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to help people realise their potential. TECs tailor their provision to meet local needs. Local enterprise agencies also offer help to people setting up in business.The department also supports initiatives such as the Chwarae Teg/Fair Play consortium and Opportunity 2000, both of which aim to expand the role of women in the work force.
Job Creation
Mr. Rowlands : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), Official Report, 1 February, column 3, if he will provide a breakdown by company of the 12,690 jobs created.
Mr. David Hunt : Regional selective assistance is intended to aid companies carry out industrial projects which will create or safeguard jobs. Details of individual projects are however, a matter of commercial confidentiality.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from local authorities concerning the allocation of revenue support grant for the coming financial year ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I have received representations from 13 local authorities on settlement related issues. The Local Government Finance Report (Wales) 1993-94 and The Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (Wales) 1993-94, which set out my settlement proposals for the coming year, were approved by the House on 8 February.
Opencast Mining
Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to make changes to minerals planning policy guidance note 3 in relation to Wales, in the light of current reviews of opencast mining proposals.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, announced on 15 July 1992 the Government's proposal to bring forward for public consultation draft revised planning guidelines on coal extraction generally. The intention is to proceed to public consultation as soon as practicable once the results of the coal review have been announced.
Local Government Reform
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to publish his White Paper on local government ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : I propose to publish my White Paper shortly, but not until after a further meeting of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government on 17 February.
Railway System
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail concerning the future of the railway system in Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : My right hon. Friend regularly meets Sir Bob Reid to discuss a wide range of Welsh rail issues. The most recent of these meetings was held on 7 September.
NHS Staff (Redundancies)
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of redundancies among NHS staff for each year since 1989- 90, dividing the figures by region.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : This information is not available centrally.
Capital Programme
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer on 1 February, Official Report, columns 2-3, what proposals he has to use a global settlement framework for the construction of the Pen -y-Clip tunnels on the A55 ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Wyn Roberts : There are no such proposals.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February, Official Report, columns 2-3, to the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), if he will give the corresponding figure for the total value of capital expenditure projects starts in 1991-92, 1992-93 and his estimate for 1993-94.
Mr. David Hunt : Information for all project starts is not available. Details of the planned major project starts for the central Government roads, transport grant, hospitals and arts programmes and for the Welsh Development Agency, in 1991-92 and 1992-93 are set out in the long-term projects tables appended to votes 2, 5 and 8 of the relevant supply estimates booklets for Wales--HC 236-XVI and HC 373-XVI--and in "Roads in Wales", 1992 supplement.
Equivalent information for 1993-94 will be available from the 1993-94 supply estimates and the 1993 supplement to "Roads in Wales."
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February, Official Report, columns 2-3, if he will provide equivalent budget details derived prior to April 1992, for the capital programme for 1992-93 for (a) local authority gross capital expenditure, (b) his Department's roads and transport, (c) his Department's health and hospitals including NHS trusts, (d) Housing for Wales, (e) the Welsh Development Agency and (f) the European regional development fund.
Mr. David Hunt : The information is as follows :
Gross capital expenditure plans for 1992-93 within the
responsibility of and allocated by the Welsh Office, for:
|£ million
---------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Local authority gross capital |<1>631
(b) Central Government roads and transport |178
(c) Health |137
(d) Housing for Wales |127
(e) Welsh Development Agency |122
(f) European Regional Development Fund |3
<1> The 1992-93 forecast for gross capital expenditure by
local authorities (£631 million) is not comparable with that
for 1993-94 (£620 million) because the 1993-94 figure excludes:
(i) the provision for further education (which has been
transferred to the central Government programme) and
(ii) the separate provision made for ERDF grants.
PCB Contamination, Pontypool
Mr. Roger Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the results of the study by the university of East Anglia into polychlorinated biphenyl levels in the Panteg area of Pontypool.
Mr. David Hunt : In line with the contract with my Department, I expect the university of East Anglia to report to me shortly. I shall publish the university's findings as quickly as possible thereafter, as soon as I have had an opportunity to consider its conclusions and the advice of my special adviser for this project, Professor Lewis Roberts.
Welsh Development Agency
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the (a) number of properties, (b) their square footage and (c) the rental income in the ownership of the Welsh Development Agency in each of the last five years in (i) the Bridgend constituency, (ii) the Ogwr district, (iii) Mid Glamorgan and (iv) all other counties.
Mr. David Hunt : This is a matter for the Welsh Development Agency. I have arranged for the chief executive of the agency to write to the hon. Gentleman.
Operation Wizard
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) pursuant to his answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 771, if he will give the total sum in consultancy fees paid by the Welsh Development Agency under Operation Wizard to each of (a) Barclays de Zoete Wedd, (b) Outram Cullinan and Co. and (c) Touche Ross ; (2) pursuant to his answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 771, if he will place in the Library copies of the terms of reference agreed for the consultancy work done for Operation Wizard by (a) Barclays de Zoete Wedd, (b) Outram Cullinan and Co. and (c) Touche Ross.
Mr. David Hunt : I have asked the chief executive of the agency to write to the hon. Gentleman.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Regulations
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a list of all the regulations for which his Department is currently responsible with a descriptive title for each individual regulation.
Mr. Dorrell : A provisional list of regulations which impact on business has recently been put together. Consideration will be given to placing the list in the Library once it has been fully checked for accuracy and consistency of definition.
Cigarette Duty
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusion the October 1992 ECOFIN meeting reached on the cigarette duty structure ; and how
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this is reflected in the Council and Commission minute statement on the target rates set out in the amended proposal for a Council directive (9776/89 fisc 167).Sir John Cope : ECOFIN agreed that from 1 January 1993 the minimum excise duty incidence on cigarettes would be 57 per cent. of the retail selling price, inclusive of all taxes, of the price category most in demand. This agreement is reflected in the Council's adoption of directive 92/79/EEC.
The Commission's original proposal for cigarette taxation had envisaged a target rate towards which member states' rates would converge over time. In Council discussion of the proposal, it was agreed that the target rates would be retained for reference purposes only. In the joint statement for the Council minutes it was agreed that member states would take account of them each time they amend national rates of duty, but there is no obligation to move towards them.
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to follow up the concerns expressed in the minutes of the October 1992 ECOFIN meeting that the agreed formula for cigarette tax harmonisation would perpetuate the wide tax differentials in the EC.
Sir John Cope : In the run-up to the first review of the structure and minimum rates of tobacco duties, which is due not later than 31 December 1994, we shall monitor any evidence of distortions of trade within the EC and will fully consult the tobacco industry. We have made it clear that we would prefer an EC cigarette duty structure incorporating a minimum cash duty and a greater reliance on the specific duty share.
We are also taking every opportunity to encourage low-tax member states to increase their tobacco taxes on health grounds. For example, during the United Kingdom presidency of the Community we held a seminar in London for health and tax officials which produced useful conclusions on the support that tax can give to health policy.
Football Pools
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer by the Secretary of State for National Heritage of 2 February Official Report, column 109, if he will make it his policy to reduce the regime for tax on football pools to the level of tax to be imposed on the national lottery, subject to agreement that the funds given back are dedicated to the Foundation for Sport and the Arts.
Sir John Cope : I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's decision on the taxation of the national lottery.
Alcohol and Tobacco (Taxation)
Mr. David Nicholson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has for the financial year 1993-94 of the losses to the revenue arising from the disparities in taxation on alcohol and tobacco in the other countries of the European Community ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : We have no reason to change the estimate given in the 1992 "Financial Statement and
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Budget Report" that in 1993-94, there will be a total revenue loss to the United Kingdom Exchequer of around £250 million from increased cross-border shopping. This arises from the abolition of duty-paid allowances within the EC from 1 January 1993.Offshore Trusts
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the loss of capital gains tax revenue by the use of offshore trusts ; and what steps he is taking to investigate the extent of this loss and to correct it.
Mr. Dorrell : I remind the hon. Member that in 1991 the Government introduced a comprehensive system for the taxation of those setting up, and receiving benefits from, offshore trusts. In introducing these measures in his Budget Statement, the Chancellor indicated that this was designed to prevent a revenue loss of up to £100 million in a full year. These measures were welcomed by the Opposition. The Government will keep these provisions under review to ensure that the objective of a fair and comprehensive system of taxation in this complex area continues to be met.
Pensioners (Income Tax)
Mrs. Lait : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioners pay income tax ; how many pay at 40 per cent ; and how much is raised in direct taxation from pensioners' incomes.
Mr. Dorrell : It is estimated that, in 1992-93, 2.9 million individuals aged 65 or over will be liable to income tax. Of these 0.1 million will be liable at the higher rate. The total income tax liability of people aged 65 or over is estimated to be just over £5 billion.
Executive Agencies
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what stage (a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his reponsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.
Mr. Portillo : Chief executives of the executives agencies for which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor is responsible are authorised to reply directly on matters delegated to them.
Value Added Tax
Mr. Jon Owen Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to allow companies exporting to the EC 30 working days to submit their statistical declarations to the VAT offices.
Sir John Cope : The maximum time limit of 10 working days for submission of statistical declarations is set by EC regulation. The United Kingdom was successful in negotiating an improvement from the Commission's original proposal of five working days.
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases serious misdeclaration penalties were levied in respect of claims of VAT relief on bad debts before the 12-month holding period was up ; and what was the total size of those penalties in the last four financial years.
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Sir John Cope : I regret that this type of information on the reasons alleged by traders for incurring serious misdeclaration penalty is not recorded.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Executive Agencies
Mrs. Roe : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department at what stage (a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Chief executives reply direct on matters of operational responsibility delegated to them. Their replies are, therefore, primarily a communication between the chief executive and the Member of Parliament who asks the question. Unless a chief executive chooses to ask me for advice on an operational matter, I never clear or check the detailed replies given by chief executives in answer to parliamentary questions.
The Lord Chancellor and I receive copies of chief executives' letters once the letters have been sent to Members of Parliament and we have the opportunity to see them when they are published in Hansard, unless their personal or confidential nature precludes their publication in this way.
Debt Payments
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) of 18 November, Official Report, column 225, what improvements to court procedures for debt recovery are to be made ; how they will be implemented ; and by what date.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Both the Lord Chancellor and I are committed to a programme of reforms aimed at simplifying and streamlining debt recovery procedures. In my answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central on 25 January, I described many of the initiatives that have been introduced to date. These include the establishment of a computerised summons production centre in 1990 and of the county court bulk centre in March 1992. A package of more general measures was implemented in July 1991. This package included changes to the rules where cases may be commenced, provision for replies to summonses to be sent directly to plaintiffs and the devolution of some formerly judicial functions to experienced administrative staff. These and other reforms introduced in July 1991 are currently being evaluated and any improvements to procedures as a result of the evaluation will be implemented later this year. Most recently, in October 1992, reforms were made to the small claims procedure. Further changes are planned. For example, it is recognised that the small claims limit, doubled to £1,000 in July 1991, is still relatively low. The limit will, therefore, remain under review with the intention to propose an increase as soon as practicable. Changes to the way in which administration orders are dealt with will be implemented in April 1993 and improvements to oral examination procedures are planned for later in the year. In addition to a forthcoming series of leaflets which explain the various methods of enforcement, it is intended to introduce a guidance leaflet which focuses specifically on the recovery of business debts through county courts.
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Before the implementation of any significant changes to court procedures, there is always wide consultation. Courts, court user organisations, the judiciary, the legal profession and others are all given the opportunity to comment and their responses are carefully considered before any changes are introduced. Court staff are provided with training about the changes before they are introduced, and publicity material explaining the changes is produced for court staff and court users.FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Correspondence
Mr. Austin Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the constituent of the hon. Member for Woolwich who has not been permitted to leave India and about whom the hon. Member for Woolwich wrote to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 21 January.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I replied on 8 February to the hon. Member's letter of 21 January about his constituent. Mrs. Kaur has been invited to call at the high commission in New Delhi to collect her entry clearance.
Israel
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States of America on the appropriateness of using sanctions against Israel to ensure compliance with United Nations Security Council resolution No. 799 regarding the Palestinian deportees.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has discussed the deportations with the new United States Secretary of State. We do not believe that sanctions would be helpful at this stage. They would not help our main objective which is to secure the resumption of the peace negotiations.
Human Rights
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what applications by British citizens have been made to the European Commission on Human Rights regarding the imposition of customs fines and subsequent imprisonment for non-payment on those imprisoned in France.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No such applications have been communicated to the Government by the European Commission on Human Rights.
Council of Ministers (Filming)
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to recommend that cameras be permitted access to all future Council of Ministers meetings and to ad hoc council meetings including those of the Trevi group.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The Government will support proposals by the presidency for further open sessions of the Foreign Affairs Council or of other specialist Councils.
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For example, the ECOFIN Council on 15 February will begin with an open session. But all Council members must agree before any such arrangements apply. These arrangements only apply to European Community institutions. Intergovernmental co-operation--such as Trevi--is a different matter.Customs Fines, France
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases have been brought to his attention of British citizens being held in French prisons and refused parole due to imposition of customs fines.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Two since 1991. But there are 213 British citizens detained in France of whom 93 are serving sentences for drugs offences. Some three quarters of these are known to have customs fines. The exact number of those serving time in prison for non-payment of customs fines is not known, but we believe there are at least 13.
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is given to British citizens who are detained in French prisons and to their families in regard to the imposition of customs fines and imprisonment for non-payment.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Information on the French system of customs fines is included in the leaflet "Detainees in France" sent in advance of the first consular visit to each detainee. If a person is convicted and a customs fine imposed he or she is told of the possibility of negotiating a reduction of the fine and that the organisation Prisoners Abroad may be able to help in gathering together the necessary documents.
Mr. Gerrard : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the French authorities about the imposition of customs fines on British citizens imprisoned in France.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : None. The imposition of customs fines is a matter for the French authorities alone. The fines are applicable to all nationalities including French.
Market Testing
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the firms of consultants used by his Department as part of the market testing programme since November 1991 together with the total cost ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : The diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has employed Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte and Capita Management Consultancy in support of its market testing programme. The total cost so far has been £27,000. The Overseas Development Administration and the Natural Resources Institute have employed Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte and KPMG management consultants at a cost so far of £23,000.
Immigration Section, Islamabad
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the new immigration section at the British post in Islamabad is due to be completed ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The new immigration section in Islamabad is due to be completed in September this year.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Croatia in respect of the attacks launched by Croatian forces in the Krajina in contravention of the cease fire agreement ; and what response he has received.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Our ambassador in Zagreb delivered a de marche to the Croation Government on 25 January and the Croation ambassador was called to the Foreign Office on 26 January. We have also supported a condemnatory statement by the UN Security Council and the EC presidency message to President Tudjman. In response, the Government of Croatia claimed that the attacks were a limited action to secure specific strategic locations. President Tudjman has since made it clear that Croatia will withdraw her troops from the newly recaptured territory only if the Krajina Serbs return their heavy weapons to UNPROFOR control and disband their militias.
Mr. Wareing : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the precise measures required of the Serbian Government in order to end sanctions against them.
Mr. Garel-Jones : United Nations Security Council resolution 752 of 1992 calls on all parties to the conflict to meet various requirements. These include a number which Serbia has clearly not yet met, or exercised enough pressure on the Bosnian Serbs to meet--for example, disbanding of irregular forces in Bosnia ; an end to forcible expulsions of populations ; and ensuring that deliveries of humanitarian aid are not hindered. UN Security Council resolution 757 of 1992 requests the UN Secretary-General to keep the sanctions under continuous review, with a view to suspending or terminating them when Serbia and Montenegro had complied with UNSCR 752. The Edinburgh European Council made it clear that if there were a radical change of policy and genuine co-operation in the peace process, Serbia would be gradually readmitted to the international community.
Foreign Affairs Council
Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 1 and 2 February.
Mr. Hurd : My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and I represented the United Kingdom at the Foreign Affairs Council from 1 to 2 February.
The council began with a debate on the Danish presidency's work programme. For the first time a substantive item of Council business was taken in open session, with television cameras present. It thus put in practice an important part of the conclusions of the Edinburgh European Council on openness. In the debate I stressed the importance of making progress on enlargement and on strengthening the Community's
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relations with central and eastern Europe. I also reiterated the need for a peaceful solution in former Yugoslavia and for a rapid conclusion to the Uruguay round.In the margins of the Council, EC and Austrian, Swedish and Finnish Foreign Ministers launched new accession negotiations. These, too, were held in open session. Much of the preparatory work was carried out during the United Kingdom presidency.
The rest of the Council was held in closed session. The Danish Foreign Minister briefed the Council on Denmark's plans to hold a conference in Copenhagen in April to discuss developments in central and eastern Europe, Albania and the Baltic states. The Council agreed a mandate for the Commission to negotiate amendments to the European Economic Area agreement following Switzerland's decision not to participate.
The presidency reported on its meeting with the Presidents of the European Parliament and of the Commission which marked the start of negotiations on inter-institutional agreements on subsidiarity and budget discipline. The Council discussed the appointment of Commission Vice-Presidents and remitted this for further examination by the Committee of Permanent Representatives. It continued its discussion of a Commission proposal to change the decision-making procedures for Community anti-dumping and other Commercial Defence measures. It also reviewed the Commission's mandate for the negotiation of a new international cocoa agreement. The Commission reported to the Council on the prospects of concluding the Uruguay round rapidly with the new US Administration and other GATT parties. The Council discussed the US decision to impose new duties on steel imports and invited the Commission to undertake consultations in Geneva on possible GATT action.
Ministers discussed latest developments in the former Yugoslavia and issued statements supporting the peace proposals put forward by Lord Owen and Mr. Vance and welcoming the report by Dame Anne Warburton on the treatment of Muslim women. Ministers deplored the recent outbreak of violence in Zaire and the death of the French ambassador in Kinshasa.
A Co-operation Council with Israel was held in the margins of the Council. Ministers reiterated their support for the peace process and their condemnation of Israel's deportation of more than 400 Palestinians. An EC association agreement with Romania was signed in the margins of the Council.
ENVIRONMENT
Light Pollution
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he is planning to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 with respect to minimising light pollution ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Light pollution ia a rather vague term for the indiscriminate use of lighting. The Government's general approach is to encourage economy in the use of light energy and to discourage the nuisance that can be caused to neighbours by over intensive lighting systems.
This issue is one of several included in a recent consultation paper "Temporary uses of Land, External
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Lighting and Miscellaneous Amendments to the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988", responses to which are currently being considered.Refrigeration Technology
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department is taking to encourage British companies to develop ozone-friendly refrigeration technology following the German proto- types ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The Government welcome any development of safe ozone- friendly refrigeration and is seeking to encourage chlorofluorocarbon users to switch to suitable alternatives as quickly as possible.
Council Tax
Sir Terence Higgins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has of the total cost of collecting and administering the council tax as a percentage of the expected yield.
Mr. Redwood : Although local authorities have yet to set their budgets, I would expect collection costs for the council tax to be under 5 per cent. of budgeted yield.
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