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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 10 March 1992
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
French Guyana
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the letter from the Minister for Overseas Development of 18 February to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what is the outcome of the inquiries by the British embassy in Paris about injury to the rain forest in French Guyana.
Mrs. Chalker [holding answer 2 March 1992] : The French Ministry of the Environment has confirmed that the hydro-electric project at Petit Saut referred to in the New Scientist of 25 January 1992 has over some 10 years been the subject of extensive study, including a public inquiry, which looked at all the possible options for power generation. There had been a full environmental impact assessment undertaken on the project in which the Ministry of Environment had participated. The conclusion was that a hydro-electric dam was the best option. The scheme is intended to meet not only the electricity needs of the launch-site at Kourou, but also the wider need for electricity throughout French Guyana. I am writing to the hon. Member with further details provided by French officials.
WALES
Health Service
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) on how many days consultants have been paid, or are expected to be paid, more than £1,000 per day in total payments for operations designed to reduce waiting lists in Gwent during the current financial year ; (2) what is his estimate of the current weekly cost to the national health service of operations being undertaken on their behalf by the BUPA hospital at Pentwyn, near Newport.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Operational information of this kind is not held centrally. It is for district health authorities as commissioners of care to decide on and account for the benefits and costs of any health gain investment, including consultant fees and contracts with private sector health care providers.
Assisted Area Status, Monmouth
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the names of those people who met him regarding assisted area status for Monmouth on 2 March ; and if he will provide details of the bodies that they represent.
Mr. David Hunt : On 2 March, I met Cllr. W. J. Parker, Cllr. W. G. A. Hathaway, Cllr. J. Lewis and Mr. J. Martin
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representing Monmouth borough council County Cllr. C. White, Mr. P. Smith, town clerk of Monmouth town council and Mr. Roger Evans.Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to announce his decision on assisted area status for the Monmouth travel-to-work area.
Mr. David Hunt : I am presently considering the issues put to me by local representatives at a meeting on 2 March and shall be responding in due course.
Surgical Operations
Mr. Grist : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the number of operations carried out in Wales in 1978-79 and at the latest available date for (a) hip replacements, (b) cataracts and (c) open heart surgery.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : The information on hipHSreplacements and cataracts is given for 1978, 1979 and 1989 (the latest available year) in the following table :
Principal operations in National Health
Service hospitals in Wales<1>
|1978 |1979 |1989
--------------------------------------------
Hip replacements<2> |1,372|1,501|2,407
Cataracts |2,232|2,330|5,019
<1> Figures may understate the true
position in that not all hospitals
provide complete clinical details relating
to patient discharge and
deaths.
<2> Includes replacement of head of femur
for 1989.
Source: Hospital Activity Analysis.
Information available centrally prior to 1980 on open heart operations is derived from "Hospital Activity Analysis" and is likely to understate the true position in that not all hospitals provide complete clinical details relating to patient discharges and deaths. It is not directly comparable to later information. The numbers of open heart operations reported to have been carried out in national health service hospitals in Wales in 1978 and 1979 were 185 and 161 respectively. The latest available data, however, is provided by the centrally funded, regional cardiac centre at the University hospital of Wales and shows that the following number of operations were undertaken in 1991 and up to 29 February 1992.
|By pass|Others |Total
----------------------------------------------
Adult
1991 |654 |70 |724
<1>1992 |144 |12 |156
Paediatric<2>
1991 |23 |14 |37
<1>1992 |9 |1 |10
<1>As at 29 February.
<2>Opened June 1991.
Hospitals (Car Parking)
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals in Wales which impose car parking charges.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : This is a matter for individual district health authorities and this information is not held centrally.
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Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the numbers of confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in each county in Wales in 1992, to the latest available date.
Mr. David Hunt : The numbers of confirmed cases of BSE in each county in Wales during 1992 to 28 February are shown in the table :
County |Number of
|confirmed cases
------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |62
Dyfed |288
Gwent |31
Gwynedd |13
Mid Glamorgan |9
Powys |47
South Glamorgan |17
West Glamorgan |2
Vehicle Watch Scheme
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the operation of the vehicle watch Wales scheme in Gwent.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : None. Vehicle watch is a police initiative and it is for the Gwent constabulary to assess its effectiveness in Gwent.
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to fund the vehicle watch Wales scheme ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I have received representations from the Gwent police authority about the funding of vehicle watch and these are presently under consideration.
Dairy Farmers
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the implications of the MacSharry proposals for dairy farmers in Monmouthshire ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I have received a number of representations from industry bodies in Wales and individual farmers, including some dairy producers from Monmouthshire, on the implications for the industry of the EC reform proposals.
Senior Citizens (Security)
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to ensure that senior citizens are provided with access to suitable home security equipment to ensure the security of their homes and allay fears of crime.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Assistance for installing home security equipment for senior citizens is already being provided under specific crime prevention initiatives ; as part of wider measures to improve conditions for the elderly ; and as part of the action being undertaken to renovate dwellings.
Proposals for improving household security are eligible for consideration as crime prevention measures under the
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urban programme ; any local authority in Wales may submit a bid. Projects that have received support recently include the "Cardiff Safe and Secure" initiative, and improvements to the security of the communal areas of flats on the Sandfields estate in Port Talbot. Funds made available to victim support schemes have also on occasion been used to improve household security. In undertaking such projects the needs of elderly people, especially those living alone, attract high priority. Under the Welsh Office elderly initiative scheme some £315,000 is being made available over a three-year period to support a project in Mid Glamorgan that is designed to improve the safety and well-being of senior citizens living in their own homes. In addition to providing improved door and window locks, and door viewers, the project entails the provision of advice to the elderly on how to deal with bogus officials and confidence tricksters.Within the renovation grant arrangements those over 60 who receive income related benefits may be able to get help with home security installations in the form of minor works assistance.
Crime Prevention Panels
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement regarding the funding of crime prevention panels in Wales.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Crime prevention panels are an excellent means by which local communities can become involved through voluntary activity in the fight against crime. They are encouraged to be self- sufficient and to seek local funding arrangements. Many crime prevention panels obtain private sponsorship from local businesses. Possible sources of funding will vary from area to area. Crime Concern has published a booklet entitled "Attracting Business Sponsorship" which provides detailed advice for panels on how to obtain sponsorship for crime prevention projects. Some panels have been successful in obtaining charity status and any panels wishing to do this can contact the Charity Commission who will advise them on the necessary procedures.
Although central funding is not made available to support the panels themselves, individual projects that they propose may be eligible for consideration for support under the urban programme, provided that the bids are sponsored by the appropriate local authority.
HEALTH
Kettering RHA
Mr. William Powell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the revenue allocation to the Kettering regional health authority for (a) 1982-83 and (b) 1992-93 expressed in (i) absolute terms and (ii) 1992-93 prices.
Mr. Dorrell : Information about the funds allocated by regional health authorities to district health authorities is not held centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Dr. Stuart Burgess, the chairman of Oxford regional health authority, for details.
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Mid Cheshire Hospital Trust
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses are employed by Mid Cheshire hospitals trust ; and what was the number previously employed by the health authority responsible for staffing the equivalent hospitals.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Richard F. Lawrence, the chairman of the Mid Cheshire hospitals trust for current nursing levels, and Sir Donald Wilson, the chairman of the Mersey regional health authority, who may be able to provide the historical data.
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost per hour of consultants employed by Mid Cheshire hospitals trust ; how many patients they see on average in one week's clinics ; and what time is normally taken by consultants to visit NHS patients outside the hospital.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Richard F. Lawrence, the chairman of the Mid Cheshire hospitals NHS trust, for details.
Blood
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the average cost of collection per litre of blood from (a) recovered plasma and (b) plasmapheresis for each regional transfusion centre of the National Blood Transfusion Service.
Mr. Dorrell : Information on the regional cost of collecting plasma is not held centrally.
Newmarket Hospital
Sir Eldon Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of (a) the consideration given by his Department to the report by management consultants commissioned by the Committee for the Retention of Newmarket Hospital, before his recent decision on the future of the hospital and (b) the consultations between the regional health authority and the Committee for the Retention of Newmarket Hospital ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : On 10 February 1992 I announced our decision to accept certain proposals put forward by West Suffolk health authority on the future of Newmarket hospital, subject to the health authority agreeing to undertake a further examination of the scope for provision of day surgery, minor accident and maternity services in the new hospital proposed for Newmarket.
In reaching this decision full consideration was given to the report commissioned by the Committee for the Retention of Newmarket Hospital. Several issues were thoroughly analysed including patient safety, medical staffing, size of catchment area, patient activity levels and effective use of resources.
The Committee for the Retention of Newmarket Hospital met East Anglian regional health authority members on 24 April 1991 to present their proposals for the future of the hospital. Additionally, the region's finance manager met the committee's management consultants, J. J. Thompson and Partners, on 29 October 1991 to go through their report.
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Contact Lenses
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances contact lenses can be obtained under the national health service.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : All general opthalmic services patients may put any optical voucher to which they are entitled towards the cost of contact lenses. Under the hospital eye service patients who require contact lenses for clinical reasons will, if they are entitled to an optical voucher, get the lenses free ; other patients can take advantage of the maximum charging arrangements.
Strategy and Objectives
Mr. Andrew Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he plans to publish the goal strategy and objectives in the national health service management executive and the Department of Health priorities and key challenges for 1992-93 and beyond.
Mr. Waldegrave : I have agreed a statement of the aims, goals and priorities for my Department for 1992-93 and the following three years. It covers the whole range of the Department's work relating to health services, health promotion, public health, social services, EC and other international issues, and internal management. It includes our specific priorities for the NHS management executive, which are taken forward in more detail in the management executive's statement, "The Goal and Strategies of the Chief Executive and the Management Executive of the NHS and their Objectives for 1992-93", approved by the NHS policy board. Copies of both statements have been placed in the Library.
Nurse Education
Mr. Edwards : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support trust hospitals give to post-registration nurse education.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : Post-registration training which is designed to provide nurses and midwives with specific professional skills is to be funded from a separate and protected budget held at regional level. Employers are expected to bear the cost of other post-registration nurse education and training because they are in the best position to determine need. Trusts are expected to play their full part in training the staff they employ, in the same way as other employers.
Mental Handicap Hospitals
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the mental handicap hospitals planned for closure over the next five years and the district health authority in which each is situated.
Mr. Dorrell : This is a matter for regional and district health authorities and the hospitals themselves. Government policies on the treatment of people with learning disabilities in the community are well known and understood.
Sight Test Fees
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the gross cost of abolishing sight test fees for all people over 60 years old.
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Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : NHS sight tests are already free to approximately 40 per cent. of the population, including those pensioners who qualify on medical or income grounds. The estimated additional cost at 1991-92 prices of extending eligibility to all those aged 60 and over would be between £30 million and £35 million in a full year.Hospital Trusts
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated privately under the waiting list initiative from (a) Leeds united hospital trust and (b) the Bradford hospitals NHS trust.
Mrs. Virginia Bottomley : This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Anthony Clegg, the chairman of the United Leeds hospitals trust and Mr. Rodney Walker, the chairman of the Bradford hospitals NHS trust, for details.
National Health Service Expenditure
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total level of expenditure on pay for general and senior managers in each year since 1985.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 18 February 1992] : The grades of general and senior managers were introduced as part of the new arrangements recommended by the Griffiths report in 1983. The cost of staff employed in general management grades is shown in the table :
England (HCHS)
General managers
£ million (cash)
|Regional/ |Unit/other
|district |general
|general |managers
|managers
--------------------------------------------
1985-86 |6.8 |4.1
1986-87 |8.6 |17.1
1987-88 |9.0 |20.7
1988-89 |9.7 |20.8
1989-90 |10.7 |21.3
1990-91 |12.8 |25.3
Notes:
1. Figures for 1990-91 are as yet subject
to audit.
2. The figures are gross pay costs
including employer's national
insurance and superannuation contributions.
Source: Annual accounts of regional and
district health authorities
in England together with those of the
special health authorities for
the London post-graduate teaching
hospitals.
Other senior management costs were not separately identified until 1989-90. The cost of staff employed in senior management grades in 1989-90 was £126.9 million and in 1990-91 was £213.3 million. Staff employed in general and senior management grades generally hold posts which were previously classified under administrative and clerical, works staff or senior nursing grades.
Immunisations
Mr. Oppenheim : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give figures for the number of immunisations carried out in South Derbyshire district and Trent region in 1982 and the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 6 March 1992] : The numbers of two-year-olds vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella in South Derbyshire and Trent in 1982 and 1990- 91 are given in the table.
The uptake rates are also given to allow comparisons between the years.
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Vaccination and immunisation (2 year uptake<2>)
|Year |Diphtheria |Tetanus |Pertussis |Polio |Measles |<1>Mumps and
Rubella
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Derbyshire
Number immunised |1982 |6,333 |6,339 |5,042 |6,342 |5,042 |-
Uptake rate |(90) |(90) |(63) |(91) |(74) |-
|1990-91 |6,486 |6,486 |6,123 |6,494 |6,332 |6,321
|(91) |(91) |(86) |(92) |(89) |(89)
Trent Region
Number immunised |1982 |52,833 |52,925 |34,880 |52,594 |36,904 |-
Uptake rate |(88) |(88) |(58) |(88) |(62) |-
|1990-91 |56,421 |56,429 |52,740 |56,303 |54,036 |53,797
|(91) |(91) |(85) |(91) |(87) |(87)
Source: SBL 607.KC51. DH Statistics and Management Information (SMI2B), March 1992.
<1>Data was not collected before 1988-89.
<2>The two year uptake rate is the percentage of children immunised by their second birthday.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Cyprus
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current negotiations by the United Nations Secretary-General on a united Cyprus and on the role Britain has played since 1979.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Representatives of the UN Secretary-General have recently ocmpleted another round of talks
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with all parties in the region. We have throughout given full and active support to the UN Secretary-General's efforts to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement.Turkey (Miners)
Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what offers of assistance and expertise have been made to the Turkish Government in the search for the trapped coal miners near Zonguldak.
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Mr. Garel-Jones : The Government were not approached by the Turkish authorities for help in dealing with the disaster at Kozlu coal mine in Zonguldak on 5 March.NATIONAL FINANCE
Denatured Wine
Dr. Marek : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 2 March, Official Report, column 29, for what reasons Her Majesty's Customs and Excise did not charge excise duty on denatured wine products for culinary uses before 1 January, but did do so from that date onwards.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The excise duty liability of imported wine and made-wine, including denatured wine and made-wine, has not changed in recent years. Customs regret that an importer was incorrectly advised that if wine denatured with 2 per cent. salt was to be used as an ingredient in food manufacture it would not be liable to excise duty at importation. The correct liability has been applied since February 1991.
Taxation
Mr. French : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what higher rate of income tax would be necessary to raise the same revenue as would be raised by a higher rate of 50 per cent. and removing the ceiling on national insurance contributions.
Mr. Maude : At 1992-93 levels of income and assuming statutory indexation of allowances and thresholds, a higher rate of 59 per cent. would raise an approximately equivalent amount of revenue in a full year.
Taxation (Commercial Properties)
Mr. Harry Barnes : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he employs to determine whether a property with a paying guest or guests should be classified as a commercial property for Inland Revenue purposes.
Mr. Maude : Unless a paying guest or guests are using the property as their main or sole residence as defined in the Local Government and Finance Act 1988, any short-stay accommodation in excess of six bed spaces or which is not ancillary to the owners own domestic use will be treated as non-domestic property for uniform business rate purposes.
Share Ownership
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of share ownership in Great Britain.
Mr. Maude : A joint Treasury/ProShare survey carried out in January and February of this year shows that almost 10 million people, or more than 22 per cent. of the adult population in Great Britain, now own shares compared with 7 per cent. in 1979. I am placing copies of the survey report in the Libraries of both Houses.
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Income Tax
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on tax revenues (a) in the first year and (b) in a full year, assuming this is introduced in 1992-93 of the introduction of a 50 per cent. top rate of income tax on annual taxable incomes of (i) £31,555, (ii) £33,555, (iii) £36,555, (iv) £39,555 and (v) £42, 555, in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 9 March 1992] : The information is in the table.
Estimated yield in 1992-93 from a 50 per cent. tax rate Threshold of |Yield in a full taxable income at |year<1> at 1992-93 which 50 per cent. |levels of income rate is charged |(£ million) (£) --------------------------------------------------------- 31,555 |2,550 33,555 |2,370 36,555 |2,140 39,555 |1,950 42,555 |1,790 <1> About half of the yield would be collected in the first year.
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.
Taxes and Benefits
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the table in his answer of 12 June 1991, Official Report, columns 547-50, on taxes and benefits, to include information on 1989.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 9 March 1992] : The information is as follows :
Taxes and benefits as percentage of income by quintile groups of
households<1>, 1989
|per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retired households
Cash benefits as percentages of gross income
Bottom quintile group |88
2nd quintile group |84
3rd quintile group |78
4th quintile group |54
Top quintile group |23
Average over all groups |51
Income tax, NIC, rates and community charge as
percentages of gross income
Bottom quintile group |17
2nd quintile group |12
3rd quintile group |12
4th quintile group |14
Top quintile group |20
Average over all groups |17
Indirect taxes as percentages of unadjusted disposable
income
Bottom quintile group |27
2nd quintile group |20
3rd quintile group |19
4th quintile group |21
Top quintile group |17
Average over all groups |20
Benefits in kind as percentages of final income
Bottom quintile group |44
2nd quintile group |34
3rd quintile group |31
4th quintile group |24
Top quintile group |13
Average over all groups |25
Non-retired households
Cash benefits as percentages of gross income
Bottom quintile group |49
2nd quintile group |14
3rd quintile group |7
4th quintile group |3
Top quintile group |1
Average over all groups |8
Income tax, NIC, rates and community charge as
percentages of gross income
Bottom quintile group |15
2nd quintile group |19
3rd quintile group |20
4th quintile group |22
Top quintile group |22
Average over all groups |21
Indirect taxes as percentages of unadjusted disposable
income
Bottom quintile group |30
2nd quintile group |24
3rd quintile group |22
4th quintile group |20
Top quintile group |16
Average over all groups |20
Benefits in kind as percentages of final income
Bottom quintile group |45
2nd quintile group |25
3rd quintile group |17
4th quintile group |11
Top quintile group |5
Average over all groups |16
<1> Ranked by equivalised disposable income.
Source: CSO, from Family Expenditure Survey.
Unearned Income
Mr. Battle : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the revenue raised from a 9 per cent. charge on unearned income for those below state retirement age with a (a) £3,000 exemption, (b) £3,500 exemption, (c) £4,000 exemption, (d) £4,500 exemption and (e) £5,000 exemption, giving both full year and first year revenues for 1991-92 and 1992-93, specifying the numbers affected in each case, for the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 9 March 1992] : Latest estimates for 1991-92 are as follows :
Threshold |Yield in a full|Numbers
|year |affected
£ |£ million |Thousands
----------------------------------------------------------------
3,000 |870 |1,130
3,500 |820 |970
4,000 |780 |840
4,500 |750 |750
5,000 |720 |660
The amount of revenue collected in the first year would depend on the administrative arrangements for collecting such a charge. The yield in 1992 -93 would depend on the levels of investment income for that year.
These estimates take no account of any possible behavioural changes following the introduction of such a charge.
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Nicholas Young Fraud
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will institute proceedings, pursuant to section 48 of the Banking Act 1987, against Mr. Bengt Bangstad arising from the Nicholas Young Ponzi fraud ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 3 March 1992] : My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has no powers to institute proceedings under section 48 of the Banking Act 1987. That is a matter for the Bank of England.
THE ARTS
Libraries
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will give (a) the total number of books lent by and (b) the total amount of public spending on the library service in England and Wales, for each year since 1962.
Mr. Renton : Reliable and comparable information for England and Wales is available only from 1966-67 to 1989-90 :
Public library service
England and Wales
Book issues and expenditure
Total expenditure
Year |Book issues | Cash |Real terms
|1991-92 prices
|Million | £ million | £ million
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |501 |553 |642
1988-89 |480 |505 | 624.5
1987-88 |525 |450 | 596.5
1986-87 |524 |432 |604
1985-86 |566 |404 | 582.5
1984-85 |551 | 377.5 |575
1983-84 |576 | 361.5 |578
1982-83 |574 |338 |565
1981-82 |578 |310 |556
1980-81 |579 |276 | 542.5
1979-80 |582 |239 | 556.5
1978-79 |570 | 204.5 |555
1977-78 |566 | 184.5 |555
1976-77 |554 |168 |575
1975-76 |571 |149 |578
1974-75 |547 |113 |550
1973-74 |- | 87.5 |551
1972-73 |- | 76.5 | 478.9
1971-72 |579 | 66.5 | 448.9
1970-71 |562 |57 | 418.2
1969-70 |594 |49 |392
1968-69 |585 |45 |377
1967-68 |559 | 41.5 | 364.5
1966-67 |533 |37 | 335.5
Sources: Municipal Year Book.
Public Library Statistics, published by the Institute of
Municipal Treasurers and Accountants and in later years
the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
Library and Information Service Council annual report.
ENERGY
Electricity
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from pottery manufacturers about the effects of the regulatory regime established by the Electricity Act 1989 as it affects contract users.
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Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : To date my Department has received one representation--from a pottery manufacturer--about electricity contracts.British Coal
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on British Coal's external financing limit for 1991-92.
Mr. Wakeham : British Coal's deep-mine and opencast operations have achieved much in the present financial year and the corporation is likely to record a substantial profit after interest for the second year running. Cost cutting through restructuring has, however, been making calls on British Coal's cash resources in the short-term and it has been agreed that the corporation's external financing limit for 1991-92 should be raised from £542 million to £622 million to provide more financial headroom. This increase will be funded out of the existing vote provision for the current financial year.
PRIME MINISTER
Official Visits
Q10. Sir Michael Neubert : To ask the Prime Minister if he has plans to make an official visit to Havering Atte Bower.
The Prime Minister : I am making plans for a series of visits to all parts of the country and hope to include Essex among them.
Interception of Communications
Mr. Ian Taylor : To ask the Prime Minister whether a successor has been chosen to Lord Justice Lloyd as commissioner appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985.
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