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CBI Manufacturing Council
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet received any representations from the newly established manufacturing council of the CBI ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Mellor : I have not received any representations from the manufacturing council of the CBI.
Inflation
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average inflation rate (i) from 1974 to 1979 and (ii) since 1979 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maples : Between December 1973 and December 1979 the average annual rate of inflation, as measured by the retail prices index, was 16 per cent. per annum. This compares with 6.9 per cent. for the period December 1979 to December 1991.
Output
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the output figures used in CSO press notice CSO(92)14 for November using current instead of 1985 weights.
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Mr. Mellor : Information, using weights later than 1985, is not available and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.Trade Figures
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the sets of trade figures for 1991 and for the latest quarter as a percentage of 1985, in the form used in CSO press notice CSO(92)15, using 1991 weighting.
Mr. Mellor : No. The press notice referred to by the hon. Member gives trade volume and unit value indices using 1985 weights and, following well-established procedures, will be rebased on 1990 in the course of 1993.
Customs Office, Dartmouth
Mr. Steen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the proposed closure of the customs office in Dartmouth, south Devon ; and what steps are being taken in response to the increase in drug trafficking in the south-west.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The completion of the single market on 1 January 1993 will mean that fiscal and customs formalities at internal EC frontiers will be removed permitting the freest movement of legitimate traffic and passengers. However anti-smuggling checks will remain and these will be focused on major dangers to society such as drugs, instruments of terrorism and child pornography. The effects of the single market on staffing in the Customs and Excise department are particularly significant in ports and airports that deal predominantly with traffic arriving from other EC countries, which is the case in Dartmouth. Consequently the department has had to examine carefully both the numbers and location of staff in such areas.
In determining future customs anti-smuggling resources, the aim has been to provide a service which is better equipped and targeted at areas of highest risk. A further consideration is the more flexible approach being adopted in the way the controls are organised ; this moves away from the static controls previously used.
This approach has been adopted nationally as a result of the review of anti -smuggling controls completed by the department in 1989. The changes in no way reduce the effectiveness of controls against drug trafficking. Customs is also taking steps to ensure provision of more timely and adequate intelligence.
A flexible anti-smuggling team is based in Plymouth which covers the south Devon area and additionally it is proposed to retain a Customs presence at both Brixham and Salcombe.
Hong Kong (Ministerial Visit)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, on his visit to Hong Kong in November 1990, the Economic Secretary took part in party political activities in addition to official duties.
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Income Tax
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the revenue effect in (a) 1992-93 and (b) a full year if (i) all personal tax allowances except the single person's allowance, (ii) employee contributions to occupational pensions, (iii) contributions to personal pensions, (iv) reliefs other than those listed at (i) to (iii) above, (v) a combination of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), (vi) a combination of (i), (ii) and (iii), (vii) a combination of (ii) and (iii), (viii) a combination of (ii), (iii) and (iv), (ix) a combination of (ii) and (iv) and (x) a combination of (iii) and (iv), were restricted to the basic rate, giving the numbers affected in each case, distinguishing between (1) basic rate taxpayers and (2) higher rate taxpayers and giving the number who are brought into higher rate tax in each case for the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maude : Estimates of the increase in liability to income tax in a full year at 1991-92 levels of income are given in the following table :
Yield following restriction of specified allowances
and reliefs to the basic rate
|£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) |All allowances except the personal allowance|300
(ii) |Occupational pension contributions |250
(iii) |Personal pension contributions |150
(iv) |All reliefs other than pension contributions|150
(v) |A combination of (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) |900
(vi) |A combination of (i), (ii) and (iii) |750
(vii) |A combination of (ii) and (iii) |400
(viii) |A combination of (ii), (iii) and (iv) |550
(ix) |A combination of (ii) and (iv) |400
(x) |A combination of (iii) and (iv) |300
About 1.8 million taxpayers would be affected by the restriction of all allowances, except the personal allowance, and reliefs to the basic rate of whom 1.5 million are currently liable at the higher rate and 0.3 million at the basic rate.
The estimates of revenue yield do not take account of any behavioural effects which might result from such restrictions. I regret that it is not possible to provide estimates for 1992-93.
EC Economic Convergence
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he proposes to measure convergence between the economies of European Community member states.
Mr. Maude : The Maastricht treaty emphasises four criteria for assessing economic convergence. These criteria concern the levels of inflation and interest rates ; membership of the narrow band of the ERM ; and avoidance of excessive budget deficits.
ECOFIN
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outocme of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.
Mr. Maples : The Economic and Finance Council of the European Community met in Brussels on 10 February. I represented the United Kingdom.
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The Council discussed the Irish Government's programme for economic convergence, and welcomed their achievement to date in reducing inflation and putting their public finances on a sound basis. The Council encouraged Ireland to continue with its policies to reduce its very high level of unemployment through tax reform, improved flexibility, adaptation of industrial policy and wage moderation. The Irish commitment to reduce its public debt to 89 per cent. of GDP in 1993 was also noted as a sign of its Government's determination to continue budgetary consolidation. The Council invited the Commission and the monetary committee to monitor the implementation of the programme and to report back to the Council before the end of 1992.The Council also carried out its biannual examination of the Community's economic situation, noting the current low growth and high unemployment in the Community and focusing on the need for greater convergence especially in the areas of inflation, labour market flexibility and savings. The Council noted that structural rigidities, especially labour market inflexibility, were major obstacles to price stability, catching up and lower unemployment. It was also agreed that an adequate level of savings is required to maintain investment and economic growth, to support capital accumulation in poorer regions and to allow the Community to meet its external commitments. The Council invited the Commission, the committee of governors and the monetary and economic policy committees to examine these issues further in time for the next multilateral surveillance exercise.
The annual economic report for 1991-92 was adopted without discussion.
The Commission confirmed to the Council that the problems which had delayed the disbursement of a 500 mecu food credit for Russia appeared to have been solved. It was agreed that the first tranche of the separately agreed 1.25 becu loan should also be made available to those other states of the former Soviet Union who had signed a memorandum of understanding with official creditors about the debts of the former Soviet Union. It was also agreed that EC members would work to ensure that the states of the former Soviet Union can become members of the IMF as soon as possible.
The Council accepted the presidency proposals to resolve the outstanding issues in respect of the adoption of the 1992 Community budget. A revision to the financial perspective was agreed which would meet the Council's particular concerns over research and make available up to 450 mecu for technical assistance to the former Soviet Union.
Agreement was also reached on the outstanding detailed issues surrounding the draft directive on the arrangements for the holding, movement and control of goods subject to excise duty, which had been agreed in principle by the Council on 16 December. The directive can now be formally adopted at a future Council meeting without further discussion. The Council also emphasised the importance of adopting the directives on excise duty structures and rates which are currently under discussion and set targets for doing so at the end of April and the end of June respectively.
The presidency outlined an ambitious programme for making progress in the single market and the Commission drew attention to the need to make progress in agreeing directives in the field of company taxation.
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Profit Margins
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the reduction in profit margins in manufacturing industry since the end of 1989 as a percentage of sales and the effect that that has had on (a) the rate of inflation, (b) the export price of manufactured goods and (c) the value and volume of imports and exports of manufactured goods.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 12 February 1992] : The rate of inflation, trade prices and trade volumes depend on a wide range of interrelated factors and it is not possible to isolate the effects of changes in profit margins.
Exchange Rate Mechanism
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect to date of membership of the exchange rate mechanism on the profitability of United Kingdom manufacturing industry ; what is his forecast for 1992 ; and what effect membership has had and is expected to have on output and employment in manufacturing industry.
Mr. Mellor [holding answer 12 February 1992] : Profitability, output and employment depend on a range of factors. ERM membership has reinforced anti-inflationary policy and brought greater exchange rate stability, thereby enabling businesses across the United Kingdom to plan and invest with greater certainty. Since joining the ERM, we have been able to reduce interest rates on eight occasions by a total of 4 percentage points.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Personal Information
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to allow a consumer to consent to, or be aware of, those uses and disclosures of personal information not obvious at the time the consumer provides the information ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : Existing legislation provides for individuals in certain circumstances to be aware that information which they disclose about themselves may be used for marketing and other purposes and give them the opportunity to object. I have no plans to introduce any further controls in this area.
RECHAR Grants
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what applications have been made for RECHAR grants in relation to Nottingham ; what payments have been made ; and when he expects the European Commission to make the outstanding payments.
Mr. Leigh : The United Kingdom made applications for 11 coalfield areas, including Nottingham, in July 1990. The European Commission has yet to approve them, and no RECHAR money has so far been released to the United Kingdom. We hope that the Commission will approve these applications very soon.
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to allow local
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authorities to negotiate and conclude agreements for RECHAR grants without any involvement of central Government ; and what information he has on current practice in this regard in each of the other EC countries.Mr. Leigh [holding answer 11 February 1992] : No. I understand that such is not the practice in any member state.
Departmental Achievements
Mr. Gregory : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the expenditure and achievements of his Department in north Yorkshire during 1991 ; and what was the comparable position between June 1979 and May 1980.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 11 February 1992] : The table lists grants offered to firms in north Yorkshire under the regional selective assistance, regional enterprise grants and the small firms merit award for research and technology schemes, together with the number of cases where terms of reference were agreed under the enterprise initiative subsidised consultancy scheme. Figures for regional development grant in 1979 are not available.
|June 1979 to |January to
|May 1980 |December 1991
|(£) |(£)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regional selective assistance<1> |927,716 |4,920
Regional enterprise grants<2> |- |41,375
Small firms merit award for
research and technology<3> |- |330,000
Enterprise initiative
consultancies<4> (number) |- |107
<1> Following the review of the AA map in November 1984 only
Whitby remained eligible for regional aid in north Yorkshire.
<2> Scheme started April 1988.
<3> Scheme started June 1988.
<4> Scheme started January 1989.
HEALTH
Drugs
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what ACE inhibitor drugs are licensed for use in the United Kingdom ; what guidance has been issued to family health service authorities and general practitioners on the use of such drugs ; and what was the expenditure per head in each NHS region on such drugs during the period April to October 1991 in the PACT data system.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : The information requested is given in the tables.
1. ACE inhibitor drugs licensed for use in the United Kingdom : Drug Name
Capoten
Capozide
Innovace
Staril
Carace
Coversyl
Accupro
Tritace
Vascace
Zestril
2. Net ingredient cost (£) per head for ACE inhibitors April 1991 to September 1991 inclusive.
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Regional Health Authority |Net Ingredient
|Cost per head
|(£)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern RHA |0.82
Yorkshire RHA |0.85
Trent RHA |0.81
East Anglia RHA |0.73
North West Thames RHA |0.75
North East Thames RHA |0.78
South East Thames RHA |0.84
South West Thames RHA |0.85
Wessex RHA |1.03
Oxford RHA |0.83
South Western RHA |0.99
West Midlands RHA |0.85
Mersey RHA |1.00
North Western RHA |0.91
England |0.86
Note: The expenditure data used are the net ingredient cost of ACE
Inhibitors for the period April to September 1991 inclusive and have
been obtained from the Prescription Pricing Authority. The data are
actual and take account of all prescriptions dispensed including
dispensing doctors. The population figures used are based on the
OPCS estimate of resident population for mid-year 1990.
3. Although no specific guidance has been issued to FHSAs and GPs on the use of ACE inhibitors, guidance is contained in the British National Formulary which is distributed by the Department, free of charge, to all prescribing doctors and in the data sheets supplied by the companies which market these drugs.
Home Care Agencies
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to arrange for the registrations of all private and voluntary home care agencies ; and how many representations he received advocating this move during 1991.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 24 January at column 396. During 1991 representations were received from a small number of organisations.
Respite Care (Children)
Mr. Bellotti : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Children Act 1989 to prohibit local authorities charging parents for the provision of respite care.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : No. The Children Act continues the longstanding provision for a contribution to the maintenance of a child looked after by the local authority. It makes no distinction between the provision of short term pre-planned placements--respite care--and longer- term provision of accommodation. Both fall within the range of services for which local authorities have discretion as to charging. In exercising that discretion, local authorities are required to have regard to the means of the child concerned, where the service is provided to a child aged 16 or over, or his parents, where the child is under sixteen. Local authorities cannot charge for services where the child--or his/her parents depending on the child's age--is on income support. Where there is disagreement as to what is a "reasonable" charge there are provisions within the Children Act enabling the matter to be referred to the courts for resolution.
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Leighton Hospital, Crewe and Mid-Cheshire Hospital Trust
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the changes in senior nursing staff which are taking place at Leighton hospital, Crewe ;
(2) what information he has received from the Mid-Cheshire hospital trust of the re-grading of senior nurses, the numbers involved and the specialties which will no longer have the same ratio of trained staff of G grade level and above available for patient care.
Mr. Dorrell : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Richard F. Lawrence, the chairman of the Mid -Cheshire hospital trust, for details.
HIV
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that dental care is readily available to people who are HIV positive.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Dental care of HIV positive patients as with any other patient is provided by general dental practitioners. Any individual who has difficulty in obtaining dental treatment is advised to contact his family health services authority.
GP Practices
Mr. Janman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners practices there are in the Thurrock parliamentary constituency with (a) more than 9,000 patients, (b) between 7,000 and 9,000 patients, (c) between 5,000 and 7,000 patients, (d) between 3,000 and 5,000 patients, (e) between 1,000 and 3,000 patients and (f) fewer than 1,000 patients.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Information is not available centrally in the form requested.
Prescription Charges
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS prescription and other charges and the value of optical vouchers from 1st April 1992.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : I shall shortly lay before the House regulations providing for increases in prescription charges in the National Health Service in England and Wales which will take effect on 1 April 1992. The prescription charges will increase by 35p from £3.40 to £3.75 for each quantity of a drug or appliance dispensed. Spectacle vouchers-- which are available to people on low incomes--go up by 9.5 per cent.
Concurrently regulations are being laid by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to increase the charges in Scotland by the same amount. Similar arrangements will apply in Northern Ireland.
The new charge will continue to represent less than half the average total cost of a single prescription item to the NHS. The existing wide-ranging exemption arrangements will remain unchanged. Rates for prepayment certificates will rise in line with the increase in prescription charges. A prescription charge is now paid on about one item in six dispensed in the NHS. When the Government took office,
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one item in three attracted a charge. In 1990-91, the drugs bill was nearly £2.1 billion. The increase will raise about £240 million for the NHS.Charges for elastic stockings and tights, fabric supports and wigs supplied through the hospital service will also be increased from 1 April 1992 by a similar percentage to the rise in the prescription charge.
There is no change to the proportional charge--75 per cent.--for general dental services. However the maximum charge will be raised to £225 with effect from 1 April 1992.
I am pleased to announce that as from 1 April 1992 the overall value of optical vouchers will increase by 9.5 per cent. I have also, in response to representations increased the number of voucher bands from six to eight so as to reflect more accurately the range of manufacturer's wholesale prices.
The result of these changes will be that the majority of voucher holders will find themselves considerably better off. In particular, the value of voucher A, the commonest voucher, will increase by 20.3 per cent. ; voucher B will increase by 20.1 per cent. ; and users requiring complex single vision lenses will find the value of their voucher increased by 104.1 per cent.
I am also pleased to announce that from 1 April 1992 charges made to patients for the use of oxygen concentrators in the home will be discontinued.
Extra-contractual Referrals
Ms. Harman : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state for each district health authority, and the national total, the amount of money still remaining at January 1991 in budgets which have been set aside for extra-contractual referrals in 1991-92.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 30 January 1992] : Information about individual district health authorities reserves for extra-contractual referrals is not held centrally. Our most recent information based on the regional returns made in January 1992 shows that nationally around £53 million--26 per cent.--of the reserves set aside for extra-contractual referrals remains for the last quarter of the year.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Kurds
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to instigate a debate in the United Nations on the massacre of Kurd civilians in 1988, with a view to establishing a United Nations investigation into allegations of genocide related specifically to those atrocities.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Iraq's appalling human rights record is already under scrutiny at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. The United Nations has appointed a special rapporteur to report on human rights in Iraq. He has our full support. These latest reports simply underline Saddam Hussein's total disregard for international norms of behaviour.
Hong Kong (Ministerial Visits)
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Ministers of State took part in party political activities in addition to official
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duties during each of their visits to Hong Kong in (a) February and June 1988, (b) January and September 1989 and (c) April, July and September 1990.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My noble Friend Lord Glenarthur saw fellow Conservatives in June 1988 and my hon. Friend the Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. Maude) in April and July 1990. My noble Friend the Minister of State also met them in September 1990.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, on each of his visits to Hong Kong in (a) May 1988, (b) July 1989 and (c) January 1990, he took part in party political activities in addition to official duties.
Mr. Hurd : My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Sir G. Howe) saw fellow Conservatives briefly during his visit to Hong Kong in May 1988, but not in July 1989 and neither did I in January 1990.
Mr. and Mrs. Orton Chirwa
Mr. Jopling : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the conditions of the imprisonment of Mr. and Mrs. Orton Chirwa in Malawi ; if he will make renewed efforts to seek their release ; and whether he will set a date beyond which all aid to Malawi will be suspended, unless they are released.
Mr. Chalker : We have received reports that Mr. and Mrs. Chirwa's health has deteriorated because of the conditions under which they are held. We have therefore asked the Malawian Government for their release on humanitarian grounds. The Malawian Government have been informed that future aid levels will be influenced by their performance on human rights.
Human Rights
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all outstanding cases against the United Kingdom at the European Commission on Human Rights which have been declared admissible by the Commission but have not yet been considered by or referred to either the court or the Committee of Ministers, giving their names, application numbers and their subject matter.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : There are nine cases outstanding against the United Kingdom at the European Commission on Human Rights which have been declared admissible by
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the Commission but have not yet been considered by or referred to either the European Court of Human Rights or the Committee of Ministers :Number, name and subject matter
15767/89 Clarke--discretionary life sentence
16632/90 Colman--doctors' advertising restrictions
15058/89 Darnell--length of medical disciplinary proceedings 14778/80 Higgins--provision of legal aid
15861/89 M--provision of legal aid
14310/88 Murray and others--entry and search of the family home 13195/87 P and others--discretionary life sentences
16212/90 R--provision of legal aid
14830/89 Yousef--immigration
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