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Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what categories of information requested by the Customs and Excise authorities from Government departments relating to the illegal commercial dealing by British-based or owned companies and Iraq, either directly or indirectly, have not been supplied to those authorities ; and what are the reasons in each case.
Sir John Cope : There is frequent liaison between Customs and Excise and other Government Departments about exports from the United Kingdom to Iraq and, indeed, other countries. The nature of any information requested by or passed to Customs for the conduct of their statutory enforcement responsibilities is clearly a matter of investigative and commercial confidentiality and I can give no details.
Small Businesses
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make proposals to the European Commission to substantially raise the tax threshold of VAT for small businesses ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : The Government support the Commission's proposal for a VAT directive for small and medium-sized enterprises. However, the Government would wish to see a significant increase in the optional higher threshold which, as currently proposed, is below the United Kingdom threshold, which is the highest in the EC.
Bank of Credit and Finance International
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to publish the Bingham report.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 14 May 1992] : Lord Justice Bingham will report as soon as he is ready. The Prime Minister has assured the House on 22 July 1991, Official Report, column 757, that the conclusions will be made public and the Chancellor has also stated on 19 July 1991, Official Report, column 721, that as much as possible of the report should be published.
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Clearing Banks
Mr. Caborn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many branches of clearing banks there are in the United Kingdom (a) at present and (b) in 1972, 1977, 1982 and 1987.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 15 May 1992] : The latest figures available are for the end of 1991, at which time there were 13,035 branches of clearing banks in the United Kingdom. The figures for the previous years are :
|Number
-----------------------
End 1972 |13,414
End 1977 |13,179
End 1982 |15,333
End 1987 |14,480
The banks included in these figures are : Natwest, Lloyds, Midland, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale--all years--and Yorkshire, TSB, Co-op and Abbey National, from 1982 onwards.
WALES
Cystic Fibrosis Centre
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to establish and fund a recognised Welsh cystic fibrosis centre to cater for the current and future treatment of the patients who presently attend clinics in Heath and Llandough hospitals.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : In 1986-87 and 1988-89, funds were made available to the University hospital of Wales and Llandough hospital under the centrally funded developments programme to employ medical staff engaged in the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis. These funds have since been built-in to South Glamorgan health authority's recurrent revenue allocation.
Since the introduction of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 responsibility for the continued provision of such services rests with providing units in consultation with health authorities and trusts. Funding is allocated to health authorities to enable them to purchase appropriate levels of service for their residents in accordance with their local strategies and priorities.
Rented Housing
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the number of houses purchased by housing associations for rehabilitation and letting for rent in Wales in 1979, 1987 and 1991.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information requested is not separately available for Wales prior to 1 April 1989. In 1991-92 housing associations in Wales purchased 288 dwellings for rehabilitation and 93 for letting for rent.
Source : Housing for Wales.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the average rent of local authority-owned housing in Wales in 1987 ; and what are the average rents of local authority housing currently in Blaenau Gwent ;
(2) what was the average rent of local authority-owned housing in Blaenau Gwent in 1987 ; and what are the average rents of local authority housing currently in Blaenau Gwent.
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Mr. Gwilym Jones : The average weekly rent in 1987 of local authority owned housing in Wales and Blaenau Gwent as reported by CIPFA was £17.91 and £22.14 respectively. In 1992-93 the average weekly rent reported by the borough of Blaenau Gwent is £30.77.Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are on the waiting list of local authorities and housing associations for rented homes in Wales currently ; and what were the figures for 1979 and 1987.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information requested is not centrally available.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homes for rent built by the local authority in Blaenau Gwent were occupied in 1979, 1987 and at the latest available date.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The readily available information requested is given in the table :
Local authority
occupied dwellings at 1
April
|Blaenau
|Gwent
------------------------
1987 |10,871
1991 |9,774
Source: Welsh Office
local authority
returns.
The numbers of vacant dwellings are not readily available prior to 1 April 1982.
Job Losses
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the totals of jobs lost to Wales from Inmos at Newport, Parke Davis, Pontypool, and the London Rubber Company, Llanelli, and potential and real jobs lost at Cwmbran following the decision of the Renishaw company not to locate in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : I am aware of the following company announcements of job losses in Wales--220 at Parke Davis, March 1992 ; 300 at London International, September 1991 ; and 16 at Renishaw, April 1992. The Welsh Office is currently in discussion with Inmos regarding its announcement in March of the planned closure of its Newport plant with the potential loss of 450 jobs.
Dentistry
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to ensure national health service treatment is available in their community for those dental patients whose dentists have ended national health service dental treatment.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The community dental service is obliged to provide a safety net for patients who are unable to obtain treatment under the general dental services. It is for the district health authorities, in consultation with family health services authorities, to determine what services community dental services provide.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many dentists in Dyfed have since April 1991 (a) ceased treating all patients, (b) ceased providing national health service treatment for adult patients, (c) ceased providing national health service treatment for all their patients and (d) opened new practices ;
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(2) how many dentists in Wales, in numbers and as a percentage of the whole, have stopped providing national health service dental treatment for (a) adult patients, (b) patients under 18 years and (c) all patients since April 1991 ;(3) how many dentists in Wales have given notice to their family health services authorities that they wish to end providing national health service dental treatment to (a) adult patients, (b) patients under 18 years and (c) all patients.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The information is not available in the form requested. The majority of dentists are continuing to provide NHS treatment for all patients. Nearly one and a half million patients were registered with dentists in Wales as at 31 March 1992. In the first year of the new contract there was a net decrease of five dentists practising in the general dental service in Wales.
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will instruct family health services authorities in Wales to negotiate contracts with health trusts and directly managed community health service units to provide national health service dental treatment in areas where it is not available locally from independent contract dentists ;
(2) if he will fund family health service authorities to purchase national health service dental care from health trusts and directly managed community health service units to provide national health service dental treatment in those areas where national health service treatment is not available from independent contracting dentists.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The powers of the family health services authorities to administer general dental services are set out within the terms of the NHS Act 1977 and these proposals appear to fall outside the scope of the Act.
Elderly People (Housing)
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses were specifically built for the elderly by local authorities and housing associations in (a) Wales and (b) Blaenau Gwent in 1979, 1987 and 1991.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : The number of dwellings specifically built for the elderly are given in the table. 1979 information is not centrally available.
>
|Blaenau Gwent|Wales
--------------------------------------------------------------
1987
Local Authority |25 |438
Housing Association |35 |238
1991
Local Authority |2 |131
Housing Association |104 |345
Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.
Further Education
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each technical and further education college in Wales the numbers of students obtaining an ordinary national diploma, a higher national diploma or a B.Tech. qualification during the last academic year.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Figures for students obtaining an ordinary national diploma are not collected centrally. The
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numbers of students obtaining a B.Tech higher national diploma during the 1990-91 academic year are listed in the table :
Number of B.Tech Higher National Diploma passes<1>
College |Number
---------------------------------------------------------
North East Wales Institute |238
Llandrillo Technical College |21
Carmarthen College of Technology and Art |50
Welsh Agricultural College |8
Gwent College of Higher Education |121
The Polytechnic of Wales |308
Cardiff Institute of Higher Education |255
Swansea Institute of Higher Education |244
|---
Total for Wales |1,245
<1>Includes distinctions.
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the further education and technical colleges which will be funded by the new funding council, indicating (a) the number of students in each college enrolled in September 1991 and (b) the capital and current expenditure of each college during the last financial year.
Sir Wyn Roberts : Information on capital and current expenditure for further education is not held centrally. Reliable data for student enrolments are not yet available for 1991. The total number of students enrolled at November 1990 in further education and technical colleges are listed in the table. The figures include both further education and higher education enrolments. The Further Education Funding Council for Wales will determine only the number of further education enrolments to be funded from the 1 April 1993.
Number of enrolments at November 1990
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each technical and further education college in Wales how many students obtained A levels with grades A to C during the last academic year.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information is not held centrally.
Health Service Fees
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales why the AG1 forms for patients claiming part or full remission of health service fees are not available ; and when they will be.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Forms AG1 are supplied to family health services authorities in Wales which are responsible for its distribution to the general ophthalmic, dental and medical services. Adequate stocks are maintained centrally to meet all orders for these forms. The form has recently been revised and the new version has been issued to all FHSAs in Wales.
Gipsy Sites
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many official gipsy sites there are in each of the counties of Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The information is given in the table :
Official gipsy sites
County |Number
------------------------------
Clwyd |1
Dyfed |6
Gwent |2
Gwynedd |1
Mid Glamorgan |1
Powys |1
South Glamorgan |2
West Glamorgan |3
|---
Total |17
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of official gipsy sites proposed by each of the counties of Wales ; and what are their locations.
Mr. David Hunt : Proposals currently notified to me by county councils are as follows :
Clwyd
Two residential sites, at Queensferry and Wrexham
Six transit sites--not yet specified.
Powys
Two transit sites--Brecknock and Radnor areas.
West Glamorgan
Two residential sites at Caegarw, Margam and Fairwood Common, Gower.
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Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policies concerning gipsy sites.
Mr. David Hunt : My policy is to encourage local authorities to meet their existing obligations under the Caravan Sites Act 1968. The Government have undertaken to review the current legislation and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I hope to issue soon a public consultation paper.
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the gipsy sites proposed by Clwyd county council.
Mr. David Hunt : The location of gipsy sites is a matter for the county council, in consultation with the district councils. In view of my statutory responsibilities under the Caravan Sites and Planning Acts regarding proposals which are opposed by the local authorities, it would not be appropriate for me to visit the sites proposed by Clwyd county council.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Television Licence Fees
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received over pensioners paying the full television licence fee while others in the same housing complex pay the concessionary sum ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Key [holding answer 14 May 1992] : We have received no correspondence on this subject since the general election. As I indicated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 14 May, Official Report, columns 172-73, my right hon. and learned Friend and I have no plans to change the present concessionary arrangements.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Service Personnel
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the United Kingdom benefits which are not available to the wives and families of British service men overseas ; and if he will bring forward proposals to provide an equivalent level of social security for those wives and families.
Miss Widdecombe : The only benefits not available are income support and disability working allowance. We have no plans to change the present arrangements.
Disability Allowances
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of either mobility component of disability living allowance ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will extend the criteria for eligibility for severe disability premium as recommended by the social security advisory committee in its eighth report ; and if he will make a statement ;
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(3) what is his estimate of the cost of extending the criteria for eligibility for severe disability premium as recommended by the social security advisory committee in its eighth report ; and if he will make a statement ;(4) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of the lower care component of disability living allowance ; and if he will make a statement ;
(5) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant who is registered blind ; and if he will make a statement ;
(6) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant over the age of 75 years ; and if he will make a statement ;
(7) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of severe disablement allowance ; and if he will make a statement ;
(8) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of invalidity benefit, or who was in receipt of invalidity benefit, immediately prior to becoming eligible for retirement pension ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : We have always made it plain that we intended the severe disability premium to be payable to people on income-related benefits, getting attendance allowance--or the middle or upper rate care component of disability living allowance--who live independently with no one receiving invalid care allowance for looking after them. Nonetheless, the committee has produced a carefully balanced set of proposals for extension of the premium. These proposals merit serious consideration, which they will receive, although I can give the right hon. Member no assurances about the outcome of our deliberations. The estimated cost of extending eligibility to the premium as recommended by the committee is in the order of £25 million to £30 million.
The estimated costs of extending eligibility by disregarding each of the specified groups of non-dependants are shown in the table.
Non-dependants to be disregarded |Estimated
|cost
|£ million
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those in receipt of either rate of mobility component |2
of disability allowance
Those in receipt of lower care component of |1
disability living allowance
Those registered blind |less than 1
Those over the age of 75 |15 to 20
Those in receipt of severe disablement allowance |2
Those in receipt of invalidity benefit |4
Those who have been in receipt of invalidity benefit |<1>-
immediately prior to becoming eligible for
retirement pension
Note: All costs are in 1991-92 prices.
<1> No reliable information on which to base an estimate
Mr. Paice : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made regarding the impact of disability living allowance on income of sufferers from myalgic encephalomyelitis who were previously in receipt of mobility allowance.
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Mr. Scott : People receiving mobility allowance were transferred automatically to the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance. If they were not already receiving attendance allowance they were invited also to claim either the care component of disability living allowance or, if over 65, attendance allowance.Like attendance allowance and mobility allowance, disability living allowance is awarded with regard to a person's care or mobility needs, not on the basis of a aparticular medical condition.
TRANSPORT
Privatisation
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish proposals for the privatisation of local authority ports, airports and public transport companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : The Government's intention to privatise the remaining local authority bus companies and to encourage local authorities to sell their airports was set out in the Conservative party's manifesto for the recent general election.
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a timetable for the privatisation of local authority ports, airports and public transport companies ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : No. This will depend on the circumstances of individual undertakings.
Statistics Bulletins
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review his decision to charge hon. Members for his Department's statistics bulletins.
Mr. Norris : Copies of all the Department's statistics bulletins are available in the Library for reference. If an hon. Member requires a specific publication for more detailed work, on application to the statistics directorate of my Department, a copy will be provided free of charge.
Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Mr. Rowe : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many properties British Rail has bought along the safeguarded route for the channel tunnel rail link since 1 April 1991 ; how many have been sold ; how many let ; and how many are vacant.
Mr. Freeman : I understand from British Rail that, along the safeguarded route for the rail link, it has since 1 April 1991 bought 79 properties ; sold two and let 43. Thirty-four properties are at present unoccupied, of which 22 have been identified as suitable for sale as and when market conditions are appropriate.
A20
Mr. David Shaw : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current progress of the new A20 road between Dover and Folkestone.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The A20 Folkestone-Dover scheme is being constructed in three contract lengths. They are all expected to be completed by summer 1993.
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British Rail
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to employ as accountancy or auditing firms in relation to the privatisation of British Rail only such firms as have not been subject to criticism in reports from Department of Trade and Industry inspectors.
Mr. Freeman : When making such appointments, we take account of all relevant considerations and make such inquiries as are appropriate to establish the competence of the firm concerned.
London Coaches
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now given his approval to the sale of London Coaches ; who won the bid ; and if he will make a full statement.
Mr. Norris : My right hon. Friend gave his consent to the sale by London Buses Ltd. of London Coaches Ltd. to a management buy-out team on 11 May.
Tilbury
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors were included in the valuation of the port of Tilbury.
Mr. Norris : The valuation was based on a three-year projection of the operations of the port of Tilbury and an analysis of quoted companies and of recent corporate transactions involving ports.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who conducted the valuation of the port of Tilbury prior to its sale.
Mr. Norris : The valuation was made for the board of the Port of London Authority by S. G. Warburg and Co. Ltd.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what infrastructure and capital works including new buildings and roads were constructed, and at what cost during the five years prior to the sale of the port of Tilbury.
Mr. Norris : This is a commercial matter for the Port of London Authority, but there is relevant information in the annual reports which are laid before Parliament. Those for 1986-90 were placed in the Library of the House. The 1991 report will be published shortly.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is responsible for paying the legal fees of the management side in the various industrial tribunal and employment appeal tribunals' cases which commenced prior to the sale of the port of Tilbury and continue after the sale.
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