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The Prime Minister : The Government published a "Report on United Kingdom Implementation of the Goals agreed by the World Summit for Children" as a Command Paper on 24 June 1992.
ENVIRONMENT
Tenants Charter
Mr. Deva : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make the council tenants charter available to ethnic minorities.
Mr. Baldry : The council tenants charter has been available in five ethnic languages since 24 November. They are Bengali, Greek, Hindi, Urdu and Vietnamese. Copies of the new translations are being sent to all local authorities in England, community groups, advice organisations and individual tenants who used the reply slip on the English language introductory leaflet to obtain an ethnic language version. For those who understand only spoken English, the council tenants charter is also available on audio-cassette.
Waste Management
Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to safeguard the future of the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board in the event that regulations detailing the introduction of certificates of technical competence in respect of waste management are not laid before 15 December.
Mr. Maclean : The Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board is an independent body whose future the Government do not control. My Department's involvement with the board is that of a client. The board was commissioned by the Department to
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prepare a system of certificates of technical competence for the waste industry. That work is largely complete and the Government have proposed to prescribe those certificates as evidence of technical competence for the purposes of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Final regulations will be laid before Parliament as soon as possible, with a view to bringing the system into force on 1 April 1993. The board has represented to Government the importance of early issue of the final regulations if the technical competence system is to be introduced on that date. My officials keep in close contact with the board about the timetable for implementation. Transitional arrangements will be included in the regulations to ensure the orderly introduction of the assessment of technical competence.Mr. Bellingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the draft waste management guidance note No. 26A on the surrender of licences for landfill sites ; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the time taken to publish this draft guidance on the target date for implementing the new licensing scheme.
Mr. Maclean : Draft guidance on the surrender of site licences will be published as soon as possible. The target date for the implementation of waste management licensing remains 1 April 1993.
Housing Associations (Empty Properties)
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties owned by housing associations were empty at the latest convenient date ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The latest available statistics, for 31 March 1992, show that there were 16,200 empty housing association owned properties in England.
Housing associations in England have been seeking to maximise the occupation of their stock, and have reduced the proportion of empty properties from 4.2 per cent. in 1989 to 2.5 per cent. in 1992.
Flue Gas Desulphurisation
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the effect on the United Kingdom's commitment to meet the targets of the 1988 large combustion plant directive of the refusal by PowerGen to retrofit flue gas desulphurisation--FGD--technology to 4,000 MW of capacity ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Planning consent has been granted for PowerGen to retrofit 2,000 MW of capacity at Ratcliffe and work is well underway. PowerGen's application for consent to retrofit another 2,000 MW of capacity, at Ferrybridge, is still being considered by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.
The United Kingdom intends to meet the reductions required by the large combustion plants directive by a range of measures, including the retrofitting of FGD, the use of alternative fuels and the construction of new, cleaner plant. My right hon. and learned Friend has the power to direct Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to require the fitting of FGD in a particular case if he considers it appropriate.
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Rough Sleeping
Mr. Hendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the schemes and initiatives that have received or are currently receiving Government funding under the rough sleeping initiative.
Mr. Baldry : I have today placed in the Library a list of all the voluntary organisations and housing associations funded under the Government's rough sleepers initiative in central London, showing the schemes they have provided or are currently providing.
Household Heating
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the number of households with solid fuel heating where the residents are too infirm to heat their homes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Figures for the number of households with residents too infirm to heat their homes are not available. However, the 1986 English house condition survey estimated that solid fuel was the main heating fuel for 730,000 pensioner households, of which nearly a third were headed by residents aged 75 years and over.
Ozone Depletion
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue specific guidance for waste holders and waste regulation authorities relating to the status of
ozone-depleting substances as controlled waste under section 33 (1)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : Yes. Guidance on the circumstances in which ozone- depleting substances may become controlled wastes for the purposes of part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, will be included in the circular to be issued by my Department before the whole of section 33 is brought into force, which is intended to be on 1 April 1993.
Thorne and Hatfield Moors
Mr. Kevin Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the timetable for English Nature to take possession of the freehold of Thorne and Hatfield moors site of special scientific interest.
Mr. Maclean : English Nature has been managing the vegetated areas since February this year, with assistance from Fisons. The transfer of ownership will be completed as soon as possible.
Mr. Kevin Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect he expects the sale of Fisons horticultural division to have on the negotiation of an agreement between the company and English Nature on the purchase of Thorne and Hatfield moors.
Mr. Kevin Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment English Nature has made of the extent to which damage to Thorne and Hatfield moors site of special scientific interest as a result of peat extraction has been reduced during negotiations for the purchase of the site.
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Mr. Maclean : I am advised by English Nature that the vegetated areas previously planned for peat extraction are still intact and will remain so. Water levels on the moors have been successfully raised and the prime area of the site is now in better condition than before the negotiations.
Derelict Land Grant
Mr. Dover : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much derelict land grant has been made available for each local authority area in the last two financial years ; and what level is expected to be paid for the current financial year.
Mr. Robin Squire : The table shows derelict land grant expenditure-- grants and supplementary credits--incurred by local authorities over the last two years and the forecast for the current year.
|c|Derelict land grant expenditure|c|
|c|1990-91 to 1992-93|c|
Local Authority |1990-91 |1991-92 |<1>1992-93
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allerdale |1,571,074 |312,648 |0
Alnwick |0 |350 |0
Amber Valley |71,415 |0 |235,000
Ashfield |54,773 |65,944 |24,000
Barking |74,166 |0 |0
Barnsley |1,685,189 |877,713 |1,646,964
Barrow in Furness |0 |3,000,000 |2,000,000
Bath |0 |139,755 |530,000
Bedfordshire |0 |29,583 |0
Birmingham |281,537 |893,446 |1,224,000
Blackburn |370,811 |374,415 |200,000
Blackpool |23,992 |0 |18,000
Blyth Valley |0 |36,100 |100,000
Bolsover |68,967 |33,549 |80,000
Bolton |493,239 |221,066 |660,000
Boothferry |773,560 |838,673 |140,000
Bradford |780,617 |494,522 |396,000
Braintree |7,753 |0 |0
Breckland DC |0 |3,156 |0
Bristol |84,161 |138,741 |0
Broadland |45,837 |0 |0
Burnley |47,573 |81,182 |200,000
Bury |156,165 |697,395 |660,000
Calderdale |51,104 |2,970,946 |2,000,000
Camden |15,000 |15,000 |0
Cannock Chase |280,030 |152,138 |511,000
Caradon |0 |0 |100,000
Carlisle |0 |216,043 |900,000
Carrick |670,113 |0 |250,000
Cheshire |744,142 |101,794 |500,000
Cheshire CC |1,070,145 |1,434,597 |1,500,000
Chester |0 |0 |60,000
Chesterfield |2,497 |864,493 |122,000
Chichester |43,315 |941 |0
Chorley |160,956 |228,034 |200,000
Cleethorpes |10,900 |949 |0
Cleveland CC |35,401 |15,463 |120,000
Congleton |231,624 |47,564 |100,000
Copeland |0 |163,190 |900,000
Corby |1,374,391 |1,914,953 |1,927,000
Cornwall CC |25,289 |288,851 |400,000
Coventry |0 |0 |25,000
Darlington |668,018 |370,164 |700,000
Daventry |0 |0 |50,000
Derby |0 |180,000 |25,000
Derbyshire CC |2,958,839 |2,672,151 |2,597,000
Derbyshire Dales |0 |16,737 |260,000
Derwentside |475,920 |15,000 |135,000
Devon CC |57,387 |94,053 |0
Doncaster |1,371,837 |702,420 |2,150,783
Dudley |3,997,461 |4,887,623 |2,780,000
Durham CC |980,666 |553,286 |1,500,000
Durham City |2,035 |10,145 |10,000
Easington |125,113
325,000
Eden |0 |0 |130,000
Ellesmere Port and Neston |2,185,766 |1,503,996 |1,650,000
Enfield |6,358 |38,843 |0
Erewash |308,066 |555,234 |1,000,000
Forest of Dean |3,204 |142,417 |0
Gateshead |1,303,606 |1,558,246 |1,700,000
Gedling |0 |124,982 |27,000
Glanford |2,494,436 |3,612,119 |3,000,000
Gloucester |3,684 |3,684 |0
Gravesham |0 |1,800 |0
Greenwich |182,044 |81,884 |0
Grimsby |99 |37,200 |106,383
Halton |1,312,617 |914,466 |1,275,000
Hartlepool |256,776 |11,575 |500,000
Havering |17,640 |0 |0
Herts CC |0 |15,000 |0
Holderness |115,612 |0 |0
Hyndburn |174,072 |115,890 |200,000
Ipswich |0 |11,812 |0
Isle of Wight |49,704 |0 |0
Kent CC |11,747 |120,728 |0
Kerrier |93,286 |1,728,293 |1,420,000
Kettering |0 |6,875 |0
Kingston-upon-Hull |38,856 |139,811 |62,386
Kingswood |1,286 |0 |0
Kirklees |957,389 |1,054,334 |980,000
Knowsley |378,728 |634,424 |650,000
Lancashire CC |740,240 |528,947 |300,000
Lancaster |203,071 |421,906 |500,000
Langbaurgh |251,102 |27,809 |250,000
Leicester CC |697,283 |367,717 |873,000
Lichfield |215,464 |1,000 |103,000
Lincoln City |1,425,107 |694,932 |334,000
Liverpool |1,746,514 |3,047,190 |1,450,000
Luton |0 |77,257 |0
Macclesfield |101,358 |74,661 |150,000
Manchester |0 |372,930 |1,200,000
Mansfield |249,176 |823,915 |1,168,000
Merton |0 |20,521 |0
Mid Suffolk |0 |593 |0
Middlesbrough |50,284 |296,874 |550,000
North Tyneside |773,567 |508,513 |750,000
North West Leicester |899,602 |5,618 |5,000
Newark and Sherwood |0 |0 |77,000
Newcastle upon Tyne |104,810 |538,561 |450,000
Newcastle-Under-Lyme |1,239,612 |691,486 |1,614,000
North Yorkshire |0 |0 |10,000
Northumberland CC |1,429,134 |800,706 |1,700,000
Norwich |126,408 |152,074 |0
Nottingham |12,820 |176,280 |600,000
Nottinghamshire CC |1,631,835 |2,638,540 |2,631,000
Nuneaton and Bedworth |170,744 |50,554 |0
North Cornwall |16,596 |18,345 |20,000
North East Derbyshire |2,727 |43,669 |204,000
Oldham |724,291 |676,265 |1,250,000
Oswestry |0 |33,250 |33,000
Pendle |219,486 |0 |200,000
Penwith |0 |0 |60,000
Plymouth |55,823 |82,000 |100,000
Portland |30,882 |0 |0
Portsmouth |0 |16,814 |0
Preston |19,240 |436,405 |300,000
Reading |0 |10,279 |0
Reigate and Banstead |3,777 |0 |0
Restormel |0 |31,298 |250,000
Ribble Valley |575,532 |249,009 |200,000
Richmond Upon Thames |8,400 |0 |0
Richmondshire |0 |21,621 |40,000
Rochdale |34,444 |0 |310,000
Rochester |0 |39,857 |0
Rossendale |149,385 |120,095 |200,000
Rotherham |3,876,401 |4,585,974 |5,149,396
South Lakeland |10,350 |0 |100,000
South Staffordshire |6,074 |2,945 |1,000
South Tyneside |341,907 |297,004 |200,000
Salford |563,947 |820,103 |2,680,000
Sandwell |1,865,409 |1,023,621 |1,425,000
Scarborough |45,157 |0 |0
Sedgefield |10,169 |124,360 |160,000
Sefton |605,741 |408,728 |1,200,000
Segemoor |10,590 |0 |0
Selby |21,729 |2,581 |0
Sheffield |133,873 |635,888 |559,929
Shrophire CC |1,458,615 |615,850 |1,257,000
South Cambs |335,229 |142,039 |0
South Ribble |0 |41,876 |0
St Helens |416,148 |1,368,914 |975,000
Staffordshire CC |275,262 |1,387,127 |601,000
Staffordshire Moorlands |0 |6,000 |51,000
Stockport |72,448 |13,931 |500,000
Stockton on Tees |34,885 |155,178 |500,000
Stoke-on-Trent |256,706 |763,752 |695,000
Sunderland |1,403,637 |1,593,509 |1,700,000
Swale |138,405 |0 |0
South Derbyshire |467,923 |297,485 |7,000
Tameside |64,487 |1,263,999 |1,200,000
Tamworth |0 |0 |6,000
Teesdale |0 |6,418 |0
Teignbridge |5,154 |5,354 |800
Test Valley |0 |8,760 |0
Thamesdown |455,680 |33,659 |20,000
Thanet |0 |12,807 |0
Thurrock |0 |8,177 |0
Torbay |7,695 |0 |8,000
Tower Hamlets |364,026 |1,963,775 |0
Trafford |7,200 |19,688 |150,000
Vale Royal |59,045 |134,157 |200,000
West Lancashire |0 |59,709 |200,000
Wakefield |944,341 |1,160,250 |1,498,000
Walsall |3,738,123 |4,222,623 |3,838,000
Warrington |313,164 |90,022 |200,000
Warwickshire |157,345 |36,760 |29,000
Wealden |0 |2,500 |0
Wear Valley |39,896 |429,818 |350,000
Wolverhampton |447,375 |1,676,043 |1,981,000
Woodspring |1,919 |1,000 |1,200
Wrekin |336,154 |672,755 |773,000
West Derbyshire |42,550 |0 |0
West Devon |0 |47,666 |0
York |0 |0 |10,000
|----- |----- |-----
Total |69,127,962 |84,860,641 |89,401,841
<1>Forecast expenditure.
Mr. Dover : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what grounds he will allow derelict land grant reclamation contracts to be awarded to contractors on a negotiated basis.
Mr. Robin Squire : Normally reclamation works supported by derelict land grant must be subject to competitive tendering. However, a negotiated contract may be accepted where site constraints make it reasonable to employ a contractor reclaiming adjacent land ; or where the future occupant of the site wishes to reclaim the land himself. In either case the Department must be satisfied that the estimated costs represent value for money.
Empty Government Properties
Sir Anthony Durant : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress the Government have made on establishing a task force on empty Government residential properties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Howard : I am pleased to announce the establishment of the task force on Government Departments' empty houses. Its first meeting will be on Wednesday 9 December. The task force has been established to help bring empty Government residential properties back into use, essentially to be sold, or let on
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short-term leases to people in housing need. The role of the task force will be to oversee Departments' achievements of their respective targets for disposals.Mr. John Baker, chief executive of National Power, has been appointed as its chairman. The task force will also comprise an independent deputy chairman, Mr. Anthony Fletcher, two independent experts, Major-General Patrick Stone and Mr. David Yorke, and representatives from Government Departments with an interest in disposal of empty residential property.
The task force will be overseen by a ministerial steering group under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning. The ministerial steering group will monitor progress and give added impetus to the task force's work.
Methyl Bromide
Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the United States of America's proposal at the Montreal protocol to phase out by 2000 the use of methyl bromide ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 3 December 1992] : In the recent Montreal protocol negotiations the United States of America proposed that the production and supply of methyl bromide be phased out by the year 2000. Methyl bromide is a wide spectrum biocide used in soil fumigation and in vital quarantine applications. The United Kingdom proposed to its EC partners that its production and consumption should be frozen at 1991 levels by 1995, and cut by 25 per cent. by the year 2000. In the event, only a
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freeze proved acceptable to all member states. We will continue to press for a reduction in the forthcoming discussions on a new EC regulation.Earth Summit
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those nations known by Her Majesty's Government to have ratified agreements made at the Earth summit, stating for each which agreements have been ratified ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 4 December 1992] : The Seychelles, Mauritius and China have ratified both the framework convention on climate change and the convention on biological diversity. The USA, the Marshall Islands, Zimbabwe, the Maldives and Monaco have ratified the climate change convention.
Council House Sales
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number and value of council house sales by region in each year since 1989 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1989 prices.
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 30 November 1992] : The information requested is given in the table. The figures exclude dwellings transferred to housing associations and other registered bodies in large- scale voluntary transfers. Such transfers accounted for some 71,000 dwellings valued at about £600 million in the period January 1989 to December 1991.
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|c|Number of council house sales and value by region (£000)|c|
1989 1990 1991
(Provisional)
DOE Regions |Number of sales |Undiscounted Value|Value 1989 prices |Number of sales |Undiscounted Value|Value 1989 Prices |Number of Sales |Undiscounted Value|Value 1989 Prices
|of Sales |of Sales |of Sales
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern (excluding Cumbria) |11,298 |216,495 |216,495 |9,913 |225,064 |209,073 |5,581 |147,342 |127,744
Yorkshire and Humberside |19,217 |412,554 |412,554 |13,425 |377,114 |350,320 |5,879 |180,504 |156,495
East Midlands |12,758 |375,860 |375,860 |5,467 |191,881 |178,248 |3,186 |115,086 |99,778
Eastern |12,875 |700,572 |700,572 |7,388 |402,114 |373,544 |5,264 |274,210 |237,737
London Boroughs |29,525 |1,687,263 |1,687,263 |22,758 |1,434,148 |1,332,252 |12,754 |788,502 |683,623
South East |20,760 |775,947 |775,947 |7,043 |398,161 |369,872 |5,211 |290,333 |251,716
South West |11,555 |511,789 |511,789 |5,026 |226,213 |210,141 |3,248 |145,850 |126,450
West Midlands |19,082 |543,366 |543,366 |12,228 |415,888 |386,339 |6,014 |219,991 |190,730
North West (including Cumbria) |17,924 |391,293 |391,293 |16,361 |400,305 |371,863 |8,032 |227,309 |197,075
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
England |154,994 |5,615,139 |5,615,139 |99,609 |4,070,888 |3,781,651 |55,169 |2,389,127 |2,071,349
Non-domestic Rates
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the distributable amount of non-domestic rates for 1993-94 and if he will explain the basis of his calculations.
Mr. Redwood [pursuant to his reply, 26 November 1992, c. 836] : My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 12 November that the non-domestic rate multiplier for 1993-94 will rise by 3.5 per cent. from its 1992-93 level to 0.416. The distributable amount of non-domestic rates based on this poundage will be £11,559 million. This includes an Exchequer payment of £922 million into the
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non-domestic rates pool to compensate local authorities for the shortfall in 1992-93 and 1993-94 which would otherwise occur as a result of the Non-Domestic Rating Act 1992. The basis of the calculation is set out in the table.
|c|Calculation of distributable amount 1993-94|c|
|£ million
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Income from Local Lists in 1993-94
(a) Total Local List RV X Multiplier (£31,500
million X 0.416) |13,104
(b) Less Transitional decrease |(499)
(c) Less Reliefs on empty and partially empty
| properties
(d) Less Reliefs to charities |(330)
(e) Less Discretionary Reliefs |(19)
(f) Less Losses on collection |(200)
(g) Less Appeals in respect of previous years
and other rating adjustments |(541)
|----
Sub Total |10,302
2. Income from Central List in 1993-94
Total Central List RV X Multiplier-and
after transition-(£2,714 million X 0.416) |1,126
3. Income from Crown Contributions in Aid in 1993-94
Net Crown yield (after transition) |455
Net Yield for 1993-94 (Items 1, 2 and 3) |11,883
4. Reductions to Contributions
(a) Offset for City of London |(25)
(b) Allowance for local authorities' collection
costs |(66)
Net Contributions for 1993-94 (1, 2 and 3 less 4) |11,792
5. Outturn Adjustments for previous years
(a) Less adjustments for empty property relief
in respect of 1992-93 and previous years |(606)
(b) Less other outturn adjustments in respect of
1992-93 and previous years |(549)
Sub total of net contributions for 1993-94 less
outturn |10,637
6. Exchequer Contributions to compensate for
reductions in revenue resulting from the
provisions of the Non-Domestic Rating Act
1992 (the 1992 Act)
(a) Add income foregone in 1992-93 due to
revised transitional arrangements |400
(b) Add income foregone in 1993-94 |520
(c) Add addition to cost of collection
allowance in 1992-93 and 1993-94 |2
Sub-total |922
Total NNDR Distributable Amount for 1993-94 |11,559
Notes:
1. Item 1(a): the estimated rateable value total represents the values of
non-domestic hereditaments on local rating lists.
2. Item 1(b): the adjustment includes the estimated amount of rates that
will not be recouped locally due to the revised transitional arrangements
under the provisions of the 1992 Act.
3. Item 1(e): discretionary relief granted to charities, non-profit making
organisations and for other reasons.
4. Item 1(g): net adjustments in respect of appeals and other amendments to
the rating list affecting liability for previous years' rates settled in
1993-94.
5. Item 2: the rateable value of non-domestic hereditaments on the central
rating list after adjustments for appeals.
6. Item 4(a): a preliminary estimate of the reduction in the amount which
the City of London will not be required to pay into the non-domestic rating
pool on account of the local rate in the City. It is the amount which will
be retained by the authority to meet its expenditure.
7. Item 4(b): the allowance for the costs incurred by local authorities in
collecting the non-domestic rates from ratepayers.
8. Item 5(a): adjustments based on estimated mandatory reliefs for empty
property in 1992-93 and earlier years not taken into account in the
calculation of the Distributable Amount for 1992-93.
9. Item 6(a) and (b): the contribution from central government to offset the
amount of the Secretary of State's estimate of income foregone arising from
the provisions of the Non-Domestic Rating Act 1992.
10. Item 6(c): estimated additional sum for local authorities' costs of
collection in 1992-93 and 1993-94 resulting from the provisions of the 1992
Act.
Column 580
SOCIAL SECURITY
Fraud
Mr. Nigel Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action is being undertaken to deal with social security fraud in England.
Miss Widdecombe : The Government are determined to crack down on fraud and abuse of the benefits system. All staff are encouraged to be aware of possible fraudulent claims to benefit and of the need to safeguard public funds. Allegations of attempted fraud which appear to be well founded are investigated, and further action, including possible legal proceedings, is taken as considered appropriate. We are building on the excellent performance of recent years when savings made by fraud investigators in the Benefits Agency throughout Great Britain have risen strongly. In 1990-91 they saved £341 million, last year the figure rose to £427 million, and in 1992-93 the final savings are expected to top £500 million.
In his statement to the House on 12 November, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that a further £10 million would be invested to help step up the fight. He also announced plans to encourage local authorities to prevent housing benefit and council tax benefit fraud. The combined efforts of the Benefits Agency and the local authorities are expected to save nearly £1 billion in each of the next three financial years.
Order Books
Mr. Willetts : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of social security order books reported lost were subsequently cashed in the latest period for which figures are available.
Miss Widdecombe : The payment of benefits by order book is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Willets, dated 7 December 1992 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what proportion of social security order books reported lost were subsequently cashed in the latest period for which figures are available.
In the quarter ending 30 June 1992, just over 62,000 Social Security order books were recorded as lost, stolen or destroyed, which represents approximately half of one per cent. of all order books issued. Information on the number of those order books which are subsequently cashed is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Mr. Robin Archer of 51 Ranscombe road, Brixham, will know the status of his application for disability living allowance submitted in March ; and what is the reason for the time taken in reaching a decision.
Column 581
Mr. Scott : The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Mr. Michael Bichard to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 7 December 1992 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security concerning the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claim by your constituent Mr. Robin Archer of 51 Ranscombe Road, Brixham.
I should explain that action on Mr. Archer's claim was completed in August 1992 and notification sent to him. A duplicate notification was sent to him on 1 December 1992.
I offer my apologies to Mr. Archer for the delay in handling his claim, I have written to you separately, and in greater detail, about the case. You will be aware from my letter of 19 October 1992 to all MPs of the problems we have encountered since the successful launch of the new benefits and the positive steps taken to improve the situation.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.
Mortgage Interest Allowance
Mr. Ancram : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he intends to review the transaction charge payable by mortgage lenders as a contribution to the costs incurred by the Benefits Agency in providing direct payment to lenders of the mortgage interest allowance in income support.
Mr. Burt : My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has today laid amendment regulations which will reduce the transaction charge levied under the mortgage interest direct payment scheme from £2.50 to £1 for each payment. The change takes effect from 1 April 1993. This reduction reflects the reduced costs of running the scheme, particularly the absence of the setting-up costs incurred in 1992-93, the first year of operation.
The scheme will continue to provide protection against repossession to many people in receipt of benefit.
Invalidity Benefit
Mrs. Jane Kennedy : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his estimate of the costs of the research study into invalidity benefit launched in August 1991 ; who has been appointed to conduct the study ; and on what criteria the research is based ;
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(2) on what date he expects completion of the research study into invalidity benefit which commenced in August 1991 ; and when he intents to publish the results already received.Mr. Scott : I refer the hon. Member to my replies to the right hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 19 October at column 171 and the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 27 October at column 632 .
Pensions
Ms. Estelle Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to provide that persons who have opted out of employers' pension schemes should be entitled to receive financial compensation in lieu of pension enhancements offered to fellow employees to have not opted out, as part of a redundancy package.
Mr. McLoughlin : I have been asked to reply.
I have no plans to do so.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Coal Industry
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the coalfields producing coal in 1962 ; and if he will list for each year since 1962 and the current year to date, for each area, the number of mines, the tonnage of coal produced and the number of miners together with (a) the number of mines closed, (b) the number of miners who lost their jobs, (c) the number made compulsorily redundant and (d) the percentage level of unemployment among adult male workers for the relevant employment districts.
Mr. Eggar : British Coal has reorganised its group structure several times since 1962. The tables show the number of operating collieries, the tonnage of saleable output of coal, and the number of men on colliery books for each year since 1962 for British Coal's current operating groups.
There have been no compulsory redundancies since 1962. Information on unemployment rates is available from the NOMIS database in the House of Commons Library. I regret that the other information requested cannot readily be provided.
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|c|Number of Operating Colleries|c|
|Scotland |North East |Yorkshire |Nottinghamshire |Midlands and West|Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1962 |117 |153 |105 |49 |245 |669
1963 |97 |132 |102 |48 |232 |611
1964 |87 |122 |102 |47 |218 |576
1965 |77 |112 |100 |45 |200 |534
1966 |67 |96 |100 |43 |177 |483
1967 |58 |84 |92 |33 |171 |438
1968 |47 |69 |83 |30 |147 |376
1969 |37 |56 |76 |26 |122 |317
1970 |32 |50 |75 |26 |116 |299
1971 |32 |50 |72 |27 |111 |292
1972 |32 |48 |72 |27 |110 |289
1973 |29 |45 |70 |27 |110 |281
1974 |24 |38 |66 |27 |104 |259
1975 |22 |34 |65 |27 |98 |246
1976 |21 |32 |65 |27 |96 |241
1977 |20 |31 |66 |27 |94 |238
1978 |19 |30 |66 |27 |89 |231
1979 |16 |28 |64 |27 |88 |223
1980 |16 |27 |63 |27 |86 |219
1981 |15 |24 |62 |26 |84 |211
1982 |14 |22 |57 |25 |82 |200
1983 |13 |18 |56 |25 |79 |191
1984 |9 |16 |53 |25 |67 |170
1985 |9 |15 |53 |25 |67 |169
1986 |9 |10 |40 |22 |52 |133
1987 |6 |8 |36 |20 |40 |110
1988 |4 |7 |33 |17 |33 |94
1989 |2 |7 |32 |16 |29 |86
1990 |1 |7 |29 |15 |21 |73
1991 |1 |7 |26 |15 |16 |65
1992 |1 |5 |20 |12 |12 |50
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|c|Saleable Output (m. tons/tonnes)|c|
|Scotland |North East |Yorkshire |Nottinghamshire |Midlands and West|Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tons
1962 |17.5 |34.7 |42.2 |31.0 |62.2 |187.6
1963 |17.1 |34.0 |42.6 |31.2 |63.6 |188.5
1964 |16.5 |32.5 |43.1 |31.3 |63.8 |187.2
1965 |15.5 |31.2 |43.5 |31.1 |62.4 |183.7
1966 |14.9 |29.7 |41.2 |29.6 |58.7 |174.1
1967 |14.4 |27.2 |38.9 |23.2 |60.9 |164.6
1968 |13.7 |26.1 |40.2 |22.8 |59.9 |162.7
1969 |12.6 |23.2 |40.1 |22.8 |54.3 |153.0
1970 |11.1 |20.5 |35.9 |22.9 |49.4 |139.8
1971 |11.2 |18.9 |34.8 |22.7 |45.7 |133.3
1972 |10.4 |15.5 |29.6 |18.0 |35.7 |109.2
1973 |11.1 |17.6 |36.1 |21.7 |40.5 |127.0
1974 |8.8 |13.5 |27.4 |16.9 |30.5 |97.1
1975 |10.0 |14.6 |32.3 |20.5 |37.6 |115.0
1976 |9.7 |14.4 |31.4 |20.2 |36.9 |112.6
1977 |9.0 |12.9 |30.7 |19.4 |34.7 |106.7
1978 |8.3 |12.6 |30.4 |19.7 |33.6 |104.6
Tonnes
1979 |8.1 |12.9 |30.1 |19.6 |34.7 |105.4
1980 |8.1 |14.1 |31.4 |20.6 |35.1 |109.3
1981 |7.8 |14.2 |31.6 |20.9 |35.8 |110.3
1982 |7.3 |13.5 |31.3 |20.9 |35.9 |108.9
1983 |6.7 |12.5 |31.0 |20.7 |34.0 |104.9
1984 |5.3 |11.0 |26.4 |18.6 |28.8 |90.1
1985 |0.3 |0.4 |0.6 |14.8 |11.6 |27.7
1986 |4.3 |9.6 |26.8 |18.7 |29.0 |88.4
1987 |3.4 |10.2 |27.3 |18.1 |29.0 |88.0
1988 |2.6 |10.3 |26.2 |17.6 |25.7 |82.4
1989 |1.9 |10.3 |29.4 |17.2 |26.2 |85.0
1990 |2.0 |10.3 |25.0 |16.8 |21.5 |75.6
1991 |2.2 |9.0 |25.0 |16.9 |19.2 |72.3
1992 |2.2 |7.5 |28.0 |17.3 |16.0 |71.0
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|c|Men on Books (at year end)|c| (Thousands) Year |Scotland |North East |Yorkshire |Nottinghamshire |Midlands and West|Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1962 |58.8 |112.4 |113.9 |58.5 |192.6 |536.2 1963 |57.4 |107.3 |113.9 |58.6 |195.3 |532.5 1964 |52.9 |99.7 |110.5 |56.7 |185.5 |505.3 1965 |49.6 |93.5 |106.0 |54.5 |173.7 |477.3 1966 |44.9 |83.7 |100.2 |51.2 |156.2 |436.2 1967 |41.9 |75.5 |96.1 |40.4 |155.8 |409.7 1968 |36.0 |64.7 |88.3 |38.4 |137.4 |364.8 1969 |31.5 |54.5 |79.6 |35.6 |117.5 |318.7 1970 |30.1 |48.6 |75.3 |34.8 |106.9 |295.7 1971 |30.1 |48.1 |72.6 |35.4 |100.2 |286.4 1972 |28.4 |46.4 |70.0 |34.4 |94.8 |274.0 1973 |26.7 |42.7 |68.6 |34.0 |91.6 |263.6 1974 |24.3 |38.2 |64.4 |32.0 |83.6 |242.5 1975 |24.8 |37.2 |67.3 |33.3 |86.2 |248.8 1976 |23.6 |35.8 |66.6 |33.3 |84.4 |243.7 1977 |22.9 |34.9 |67.5 |33.6 |83.2 |242.1 1978 |21.9 |35.0 |66.5 |33.9 |82.0 |239.3 1979 |21.0 |33.8 |64.8 |33.6 |79.2 |232.4 1980 |21.0 |33.4 |65.6 |34.5 |78.7 |233.2 1981 |19.8 |32.0 |63.3 |33.6 |76.1 |224.8 1982 |17.4 |29.0 |60.7 |33.0 |72.7 |212.8 1983 |16.5 |26.4 |59.3 |32.0 |68.5 |202.7 1984 |13.1 |22.9 |53.9 |29.2 |62.0 |181.1 1985 |11.3 |21.9 |52.0 |27.5 |58.7 |171.4 1986 |7.7 |17.9 |38.1 |26.2 |48.6 |138.5 1987 |4.5 |14.4 |33.2 |20.6 |37.2 |109.9 1988 |3.5 |11.8 |27.2 |16.6 |29.9 |89.0 1989 |2.4 |10.8 |25.6 |15.0 |26.4 |80.2 1990 |1.5 |9.5 |21.2 |13.5 |19.7 |65.4 1991 |1.4 |8.6 |19.3 |13.8 |14.2 |57.3 1992 |1.3 |6.1 |15.3 |11.2 |9.8 |43.7
Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what the cost and expenses were for the work which his Department commissioned into the future of the coal industry by Rothschilds and by Boyds.
Mr. Eggar : Fees paid to Government advisers are commercially confidential. Total expenditure on coal privatisation is reported to Parliament in the usual way through the publication of departmental estimates and the annual appropriation accounts.
Mr. Conway : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about progress in the coal review.
Mr. Heseltine : I sent the Chairman of the Trade and Industry Select Committee a progress report on 7 December listing the main areas and options for consideration identified by evidence submitted to the coal review. Copies of the progress report have been placed in the Library.
Exports and Imports (Information)
Mr. Hutton : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to the voluntary provision by the United Kingdom of information on the export and import of (a) nuclear material, (b) relevant equipment and (c) certain non-nuclear material to the International Atomic Energy Agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : Discussions in the Zangger committee are confidential to the parties involved. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in May 1993.
In an effort to strengthen the international safeguards system, the United Kingdom, along with European Community partners, has recently notified the International Atomic Energy Agency that EC member states intend to provide information on transfers of ore concentrates imported or exported from the European Community and information on the items listed in annex B to IAEA INFCIRC/254/Revl/Part 1, when a licence for whose export to a country outside the European Community has been approved. These new arrangements are expected to commence in the new year.
Column 586
International Atomic Energy Agency
Mr. Hutton : To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether there is an agreed amount of notice given to the state that is to be inspected when the International Atomic Energy Agency undertakes special inspections ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Eggar : There is no fixed period of notice for special inspections in the relevant safeguards agreements ; these provide for prior consultation between the state and the IAEA in circumstances which may lead to a special inspection. In case action by the state is essential and urgent the IAEA board of governors may call upon the state to take the required action without delay.
Marine Protection
Mr. Richards : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures are being taken to ensure that test drillings for oil and gas will not damage marine life off the north Wales coast.
Mr. Eggar : As described in my answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones) on 7 December, Official Report, col 497, licences for oil and gas exploration drilling may be subject to special conditions designed to take account of the sensitivities of specific licensed blocks. In the block off the north Wales coast where drilling is currently in progress, environmental and local seabed surveys were carried out before drilling started. Water-based muds are being used, and cuttings may be discharged to the sea since tidal conditions in the area ensure their rapid dispersal. No other rig discharges are permitted, nor any fuel transfers while the rig is on site.
Export Credit Guarantees
Mr. Meacher : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been expended in export credit guarantees in each of the last 10 years ; and how much has been paid out in each of those years as a result of non- payment for exports.
Mr. Needham : Details of the volume of export credit business guaranteed over the previous 10 years, along with the related expenditure on interest rate support and the amount paid out under such guarantees by way of claims, are published each year in the annual report of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Column 587
Copies of the annual report are placed in the Library.East Sussex
Mr. Bowden : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the problems and needs of (a) Brighton and Hove and (b) the county of East Sussex while conducting the review of the assisted areas map.
Mr. Sainsbury : We are currently considering points made by two deputations from the areas mentioned--one from Hastings and one from Brighton and Hove. We are also considering the written submissions that have been received from these and other areas.
Plutonium
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what current studies are being undertaken by the Harwell research laboratories into the risks of inhalation and ingestion of alpha radiation emitted from plutonium.
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