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Economic Advisers
21. Mr. Hoon : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed as economic advisers to the Treasury.
Mr. Portillo : The Treasury currently employs 34 full-time and three part-time economic advisers.
Exchange Rate Mechanism
23. Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for sterling in the exchange rate mechanism.
Mr. Nelson : We have made it clear that we intend to rejoin the ERM, but not before a number of important conditions have been satisfied.
Investment and Unemployment
24. Mr. Cann : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Budget measures for investment and unemployment levels.
Mr. Portillo : The Budget measures provide further help for business and the unemployed in the early stages of recovery. Together with the autumn statement measures, the improvement in
competitiveness from sterling's depreciation, and the recent cuts in interest rates, they provide an excellent environment for investment and exports.
The Government's commitment to sound public finances and low inflation provides a firm foundation for sustainable growth and the lasting creation of new jobs in the medium term.
Exports
25. Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the likely level of exports will be by the end of 1993 on present trends ; and what was the comparable figure for 1992.
Mr. Portillo : In 1992, the value of non-oil exports was £100 billion. In 1993 I expect them to be over £114 billion, a rise of over 14 per cent.
28. Mr. Burns : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a further statement about the measures announced in the Budget to assist the growth of exports.
Mr. Lamont : I have responded to requests for support from exporters by cutting export credit premiums and extending the cover available in key markets by £1,300 million over the next three years.
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This increase is in addition to the extra £500 million of cover for 1993-94 which I announced in the autumn statement, and means that by 1995-96 the annual allocation of cover will have risen by 75 per cent. since 1991-92. Particular attention will be paid to countries where the prospects for British exports are good, for example Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, South Africa and Malaysia.For 1993-94, the premiums paid by exporters will be cut by 7 per cent. on average, compared with the previous year, when premiums were also cut. Average premiums will be over 25 per cent. lower in 1993-94 than in 1991- 92.
More generally, exporters will benefit from the cuts in the tax burden on business, such as the reduction in advance corporation tax, improved VAT relief for bad debts and lower rates bills. Small businesses will also benefit from other measures such as the extension of the loan guarantee scheme and changes to VAT and capital gains tax.
Socially Useful Products
26. Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received since his Budget calling for a review of the list of products classed as socially useful for value added tax purposes.
Mr. Dorrell : I have received a number of representations on VAT. However, there is no such list of products classed as "socially useful for value added tax purposes".
Demand
27. Mr. Knox : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the level of total demand in the economy.
Mr. Portillo : Real domestic demand rose by 0.5 per cent. between 1991 and 1992. The Budget forecast is for it to increase by 1 per cent. in 1993 and 3 per cent. in the year to the first half of 1994. These forecasts are within the range of forecasts produced by the Panel of Independent Forecasters and other outside forecasters.
Bad Debts and Late Payments
29. Mr. Heald : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reaction he has received from small businesses to his announcement about value added tax in relation to bad debts and late payments.
Mr. Nelson : I am pleased to say that the significant improvements announced in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's Budget speech have been well received by small businesses.
Alcoholic Drinks
Mr. Martyn Jones : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to achieve harmonisation of duty on alcoholic drinks with other EC countries.
Mr. Dorrell : The Government do not accept that harmonisation of duty rates is necessary.
Equal Opportunities
Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to recruit women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled people, respectively, in top grades of employment at Her Majesty's Treasury.
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Sir John Cope : Recruits to the senior grades--as to any grade in the civil service--are selected on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, unless one of the exceptions permitted under the Civil Service Order in Council 1991 applies. Various steps have been taken by the Civil Service Commissioners to aid recruitment from all sectors of the community including extending links with institutions of higher education ; equal opportunities training for those involved in selection ; using validated selection procedures.
Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Her Majesty's Treasury last conducted surveys of (a) the ethnic origins and (b) women among its employees ; when it next plans to do so ; and whether he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : The Treasury last surveyed staff for whom no record of ethnic origin was held in October 1990. A further survey will be conducted in April 1993.
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Monitoring information on the numbers and grades of women in the Treasury is produced each month. Latest available figures relate to March 1993.Mr. Janner : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of officers in each grade from 1 to 7 and overall in Her Majesty's Treasury are (a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) disabled people.
Sir John Cope : The information requested is shown in the table. Figures include those staff on loan outside the Department. Figures for grades 1 to 7 reflect the position as at March 1993. Figures for all staff are for (a) as at March 1993 ; for (b) and (c) as at 1 January 1993, the latest date for which this information is available. Figures are available only for those staff who are registered as disabled, but the Department does employ a number of people with disabilities who have chosen not to register.
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(a) (b) (c)
Women Ethnic minorities Registered
Disabled
Grade |Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.|Number |Per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 and 1A |- |- |- |- |- |-
2 |2 |22 |- |- |- |-
3 |6 |18 |- |- |- |-
4 |- |- |- |- |- |-
5 |12 |14 |- |- |- |-
6 |- |- |- |- |- |-
7 |51 |22 |4 |2 |- |-
All staff |782 |43 |149 |7 |20 |1
Property Owners
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ease the financial situation of property owners whose mortgages exceed the value of their property ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nelson : On 20 October 1992, Official Report , column 243 , I announced two measures to help property owners whose mortgages exceed the value of their property. Further details of one of these measures--allowing the security of a new property to be substituted for the previous one without loss of mortgage interest relief--were announced in the Budget and the measure took effect on 16 March.
Alternative Economic Indicators
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research has been undertaken by his Department into the use of (a) the United Nations' Development Programme's human development index, (b) the Overseas Development Council's physical quality of life indicator and (c) Norway's natural resource accounting as alternative economic indicators ; and what plans he has to amend economic indicators currently employed by the United Kingdom.
Mr. Nelson : The Government monitor progress in the development of such economic indicators, but have not themselves commissioned research in the field, and accordingly have no plans to amend the economic indicators currently in use in the United Kingdom.
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Employees (Religious Affiliation)
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost of monitoring the religious affiliation of the employees of the board of Inland Revenue.
Mr. Dorrell : It is estimated that the annual cost of monitoring the religious affiliation of employees of the board of the Inland Revenue in Northern Ireland is £3,500 based on figures for 1992-93. We are required to undertake monitoring under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989, but this monitoring also helps us to assess the effectivenes of our equal opportunities policy.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost of monitoring the religious affiliation of the employees of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.
Sir John Cope : It is estimated that the annual cost of monitoring the religious affiliation of the employees of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise is £2,800, based on figures for 1992-93. The monitoring enables us to comply with our legal obligations under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 and to assess the effectiveness of our equal opportunity policies.
Companies (Losses)
Sir Michael Grylls : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects agreement in the EC to allow parent companies to assume their subsidiaries' losses in other EC countries.
Mr. Dorrell : In 1990, the Commission proposed a directive concerning arrangements for the taking into account by enterprises of the losses of their permanent
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establishments and subsidiaries situated in other member states. This is being considered by a Council working party. Most member states, including the United Kingdom, have major difficulties with the proposals in their current form.Banking
Mr. Darling : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many banks and other financial institutions the Bank of England supported (a) directly and (b) indirectly through other banks and financial institutions in (i) 1990, (ii) 1991 and (iii) 1992.
Mr. Nelson : It is for the Bank of England to determine its policy on answering questions concerning such matters. The Bank issued a statement last week describing its role during a period following the middle of 1991 in arranging support for a few small banks. A copy of the statement was placed in the Library.
Mr. Darling : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much of the support provided to authorised financial institutions by the Bank of England in 1991 remains outstanding and due to the Bank of England or other institutions ;
(2) whether the Bank of England provided guarantees to any other bank or financial institution in respect of support operations designed to assist authorised banking institutions during the course of 1991 ;
(3) what was the value of the support provided (a) directly and (b) indirectly to authorised banking institutions by the Bank of England in 1991 ; and what was the source of that support ; (4) whether the Bank of England provided support arrangements in 1991 for any authorised banking institution that was not incorporated in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Nelson : It is for the Bank of England to determine its policy on answeringperations by the Bank of England in respect of authorised banking institutions.
Pools Betting Levy
Mr. Pike : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to alter the present situation in relation to the pools betting levy in relation to funding for implementation of the Taylor committee report via the Football Trust ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir John Cope : In the 1990 Budget pool betting duty was reduced from 42.5 to 40 per cent. for five years to help finance the implementation of the Taylor report and in particular the achievement of all-seating. We have since made it clear that we will be prepared to extend the reduction to the year 2000, provided the Football Leagues and football clubs produce satisfactory financial plans for their own contribution to further necessary ground improvements. We are currently awaiting reports on the clubs' plans.
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Tax Payments
Mr. Burns : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effective date of payment will be allowed when payment of tax to the Inland Revenue is made by electronic funds transfer.
Mr. Dorrell : From today, where a payment of tax is made by electronic funds transfer, an effective date of payment of the tax of one working day immediately before the date value is received by the Inland Revenue will be allowed.
Private Finance Initiative
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to implement the private finance initiative announced in the autumn statement on 12 November 1992 and in the Treasury private finance guidance published on 9 December 1992.
Mr. Lamont : The potential scope of the initiative will vary between Departments. Further to my earlier reply to my right hon. Friend on this subject, 17 December 1992, Official Report, column 377, my Department will consider the scope for involving the private sector in the ways suggested by the interim guidance published by the Treasury on 9 December and the further published guidance on contract energy management--17 February 1993- -and joint ventures--16 March 1993--whenever the opportunity arises.
Scott Inquiry
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pages of evidence Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has given to the Scott inquiry.
Domestic Fuel
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures for estimated domestic fuel expenditure by households on (a) average and (b) 50 per cent. of average incomes, giving figures separately for expenditure on (i) oil, (ii) piped gas, (iii) cylinder gas, (iv) electricity and (v) coal.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 26 March 1993] : The following estimates are derived from the 1991 family expenditure survey. The estimates are based on samples of 200 households grouped at each level of income. Because of the small sample size the figures are subject to considerable sampling variations. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10p.
Per week
|Average income £ |50 per cent. of average income £
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i. Oil |0.30 |0.20
ii. Piped gas |5.10 |4.00
fuels<1> |0.30 |0.10
iv.Electricity |6.20 |6.40
v. Coal and coke |0.20 |0.80
<1>Includes calor gas plus paraffin, firelighters, firewood, gas refills for blow lamps/camping stoves, underfloor heating where
source of heat is unknown and services for fuel included in rent.
Income Tax Cuts
Mr. Milburn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, columns 129-30, if he will estimate the number of taxpayers who have benefited from the reduction in personal income tax introduced by the Finance Act 1988 in each region in each year.
Mr. Dorrell [holding answer 30 March 1993] : Information is given in the table.
Number of taxpayers benefiting from abolition of rates in excess of 40 per cent. (thousands) Region of residence |1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91<2> of taxpayer --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- North |20 |20 |30 Yorkshire and Humberside |50 |60 |80 North West |60 |80 |90 East Midlands |40 |60 |60 West Midlands |60 |60 |80 East Anglia |30 |30 |50 South East |490 |530 |630 South West |70 |60 |80 Wales |20 |30 |30 Scotland |50 |70 |80 Northern Ireland |10 |10 |20 United Kingdom<1> |930 |1,030 |1,240 <1> Includes members of the forces and Merchant Navy and a small number of civil servants serving overseas who are not allocated to regions. <2> For 1990-91 the figures relate to the number of taxpaying individuals following the introduction of independent taxation.
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PRIME MINISTER
Regional Government
Mr. Allen : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards regional government for England.
The Prime Minister : We see no case for setting up regional authorities in England. Our aim is to simplify and streamline local government, not to impose an additional layer of bureaucracy on local taxpayers.
Liverpool
Mr. Parry : To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has visited Liverpool since he became Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister : I have visited the north-west on a number of occasions since becoming Prime Minister.
Engagements
Sir Peter Tapsell : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 1 April.
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 1 April.
The Prime Minister : This morning, I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.
European Court
Dr. Godman : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 17 March, Official Report, column 283, what was the average length of time that elapsed between the European Court of Justice finding that Her Majesty's Government were in breach of its obligations under EC directives and the necessary steps being taken to rectify matters ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister [holding answer 31 March 1993] : Four cases were referred to in my previous reply in which the United Kingdom was held by the European Court of Justice to be in breach of EC directives. Three of these cases required legislative action to give full effect to the judgment of the Court ; this took between six and 14 months to complete. In the fourth case, concerning a breach of directive 80/788--drinking water-- when judgment was delivered on 25 November 1992 the UK had already complied on two of the points on which it was found to be in breach. Action on the remaining two points is in hand.
Prime Minister's Office
Dr. Wright : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will give figures for (a) the number of staff and (b) the cost of the Prime Minister's office for each year since 1979 ;
(2) why the cost and size of the Prime Minister's office are not separately identified in Cm 2218 the "Government's Expenditure Plans, 1993-94 to 1995- 96" ; and if he will provide figures for its cost and size.
The Prime Minister : It has not been the general practice to identify the cost of Ministers' offices
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separately in departmental reports. The cost and size of my office are freely available in the form of parliamentary answers. The information for each year since 1979-80 is as follows :
|Staff<1> |Cost<2><3>
--------------------------------------------
1979-80 |68 |1,409
1980-81 |68 |1,745
1981-82 |70 |2,415
1982-83 |64 |2,700
1983-84 |66 |3,026
1984-85 |67 |3,787
1985-86 |66 |4,406
1986-87 |66 |4,963
1987-88 |67 |5,418
1988-89 |67 |6,554
1989-90 |68 |7,669
1990-91 |71 |8,226
1991-92 |73 |8,664
1992-93 |95 |<4>9,136
<1> The staffing levels relate to the
beginning of each financial year. For the
years 1979 to 1989 the figures relate to
the number of actual staff employed in No.
10. From 1990 onwards the figures are on
the basis of staff in post (ie expressed in
terms of full time equivalents). It should
be noted that the increase in staff numbers
from 1 April 1992 is due to the transfer of
office service support grades, already
working in No. 10, to the No. 10 complement
from the Cabinet Office establishment
officer's group.
<2> The monetary figures represent the cost
of 10 Downing Street and Chequers borne on
the Votes of the Cabinet Office (OPSS) and
its predecessors. Over the period, the
following changes have occurred to the
basis of the costs:
in 1981-82 the Ministry of Defence
introduced charges for the use of its
aircraft;
in 1983-84 the then Property Services
Agency introduced charges for buildings and
services;
in 1984-85 charges were introduced for the
Government Car Service and the Service
Personnel at Chequers; and
in 1986-87 the cost of office services was
included for the first time.
<3> Costs are shown in the year in which
the expenditure was made. Because of
billing delays this is not always in
financial year in which the goods or
services were provided.
<4> Estimate.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Diplomatic Posts
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 March, Official Report, columns 593-94, how many staff are employed by each other member state of the European Community in each diplomatic post in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The numbers of overseas-based staff are as follows :
Country |Number
-------------------------------
Germany
London |131
Edinburgh |15
Manchester |10
|-------
Total |156
Greece
London |68
|-------
Total |68
Irish Republic
London |59
|-------
Total |59
Luxembourg
London |2
|-------
Total |2
Portugal
London |67
|-------
Total |67
Belgium
London |46
Birmingham |3
Edinburgh |2
|-------
Total |51
Denmark
London |26
|-------
Total |26
France
London |242
Edinburgh |18
|-------
Total |260
Italy
London |149
Bedford |5
Edinburgh |12
Manchester |19
|-------
Total |185
Netherlands
London |54
|-------
Total |54
Spain
London |161
Edinburgh |7
Manchester |12
|-------
Total |180
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with non- governmental organisations concerning the first preparatory committee meeting of the non-proliferation treaty ; what plans his Department has to involve non-governmental organisations in its activities ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 15 February at column 33
Private Finance Initiative
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to implement the private finance initiative announced in the autumn statement on 12 November 1992 and in the Treasury private finance guidance published on 9 December 1992.
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Mr. Goodlad : The potential scope of the initiative will vary between departments. In the case of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, diplomatic wing, we have not so far identified any proposals relevant to the initiative.
The Commonwealth Development Corporation, for which the Overseas Development Administration is the sponsor department, funds projects in developing countries, particularly in the private sector in partnership with a range of co-investors. The Administration has two arrangements which already associate private finance with aid funds : the joint funding scheme which matches contributions from non-governmental organisations on a pound- for-pound basis, and the aid and trade provision which provides aid funds to recipient Governments in association with commercial funds though these are usually supported by the Export Credits Guarantee Department. We will continue to look for suitable proposals.
Human Rights
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom will be represented at the United Nations conference on human rights to be held in Vienna on 14 to 18 June ; who will be in the delegation ; what criteria will be used for the selection of United Kingdom delegates ; and what guidelines delegates will be given.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We shall be represented at the second world conference on human rights in Vienna, from 14 to 25 June, by a delegation consisting of Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials with expertise in the field of human rights, including the United Kingdom permanent representative to the United Nations at Geneva, and representatives of interested dependent territories. It will be led by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State or myself. The aims of the delegation are to promote universal adherence to existing standards, to explore ways to improve their implementation, and to examine the relationship between human rights, democracy and development.
Falkland Islands
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to prepare draft operating regulations and fiscal arrangements in advance of an exclusive licensing round in the Falklands designated area.
Mr. Garel-Jones : These matters will be given consideration. Further legislation would of course be required for an exclusive licensing round.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preliminary information his Department is providing to oil companies regarding possible operating regulations and fiscal regimes for oil developers in the Falklands development area ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The South Atlantic and Antarctic department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a letter on 17 March which set out our expectations on a future licensing round and the fiscal regime which would apply to companies exploiting any hydrocarbons which may be found in the Falklands designated area. It will provide further guidance as appropriate.
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Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he intends to take to encourage oil company participation in the current phase of exploration of the Falklands designated area ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The financial participation of oil companies in the seismic surveys now being carried out is a commercial matter. The South Atlantic and Antarctic department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will supplement as appropriate the guidance given in its letter of 17 March to the seismic contractors.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes to announce the opening and closing dates of an exclusive licensing round in the Falklands designated area.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The letter of 17 March from the South Atlantic and Antarctic department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to seismic companies said that the licensing round would probably close within two to three years from now. We would expect an announcement of opening and closing dates to be made in due course.
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to respond directly to the Argentine Government in respect of the letter sent by the Argentine Government to oil companies, reasserting a claim to sovereignty of the Falkland islands and surrounding waters.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Shamrock (GB) Ltd.
Mr. Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December, Official Report, columns 215-16, to the right hon. Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler), how many employees at Shamrock (GB) Ltd. have now received training in the wider ethical and legal issues associated with animal use ; what communications between the management and the Home Office inspectorate have taken place since 2 December 1992 to agree the nature and context of training ; and if he will visit the company to see what progress has been made with the training.
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