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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 14 June 1993
NORTHERN IRELAND
Terrorism
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the number of (a) killings by terrorists, (b) terrorist shooting incidents, (c) terrorist bombs, including explosions and defusings, and (d) persons charged with terrorist offences, in Northern Ireland in each of the years since 1985.
Mr. Mates : The information requested is set out in the table :
Terrorist incidents in Northern Ireland 1986-1992
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Maginnis : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he is giving to the RUC Chief Constable's request for changes to the law in respect of the need to respond more effectively to terrorism ; and when he expects to announce his decision.
Mr. Mates : The Government keep the law against terrorism under constant review to ensure that it remains both effective in fighting terorism and proportionate to that aim.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
R v. Style, Donaldson and Attwell
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library the transcript of R v. Style, Donaldson and Attwell.
The Attorney-General : No. Neither my office nor the Crown Prosecution Service has had cause to request the preparation of a transcript.
Mr. Asil Nadir
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the right hon. and hon. Members from whom he has received representations concerning the conduct of the
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Serious Fraud Office in respect of Mr. Asil Nadir, with the names of the person at whose request those representations were made in each case.The Attorney-General : I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 10 June 1993, column 334. It is not my policy to give details of such representations.
Mr. Cox : To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had and with whom, following the flight from the United Kingdom to northern Cyprus of Asil Nadir ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : Pursuant to my statutory duty to superintend the work of the director of the Serious Fraud Office, I have discussed the case with several properly interested persons. It is my practice not to give details of such discussions.
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Attorney-General how many representations he has received in the past year from right hon. and hon. Members concerning the Asil Nadir case ; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-General : I have in the past year received a representation from two hon. Members about the Polly Peck investigation and prosecution. One hon. Member has raised an issue by means of a parliamentary question.
ENVIRONMENT
Compulsory Competitive Tendering
Mr. Quentin Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to issue guidance to local authorities on the avoidance of anti-competitive conduct when subjecting work to the requirements of compulsory competitive tendering.
Mr. Baldry : The Government have today issued guidance under section 9 of the Local Government Act 1992, and pursuant to the Local Government (Direct Service Organisations) (Competition) Regulations 1993 (SI No. 848).
CCT has produced many benefits for local taxpayers since its introduction, not only through financial savings but in improved efficiency and better standards of service. These benefits can be gained only through fair competition, and experience over recent years has shown that the statutory framework for CCT needed to be strengthened and clarified to ensure that all parties compete on a level playing field.
Local authorities are in the unusual position of being both client and potential contractor. In letting contracts, they must ensure that they are absolutely even-handed. It is not the Government's intention to discriminate against an authority's in-house work force, or to presume in favour of the private contractor. I believe the guidance strikes the right balance and will ensure that both local authority in-house teams and the private sector can tender effectively. This can only be in the best interests of the local taxpayer.
Local authorities and other bodies have made many helpful and constructive comments during consultation on these provisions, and I am grateful for their contribution.
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Canal Restoration
Mr. Clapham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department is giving to canal restoration groups.
Mr. Yeo : Grant may be available under a number of schemes subject to the relevant criteria being met. These include derelict land grant, the environmental action fund, the European regional development fund, the urban programme and city challenge, and through the Countryside Commission.
Rural Development Areas
Mr. Harvey : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to authorise the Rural Development Commission to put out for consultation its proposals for new rural development areas.
Mr. Yeo : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I are considering the Rural Development Commission's proposals very carefully. The commission should be able to make an announcement shortly.
Local Authority Expenditure
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to limit local authority expenditure in 1994-95 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : The experience of 1993-94--with only three authorities capped--is a very encouraging indication of greater realism on the part of local authorities. We hope that in future years local government will continue to play its part in keeping public expenditure under control and that it will not be necessary to cap any authority.
Council Tax
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to continue council tax transitional relief beyond 1995 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : We have said that there will be council tax transitional relief for at least two years in all. No decision has been made about the availability or otherwise of transitional relief for years beyond 1994-95.
Toxic Emissions
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to help reduce acid deposition and sulphur dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : The United Kingdom is playing a full and active role in negotiations for a second sulphur protocol for the abatement of SO2 depositions under the United Nations Commission for Europe convention on long-range transboundary air pollution.
Olympic Games
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the extent of the Government's financial commitments in relation to Manchester's bid to host the Olympic games.
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Sir George Young : The Government have made up to £75 million available to support the Manchester Olympic bid and the construction of key facilities in advance of the International Olympic Committee's decision on the nomination. If the bid is successful, the Government will ensure that the necessary facilities are built by a mixture of public and private finances and that the funding necessary to stage and organise the games is provided.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list for (a) Liverpool city, (b) Rochdale, (c) Calderdale, (d) Sefton, (e) Solihull, (f) Walsall, (g) Wirral and (h) Wolverhampton metropolitan district councils (i) the total population, (ii) the total capital budget for 1993-94 and (iii) the total revenue budget for 1993-94 ;
(2) if he will list for the London boroughs of Brent, Havering and Lambeth (a) the total population, (b) the total capital budget for 1993-94 and (c) the total revenue budget for 1993-94 ;
Mr. Baldry : The information is as follows :
|Total population<1> |Total capital budget|Total revenue budget
|1993-94<2> |1993-94<3>
|£ million |£ million
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool City |474,522 |88.552 |447.622
Rochdale |205,209 |25.904 |161.430
Calderdale |194,138 |20.206 |143.241
Sefton |295,097 |20.650 |199.304
Solihull |201,388 |20.619 |123.725
Walsall |263,361 |58.757 |<4>202.212
Wirral |336,144 |30.930 |248.457
Wolverhampton |249,138 |51.622 |206.863
Brent |247,205 |27.273 |<4>256.354
Havering |231,227 |20.846 |149.419
Lambeth |249,888 |52.734 |306.364
<1> Mid-1991 population estimates, as used in 1993-94 Settlement.
<2> Total capital expenditure as reported by authorities on the CER93/94 return.
<3> Unless otherwise stated, net revenue expenditure as reported by authorities on the RA93/94 return.
<4> Net revenue expenditure as reported on the BR return. Figures from the RA93/94 return are not yet
available.
Water Companies (Technical Audits)
Sir John Hannam : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the review of the process of technical audit of water companies has been completed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Yeo : I am pleased to announce that the review of the procedures devised and followed by the drinking water inspectorate for assessing the quality of drinking water supplied by water companies has been completed by Professor P. F. Stott, CBE, FEng, assisted by Dr. R. F. Packham, CChem, FRSC, FIWEM. I have placed a copy of the report in the Library.
Professor Stott describes the standards adopted for drinking water as very demanding. He concludes that, bearing in mind the regulations and the importance to the public of demonstrating that the standards are adhered to, the system and methods devised and developed by the
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inspectorate are appropriate and sufficient but not more than sufficient for the purpose of checking the compliance of the water companies.For the future, Professor Stott believes that there could be change as quality management systems are introduced by water companies. The inspectorate will commence consultation with water companies and others on the changes that should be introduced in the longer term.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list for each decommissioning scheme for fishing vessels which has operated since 1973 the total amount paid out, the number of owners who received grants and the number of vessels taken out by each, together with the amount given to employees and the proportion of each scheme financed by EC funds.
Mr. Jack : The Fishing Vessels (Financial Assistance) Scheme 1983, which ran until 1986, is the only decommissioning scheme, to have been operated since 1973. The following are details of
decommissioning grant paid under that scheme :
Total amount paid out £18,422,622
Number of vessels on which grant was paid 247
EC contribution 50 per cent.
Figures are not available for the amount paid to employees, since this was a matter between the vessel owner and the employee.
Pesticides
Sir Richard Body : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations her Department has had with United States agencies about the toxicological data concerning (a) the fungicide Benlate and (b) other pesticides with the same active agent.
Mr. Soames : The Department maintains regular contact with the United States and other pesticide registration authorities and was aware of the United States position on the fungicide Benlate and other pesticides containing the same active ingredient (benomyl). As part of the United Kingdom's most recent review of benomyl, the independent advisory committee on pesticides examined the latest study produced by the university of California.
Livestock Quotas
Sir David Steel : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will allow free access to livestock quotas for those farmers wishing to convert from arable farming to mixed organic farming.
Mr. Jack : Farmers wishing to convert to organic farming will be able to acquire quota by buying or leasing. We are currently considering whether such farmers should also be eligible to apply for quota from the national reserves, and if so what priority they should have in relation to other applicants.
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Comfrey
Mr. Hain : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to prohibit the growing and consumption of comfrey by private individuals ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Soames : I have no plans to prohibit the growing and consumption of comfrey. The Department has produced an information note on comfrey which we have made available widely. A copy is in the Library of the House. The leaflet advises against the use of comfrey as a vegetable and the use of comfrey root in making teas.
Mr. Hain : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she first considered introducing a voluntary code of practice on the sale of comfrey products ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Soames : When I received the advice of the independent committees--the Food Advisory Committee and the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment--I considered various options. A voluntary withdrawal of the comfrey products of most concern backed up by appropriate labelling was pursued as the course most commensurate with the risks involved.
Turkish Cyprus
Mr. Sheerman : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to prevent the illegal import of agricultural products from Turkish Cyprus.
Mr. Jack : Agricultural products originating anywhere in the island of Cyprus may be imported into the EC provided that they satisfy any relevant standards imposed by EC law. The treatment of agricultural imports from north Cyprus is the subject of a case pending before the European Court of Justice.
Salmon Advisory Committee (Membership)
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what basis the current members of the Salmon Advisory Committee were selected ; how many are representative of anglers' associations ; how many are representative of commercial interests ; and what is the size of the advisory committee ;
(2) how many of the individuals not reappointed to the Salmon Advisory Committee earlier in the current year were (a) ineligible through age or (b) declined an invitation to serve a further term.
Mr. Jack : The Salmon Advisory Committee currently has 10 members plus a chairman. They have been invited to serve because of their knowledge of matters relating to salmon fisheries or the biology of ecology of salmon. All were appointed on a personal basis and not as representatives of particular organisations or interest groups. The committee was reviewed during 1992 particularly with a view to its future work programme. As a result, membership was reduced from 16. Age was not a factor in deciding membership. One former member declined an offer of reappointment for personal reasons.
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Flooding
Dr. Strang : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which areas of England and Wales have been subject to severe flooding since 1979 ; and what assistance was made available to those communities and individuals who suffered financial loss as a consequence of the flooding.
Mrs. Shephard : My Department and the Welsh Office seek to maintain a general overview of major flooding incidents but do not collect comprehsensive data on incidents. In any case, to the individuals in the affected area any flooding is likely to be regarded as severe. The Government do not normally provide financial assistance to individuals as it is considered to be the responsibility of householders and business to ensure that they have adequate insurance for their property and contents. However, exceptionally, the Government made a contribution of £150,000 to the North Wales appeal funds in 1990 following flooding in Towyn.
In certain exceptional circumstances, special financial assistance has been provided to local authorities under the "Bellwin" scheme by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Wales with each case being considered on its merits. Grant aid is available to operating authorities for new and improved flood defence works from my Department or the Welsh Office. In targeting grant provision, which has increased in recent years, priority is given to flood warning and urban flood and sea defence works.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Government Documents
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what role his Department plays in reviewing requests made by the media or other interested parties for the release of documents produced by, commissioned by, or forwarded to other Government Departments.
Mr. Waldegrave : The Office of Public Service and Science plays a central role in developing and implementing policies of greater openness across Government as a whole. Decisions on the release of particular documents are, however, for the Departments concerned.
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Science and Engineering Research Council to discuss his White Paper "A Strategy for Science, Engineering and Technology", Cm 2250.
Mr. Waldegrave : I see Sir Mark Richmond regularly to discuss a range of topics, especially those relevant to the Science and Engineering Research Council. My office is working closely with Sir Mark and his management team over the implementation of the policy decisions on restructuring the research council system, which were announced in the White Paper.
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House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements are to be made to provide hon. Members with information about the amendments proposed to schedule 1 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975.
Mr. David Davis : A detailed explanatory note on the revised resolution tabled on Friday 11 June is available from the Vote Office.
European Parliament (Administrators)
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many candidates invited to and attending the seminar organised by the Cabinet Office on 29 April for British candidates for European Parliament open competition PE/60/A for English language administrators were (a) women and (b) men ; what was the regional breakdown of those (i) invited and (ii) attending the seminar ; how many such seminars have been held in each of the last five years in the United Kingdom ; and where each was held.
Mr. Davis : Invitations to the seminar were issued by the European Parliament on behalf of the Cabinet Office to the 654 Britons who applied for the competition ; of these, 299 were women and 355 were men.
One hundred and five candidates accepted the invitation ; of these, 50 were women and 47 were men--the other eight did not indicate their gender. These candidates came from the following regions :
Regions |Number ---------------------------------------------- London and Southern England |58 Midlands and Northern England |19 Wales and the West Country |14 Northern Ireland |1 Scotland |0 Elsewhere in Europe |13
During the past five years, the Cabinet Office has not held any other seminars for competitions run by the European Parliament, but it has organised seminars for the main competitions run by other EC institutions as follows :
Location |Year |Seminars ------------------------------------------------------ 4 in London 1 in Edinburgh |1988 |5 London |1989 |1 London |1990 |2 4 in London 1 in Edinburgh |1991 |5 London |1992 |3 London |1993 |1
Mr. Donohoe : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will review the procedures used by the Cabinet Office in arranging seminars for United Kingdom candidates for European Parliament English language administrators to ensure that (a) accurate information is provided to candidates and (b) all candidates are given an equal opportunity to take part.
Mr. Davis : The content of every seminar and the procedures used to arrange it are reviewed after the seminar has taken place ; the results inform the arrangements for the next seminar.
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NATIONAL FINANCE
Tobacco Products
Mr. Barry Porter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the sums, expressed in current prices, raised from (a) excise and (b) VAT on tobacco products in the first quarters of 1992 and 1993.
Sir John Cope : The available information is as follows :
£ million
|Tobacco excise|VAT on tobacco
------------------------------------------------------------
1992 Q1 |1,688 |360
1993 Q1 |1,311 |n/a
The VAT is estimated from consumer spending on tobacco. No estimate is yet available for the first quarter of 1993.
Comparisons between the first quarter of 1992 and the first quarter of 1993 are complicated by the removal of pre-Budget restrictions on the clearance of tobacco products for the 1993 Budget. As a result, clearances which might previously have taken place in the period December to February were delayed until March, and duty payment delayed into the second quarter.
Mr. Barry Porter : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent Central Statistical Office estimate for United Kingdom consumers' expenditure on tobacco products in the United Kingdom for Q1 1993 ; and what was the comparable figure for Q1 1992.
Mr. Nelson : Figures for consumers' expenditure on tobacco products for Q1 1993 will be published on 22 June. Figures for earlier quarters are available from the CSO database which can be accessed by the House of Commons Library. The relevant database indentifiers are :
CCDZ--current prices, not seasonally adjusted
CCEN--current prices, seasonally adjusted
CCBP--constant prices, not seasonally adjusted
CCCD--current prices, seasonally adjusted
Customs and Excise
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many Customs and Excise officers were employed in Scotland at the last available date ; and what were the comparable figures for the same dates in 1988 and 1983 ;
(2) how many customs officers at each of the Scottish airports are designated specifically for drugs duties ; and how many serve at each airport at any given time ;
(3) what measures are being taken to search hold baggage arriving at domestic halls at Scottish airports which have been interlined by passengers transferring from international flights at Heathrow or Gatwick from other destinations.
Sir John Cope : The following numbers of Customs and Excise officers were employed in Scotland over the relevant period :
|Number
------------------------------
30 April 1993 |1,666.5
30 April 1988 |1,780.5
30 April 1983 |2,078.0
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The number of officers shown below have an anti-smuggling role at the Scottish airports, but this is not confined exclusively to drug duties. It also covers other aspects of smuggling and other prohibitions and restrictions :
|Number
------------------------
Edinburgh |11
Glasgow |32
Aberdeen |20
The deployment of anti-smuggling staff at any given time will vary according to the perceived risk of a particular flight. This is part of a strategy which has moved staff away from predictable static controls to a more mobile and flexible approach targeted at areas of highest risk.
The anti-smuggling staff can also be augmented, when necessary, by staff from elsewhere in the executive units who are normally deployed on other duties. In addition, specialist intelligence teams are used in each area.
Following the introduction of the single market on 1 January 1993, revised arrangements under the European Community baggage regulation enable hold baggage consigned from outside the Commmunity to be cleared at the final destination in the EC. Special measures are taken to identify hold baggage interlined by passengers travelling from international flights at Heathrow and Gatwick. These enable full examination of baggage to be made by customs, where necessary, at the final point of destinations.
Customs checks are increasingly based on the indentification of targets through the use of intelligence and risk indicators. This highly selective and unobtrusive approach is in no way diminished at those locations where examination of baggage takes place in domestic facilities.
Public Finance
Mr. Hain : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out (a) tax receipts and (b) public expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product for each year since 1978.
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