992-93 is £48.749 million, an increase of 8.2 per cent. on 1991-92, and as a result of changes in underlying data £12,000 greater than the provisional SSA proposed on 26 November.
Devonport Secondary School
Dame Janet Fookes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his decision on the application by Devon county council for consent under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 to transfer the site and buildings of Devonport secondary school to the diocesan education committee.
Sir George Young : Within the next few days. I shall write to my hon. Friend.
Personal Social Services
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state for each year since 1978-79 the Government's settlement for local authority personal social services and the actual expenditure by local authorities on personal social services for each year.
Mr. Key : The available information is as follows :
|SSA Control |Expenditure<3>
|Total
------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |3,592 |4,119
1991-92 |4,418 |4,521
<1> Information on grant related expenditure control totals
is not available for years prior to 1982-83.
<2> It is not possible to construct comparable figures for
outturn on the basis of available returns from local
authorities.
<3> Net Revenue Expenditure to compare with SSA.
|SSA Control |Expenditure<3>
|Total
------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91 |3,592 |4,119
1991-92 |4,418 |4,521
<1> Information on grant related expenditure control totals
is not available for years prior to 1982-83.
<2> It is not possible to construct comparable figures for
outturn on the basis of available returns from local
authorities.
<3> Net Revenue Expenditure to compare with SSA.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons he decided to exclude homelessness of children and adults, the number of elderly and disabled persons from ethnic minority groups, information about the prevalence of disability in the population from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability survey, and information about the prevalence of mental illness, from the calculation of standard spending assessment for local authority personal social services.
Mr. Key : The selection of indicators included in the social services standard spending assessments is based on the careful consideration of research evidence, much of it from independent sources, and extensive discussion with local authority
representatives. The information referred to has formed part of these considerations, but in most cases is not available on a reliable and consistent basis for all local authorities.
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average annual rate of growth allowed to the local authority personal social services between 1978-79 and 1988-89.
Mr. Key : The average annual rate of growth in the total allowance for revenue spending on personal social services within the rate support grant settlements between 1982-83 and 1988-89 was 7 per cent. Information is not available for years prior to 1982-83. It is for local authorities to decide their own priorities between spending on various services.
Funding
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which organisations currently receive Government funding under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 ; how much money each organisation receives ; and for what nature of the services the money is provided.
Mr. Yeo : I will arrange for this information to be placed in the Library.
Planning
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time which companies applying for planning permission to the Merseyside development corporation have to wait ; and whether minor non-contentious planning decisions are delegated to development corporation officials.
Mr. Yeo : The measure "average length of time" is not generally used for assessing development control decisions on planning applications. The Department of the Environment measures the proportion of applications determined within eight weeks of submission. In 1990, 59 per cent. of the applications determined by the Merseyside
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development corporation were within eight weeks. This increased to 60 per cent. for the first three quarters of 1991, the most up-to-date information available.Legal counsel's advice to the corporation is that it does not have the power to delegate minor, non-contentious planning decisions to officials.
Property Services Agency
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to sell Property Services Agency Projects by single tender.
Mr. Yeo : There is no truth in the rumours that PSA Projects is about to be sold by single tender. A prospective purchaser has indicated that an unsolicited bid may be made for Projects shortly. If that happens careful consideration will be given to the merits of launching a sale competition in the near future. In considering the sale timetable I will want to take into account the need to ensure adequate staff consultation and competition.
Landfill Sites
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the terms of reference of the study commissioned by his Department into the blighting effects on home owners of landfill gas sites ; when this study will be completed ; and whether it will be published.
Mr. Trippier [holding answer 24 January 1992] : The terms of reference are to examine examples of blight and public concern which have already occurred in relation to specific contaminated sites, including gassing landfills ; and to identify the nature and form of information and guidance that will be required.
A draft report has just been received by the Department. The findings of the study will be used in preparing a programme of information and publicity for the general public, and in guidance for local authorities.
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Local Government Finance
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total expenditure of local authorities, in England and Wales, in each year since 1979, expressed in (a) current prices and (b) 1991 prices.
Mr. Key [holding answer 24 January 1992] : The available information is as follows :
Local Authority Revenue Expenditure England
Total Expenditure
£ million
|Cash |1991-92 Prices
------------------------------------------------------------
1981-82 |18,171 |32,558
1982-83 |19,737 |33,014
1983-84 |20,809 |33,266
1984-85 |21,312 |32,447
1985-86 |21,661 |31,252
1986-87 |23,760 |33,190
1987-88 |25,686 |34,029
1988-89 |27,667 |34,200
1989-90 |29,404 |34,133
Net Revenue Expenditure
1990-91 |33,142 |35,462
1991-92 |36,256 |36,256
Notes:
1. Total Expenditure 1981-82 to 1989-90 and Net Revenue
Expenditure 1990-91 to 1991-92 are not directly comparable
as they derive from two different financial systems.
2. Information relating to Welsh Authorities is a matter
for the Secretary of State for Wales.
Uniform Business Rate
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount raised in 1990-91 through the uniform business rate in Greater London and the expected amount in 1991-92 ; and what amounts in global and percentage terms were made available to London boroughs, expressed (a) overall and (b) by borough.
Mr. Key : The available information is as follows :
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1990-91 1991-92
|Final |Receipts from |Receipts as a |Provisional |Receipts from |Receipts as a
|contribution to|pool |percentage of |contribution to|pool |percentage of
|pool<1> |contribution |pool |contribution
|(£ million) |(£ million) |(Per cent.) |(£ million) |(£ million) |(Per cent.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City of London |537.8 |0.8 |0 |603.7 |1.3 |0
Camden |174.0 |38.0 |22 |213.7 |46.1 |22
Greenwich |29.0 |45.4 |157 |32.6 |54.8 |168
Hackney |51.8 |38.3 |74 |64.6 |45.9 |71
Hammersmith and Fulham |51.5 |34.6 |67 |71.3 |41.8 |59
Islington |85.5 |36.5 |43 |107.7 |44.6 |41
Kensington and Chelsea |46.1 |24.2 |52 |66.4 |37.0 |56
Lambeth |51.1 |50.5 |99 |60.9 |60.2 |99
Lewisham |22.8 |50.0 |219 |26.1 |58.3 |223
Southwark |84.3 |48.3 |57 |102.4 |57.8 |56
Tower Hamlets |75.7 |33.0 |44 |90.8 |41.9 |46
Wandsworth |29.9 |60.4 |202 |42.5 |69.1 |163
Westminster |487.0 |39.5 |8 |601.4 |47.4 |8
Barking and Dagenham |29.1 |32.0 |110 |32.1 |38.5 |120
Barnet |45.0 |66.2 |147 |57.1 |77.9 |136
Bexley |25.0 |48.2 |193 |31.1 |58.2 |187
Brent |68.4 |56.7 |83 |77.5 |67.1 |87
Bromley |31.5 |67.8 |215 |40.2 |79.9 |199
Croydon |57.3 |69.5 |121 |67.9 |84.3 |124
Ealing |69.2 |61.1 |88 |84.9 |72.5 |85
Enfield |47.3 |57.3 |121 |54.7 |70.5 |129
Haringey |47.1 |41.3 |88 |49.0 |52.7 |108
Harrow |28.5 |44.0 |154 |35.1 |53.0 |151
Havering |29.3 |51.8 |177 |34.9 |62.0 |177
Hillingdon |92.4 |51.3 |56 |116.7 |61.6 |53
Hounslow |90.3 |45.1 |50 |105.0 |53.5 |51
Kingston |30.3 |29.9 |99 |37.0 |35.0 |95
Merton |27.5 |38.2 |139 |33.0 |46.1 |140
Newham |50.1 |46.7 |93 |55.9 |55.5 |99
Redbridge |20.8 |50.3 |242 |26.8 |60.5 |226
Richmond |28.4 |36.1 |127 |34.0 |43.8 |129
Sutton |25.9 |37.6 |145 |30.9 |44.4 |144
Waltham Forest |27.4 |46.9 |171 |32.9 |56.0 |170
All Greater London |2,597.6 |1,477.4 |57 |3,120.9 |1,779.5 |57
<1>These are local authorities' own calculations of the final contribution to the non-domestic rates pool. The Secretary of State is
still considering the auditors reports for some of these authorities.
In addition to the receipts from the pool, the City of London budgeted to receive £25 million in 1990-91 and £30 million in 1991-92 from the locally determined rate.
The total amount raised from non-domestic rates includes payments by properties on the central and Crown lists direct to the pool. These amounts are not available broken down by area. The total amount available for distribution from the pool in 1990-91 was £10.4 billion and in 1991-92 £12.4 billion. This includes £1.6 billion in respect of properties on central and Crown lists in each year.
Contributions to the pool and payments out of the pool may not balance within the year concerned. Any excess amounts in the pool at the end of the year are carried forward and made available for distribution in the following year.
Revenue support grant is paid to compensate authorities for the difference between (a) the amount received from the non-domestic rates pool plus the amount that could be received by the authority from community charges if it charged the community charge for standard spending and (b) the standard spending assessment for the area as a whole.
PA Consulting
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will formally publish the report by PA Consulting group.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 24 January 1992] : No.
Sprinkler Systems
Mr. Ken Hargreaves : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures will be required to ensure that sprinkler systems will be effective during the lifetime of a building following the introduction of new building regulations on 10 December 1991.
Mr. John Patten : I have been asked to reply.
Section 15 of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987 will be implemented to enable sprinklers to be cited on fire certificates as a means of fighting fire. I also plan to make regulations under section 12 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 to provide for the maintenance of such systems installed for the purpose of building regulations in non-certified premises. These measures will take effect from 1 June 1992.
Column 486
NATIONAL FINANCE
Balance of Trade
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state for each year since 1962 (a) the visible trade balance and as a percentage of gross national product, and (b) the balance of payments and as a percentage of gross national product.
Mr. Mellor : Following is the information :
Visible balance<1> Current balance
|£ billion |As |£ billion |As
|percentage|percentage
|of GNP |of GNP
------------------------------------------------------------------
1962 |-0.1 |-0.4 |+0.1 |+0.6
1963 |-0.1 |-0.4 |+0.1 |+0.4
1964 |-0.5 |-1.8 |-0.4 |-1.2
1965 |-0.3 |-0.8 |-0.1 |-0.2
1966 |-0.1 |-0.3 |+0.1 |+0.4
1967 |-0.6 |-1.7 |-0.3 |-0.8
1968 |-0.7 |-1.9 |-0.3 |-0.7
1969 |-0.2 |-0.5 |+0.5 |+1.2
1970 |nil |nil |+0.8 |+1.8
1971 |+0.2 |+0.4 |+1.1 |+2.2
1972 |-0.7 |-1.3 |+0.2 |+0.4
1973 |-2.6 |-3.8 |-1.0 |-1.5
1974 |-5.2 |-6.8 |-3.2 |-4.1
1975 |-3.3 |-3.4 |-1.5 |-1.6
1976 |-4.0 |-3.5 |-0.8 |-0.7
1977 |-2.3 |-1.8 |+0.1 |nil
1978 |-1.6 |-1.1 |+1.1 |+0.7
1979 |-3.3 |-1.9 |-0.5 |-0.3
1980 |+1.4 |+0.7 |+2.8 |+1.4
1981 |+3.3 |+1.5 |+6.7 |+3.1
1982 |+1.9 |+0.8 |+4.6 |+1.9
1983 |-1.5 |-0.6 |+3.8 |+1.4
1984 |-5.3 |-1.9 |+1.8 |+0.6
1985 |-3.3 |-1.1 |+2.9 |+0.9
1986 |-9.6 |-2.9 |+0.2 |+0.1
1987 |-11.6 |-3.2 |-4.2 |-1.1
1988 |-21.6 |-5.4 |-15.5 |-3.9
1989 |-24.6 |-5.6 |-20.4 |-4.6
1990 |-18.7 |-3.9 |-15.2 |-3.2
1991 |-10.0 |- |-5.8 |-
<1>Balance of payments basis.
Departmental Statistics
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the source of the statistics published by his Department relating to company profitability, liquidity and investment.
Mr. Maples : Gross profitability is calculated using national accounts estimates, all the sources of which are
Column 487
described in "National Accounts : Sources and Methods". The main sources are tax assessments and statistical inquiries.More information on the calculation of the profitability of industrial and commercial companies, on the sources of data on liquidity and on the sources of data on gross trading profits are contained in Central Statistical Office bulletins 71/91, 89/91 and 86/91, respectively.
Copies of all the publications referred to are in the Library of the House.
Global Growth Strategy
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report, column 12, what response he gave to the United States Treasury Under-Secretary's request for co- operation in the development of a global growth strategy among G7 countries.
Mr. Maples : The Chancellor attended the meeting of G7 finance Ministers in New York on 25 January. The Ministers and governors had a full discussion of prospects for their economies, under the chairmanship of United States Treasury Secretary Brady. They agreed there was a need to intensify their co-operative efforts to improve the conditions for non- inflationary growth in their economies, thereby strengthening the world economy. A copy of the statement issued after the meeting is in the Library of the House.
Corporation Tax
Dr. Moonie : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figure of corporation tax paid in 1989-90 and 1990-91 for each of the three groups industrial and provident societies, building societies, and co -operative societies, which are aggregated on page 77 of the Inland Revenue Statistics 1991.
Mr. Maude : Building societies paid £614 million of mainstream corporation tax in 1989-90 and £556 million in 1990-91. Industrial and provident societies and co-operative societies paid £33 million in 1989-90 and £43 million in 1990-91. Further disaggregation of these figures could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Board of Inland Revenue
Ms. Walley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his proposals relating to the review of management and grading and the review of the organisation and structure of the Board of Inland Revenue.
Mr. Maude : An announcement will be made as soon as decisions have been arrived at.
Bingham Inquiry
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his evidence to the Lord Justice Bingham was oral or in written form ; if he will publish his evidence ; and whether the evidence was given at his own request.
Mr. Maples : Lord Justice Bingham is taking evidence in private, for reasons which are well understood. It would not therefore be appropriate for me to publish the evidence I have given to Lord Justice Bingham or to disclose any
Column 488
details about it. The Prime Minister assured the House on 22 July 1991, at column 759, that all Ministers and officials would co-operate fully with Lord Justice Bingham's inquiries, and we are doing so.Inspectors of Taxes
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the rewards, financial or non-financial, for Her Majesty's inspectors of taxes arising as a result of interest, penalties and back duty investigations in which they were engaged ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude : Inspectors of taxes, like other civil servants, are eligible to be considered for performance pay based on an appraisal of their overall performance over a period. But they do not receive any financial or non-financial rewards based on the results of back duty investigations in which they have been engaged.
Tax Allowances and Reliefs
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in a full year in (a) 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93 of introducing an upper limit on all income tax allowances and reliefs of (i) £10,000, (ii) £15,000 and (iii) £20,000 a year, limiting all personal tax allowances except the single person's allowance and relief on contributions to personal pensions to the basic rate, with a 50 per cent. income tax band on taxable incomes of (1) £31,705 and above, (2) £33,705 and above, (3) £36,705 and above, (4) £38,705 and above, (5) £41,705 and above, (6) £43,705 and above, (7) £66,705 and above and (8) £76,705 and above, giving the total revenue in each case and the numbers of people affected ; (2) if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in a full year in (a) 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93 of introducing an upper limit on all income tax allowances and reliefs of (i) £10,000, (ii) £15,000 and (iii) £20,000 a year, and limiting all personal tax allowances except the single person's allowance to the basic rate, with relief on contributions limited to personal pensions to the basic rate, and relief on employees' contributions to occupational pension schemes limited to the basic rate, with a 50 per cent. income tax band on taxable incomes of (1) £31,705 and above, (2) £33,705 and above, (3) £36,705 and above, (4) £38,705 and above, (5) £41,705 and above, (6) £43,705 and above, (7) £66,705 and above and (8) £76,705 and above, giving the total revenue in each case and the numbers of people affected ;
(3) if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in a full year in (a) 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93 of introducing an upper limit on all income tax allowances and reliefs of (i) £10,000, (ii) £15,000 and (iii) £20,000 a year, and limiting relief on contributions to personal pensions and occupational pension schemes to the basic rate, and limiting of all personal tax allowances except the single person's allowance to the basic rate, and with a 50 per cent. income tax band on taxable incomes of (1) £31,705 and above, (2) £33,705 and above, (3) £36,705 and above, (4) £38,705 and above, (5) £41,705 and above, (6) £43,705 and above, (7) £66,705 and above and (8) £76,705 and above, giving the total revenue in each case and the numbers of people affected.
Column 489
Mr. Maude [holding answer on 21 January 1992] : It is estimated that at 1991-92 levels of income the introduction of the upper limits specified would yield the following.
Yield following restriction of
specified allowances and relief on
contributions to personal pensions to
the basic rate (£ million)
50 per ceUpper Limit for total allowance
taxable iand reliefs
threshold
|£10,000|£15,000|£20,000
----------------------------------------
£31,705 |470 |200 |120
£33,705 |470 |200 |120
£36,705 |470 |200 |120
£38,705 |470 |200 |120
£41,705 |470 |200 |120
£43,705 |470 |200 |120
£66,705 |470 |200 |120
£76,705 |460 |200 |120
Yield following restriction of
specified allowances and relief on
contributions to occupational pension
schemes limited to the basic
rate (£ million)
50 per ceUpper limit for total allowance
taxable iand reliefs
threshold
|£10,000|£15,000|£20,000
----------------------------------------
£31,705 |540 |240 |150
£33,705 |540 |240 |150
£36,705 |530 |240 |150
£38,705 |530 |240 |150
£41,705 |530 |240 |150
£43,705 |530 |240 |150
£66,705 |520 |230 |140
£76,705 |520 |230 |140
50 per ceUpper limit for total allowance
taxable iand reliefs
threshold
|£10,000|£15,000|£20,000
£31,705 |450 |190 |120
£33,705 |450 |190 |120
£36,705 |450 |190 |120
£38,705 |450 |190 |120
£41,705 |450 |190 |120
£43,705 |450 |190 |110
£66,705 |440 |190 |110
£76,705 |440 |180 |110
The number of people with total allowances and reliefs in excess of £10,000 is about 635,000. The corresponding figures for £15,000 and £20,000 are about 75,000 and 35,000 respectively.
The estimates of revenue yield do not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from the introduction of such a limit.
It is not possible to provide corresponding detailed estimates for 1992-93.
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on Treasury revenues in a full year in (a) 1991-92 and (b) 1992-93 of introducing an upper limit on all income tax allowances and reliefs of (i) £10,000, (ii) £15,000 and (iii) £20,000 a year, with a 50 per cent. income tax band on taxable incomes of (1) £31,705 and above, (2) £33,705 and above, (3) £36,705 and above, (4) £38,705 and above, (5) £41,705 and above, (6) £43,705
Column 490
and above, (7) £66,705 and above and (8) £76,705 and above, giving the total revenue in each case and the numbers of people affected.Mr. Maude [holding answer 21 January 1992] : After the introduction of a 50 per cent. tax band the estimated further yield from imposing the specified limits would be as follows :
Full year yield at 1991-92 income
levels
ThresholdLimit for total allowances and
per cent.reliefs
|£10,000|£15,000|£20,000
----------------------------------------
£31,705 |710 |290 |170
£33,705 |700 |290 |170
£36,705 |700 |290 |170
£38,705 |700 |290 |170
£41,705 |690 |290 |170
£43,705 |690 |290 |170
£66,705 |660 |280 |170
£76,705 |650 |280 |170
The number of people with total allowances and reliefs in excess of £10,000 is about 635,000. The corresponding figures for £15,000 and £20,000 are about 75,000 and 35,000 respectively.
It is not possible to provide corresponding detailed estimates for 1992-93.
Tax and National Insurance
Mr. Forman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the net average gain or loss of those on gross incomes of between £20,280 and £27,000, £27,000 and £33,000, £33,000 and £50,000 and over £50,000, of an increase in the national insurance contributions upper earnings limit to £33,000, a 42 per cent. tax band between £33,000 and £50,000 and a 50 per cent. tax band on incomes over £50,000 ; and how many taxpayers are in each of the four income groups.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 22 January 1992] : Information for 1992-93 is as follows for those with gross incomes in the ranges specified. The tax regime has been applied in terms of taxable income ranges--income after deduction of allowances and reliefs--with the thresholds specified.
|Number of |Average
|taxpayers |increase in
|tax and NIC<1>
Gross income |Thousands |£ per year
---------------------------------------------------------------
Less than £20,280 |20,210 |0
£20,280-£27,000 |2,500 |90
£27,000-£33,000 |930 |380
£33,000-£50,000 |870 |640
Over £50,000 |490 |3,840
Total |25,000 |120
<1>Compared with statutory indexation.
Mr. Forman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the net revenue implications in a full year of (a) an increase in the national insurance contributions upper earnings limit to £33,000, (b) a tax band of 42 per cent. on gross income between £33,000 and £50,000 and (c) a tax band of 50 per cent. on gross income over £50,000.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 22 January 1992] : At 1992-93 levels of income an increase in the upper earnings
Column 491
limit for employees to £33,000 would yield about £1.4 billion in a full year. The imposition of a 42 per cent. tax rate on taxable incomes between £33,000 and £50,000 and 50 per cent. on taxable incomes over £50,000 would yield an additional £1.7 billion in a full year compared with statutory indexation. Taxable income is after deduction of reliefs and allowances. It is not possible to provide a cost of applying these rates to ranges defined in terms of gross incomes, because tax liability depends on the allowances and reliefs available to those concerned.Income Tax
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the revenue which would be raised by a tax rate of 50 per cent. on taxable incomes of £70,000, and at decreasing £5,000 levels from this level.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 27 January 1991] : The information is in the table.
Estimated yields in 1992-93 from a 50 per cent. tax rate Threshold of |Yield at taxable |1992-93 levels income at |of income which 50 per |(£ million) cent. rate is charged (£) --------------------------------------------- 25,000 |3,360 30,000 |2,700 35,000 |2,250 40,000 |1,920 45,000 |1,670 50,000 |1,470 55,000 |1,320 60,000 |1,190 65,000 |1,090 70,000 |1,000
These estimates do not allow for any behavioural effect that might result from such changes to the tax system and do not include capital gains tax.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
India
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his recent visit to India ; and what response the Indian Government has made to Her Majesty's Government raising of alleged human rights abuses, particularly in the Punjab.
Mr. Hurd : I visited India on 15 to 18 January. I had useful meetings with the President, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers for External Affairs, Home Affairs, Finance, Defence and Commerce. Our relations with India have improved and are in an excellent state, which enables both sides to speak frankly as between friends even about sensitive matters.
I expresssed strong support for the Indian Government's decision to hold elections in Punjab, and my hope that a similar political process could start in Kashmir. At the same time I criticised interventions from outside which promote violence in both places. On human rights, I emphasised the importance of greater openness in dealing with allegations of abuses and urged that Amnesty International be allowed access to report on the situation.
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The Indian Government gave assurances that alleged abuses of human rights were all investigated, and noted my points about the need for more transparency.Israel
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Israeli Government concerning the continued closure of Bir Zeit university.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : On 6 January our ambassador in Tel Aviv, together with his EC colleagues, made strong representations to the Israeli Foreign Minister about the decision to extend the closure order on Bir Zeit university. We shall continue to do all we can to persuade the Israelis to allow all academic institutions in the occupied territories to function freely.
Kuwait
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Kuwait Government concerning the abuse of human rights to non-Kuwaiti citizens.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Since the liberation of Kuwait we have made repeated representations to the Kuwaitis about the need to respect the human rights of non-Kuwaiti citizens. I am happy to say that there has been a considerable improvement in this regard.
Cambodia
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain a copy of the report, "Land Mines in Cambodia : the Cowards' War", by Rae McGrath, for his departmental library.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The publication has been ordered.
Nicaragua
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are employed in Her Majesty's embassy in Nicaragua ; and whether he has any plans to increase the establishment.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : An ambassador supported by one other United Kingdom-based and six locally engaged staff. Levels of staffing are, however, kept under constant review.
Iraq
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are being made for the destruction and removal of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction as identified by the United Nations team.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The special commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency have already destroyed, removed or rendered harmless munitions, components, equipment and materials from Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programme. Details are outlined in UN Security Council documents S/23295, 17 December 1991, S/23165, 25 October 1991, and S/23268,
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4December 1991, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. These reports also describe future destruction and removal plans currently in the planning phase, or under negotiation with contractors.Gulf States
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Gulf states Governments concerning a democratisation of their political systems.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have explained to Governments of the Gulf countries our policy for promoting good government, democracy and human rights. Every state in the region needs to find its own way to provide for popular participation in government. We welcome the commitment of Kuwait to hold elections to the national assembly in October, as we welcome both the establishment of Oman's consultative council in December 1991, and plans to establish a similar council in Saudi Arabia.
Felesmina Dos Santos Consecao
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Indonesian Government over the case of Felesmina Dos Santos Consecao, jailed in connection with the Santa Cruz massacre.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We are aware of the charges against Miss Dos Santos Consecao and as her case is presently sub-judice it would be wrong to make representations to the Indonesian Government.
Correspondence
Mr. Lewis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Worsley dated 30 November concerning Mr. Kadir, of 21 Standfield drive, Boothstown, Worsley.
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