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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 2 July 1992
NATIONAL FINANCE
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement.
Mr. Portillo : The PSBR in 1991-92 was £14.0 billion. The Financial Statement and Budget Report forecast for 1992-93 is for borrowing of £28.1 billion.
Crown Estate
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Chancellor of the Excheqher what payments have been made to the Consolidated Fund in each year since 1962 in respect of the net surplus of the Crown estate.
Mr. Lamont : Payments made by the Crown Estate Commissioners to the Consolidated Fund from 1962 are as follows :
|£000s
-------------------------
1961-62 |2,190
1962-63 |2,380
1963-64 |2,470
1964-65 |3,200
1965-66 |3,525
1966-67 |3,600
1967-68 |3,725
1968-69 |4,050
1969-70 |3,800
1970-71 |3,850
1971-72 |4,550
1972-73 |4,700
1973-74 |5,200
1974-75 |5,450
1975-76 |5,300
1976-77 |5,000
1977-78 |6,500
1978-79 |8,250
1979-80 |10,000
1980-81 |11,400
1981-82 |14,000
1982-83 |16,000
1983-84 |19,000
1984-85 |23,000
1985-86 |26,500
1986-87 |30,000
1987-88 |35,000
1988-89 |41,000
1989-90 |55,000
1990-91 |61,000
<1>1991-92 |70,000
<1>Estimate.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the method of scrutiny and verification of the surplus paid into the Consolidated Fund by the Crown Estate Commissioners.
Mr. Lamont : Under section 2 of the Crown Estate Act 1961, the Crown Estate Commissioners are required to
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prepare, for each financial year, statements of account in a form directed by the Treasury. These are submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor General for examination and certification. A coy of the certified accounts is laid before Parliament.Inflation
Mrs. Ann Winterton : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is currently (a) the underlying rate of inflation, (b) the rate of inflation if the costs of mortgages are excluded, (c) the rate of inflation if the costs of gas, water and electricity charges are excluded and (d) the rate of inflation if both the costs of mortgages and the costs of gas, water and electricity charges are excluded.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 30 June 1992] : There is no official measure of the underlying rate of inflation in the United Kingdom. In May this year, the annual inflation rates, as measured by the retail prices index, for the other series were :
|Per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
All-items excluding mortgage interest payments |5.3
All-items excluding water, gas and electricity charges |4.3
All-items excluding mortgage interest payments,
water, gas and electricity |5.3
Market Testing
Dr. Marek : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost so far of the market-testing initiative in his Department since November 1991.
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 1 July 1992] : The full cost of the market-testing initiative in my Department since November 1991 is estimated at £150,000.
Vehicle Excise Duty
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he has made for ensuring payment of vehicle excise duty by travelling people ; what prosecutions for non-payment by such persons have taken place in each of the last three years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I have been asked to reply.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency with the assistance of the police is responsible for enforcing the payment of vehicle excise duty--VED. In 1991-92, 420,000 motorists were penalised for VED evasion. No separate figures are available for prosecutions taken against travelling people, but there is no evidence to suggest that they contribute disproportionately to the loss of revenue through VED evasion.
Civil Servants
Mr. Terry Davis : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants were employed on 1 October 1981, 1985, 1989 and 1990, respectively.
Mr. Dorrell : There were 679,924 civil servants at 1 October 1981 ; 595,764 at 1 October 1985 ; 565,075 at 1 October 1989 and 556,250 at 1 October 1990.
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Inheritance Tax
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer on 18 June, Official Report, columns 629-30, if he will make a statement about his five-yearly reviews of land exemption from inheritance tax ; and what action follows such a review.
Mr. Dorrell : The five-yearly reviews of cases of land exempted from inheritance tax which are undertaken by the Inland Revenue are in addition to the regular monitoring of such cases by the heritage advisory agencies. The Inland Revenue makes separate inquiry of the landowners to determine whether the undertakings are being observed. Any issues arising are resolved in discussion between the agencies and landowners. If a landowner breaks an undertaking given in respect of conditionally exempt land inheritance tax is chargeable on the current value of the property.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is any time limit on agreements on exemption from inheritance tax for granting public access to land ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : Once granted, conditional exemption from inheritance tax will continue provided the owner complies with the terms of the undertakings to maintain and preserve the land and provide reasonable public access to it. A sale of the land will trigger an inheritance tax charge on the current value of the land. If the land changes hands on death or by gift, the exemption can continue, provided the new owner enters into appropriate undertakings. If the new owner does not, there will again be an inheritance tax charge on the current value of land.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whose responsibility it is to inform the public about the right of access to land exempted from inheritance tax.
Mr. Dorrell : The owner of land that has been conditionally exempted from inheritance tax is required to publicise the agreed public access arrangements. In addition, the appropriate heritage advisory agency is able to supply information about public access to heritage land including conditionally exempt land, although land will not be identified as conditionally exempt.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement about the monitoring of land conditionally exempted from inheritance tax by the heritage advisory agencies in England ; how often each area of land affected by each agreement is visited ; and how many man hours are devoted to this annually ; (2) if he will make a statement about the monitoring of land conditionally exempted from inheritance tax by the heritage advisory agencies in Wales ; how often each area of land affected by each agreement is visited ; and how many man hours are devoted to this annually ;
(3) if he will make a statement about the monitoring of land conditionally exempted from inheritance tax by the heritage advisory agencies in Scotland ; how often each area of land affected by each agreement is visited ; and how many man hours are devoted to this annually.
Mr. Dorrell : The heritage advisory agencies routinely monitor compliance by landowners with the undertakings
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which they give in return for conditional exemption from inheritance tax. The level and type of monitoring will depend on the facts of each particular case. Details of the number of man hours devoted to the monitoring of such cases are not available.Dr. David Clark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement about the definition of what constitutes reasonable public access by the heritage advisory agencies in England with regard to exemptions from inheritance tax ;
(2) if he will make a statement about the definition of what constitutes reasonable public access by the heritage advisory agencies in Wales with regard to exemptions from inheritance tax ; (3) if he will make a statement about the definition of what constitutes reasonable public access by the heritage advisory agencies in Scotland with regard to exemptions from inheritance tax.
Mr. Dorrell : The heritage advisory agencies advise the Inland Revenue as to what constitutes reasonable public access : each case is considered individually on the basis of its own facts. The heritage advisory agencies take into account all relevant factors, including, for example, existing rights of way. Additional access may involve formalising existing informal access to open land or extending or joining public paths to make a through route. New access may be needed to areas of particular landscape interest if none exists already. For some scientific land it might be necessary to limit public access in order to preserve its character.
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how the heritage advisory agencies in England make available to the public the land management plans prepared by landowners on land exempted from inheritance tax ; and if he will make a statement ; (2) how the heritage advisory agencies in Wales make available to the public the land management plans prepared by landowners on land exempted from inheritance tax ; and if he will make a statement ; (3) how the heritage advisory agencies in Scotland make available to the public the land management plans prepared by landowners on land exempted from inheritance tax ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Dorrell : The heritage advisory agencies do not make the land management plans available to the public since they contain information which is covered by the normal rules ensuring taxpayers' confidentiality.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
EC Legislation
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the cases currently proceeding against the United Kingdom for alleged non- implementation of EC legislation, stating for each at what stage the proceedings are currently ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : The following cases against the United Kingdom have been referred to the European Court of Justice by the European Commission for alleged non-implementation of EC legislation, and are currently
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proceeding : Cases C56/90, C337/89, C40/92 and C279/89. Details of these cases, and the stage the proceedings have reached, are set out in the annex.Column 659
|c|Annex|c|
ECJ case number |Details of case |Stage of proceedings
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C279/89 |Imposition of conditions by United
|Kingdom as to operation and
|crewing of fishing vessels. |1992. Judgment of ECJ awaited.
C337/89 |Alleged failure by United Kingdom |Oral hearing has taken place. Advocate General's
|to implement Council Directive |Opinion delivered on 21 January 1992. Judgment of
|80/778/EEC relating to quality |ECJ awaited
|of drinking water and levels of
|concentrations of nitrates and
|lead in water in certain areas of
|the United Kingdom.
C56/90 |Alleged breach by United Kingdom |Oral hearing in ECJ set for 27 October 1992.
|of Council Directive 76/160
|concerning the quality of bathing
|water in relation to the bathing
|area in Blackpool and adjacent
|to Formby and Southport.
C40/92 |Alleged breach by United Kingdom |United Kingdom has lodged defence to Commission's
|of requirements of Community |application. Commission has until 6 July 1992 to file
|law with regard to production
|and marketing of processed milk. |interim measures dismissed by President of Court
|on 22 May 1992.
EDUCATION
Access Funds
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the institutions which have already dispersed their allocation of the current year's access funds as at 26 June.
Mr. Forman : The information is not kept centrally. It is for individual institutions to decide how best to distribute their access funds allocations over the academic year. The Department's guidance advises institutions to consider holding back some of their access funds until late in the academic year. We will be monitoring in the autumn the proportion held back to assist students in this summer term and long vacation.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Criminal Courts (Docks)
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will consider abolishing the use of the dock in criminal courts when the defendant is on bail or not in custody.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The use of the dock is one of the issues under consideration by the Royal Commission on criminal justice. My Department will consider the matter in the light of any recommendations the royal commission may take.
TRANSPORT
Motorway Service Areas
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average number of motorway service areas per 100 miles on British motorways.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Motorways in Wales and Scotland are the responsibilities of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland. In England there are on average 2.6 motorway service areas per 100 miles of motorway.
Grove Green Road
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents, including fatal ones, there have been in Grove Green road, Leyton and Leytonstone in each of the last three years ; and what plans he has to reduce their incidence.
Mr. Norris : On Grove Green road from its junction with High road, Leyton to its junction with Church lane, excluding end junctions, there were 10 accidents in 1989, 21 in 1990 and 15 in 1991 giving a total of 46 ; of these one was fatal, eight serious and 37 slight. We are already looking at the Ruckhold road and Grove Green section of the A106 in Waltham Forest to identify the need for accident prevention measures. The implementation of red route measures should also help to reduce incidents. When completed the planned link road between Hackney Wick and the M11 motorway should relieve Grove Green road of most of its through traffic, and help to improve road safety.
Itchen Navigation
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 June, Official Report, columns 29-30 , now navigation rights for vessels will be maintained along the section of the Itchen navigation placed in a tunnel.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : An undertaking has been given to excavate a new channel for craft to use if positive steps are taken to restore the Itchen navigation as a navigable waterway.
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M25
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will publish a list of those properties that would have to be acquired if his plans to improve the M25 motorway between junctions 12 and 15 are implemented ;
(2) if he will publish a full list of addresses of properties that have been sent the official leaflet setting out his plans to improve the M25 between junctions 12 and 15 ;
(3) if, following his announcement on 25 June of improvements to the M25 between junctions 12 and 15, he will now publish the proposals for linking a new fifth terminal at Heathrow airport to the M25 motorway.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Twenty-four residential and eight commercial properties would need to be demolished under the current preferred proposal for link roads between junctions 12 and 15 of the M25. The gardens of a further seven properties would also be affected. The occupiers of these properties have been notified of the proposals. Detailed plans of the proposals showing the affected properties will be available at exhibitions to be held locally.
Some 2,300 explanatory brochures have been distributed by hand to properties within 300 m of the scheme.
Proposals for access to a new terminal at Heathrow airport would be for the British Airports Authority to bring forward in the first instance.
Bus Deregulation
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state for each of the areas subject to bus deregulation, what were the estimated bus passenger miles in (a) 1984 and (b) 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Estimates of bus passenger miles in each of the areas subject to bus deregulation are not available. However, estimates of local bus passenger journeys are as follows. Overall, the number of local bus passenger journeys outside London fell by an average of 3 per cent. year between 1984 and 1990-91, in line with long-term trends.
|1978 |1984 |1990-91
-----------------------------------------------------------
English metropolitan areas |2,047 |1,528
English shire counties |1,604 |1,396
Scotland |669 |583
Wales |168 |147
GB outside London |5,325 |4,488 |3,654
Rail Electrification
Mr. Pope : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what levels of investment he anticipates for the electrification of the west coast main line ; and when work on this is likely to commence.
Mr. Freeman : British Rail is currently considering the extent and timing of work to update the infrastructure of the line.
Executive Agencies
Mr. Wells : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what targets he has set for the executive agencies in his Department.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The following key targets for 1992-93 have been set for the six executive agencies in my Department. Additional targets are contained in the agencies' business plans ; copies of which will be placed in the Library, except for that of the DVOIT--the Drivers, Vehicles and Operators Information Technology Agency--which is commercial in confidence and will not be published.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's key targets are to make an overall efficiency improvement of 2.5 per cent. as measured by the agency's aggregate efficiency index ; deliver 90 per cent. of vocational--non- medical--cases to the customer within 11 working days of receipt ; deliver 90 per cent. of provisional driving licence cases within 12 working days of receipt ; deliver 90 per cent. of ordinary driving licence--non-medical-- cases within 13 working days of receipt ; deliver 95 per cent. of changes to vehicle registration documents to the customer within 13 working days of receipt ; deliver 95 per cent. of registration documents for new vehicles to the customer within 15 days of receipt ; answer 80 per cent. of telephone calls within 30 seconds and callers to be told they are in a queue after 10 seconds ; and successfully complete a minimum of 430,000 VED enforcement cases.
The Driving Standards Agency's key targets are to achieve, or better, unit costs of £22.48 for car tests ; £52.44 for bus, coach and lorry tests, and £31.72 for motor cycle tests ; cover full costs with income from customers ; achieve a national average waiting time of six weeks for car tests and four weeks for motor cycle, bus, coach and lorry tests ; and answer 90 per cent. of telephone calls to booking offices within 60 seconds.
DVOIT's key targets are to fulfil service level agreements with its customers ; cover full costs with income from customers ; reduce prices for existing services to current customers by RPI minus 3 per cent. ; increase revenue per employee by 10 per cent. a year ; achieve an annual rate of return of 6 per cent. on total assets employed.
The Transport Research Laboratory's key targets are 90 per cent. of projects to be completed to customer satisfaction ; net revenue per person per year to be a minimum of £40,000 ; production costs as a percentage of total costs to be greater than 55 per cent. ; to recover full economic costs from revenue, while meeting the net control total in supply estimates.
The Vehicle Certification Agency's key targets are to achieve, or better, a unit cost of £94.31 ; cover full costs with income from customers ; technically clear and issue approval certificates within 27 days on average for 90 per cent. of system and component work, and within 63 days on average for 90 per cent. of whole vehicle work. The Vehicle Inspectorate's trading fund key targets are to make a gross efficiency improvement of 2.5 per cent. as measured by the agency's aggregate cost efficiency index ; to break even, taking one year with another ; and achieve an annual rate of return of 6 per cent. on total assets employed.
Dockers (Dismissal)
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution the Government are making towards the £1,028,000 compensation payment made by the Port of London authority to the 102 dockers dismissed in 1989.
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Mr. Norris : None.Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department authorised the settlement between the Port of London authority and the 102 dockers dismissed in 1989.
Mr. Norris : This matter is within the responsibilities of the authority and no Government consent was needed.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what, to date, are the total legal costs to the Exchequer excluding compensation payments, arising from the dismissal, and subsequent tribunal and appeal hearings, relating to dock workers dismissed by the Port of London authority in 1989 ; and how much of the total cost is a charge on the Government.
Mr. Norris : The only charge to the Exchequer was the cost of these cases to the industrial tribunal and employment appeal tribunal system : I understand this is estimated at around £376,000.
Tilbury-Gravesend Ferry
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take following the instruction by the Crown Estate Commissioners to White Horse Ferries Ltd. immediately to stop operating the ferry service between Tilbury and Gravesend.
Mr. Norris : The arrangements for the continued operation of the ferry are matters for the bodies concerned.
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department first learnt of the instruction by the Crown Estate Commissioners to White Horse Ferries Ltd. immediately to stop operating the ferry service between Tilbury and Gravesend.
Mr. Norris : This is not a matter for my Department and we had no foreknowledge of the Crown Estate Commissioners' intentions.
Catalytic Converters
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent communications his Department has had with the European Commission over the extension of the 1 January 1993 deadline for all cars sold after that date to be fitted with catalytic converters.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 5 June 1992] : The EC Directive, 91/441, does not allow extensions for new cars entering into service from 31 December 1992 to meet standards other than those specified. Neither does this Government want one, since this directive is at the core of our strategy for improving local air quality. We have routinely notified the European Commission of the changes that we are making to our national regulations that will apply this directive on the effective dates. In so doing, we have made separate inquiries of the Commission as to its detailed interpretation of the term "entry into service" so that the United Kingdom's application of the directive will be fully harmonised with those of other member states.
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M40
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms of reference for the consultants carrying out the environmental appraisal of the widening of the M40 between the M25 and junction 4.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 1 July 1992] : The initial stages of the commission require the consultants to assess the need for widening and to report on the feasibility of the possible options for meeting that need, taking into account the engineering, operational and environmental considerations.
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated total cost of the widening of the M40 between the M25 and junction 4 ; what is the estimated cost of (a) compensation for loss of property value under the Land Compensation Acts, (b) the provision of noise insulation under the noise insulation regulations and (c) measures to protect the environment against intrusion of the widened road.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 1 July 1992] : Consideration of the possible options for widening this length of motorway is not yet complete. The requested estimates are therefore not yet available.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
Afghanistan
Mr. Trend : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom will respond to the United Nations Secretary-General's appeal for assistance to Afghanistan.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Government will make an immediate pledge of £7.55 million. This sum will be allocated as follows :
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, £4 million, to support its programme of assistance to the refugees who are now returning in large numbers.
International Committee of the Red Cross, £1 million, of which £0.5 million has already been provided earlier this year.
United Nations Office of the Co-ordinator for Afghanistan, £0.5 million, for mine clearance.
Afghanaid, a British non-governmental organisation, £1.6 million, for reconstruction and development work, £0.9 million of which has already been provided.
Other NGOs, £0.45 million.
Britain has provided nearly £80 million humanitarian aid since 1980 to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan peoples. We shall continue to monitor needs closely and play our part in Afghanistan's reconstruction.
NATIONAL HERITAGE
Sefton Park Palm House
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration his Department is giving to the role of the Sefton Park palm house, in Liverpool, as a tourist attraction.
Mr. Key : The development and promotion of individual tourist attractions is a matter for the English tourist board, in conjunction with the regional tourist boards, and the British Tourist Authority.
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Market Testing
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of savings in his Department as a result of the market -testing programme.
Mr. Key [holding answer 1 July 1992] : None.
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what has been the total cost so far of the market-testing initiative in his Department since November 1991.
Mr. Key [holding answer 1 July 1992] : As this is a newly formed Department, no costs have yet been incurred on the market-testing initiative.
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will give a date when he will announce the areas of work in his Department to be market tested ; and whether all relevant information will be made publicly available.
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