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|c|Ballots on grant-maintained status|c|
|(a) in favour|(b) against
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(i) 19889 April 1992
Primary Schools |90 |27
of which
County |63 |21
Voluntary Aided |13 |1
Voluntary Controlled |14 |5
Special Agreement |0 |0
Secondary Schools |262 |81
of which
County |205 |69
Voluntary Aided |29 |8
Voluntary Controlled |26 |3
Special Agreement |2 |1
Total |352 |108
(ii) 9 April 1992-29 June 1992
Primary Schools |6 |3
of which
County |6 |2
Voluntary Aided |0 |0
Voluntary Controlled |0 |1
Special Agreement |0 |0
Secondary Schools |18 |2
of which
County |14 |2
Voluntary Aided |1 |0
Voluntary Controlled |3 |0
Special Agreement |0 |0
Total |24 |5
Schools with ballots pending
Primary Schools |8
of which
County |6
Voluntary aided |2
Voluntary Controlled |0
Special Agreement |0
Secondary Schools |48
of which
County |34
Voluntary Aided |10
Voluntary Controlled |2
Special Agreement |2
Total |56
Fitzherbert School, Brighton
Mr. Straw : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to dispose of the site of the former Fitzherbert school, Brighton ; what is the current valuation of the site ; what is the total expenditure by his Department on the site to date ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Patten : The CTC trust has been actively marketing the site of the former Fitzherbert school in Brighton, and is engaged in current negotiations to sell it. The total costs of maintaining the site to the end of May 1992 are £183,000. In view of the current negotiations, it would not be appropriate to give a detailed valuation of the site.
Training Grants
Mr. Byers : To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans he has to cease funding of the GEST--grants for education support and training--and LEATGS--local education authority training grants scheme-- programmes from April 1993 ;
(2) when he intends to consult the local authority associations, as required under section 3(5) of the Grants and Awards Act 1984, on changes to the GEST and LEATGS programmes.
Mr. Forth : We have no plans to cease funding the programme of grants for education support and training, which includes education support grants and LEA training grants. My right hon. Friend will be writing shortly to the local authority associations with his proposals for the 1993 -94 GEST programme.
Market Testing
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education who has been appointed as a consultant to his Department for market testing.
Mr. Forth : KPMG Management Consulting Ltd. was appointed in March 1992 to advise on the scope for market testing within the Department.
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Special Educational Needs
Mr. Bowis : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what further measures he is taking to help parents who are in dispute with authorities over their child's special educational needs ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Forth : The Government have decided to establish a new independent special educational needs tribunal as part of their package of legislative reforms on SEN announced by my noble Friend the Minister of State in another place on 11 June. The tribunal would replace the jurisdiction of both the Secretary of State and appeals committees to hear appeals under the Education Act 1981. The tribunal will give parents quicker redress, a more open and independent hearing, and a simplified structure in line with the parents charter.
New School Buildings
Mr. Robert Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average cost of providing a school place at primary, secondary and comprehensive schools when new buildings are constructed.
Mr. Forth : The information requested is not immediately available. I shall write to my hon. Friend when it is.
PRIME MINISTER
Disabled People
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the occasions in the last Session of Parliament on which Ministers have stated the Government's policy on whether a legislative approach is the right way to deal with discrimination against people with disabilities ; which Minister has the principal responsibility in this matter ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The Government's view was stated principally on 31 January during Second Reading of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Social Security and Disabled People at column 1251.
Security Services
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the monitoring of hon. Members by the security services.
The Prime Minister : The policy remains as stated in 1966 by the then Prime Minister, the Lord Wilson of Rievaulx, and as applied by successive Governments since. In answers to questions on 17 November 1966, Lord Wilson said that he had given instructions that there was to be no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament, that remained the policy of the Government and that, if there was a development which required a change in the general policy, he would, at such moment as seemed compatible with the security of the country, on his own initiative make a statement in the House about it. The Government regard this undertaking as still applying to both postal and telephone interception.
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Earth Summit
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister what attempts will be made by Her Majesty's Government to encourage sufficient states to sign the Rio treaties on climate change and biodiversity respectively to permit the consequent entering into force of the treaties.
The Prime Minister : By the end of the Earth summit, 153 states and the EC had signed the conventions on climate change and biodiversity. For the conventions to enter into force, 50 states, in the case of climate change, and 30 states, in the case of biodiversity, must ratify them.
I have written to the leaders of all EC and Group of Seven countries about the need to maintain the momentum generated by the summit and I have proposed that they draw up a plan of action to include the prompt implementation of both conventions.
War Crimes
Mr. Janner : To ask the Prime Minister whether, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) of 13 May, Official Report, column 106 , concerning documents relating to the wartime Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands, he has completed his inquiries ; and whether he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : The current review of the documents to which the hon. and learned Member refers is proceeding. Considerable work is involved. I will write to him as soon as inquiries have been completed.
China
Mr. David Atkinson : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the proposed human rights fact-finding visit to the People's Republic of China.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 26 June 1992] : I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 13 March 1992 at column 687 . We are in contact with Sir Geoffrey Howe and the Chinese authorities over detailed arrangements, including timing, composition and itinerary.
Youth Training
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the extent to which the difficulties experienced by young people in obtaining suitable training, to which he referred in his letter of 4 June to the general secretary of the TUC, have now been removed, and of the adequacy of the measures taken to prevent hardship to young people experiencing such difficulties now or in the future.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 25 June 1992] : The Government are using the contractual relationship with training and enterprise councils to ensure that the difficulties experienced by a minority of young people are addressed urgently. Every TEC is contractually obliged to meet the forecast covered by the Government's youth training guarantee. The Government are committed to seeing that the guarantee is met.
The severe hardship provision of income support provides a safety net of benefit for those young people seeking work or a YT place who are at risk of hardship.
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The Government continue to monitor the position closely and seek to improve and streamline the administration of benefit wherever possible.NATIONAL FINANCE
Self-regulatory Organisations
Mr. French : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has received concerning a reduction in the number of self-regulatory organisations ;
(2) whether he has considered the Clucas report on financial services ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nelson : Matters relating to the recognition of self-regulating organisations under the Financial Services Act 1986 are primarily for the Securities and Investments Board.
Financial Services
Mr. French : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what appraisal he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of a single regulatory body to oversee financial services ;
(2) what appraisal he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of a single regulatory body to oversee wholesale investment markets.
Mr. Nelson : Responsibility for the regulation of financial services passed to me on 7 June 1992. No changes are planned as a result of the transfer, but I shall, of course, keep the effectiveness of the regulatory system under review.
Carbon Tax
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which revenue collection body in the United Kingdom would be responsible for collecting a carbon tax ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : On the basis of the proposals put forward by the European Commission and described in explanatory memorandum 8918/91 dated 4 December 1991, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise would be responsible for collecting the revenues associated with a carbon tax in the United Kingdom.
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the price of a litre of petrol of the proposed carbon tax, introduced at $3 a barrel of oil, rising to $10 a barrel.
Sir John Cope : A carbon/energy tax of $3 per barrel of oil would add around 1p to the price of a litre of petrol. A tax of $10 per barrel would add around 3.5p per litre. The actual impact of the tax on the retail price of petrol would depend on many factors, including the price of oil, which may be influenced by a carbon tax.
Inflation
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reasons underlying his statement of 11 June, Official Report , column 432, that 2 per cent. inflation was probably the equivalent of price stability.
Column 378
Mr. Nelson : I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statements in the minutes of evidence taken before the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's inquiry into economic and monetary union. A limited degree of recorded inflation is compatible with the concept of price stability, reflecting a number of problems in measuring inflation, including those associated with new products and quality changes.
Retrospectivity
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made to Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation since 6 June 1991.
Mr. Dorrell : Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation has not changed since 6 June 1991.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what policy governs the Government's decision as to the timing of their retrospective measures.
Mr. Dorrell : The Government propose tax legislation that has retrospective effect only after very careful consideration of all the circumstances. Any such proposal is then announced at the earliest suitable opportunity.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the protection in the Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation extends equally to taxpayers who have not themselves brought proceedings but (a) have entered into agreement with the Inland Revenue that the outcome of other proceedings of a private law nature shall be taken as determinative of their own dispute or (b) have formally endorsed other proceedings of a public law nature which as a matter of the law are taken as determinative of their own dispute, whether or not the Inland Revenue agrees ;
(2) if it is his policy that taxpayers in dispute with the Inland Revenue should obtain immunity from retrospective legislation as from some particular point in legal proceedings ; and if he will specify from which point in legal proceedings such immunity should take effect.
Mr. Dorrell : Where, following a successful challenge in the courts, retrospective legislation is introduced to restore the previous understanding of the law, it has long been the Government's policy that the successful litigant should not be deprived of the benefit of the court judgment in his favour. Where other taxpayers have agreed with the Revenue that an action will be regarded as a test case and that they will also benefit from any decision against the Revenue, it is the Government's policy that those taxpayers should also not be affected by any retrospective amendment to the law.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation prevents the Government from introducing new measures for a retrospective change in the law in its own favour.
Mr. Dorrell : Where it is discovered that the tax law does not have the effect that the Government and taxpayers generally thought it had, there are circumstances in which it is right to introduce legislation to restore the position retrospectively to what it was thought to be. This is done
Column 379
only in exceptional circumstances and where the Government consider such action is necessary to protect the interests of the general body of taxpayers.Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation applies to (a) public law proceedings, (b) private law proceedings, (c) appeals against assessment and (d) restitution claims.
Mr. Dorrell : The application of the Government's policy will depend on the precise circumstances of any particular proceedings.
Mortgage Interest Tax Relief
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had since 1989 about the non-availability of mortgage interest tax relief for persons who are not in the mortgage interest relief at source scheme and whose income has fallen below the tax threshold ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : Treasury Ministers have received a few such representations.
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of home buyers benefiting from the mortgage interest tax relief facility open to lenders to operate separate loan accounts for qualifying and non-qualifying parts of their loans ; what is his estimate of the number of lenders operating such a facility ; and what plans he has to encourage publicity for such arrangements.
Mr. Dorrell : These arrangements are for borrowers and lenders to agree between themselves. We have no estimates either of the number of lenders offering the facility or the number of borrowers taking advantage of it. Inland Revenue guidance notes to lenders in the MIRAS scheme remind them that they can operate separate loan accounts if they wish. In July, the Inland Revenue intends to publish a revised version of its leaflet aimed at borrowers, and this will refer to these arrangements.
Relocation Expenses
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assistance with housing costs is given to civil servants who are posted from one part of the United Kingdom to another.
Mr. Dorrell : Civil servants in mobile grades who are compulsorily transferred from one location to another and who, as a result, have to move house, are given a range of financial assistance with the costs of that move. This assistance includes help with legal and estate agents fees, removal costs and the interest cost of bridging loans, and also an advance of salary for the purchase of a home. Where staff are moving to an area where housing costs are higher they may also receive help with some of the additional mortgage costs. Staff may also receive help with temporary accommodation and paid leave to search for a home and supervise the removal. In addition, Departments have discretion to offer staff the services of a relocation company.
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Rent-a-room Scheme
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of rooms which will be brought into letting in consequence of the rent-a-room scheme, the average rents for such lettings, and the cost in revenue forgone as a result of the proposed exemption from income tax of the £3,250 received for such lettings (a) in 1992-93 and (b) in a full financial year ; and if he will estimate the regional breakdown of such lettings.
Mr. Dorrell : We hope that many people will be encouraged to let rooms by the rent-a-room scheme. But it is not possible to make estimates of the actual number of new lettings which will be generated by the scheme. It follows that there is no information about the average rents of likely new lettings, nor their regional breakdown.
Taxation
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to require Inland Revenue not to tax bar staff on the value of employer-provided taxis home from work.
Mr. Dorrell : I have no plans to do so. It is a general principle of the United Kingdom tax system that the cost of travel between home and work is a personal expense for which there is no tax relief. Where an employer meets such costs they are generally taxable. It would be inappropriate to single out bar staff for special treatment.
Tax Changes
Mr. Madden : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update, to take account of the 1992 Budget, the information on tax changes contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher), on 3 March, Official Report , columns 123-24 .
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 26 June 1992] : Latest estimates of the annual change in income tax liability resulting from the changes in tax rates, allowances and thresholds announced in the 1992 Budget are in the table. The 1978-79 income tax regime has been indexed to 1992-93 levels by reference to the statutory formula, and allowing for independent taxation.
For the purposes of these calculations the indexed regime of 1978-79 is applied directly to the income base of 1992-93. In practice, retention of the regime indexed as appropriate, for the intervening years would have led to changes in the income base.
Per cent. Target |1992-93 |1993-94 |(Present) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Percentage of scheduled mileage operated (excluding |>98.5 |>98.5 |(98) miles lost through traffic congestion On high frequency route Excess waiting time - difference between scheduled |<1.75 |<1.6 |(new target) waiting time and actual waiting time On low frequency routes Percentage of buses arriving on time - not more than |>67.0 |>68.0 |(65) 2 mins early or 5 mins late On low frequency routes Percentage of buses arriving more than 2 mins early |<5.5 |<4.5 |(6) Internal and external cleanliness of vehicles, qualityLT to draw up customer satisfaction surveys to asse of passenger information and condition of bus performance in these areas stops LT telephone enquiry service Percentage of calls to be answered within 30 secs |>76.0 |>78.0 |(75) Percentage of calls to receive engaged tone |<10.0 |<10.0 |(10)
Landowners (Tax Exemption)
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 22 June, Official Report, column 2, what was the cost to the Exchequer of the exemption from inheritance tax and capital transfer tax given to six landowners in Cumbria who agreed to maintain and preserve their property and provide reasonable public access to it for each year since the exemptions were granted.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 26 June 1992] : Estimates of the cost of conditionally exempting land and buildings were given for the whole United Kingdom in my reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 2 June at column 399. These figures represented a broad judgment of the likely overall cost of the exemption and were subject to a large margin of error. Where exemption is given, it is not necessary to establish the value of individual properties, and so it is not possible to give equivalent estimates for the cost of exempting the small number of properties involved in Cumbria.
In addition, the normal rules of confidentiality would prevent the disclosure of annual estimates for Cumbria, since these would enable the tax position of particular taxpayers to be identified.
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Child Care
34. Mr. Boyes : To ask the right hon. Member for
Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is his latest information on demand for nursery provision in the House.
35. Ms. Ruddock : To ask the right hon. Member for
Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress has been made towards the establishment of a day nursery in the Palace of Westminster.
37. Mr. Flynn : To ask the right hon. Member for
Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what proposals there are for the introduction of cre che facilities for the use of the families of hon. Members and staff in the House.
Ms. Armstrong : To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what
representations he has received regarding the setting up of a cre che in the Palace of Westminster.
Mr. Beith : In its report of last Session, "New Parliamentary Building (Phase 2) The Sketch Plan"--HC 269 I--the Accommodation and Works Committee foresaw no accommodation suitable for a child care facility becoming available in the phase 2 building and concluded : "any cre che would have to be located elsewhere in the parliamentary estate".
It was anticipated that other space, in some cases more appropriately located, could be found without undue delay in other buildings ; and the Committee called upon
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its successor to take up the issue as a high priority. In accordance with a request from the Commission, it is expected that the Accommodation and Works Committee will continue to seek to identify an appropriate location for such a facility.Accommodation apart, responsibility for the provision of any child care facility falls to the Establishment Officers' Committee of the Board of Management and to the Administration Committee. Those two committees, the former acting on behalf of the Departments of the House and the latter on behalf of Members and their staff, continue to monitor developments in child care provision. They are advised by the Establishment Office, which keeps in touch with developments taking place in Whitehall, Westminster and elsewhere. A number of possible options in relation to the provision of child care facilities in the Westminster area have recently been proposed and are being investigated.
Once the feasibility of providing such a service is known and its size, nature and location identified, a survey of potential demand will be conducted.
Stationery
36. Mr. Burns : To ask the right hon. Member for
Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 20 May, Official Report, column 144, if he has any proposals to establish a shop within the main building of the Palace of Westminster to sell stationery.
Mr. Beith : I am unable to add significantly to my earlier reply to which the hon. Member referred in his question. Until the phase 2 building is completed, accommodation within the main building will continue to be under great pressure and any proposal for new facilities would need to be carefully examined by the relevant Committee.
Visitors' Facilities
38. Mr. Thurnham : To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon- Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what representations he has received about facilities for visitors to the Palace of Westminster ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Beith : No such representations have been received this Parliament, but I am aware of the representations made by the hon. Member and others in the previous Parliament. If he has any specific concern, he should in the first instant raise it with the Serjeant at Arms or the Director of Catering Services, or with the Chairman of the appropriate domestic Committee.
Paper Recycling
39. Mr. Janner : To ask the right hon. Member for
Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how much paper he estimates is used in the Palace of Westminster each year ; and what arrangements are made for its recycling.
Mr. Beith : It is not possible to make any sensible estimate of the amount of paper used in the Palace of Westminster each year. I understand that non-confidential waste paper is collected by a contractor for recycling.
Column 383
Offices
Mr. Simon Coombs : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many right hon. and hon. Members now have single offices in (a) the Palace and (b) other office buildings.
Mr. Beith : There are 238 Members with single rooms in the Palace and 171 Members with single rooms in the outbuildings.
Phase 2
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the current situation in respect of the phase 2 development.
Mr. Beith : Progress is being made on the design of the building and negotiations are continuing on the issues raised by the Accommodation and Works Committee in its two reports. There is close contact with London Underground and the Department of Transport on the situation concerning the Jubilee line extension. The Accommodation and Works Committee is expected to give priority to the consideration of developments concerning phase 2 as soon as it meets.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Porton Down
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what species of laboratory animals are being used for the toxicity of organophosphates at the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down ; and how many have been used in this research since 1989 ;
(2) if he will list the types of nerve gases being tested on animals at the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down ; and what other research projects linked to nerve gases involving animals are also being conducted at this establishment ; (3) how many non-human primates were used in nerve gas experiments at the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down, (a) for the testing of antidotes and (b) for other purposes, in each year since 1987.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, under which the use of living animals in research may be authorised. It is not the practice to give details of research at individual establishments which we receive in the course of discharging that responsibility.
Security Services
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to ensure that the security services become subject to Parliament's scrutiny ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Clarke : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a question from the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 13 May 1992, at column 103.
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