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Column 393
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 28 April 1993
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Legal Aid
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what provision is made for legal aid to be granted to enable a patient to attend a hearing at an appeals unit of a regional health authority when a doctor appeals against a decision by the family health services authority in favour of the patient.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Legal advice and assistance is available under the green form scheme on almost any point of English law. A financially eligible person may seek advice on such a point prior to the hearing.
Performance Targets
Mr. Carrington : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the key performance targets for Her Majesty's Land Registry and the Public Record Office executive agencies for 1993-94.
Mr. John M. Taylor : The following tables set out the key performance targets that my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has set for Her Majesty's Land Registry and for the Public Record Office for 1993-94.
Her Majesty's Land Registry Executive Agency
Key performance targets 1993-94
Indicator |Target
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Financial
Return on average capital employed |6 per cent.
2. Efficiency
Progressive reduction in unit |To achieve or better a 13 per
costs in real terms |cent. improvement over the five
|year period 1993-94 to 1997-98
3. Productivity |of which an improvement of at
Progressive increase in output |least 2 per cent. is required in
per post |1993-94.
4. Speed of service
Percentage of pre-completion |96 per cent.
applications handled in 3 days
Average handling time for |5
post-completion applications
(weeks)
5. Quality of service
Percentage of pre-completion |99.7 per cent.
applications handled free of
error
Percentage of post-completion |97.65
applications handled free of
error
6. Development of Land
Registration
Number of computerised |8.30 million
registers
Note:
Fuller details of the Registry's performance targets are given in its Business Plan, which is
available from Her Majesty's Land Registry.
Public Record Office Executive Agency
Key performance targets 1993-94
Indicator |Target
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Efficiency:
Indicator: Cost of selecting and |To decrease the cost of selecting
accessioning records: |and accessioning records by 7
|per cent.
Indicator: Unit costs of |To reduce the cost of providing
providing record storage space, |records storage space per linear
document productions and |foot by 6 per cent.
reader services:
|To decrease the cost per
|document produced to readers
|by 9 per cent.
|To decrease the total reader
|service costs per reader visit
|(Census microfilms) by 5 per
|cent.
|To decrease the total reader
|service costs per reader visit
|(other records) by 4 per cent.
Backlog of records awaiting |To identify and quantify the
review: |backlog.
|To reduce the known backlog
|of records over 30 years old
|which have not been processed,
|by 1,500 feet (current backlog
|5,500 feet).
Storage of records: |81 per cent. of records to be
|stored to an acceptable
|standard.
Reader satisfaction: |85 per cent. of reader
|satisfaction survey forms
|returned to have a better overall
|assessment of good, or better.
Management efficiency in |The overall rate of achievement
running services and projects |for target levels set for
|management services.
2. Quality of service
Hours during which the Office |It is planned to extend opening
is open to the public: |hours at Kew on weekdays.
Notes:
1. Fuller details of the Office's performance targets are given in its Business Plan, which is
available from the Public Record Office.
2. Following the introduction of accruals accounting, the basis on which the unit costs are
calculated will be revised during 1993-94.
Incest
Miss Lestor : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the sentencing guidelines on incest, particularly those referring to mitigating factors ; and what training is given to the judiciary to encourage greater insight into the nature of sexual offences.
Mr. John M. Taylor : Sentencing guidelines are issued by the Lord Chief Justice in consultation with any other judges as he thinks fit and any review is entirely in his hands. The Judicial Studies Board distributes the guidelines to all judges, recorders and assistant recorders who sit in the Crown court, the most recent issue being in July 1992. One of those guidelines deals with "Incest and Indecent Assault". Lectures and discussions on the nature of sexual offences are included in training courses for judges who sit in the criminal and the civil and family jurisdictions. Medical consultants, child psychiatrists and other professionals lead these training sessions.
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TRANSPORT
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each of the last five years the duration, value and nature of contracts awarded by his Department to Arthur Andersen, Kleinwort Benson, Denton, Hall, Begrie and Warren.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : In the last five years the contracts awarded are as follows :--
Arthur Andersen
No awards
Kleinworth Benson
One award, for the period September 1990 to April 1991
Contract related to Advice to DOT (Ports Division) for privatisation of Trust Ports
Value £30,000.
Denton, Hall, Burgin and Warren
No awards
A1-M1 Link
Dr. Hampson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the timetable for the completion of the A1-M1 link ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The public inquiry into the draft orders for the M1-A1 link between the M1 south of Leeds and the A1 north-east of Garforth closed on 25 February and the indpendent inspector is now writing his report. Future progress depends on when the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Transport receive the report and are able to issue their decision. In view of this, and the statutory framework within which these actions take place, it would be inappropriate for me now to anticipate a timetable for the completion of this scheme.
Road Maintenance
Mr. Robert Ainsworth : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what comparisons he has made between road maintenance expenditure in the United Kingdom and in other European countries.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Very little comparative information is readily available. I am at present considering the case for a study to obtain more.
Third Harbour Crossing, Lowestoft
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to Waveney district council's submission for a third harbour crossing at Lowestoft ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : We expect to announce a preferred route for the Pakefield to Kessingland section of the proposed A12 Lowestoft relief road later this year. Progress beyond that stage on the Lowestoft relief road, which includes a further harbour crossing, will depend on the availability of resources.
In the meantime the Department has accepted in principle that a 100 per cent. grant should be made to Suffolk county council for its eastern relief road scheme to relieve congestion in the urban area of Lowestoft. This scheme should be carried out in the current financial year.
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Jubilee Line
Dr. Spink : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to give final approval for work to commence on the Jubilee line tube extension into Docklands ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris : Once the administrators and the parties involved in the financing of Canary Wharf have concluded with LT a satisfactory funding agreement covering the basis of their contribution to the Jubilee line extension, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will be able to authorise the start of construction.
A43 (Roundabouts)
Mr. Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals for the provision of roundabouts on the A43 at Stanyon and Corby ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Investigations into these junction arrangements are in hand.
Motor Cyclists
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the safety implications for motor cyclists of current motorway central reservation barrier designs.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The current safety fences and safety barriers have been designed and tested to contain and safely redirect an errent 1.5 tonne vehicle--that is, a medium to large car--travelling at 113 km/h and impacting at an angle of up to 20 deg. They have been successfully deployed in the central reserves and verges of motorways and other roads.
No specific impact testing has been carried out with motor cycles, but over the past 25 years there has been no evidence to suggest that the steel safety fencing or concrete safety barrier is particularly hazardous to this class of vehicle and road user.
Clearly, there are inherent dangers should a motor cyclist hit a safety fence and its support posts, but accident records show that it is not very common for motor cyclists to collide with motorway central reserve safety fencing.
Rail Privatisation
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how he expects Worcester rail services, other than those provided by InterCity, to be grouped for the purpose of inviting franchise bids ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) when he expects to invite bids for the franchise to operate services, other than those provided by InterCity, between London and Worcester ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Following the announcement of the first franchises on 2 February, we hope to make a further announcement later this year about how and when the rest of the network will be prepared for franchising.
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when formal applications to bid for the franchise to operate Great Western main line InterCity services will be sought ; and when he expects to award the franchise.
Mr. Freeman : It is too early to say.
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American Vehicles
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning regulations affecting the use of American automobiles in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The Department has received many letters from owners of cars manufactured for use in America.
The scope of checks on lighting equipment in the MOT test was extended with effect from 1 January 1993, increasing the level of enforcement of certain existing requirements of the lighting regulations. These new checks have highlighted the fact that most American cars do not comply with the requirement, in existence since 1 September 1965 for all vehicles manufactured after that date, that indicators should be amber.
Severn Crossing
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 8 March, Official Report, column 407, what provision he will make for an on site resident engineer to inspect, monitor and certify the quality of constructional steel fabricated by Construzione Cimolai Armando at its factory in Pordenone for use as part of the second Severn crossing in line with the system of inspection, monitoring and certification for constructional steel for United Kingdom highway structure fabricated within the United Kingdom.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle [holding answer 27 April 1993] : The second Severn crossing is being financed and constructed under the terms of a concession agreement between the Government and a concession company, Severn River Crossing plc.
To ensure that SRC and its contractor, the Laing-GTM joint venture, satisfy their responsibilities under the concession agreement, an independent firm of consulting engineers has been appointed as the Government's agent. The agent is responsible for the monitoring of design and construction of the works to see that they comply fully with laid down British or equivalent standards and specifications. SRC's quality assurance system will be audited and monitored. In carrying out these duties, the Government agent has access to all locations where materials are being manufactured for the works, for the purposes of general inspection and of amending any test or investigations being carried out.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Bank Closures
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the closure of the Mount Banking Corporation Ltd.
Mr. Nelson : On 19 October 1992 the directors of Mount Bank petitioned for and obtained an administration order under the Insolvency Act 1986.
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Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the closure of the Al Baraka bank.
Mr. Nelson : Albaraka International Bank Ltd. announced on 31 March that after extensive discussions with the Bank of England about possible changes in its ownership structure, it had decided to discontinue providing deposit facilities within the United Kingdom and to repay all depositors starting on 1 April 1993. The announcement said that the intended surrender of the bank's authorisation had arisen as a result of the new Basle supervisory requirements and not as a result of financial deficiency or its existence as an Islamic bank.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the banks that have had their licences revoked by the Bank of England since 9 April ; and if he will give the reasons for each of the closures.
Mr. Nelson : Under section 17(2) of the Banking Act 1987 the Bank of England makes available monthly a list of the institutions authorised under part I of that Act. The bank's lists conventionally record separately those institutions which have ceased to be authorised during the intervening period. There are, however, a number of ways in which an institution may cease to be authorised and information concerning the reasons for the cessation of any particular authorisation is covered by the restrictions on disclosure in part V of the Act.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the closure of the Roxburghe Bank.
Mr. Nelson : On 8 April 1993 the directors of Roxburghe bank petitioned for and obtained an administration order under the Insolvency Act 1986.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Bank of England about the closure of (i) the Mount Banking Corporation Ltd ; (ii) the Roxburghe bank and (iii) the Al Baraka bank.
Mr. Nelson : Meetings are held from time to time between the Governor and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and between Bank and Treasury officials, at which banking supervision issues are discussed. It is not the practice to make public whether or not a particular institution is mentioned at these meetings.
Incomes
Mr. Corston : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average value in 1979 and 1990, at 1990 prices, of (a) NHS benefits in kind, (b) other benefits in kind and (c) all benefits in kind, received only by households with children by quintile groups of households, ranked within all households ranked by equivalised disposable income.
Mr. Nelson : The figures are available only at current prices. They are as follows :
Column 399
NHS benefit and other benefits in kind for household with
children by quintile groups of all households ranked by
equivalised disposable income
|Bottom |2nd |3rd |4th |Top |All
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1979
NHS |430 |449 |451 |410 |434 |436
Other |1,454 |1,165 |976 |883 |748 |1,028
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |1,883 |1,614 |1,426 |1,293 |1,182 |1,464
1990
NHS |1,338 |1,315 |1,217 |1,337 |1,300 |1,296
Other |3,029 |2,577 |2,405 |2,155 |1,762 |2,413
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Total |4,367 |3,892 |3,622 |3,492 |3,061 |3,709
Note: These estimates are based on data collected in the Family
Expenditure Survey (FES). They are not strictly comparable over
time as the FES changes from year to year.
Ms Corston : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average equivalised disposable income, and the average disposable income per equivalent adult, by (a) quintile and (b) decile groups of households, at 1990 prices, for 1979 and 1990.
Mr. Nelson : The information is not available in the precise form requested because the equivalence scale used is based on households rather than adults. In addition, the figures are available only at current prices. The figures are given in the table :
Column 400
Equivalised disposable income by quintile groups of all
households
ranked by equivalised disposable income
Using the McClements equivalence scale with a household of a
married couple=1
|Bottom |2nd |3rd |4th |Top |All
----------------------------------------------------------------
1979 |1,934 |2,749 |3,656 |4,783 |7,354 |4,095
1990 |4,378 |6,777 |9,983 |14,297 |27,038 |12,494
Using the McClements equivalence scale re-scaled so that a
household of one adult=1
-------
|Bottom |2nd |3rd |4th |Top |All
------- |-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
1979 |1,180 |1,677 |2,230 |2,918 |4,486 |2,498
1990 |2,671 |4,134 |6,089 |8,721 |16,493 |7,621
Column 399
Equivalised disposable income by decile groups of all households ranked by equivalised
disposable income.
|Bottom|2nd |3rd |4th |5th |6th |7th |8th |9th |Top |All
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Using the McClements equivalence scale with a household of a married couple=1
1979 |1,689 |2,179 |2,534 |2,964 |3,416 |3,897 |4,438 |5,129 |6,043 |8,664 |4,095
1990 |3,596 |5,161 |6,120 |7,435 |9,081 |10,884|13,012|15,580|19,598|34,467|12,494
Using the McClements equivalence scale re-scaled so that a household of one adult=1
1979 |1,030 |1,329 |1,545 |1,808 |2,084 |2,377 |2,707 |3,128 |3,686 |5,285 |2,498
1990 |2,194 |3,148 |3,733 |4,535 |5,540 |6,639 |7,937 |9,504 |11,955|21,025|7,621
These figures are not strictly comparable over time because of changes in classification
of both income and taxation and because of changes in the Family Expenditure Survey.
North Sea Drilling
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the number of drilling projects in the North sea which have been cancelled since his Budget statement.
Mr. Dorrell : We do not have access to any unpublished information on this matter.
Government Contracts
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to monitor the compliance of contractors on Government contracts with clauses requiring payments of subcontractors within 30 days ; and how he will report the results of this monitoring to Parliament.
Mr. Portillo : Where a prime contractor for a Government Department fails to comply with the provision for making prompt payment in his sub- contract, the sub-contractor will have a remedy through the courts in the normal way. Where there is evidence of poor performance by a prime contractor, which may include the
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late payment of bills to a sub-contractor, that will be taken into account by the Department in awarding subsequent contracts.Mr. Cousins : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to ensure that all Government contracts contain a clause requiring payment of sub- contractors within 30 days.
Mr. Portillo : Guidance containing a model clause for inclusion in Government contracts was issued to Departments on 14 April 1992. Government Departments have confirmed that they have introduced clauses in all their contracts, where special circumstances do not apply, which require the supplier or contractor to pay its suppliers or sub-contractors promptly, normally within 30 days.
Commercial Revaluations
Mrs. Lait : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the next revaluation of commercial premises to be completed ; and on what date the rental values will be based.
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Mr. Nelson : The next revaluation of commercial premises will be completed to enable new rating lists to be compiled on 1 April 1995. Rental values will be based on a valuation date of 1 April 1993.
Premium Bonds
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current premium bond prize-fund rate ; and how many readjustments in the prize-fund rate have been made since 1963.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 27 April 1993] : The current prize fund rate is 5 per cent. per annum. The rate when the scheme began in 1956 was 4 per cent. There have been 12 changes since then.
Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what have been the total net receipts to the Treasury arising from the sale of premium bonds since their introduction ; and how much is currently held in unclaimed prize money.
Mr. Nelson [holding answer 27 April 1993] : The balance outstanding at the end of March 1993 was £2.659 billion. The value of unclaimed prizes is £10.8 million.
DEFENCE
Nuclear Testing
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the release of information on his Department's study of alternative technologies for testing nuclear warheads.
Mr. Aitken : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid) on 2 November 1992, Official Report, column 53. Release of information on alternative technologies must have regard to the requirements of national security, and our non- proliferation obligations and concerns.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's personnel are currently involved in studying alternative technologies for testing nuclear warheads.
Mr. Aitken : It has not been the policy of this or previous Governments to reveal details of the staffing levels required for nuclear warhead research programmes.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 1992, to the hon. Member for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid), Official Report, column 403, how much expenditure was incurred in 1992-93 on studying alternative technologies for testing nuclear warheads.
Mr. Aitken : It has not been the policy of this or previous Governments to reveal costs associated with the nuclear warhead research programmes.
Mr. Hutton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with (a) his United States and (b) his French counterparts relating to the development of alternative technologies for testing nuclear warheads ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Aitken : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has recently had meetings with both Secretary Aspin and Mr. Le otard, at which a range of subjects of mutual interest was discussed. We are in close touch with the United States and French authorities on nuclear testing and associated issues.
Search and Rescue
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to utilise the facilities used by the search and rescue service at RAF Leuchars when the service at the base is closed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Search and rescue flying from RAF Leuchars ceased on 1 April. The Aberdeen, Dundee and St. Andrews University Air Squadron will use the facilities vacated by the SAR flight.
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates he has of the cost reductions or increases that will be made with the reorganisation of the RAF search and rescue service ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The changes in the deployment of the RAF search and rescue force will reduce operating costs by approximately £6.5 million per annum at today's prices.
University Air Squadron
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the locations where students of the University air squadron are entitled to have training and flying lessons free of charge ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Training and flying lessons take place at the following locations : RAF Leuchars ; RAF Cosford ; Colerne ; Cambridge ; RAF Turnhouse ; RAF Newton ; Glasgow International ; RAF Woodvale ; RAF Leeming ; RAF Benson ; Belfast City ; RAF Boscombe Down ; RAF St. Athan ; RAF Finningley and the Royal Military College, Shrivenham. My Department does not raise charges against members of the University air squadron, but individual universities may do.
Outdoor Pursuits
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been seconded to organisations concerned with outdoor pursuits and adventure travelling, including Operation Raleigh, in each of the last five years ; and if he will list the organisations concerned ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : None has been seconded. A number of personnel from the three services have, however, participated in expeditions organised by Operation Raleigh, now Raleigh International, and the British Schools Exploring Society. Their participation was authorised as adventurous training and they were regarded as being on duty. According to our records, the number of service personnel involved was as follows :
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Number of service
personel
Year |Raleigh |British Schools
|International |Exploring Society
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1992-93 |68 |18
1991-92 |77 |8
1990-91 |35 |11
1989-90 |68 |7
1988-89 |62 |11
|-- |--
Total |310 |55
Land Sales
Mr. Martlew : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give (a) the amount of land sold by his Ministry and (b) the amount raised from the sale, in each of the last five years in each region of the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.
British Aeros April, Official Report, column 508, which organisation paid the salaries of the RAF personnel seconded to British Aerospace ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : British Aerospace.
Humanitarian Flights
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights have been made since January 1992 by aircraft of the Royal Air Force in pursuance of humanitarian purposes ; and how many aircrew have been involved in this activity.
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