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Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the revenue generated in each
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of the last 10 years by sales of charts and related information by the British hydrographic service (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) to overseas customers.Mr. Archie Hamilton : This is a matter for the chief executive of the Hydrographic Office Defence Agency and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from J. A. L. Myres to Mr. Nicholas Winterton, dated 5 May 1993 :
1. You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question concerning the revenue generated in each of the last 10 years by sales of charts and related information by the British Hydrographic Service (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) to overseas customers.
2. The Minister has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Hydrographic Office, to reply directly to you. The information you require can be found in the attached Annex. In amplification I should like to make two observations. Firstly, the term "charts and related information" has been defined as the sale of charts and hydrographic publications. Secondly, the revenue figures are, for reasons of comparison, expressed on a constant price basis, namely at 1992-93 prices.
3. I should also point out that charts and hydrographic publications are sold through a worldwide network of Admiralty Chart Agents. Whilst we have, on the basis of our invoice returns, been able to differentiate between sales to UK and overseas chart agents, it does not follow that an overseas chart agent will sell only to a user based overseas or vice versa.
I hope this is helpful.
Annex
£ million
Financial Year |United Kingdom|Overseas
|(<1>at 1992-93|(<1>at 1992-93
|prices) |prices)
------------------------------------------------------------
1982-83 |7.08 |9.38
1983-84 |6.91 |8.44
1984-85 |7.08 |8.66
1985-86 |5.98 |7.91
1986-87 |6.22 |7.91
1987-88 |6.13 |8.12
1988-89 |6.28 |8.79
1989-90 |6.77 |9.45
1990-91 |7.04 |10.65
1991-92 |8.60 |11.11
1992-93 |7.58 |10.98
<1> Calculated using HM Treasury GDP deflator index dated
February 1993.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to withdraw vessels operated by the British hydrographic service and for the replacement of such vessels ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The current ships of the Hydrographic survey squadron will be replaced, as this becomes necessary, with chartered vessels with naval crews or parties embarked as appropriate.
Reserve Forces
Mr. Brazier : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to use members of the reserve forces in support of current operations.
Mr. Rifkind : I reported to the House by notice last October the call-out of a small number of willing officers of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve to support
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current operations, and in November the Minister of State for the Armed Forces reported the call-out of a number of Territorial Army and Royal Naval personnel.A need for futher limited support from the reserve forces has now arisen. The requirement is for a small number of officers to serve in Italy in intelligence and public relations capacities in support of the operations to enforce the no-fly zone over Bosnia. Three officers will be deployed at any one time and additional support may be needed in the United Kingdom. They will all be volunteers. They are being called out under section 11(1) of the Reserve Forces Act 1980.
TRANSPORT
Fords
Mr. Home Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fords there are in England where public roads cross watercourses ; how many fatal or serious accidents have occurred in each of the last 10 years as a result of vehicles failing to negotiate water on fords on public roads ; if he will list fords which have been closed to traffic following such accidents ; and what is his Department's policy towards fords and the provision of warning to motorists when water conditions may be dangerous.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : No information is available centrally about the number of fords in England, accidents at or near fords, or fords which have been closed to traffic following accidents. Fords are normally on minor roads which are the responsibility of the local authority. The signs prescribed in Traffic Signs Regulations for use as necessary include triangular signs to give advance warning of the ford and the need to try brakes after crossing, gauges to show the depth of water and "Unsuitable for motors" plates for use with the warning signs where the water is normally too deep. Warning signs can be used where floods occur at fairly regular intervals but should be covered or removed unless the hazard is present.
Sonic Booms
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sonic booms have been reported over land areas of the United Kingdom in each year since 1987 ; and how many of these were caused by (a) military aircraft and (b) civil aircraft.
Mr. Norris : We have received no reports of primary sonic booms over the UK from the operation of civil aircraft since 1987. I have asked my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence to write to the hon. Member about military aircraft.
Exeter-Barnstaple Rail Line
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the future funding of the Exeter to Barnstaple railway line.
Mr. Freeman : Services which meet an essential social need will continue to receive a subsidy where necessary. This applies whether the operator is a franchisee or BR, which will continue to operate services until they are franchised.
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Plutonium Transport
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter dated 15 March by the Minister for Aviation and Shipping to Lord Jenkins of Putney on comparative risks of plutonium transport.
Mr. Norris : Yes, I have done so.
General Lighthouse Fund
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what change will be made in the funding of the general lighthouse fund following the transfer of responsibility for this service from Her Majesty's Customs.
Mr. Norris : The General Lighthouse Authorities, with the agreement of the Department of Transport, have
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entered into a contract with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers to collect the majority of light dues. The contract came into operation of 1 April 1993 and did not involve any changes to the operation of the General Lighthouse Fund.Bus Subsidies
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total amount of subsidy to bus operations in each of the past 20 years.
Mr Freeman : The information requested is shown in the table. Revenue support figures for the years prior to 1977-78 are not shown as they could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
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Grants and subsidies to the bus industry: Great Britain £ million<1> Year |Revenue support |Fuel duty rebate |Rural bus grant |New bus grant |Infrastructure grant|Total ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1972-73 |- |21 |1 |20 |1 |- 1973-74 |- |20 |1 |21 |1 |- 1974-75 |- |36 |3 |23 |2 |- 1975-76 |- |39 |4 |37 |2 |- 1976-77 |- |47 |- |41 |2 |- 1977-78 |196 |57 |- |49 |1 |303 1978-79 |220 |59 |- |57 |1 |337 1979-80 |264 |67 |- |66 |- |397 1980-81 |373 |80 |- |74 |- |527 1981-82 |443 |89 |- |58 |- |590 1982-83 |561 |103 |- |30 |- |694 1983-84 |572 |101 |- |16 |- |689 1984-85 |608 |127 |- |1 |- |736 1985-86 |495 |131 |- |- |- |626 1986-87 |419 |129 |17 |- |- |565 1987-88 |337 |135 |17 |- |- |489 1988-89 |337 |158 |13 |- |- |508 1989-90 |296 |150 |4 |- |- |450 1990-91<1> |323 |169 |- |- |- |492 1991-92<2> |377 |189 |- |- |- |566 <1>Not adjusted for inflation <2>Provisional Sources: Bus and Coach Statistics 1991-92, HMSO Transport Statistics Great Britain, HMSO
Road Crashes
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in the reduction of deaths and serious injuries from road crashes in the north west region.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The number of people killed and seriously injured on north west roads in 1991 was 5,580. This is 21 per cent. lower than the annual average 1981-85 base figure, against which we are measuring our target of reducing the number of road casualties by one-third by the year 2000.
Roadworks
Mr. Fry : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent the application of higher safety standards to protect workers engaged in highway repairs has increased the number and length of lane closures at roadworks (a) generally, and (b) between junction 28 and 29 on the M1.
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Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : The current standards for safety zones have been in force for many years, although compliance may have improved following publication of the revised chapter 8 of the Department's traffic signs manual in May 1991. The number and length of lane closures have depended on the maintenance requirements at any particular time, and the volume of traffic which had to be accommodated in the open lanes.
Mr. Fry : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department take where motorway repairs and improvements are done under lane rental contracts to prevent excessive delays caused by long sections of road being affected at any one time.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Lane rental provides a particular incentive for contractors to minimise the duration of lane closures, but all our motorway repairs and improvements are carefully planned and co-ordinated to minimise delays to road users, regardless of the form of contract used. We normally require that roadworks on motorways be spaced at least 10 km apart, and our contractors are instructed that no more than 4 km of carriageway should be coned off
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on any scheme at any time. Traffic management layouts are individually designed, and techniques continuously refined, to maximise the capacity of the lanes available and smooth the flow of traffic through the works.Mr. Fry : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the length of delays to traffic at the roadworks between junctions 28 and 29 on the M1 motorway currently taking place ; and what steps can be taken to reduce them.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Major maintenance, including strengthening and resurfacing, is necessary to the M1 between junctions 28 and 29 in Derbyshire. Lane restrictions are an essential safety measure to protect the workforce and road users. This section of the M1 carries 90,000 vehicles a day. With that level of traffic, lane restrictions will unfortunately cause a degree of disruption, particularly at peak times. To mitigate the effect on traffic, the work is being carried out under a lane rental contract which allows the contractor to work throughout the day and night, seven days a week, to encourage early completion. Through the national and local media road users have been kept advised of the work, so that they can consider making alternative arrangements if that is possible. I am, of course, sorry for the inconvenience that has been caused to people using this part of the M1, but the work is programmed for completion on 20 May.
Environmental Impact
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he plans to introduce on the environmental impact of transport in the north west region.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : All major transport infrastructure proposals, in the north-west and elsewhere, are subject to full environmental impact assessment.
The March Budget announced that the value of fuel duty in real terms is to be increased as part of a strategy to increase fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. My Department is working closely with our European partners to tighten standards for noise and gaseous emissions from vehicles.
Traffic, Greater Manchester
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will visit the Greater Manchester area to assess the effect of traffic on town centres.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I shall be happy to visit Greater Manchesng local authority road schemes and public transport projects such as Metrolink to help traffic conditions in the centres.
Bus Travelcards
Mr. Peter Bottomley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many urban areas all bus travelcard systems have been withdrawn or disagreed by operators since 1985.
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Mr. Freeman : This information is not collected centrally. However, in all the major metropolitan areas there are at present travelcard schemes involving all the major bus operators.
LGV and PSV Drivers
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make it his policy to initiate a registration scheme for qualified and experienced LGV and PSV instructors at an early date ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 November 1992, Official Report, column 161.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the standards of tuition given by unqualified LGV and PSV instructors and the numbers of liquidations of firms of unqualified instructors ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : I have received no recent representations on these particular topics. My Department has no information about the number of liquidations of large goods vehicle and passenger carrying vehicle instruction firms.
Rail Privatisation
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to his statement on 2 February, Official Report, column 243, that under the proposed rail franchising arrangement there should be a cap for those services that are a monopoly, at what level above the existing fares the cap will be set ; and what the criteria will be for bringing the cap into effect ;
(2) to what extent his policy on the guidance he will be issuing to the rail franchising authority as to the circumstances in which, and the extent to which, fares might be controlled has been developed beyond what is said in paragraphs 14 and 15 of the Railways Bill Committee paper No. 3 of February ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Freeman : Further work remains to be done in developing the draft guidance that I provided to the Standing Committee in relation to fares regulation and other matters.
Emergency Telephone (A2)
Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on his plans to instal emergency telephones on the A2 as it passes through the Dartford constituency.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle : Emergency telephones are to be installed on the A2 between Bexley and Three Crutches (M2). Consultants were appointed in January this year and it is hoped that installation work will start in spring next year.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefits Agency
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what targets for performance set by his Department for the Benefits Agency in respect of clearance
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time and accuracy are reduced for 1993-94 relative to the original targets for 1992-93 ; what are the estimated final figures for 1992-93 ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Burt : There are four targets which have been reduced for 1993- 94.
|1992-93 |1993-94
|per cent.|per cent.
--------------------------------------------------------------
DLA clearance time (in 55 days) |95 |85
DWA clearance time (in 5 days) |95 |65
IS accuracy |94 |92
Family credit accuracy |94 |92
The final performance figures for 1992-93 will be published in the Benefits Agency annual report in July 1993. The 1993-94 targets will be reviewed, as is customary, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the light of those figures.
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of weekend working by staff of the Benefits Agency during the past 18 months at time-and-a-half and double -time, plus travelling expenses, for the purpose of making-up the backlog of disability living allowance cases.
Mr. Scott : The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 4 May 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of weekend working by staff of the Benefits Agency during the past 18 months at time-and-a-half and double-time, plus travelling expenses, for the purpose of making-up the backlog of Disability Living Allowance cases. Firstly, it may be helpful for me to explain that Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was introduced on 3 February 1992 and due to this fact any overtime worked prior to this date was mainly in respect of project work and not directly related to processing claims. The information I have therefore supplied, is relevant to the period when DLA was introduced.
It is not possible to establish how much overtime has been paid in respect of weekend working as the information is not recorded separately from normal after hours working. However, the total amount of overtime, including travelling time, in the period February 1992 to February 1993 was £6,822,583. This figure also includes work carried out in the Disability Benefit Centres which is attributable to other work areas and cannot be identified separately, for example Attendance Allowance.
Turning now to the question of travelling expenses this data is not available as it is not recorded separately from the normal travelling expenses incurred during everyday duties.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.
Mr. Kaufman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of providing staff of the Benefits Agency with corporate clothing ; what this corporate clothing consists of ; and how many sets of such clothing have been provided to date.
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Mr. Burt : The provision of corporate clothing to Benefits Agency staff is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gerald Kaufman, dated 4 May 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is the total cost to the Exchequer to date of providing staff of the Benefits Agency with corporate clothing ; what this corporate clothing consists of ; and how many sets of such clothing have been provided to date. Corporate clothing, as part of the customer service initiative, enables Benefits Agency staff to present a better and more professional image to their customers. This clothing is worn, voluntarily, by staff who deal regularly with the public such as receptionists, Social Fund officers and those members of staff running exhibitions and talks for outside bodies.
The corporate dress contract was awarded on 11 December 1991. The national cost of corporate clothing, for the financial years 1991-92 and 1992-93, is in the region of £2.1 million. I should explain that funding for this clothing comes from office running costs and not out of the budgets allocated to benefits.
The items available as corporate clothing include jackets, shirts, blouses, cardigans, jumpers, trousers, ties, maternity dresses, and belts. The clothing does not come in sets, but the average order would be in the range of 10 items. Over 86,000 individual items have been ordered to date.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Pension Age
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update table 6, at page 49 of "Options for Equality in State Pension Age" to reflect current retirement pension rates.
Miss Widdecombe : The information is in the table. As in table 6 of "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", the amounts are rounded to the nearest £1.
Basic pension available at different ages (£) Age |Age 63 pivot'|Age 65 pivot' -------------------------------------------------------- 60 |45 |39 61 |48 |41 62 |52 |45 63 |56 |48 64 |61 |52 65 |66 |56 66 |71 |61 67 |77 |66 68 |84 |72 69 |92 |79 70 |102 |87 Source: GAD, assumes prices uprating and single person's pension rates.
Water Prices
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to take into account disparities between water prices in different regions of the United Kingdom when structuring the benefits system.
Mr. Burt : Social security in the United Kingdom is composed largely of national benefits. We have no plans to change this arrangement.
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Pensions
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost that would be involved in extending inflation-proofed pensions to those over 80 years of age who do not qualify for annual uprating, assuming the same age profile for such British state retirement pensioners as for those who do.
Miss Widdecombe : The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimates he has made of the numbers of British state retirement pensioners with ancestral links with new Commonwealth countries who would wish to spend their retirement in a new Commonwealth country if their entitlement to an inflation-proofed state retirement pensions were to be maintained.
Miss Widdecombe : The nationality or origin of a contributor to the British national insurance scheme is not recorded and we do not, therefore, have the information needed to make such an estimate.
Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those countries where British pensioners receive inflation- proofed state retirement pensions together with the dates when, in each case reciprocal agreements were entered into.
Miss Widdecombe : The information is in the table.
Table of overseas countries where annual pension increases are paid and the dates on which reciprocal social security agreements came into force Country |Date --------------------------------------------------------------------- Austria |1 October 1972 Barbados |1 April 1992 Belgium |1 June 1958 Bermuda |1 November 1969 Cyprus |18 May 1957 Denmark<1> |8 February 1960 Finland |1 February 1984 France |5 July 1948 Germany |1 August 1961 Gibraltar |26 March 1974 Guernsey |4 April 1966 Iceland |1 August 1985 Irish Republic |4 April 1966 Israel |1 November 1957 Italy |1 May 1953 Jamaica |1 October 1972 Jersey |4 April 1966 Luxembourg |1 April 1955 Malta |29 October 1956 Mauritius |1 November 1981 Netherlands |1 June 1955 Norway |1 April 1991 Philippines |1 December 1989 Portugal |1 October 1979 Spain |1 April 1975 Sweden |1 May 1988 Switzerland |1 June 1954 Turkey |1 June 1961 United States of America |25 September 1969 Yugoslavia (including the newly independent former republics) |1 September 1958 Annual pension increases are also payable in Greece under the European Community's Social Security regulations. <1>The reciprocal agreement between the United Kingdom and Denmark does not provide for annual pension increases to be paid to pensioners in Denmark but such increases are payable under the European Community's Social Security regulations.
Agencies (Letters)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 March, Official Report, column 172, for what purpose copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility are sent to Ministers before being sent to the hon. Members to whom they are addressed ; and how many such letters have been amended as a result of this practice.
Miss Widdecombe : Replying to parliamentary questions concerning day -to-day operational matters for which they are responsible has been delegated to the chief executive of this Department's Agencies in line with the Government's response to the Eighth Report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee (October 1990, Cm 1263). The arrangements are kept under review. In this Department Ministers see a draft of chief executives' replies to remain informed of the actions and replies of the agencies concerned. It is not the practice of Ministers to amend such drafts.
Free Envelopes
Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy regarding the supply of free envelopes to facilitate claims for benefits ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : The supply of free envelopes is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Hanson, dated 5 May 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is his Department's policy regarding the supply of free envelopes to facilitate claims for benefits.
In line with the Benefits Agency's core value of Customer Service it is normal practice for officers to provide pre-paid envelopes when requesting information from a customer.
I am aware that there have been isolated instances where the facility of free envelopes has been withdrawn at a local level, but this has only been where it was felt that the money could be used more constructively in providing a better standard of service to our customers. Such decisions are only made where the District Manager is satisfied that the service to the customer will not suffer, and the decision is kept under constant review. I am currently reviewing these exceptions with a view to deciding whether they are justified. I will make a decision and write to you further at that time. I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Residential and Community Care
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will ensure that, where there is no opposition from clients, the Benefits Agency provides assessment information to local authority social services departments, for the purposes of establishing residential care charges ;
(2) what guidance he has issued to ensure co-operation between Benefits Agency staff and social services departments for the introduction of community care.
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Mr. Burt : The administration of social security benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 4 May 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking (i) if he will ensure that, where there is no opposition from clients, the Benefits Agency provides assessment information to local authority social services departments, for the purposes of establishing residential care charges and (ii) what guidance has been issued to ensure co-operation between Benefits Agency staff and social services departments, for the introduction of community care.
The Benefits Agency has made a number of arrangements to ensure adequate liaison with social services departments. The Departments of Health and of Social Security, the Benefits Agency and the Local Authority Associations (who represent all local authorities), have all been fully involved in the discussions on the introduction of community care. A joint statement of intent was issued in March 1993 to all Benefits Agency offices and Social Services departments (Social Work departments in Scotland). This detailed a number of good liaison practises and stressed the importance of effective communication.
Additionally, guidance has been issued nationally instructing staff in Benefits Agency offices to co-operate with all reasonable requests for information which social services departments may make, provided that the customers' consent has been obtained. Each Benefits Agency District has also appointed a member of staff with responsibility for liaising with their local Social Services or Social Work department. I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
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