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Mr. David Hunt [Pursuant to his reply, 10 July 1992, c.360-61] : Three Welsh non-departmental public bodies were not included in "Public Bodies 1991" because of their establishment after its publication.
Wales Youth Agency was incorporated on 1 April 1992. The agency is a company limited by guarantee. Messrs. Owens Thomas and Co., chartered accountants, were appointed as auditors on 18 December 1992. The appointment followed open competition.
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Further Education Funding Council for Wales were established on 6 May 1992. In both cases the Comptroller and Auditor General is the auditor.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Carers
Mr. Ainger : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the cost of continuing payment of invalid care allowance for a period of (a) eight weeks and (b) six months after their caring responsibilities come to an end to carers who have been receiving invalid care allowance for more than one year. Mr. Scott The estimated cost of continuing payment of invalid care allowance after caring ceases to carers who have been receiving the benefit for more than one year is £5million for eight weeks and £16 million for six months.
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Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will review the present rules governing carer premium and carers over the age of 65.
Mr. Burt : The carer premium is linked to entitlement to invalid care allowance and is primarily intended to give additional help to younger carers, many of whom previously had no premium. Additional help is given to people over 60 through the pensioner premiums. We have no plans to extend the carer premium to people who are unable to establish entitlement to invalid care allowance on age grounds.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers aged over 65 years receive (a) invalid care allowance and (b) the carer premium ; and what proposals he has to increase the amount of financial support for older carers.
Mr. Scott : At 31 December 1992, 288 men over age 65 and 9,028 women over age 60 were receiving invalid care allowance. Separate figures are not held on the numbers of carers over age 65 who receive carer premium. We have no plans to increase the amount of financial support for older carers.
Note : Separate figures are not available for female carers over age 65.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department spends on invalid care allowance and the carer premium ; and what percentage of the total social security budget this figure makes up.
Mr. Scott : Expenditure on invalid care allowance and the carer premium was £262 million and £15.5 million respectively in 1991- 92. This represents 0.02 per cent. of the total social security budget for that year.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost his Department to restore national insurance credits for short-term benefits through invalid care allowance.
Mr. Scott : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 18 November 1992, at columns 252-53.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he plans to initiate a take-up campaign for invalid care allowance and the carer premium in light of the introduction of community care ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The number of people in receipt of invalid care allowance continues to increase. We have no plans to initiate a take-up campaign at present, but we shall continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he proposes to abolish the upper age limit for first claims of invalid care allowance.
Mr. Scott : We have no plans to do so.
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people currently receive invalid care allowance ; and what percentage this is of the total number of people caring for 35 hours or more each week.
Mr. Scott : At 31 December 1992, there were 189,000 people receiving invalid care allowance. Figures showing the total number of people who are caring for 35 hours or more each week are not available.
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Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate for the number of carers who are entitled to the carer premium ; and how many are actually paid it.
Mr. Burt : We estimate that about 70,000 people are entitled to the carer premium because they have invalid care allowance, or would have it but for the overlapping benefit rules, and are claiming income support, housing benefit or community charge benefit. Premiums are awarded in those benefits where the qualifying conditions are met, so this would also be our estimate of the numbers who have it included in the calculation of their benefit.
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of national average earnings the current level of invalid care allowance is ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The current rate of invalid care allowance is £32.55 which represents 10.69 per cent. of average national earnings. Invalid care allowance recipients may earn up to £40 a week, after deduction of allowable expenses, without affecting their entitlement. They may also be eligible to receive other social security benefits. Note : Average national earnings figure for April 1992 is £304.60 ( Source : New Earnings Survey).
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost his Department to extend eligibility for invalid care allowance to carers providing care and support for a person who receives the lower rate care component of disability living allowance ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people would benefit and what is his estimate of the cost of extending entitlement to invalid care allowance to those caring for a person who receives the lower rate care component of disability living allowance.
Mr. Scott : I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs Ewing) on 18 November 1992 at columns 252-53, and to my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley) on 11January 1993 at columns 676-77.
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are (a) in receipt of and (b) estimated to be eligible for the carer premium ; and what measures his Department is taking to increase take -up of the carer premium.
Mr. Burt : We estimate that about 70,000 people are currently eligible for, and receiving, the carer premium in income support, housing benefit or community charge benefit because they have invalid care allowance, or would have it but for the overlapping benefit rules. It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the numbers who could become eligible for the premium were they to claim one or more of the benefits mentioned. The carer premium is already publicised in a number of ways and we continually monitor the provision of information about benefits.
Income Support
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of claimants of income support in residential and nursing homes in each of
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the last three years for which figures are available, in each year giving both the total figures and the numbers in receipt of the weekly rates for elderly people, very dependent elderly, mental disorder other than mental handicap, drug or alcohol dependency, mental handicap, terminal illness and physical disablement below pension age.Mr. Burt : Estimates of numbers claiming each of the income support limits are shown in the table.
Numbers of claimants
(000s)<1>
|May 1990|May 1991|May 1992
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Residential Care
Elderly |58 |63 |63
Very dependent/blind elderly |31 |35 |40
Mental illness |5 |6 |10
Alcohol and drug dependence |3 |2 |3
Mental handicap |18 |21 |27
Physical handicap below pensionable age8 7 9
Others |4 |2 |2
|------- |------- |-------
Totals |125 |137 |154
Nursing Homes
Others including elderly |37 |49 |60
Mental illness |5 |4 |4
Alcohol and drug dependence |-<2> |-<2> |-<2>
Mental Handicap |1 |2 |2
Physical handicap below pensionable age5 2 7
Terminal illness |17 |34 |44
|------- |------- |-------
Totals |64 |94 |117
<1> Numbers rounded to nearest thousand.
<2> Denotes figures under 500.
Note: These estimates are based on the May quarterly, one per
cent, samples of live cases.
($ billion) |Net Private Flows to|Aid (oda) to |Interest and
|Developing |Developing |Dividends Paid by
|Countries |Countries |Developing
|Countries
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |54.0 |31.1 |n/a
1980 |66.2 |37.8 |63.6
1981 |74.3 |36.8 |86.4
1982 |58.2 |33.8 |95.3
1983 |47.9 |33.7 |90.6
1984 |31.6 |34.7 |89.5
1985 |30.2 |37.0 |92.8
1986 |26.5 |44.5 |80.3
1987 |33.7 |48.4 |73.6
1988 |43.9 |51.5 |93.4
1989 |48.6 |51.4 |93.4
1990 |52.6 |63.0 |93.3
<1>1991 |55.4 |62.0 |96.1
Source: OECD.
<1> Provisional figure.
Russian Federation
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding from the know-how fund is being given to assist the current symposium in parliamentary democracy for members of the symposium in parliamentary democracy
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for members of the supreme soviet of the Russian Federation organised by the department of politics of the University of Leeds ; which parliamentary parties have been invited to participate ; and what attention the symposium is paying (a) to the conflict in Ireland and (b) the role of regional parties in the House of Commons.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The know-how fund has allocated £60,000 towards the costs of this symposium. I understand from the organisers that Members of Parliament from the following parties have been invited to participate in various stages of the course :
the Conservative Party
the Labour Party
the Liberal Democrat Party
the Ulster Unionist Party
the Scottish National Party
Plaid Cymru
the Democratic Unionist Party
the Social Democratic and Labour Party
the Ulster Popular Unionist Party
The symposium will include during its three week programme separate discussion, each of one and a half hours, on the situation in Northern Ireland and on the role of regional and nationalist parties in Parliament.
World Bank
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts have been made by his Department to secure greater public scrutiny of the activities of the International Development Association of the World bank.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The World bank circulates monthly an operational summary containing information about all projects which it is considering for possible financing, and their environmental categorisation. This includes projects financed under the International Development Association as well as those financed on normal Bank terms. Copies of the operational summaries are available in the libraries of the House. All financial decisions made by the board and a wide range of technical and policy papers are also published.
Bank procedures require that information on projects with potentially significant environmental impacts is made available to the local groups and non-governmental organisations in the borrowing country well in advance of consideration of the project in the board. We have supported the development of these arrangements.
Development Banks
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to publish the Government's voting position on all multilateral development bank board decisions.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The proceedings of the boards of the multilateral development banks are confidential so as not to inhibit full and frank discussion.
Liberia
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what humanitarian aid and other forms of assistance is being provided from his Department to the economic community of West African states and to United Nations and other agencies in their
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efforts to overcome the problems created by the spillover of the conflict in Liberia into Sierra Leone ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have supported strongly in the UN and elsewhere the efforts made by ECOWAS to bring about peace in Liberia, which will also be an essential element in resolving Sierra Leone's problems. The UK's humanitarian aid to the region as a whole arising from the Liberian conflict amounts to some £8.4 million (including contributions made through the EC), of which £1.1 million has been provided for assistance to Sierra Leone.
Kenya
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will now press for suspended bilateral and multilateral aid to Kenya to be released.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Britain has not suspended bilateral aid to Kenya. Our development assistance programme, worth £29 million in 1991-92 continues.
In common with other donors, we have withheld provision of new balance of payments assistance pending economic and political reforms. Recent progress on the political front has been commendable culminating in the multi-party elections held last month which we and international observers believe constituted a major step on the road to democracy. Economic progress will be examined in a forthcoming IMF review of Kenya's economic reform programme. We and other donors will take account of the outcome of this review in considering future policy.
Overseas Aid Review
Mr. Andrew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason statistics on official and private flows to developing countries, with breakdown, and the percentage shares of gross national product involved were dropped from the 1992 British overseas aid review ; why the review's publication date was delayed until December 1992 ; and if he will make it his policy to reinstate the figures for official and private flows, broken down by categories as in the 1991 annual review, and expressed as percentages of gross national product, for subsequent years.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 18 January 1993] : Tables giving statistics on official and private flows to developing countries and the percentage shares of gross national product were not included in the 1992 edition of the "British Overseas Aid Annual Review" following an internal review of the format, presentation, content and style of the review.
Individual tables taken from "British Aid Statistics" are available free from ODA information department.
The review was published at a later date than in the past to coincide with the availability of "British Aid Statistics" which was published later this year following the decision to show tables on a financial rather than calendar year basis.
A decision of the format of the 1993 annual review and the information to be contained within it will be taken later this year, taking account of all views expressed on the 1992 review.
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ENVIRONMENT
Waste Disposal
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he had held or plans to hold with the National Association of Waste Regulation Officers relating to inconsistency of penalties for waste disposal offences ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : None. We understand that the National Association of Waste Regulation Officers is looking into this issue following some recent court cases, but it has so far made no representations to the Department. Within the maxima laid down by Parliament, it is for the courts to determine the most suitable sentence in the light of all the circumstances of the offence and the offender.
Drinking Water
Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans there are to bring down the amount of lead in United Kingdom drinking water in line with the World Health Organisation guideline of 10 micrograms per litre.
Mr. Maclean : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 20 January, at column 265.
Climate Change
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made by his Department to the United Nations on the provision of verification of compliance within the framework convention on climate change following the United Nations conference on environment and development.
Mr. Maclean : The United Kingdom believes that effective mechanisms for reporting and review of measures taken under the framework convention on climate change are vital for its effective implementation. We reiterated this point at the December 1992 meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating committee on the
convention--INC--which took decisions on a plan of work in preparation for the first meeting of the parties to the convention. Among the issues which the INC will consider is the review of information communicated by developed countries on policies and measures for the mitigation of climate change.
Pit Closures
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to recognise special needs in coal mining areas more quickly ; and how quickly it is intended to make such assistance available where collieries close arising from the current coal review.
Mr. Robin Squire : My Department is making available £5 million under the coalfield areas fund for assistance for areas which may be affected by possible closures. A total of £1.8 million is being made available to the Tyne and Wear development corporation, to support projects aimed at making land quickly available for manufacturing jobs. We are considering enterprize zone designation in areas affected by the possible closures.
These initiatives are part of the substantial packages of measures announced by the President of the Board of
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Trade on 13 and 19 October 1992. Decisions on the implementation of these measures will be taken in the light of the outcome of the coal review.Urban Programme
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consultations he has had with local authorities and their associations concerning the conduct of the review of urban programme authorities and the use of 1991 census information ; and what plans he has for further consultations ;
(2) what work has so far been undertaken by his Department in relation to the review of the list of authorities eligible for funding under the urban programme and successor arrangements ; (3) what draft criteria have so far been devised for use with the 1991 census data for reviewing the list of authorities eligible for funding from the urban programme and successor arrangements.
Mr. Robin Squire : The Department has commissioned research into the compilation of an index of urban conditions using 1991 census and other data. The purpose of the index is to consider the needs of urban areas, and it will be used to inform decisions on the future share of urban policy, including the review of urban priority areas. The local authority associations were represented on a steering group to oversee preliminary work on the index. We have since done further work to produce a range of indicators, which will include factors such as unemployment, housing and education. We will be offering the local authority associations the chance to comment on these shortly.
Urban Programme
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of all letters sent out by his Department dealing with bids for urban programme funding for 1993-94 between 15 October and 13 November 1992.
Mr. Robin Squire : I will write to the hon. Member.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each urban programme authority how much funding Gateshead has received under the urban programme at 1992 prices for each of the last three years ; how many projects have been supported ; and how many people have been employed by them in jobs and in training schemes.
Mr. Robin Squire [holding answer 21 January 1993] : I refer the hon. Gentleman to my replies to his previous questions on 14 January, Official Report, column 766, and 13 January, Official Report, column 656.
Whales
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to support proposals prepared by the French Government for discussion at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission in relation to the creation of a whale sanctuary in the seas around Antarctica.
Mr. Curry : I have been asked to reply.
The French proposal for a whale sanctuary in the Antarctic, put to the International Whaling Commission
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--ICW--at its 44th meeting in Glasgow last June, is due for further consideration when the Commission meets in Kyoto in May of this year. The United Kingdom was one of the countries which encouraged the IWC to undertake further work on this and related issues. We shall play a full part in its further consideration, liaising with other IWC contracting parties and with the environmental organisations with whom we work closely.Oil and Gas Exploration
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to protect wildlife sites and sites of special scientific interest in the Wash, north Norfolk coast, Cardigan bay, the Dorset heritage coastline and Flamborough head from oil exploration and possible oil contamination arising from the Department of Trade and Industry's 14th round of offering oil and gas exploration licences.
Mr. Maclean : I am satisfied that the consultations carried out before issue of oil and gas exploration licences, and the special conditions attached to those issued by my right hon. and learned Friend safeguard such environmentally sensitive areas.
Local Government Review
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the costs to the Exchequer in connection with the present local government review.
Mr. Robin Squire : The main cost to the Exchequer is that of the Local Government Commission, estimated at £3.259 million for 1993-94, its first full year of operation. A small staff commission is also planned. Within this Department there are seven administrative staff working mainly on local government reorganisation issues, at an annual salary cost of around £160,000.
Frogs and Toads
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has of any change in the population of frogs and toads ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Within Great Britain the Joint Nature Conservation Committee advise that the conservation status and recent trend for each species is as follows :
---------------------------------------------------------------- Common frog |Widespread |Slight increase Common toad |Widespread |Slight decrease Natterjack toad |Threatened |Slight decrease
All three species are given protection by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The common frog and common toad are covered by provisions relating to sale. As a species, the natterjack toad is fully protected under the Act. In 1992, English Nature announced that the natterjack toad would be included in its "recovery" programme. The objectives of the recovery project are to maintain existing populations and re-establish the species on suitable sites.
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Waste Management
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many court cases have occurred to date relating to section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 ; and of these cases, how many have resulted in successful prosecutions.
Mr. Maclean : The offences provided by section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 were partially implemented on 1 April 1992 ; summary information on prosecutions for this period is not, as yet, available.
Housing Revenue Account Subsidy
Mr. Raynsford : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the entitlement to housing revenue account subsidy for each local housing authority in England in 1993-94, indicating separately the housing element and the housing benefit element and the amount by which HRA subsidy falls short of the total to which the authority would be entitled if rent rebate costs were met in full by subsidy and also the housing stock in the area and the average weekly contribution per tenancy towards the cost of rent rebates in each authority.
Mr. Baldry : While broad estimates can be made at national level, it is not possible to provide the information requested for each authority. The housing benefit element of HRA Subsidy claims for 1993-94 will depend on yet to be taken decisions by local authorities on their rents for that year and on the take up of benefit. The housing element of HRA subsidy claims will also, to a lesser extent, be affected by authorities' own decisions. I will write to the hon. Member after April when information on 1993-94 subsidy claims is available.
Council Tax
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to provide that builders of new houses are not liable to make council tax payments unless they are designated occupiers of the new-build houses.
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue new guidance to local authorities on defining "substantially completed", in the context of the building of new houses and the liability of builders for community charge and council tax payments.
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