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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 21 May 1993
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department to what investigations his Department has been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle ; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made ; and what remedial action was taken by his Department to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.
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Mr. John M. Taylor : The Lord Chancellor's Department has not been the subject of any investigations by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle. All computer systems within the Lord Chancellor's Department comply fully with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984, as will all future systems.
Immigration Appeals
Mr. Allen : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals there were against a refusal of (a) a variation or extension of leave to remain in the United Kingdom, (b) entry clearance abroad, (c) entry to the country, (d) removal as an illegal entrant and (e) a decision to deport a person and the refusal to revoke a deportation order ; and what the results were of these appeals.
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 14 May 1993] : The information requested was as follows during the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 :
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Appeals to Immigration Adjudicators
|Received<1>|Allowed |Dismissed |Withdrawn
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) |8,333 |229 |5,573 |2,171
(b) |13,882 |3,845 |15,752 |3,458
(c) |105 |53 |425 |46
(d) and (e)<2> |1,656 |33 |963 |275
<1>The number of appeals received does not equal those allowed, dismissed
and withdrawn as the latter categories include appeals received before 1
April 1992 and determined during 1992-93.
<2>The Immigration Appellate Authorities do not record separate figures
for appeals against removal as an illegal entrant and these appeals are
recorded with those at (e).
EMPLOYMENT
Training Schemes (Accidents)
Ms Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) fatal, (b) major and (c) minor accidents have occurred on youth training, employment training and employment action in each region and in Great Britain as a whole in each quarter since March 1990 ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. McLoughlin : Table A gives the accident figures for 1990 ; Table B gives the accident figures for 1991 ;
Table C gives the accident figures for 1992 ; and
Table D gives the figures for the first quarter of 1993.
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Notes :1. Employment Department figures for trainees have been compiled on a similar basis to those prepared by the Health and Safety Executive for employed persons. However, the Employment Department's figures include a number of accidents to trainees in educational establishments, and road traffic accidents, which would not have been reportable to the Health and Safety Executive had the individuals been employed.
2. Major injuries are classified according to the severity criteria laid down in the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.
3. Employment Action was launched in October 1991. Accident statistics for Employment Action are included from the quarter ending December 1991.
4. Eastern Region was formed during quarter ending 30 September 1992. North West Region was split into two during quarter ending 30 September 1992. Accident records for Scotland were split between Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise from the quarter ending 30 September 1991.
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Table D: 1993 accident figures
YT ET EA
Region |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter ending 31 March 1993
East Midlands |- |5 |29 |- |- |5 |- |1 |1
Eastern |- |4 |16 |- |2 |3 |- |- |2
Highlands/Islands |- |2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Scot Enterprise |- |6 |35 |1 |1 |9 |- |1 |2
Northern |- |4 |42 |- |5 |12 |- |1 |5
Yorkshire and Humberside |- |12 |62 |- |1 |29 |- |- |6
North West West |- |6 |26 |- |1 |7 |- |- |2
North West East |- |2 |19 |- |3 |3 |- |- |2
West Midlands |- |7 |42 |- |1 |10 |- |- |3
Wales |- |2 |36 |- |4 |7 |- |- |5
South West |- |5 |27 |- |- |7 |- |1 |1
South East |- |3 |21 |- |2 |- |- |- |7
London |- |4 |13 |- |1 |1 |- |- |1
|-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--
National |- |63 |368 |1 |21 |93 |- |4 |37
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Table D: 1993 accident figures
YT ET EA
Region |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter ending 31 March 1993
East Midlands |- |5 |29 |- |- |5 |- |1 |1
Eastern |- |4 |16 |- |2 |3 |- |- |2
Highlands/Islands |- |2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Scot Enterprise |- |6 |35 |1 |1 |9 |- |1 |2
Northern |- |4 |42 |- |5 |12 |- |1 |5
Yorkshire and Humberside |- |12 |62 |- |1 |29 |- |- |6
North West West |- |6 |26 |- |1 |7 |- |- |2
North West East |- |2 |19 |- |3 |3 |- |- |2
West Midlands |- |7 |42 |- |1 |10 |- |- |3
Wales |- |2 |36 |- |4 |7 |- |- |5
South West |- |5 |27 |- |- |7 |- |1 |1
South East |- |3 |21 |- |2 |- |- |- |7
London |- |4 |13 |- |1 |1 |- |- |1
|-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--
National |- |63 |368 |1 |21 |93 |- |4 |37
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Table D: 1993 accident figures
YT ET EA
Region |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter ending 31 March 1993
East Midlands |- |5 |29 |- |- |5 |- |1 |1
Eastern |- |4 |16 |- |2 |3 |- |- |2
Highlands/Islands |- |2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Scot Enterprise |- |6 |35 |1 |1 |9 |- |1 |2
Northern |- |4 |42 |- |5 |12 |- |1 |5
Yorkshire and Humberside |- |12 |62 |- |1 |29 |- |- |6
North West West |- |6 |26 |- |1 |7 |- |- |2
North West East |- |2 |19 |- |3 |3 |- |- |2
West Midlands |- |7 |42 |- |1 |10 |- |- |3
Wales |- |2 |36 |- |4 |7 |- |- |5
South West |- |5 |27 |- |- |7 |- |1 |1
South East |- |3 |21 |- |2 |- |- |- |7
London |- |4 |13 |- |1 |1 |- |- |1
|-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--
National |- |63 |368 |1 |21 |93 |- |4 |37
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Table D: 1993 accident figures
YT ET EA
Region |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor |Fatal |Major |Minor
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quarter ending 31 March 1993
East Midlands |- |5 |29 |- |- |5 |- |1 |1
Eastern |- |4 |16 |- |2 |3 |- |- |2
Highlands/Islands |- |2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Scot Enterprise |- |6 |35 |1 |1 |9 |- |1 |2
Northern |- |4 |42 |- |5 |12 |- |1 |5
Yorkshire and Humberside |- |12 |62 |- |1 |29 |- |- |6
North West West |- |6 |26 |- |1 |7 |- |- |2
North West East |- |2 |19 |- |3 |3 |- |- |2
West Midlands |- |7 |42 |- |1 |10 |- |- |3
Wales |- |2 |36 |- |4 |7 |- |- |5
South West |- |5 |27 |- |- |7 |- |1 |1
South East |- |3 |21 |- |2 |- |- |- |7
London |- |4 |13 |- |1 |1 |- |- |1
|-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |-- |--
National |- |63 |368 |1 |21 |93 |- |4 |37
Pregnant Women's Rights
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been allocated by her Department towards publicity campaigns for 1992 and 1993 to explain to employers and employees their obligations and rights with regard to the employment rights of pregnant women.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Department publicises employment rights for pregnant women principally through the advice leaflet "Employment Rights for the Expectant Mother".
The cost of producing and distributing this booklet in 1992-93 was £2,378, and the allocation for 1993-94 is £2,615. I will send a copy of the booklet to the hon. Member.
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DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Market Testing
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 5 May, Official Report, column 85, if he will provide details of the evidence upon which he bases his estimate of the percentage savings arising from market testing in previous years.
Mr. Waldegrave : The annual reports by the central unit on purchasing on progress in Government procurement for the four years to March 1991, provide information on Departments' progress with market testing. This information, which includes savings, is derived from returns provided by Departments themselves. The annual reports are in the House Library.
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No report on market-testing progress was complied for 1991-92. I shall report on the current period which runs to 30 September 1993 as soon as possible after that date.ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Data Protection
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Attorney-General to what investigations his Departments have been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle ; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made ; and what remedial action was taken by his Departments to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.
The Attorney-General : None of the Law Officers' Departments has been the subject of an investigation by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Family Credit
Mr. Dover : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current annual spending on family credit ; and what was the spending on family income support in 1979.
Mr. Burt : Family credit expenditure for 1992-93 was £864 million. This is 36 times more than the £24 million spent on family income supplement in 1978-79 in cash terms and 13 times more in real terms.
Christmas Bonus
Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would have been the total cost to the Exchequer of paying a Christmas bonus to pensioners in the year 1992-93 had such bonus been increased annually since 1972 in line with prices.
Miss Widdecombe : The Christmas bonus would now be worth £62.30 had it been increased annually since 1972 in line with prices. To pay it at this rate to 12.7 million beneficiaries in 1992-93 would cost £791 million.
Retirement Pensions
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentages of newly retired (a) men and (b) women were entitled to payments from the state earnings-related pension scheme in each year since SERPS pensions were first available.
Miss Widdecombe : The information is in the table.
Percentage of awards of retirement pension containing
serps<1>
|Men |Women<2>
-------------------------------------------------------
April 1979-November 1979 |44.1 |7.1
December 1979-May 1980 |55.3 |12.5
June 1980-June 1981 |62.5 |14.9
July 1981-November 1981 |69.7 |15.2
December 1981-May 1982 |74.2 |18.1
June 1982-September 1982 |74.6 |18.9
October 1982-March 1983 |77.5 |19.2
April 1983-September 1983 |80.1 |19.9
October 1983-March 1984 |79.0 |18.7
April 1984-March 1985 |86.9 |23.6
April 1985-September 1985 |88.0 |23.5
October 1985-March 1986 |89.1 |24.1
April 1986-September 1986 |91.7 |29.0
October 1986-September 1987 |91.9 |29.3
October 1987-March 1988 |92.4 |29.6
April 1988-September 1988 |92.8 |33.7
October 1988-March 1989 |92.1 |32.9
-------
April 1989-March 1990<3> |91.8 |46.2
April 1990-March 1991<3> |92.1 |49.0
April 1991-March 1992<3> |91.8 |52.5
Notes:
<1> Includes men and women who receive SERPS through
either an Additional Pension or a Contracted-Out
Scheme.
<2> Includes all categories-Category A derived from
contributors own contributions; Category ABL-derived
from both the contributor's and her husband's
contributions; Category B-derived from husband's
contributions only. No SERPS is paid on Category B
pensions.
<3> Up to March 1989 the proportions are derived from
all new claims to contributory Retirement Pension
regardless of age. From April 1989 they are based on
claims by men aged 65 and women aged 60, so that
claims deferred for more than a year and some claims
for Category B pension are excluded. In order to match
up the two series, the proportion of men with
entitlement to SERPS from April 1989 onwards should be
increased by about 1 percentage point and the
proportion of women reduced by about 10 percentage
points.
Compensation Scheme
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the clearance target for each social security benefit which will be used in the calculation of the new compensation scheme announced on 4 May.
Miss Widdecombe : The target clearance times relevant to the revised arrangements announced on 4 May are as follows :
Benefit |Clearance target<1>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Social Fund Crisis Loans |<2>-
Social Fund Community Care Grants |20 days
Income Support-Claims |13 days
Sickness and Invalidity Benefit |30 days
Child Benefit |30 days
Family Credit |42 days
Disability Living Allowance |55 days
(Claims from people starting work) |5 days
Retirement Pension |60 days
<1>Shown as working days.
<2>On the day need arises.
The clearance targets which will be used in the cases of those benefits which do not have secondary clearance times are being considered. Where the clearance target would mean a customer having to wait longer than the 12 month period which was applicable to the arrangements before 1 April 1993, a notional target of six months will be used.
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the clearance target used to calculate compensation under the scheme announced on 4 May will be the target for the year the payment should have been made, the target for the year the payment was finally made or the target for some other year.
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Miss Widdecombe : The target clearance time used to calculate compensation which may be due under the revised arrangements announced on 4 May will be the clearance target relevant to the date payment of the arrears of benefit are made.
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the full rules governing the award and calculation of compensation in the new compensation scheme for late payment of social security benefits announced on 4 May.
Miss Widdecombe : The criteria under which payment of compensation is considered when a payment of a new claim for a social security benefit is delayed are :
(i) The delay must be because of official error ;
(ii) The arrears due must be for £50 or more ; and
(iii) The delay must be for at least six months plus the relevant target for clearing the bulk of claims--usually between 85 and 95 per cent.
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he wil publish a leaflet for the public setting out the rules governing the new compensation scheme for late payment of social security benefits announced on 4 May ; and if he will include in it the clearance targets which are relevant for each benefit.
Miss Widdecombe : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's clearance targets, which relate to the revised arrangements, are published in the Benefits Agency business plan.
All district offices display details of national targets in their reception areas, and customers will be able to obtain details of the relevant clearance targets from the customer service manager at their local office.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland flag
Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 13 May, Official Report, columns 553-54 , by what Act or instrument the Government of Northern Ireland adopted the Northern Ireland flag ; and for what purpose it was adopted.
Sir Patrick Mayhew : The official flag of Northern Ireland is the Union flag. In 1924, the Government of Northern Ireland was granted arms by royal warrant and had the right to display these arms on a flag or banner. In 1953, they exercised this right by giving assent to the flying of such a flag, known as the "Ulster Banner", on festive occasions.
Terrorism
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost of compensation paid out for loss of property by fire and explosion in terrorist incidents over the last three years.
Mr. Mates : Responsibility for the subject in question is a matter for the Compensation Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. Robinson. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from J. Robinson to Rev. Martin Smyth, dated 20 May 1993 :
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I refer to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the cost of compensation paid for loss of property in terrorist incidents. The Secretary of State has asked me to respond.Compensation paid in the 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93 financial years in respect of claims for damage to property caused by fire and explosion in terrorist incidents amounted to £19.37 million, £29.07 million and £64.1 million respectively. The figures do not include applicants' fees and costs.
I hope this is helpful.
Rate Collection Agency
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for the Rate Collection Agency in 1993-94.
Mr. Atkins : For 1993-94, the following performance targets have been set for the agency :--
1. To reduce rating debt to 1.83 per cent. of the gross collectable rate, excluding late assessments, by 31 March 1994. 2. To achieve a reduction of 2 per cent. in the real value of the unit costs of collecting rates per hereditament.
3. To generate refunds to 96 per cent. of ratepayers so entitled within 14 days of credits being identified.
4. To process by 31 March 1994, 94 per cent. of applications for the incoming year received from existing housing benefit recipients before 15 March 1994.
5. To achieve a reduction of 1.8 per cent. in the real value of unit costs of processing housing benefit cases.
6. To assess 96 per cent. of housing benefit claims free of error.
Ordnance Survey
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide details of the key performance targets for 1993- 94 which have been set for Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
Mr. Atkins : The key performance targets for the period 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1994 which have been set for Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland are as follows :
to survey 30,484 house units in the continuous revision programme ;
to complete 800 data capture units representing 1,429 basic scale map sheets converted to digital format ;
to update the digital topographical database with 90 per cent. of the surveyed change within seven days of receipt of the field data ; to dispatch within seven working days 90 per cent. of orders for folded and basic scale maps ;
to reduce unit costs so that the weighted mean percentage reduction of selected representative activities is 2 per cent. ;
to recover, from the supply of goods and services, 21 per cent. of the total costs incurred by the agency.
WALES
Local Authorities (Payment of Bills)
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to encourage or require local authorities to pay their bills on time ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. David Hunt : The prompt payment of bills by local authorities is a matter for them and I have no power to intervene. However, the Government expect the public sector generally to follow best practice and to pay its bills within the agreed credit period or, where no such period has been agreed, 30 days. The payment performance of Government Departments is regularly monitored and Government contracts now include a requirement for sub-contractors to be paid promptly.
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Hydatidosis
Mr. Hanson : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to control the spread of hydatidosis in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : The Welsh Office has been providing funds to Powys health authority since 1989 for a five-year public education campaign on hydatid disease. The disease is generally most prevalent in sheep farming areas and the aim of this campaign is to reduce the incidence of hydatid disease through increased public awareness and the encouragement of preventive measures. Total funding to the end of 1992-93 is £119,000. Resources have been set aside to fund the campaign during the current financial year. The effectiveness of this will be evaluated in September 1994. Decisions on the future direction of the hydatid disease campaign in Wales will be taken in light of the outcome of this evaluation.
Additionally, the communicable disease surveillance centre, Wales, is currently preparing a survey into the incidence of hydatid disease in humans in Wales for the period 1984 to 1992. We hope to have the results of this shortly.
Job Vacancies
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the number of vacancies within each jobcentre area in Wales in each of the last four quarters.
Mr. David Hunt : All available vacancy figures can be accessed on- line by staff in the Library of the House.
European Farm Commissioners
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 7 May, Official Report, column 275, who represented his Department at the meeting of European Farm Commissioners on 26 and 27 April.
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Mr. David Hunt : My Department was represented at the Agriculture Council of Ministers on 26 and 27 April by the head of the agricultural commodities, structures and general policy division. een given to local authorities as regards the gross rate of interest to be paid for by council mortgages.
Mr. Gwilym Jones : Under the provisions of section 438 and schedule 16 of the Housing Act 1985, local authorities are obliged to set their mortgage interest rate at the higher of the "standard national rate" or the "local average rate".
A revised standard national rate of 8.01 per cent. was declared, and notified to authorities, on 26 February and came into effect on 1 March. On 2 March, the Local Authority Mortgage Interest Rate Determination 1993 was issued to authorities setting out a revised method of calculating the local average rate.
Employees' Qualifications
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of (a) employees and (b) the self-employed in Wales had (i) a higher education degree or equivalent, (ii) higher education experience below degree level, (iii) GCE A-level or the equivalent, (iv) O-level or the equivalent, (v) other forms of qualification and (vi) no qualifications in each year since 1984.
Sir Wyn Roberts : The information requested is available from the labour force survey and is included in the table.
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Per cent.
|1984|1985|1986|1987|1988|1989|1990|1991|1992
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Employees
Degree of equivalent |7 |7 |9 |7 |7 |7 |8 |8 |10
Other higher education |9 |9 |9 |8 |8 |8 |9 |8 |9
A-level or equivalent |22 |22 |21 |23 |23 |22 |24 |26 |27
O-level or equivalent |17 |18 |19 |19 |19 |20 |21 |21 |22
Other qualifications |7 |8 |8 |9 |12 |13 |10 |9 |10
No qualifications |39 |36 |34 |34 |31 |30 |28 |28 |22
(b) Self employed<1>
Higher education qualification<2> |10 |10 |14 |12 |13 |13 |14 |12 |14
GCE A-level or equivalent |31 |35 |34 |30 |31 |32 |38 |37 |39
Other qualification<3> |18 |21 |15 |21 |22 |22 |22 |20 |18
No qualifications |41 |34 |36 |37 |34 |33 |27 |30 |29
<1>For the self-employed some Labour Force Survey estimates for Wales are not
accurate enough to be published in the level of detail required. Some groups of
qualifications have, therefore, been aggregated for the answer.
<2>Includes Degree and all other Higher Education Qualifications.
<3>Includes O-level and all other qualifications.
Historic Buildings Council
Mr. Richards : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish the 36th annual report of the Historic Buildings Council for Wales.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : The 36th annual report of the Historic Buildings Council for Wales has been published today. The report covers the financial year 1991-92 and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
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Labour Statistics
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many people aged (a) 16 to 17 years, (b) 18 to 19 years and (c) 20 to 24 years were unemployed in each travel-to-work area in Wales in each of the last four quarters ;
(2) what were the numbers and percentages of long-term unemployed people aged (a) 18 to 24 years, (b) 25 to 59 years and (c) 60 years or over within each travel-to-work area in Wales in each of the last four quarters ;
(3) if he will publish figures showing the number of unemployed people by duration of unemployment within each county in Wales indicating the number who have been unemployed for (a) zero to three months, (b) three to six months, (c) six to 12 months and (d) 12 months or more.
Mr. David Hunt : All available unemployment claimant figures can be assessed on-line by the staff of the Library of the House.
Mr. Llwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) male and (b) female workers in Wales were in (i) full-time and (ii) part- time employment in each county in Wales in each year since 1979.
Mr. David Hunt : Figures are available only for years when a census of employment was carried out and the results prior to 1981 are not comparable with later years. All available employment figures can be accessed on-line by staff in the Library of the House.
Mr. Hain : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 17 May Official Report, columns 57-58 , how many people, and what percentage of all adults aged 16 years or over, were recorded by the 1991 census in Wales as economically inactive.
Mr. David Hunt : The number of adults in Wales aged 16 or over recorded as economically inactive by the 1991 census was 1,002,205. This represents 44.4 per cent. of the total resident population aged 16 or over.
HEALTH
Patient Records
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health to whom (a) written and (b) computer notes on patients held by general practitioners belong.
Mr. Sackville : Ownership of records on patients maintained by general practitioners in accordance with their terms of service, is vested in family health services authorities.
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